Clockwise from top right: Foil Wilderness Gift Tags / Bubbly Cheers Tag Set / Mechanical Wood Pencil / Wine Bottles Invitation / Dessert Birthday Card / Thank You Mix Set / Seaweed Hello Set

A blog is a wonderful way to express yourself to a wide audience, and in my case a valuable tool to represent my brand. While social media, blogging and the internet have done wonders for global communication, there is something so pure, simple and rewarding about receiving a handwritten note. In many ways handwriting is a lost art.

No one is more passionate about the handwritten note than the inspiring and fabulous Wendy Brown of Brown Ink Paper Goods. Brown Ink was created in 2011 as a blog to inspire basic longhand. As she states, “There’s never been a more important time to slow down and remember what handwriting feels like; the excitement of receiving a letter in the mail, the beauty of becoming acquainted with a new friend’s writing, or the current and future gifts received through journaling the now.” To spread her passion for handwriting, Wendy and her husband launched Brown Ink Paper Goods in 2013. This beautiful online boutique features a thoughtfully curated collection of stationary, journals and writing related goods. I swoon over this, these, this and this. With new products being added regularly (see above for my favorites), Brown Ink offers so many beautiful ways to make writing truly joyful.

The power of a handwritten note in this day and age should not be underestimated. I received my first job offer out of college because I was the only applicant to send a hand written thank you after the interview process (true story). Now that I work for myself I impart handwriting into as many facets of Brass Tacks as possible. My calendar and to-do lists are hand written. I write personal notes to clients for birthdays, holidays and thank you’s. On a personal level, I take great joy in sending and receiving a lovely letter-pressed card. According to Brown Ink, “When we look back at our writing, words create our history and individuality. Without question, handwriting gives balance and emotion to our lives.”

So next time you sit down to write that email take pause and consider how much more meaningful your message will be coming from your hand. Handwriting is not just a tool, it’s the creation of a keepsake its recipient may cherish forever.