tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12075587760145367402024-02-20T08:36:04.411-08:00Art of the LetterRecapturing the lost art of the handwritten letter.TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-30352006140398209562011-01-15T13:56:00.000-08:002011-02-08T00:54:28.855-08:00Letters to the Future Queen, Kate Middleton's Postman Delivers Mail without an Address<div align="justify"><em></em><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI6uwN5jKJwZkKxJ78shTQS1K4y-xDsonHDDAB82cF9zGLZC2wpNcAOiJEL542r8UonfLqqcayS13t0JogXesJWxfGFrTRfgeZvggE4_aoFCbyDQ9t5EUPMg7BjvjA214q4A1loOD0OzP/s1600/John+Everett+Millais+-+Princess+Elizabeth+in+Prison.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 274px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570418476305904866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDI6uwN5jKJwZkKxJ78shTQS1K4y-xDsonHDDAB82cF9zGLZC2wpNcAOiJEL542r8UonfLqqcayS13t0JogXesJWxfGFrTRfgeZvggE4_aoFCbyDQ9t5EUPMg7BjvjA214q4A1loOD0OzP/s400/John+Everett+Millais+-+Princess+Elizabeth+in+Prison.jpg" /></a>Imagine the future Kate as tender and tortured Queen of her castle. Decorated in pearls and ornate silk, bejeweled tiara atop an elaborate coiffure, taking her morning tea at some holdover gilded age writer’s table. Writing her daily letters shan’t be such a chore when she’s got someone to lick her envelopes, now, shall it?</div><div align="justify"><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemzwlTS5wy_7yQRCWE08k6SlstDd5_0_rmHrMoRty6YB0J9JlaSSFJrDWrjNGznEZYhUqRinaDDKyDmZFdMZ50CEef8cIPLhu_YMe1UQek3Qp6mNpfHGQqSjIQfVAetT3luN7MEeU27CU/s1600/Kate+Middleton+Adorable+purple-and-white-fascinator+-Nicholas+van+Cutsem%25E2%2580%2599s+Wedding.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570418157787200594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemzwlTS5wy_7yQRCWE08k6SlstDd5_0_rmHrMoRty6YB0J9JlaSSFJrDWrjNGznEZYhUqRinaDDKyDmZFdMZ50CEef8cIPLhu_YMe1UQek3Qp6mNpfHGQqSjIQfVAetT3luN7MEeU27CU/s400/Kate+Middleton+Adorable+purple-and-white-fascinator+-Nicholas+van+Cutsem%25E2%2580%2599s+Wedding.jpg" /></a>True, the darling princess-to-be Kate Middleton has forevermore got it made, and as her local postman, Ryan Naylor, can attest, her world-wide popularity is burgeoning. Naylor has been hauling a "steady stream" of mail up the private drive to the home she shares with her family in rural Bucklebury, Berkshire ever since her November 16 engagement announcement to, the one equally adorable, Prince William. </div><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNJGsdYFSa9g-6ck3vXENcE35QnxgxnvYBW-O_D98XCZSX1WfP_CPX1Ie_u_ehpWrLJwUE3JNCwmVc81bVePD4mYgPwFXS6r5IYGIOWb0PNdK9USMyGGD9yf2qNZOmO0DstRuldkn82g2/s1600/Kate-Middleton-Picture.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 287px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570417894833429186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNJGsdYFSa9g-6ck3vXENcE35QnxgxnvYBW-O_D98XCZSX1WfP_CPX1Ie_u_ehpWrLJwUE3JNCwmVc81bVePD4mYgPwFXS6r5IYGIOWb0PNdK9USMyGGD9yf2qNZOmO0DstRuldkn82g2/s400/Kate-Middleton-Picture.jpg" /></a>Naylor, the postman, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20456333,00.html">tells</a>, "The post they've had is absolutely incredible, from all over the world. There are lots of well-wishers, sending cards and presents." Although the address remains a tightly kept secret, it is perfectly straightforward. When asked if trying 'Kate Middleton, Bucklebury' would work, "Absolutely right, and some of it's just addressed to Kate Middleton, England, but it still gets here, surprisingly,” he chuckles. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcJnB_ZV2af__UemQ5X9LYmbH3yrwuUeXHAe_iHp3sblSWOHZjpGKuFiaGsfDEFZ6cAKgKcoB_9UDtys2BI4JkuOTvVVDZYSJQX4yDS3Dc0R8v3HlupD3GH3Zhq7q9VuONqlHekqg8Zi2/s1600/kate-middleton+gorgeous+red+coat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570417643222304594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcJnB_ZV2af__UemQ5X9LYmbH3yrwuUeXHAe_iHp3sblSWOHZjpGKuFiaGsfDEFZ6cAKgKcoB_9UDtys2BI4JkuOTvVVDZYSJQX4yDS3Dc0R8v3HlupD3GH3Zhq7q9VuONqlHekqg8Zi2/s400/kate-middleton+gorgeous+red+coat.jpg" /></a>"There was one this morning to 'Mike and Carole Middleton, Parents of Catherine Middleton, Bucklebury, Berkshire," he says as he jumps into his red van and heads out again on his rounds. "I joked with them about it. I said, ‘Look, it still gets through! What a good postman you've got!" One wonders if he received his holiday gratuity.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISeQq3MD2c1cOEuhdwEe2ZfA2vW4v1IUuoGfZHqSYo2_cT73A7Z-Es4vg76wL0g-WZ3VWG_R5pz3jeqMhf1Ekqw54eW9jKZzGAxg_TeMBzGdIi1EkqnPws8tdbjgjix2Z0YEJOykGLclZ/s1600/kate-middleton.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570417302203849570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISeQq3MD2c1cOEuhdwEe2ZfA2vW4v1IUuoGfZHqSYo2_cT73A7Z-Es4vg76wL0g-WZ3VWG_R5pz3jeqMhf1Ekqw54eW9jKZzGAxg_TeMBzGdIi1EkqnPws8tdbjgjix2Z0YEJOykGLclZ/s400/kate-middleton.jpg" /></a> </div><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBoe2azPXRdBYv51qMiHL1IrmywGC8jt9cdfqX2jc5p66JyersJVqCI2P8vS9wxcH6JP-9t_kV7pfMp01Ac0C3TXHl7bqn86a2Mnh_qy_OI50kLaoHNV2ijaZ40q6dNv7SJbKFNfv2Ypc/s1600/Catherine+Middleton+under+tailored+velvet+dress+coat+by+Libelula%252C+wears++elegant+above+knee+dress+with+sheer+neckline+tapering+to+silver+clasp+completed+by+a+black+pillbox+hat+with+quill.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 366px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570415885682846562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBoe2azPXRdBYv51qMiHL1IrmywGC8jt9cdfqX2jc5p66JyersJVqCI2P8vS9wxcH6JP-9t_kV7pfMp01Ac0C3TXHl7bqn86a2Mnh_qy_OI50kLaoHNV2ijaZ40q6dNv7SJbKFNfv2Ypc/s400/Catherine+Middleton+under+tailored+velvet+dress+coat+by+Libelula%252C+wears++elegant+above+knee+dress+with+sheer+neckline+tapering+to+silver+clasp+completed+by+a+black+pillbox+hat+with+quill.JPG" /></a>Here, and only a few weeks ago, on January 9, Kate Middleton arrives for the wedding of the Honourable Sarah Louise Stourton and Harry Aubrey-Fletcher at St. Andrew’s Church in Aldborough, North Yorkshire. Ever-stylish is Kate with her smart sense of fashion; she wears a revolving door of fascinators. In no exception, here she is in a beautiful black structural beret or tilted pillbox with a long and lovely feather quill fascinator with most of the vane barbs removed. In keeping with our lovely theme of antique writing implements here at Art of the Letter, the quill of her hat reminds us of a bygone era when our writing utensils were borne of shaved quills.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-cpDtr4a8-kb2Mk8YX-WmLF7M654OBdvqxAdDLEzfrFkw8FavWdOFW3dLTURDXQxUde3UTXg4geVONAEGlQqTGwnpiz_gN_fzQT58ti-GJHShW7fJn6HPrHFsaGaF6Bg4-6cctVMqE43/s1600/kate+middleton+purple+shoes+and+clutch+libuela+outfit+for+wedding.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570415121843389778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-cpDtr4a8-kb2Mk8YX-WmLF7M654OBdvqxAdDLEzfrFkw8FavWdOFW3dLTURDXQxUde3UTXg4geVONAEGlQqTGwnpiz_gN_fzQT58ti-GJHShW7fJn6HPrHFsaGaF6Bg4-6cctVMqE43/s400/kate+middleton+purple+shoes+and+clutch+libuela+outfit+for+wedding.jpg" /></a> Along with the beautiful fascinator, she wore a tailored Libelula velvet dress coat with silver clasp, plum colored shoes, matching clutch, and of course, Diana’s gorgeous rock.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsGzlSOiX0O09QOq-pNjEp4Y7CoaQ7XEdV5ntzvdiSIDh_NeMmnzbuVvOmHwI47frIjsXIB7gpW0i-pcNcsP71UKcqjXAT3kjLeFa7yMSSoDCAJQMU0mdwpdq-YbEONI9aPfuowLHfQhG/s1600/kate+middleton+libelula.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570414217163397426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsGzlSOiX0O09QOq-pNjEp4Y7CoaQ7XEdV5ntzvdiSIDh_NeMmnzbuVvOmHwI47frIjsXIB7gpW0i-pcNcsP71UKcqjXAT3kjLeFa7yMSSoDCAJQMU0mdwpdq-YbEONI9aPfuowLHfQhG/s400/kate+middleton+libelula.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">The beautiful painting opening this post is entitled <em>Princess Elizabeth in Prison at St. James'</em> created by John Everett Millais. The poor little Princess Elizabeth (1635-1650), second daughter of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria, was confined in St. James' Palace by order of Parliament when the English Civil War began in 1642. Elizabeth is represented here in 1850, after half of her life imprisoned, composing her touching letter to Parliament in which she begs for her loved servants to remain with her and to be allowed to join her sister, the Princess of Orange. Her letter proved moving enough for the previous and most cruel policy to be reversed. She was transferred to Carisbrook Castle on the Isle of Wight, when her brother, future Charles II, landed in Scotland with a liberating army. Sadly, Princess Elizabeth died 8 days after her trasfer, being only 15 years old.