Decorated Envelopes

I've been getting lots of good mail recently in the form of decorated envelopes. These great envelopes mostly contained deposits for a workshop that's coming to Louisville in October, and one was just a friendly gift.

Here's a detail from the lovely envelope Anne-Davnes Elser sent me. I'd seen a Facebook post where she'd casually offered to send one to others who liked the one she posted. I took her up on it. It is a stunner with colors transitioning between the letters. I love it! Thank you again, Anne! (Anne teaches workshops at Bookbinders in Atlanta, and besides her excellent calligraphy, she makes beautiful books.

This one is from my great friend Diana Hutchison. Diana used to be known as the QueenODots for her penchant for decorating envelopes with dots. She does so much more than that, and so much more than pretty envelopes. Her large scale contemporary mixed media pieces are amazing! I loved getting this happiness in my mailbox.

Heather Lee sent this spring green beauty with lush black letters that look like velvet. The letters make you want to touch them to feel the pile, but of course there is none. Note the neat ligature between the H, U and R! Gorgeous!

My friend Shirley Sawyer sent this cute little mouse-illustrated envelope. Apparently her illustrations are well known among our friends, but this is the first time I'd seen one. How cute he is!

It is so much more fun to get pretty mail than the usual advertisements or - shudder - bills.
My cousin and I used to exchange long letters written in calligraphy and mailed in lavishly decorated envelopes. We worked full time, were wives and mothers and were even busier then than now. I don't know how we did it. I rarely send a pretty envelope for myself these days. I spend my days lettering wedding envelopes for others, but they're so much fun to receive I am going to have to send more, more often.