Weekend Creative : Write Something By Hand

Writesomething

When was the last time you incorporated your own handwriting into a project?


Do you wish you had a piece of paper with your grandmother's or grandfather's handwriting scrawled across? It's totally possible they weren't fans of their own handwriting either. Just a piece of paper with messy penmanship can be a powerful connection to the past.


Do it today. Write out a favorite quote or poem. Send it to someone. Paste it on a layout. Stuff it in an envelope and put it somewhere you keep special things. It is special.

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52 thoughts

  1. Wendy Treseder says…
    08/28/2009

    Off to grab a pen. :)

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  2. Barb says…
    08/28/2009

    I hand write things in my art journal all the time but I will make a concerted effort to just write this weekend without putting so much thought into it this time.
    Thanks!
    Peace & Love,
    ~Barb~

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  3. Tassy says…
    08/28/2009

    I would like to write beautifully like you.My handwriting can be pretty messy at times.Once my student told me: Miss, can you write properly as I really do not understand what you are writing! I felt really bad and decided to improve.So this project is a big motivation for me.Thanks:)

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  4. Deb says…
    08/28/2009

    So totally true! Trust me, your children and those who love you do not care how "messy" your handwriting is, if it slants or isn't straight. Some handwritten recipe cards and hand-penned letters from my parents (both prematurely deceased) are among my most treasured keepsakes.

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  5. Cheyne says…
    08/28/2009

    I, too have the handwriting struggle. Thankyou for the motivation, it is too true.

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  6. Angie in Japan says…
    08/28/2009

    My grandmother keeps a jar of canned strawberries that was labeled by my Dad about 25 years ago. He wrote, "strawberries 1983" on a piece of masking tape and stuck it to the top of the jar. She keeps it in the cabinet in her kitchen and will take it out and look at when she feels the need.

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  7. Lourdes Quintero says…
    08/28/2009

    The other day I was looking for a something to write on and found a pad in the kitchen drawer. The top page had a note written by my mother when she was staying with me a few months ago. It was obvious that she was watching something on TV and jotting down some notes but it made me emotional to see Mom's handwriting. It just threw we way back into memory land. My mom lives in another country but looking at her handwriting made me feel connected to her.

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  8. Charmaine T says…
    08/28/2009

    Yes, something as plain as a strip of paper with a few scribbles on, can have so much emotional meaning. My Gran died 2 years ago and she was like my mother to me as my own mom worked everyday. I inherited her Bible and have her memories with me everytime that I open that Bible....
    I love your blog and have learned sooo much about journaling and just creating from your heart.... Thank you.

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  9. Shelly Kettell says…
    08/28/2009

    True true true! Handwriting connects you to the person in a unique way. I will not throw away anything with my dear Grandma's handwriting on it. I do incorporate my handwriting...but it doesn't look as good as yours! I remember the day we could download Ali's font!!

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  10. shana says…
    08/28/2009

    I don't have bad handwriting by any mean and lots of people really like it, but your handwriting, my dear . . . it is beautiful! I love it! It makes me smile! Have a great weekend.
    Blessings,
    Shana in MN

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Molly Irwin says…
    08/28/2009

    Great reminder!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Michelle says…
    08/28/2009

    Thanks for the reminder---I am trying to get used to my tablet! This thing takes practice....I love how you have mastered it. How many "tries" did the title for today take? I am just curious because I had to try numerous times just to get a good signature on a LO. ;-)

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  13. Christine says…
    08/28/2009

    I so agree with you. I almost always hand write my journaling. Mostly because I live on a computer 50+ hours a week for work. It really isn't fun for me to do my hobby on a computer. I found some old recipes written by my grandmother. I pulled out other recipes written by my mother. It was amazing how much alike they were. Another great idea is to get your kids to write on some of the pages about them. It is so cool to see how their hand writing changes over time.

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  14. homegrownhospitality says…
    08/28/2009

    Check out my blog post today...you would have thought we had talked about our posts prior to posting them...great minds think alike...
    LOVE you and your wisdom...your friendship and that super cute family of yours!!!!
    www.homegrownhsopitality.typepad.com
    xoxo
    Love,
    Steph

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Jessi says…
    08/28/2009

    I handwrite on most of my layouts, if not all! I think it is so important. My grandmother that I never met always kissed the back of photos with lipstick on, and left her mark on the photos of those she loved. I don't have anything with her handwriting, but that is something special to me:)

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  16. Rachel says…
    08/28/2009

    I implore my clients all the time to include their handwriting in their books. Whether I create the books for them or they do them themselves. I tell them you may not like your writing but your kids will run their hands over it, stroke it, touch it to be close to you. The will LOVE it.
    Great reminder. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Nicky from Canada says…
    08/28/2009

    We have a treasure of letters that my husbands grandfather wrote to his wife (hubbys grandma) after she passed away a few years ago. He travelled a lot for work and always wrote her - she saved every letter. It gives me goosebumps to read them. They are amazing.
    And a good reminder to all of us.
    Thanks Ali - hope you have a great weekend.

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  18. Valerie says…
    08/28/2009

    This is so true. Thirty-five years ago my father died when I was only 14 and I recently found a picture of him and my mother taken when they were first married and he had wrote on the back of it. I was so thrilled to have this little personal piece of my dad.

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  19. {vicki} says…
    08/28/2009

    I KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL THAT IS WRITTEN IN MY HANDWRITING. I WOULD SAY 98% OF MY LAYOUTS ARE JOURNALED IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.
    SOMETIMES (ESPECIALLY SCHOOL LAYOUTS) I ASK MY SON TO WRITE THE JOURNALING IN HIS HANDWRITING.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. TracyBzz says…
    08/28/2009

    Handwriting is so much quicker than computer journaling...for me anyway. Only if I have a really long story to tell do I type it up.
    I hope everyone does some handwriting on some of their layouts.

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  21. sheri says…
    08/28/2009

    Ali: I agree that handwriting is special. My dad passed away 3 years ago yesterday and we all (mom & my seven sisters) have his handwritten recipes. He also hated his handwriting, but believe me, to have these in my possession is very special & a link to his memory. So, let's get past our inhibitions that we can't write beautiful, and leave something special for our children & their children.;)

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  22. Sue O says…
    08/28/2009

    Ali you are so right. I treasure a note my Grandmother wrote me when I was 17. It was right after a life threatening illness/surgery and she sent me a dollar (that was 36 years ago so a dollar was a lot!) and told me to spend it on whatever I wanted, even bubble gum. I will try and keep that in mind when I am deciding between writing and typing.

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  23. hedwig says…
    08/28/2009

    SOOOO TRUE, why is it then, that i still do not like that messy, unreadable handwriting...... Even if i try very hard, i am the only one who can read it BOOOHOO.
    By the way, Anna is Adorable (you just knew it in advance: A id for Anna, A is for Adorable) ;-))))

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  24. Denise Laborde says…
    08/28/2009

    So true. I love seeing my grandmother's shaky handwriting on my birthday and holiday cards.
    Write on Ali. Lol.

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  25. Cathy A. says…
    08/28/2009

    Very true. After my father passed, I found a journal he was going to try to keep for his new grandson. He was too ill to write much in it however, on the front page he left an inked thumbprint and next to it he wrote his full name and the words "his mark". I cherish each curve and loop of that writing.

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