It's time to order your Santa Letters..

From Sarah Hanna that is. 

Last year, I found out about Sarah from another blog.  Red Letter Day.  Sarah was going to be at one of their Letter Socials that are hosted over at Arch Drafting Supply in San Francisco.

Now I have already ordered my letter for Kaylee.  One which I'm sure will lead to therapy bills later in life.  (contents to be revealed AFTER Christmas - just in case the wife reads this)

Last year I did two letters for Kaylee.  One that was fairly straight forward.  The second, well not so much.  This year I'm doing just one and i would be on the "not so much" side of that equation.

So a little about Master Calligrapher Sarah Hanna (yea I'm doing this because I REALLY like her work.  I pay for my letters like everyone else)

Here is a link to her blog www.sarahhanna.com  Now the fun part for me. 

Here is her text on this years run and my take on it.

It is the most wonderful time of the year!

Years ago, I penned letters from Santa Claus to my friends’ children. I filled in personal details that only Santa would know and placed a classic wax seal on the top for authenticity. (Yes, I do expect a bill from their therapists one day.)

Years ago Sarah started sending anonymous letters to her friends kids.  Filled with enough personal details that calls to authorities were made. 

The response to the letters was so great that I am now in my 5th year of creating them for gorgeous bébés all over the world.  The letter will even be offered in French this year – très bien!

Each year, there is a new template with places to personalize names, to encourage the child with something specific, to hint at a Christmas gift, and to verify that Santa knows where they will be on Christmas. (This is a common concern for kids- “How will Santa know that we are going to be playing shuffleboard in Boca with Mimi and Pop-Pop on Christmas Eve?!?”)

Each year Sarah changed the template to keep process servers off her trail attempting to collect for the emotional distressed caused by her letters.  Details were so precise the kids were starting to think that the NSA had cameras and mics all over and were tracking their every move.  That's right Spanky, He's ALWAYS watching you.

Trust me, he knows.

The Elf on the Shelf makes a great letter carrier. I have a client who puts the letter in the mailbox and sprinkles glitter all around it. This photo is of her little one after a trip to the glittered mailbox….pure magic.

While the Elf on the Shelf might seem like a perfect delivery system for your letters.  What your kids are thinking is this is Chucky coming to life.  (See this is what happens when your kids are watching who knows what while you passed out on the couch with the cable remote in reach)

 OK so this is the end of my messing with her.  But on the serious side.  If you've got $20 and want to freak your kid out on Christmas morning. 

Contact:

Sarah Hanna Calligraphy & Design

19201 Sonoma Highway, No. 357
Sonoma, California 95476
info@sarahhanna.com
707-775-5530

OH MAMA!!

So now that Kim has headed out into the wilds of Northern California to "camp" with her mother in an RV for the next few days I can finally post this.  She has no internet out there or spotty at best.

I ordered a letterpress certificate from Two Paper Dolls the folks who by a lucky circumstance have my sense of humor. I found this piece on their Etsy Store. When I came upon ONE WORD (see if you can spot it).

 

But what I really needed was someone who could really put the Jazz Hands to this to make it something special.  Enter Sarah Hanna.

Now for those of you who remember last Christmas and the letters Sarah did for me (one and two), HOW could I not ask her to put her touch on something like this?  Hmmm?  Hmmm?  That's right I did it!

So off to the wizard they went.  What I got back was more than I could have hoped for.

Might be a bit hard to see on the kraft paper but the ink is gold.

Now here is the most unexpected surprise with my return package.  

GIFT TAGS!!

So, what cha think?  Will she like em'?  I'm bringing one of them up to her on Saturday to drop of our SPAWN (Kaylee) for the remainder of the weekend to "camp" with the family.  Kaylee couldn't go early because she had (a.) a school field trip we didn't and her to miss (b.) she still has another day of school, (c.) she has t-ball practice on Friday and finally (d.) she has a t-ball game on Saturday and we have taught our child that you follow though with commitments like team sports.

