Open Road

Stacey Michaud

There is a well-known rule that you should be careful about what you do and do not put into writing.   Keep your emails clear and concise as these can become pieces of incriminating evidence.  Do the opposite when making a request to a company to close out a credit card.   There are reasons for such consideration when you are about to write something down.  Writing is permanent, telling, and long-lasting.  A great example of this takes us back millions of years to when hieroglyphics were used on the walls of caves.  One of the oldest ways in which we communicate is through the use of letters.  While it is an act that has quickly being replaced with memos or emails, these types of correspondence all allow us to go on the record and make our intentions known.  It would only make sense to use letter writing as a form of journaling on your next layout!

Who will your write to and what topics will you choose to write about?  I may have some ideas for you. Take Lucy’s layout where she used a sentimental approach to write a letter to her family.  She shares information about their vacation in an interesting way.  When reading it, you gather specific details and feelings without it being boring.  By addressing the letter to “You Two,” it sounds as if she is talking directly to her family, adding a soft voice to her writing.  Looking at the end result, I can guarantee that her daughter will not forget these memories!

Design notes: I wanted to write a letter to my husband and daughter to remind them of how important they are to me and what a wonderful vacation we shared. I printed my letter onto a piece of a brown paper bag and crumpled and inked the edges to go with the distressed look of my layout. The black paint in the background is applied with bubble wrap.  I stitched and distressed the edges of my papers to keep the beachy theme that I wanted to go with this photo.

Try writing a letter to someone to document a familiar routine or to record a meaningful conversation.  Life goes by so quickly and these are the little things we may forget.  Go beyond the facts of the situation by personally reflecting about the topic, sharing your insights.  Don’t forget to include how you feel about that special someone.  Judy accomplished this beautifully while writing this letter to her son.  Imagine how he will feel one day when he reads it and is old enough to understand its message.  

Design notes: Samuel is our miracle child, the one we never thought we would have.  I wrote this letter to let him know how much he means to us.  I love using flowers and butterflies on my son’s pages.  Just because you have a boy you shouldn’t feel you can’t use “girly” embellishments on your pages.  

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