New England Letters - a subscription service for you, through Etsy!

"Words are as beautiful as wild horses, and sometimes as difficult to corral." - Ted Berkman

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Do you miss the "good old days" when we actually wrote 'real' letters? Remember the way we held on to them, how good that felt?...and special ones we'd tuck away in a drawer to read again and again. And if by chance, you had a really creative friend - maybe you'd have the good fortune to get an 'illustrated' letter once in a while. Did that ever happen in your life? Did you ever dream of it? Something that's small, perhaps inconsequential....but perhaps not. It might be the juicy note you'd want to save...maybe even frame because it's just that pretty!  

Well, I don't think I'd call these "juicy" by today's standards...just "newsy stuff from home"....meaning of course - my home - here in New England. Each month I've painted a scene from my travels around town, and around all of New England.  On top of the painting, I write the news of the month - in the form of a letter....to YOU or to any dear friend you'd like to have receive it!  So in that way - it's personalized for the recipient. Each month, I paint a new scene with the current happenings, and mail it to my subscribers!  What a nice gift for yourself, to be able to go to the mailbox, and once a month receive an illustrated letter from a dear friend (me!).  You may have someone else in mind, someone who needs a bright spot in their day - maybe an elderly parent,  dear friend or special neighbor.  If you choose this as a gift for someone else, I tuck a note in their first illustrated letter explaining that it's from you...and that you chose them to receive it each month as a gift from you.  

Sometimes there will be other delightful ephemera tucked away in your envelope with your letter. Just because, it's fun!

And yes, I AM an oil painter, but one who likes a bit of watercolor sketch-book keeping as well! 

 Here's the September letter in progress! Just another beautiful day in Mystic, CT!

and same with October, a little view from Clyde's Cider Mill here in Mystic. 

November's news was from further afield, up in the Acadia National Park, Maine!

As you go through this Advent season leading up to Christmas, it seems there is always such a rush, and it can be so frustrating to allow ourselves to be caught up in the frenzy. I am frequently reminding myself to 'slow-down'; take care of myself...so that I can help take care of others and enjoy this celebration of the birth of Jesus (and yes, all the things that go along with this). Part of that taking care is keeping things as simple as I can make them...in order to be able to enjoy as much as I can. 

 

Breathe in slowly and fully...and release it ...allowing the extraneous to leave your body...and only the calm to remain. I'd love to hear from you - let's share how we get through the holiday season, and keep ourselves, calm and happy....and remember the reason for the season.