Now for those of you who have never thought of getting a NICE piece paper and having it dolled up for someone special.  Try it.  I can almost promise they will never forget the effort you put into finding the right piece and then the additional effort of having someone with the talent (like Sarah Hanna or any other calligrapher for that matter) to put that special touch on something. 

I went out with Kaylee tonight and bought some frames for the two "awards", one for work and one for home.  One will be put on the wall.  Eventually when we can really afford a quality frame job, I will have the tags put in with it for a proper mount.  

I was joking with Kim last night as we spent another 7 hour stint at the ER.  

Me - "I can make you feel instantly better"

Kim - "How?"

Me - " I have your Mothers Day gift in my bag"

Kim - "Really?"

Me - "I won't tell you what it is, but here is your hint.  It's white and gold and you can use it at work and home at the same time."

Now the look on her face with that little riddle was worth it for me.  Not so much for her but it was then 2am and I really needed a boost.  

Anyway, that's my little post for this evening.  Remember yo mama.  The reason you're still breathing is   something in her was strong enough to not strangle you but punish you later with grandchildren that are JUST LIKE YOU!

Derrick

Twas the night before the night before Christmas..

One of Kaylee's favorite books.  We have bee reading it nightly for the past few weeks and OH how it hits home.

Now onto the Santa letter I had done by Sarah Hanna.  This was one of the best $25 purchases I have made.

Kaylee will be getting this little gem in the morning.

Yes there is another she will have waiting for her later in the day/evening when I can hide it from her or  Kim can get her out of the house.  As many of you know, those of you who have been reading for awhile.  Kaylee has a bit of an issue with animals stuffed or otherwise. Her favorites are the squishy bugs/lizards/dragons you can find in the $1.00 area at walmart or CVS type places.

What I like about Sarah's letters is you have free reign of the letter (there is a word count limit, I really, you're not going to get a 4 page letter in here).  I have 2 versions for Kaylee. This one and the normal "Hi Kaylee, I'm going to be in your neck of the woods" type of letter.  The gold seal was a winner for me as well.  No sticky seal here.  Pure waxy like substance on a nice watermarked linen paper.

So for those of you who might want to prod your kid into cleaning out the closet (not trapped in the closet), give one of these a shot.  Heck you might want to have some laying around throughout the year for a little attitude cleaning adjustment.  Get em while you can with what you can :)

Derrick

Santa Clause is coming to...

OK, I want one.  For Kaylee.  and I'm going to order one today.

So what am I talking about.  SANTA LETTERS.

This one however comes from the very adept hand of Sarah Hanna of Winter Park (see Christmasyy -ish) Florida.

So what is so special about Sarah's letters.  Well for one, while they may not carry the "north pole" postmark they carry something much more to me than that.  They carry CRAFTSMANSHIP.

All of her letters are a one off, all personalized and HAND DONE.

Not sure about you folks, but last year we ordered one for Kaylee and I was really disappointed in the "churned out" pre-typed, on standard letterhead I could have picked up at the local Michael's.

Sure I could have "added" some reindeer poo, or a hoof stamp (I have one of those).  Pretty sure I could even come up with my own North Pole meter stamp if I looked.

What I would rather have sitting in the tree is this lovely letter in the RED envelope she couldn't possibly miss on Christmas morning.

So.. What do you get?  Glad you asked.

Contact Sarah.  Click -> Here <-  She will send you out 2 PDF files with the order form and some "suggestions" for the CRS/SMH (stole that last one from Limner) old folks who may need some creative inspiration. She Charges $20 + $5 for shipping.  I would have paid more than that for the Crap Fest I received last year..  Ooo  But it came with a on the "Nice List" certificate.

She will also send you some photos of the possibles.

Allow for some custom tweaks

Place the Seal of Happiness

And package it for you to stash until your spawn is passed out from the sugar high she has been on all Christmas Eve pounding hot chocolate and whip cream like some junkie that's going to be cut off before going to jail only to wake up in the morning feeling like crap and finding out the Governor has granted a pardon and find this hanging in the tree.

So for the parents that want a touch of elegance and something you will WANT to keep in the family Christmas scrapbook.  Check out Sarah's site.  You won't be disappointed.

Derrick