I once had a nationally-known author stay at my house for two nights. The author was Alexandra Stoddard who writes, for lack of a better word, lifestyle books. I was first introduced to her many years ago with her book Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life (1986). It is full of graceful illustrations by Pat Stewart.
Ms. Stoddard, who is an interior designer, wrote the book in response to discovering that her clients were spending tons and tons of money on their house interiors but not necessarily attending to their own interiors. All exterior splash and no soul.
In this book, the first of many that she has written, she offers suggestions and tips on setting up calming rituals, creating the extraordinary out of the ordinary, pampering yourself, and making your house/apartment/room/tent a tranquil oasis.
This is not about how to arrange your furniture (although there is some of that) but how to arrange your days.
She ends each chapter with a section called Grace Notes - additional ways to add beauty or elegance to your life.
In browsing through its pages, I see that over the years I have incorporated many of her suggestions into my life. To wit:
Use mirrors to create more light in a space.
Enjoy a small cookie or other treat with your afternoon tea.
Keep a basket or box with fountain pen, note cards, stamps, and address book at the ready for those handwritten notes.
Use cotton hand towels as generous napkins.
Find the kind of fountain pen you like best.
Place a small cotton rug next to your bed so, if you have wood floors, you will step onto a bit of warmth in the mornings.
Discover the joys of puttering.
Know this: Postcards are art.
Ms. Stoddard has gone on to write many books on happiness, letter writing, and living graciously and I have quite a collection of her work on my bookshelves. I guess I thought of her in conjunction with my Month of Letters project as she is a great proponent of the handwritten letter or note.
But this doesn't explain how she came to be my house guest, does it? Well, you will just have to check back tomorrow for the rest of the story.
In preparation for my Month of Letters which begins tomorrow, I checked a couple of books out of the library to get me motivated.
The Pleasures of Staying in Touch by Jennifer Williams
This book published in 1998 in conjunction with Victoria magazine is full of lovely illustrations of lettery things - stamps and stationery - and includes quotes from famous letter-writers such as Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, and Colette. There are also examples of wording for thoughtful thank you notes, sincere sympathy cards, and friendly connections.
Writing Notes with a Personal Touch by Daria Price Bowman and Maureen LaMarca
Also published in 1998, this wee book (70 pages) has photographs, quotes, and guidance on sending, among others, notes of congratulations, regrets, and how to word invitations. The final chapter, Extra Special Notes and Letters, outlines the many opportunities there are to write a personal handwritten note: words of welcome to a new neighbor or as an accompaniment to a gift rather than just a card with your name on it.
The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication by Margaret Shepherd
The author of this 2002 book goes into much detail about writing letters - from what materials to use (good ones) to salutations (don't misspell the recipient's name) to the closing sentiments. For the sometimes difficult part in between the hello and the goodbye, she offers advice such as how to end a relationship, write a fan letter, request help, and say you are sorry.
All three are easy and quick to read and offer some good advice for making slow correspondence a pleasurable habit.
I will end with a quote from The Art of the Handwritten Note:
A handwritten note is like dining by candlelight instead of flicking on the lights, like making a gift instead of ordering a product, like taking a walk instead of driving. Handwritten notes will add a lot to your life. You can still use the telephone or the Web for the daily chores of staying in touch, but for the words that matter, it's courteous, classy, caring and civilized to pick up a pen.
