Inspired by Love
A new monthly celebration to lift your spirit
Inspired by Love
A Good Mail Day
Most days the mail does not make my heart sing.
But one day it did. I received
A handwritten thank you card from my 8-year-old granddaughter
and
A handcrafted bookmark with a thoughtful note on back
Packaged in a handmade sleeve to
Fit inside an envelope
Made beautiful with another drawing.
My heart sang that day.
Transitions
As I move toward the next iteration of this publication (new name and look revealed next week!), I am inspired to create new offerings that more closely reflect what I wish to bring to the world.
The inspiration for this new feature came in my mailbox.
The real one.
Not my inbox.
The opening photo and micro prose above express the joy created by two handwritten, heartfelt messages I received recently in the mail.
A thank-you from my sweet granddaughter for the birthday gift I sent her.
And a handcrafted bookmark from Mansi, a Substack friend and fellow creator, encased in a personalized sleeve and sent in an artfully decorated envelope.
The arrival made my day. And more.
I left the items, once opened, on my kitchen counter and then on my dining table so I could continue to enjoy them as I made and ate my dinner.
They stayed on my table for about a week. Now the thank you is hung on the side of my refrigerator with the other artwork, photos, and notes I receive from my grandchildren that make me smile every time my eyes rest there.
The bookmark is in the new book I’m reading. And the sleeve is on my desk because Mansi made it so pretty, I want to be reminded that someone cared enough to not only spell my name correctly but to make it beautiful too.
Introducing *Monthly Message in the Mail*
Beginning in May, I will send a handwritten, personalized message inside a beautiful, art-inspired greeting card via snail-mail to paid supporters of this publication.
The initial cards are the ones shown below. These are from a collection of greeting cards featuring the photography of my late husband, Joe Gemignani. Like Joe, Paper Lantern, the company that produced the cards, is no longer around to produce more.
So the 177 remaining cards in my possession are likely the only ones left. A limited edition of sorts ;)
Some of the cards are blank, some contain short messages like Happy Birthday or Thank You.
All were created with love of craft by Joe and the publisher, Lindsay (sorry, can’t remember her last name), who added a quote to accompany the image with attribution on the back.
Now I will add another layer of love and appreciation as I number each card and add my message for the month on the inside.
Interesting to note!
The number 177 in numerology becomes 6 (1+7=8, 8+7=15, 1+5=6).
Number 6 represents Love.
Truly, the Monthly Messages in the Mail will be images on cards with words of love from me to you.
Ready to receive the Love?
Here’s what to do if you want to receive your personal, handwritten limited-edition, numbered greeting card mid-May.
If you are not yet a paid subscriber, upgrade now.
If you already are a paid subscriber, there’s nothing more for you to do.
I will be sending a form to all paid subscribers soon to gather mailing addresses. All personal information goes directly to me and will never be shared with anyone, ever.
Answers to some questions you may have
Will both monthly ($7/mo) and annual subscribers (($60/yr) receive the Monthly Message in the Mail?
Yes. An annual subscription is discounted by 30%. All subscriptions can be cancelled at any time, but no refunds are given. Cancelled monthly subscriptions are terminated at the end of the paid month and annual subscriptions continue for the year, but will not be renewed.
What happens after all the 177 cards are sent?
My plan is to purchase additional art-inspired cards directly from artists to be featured in the Monthly Message.
What are other subscriber benefits?
Free ebooks, excerpts from works in progress, and more. View the list here.
What else will be different? And why are you changing things again?
There’s a lot to unpack in the above questions, and much will be revealed in coming weeks. It’s going to be a fun journey, so stay with me!
I’ll probably send a short mid-week note to you next week as a reminder—perhaps with some sneak peeks of what’s to come— so you remember it’s from me when the “new” version arrives.
Until then… My best, Shelley
Oh, this is such a lovely idea!
And your granddaughter's name is Lola? I have a teddy bear with that name, she still sits on my nightstand, about 40 years after she entered my life.
How beautiful! I feel the joy in this post. 🫶🏼