</p><p align="justify"></p><br /><br /><p align="justify">Along with other lost gems of the ages, a small explanation of this painting with a lovely poem written to Millais by a young student about Millais' Elizabeth is contained in this book: <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1144600839?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=1144600839&adid=1Z6X1Q0VBCV6YAPRE9ZP&">The Life and Letters of Sir John Everett Millais: President of the Royal Academy, Volume 2</a>.</em></p><p align="justify"><em></em><br /><br /></p><p align="center">Vols. 1 & 2 respectively, as follows:</p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1146298986" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1144600839" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570527235173531218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8eCbzUDBJo53x7th1DE6srVeZwBo3PuGFVKrm0DcmYsQ6RerEZOuJidjNQiuGfUBOgIf-RR3aQzB46id__kmJaNM6PgjgezRrBkD29UKttXj0cl359ktTGNtL57FCUfYQTFHJp9Tnlxr/s400/Self+Portrait+1881+Sir+John+Everett+Millais+1829-1896.jpg" /></p><p align="center">Self portrait 1881 John Everett Millais (1829-1896)</p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><p align="justify">Millais was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Everett_Millais#Pre-Raphaelite_works">controversial</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood">rebellious</a> 19th century English painter and illustrator, and who does not love a little of the rebel? Known for his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood">opposition</a> to the modern methods of composition as taught in the art academies of the day, he was one of the founders of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood#Public_controversies">Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood</a>.</p><p align="justify"><br /><br /></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1854377469" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0691007195" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0300091192" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=1843680351" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">Besides a bit of professional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood#Public_controversies">controversy over some of his paintings</a>, he became a love magnet to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effie_Gray#Relationship_with_Ruskin_and_Millais">Effie, the wife of his biggest outspoken supporter</a>, social critic John Ruskin. Effie sought an annulment from her 6 year marriage to Ruskin, which turned up a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin#Marriage_to_Effie_Gray">salacious few tidbits</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruskin#Sexuality">about Ruskin himself</a> in marriage annulment court, all feeding a tremendous scandal, a Victorian age "love triangle".</p><p align="justify"><br /><br /></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">Listed on left is the book titled <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006AR9BC?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0006AR9BC&adid=03E0CYSQ2PH91VF0KPMP&">John Ruskin and Effie Gray: The story of John Ruskin, Effie Gray and John Everett Millais, told for the first time in their unpublished letters</a>. </em>There have been <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Everett_Millais#Media">several dramatic features</a> including films, plays, operas and radio programmes retelling the fascinating relationships of Millais, Ruskin and Effie.<em> </em>Further, a study of this this love triangle, of Effie & John Ruskin's unsatisfied marriage along with a study of its traumatic wedding night can be found in the book listed on right titled <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0394725808?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=0394725808&adid=1DNGZE62GBMHZRAMN77X&">Parallel Lives: Five Victorian Marriages</a></em>.</p><p align="justify"><br /><br /></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=B0006AR9BC" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=0394725808" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-58346719871609683772010-09-16T17:50:00.000-07:002016-11-18T20:23:44.451-08:00Robert Plant, Alison Krauss Video of Please Read the Letter<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">A beautiful song about unfinished business.</span> </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="271" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3Xi5gvZ7Kk" width="435"></iframe></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 130%;">Please Read the Letter</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">Lyrics written by Michael Lee, Jimmy Page, Charlie Jones, and Robert Plant<br />Performed by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss<br />From the album <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UMQDHC?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000UMQDHC&adid=1JX8NPQYXZTME7JP6W5G&">Raising Sand</a></em></span></div>
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In the album <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UMQDHC?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000UMQDHC&adid=1JX8NPQYXZTME7JP6W5G&">Raising Sand</a></em>, legendary Led Zeppelin front man, Robert Plant, pairs with extraordinary country songstress, Alison Krauss, to create a transcendental work of eclectic auditory art. The album in its entirety compels the soul with exquisitely blended harmonies to haunting and eerie effect, gypsy violin, and fascinating production.<br />
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At the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_Grammy_Awards" title="51st Grammy Awards">51st Grammy Awards</a>, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UMQDHC?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B000UMQDHC&adid=1JX8NPQYXZTME7JP6W5G&">Raising Sand</a></em> won all five awards for which it was nominated. Album of the Year; Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album; Record of the Year (for "Please Read the Letter"); Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.</div>
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Producer, T-Bone Burnett, has given us the award winning soundtracks to <em>O Brother, Where Art Thou</em>, the Johnny Cash/June Carter biopic <em>Walk the Line</em>, <em>Crazy Heart, Across the Universe, The Ladykillers, Cold Mountain, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Down From the Mountain, Horse Whisperer, Stealing Beauty, Until the End of the World</em>. He has also produced for many artists including Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Los Lobos, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Elton John, Natalie Merchant, John Mellancamp, and BB King, among many other works in his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_Bone_Burnett">fruitful and interesting career</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 78%;">One Amazon review from Ian Chalmers:</span>"This is one of those serendipitous occasions when the right people and material find each other, the planets line up, you draw against all odds …common sense and commerciality are thrown to the wind. If you have any faith in the essential goodness of man, any hope that art is a good thing, a taste for good music regardless of the labels slapped on it, experience that love will break your heart, but you'll fall into it anyway, and a suspicion that Rounder Records has more artistic sense in its (figurative) little toe that all of the major labels combined, you'll buy this CD. And besides, looking at the jacket photos, I have to wonder if Robert and Alison don't share a hair stylist."</div>
