The Duet Project – Chapter 7- The Art of Letter Writing : simplebooklet.com

The Art of Letter Writing is a theme that is close to my heart. I have so many letters I’ve saved throughout the years, especially from when I was a young girl. You’ll read more about my letter writing (actually receiving) later in the chapter. I love Darcy’s insight she shares in this interview, feeling that sending letters in the mail is like sending magic. Receiving a hand-written letter in the mail is like getting a present delivered just for you. It’s a gift we can give others that only costs the price of a stamp. Our family and friends want to hear from us! Why not surprise them with a letter next time, instead of a text or email? You’ll be filling their bucket with joy!IntroductionAmy’s Tip: Remember to listen to the podcast before your first creation session!2Click Here to Listen!

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Conversation Starters31. Did you ever have a penpal, and if so, where were they from? What do you remember about the experience? 3. Do you like receiving letters in the mail? Do you save the letters you receive? 4. What’s the difference between sending a letter and writing an email?5. Would you rather write a letter, make a phone call, send an email or send a text? 6. What means more to you- getting a letter in the mail, receiving a phone call, getting an email or receiving a text?7. What’s the most creative piece of mail you’ve ever sent or received?8. How do you stay connected to your friends?9. How do you figure out what to say in a card when something sad happens to a friend?10. How does it feel to write a thank you note or receive one?2. Do you like writing and sending letters to people? How do you decide what to write in a letter?Remember: The younger person is tasked with initiating the conversation.

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What’s Inside4Introduction....................................Conversation Starters......................How-To Video................................. Art Supplies...................................Instructions.....................................Reflection Prompts...........................Amy’s Reflection On Letter WritingPrinter Friendly Reflection.............235568912

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InstructionsCreation Session #1Before using the watercolor paints, you must prep the paint by putting a drop or two of water in each color to “wake up” the paint. Once ready, paint the watercolor paper to fill the entire area. You are not painting an image, only painting colors on the paper. In the next step you will be tearing this painted paper apart, so do not worry if it doesn’t look like something. Try different techniques! Wet paint on dry paper. Wet paint on wet paper. Drizzle some salt on the wet paint and allow it to dry. Splatter the paint over a base of color. The possibilities are endless! Check out the video for some more ideas. Start the conversation with the questions!6Amy’s Tip: Before starting, prepare your project surface area for painting by placing newspaper or plastic down to make clean up easier.

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Creation Session #2 Once the painted paper is dry, crumple up the paper into a tight ball. Open up and crumple again. Now start tearing the paper up into small pieces, about 1 inch. It’s not an exact measurement, some pieces can be long and skinny, others roundish. You may want to sort them by color, or not. It’s up to you. Begin thinking about what image or shape you may want to create using the torn pieces. You may want to put the paper in baggies sorted by color for use at the next Expression Session, or one just one bag so they stay in a safe spot. Ask the questions and start your conversation!InstructionsCreation Session #3 Gather all the crumpled, ripped pieces and start designing an image on top of the front of one of the cards. Keep moving the pieces around until you are happy with the design. Using the glue stick, glue down the pieces. The less glue, the better. The pieces may be elevated off the paper, not flat..... but if you want to glue them down flat, it’s okay - it’s your art. You do you! Ask the questions! Repeat with each of the cards. Who in your life would like to receive a letter from you?

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Amy’s Reflection On Letter WritingIt started at Swain Elementary School. Passing those folded pieces of lined paper, sharing our everyday thoughts with our friends and hoping the teacher wouldn’t notice. Back then I knew how to fold the paper into fancy envelopes. I still have some of those letters in my old trunk in the corner of my garage. In junior high school I had a pen pal. I remember anxiously waiting for the mailman to see if she’s written. Receiving a letter from a far away land and reading someone else’s thoughts about life was so interesting to me. She was an artist, too– that’s about all I can remember. The camp letters from the boys who I crushed on and who crushed on me… I still have some of those too, I think. Reading those letters brings back so many memories of a transitional time in my life. I went to summer camp every summer of my childhood from the time I was 8 years old– and still spend a portion of my summer at summer camp. I wish I had kept more of the letters my friends wrote to me after camp. Just like Darcy Lee says in the podcast for this month’s theme, receiving a letter in the mail is like getting a little gift. When I met my husband at summer camp, I knew he was a creative person because he scavenged through the scrap paper in Omanut (Art) and glued some purple scraps onto a yellow piece of construction paper. I still have that first note– and I’ve since made him write the date on it. (He always forgot about writing the date, until I told him how important it was to me!) 9

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10At the time I was still in college with plans to travel around Europe for three months after graduation. Before I left, I shared my itinerary with him and the addresses of the American Express offices of the cities that I’d be visiting. Before cell phones, texting and email were in our life, American Express offered a service to receive and hold mail for travelers. Donald wrote to me while I was traveling and on our phone calls he would tell me that he’d sent a letter. There was one time that I was planning on leaving the city, but I knew there was a letter waiting for me, so I spent another night. Donald’s letters really are like getting little gifts in the mail. He uses bright colored markers to write the address and decorate the envelope. He puts silly stickers on them, too, so you know it’s a letter from him. The mail carrier always knew she had a letter for me from him when she delivered the mail to my parents’ house. I still have all those letters and I’m thankful for the postmark.Today, I’m thinking about which letters I will share here and what I will find in the trunk in the corner. It’s a trip down memory lane and I’m grateful for those people who sent me “gifts” in the mail so that I can enjoy the discovery of looking through them sometimes as the years go by. Who will you surprise this month with a handmade card and thoughtfully written letter?

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Reflection PromptsThe Art of Letter WritingFavorite Part of the Project:Something that surprised me this month:Things I want to remember about this month’s experience:Date:Reflection PromptsThe Art of Letter WritingFavorite Part of the Project:Something that surprised me this month:Things I want to remember about this month’s experience:Date:

The Duet Project – Chapter 7- The Art of Letter Writing

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