The Lost Art of Letter Writing

Via Coco/Mingo

Most of my daily communications that aren't face to face are just quick texts, business-like emails and random status updates. Though they do their job in conveying a message, there is rarely any art to them. Most of the time they don't even feature fully formed sentences, just some sort of short form speak that brings no joy to the reader. Written communication has become something we have to do, not something we want to do.

The simple solution to finding joy in your writing again, is to write someone a letter - not an email, but a good old-fashioned, pen and paper letter. There are so many details to cherish in this process that it can't not make you happy. There's the choice of stationery, the pen, and if you're whimsical like me, there's the wax seal for the back (if you're going to do something, do it right!) And if you want to get really fancy, try your hand at calligraphy for an extra-special feel.

The only thing better than writing the letter? Receiving the letter.  Whoever you send your letter to will be in for a happy treat when they open their mailbox and see your sparking stationery nestled in between bills and junk mail. Not only are the details of an everyday activity bring some happiness to your life, but you're sharing that happiness with others. Everybody wins!  


BONUS: for all you men out there who think that writing letters is girly and something you'd never want to do, read this blog post from The Art of Manliness!

Letter Writing Favourite Things:

Personalized Stationery

To The Letter

Calligraphy Set

Pink Wax Seal

A Room With a View

Florence, Italy

Ah, nostalgia - that wistful, happy feeling we get when revisiting times past that hold special meaning for us. Sometimes, the easiest way to feel happy is to remember a time we were at our happiest.  That's not to say that we should give up on the present and live completely in the past, but neither should we just forget all those happy memories that shape our lives. We take pictures, write in journals, make videos - all in an effort to save those moments when we smiled most.

Me taking in the view from my Florence apartment.

Reliving old moments is one of my go-to ways to remind myself of all the things I already have to be happy for.  For me, the photo album that always makes me smile is from the month I spent in Florence, Italy.

When I was 15 years old, I watched a movie called A Room With A View, and fell in love with Florence. It was my dream to go there. I stopped by briefly in high school during the ubiquitous "Europe Trip," but in university I stayed for a month. I signed up for a language course at the Istituto Italiano and had the time of my life.

Now, anytime I have a flashback to my time there - and usually this happens when I smell something that reminds me of Florence - my day gets a little brighter. Sometimes the things that make us smile aren't a what, but a when.

What memory makes you smile?


Florence Favourite Things:

Santa Croce

Dante Statue

Ponte Vecchio

Medici Hall of Maps

Confetti For Everyone

Via Wedding Party

It's here, the confetti post. After last week's look at pink champagne, I knew I had to share my other love: confetti. I know it seems a little weird, I mean how can tiny cut-up pieces of paper bring me so much joy? They just do. That's the great thing about embracing the details - the smallest thing can make you happy. Try standing in the middle of a confetti storm and not smile, I dare you!

Rose Petal Confetti via English Wedding

According to one of my all-time favourite Christmas gifts: The Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, confetti began as food.  Medieval Italians used to toss candied spices or fruits off their balconies to the people below. Ouch! I'm not so sure getting pelted with sugarcoated almonds would appeal to me as much as the light floating of tissue paper shards.  Well, whatever its origins, I'm glad that confetti as we know it today exists.

The best thing about confetti? It's absolutely easy to make.  There's not a lot of thinking that goes into cutting up paper - or for an even more romantic, whimsical experience, cut up rose petals (see right.) There are also tons of confetti-themed DIY projects you can try.  Style Motivation has a post featuring 17 cute confetti crafts. Check out the slide show below for some of my favourite confetti themed ideas.



 

For instructions on how to make any of these gorgeous goodies, follow the links below.

1 - Confetti Champagne Bottle (source: The Hunted Interior)

2 - Confetti Dipped Balloons (source: StudioDIY)
3 - Confetti Poppers (source: WeddingBells)
4 - Confetti Stix (source: Best Friends for Frosting)
5 - Confetti Manicure (source: The Beauty Department)

Pop, Fizz, Clink!

Via Etsy

It was only a matter of time before I got to champagne. When it makes up half the title of your blog, you know it's important. Champagne and confetti are two of my inexplicable happy things - those random things in life that can make me smile no matter what. So, in the first of what I can assure you will be many champagne-related posts, I present the most girly and fun of all the champagnes - pink champagne!

When it comes to picking champagne, I have a secret weapon. A colleague of mine, Gillian Tinsley, is a veritable wine-guru and I've enlisted her help to find me a great one. She writes a blog dedicated to sparkling wines! She recommends Henry of Pelham's Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut. 

"This elegant sparkler has beautiful and complex aromas and flavours of bright red fruit. Lots of balanced acidity,  this wine is perfect to sip on its own, and lingers on the palate." -- Gillian

It's a reasonably priced Niagara wine that can be purchased at any LCBO.  I haven't gotten a chance to try it yet so I'm thinking I might pick some up this weekend and make my routine movie night a little more special.

