Envelope Project Revisited

Today has been a GREAT day!  I ran 7.01 miles this morning in 55 degree weather, 93% humidity (it actually rained while we were running) and 14 mph North winds.  My B-guy, ran with me for the first 6 miles (then I left him in the dust!!).  That's my story anyway!

When I got home from work yesterday this is what I found at my doorstep.  Thank you Blackberry Quilts!!!  I can't wait to get started on the baby quilt.

Sorry for the poor picture; it's overcast today.  The kit is just lovely!

So, I've done 40 envelopes so far.  You may be wondering why I'm drawing on the backs of envelopes.  This book was part of the inspiration.  Check it out.  I'm pretty sure Amazon has the "Look Inside Pages" on this book because that's where I bought it.

But most of the inspiration came from a whole lot of things that happened simultaneously.  On October 4, 2010 I made a list of 53 things to do before I turned 54 next year.  Since my birthday is in June, I have less than a year to get these things accomplished.  In February 2010 my nephew, Jamie, was killed and we all miss him deeply.  He left behind his wife of less than one year and a whole lot of family and friends.  He was 2 months shy of turning 27.  Death is a hard thing especially when it comes to someone so young and who died because of the recklessness of another driver.  My sister and her family are devastated.  When I was making my list I knew that I needed to reach out to my sister and my niece and tell them how much I love them and try to give them comfort. 

If you read this blog, then I'm sure most of you know that I run.  I run with Jamie in my heart and on each run I always ask him to look over his family (and of course, me when I'm out there logging the really long miles or the steep hills!!).  Then it hit me that Jamie's not here and I should take the initiative and show the kindness myself.  So, one of the items on my list is to make sure that my sister and my niece are okay.  I decided to do this by sending them a card or note each week.  This is not a hard thing for me to do because I like to write and I love my family!!  And I do a lot of doodling and I keep several sketchbooks/journals going at one time.  The last thing that fell into place is the fact that I have always loved stationery and over the years I have collected quite a bit of the stuff.  So, in this year of 53 things to accomplish I decided to de-stash my stationery.  So there you have it.  List + tragedy + doodling + stationery stash = "The Envelope Project"!!

If anyone would like one of these "one of a kind" envelopes with a lovely handwritten note inside, just e-mail me your address and you will be added to the list!!!  Easy-peasy!!!  Chances are you'll get more than one over the time period (which will end either a) on my birthday, b) Dec 31, 2011 or c) when I run out of stationery!!!)  I can assure you, that I'm not going to run out of stationery because the big recycle pile at my job will then turn into my stationery and of course, I'll have to handcraft the envelopes!!! 

So, there you have the long version of why I use envelopes.  I hope you don't mind that they are mixed in with my quilting/sewing.  Unfortunately I have a day job so sometimes the only creating I can get done during the day (usually right before I go to bed) is my envelope project.  It makes me happy.  Most of the quilting/sewing stuff takes place on the weekend.

Thank you to Cherry Red Quilter for inquiring!

#40

Be sure to check the new "Envelope Project" tab at the top to view all of the envelopes to date.