Today I got mail. Actual, real mail… it was there when I went out and checked the letterbox just before lunch. Nestled in between a bank statement and some advertising from Spotlight was a mystery envelope, and it was addressed to me!
There is something really lovely about getting a letter in the post. Once I would frequently get letters from an Aunt who lived in the UK. We wrote letters for my entire life, more frequently as I got older and when I had a family of my own. She passed away quite recently and I have really missed the joy of collecting the post and knowing (hoping) that there could be a letter just for me in amongst the usual collection of bills, statements and advertising.
Inside today’s envelope was a gorgeous note and crochet bookmark, which has traveled all the way from South Hampton in England. 
Jane, who blogs at Rainbow Junkie Corner had generously marked her one year blogging anniversary last month with a giveaway to some of her most frequent commenters, and I was very lucky to be on the list.
The detail in the bookmark is just beautiful, it’s so delicate. If you want to make one yourself, the pattern is here, Jane made the bookmark using #20 cotton and a 1mm hook, you can read more about her bookmark making here.
Thank you Jane, I love it!
E-mail may be fast and simple, but to me an old-fashioned, handwritten letter has great value in this speed-obsessed world. So now I’m wondering whether I’m the only one who enjoys getting letters in the post? Do you? What was the most recent piece of interesting mail you received?
I hope there is (even a little) nice unexpected surprise for you this week! Janette xxx
The Green Dragonfly 
I love to receive letters !!!!!
I’m very happy when I find something in the mail box addressed to me!!!
Have a good day Janette, XXXX Ale
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Me too Ale!! Hope you are having a lovely day xxx
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Hi Janette,
I found your site while searching for an easy crochet bunny pattern to make for my 3 lovely grandsons for Easter. Thank you they were a great success I regret that I did not take photos. But maybe next year.
Mail is a great thing to get. I don’t get much of it myself and love the joy of receiving it. So here is wishing you and your family joy, peace, and love for the remainder of this year and for the years to come.
Maybe you can explain how I can send you a pattern I just made up for some lovely earrings I made for my moms birthday. I would like to know how to share with others.
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I’m glad you enjoyed making the bunnies! If you want to share your pattern why don’t you have look on Ravelry, I think you can create a project and add your pattern to that- I would love to see the earrings! Someone else who might read this might have another idea? I just share mine on this blog, so Im not sure how to do it if you don’t have a blog- hey why dont you start up a blog of your own??
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Wonderful! Not to many people hand write personal letters anymore… We should try to keep it alive as an art. Also, beautiful bookmark. She does lovely work,,, it reminds me of my grandmothers thread work.
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Very beautiful, Im not sure I am patient enough to do such delicate work!
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My grandma wouldn’t go anywhere until she had gotten the mail everyday. I didn’t really understand why it was so important to her at the time. Now that I have some years on me I have a better understanding of the importance of that personal contact from friends and family. Although I may do it through email instead of snail mail, I read it with the same excitement that my grandmother had when she got her mail. 🙂
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My Nana was a voracious writer and was always writing letters to people, it was the generation… but you are right, now I am older and have my own family I can understand the importance of that contact. Yes, I admit, I love getting emails- even comments on my blog, and read each and every one of them with great joy!!
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When I was younger I had several pen pals that I would only get to see during the summer months, I loved getting mail. I think it’s similar to the high people say they get from shopping? I rarely get mail today and do miss the letters I used to get.
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Maybe Im the same, I think it is a high… and until I received this I didnt realise how much I missed getting mail!
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I had stopped sending mail, until recently (and was proud that I no longer needed much from the postal service). But not being to be able to be with my 2 yr old grand daughter often I started to send her a card for holidays. I learned that now she follows her mom to check the mail and asks if there is something for her from me. I am a sucker for the little ones and if that’s what she wants from me now….so now twice a month I send her a card with something little in it. Once it was 4 little foam animal shapes, and I picked up a sheet of stickers and put 1 or 2 in a card. She’s loving it, and maybe she will remember this and carry on the tradition of writing letters when she gets older.
