Cigar Box Pen Pal Kit

“How wonderful it is to be able to write someone a letter! To feel like conveying your thoughts to a person, to sit at your desk and pick up a pen, to put your thoughts into words like this is truly marvelous.”
― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

 

The instant gratification of text messaging, email and social media have made letter writing obsolete.  I won't pretend that I'm immune (I am writing a blog post after all), but don't you just love receiving cards and letters even if they are few and far between?  There's something so old fashioned and fabulous about it.  Opening my mailbox to find a card that someone took the time to sit down and write by hand instead of typing or texting always makes me feel special.  With my upcoming trip to Olympia, WA to visit my sister, Chelsea, right around the corner, the idea to make her a personalized "pen pal kit" hit me.  Not only was this very inexpensive to put together, but its also a wonderful housewarming gift that has the added bonus of helping us keep in touch! 

 

 

  I found this old cigar box at a garage sale a few years back.  I wasn't quite sure what to do with it at the time but loved the dark finish and intricate, colorful label.  Although any box will do, I thought this one was extra special and would make a great addition to her desk or book shelf.

 

 

Once I had the box, I set out to find some fun things to put inside it.  I started with the basics: plain, blank cards, stamps and colored pens (not pictured).  Then, I came across a pack of all kinds of unique scrapbooking paper, and when I say all kinds, I mean it.  Everything from felted leopard print and Christmas trees to glitter swirls and shiny star patterns.  I thought these pages would be great for her to cut out designs and letters to decorate the cards with.  Much to my delight, I also came across a wax seal kit.  How much fun is that!?!  It made me want to rip open the cards in aisle 3 of Hobby Lobby and write a letter to be sent via courier pigeon right then and there!  Ya...it's that nostalgic.  Alas, I refrained and focused my attention on the sticker section where I found these cute little guys:

 

 

Texas is so cool its greatness had to be captured in sticker form and therefore, I had to have it. 

 

 

I also just happened to pass this adorable cat stamp in the clearance Halloween bin that I couldn't pass up.  Chelsea has the doppleganger of this exact stamp in cat form and her name is Grimm.  I wasn't playing around when I said "personalized"!

 

 

I also added a couple of blank vintage cards I had found years ago.  The artwork on these cards are so unique and the vintage feel seemed right up the wax seal's alley.

 

 

Lastly, I trimmed the papers down to size and tied ribbon around each of the elements to keep them separated.

 

 



 Voilà, my pen pal kit is complete...next stop, Olympia, WA!