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The following are the CD, mp3 album, and mp3 single, respectively: <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B000UMQDHC" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B003U06SGM" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B003U06SOY" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
<div align="center">
Among the many great reviews, one says, </div>
<div align="center">
“Burnett turned up the gothic horror and planted it down South.” </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-1702840591277319022010-09-16T00:44:00.000-07:002010-09-16T01:12:50.722-07:00Custom Vintage Letterhead 4 - Free Printable<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5HVU2IHe7G3fQFMCvSypkQjCmKXLDlxptLofARO1cbdYWpo94IIvoUu6FOrlevbEoYbB0OJBEPRxHOMB_mJlufJP6Y-JHQ-eak0Tacuh86ufmbuNvmNU36sFD6Bzu2QGJSlkicJK2Zyj/s1600/Letterhead4+AOTL.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 91px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517403546421728050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5HVU2IHe7G3fQFMCvSypkQjCmKXLDlxptLofARO1cbdYWpo94IIvoUu6FOrlevbEoYbB0OJBEPRxHOMB_mJlufJP6Y-JHQ-eak0Tacuh86ufmbuNvmNU36sFD6Bzu2QGJSlkicJK2Zyj/s400/Letterhead4+AOTL.jpg" /></a> <div><div><div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">I am excited to continue the series of <em>Art of the Letter Free Printable Custom Vintage Letterhead</em>. Letterhead4 was designed to fit 8in. x 11in. standard printer paper. Letterhead4 is the same image as above, but will contain the text of your choice. I will use Photoshop to design your AOTL custom vintage letterhead. All letterhead design is black, with the font being your choice of color. This is a simple image not of high quality, but is a genuine victorian period vintage/antique image, and will lend a special touch to your handwritten letter. It would be lovely made into stationery on a lightly colored or tea stained page.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">To receive AOTL Free Printable Custom Letterhead:</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">1. Please write a quick blog post with a link to Art of the Letter included, or add an AOTL button and link specifying Free Vintage Letterhead from Art of the Letter.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">2. Specify the Letterhead number you want. The letterhead in this post is called Letterhead4</span><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">. Previous versions of AOTL Letterhead can be found <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/08/custom-vintage-letterhead-free.html">here</a> and <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/09/custom-vintage-letterhead-2-free.html">here</a> and <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/09/custom-vintage-letterhead-3-free.html">here</a>.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">3. Select the font for your text:</span></div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 294px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517403291447703730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVK7mLELwRgixNokjO8svYpR7GdWkIJ8VgUvuH6v_oKSOrN8hiWUMBsWSBmAeH97XGtpsB_d9BGIlEusaLYFX4b_THoKLfPKqP_Hxi7OB7deBD7nlrDSPkZPeb5NNGkykGgap9tjyC_kF/s320/Letterhead4+Fonts.jpg" /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE6njzfFbuBZK6MPRCxLQ8K0UYKL04cqNJ9XerNHyw5fvzqkMm5le0IN8k68nzF1ZhZ6GVxgDZEkxwBWKf78vaMwY2FaDxRDmMgx6yqJKyxpzQg8IVrJw4vTktoYF05jSv0hli9hG-l_v/s1600/Letterhead2+Fonts.png"><p align="justify"></a></p><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#330033;"><em><strong>Special font circumstances:</strong> Special characters are limited to what is available with the font choice. If numbers are not displayed next to the font choice, there are no numbers or special characters available for that font. If you have a font that you would like me to use, please refer me to the font on <a href="http://www.dafont.com/">dafont.com</a>, and I would be happy to use your specific choice.</em></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><em><span style="color:#330033;"></span></em></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">4. Select the color you want for your font:</span></span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517403128027496658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaQyl3CJup8pcDmXQT9GSiHtg8WyWI9NQme-Sq1hlunGyGVZ3nWPdTnJV3bYeQ9TbNS8fxOmrRGsefCvlGp075Ef2tD_DPcBf7oxZBDVtNi1b3S6oRiCsbxjhgMrOYK7_WbIjBkZ6tH7h/s200/Letterhead+Colors.jpg" /> <div></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">5. Develop 1 or 2 lines of text with up to 40 characters each.</span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#330033;">6<span style="font-family:georgia;">. Send an email to artoftheletter (at) gmail.com with your text specifications and your blog link. Your email address is kept strictly confidential, used only to return email, and will never be revealed to any outside source.</span></span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">Please allow 1-7 days for processing. The full page file will then be sent return email for you to save to your computer and print as you choose. I will be offering this free letterhead promotion for a limited time, whereafter only the letterheadx.jpg will be available. Any further requests will be considered with respect to currently running promotions.</span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">If you use the image on your web page, please give me a shout out with a link. I would be thrilled to see any creative uses of this letterhead, and would be delighted to feature your project with a link to your blog. I am happy to receive email from you at any time. Please enjoy!</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-34760677810217967022010-09-15T14:02:00.000-07:002010-09-15T17:42:41.771-07:00Old Letters by Poet, Norman Rowland Gale<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa1eC2YmKkRtwIJZ3-vbhchnInLcSLF_dIXYn52pdf5DyI4JYfAi5ot3ooSaK65COSQOgZ5PSJvcec1v2jihbyP3q6dSKNwmzAZkARB3Qcd0qQux7qvJEtSD19uOuS7ekiuFGF7WuDi23/s1600/Lost+Love+-+postcard+-+ArtoftheLetter.blogspot.com.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 251px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517249741134264514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa1eC2YmKkRtwIJZ3-vbhchnInLcSLF_dIXYn52pdf5DyI4JYfAi5ot3ooSaK65COSQOgZ5PSJvcec1v2jihbyP3q6dSKNwmzAZkARB3Qcd0qQux7qvJEtSD19uOuS7ekiuFGF7WuDi23/s400/Lost+Love+-+postcard+-+ArtoftheLetter.blogspot.com.jpg" /></a> <strong><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">OLD LETTERS</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Last night some yellow letters fell<br />From out a scrip I found by chance;<br />Among them was the silent ghost,<br />The spirit of my first romance:<br />And in a faint blue envelope<br />A withered rose long lost to dew<br />Bore witness to the dashing days<br />When love was large and wits were few.<br /><br />Yet standing there all worn and grey<br />The teardrops quivered in my eyes<br />To think of Youth's unshaken front,<br />The forehead lifted to the skies;<br />How rough a hill my eager feet<br />Flung backward when upon its crest<br />I saw the flutter of the lace<br />The wind awoke on Helen's breast!<br /><br />How thornless were the roses then<br />When fresh young eyes and lips were kind<br />When Cupid in our porches proved<br />How true the tale that Love is blind!<br />But Red-and-White and Poverty<br />Would only mate while shone the May;<br />Then came a Bag of Golden Crowns<br />And jingled Red-and-White away.<br /><br />Grown old and niggard of romance<br />I wince not much at aught askew,<br />And often ask my favorite cat<br />What else had Red-and-White to do?<br />And here's the bud that rose and sank,<br />A crimson island on her breast--<br />Why should I burn it? Once again<br />Hide, rose, and dream. God send me rest.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Norman Rowland Gale</span></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJTopdWykOgxM9hHeundlVWmVoBts67c5K8bSK-kjDzNPcYOwy1exbfQl2DP4PYiehE5_kKt4szsixVYURA_9abWtrr6vZtKasB5AY58sC1PMDYErgjHfHt3LkxLuZ0E9A0Muh6WNZFBG/s1600/Norman+Rowland+Gale,+poet,+artoftheletter.blogspot.com.