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Receiving mail is a wonderful thing and very rare in this day. When I receive mail, which isn’t often, it is always and only from blogging friends. What a joy it is especially since the mail system in this country is totally unreliable — receiving anything is a miracle. 🙂 Have a great day! Tammy
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Isnt it funny that the mail you receive is from people you have met through an electronic form! This is the first ‘something’ I have received from someone I know through the bloggosphere xx
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It is really lovely when someone has taken the time to hand write a letter and then get it posted. When it includes something handmade, it is so much more special. Enjoy! Avis x
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I feel very lucky!
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I love to get real letters. I’ve been writing to my American penfriend since 1982 and a German friend since 1989. Even though we all have email addresses, we still prefer to send and receive snail mail and enclose bits of newspaper articles, leaflets from places we’ve visited, photos etc. It’s great! x
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I too used to write to overseas cousins and pen-friends when I was at school… maybe I should send them a letter now and see if I get one back 🙂
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I had a letter from Ziggy Shortcrust who is working on bringing the hand written letter back and looking for people to write to. You might get time to check her web page. Meanwhile as a crocheter , I have to say that is an exquisite bookmark. I enjoyed looking at it. Well done
Rainbow Junkie Corner.
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Wow, I will have to go and check her site out. Yes the bookmark is a dream!
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beauty news 😉
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Thanks xx
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Janette I so look forward to reading your blog, it is so interesting and well written. I felt a kindred spirit in reading your comments about receiving hand-written letters. Many years ago, when I was a student with the Open University I corresponded with another student who lived in Scotland, her letters were a joy to read. I think she passed away some years ago, as I could not contact her any more. I still treasure her letters, written in ink, in a fine scripted hand; they were full of wise comments, humorous remarks and reflected her kind, generous personality. I still miss her. Yes, we should all try to keep up with hand-written letters, nothing replaces holding one!
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I think that because you are writing something down, in ink, you spend more time thinking about what exactly you will say. When we write an email its easy to change a word here, or delete a sentence there, but with a letter there’s really only one chance to get it down.I have a draw full of treasured letters, mostly from my aunt, that I too treasure and love to re-read from time to time, especially when Im missing her. I read them and its like having a conversation with her… it warms my heart. xxx
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I love letters in the post! I hardly get any exciting ones (except around my birthday and Christmas) but it’s such a lovely surprise when one unexpectedly turns up. Having said that, I’m expecting a similar bookmark in the post any day now – so exciting!
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Ohh, you can check the mail each day in the hope it will arrive today- sometimes that the best part!
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From where my desk is I can see when the postman arrives – it’s very handy!
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Excellent!!
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Hi There, The last time I received a letter in the post JUST for me was when I was still in High School, many MANY moons ago!!! And it was a typical love letter!!! Oh, what a thrill to think that once apon a time I received love letters!!! (But shame on me!!, I can not for the life of me even remember his name?!!!) But believe me I can still clearly remember the thrill of receiving that letter!!!
Love
AMarie
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How funny! Yes I agree letters are truly romantic, somehow much more so than an email or phone call…its a long long time since I got a love letter xx
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My other half is in the military and when he’s away in Afghanistan or elsewhere, the handwritten letters feel so much more special than emails. We draw silly little pictures for each other and things like that. The arrival of one of those letters absolutely makes your day. I love real mail – and I love sending it as much as receiving it x
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Letters are so romantic, much more than emails! xx
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there is nothing quite like receiving a letter and since my little man was born six weeks ago I have found more time to do it. An email might be easier but doesn’t feel anywhere near as special.
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Congratulations on the birth of your son! I cant believe you have found more time since he was born… you should be sleeping at every opportunity 🙂
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Oh I LOVE getting things in the post! Yesterday, I got a package of clothes etc (including a handknitted jumper) for my baby son from my mother in Ireland. It was so exciting opening the package!
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Packages from my Mum when I was overseas were the very best kind… I bet the handknit jumper is too cute!
