Hello! It feels like 1990 at Carrot Condo! I’m creating old-fashioned, handwritten and illustrated letters to send to your mailbox each month. My most “high-tech” gadget is my light table to trace my original sketches. A friend calls this project “the antidote to AI.” I call it joy. It’s been SUCH a joyful, calming, peaceful, satisfying project, and it’s only just beginning. The very first letter goes out in November, and I plan to run the project for 18 months.
So, here’s how it’s working so far. I continually add to my list of letter-story ideas, pick one that calls to me, and start writing. Some letters come out ready to go; others need to sit a while and simmer.
Once a story or musing is ready, I sketch a variety of images to go with it, then handwrite the letter and the illustrations in pencil. Occasionally, a letter goes through this process twice. (You should see the eraser crumbs collected at my feet. Truly. If you’ve seen Gattaca, I need that little vacuum Vincent uses on his keyboard for my floor!)
Finally, my favorite part, though I love the whole process: I set the pencil draft on my light table, lay a smooth white piece of Bristol drawing paper on top, and trace the handwriting and illustrations with rich permanent-ink pens. After that dries a while, I color it all in with my beloved collection of pens, feeling as satisfied as ever.
Letter topics include all kinds of things: sweet adventures in simple places like a quick-mart, the intrigue I discover in familiar things like a flower (wow do I have a surprising flower story) and an out-of-the-way museum devoted to a single ingredient; as well as musings about things like lists and television, and whimsical stories (like, did you know I had a pet duck?).
The goals of the letters are to provide some cheer, give people a reason to put their feet up and rest a minute, and create something bright and encouraging to discover in the mail.
The project runs 18 months, and you can subscribe for 6 months at a time, or for a full 12-months. I mail the letters on the 15th of each month. Anyone subscribed by the 5th of any month will get their first letter shortly after the 15th. (So, you can join any time,*** but subscribe by November 5th to get the very first letter!)
The project is just beginning, so please share with others if you know people who would be interested. I could use your help getting the word out.
You can read an example letter here and get more information. Or, if you’re ready to order, here’s a link for the 6-moth subscription, and here’s the year-long subscription. You can also message me directly, or email: trista @ carrot condo . com with questions.
***I want the letters to feel like a genuine connection, so I’m limiting the subscription to 75. (So, you may have to wait for a few 6-month subscriptions to conclude before more are available.)
My friend Erik scans my original art and prints it with great care so each letter feels as close to the original as possible. Then, I hand-address each envelope, taking time to draw a little illustration on each one. That’s a lot of envelopes to illustrate and address, but it’s also part of the joy of the project for me.
Once I’ve folded the letters, tucked them into their illustrated envelope, I add a stamp–hoping to find some unique and artful options–then deliver them to the USPS. (Likely with a private little cheer.)
I am really excited about this project and looking forward to having such a satisfying monthly “task” to accomplish.
Thank you so much for reading my newsletter and following me along this creative adventure. I’m glad to know you’re out there!
–TRISTA
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