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 138px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517249424747526466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJTopdWykOgxM9hHeundlVWmVoBts67c5K8bSK-kjDzNPcYOwy1exbfQl2DP4PYiehE5_kKt4szsixVYURA_9abWtrr6vZtKasB5AY58sC1PMDYErgjHfHt3LkxLuZ0E9A0Muh6WNZFBG/s200/Norman+Rowland+Gale,+poet,+artoftheletter.blogspot.com.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Norman Rowland Gale was an </span><a href="http://oldpoetry.com/oauthor/show/Norman_Rowland_Gale"><span style="font-family:georgia;">English poet</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and story-teller. He served as a reviewer, and spent some time as a schoolmaster. He must have lived a rather private life from March 4, 1862 until October 7, 1942 as there are few biographical details available for us to learn. From about 1885 until his death, he </span><a href="http://victorianbibliography.com/normangale/NGshort.htm"><span style="font-family:georgia;">published many books</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, with his most famous work being the poem </span><a href="http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/27851-Norman-Rowland-Gale-The-Country-Faith"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>The Country Faith</em></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, which made publication in the immediate classic </span><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=-nC9QgAACAAJ&dq=Oxford+Book+of+English+Verse,++1250-1918&hl=en&ei=JymRTOzWO5SCsQO_-N22Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAw"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>Oxford Book of English Verse 1250–1918</em></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em> (1939 edition).</em> This photograph is purportedly of Norman Rowland Gale, the poet.</span><br /><br /><div align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0198121369" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=0192141821" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /></div><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The melancholy poem featured in this post is titled <em>Old Letters</em>, and is a constituent of the book<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1440495904?tag=biba-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1440495904&adid=1MAN1H6XPT0JJGD350N0&"><em>Love Letters of Great Men Vol. 2</em></a>.<br /><br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=1440495904" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B0036B97PE" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The beautiful painting of the forlorn lady opening this post is from an antique postcard featured on </span><a href="http://www.metropostcard.com/topicalsl.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. The artist is not named, and I see no identifying mark on the image. If you have any information about the artist, please contact me.</span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-45087833583265313432010-09-09T01:49:00.000-07:002010-09-09T02:59:06.540-07:00Custom Vintage Letterhead 3 - Free Printable<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 81px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514847131723173394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgiwiok6B0f4Q2jNLqtoDvg6lmhJQi2pGjHKYsP8gbPNYFrr4vm4GmbzeTl3EQHaXaCjwtMinYTg92ArRASvxPw_PtA6xoKiTvsO-C5aJUoskWsc6X2OgnIOQhwcJKuqXMdThFzVE0sc7/s400/Letterhead3+AOTL.jpg" /> <div><div><div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">I am pleased to offer the third in a growing series of <em>Art of the Letter Free Printable Custom Vintage Letterhead</em>. Letterhead3 was designed to shrink-to-fit 8in. x 11in. standard printer paper. Letterhead3 is the same image as above, but will contain the text of your choice. I will use Photoshop to design your AOTL custom letterhead. All letterhead design is black, with the font being your choice of color. This is a simple image not of high quality, but is a genuine victorian period vintage/antique image, and will lend a special touch to your handwritten letter. It would be lovely made into stationery on a lightly colored or tea stained page.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">To receive AOTL Free Printable Custom Letterhead:</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">1. Please write a quick blog post with a link to Art of the Letter included, or add an AOTL button and link specifying Free Vintage Letterhead from Art of the Letter.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">2. Specify the Letterhead number. The letterhead in this post is called Letterhead</span><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">3. Previous versions of AOTL Letterhead can be found <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/08/custom-vintage-letterhead-free.html">here</a> and <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/09/custom-vintage-letterhead-2-free.html">here</a>.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">3. Select the font for your text:</span></div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514846930355336498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_7qJZSSxML3q-UExMHAsCyJVaijGFpkRMDG3GYBYGy_ZzLizlK4-ZPQOQlVTVEw2tEjkXYOOXe01-0UIT7ChPFZ8LEHAa1QBp0jbO0WSpTaLZ6tInc_S7ESATWb1b8xJagaJCwsFtAwp/s320/Letterhead3+Fonts+copy.jpg" /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE6njzfFbuBZK6MPRCxLQ8K0UYKL04cqNJ9XerNHyw5fvzqkMm5le0IN8k68nzF1ZhZ6GVxgDZEkxwBWKf78vaMwY2FaDxRDmMgx6yqJKyxpzQg8IVrJw4vTktoYF05jSv0hli9hG-l_v/s1600/Letterhead2+Fonts.png"><p align="justify"></a></p><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#330033;"><em><strong>Special font circumstances:</strong> Special characters are limited to what is available with the font choice. If numbers are not displayed next to the font choice, there are no numbers or special characters available for that font. If you have a font that you would like me to use, please refer me to the font on <a href="http://www.dafont.com/">dafont.com</a>, and I would be happy to use your specific choice.</em></span></span></div><div> <br></div><div><em><span style="color:#330033;"></span></em></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">4. Select the color you want for your font:</span></span></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514847962027986082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pdwL0RZrtjR5_zyeIfRbi7ooJRE2yR8ET7e54D8GQmCs1gcnJyDSl06tPpE43dL57v0FLXPfnSXqzaKowrzjlzWWCTmZbFJK-x1-eM5RiuQ65JZrcHncojlw7xyzja-8Ds4v2gB-KgyS/s200/Letterhead+Colors.jpg" /> <div></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"></span></div><br><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">5. Develop 1 or 2 lines of text with up to 25 characters each.</span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br><div><span style="color:#330033;">6<span style="font-family:georgia;">. Send an email to artoftheletter (at) gmail.com with your text specifications and your blog link. Your email address is kept strictly confidential, used only to return email, and will never be revealed to any outside source.</span></span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">Please allow 1-7 days for processing. The full page file will then be sent return email for you to save to your computer and print as you choose. I will be offering this free letterhead promotion for a limited time, whereafter only the letterheadx.jpg will be available. Any further requests will be considered with respect to currently running promotions.</span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">If you use the image on your web page, please give me a shout out with a link. I would be thrilled to see any creative uses of this letterhead, and am happy to receive email any time.</span></div><div><span style="color:#330033;"></span></div><br><div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"><a href="http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/">The Graphics Fairy</a> has many wonderful vintage images she has collected, this letterhead being edited from an image she shared. It is one of my favorite blogs to visit.</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-8015319950218485692010-09-01T21:37:00.000-07:002010-09-01T23:53:55.400-07:00Custom Vintage Letterhead 2 - Free Printable<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B_21-LdlJGjWYTi0RAW_lQfz6xjpXUrIsh_bdQTUED2zQdbOQ0rlFFH0lFZR7cfDHVJ5uJDtLiU5eBvv0UfCT7t70Yu3aabQu_8u5lBt9uTyrgFBVFmmJB5p5ToHpdDAv0gDCgCCIjbc/s1600/Letterhead2+AOTL.