Take Note: Upcoming Summer Paper Adventures

Summer is around the corner. Want some ideas for things to do? Here's a list of some adventures for my fellow paper lovers: 

• Enroll in a Letter Writers Alliance Initiative Response. As an LWA member, I have enrolled in the "Out of the Box" Initiative Response. I'll be on a mission all summer to complete three assigned tasks in order to be rewarded a new patch for my growing collection. Ever the Girl Scout, I'm a sucker for the patch reward system. I'll be sure to share updates. Stay tuned. 
• Attend a Midori Traveler's Notebook MeetUp. Find your tribe! These types of creative journaling meet ups and gatherings are popping up all over the place. Look for one in your area. Many are listed as Facebook events or on Meetup.com. I'll be attending this one happening in Tampa, FL. 
• Beat the heat with a Fountain Pen Show. Pen shows are a great way to learn more about fountain pens and meet other writing enthusiasts. There are several shows happening over the summer including the big one in Washington, DC. If you are in the south Florida area in mid July, I'll be teaching a Mail Art class at The Miami Pen Show. Check it out and come say hi. 
• #GetOutside with Letter Boxing. Heading to a local, state or national park this summer? Letter Boxing can make your adventure all the more fun. For more information on Letter Boxing check out the video I made earlier this year. 

Stay cool, have fun and continue to create. 

Setting Intentions With A Vision Board

How do you set your life intentions? Once upon a time I made lists with my goals, plans and intentions for each year. Each list item included a check box and a very specific idea of how they should come to fruition. 

It was a very controlled system. I was good at making things happen. But here's the catch. Even when I carried out the plans perfectly and accomplished the goal, I didn't always feel satisfied. In fact, it was actually the plans that didn't go smoothly and the goals requiring outside help in achieving that gave me the greatest sense of fulfillment. How baffling for a Gantt chart loving control freak like me.

So I changed a few things and started opening myself up to things like mindfulness, synchronicity, and intuition to get me where I needed to be. I use vision boards now and I'm not afraid to change them every few months. I still make To Do lists and take action, but things aren't as rigid as they used to be. There is room for error. Unchecked boxes are no longer failures, but signs pointing me in new directions. I'm learning that it's about the journey, not the destination. It is much more satisfying. 

Paper Tams Make Mail Kit

Greetings on this beautiful May Day morning. I'm very excited to share some Paper Tams news. This month I am launching the Paper Tams Make Mail Kit. 

This kit is the result of putting countless mail art and letter writing kits together for classes taught over the past year. It includes many of my favorite items for making mail. 

Inside you will find six sheets of my favorite off white Tomoe River writing paper. This paper is fountain pen friendly while having a tissue thin feel of the letters of old. I feel like Jane Austen when writing on it.

Also included is a small mail art pack for making three vintage style envelopes much like the ones I make and share on my Instagram account. The pack contains kraft envelopes, address labels and various collage items like vintage papers, decorative napkin, tissue sheet, tags and tickets. 

At this time, The Paper Tams Make Mail Kits will be sold exclusively by the kind proprietor, Tona Bell, at The Paper Seahorse in Tampa, Florida. They will be available online and in her beautiful shop, which I encourage you to visit. Be on the lookout for them this month.