No night in with champagne would be complete without some tasty treats.  I wanted to keep my pink champagne theme and found two amazing recipes to die for.  Pink Champagne Sorbet (swoon) and Skinny Pink Champagne Cupcakes (that's right, skinny!!) Click through the links for the original posts or check out my recipe page for details.

So, grab a bottle, whip up some delightful sweets and turn an ordinary day into an exquisite day.

Champagne Favourite Things:

Champagne Splurge!

Kate Spade Glasses

Read All About It

Champagne Royalty

The Scent of Spring

Are you starting to get the winter blues? Are you dying for that first sign of spring - something, anything to tell you that this snow is over? Well just because April showers and May flowers are still months away, doesn't mean you can't bring spring to you. One of the easiest ways to bring a little sunshine and happiness into your life is fresh cut flowers.

Pretty peonies via Tumblr

I don't know what it is, but when I come into a room prettied up by some gorgeous blooms, my day gets a little sunnier. I don't know if it's the smell of the flowers or the splash of colour that makes me happy, but whatever it is, it works.

If you're looking to spice up your dreary winter room with some fresh flowers, you don't need to look very far. Many local flower shops sell even the most summery of blooms all year round (see below for some of my favourites).  And if weekly flowers just aren't in your budget, you can always pick up a bouquet at the grocery store - a more wallet-friendly option.

If you want to save money, try buying the flowers in bunches and arranging them yourself.  It will be cheaper than purchasing the them as a pre-made bouquet.  Now, if you're like me and the very idea of DIY fills you with cold sweats, don't despair.  There are numerous videos online that teach the basics of flower arranging.  Not to mention, Martha Stewart has a huge selection of videos on her site dedicated to floral arranging. Of the videos I watched, I like this one from LaurenConrad.com. It's short and straight forward and gives some good tips.  Check it out:        

If you're looking for some local shops to buy some beautiful bouquets, here are a few to try:

The Watering Can - 28 James St., St. Catharines
BBBlooms - 62 Welland Ave., St. Catharines
Vermeer's Garden Centre and Flower Shop - 684 South Pelham Rd., Welland

And don't forget that you can always find great deals on fresh flowers at your local grocery store - Sobeys and Zehrs have some good choices.  For how to make the most out of your grocery store flowers, check out this Buzzfeed article.

Singing in the Rain

When the skies cloud over, my life gets a little more sunny. There's nothing I love more than a rainy day, and apparently, I'm not alone. A quick browse through sites like Pinterest and Tumblr show numerous posts with tags like "rain," and "rainy day." The simple joy people get from rain is so prevalent that the Urban Dictionary gives a word to this phenomenon:

Pluviophile - (n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Imagine a rainy day, take in all the details - the grey overcast sky, the damp smell of earth, the patter of the drops hitting the window - perfection.

Not only do I love the rain itself, I also love staying in on rainy days. They're the perfect occasion to combine another of my favourite things - old movies. There's nothing quite like curling up on a rainy day, with a cozy blanket, a bottle of wine and a little Audrey Hepburn.      

But the absolute best part of a rainy day comes at the very end of the day, that absolutely blissful moment when you lay your head on the pillow and realize that you get to fall asleep to the sound of rain. I love this so much that I downloaded an app for my phone that plays the sound of rain - there are several free or nominally priced versions for iPhone available through the App Store. My favourite is Relax Melodies - a free app that lets you mix sounds to create a personalized sleep experience.

Rainy day favourite things:

Kate Spade Umbrella

Hunter Boots

Roman Holiday

Cozy Blanket

Raindrops on Roses

"When the dog bites, when the bees sting..."

Remember that scene in the Sound of Music where all the children are frightened by the thunderstorm and Julie Andrews sings to them to not be afraid?  (If you've never seen the movie, get up right now and go watch it. Right. Now.)  Well, Fraulein Maria's answer to fear and sadness was to counter them with happy memories.  I know it sounds cheesy but it really works.

Our lives, to use a common cliche, are very much like a roller coaster - constant loops, steady climbs, stomach-dropping lows - and we all have a very human tendency to focus only on those moments that make us feel not so great.  So, what should we do when we're staring down from the top of the roller coaster bracing for the inevitable drop?  Sing about it! No, I'm just kidding, that might make things worse. What we should do, is think about our favourite things. Those inexplicable, wonderful things in everyday life that can make us smile no matter what.

The goal of this blog is to celebrate all the numerous things in our lives that already make us happy. And maybe by reading the things that make others smile, you'll find something new to love. I'd love to hear from all of you - what makes you smile?  What do you sing about during a thunderstorm?   

Me? I think about champagne and confetti.

       

Via The Glitter Guide