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 92px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512177962310254802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4B_21-LdlJGjWYTi0RAW_lQfz6xjpXUrIsh_bdQTUED2zQdbOQ0rlFFH0lFZR7cfDHVJ5uJDtLiU5eBvv0UfCT7t70Yu3aabQu_8u5lBt9uTyrgFBVFmmJB5p5ToHpdDAv0gDCgCCIjbc/s400/Letterhead2+AOTL.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"> It is my pleasure to introduce the second in a series of <em>Art of the Letter Free Printable Custom Vintage Letterhead</em>. Letterhead2 was designed to shrink-to-fit 8in. x 11in. standard printer paper, and the full page actual size is somewhere close to 9.5" x 11.4". The margins are wide enough to be unaffected by most cropping or scrapbooking/binding if you should deem necessary. Letterhead2 is the same image as above, but will contain the text of your choice. I will use Photoshop to design your AOTL custom letterhead. All letterhead design is black, with the font being your choice of color. This is a simple image not of high quality, but is a genuine victorian period vintage/antique image, and will lend a special touch to your handwritten letter. It would be lovely made into stationery on a lightly colored or tea stained page.</span> <br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">To receive AOTL Free Printable Custom Letterhead:</span><br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">1. Please write a quick blog post with a link to Art of the Letter included, or add an AOTL button and link specifying Free Vintage Letterhead from Art of the Letter.</span><br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">2. Specify the Letterhead number. The letterhead in this post is called Letterhead2. Previous versions of AOTL Letterhead can be found <a href="http://artoftheletter.blogspot.com/2010/08/custom-vintage-letterhead-free.html">here</a>.</span><br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">3. Select the font for your text:</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE6njzfFbuBZK6MPRCxLQ8K0UYKL04cqNJ9XerNHyw5fvzqkMm5le0IN8k68nzF1ZhZ6GVxgDZEkxwBWKf78vaMwY2FaDxRDmMgx6yqJKyxpzQg8IVrJw4vTktoYF05jSv0hli9hG-l_v/s1600/Letterhead2+Fonts.png"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512173678093425330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIE6njzfFbuBZK6MPRCxLQ8K0UYKL04cqNJ9XerNHyw5fvzqkMm5le0IN8k68nzF1ZhZ6GVxgDZEkxwBWKf78vaMwY2FaDxRDmMgx6yqJKyxpzQg8IVrJw4vTktoYF05jSv0hli9hG-l_v/s320/Letterhead2+Fonts.png" /> <p align="justify"></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#330033;"><em><strong>Special font circumstances:</strong> Special characters are limited to what is available with the font choice. If numbers are not displayed next to the font choice, there are no numbers or special characters available for that font. If you have a font that you would like me to use, please refer me to the font on <a href="http://www.dafont.com/">dafont.com</a>, and I would be happy to use your specific choice.</em></span></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#330033;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">4. Select the color you want for your font: </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVmZHiULz94P9L-2BffwBIkmr8UmSPP5Jgrenkts7g7CJL88BaW0QZBOtJc00CxXPxrizv0JBuDWBE6qYa58ImBQFprtV4ltGzvC2i_1d-jW-m5NPQ5NYc8B-To2pkI8fKy5AzUZcmdFC/s1600/Letterhead1+Colors.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512173481993287874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVmZHiULz94P9L-2BffwBIkmr8UmSPP5Jgrenkts7g7CJL88BaW0QZBOtJc00CxXPxrizv0JBuDWBE6qYa58ImBQFprtV4ltGzvC2i_1d-jW-m5NPQ5NYc8B-To2pkI8fKy5AzUZcmdFC/s320/Letterhead1+Colors.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">5. Develop 1 or 2 lines of text with up to 30 characters each.</span></p><div align="justify"><br></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">6. Send an email to artoftheletter (at) gmail.com with your text specifications and your blog link. Your email address is kept strictly confidential, used only to return email, and will never be revealed to any outside source.</span><br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"> Please allow 1-7 days for processing. The full page file will then be sent return email for you to save to your computer and print as you choose. I will be offering this free letterhead promotion for a limited time, whereafter only the letterheadx.jpg will be available. Any further requests will be considered with respect to currently running promotions.</span><br><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;">If you use the image on your web page, please give me a shout out with a link. I would be thrilled to see any creative uses of this letterhead, and am happy to receive email any time.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-77931595356816224032010-08-31T11:04:00.000-07:002016-11-18T14:12:48.172-08:00Drew Barrymore: Advocate for Old-Fashioned Correspondence<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlOZBNKQOmdky8AkPlVo9VMtm3gNW2gDiqmHiWVbJTw88EkK1YCYDpFKsoktGuvLGd2CxW2QqwjL9Ybp9QTrEO7gacI-_Bkyf67lYJx668cw_RG6lYkpsML9bEWYe18XTLWsRP0tNzRJ4/s1600/Drew+Barrymore+beautiful+vintage+Hollywood+glamour+flapper.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512154799706075202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlOZBNKQOmdky8AkPlVo9VMtm3gNW2gDiqmHiWVbJTw88EkK1YCYDpFKsoktGuvLGd2CxW2QqwjL9Ybp9QTrEO7gacI-_Bkyf67lYJx668cw_RG6lYkpsML9bEWYe18XTLWsRP0tNzRJ4/s400/Drew+Barrymore+beautiful+vintage+Hollywood+glamour+flapper.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Drew Barrymore has a penchant for writing letters, and when it comes to corresponding, she eschews faster forms of conveyances in favor of the handwritten. She considers it more meaningful to pen a note, and insists people write letters to her instead of sending an email or other electronic communication.<br /><br />In method preparations for her Golden Globe award-winning role in the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAKFP2?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001WAKFP2"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">2009 HBO movie Grey Gardens</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, she isolated herself from all modern communicative technologies, and limited herself to letter writing as a way of entrenching herself into her vintage character, Little Edie Beale. Barrymore </span><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/04/justin_long_and_drew_barrymore.html"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">went into seclusion</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, “No contact with friends, no cell phones, no Black Berry, no newspapers, no magazines, no computers, no cars, no television. Nothing, for three months,” she said. "But she’d write,” said on-again, off-again boyfriend, Justin Long. Long tells of her creative letter writing, "She'd write beautiful, profound, poetic letters on a typewriter."<br /><br />As for the </span><a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20272634,00.html"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">subject of the letters</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, Drew revealed, "They were about my fears of not being able to pull this character off; this icon, and about learning a level of discipline… about facing your fears." Barrymore said the old-fashioned letters, which she wrote on an </span><a href="http://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/03/whats-odd-about-this-ibm-selectric.html"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">avocado green IBM Selectric typewriter</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, helped her work through her jitters about the part. "I had to understand what isolation was really like."<br /><br />Even after the role ended, Drew explains "I </span><a href="http://www.womensweekly.co.nz/latest/entertainment/drew-barrymore-loves-letters-3605"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">still write letters</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">. I don't want to communicate in a relationship via text and email. I love a letter. You are thoughtful when you write it, and someone can read it, and hold onto it, and go back to it. For me, there's something very dangerous to have everything so instantaneous."