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Oh it is, it’s baby chick yellow, and sort of arran jumper style and really really soft!
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I love letters and I think everyone does. Recently I hand wrote 3 letters and about a month later I received one in return. It was from a dear friend in California who doesn’t own a computer. I was thrilled to hold that letter and read the news inside. It is a warm cozy feeling. Thanks for sharing your letter.
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Its so special to share a letter and get one in return! It taking a longer time doesnt make the news any less special does it. x
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Thank you for sharing. I love crochet bookmarks. I tried to post on designers blog was was unable.
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This is my first one, and I have to say I love it too!
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Janette, it’s just nice to receive a letter in the post. You can treasure them in a box and read them over and over again.. I find you get the same joy even years after receving a personal written letter!
The last letter I got especially for me ws from my little sister from Germany. She was just saying hi and that she misses me – she’s 16. How cute is that? I used to write to my aunt in NY but somehow that letter exchange died when I was getting married and had my own family. We should really make an effort to keep written messages up!
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So cute! I have kept so many letters in recent years especially… and I love re-reading them! That reminds me, I still owe you an email!!! xx
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Haha.. yes I think so 😉
But you’re fine whenever you have time =)
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I agree Janette…. there is a special joy in writing with paper and ink and going to the post office to purchase a stamp, pasting it on the envelope and the letter going down the box. I used to have penfriends from different countries as a school girls. It was such fun, imagining the letter making its way to my friend’s mail box in a country far away. And the pleasure of receiving a letter was another event in itself. I do miss those days of waiting for the postman and the post. These days everything is super quick and we have e-copies of everything.
I do practice writing every day now… because there was a time not long ago, that I did not use the pen at all except for a signature. I feel so much better now.
Thanks for the reminder of something so simple and yet so delightful… the real written word 🙂
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Its almost a leap of faith to expect that the letter will make it that great distance unharmed and in only a few days!! I try to write, by hand, often too… mostly in my journal though 🙂
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Isn’t it lovely getting mail when its not bills or junk mail! 🙂 Love the bookmark.
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I love it too!!
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I used to send postcards that I drew. Don’t do that so much anymore.
That bookmark is lovely.
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I love that idea, hand made postcards sound so cool!!
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Hi Janette, I came to your lovely blog via the crocheted bunnies. Love them, and love your blog! Your creativity is boundless! I look forward to reading through your blog and trying out some of the patterns. And yes, a letter in the mail is priceless!
I have a question. You mentioned in your bio about being a musician. What instruments do you play?
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Thanks Nancy! I play the banjo, and guitar… Both rather badly in fact, but I love it so I guess that’s the important thing 🙂
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I love your blog, is it just me or does everyone get such a thrill out of being able to correspond to people on the other side of the world a the touch of a few buttons. I live fairly near to Southampton, in a town called Salisbury, which is very close to Stonehenge, which I think you would probably have heard of. I hope to make your crochet bunny, in time for my newest grandaughter, after I have finished her quilt, and just wanted to thank you in advance.
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Hi Dawn, I love that this forum makes it so easy to connect with like minded people… No matter where in the world they are! I have heard if Stonehenge, my parents have visited and I would love to someday too. I hope you enjoy making the bunny! Jxx
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I’m with you on loving the joy of opening up a real honest to goodness snail mail letter or packet. If it has a wee special gift inside, well that is just the best. Your bookmark present is lovely and really heartwarming.
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I find writing letters, something really wonderful. As you said, not as practical as an email; but the feeling of the paper touching your finger, and the traces of ink on a nice paper are, in my opinion, priceless…. expecially if you then, together with the real letter, get such a wonderful bookmark (I will do it as soon as possible… that means as soon as I finish this post!) Thanks for the pattern!
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I LOVE getting mail – and sending it! I still have a pen pal and we write regularly. We’ve met and we’re great friends, regularly chatting on Facebook, but we still send the old snail mail as well. I have found that even though not everyone has time to sit down and write a letter they love to get them.
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