Life

14 Monogrammed NoteCards That Will Make You Want To Send Snail Mail Right Now

It warms my little heart that handwritten notecards, letters, and thank-you notes are having a resurgence (thanks, Jimmy Fallon). Email and texting have their place, but there’s really nothing like opening the mailbox and catching a glimpse of a real card or letter — maybe a handwritten return address, maybe a colored envelope — amid the crap mail and the catalogs for places you’d never even order from. Something for me!

As part of my own small effort to keep old-school communication alive, I’ve recently started giving notecards as gifts. There are so many occasions when it’s nice to show up with a little something, but I know I don’t need more stuff sitting around in my life, so I don’t like to impose just-stuff on other people. Stationery, though, is practical. A few blank notecards, in pretty wrapping, are perfect as a hostess offering at a brunch, or as a small birthday gift when nothing is really expected.

Currently I'm all about monograms. Of course, monograms themselves are classic, but now there are infinite variations on the standard, formal-script look, so we can put that much more of ourselves into our already-personal mail.

Here are 14 monogrammed cards to provide inspiration for future thank-you notes and just-to-say-hellos. Now excuse me while I do some shopping.

by Elizabeth Daleske

Coffee scented

I don’t even like coffee and I want to smell the actual coffee beans on this card when I open my mailbox.

Coffee bean cards (set of 4), $15, etsy.com

Ink drawing

Delicate ink leaves and flowers, with tiny hearts worked in.

Floral and hearts card, $3.28, etsy.com

Chalkboard and flowers

The chalkboard thing has been around for a while now, but I’m still liking it.

Chalkboard cards (set of 10), $19, etsy.com

Rose wreath

Pink and girlie, and perfect for a wedding shower gift.

Rose wreath cards (set of 10), $10.95, etsy.com

Watercolor leaves

A nice touch with the coordinating stripes on the envelope flap.

Hand-painted watercolor card, $3, etsy.com

Lowercase font

A simple font, dolled up with jazzy little stripes.

Striped-font cards (set of 8), $12.50, etsy.com

Tiny heart print

A mash of fizzy heart bubbles.

Tiny hearts cards (set of 10), $15, etsy.com

Retro vibe

A fun, mid-century advertising feel.

Retro letter card, $4.87, etsy.com

World traveler

For the wanderlusters among us.

World traveler cards (set of 12), $10, etsy.com

Floral garland

Dainty flora on a flat notecard.

Floral garland cards (set of 12), $10, etsy.com

All three letters

An update on the classic three-initial design.

Hand-lettered cards (set of 10), $15, etsy.com

Fabric "applique"

Sweet and tactile, with letters cut out of fabric.

Fabric monogram cards (set of 10), $14, etsy.com

Wood-block print

I’ve seen these in person, and they’re gorgeous — old-fashioned wood-block prints, made by hand. Each letter of the alphabet has a different border design.

Wood-block print card, $5, etsy.com

Cute bear note

Not sure what a bear has to do with anything, but I like it.

Bear illustration cards (set of 10), $16, etsy.com

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