<br /><br />The star of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAKFP2?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001WAKFP2"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Grey Gardens</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";"> has wishes for social betterment, where folks become more gracious and mindful of their manners. As in times past, people were polite and ceremonial in their conduct, and acted out of consideration. She longs for a resurgence of this courtesy and gallantry, “There's a part of me that misses the grace and formalities of the past," says Drew. "Like, when gentlemen wore hats and opened doors.” Although, she is not all old-school airs and elegance. “I love that now, we're not trying to pretend so much that everything is prim and proper,” laughs Drew. “I'd like to find a balance."</span><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512154503566250418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XF9RXYFByCCygt6cTiR0HqV4oOQ2lf7OkXghE0XMWMhOYzEjSPnrX1iAi-poQyDmTNoattRi0ARNXdEFZgB-4N6FWdmPyWhZQQQo66rg8zk2g33OSrWb_sqrJZX32qZ3BmIUCLo2gVcS/s400/Drew+Barrymore+beautiful+vintage+Hollywood+glamour+flapper2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 260px;" /><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Both gorgeous photographs are of Drew Barrymore looking like an old-Hollywood, </span><a href="http://www.justjared.com/photo-gallery/1853681/drew-barrymore-grey-gardens-premiere-03/fullsize/"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">living vintage doll</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";"> in an Alberta Ferretti gown, and a true vintage headpiece as she appeared at the Ziegfeld Theater, New York City premiere of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAKFP2?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001WAKFP2"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Grey Gardens</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">.<br /><br />The exceedingly interesting characters of "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" are true-to-life socialites from an era past. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Ewing_Bouvier_Beale" title="Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Edith "Big Edie" Ewing Bouvier Beale</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";"> and her daughter </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Bouvier_Beale" title="Edith Bouvier Beale"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";"> were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. The two women lived together at </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Grey_Gardens_(estate)" title="Grey Gardens (estate)"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">Grey Gardens, a decrepit mansion at 3 West End Road</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, in the wealthy neighborhood of East Hampton, New York for decades with limited funds, resulting in squalor and almost total isolation. The home became the center of quite a scandal when it was revealed in 1973 that the reclusive aunt and cousin to Jackie O. were living in a state of poverty and filth.<br /><br />Both the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005KHJX?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00005KHJX"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">original documentary</span></a><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">, and the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001WAKFP2?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001WAKFP2"><span style="color: #663366; font-family: "georgia";">modern HBO movie</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="color: #663366;">, are critically acclaimed, award winning, and gleamingly reviewed by viewers.</span></span><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00005KHJX&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000IY02W4&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001WAKFP2&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-21963577900141590202010-08-24T21:16:00.001-07:002010-08-25T17:23:56.288-07:00Custom Vintage Letterhead - Free Printable<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkjIi3vYQSoZ7nZHKRDHQ-ipvfMyR7jPzIPTlWMD0EXejDnvuYmAzmTwBnd-Lw07tLL6jIXcIiZoLedAqTwRGqeZKwmXDtycvHxEv3PyKf57-HDpFtFhWKjLk8QCwzI8v-uGJApGztaCE/s1600/AOTL+Letterhead.jpg"><span style="color:#663366;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 81px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509204774898440226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkjIi3vYQSoZ7nZHKRDHQ-ipvfMyR7jPzIPTlWMD0EXejDnvuYmAzmTwBnd-Lw07tLL6jIXcIiZoLedAqTwRGqeZKwmXDtycvHxEv3PyKf57-HDpFtFhWKjLk8QCwzI8v-uGJApGztaCE/s400/AOTL+Letterhead.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">I am happy to introduce the first in a series of <em>Art of the Letter</em> <em>Free Printable Custom Vintage Letterhead</em>. The letterhead on a full size sheet was designed to shrink-to-fit 8in. x 11in. standard printer paper, and the full page actual size is somewhere close to 9.5" x 11.4". The margins are wide enough to be unaffected by most cropping or scrapbooking/binding if you should deem necessary. The letterhead is the same image as above, and will contain your text. I will use Photoshop to design your AOTL custom letterhead. All letterhead design is black, with the font being your choice of color. This is a simple image not of high quality, but is a genuine victorian vintage/antique period image, and will lend a special touch to your handwritten letter. It would be lovely made into stationery on a lightly colored or tea stained page.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">To receive AOTL Free Printable Custom Letterhead:</span></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">1. Please write a quick blog post with a link to Art of the Letter included, or add a button specifying Free Vintage Letterhead from Art of the Letter.</span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">2. Select the font for your text:</span><span style="color:#663366;"> </span></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509428089218892386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcAhKj8Uts0_epYICsSxcK9JRk91o2W6o7IBHiz4X7grXqy50hCx80CNTywkMAODmKJhXz77L0SproDQ_a4hc8xTUyLd4bc3HxS_W__j0s9dpE0zWWGqCoxbtP1dc51vxLVOREBvRqt8Y/s320/fonts+for+letterhead+1.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">3. Select the color you want for your font:</span> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509429036536192018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOJ-ELMq0K8bvGdScDn365Tdtw4GtHyCZQtDnLDYDiEetHou3d-qVc1jPQejGT7TKWABGA7h_boMLyH3UZmJrjkDnBESlfWAzAhfcGojzZMTU_EZRPE-MRtJGecW4ciX8A2CVj0Ua_0t7/s320/Colors+for+AOTL+Letterhead+1.jpg" /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">4. Develop 1 or 2 lines of up to 20 characters each.</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;">5. Send an email to artoftheletter (at) gmail.com with your text specifications and your blog link. Please allow 1-7 days for processing. The full page file will then be sent return email for you to save to your computer and print as you choose. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="color:#663366;"></span><br /><span style="color:#663366;">I will be offering this free letterhead promotion for a limited time, whereafter only the letterhead .jpg will be availabe. Any further requests will be considered with respect to currently running promotions.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#663366;">If you use the image on your web page, please give me a shout out with a link. I would be thrilled to see any creative uses of this letterhead, and am happy to receive email any time.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-70604051096813488042010-08-11T19:03:00.001-07:002010-08-20T11:50:49.248-07:00Love Letters To Elizabeth Taylor<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000472H?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00000472H"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504358346784798514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKnIhYquOB6ufnYz5tGqg1Lzej2wbGM019OArnJVH3K8_MqFmVUDTDDKz0po76CJzY7qxRyKni7zp38s8KaX8368_OTaIOLfF0-eoAsK-jFp_JCAfUirHCblEvNgv8GMzPMRgANJlzpV9/s400/Elizabeth+Taylor+and+Richard+Burton.jpg" /></a>Hollywood royal, Elizabeth Taylor, has offered a generous and intimate glimpse into her bedside stand by revealing her treasured, personal, and never-before-seen </span><a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/06/liz-and-dick-the-ultimate-celebrity-couple.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">love letters from star crossed lover, Richard Burton</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">. The <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20102761,00.html">scandalous relationship</a> between these two charismatic and legendary stars was infamously passionate and equally as tumultuous. It turns out, Richard's love letters to Elizabeth parallelled those lines of passion and turbulence with his writings of his profound desire for her and a remarkable darkness revealing his extreme vulnerability in the face of existing without her. In this momentous collection of magical love letters from Richard Burton, he reveals himself to be a charming, talented, lusty letter writer, and creatively exposes his mischievous spirit in </span><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">effortless mastery. </span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;"></span><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507296209665650066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWbwFjZnlviuQIPbcZjus9bVN-wBsDXJqxCHy434q7ZdF8Pd5x8JEI6Lj-mg7Q37eyg17smo1LTSJoy3bUSyAn3-qqKlnRvIHyHrcLorr-yo1Ed9qYKvtl_mmfrnUZp_3ddtk8_qBQ3QO/s400/eliz+and+rich+sandpiper.jpg" />Richard found that Elizabeth's allure was impossible to escape. He mused, even until his end, in the possibility of rekindling their relationship. To Richard, Elizabeth was a painful temptation, irresistable and magnificently attractive. He was fascinated by her - delighted by her - dashed by her. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;"></span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">This spell-binding couple created fan pandemonium in their outings, which in turn gave rise to the paparazzi phenomenon. The <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20390194,00.html?xid=email-peopledaily-20100602-20390194">unprecedented access to Richard's personal love letters </a>and diary writings came in time to promote and support this juicy and scathing biography of the two: </span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006156284X?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=006156284X"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 403px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507021055642668002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DnEyAuu3HnTRuc4z7_o8nMyC35WKncGTNd2KobrU-4EhmEjvnTfg-aLNE0qSlEfh1xCXXKZrFZegB85yLkmURiJ2_gmFqSIFuu5ffENcphFLq0h1DTUeRjUSoVmL7fA71FE6xzqfyZKX/s400/furious-love-book.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006156284X?ie=UTF8&tag=biba-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=006156284X">Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century</a></em></span><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:78%;color:#663366;">In an short excerpt from a Kathleen Hughes review of the book Furious Love:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">It's a mesmerizing tale - sad, sometimes ugly - </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">as the two stars engaged in vicious fights, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">nursed their jealousies and insecurities, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">and descended into alcoholism,</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">while outwardly living a life of glamour and sophistication.</span><br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=006156284X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=biba-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B002JP02RA" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;color:#663366;">The beautiful illustration leading this post is from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JP02RA?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B002JP02RA&adid=0DZ9HMYCA8FR1FQQTN6B&">the original motion picture soundtrack of the movie </a><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JP02RA?tag=biba-20&camp=213381&creative=390973&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B002JP02RA&adid=0DZ9HMYCA8FR1FQQTN6B&">The Sandpiper</a>,</em> starring both Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton while they were in their honeymoon phase. The few Amazon reviews for this soundtrack are of astounding compliment, worthy of a read themselves, and the music has been described as haunting, intoxicating, seductive, and romantic.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"><strong>We are privileged to to behold </strong></span><span style="color:#663366;"><strong>these </strong></span><span style="color:#663366;"><strong>private letters from </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#663366;"><strong>a legendary and powerful love affair.</strong></span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#330000;"></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-91162116919511064942010-04-09T17:33:00.000-07:002010-05-06T23:54:04.703-07:00Letters From Great-Grandmother<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoGglITKCKSzv8kgrkbhwfzYTFdG-HvDuOLlKGcPcmo-al6b-xgAHMvizUP2GQc-YuBMuFzjT0kd7JV_oMTg7etyu61kZeasKJFzVokuUEn5hhDr31oxkI5RGHeSwCWB6rdw1kwunxLml/s400/Emile+Munier+La_Lettre+wiki.jpg" width="317" wt="true" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This letter was once held by Great-Grandmother's hands. The light scent of her lotion fading from these pages, though still evident, is feared to disappear. Her meticulous handwriting reveals the coordinated efforts of her heart and hand. Once arriving as faithfully as the rising sun, I am now at loss without her weekly handwritten letter. Evermore, will there be mere veteran issues to survey in these treasures, though rediscover I shall, this time, reading between every line. Eternally grateful, I will be, of the time she took to communicate her gentle spirit, revealing her thoughts and letting me know in a tangible way that I was cherished.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">In Loving Memory of Grandma.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Tracey Elaine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The darling painting is named La Lettre by French painter <a href="http://www.emilemunier.org/biography.htm"><span style="color: #660000;">Émile Munier</span></a> (1840–1895)</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-42832033398935141622010-04-08T14:00:00.000-07:002010-04-09T02:54:08.199-07:00National Card and Letter Writing Month<div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-TxpDBM7nbCiK-HJDRCkDtXTYlTLQfaOTc_vP2kRORCXDuBeiny0y6FmX5soriwCdVOIujhFWDM9bH0K74yEuBTZ73AXXAwharacojfuKL8peVpRRg4OFn67uUWB3oXytbEOij4ITMB0/s1600/national+card+%26+letter+writing+month+-+Art+of+the+Letter+-+vintage+american+flag+children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-TxpDBM7nbCiK-HJDRCkDtXTYlTLQfaOTc_vP2kRORCXDuBeiny0y6FmX5soriwCdVOIujhFWDM9bH0K74yEuBTZ73AXXAwharacojfuKL8peVpRRg4OFn67uUWB3oXytbEOij4ITMB0/s400/national+card+%26+letter+writing+month+-+Art+of+the+Letter+-+vintage+american+flag+children.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
</div><div align="center">Spring is a time of hope and renewal, and the U.S. Postal Service has a message to everyone who needs to reinvigorate relationships or rekindle romance: “Touch them with a letter they can feel — and keep.”</div><div align="center"><strong>April is National Card and Letter Writing Month.</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">To mark this special time of creative correspondence and the friendly exchange of passionate, poignant prose, the Postal Service is extending this popular campaign by carrying it over into May, culminating with the writing and sending of cards and letters for Mother’s Day, May 9. <br />
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<em>“National Card and Letter Writing Month is an opportunity for all Americans to rediscover the timeless and very personal art of letter writing. Both in times of peace and conflict, cards and letters are the most effective way to share and permanently record our thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams.”</em><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">As quoted by Postmaster General John E. Potter.</span> </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Since the beginning of recorded history, famous people, have written letters that helped shape the destinies of entire nations. By putting their thoughts on paper, some of the most powerful figures of all time created memoirs that not only withstand the test of time but also serve as guidelines for today’s youth. This month, post offices across the country will be sponsoring a variety of projects with local libraries and schools to promote literacy while teaching students about the lasting importance of written correspondence.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Teachers may be interested in developing lessons on letter writing that also discuss the historical significance of many of the people, places and things honored on U.S. commemorative postage stamps. Background information on current stamps can be found in the <strong><a href="http://www.usps.com/shop">Collector’s Corner at the Postal Store</a></strong> or at the <a href="http://www.stamps.org/"><strong>American Philatelic</strong> <strong>Society</strong></a>.</div><div align="center">Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency that visits 137 million homes and businesses every day, it is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $66 billion, it is the world’s leading provider of mail and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world.</div><div align="center"><ul><li><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courtesy United States Postal Service </span><a href="http://www.usps.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.usps.com/</span></a></em></li>
<li><a href="http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2003/sr03_nclwm.pdf"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2003/sr03_nclwm.pdf</span></a></li>
</ul></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-45028729204427508542010-04-07T18:05:00.000-07:002016-11-18T19:38:42.696-08:00Recapturing the Lost Art of the Handwritten Letter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllkPLohkJ_lHOnPa_wiPMRRMKfRc75lB_D3dvhHbaZrLu5FtznDWOrizu1mghyphenhyphenTQVCV4lJBHF7FweJEFV5s-8CjJM6P5DmZfZosoDkdiXVyF8nEAYg-ijylGYuxoIbto21pob-7rrZHGo/s1600/First+United+States+10+cent+Postage+Stamp+1847.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458010932865046386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllkPLohkJ_lHOnPa_wiPMRRMKfRc75lB_D3dvhHbaZrLu5FtznDWOrizu1mghyphenhyphenTQVCV4lJBHF7FweJEFV5s-8CjJM6P5DmZfZosoDkdiXVyF8nEAYg-ijylGYuxoIbto21pob-7rrZHGo/s400/First+United+States+10+cent+Postage+Stamp+1847.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 310px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Even before Great-Grandfather was toddling years ago, the only way to communicate with far away family and friends was to create a handwritten letter and send it away en post. The letter was crafted to be deserving of its cost to create. The expense of paper, ink, envelope and postage were occasionally proven to be a hindrance to the communication of isolated families with their folks. US postage rates in 1792 were at 6 cents per one sheet letter to a recipient not exceeding 30 miles away. Prices then increased incrementally until one was paying 25 cents for single letters to go to recipients more than 400 miles away.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>In 1850, farming wages are estimated to have been as low as a paltry $0.40 per day in some of the more depressed areas of the country. In such cases, when the family trade garnered so little income, the stipend for entertainment was simply nonexistent. Certainly, postage allotted for casual letters to family or friends was regarded as a luxury with a prohibitive price.</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>By 1851, the cost of posting a letter was lowered to 3 cents per ½ ounce and could be sent up to 3000 miles away. This proved more affordable, but still, on a farm income, which had the potential to be meager and infrequent, postage stamps, stationery, and supplies were not guaranteed sundries. On occasion, more affluent relatives would send writing supplies and postage to help ease the prohibitive costs, which would otherwise inhibit the flow of precious correspondence.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><a href="http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/Notice123.htm">Current postal rates</a> do not demand nearly as large a percentage of our daily income as they once had. Yet, the fierce competition the Internet has waged with the postal service has given consumers a considerable edge with regard to the speed of delivery of their communications, and “snail mail” has become the widely accepted offending slang term used for the current US postal service. Crafting a note and sending it via digital means is certainly faster than old fashioned habits, but letters received in such a manner are robbed of some of the most charming personal aspects that are present in a handwritten letter. The rewards of a personal letter in the mail box are innumerable, and sadly, those rewards are largely missing today.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Dear Readers,</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>The challenge is to recapture the lost art of the handwritten letter.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Sincerely,</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Tracey Elaine</em></span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia";">P.S. The image is of the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_US_Postage_stamps_of_1847.tiff"> <span style="color: #660000;">first general issue United States 10 cent Postage stamp</span></a> from July 1, 1847.</span></em><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207558776014536740.post-74374997526100385642010-04-07T02:51:00.000-07:002010-05-06T23:52:34.686-07:00The Art of Letter Writing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1btoarhIfoR5eqomDGWMvWuol-IpxdEb7Ugf5Y3u84X60gkdI0kdcEbtZ6MxX9KIvTbirlin7bVW-R2EyhDR5J22gyaIglzt3J2uAkMqvy06tmroZ3FmRRrQ2Tp5PSr5JwAlFnvhAJIz5/s1600/Jane+Austen+Art+of+the+Letter+Writing+-+photo+AFP+Getty+Images.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458011683254038210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1btoarhIfoR5eqomDGWMvWuol-IpxdEb7Ugf5Y3u84X60gkdI0kdcEbtZ6MxX9KIvTbirlin7bVW-R2EyhDR5J22gyaIglzt3J2uAkMqvy06tmroZ3FmRRrQ2Tp5PSr5JwAlFnvhAJIz5/s400/Jane+Austen+Art+of+the+Letter+Writing+-+photo+AFP+Getty+Images.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 350px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 275px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjAHqLkkDOQgjMpw63GcFeqU-RyZJ9CtdpypaXu4d78rWXbQjsA7Ruui6YnuzkWmw9IsMZyXkcXBHA2Z87JOIKrAhnaFT-pvFn54KdDYsOZAI07ZbadPM_sH8juWpxtLOArV8aMnhfM2M/s1600/Jane+Austen+Art+of+the+Letter+Writing+-+photo+AFP+Getty+Images.jpg"></a><em><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"I have now attained the true art of letter-writing, which we are always told, is to express on paper exactly what one would say to the same person by word of mouth; I have been talking to you almost as fast as I could the whole of this letter."</span></em></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As written by Jane Austen in one of the many letters she sent to her sister Cassandra. Dated January 3, 1801.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The image is of the <a href="http://www.jasna.org/news_events/rice-portrait-nosale.html"><span style="color: #660000;">controversial Rice Portrait of Jane Austen</span></a>, by British society painter Ozias Humphry (1742-1810). It is one of the single most disputatious and intriguing literary portraits in existence.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Find classic writing supplies at www.artoftheletter.blogspot.com</div>TraceyElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08277986119437285514noreply@blogger.com1