So I’m fulfilling letter orders over in the shop, as usual. In one order, the customer states “If it’s not blank on the back of the letter, I don’t want it.”
Curious, I inquired further.
Harley tells me he plans on typing letters to friends on the back of the letters. So my illustrated letter on one side, his typed letter on the other side.
This intrigues me. Like, with an actual typewriter?
I love the idea of all of this and I tell him so.
“I’ll send you one” he says. I immediately forward my mailing address to a stranger.
wonders about this… shoulder shrugs… carries on
A week later the UPS guy is standing on my porch with a big box. I don’t remember ordering anything so he looks at the packing form.
“A typewriter?”
I didn’t order one but I nod and say it’s mine.
mine mine mine
It’s a package from Harley who has sent me a robin’s egg blue ROYAL typewriter.
I am astounded for a few reasons. First, I thought Harley was sending me a letter. Just a letter. Second, this is a heavy package that probably cost a fortune to ship. Third, a random gift from a stranger doesn’t happen every day… or ever.
Look at this beauty:
How kind and wonderful is this gift?!?!?!!?
It’s gorgeous and has a pleasant clickity clack. His letter, explaining his gift, has been rolled in like it was just written on the typewriter before popping the whole thing in the mail. Clever.
What a pressie!
We’ve been clickity clacking ever since. Amélie feels very accomplished when she can type all the way to end to make the bell ring.
Everyone who comes over takes a turn.
Then my mom and sister are at a yard sale on the weekend and come across this beauty for $20.
It’s the Majestic 800 and it’s as majestic as it sounds…
Now that we got it working.
The thing with manual typewriters is that you can see inside at all the mechanics; how wires hook to other wires, gadgetry and movement. It’s all rather symphonic and majestic, in fact.
So now, inside the space of a week, we have two typewriters and I’m fully Tom Hanks about the whole typewriter craze. I’ve learned how to clean them, replace ribbon, set margins, and even make minor fixes.
Also this week I’ve been prepping for a writer event over at the local winery. It’s part of their WINE AND WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS. My writing workshop is all about THE MAGIC OF JOURNALING and I take us through a process by which we can actually redesign our lives within a couple hours. High promise but it actually works. Plus it includes a glass of wine, which is a nice touch. Anyway, it’s Wednesday August 25 from 7-9 at Burning Kiln Winery if you’re around.
While prepping for the event, I was collecting bits of writerly wisdom. Then I started looking up typewriter photos online.
Sexy like a librarian!
Plus, I’ve been making bouquets galore with the flowers in the garden. Look at this creative use of thyme:
I put together typewriter fun + writing wisdom + plants and flowers and created a cute 15 page magazine:
This magazine includes:
- 15 pages of writerly advice
- 3 type written letters
- Pretty pictures of typewriters with plants
I admit that calling this PDF a magazine when it’s only 15 pages is a bit rich, but it’s FUN. So there. Maybe there will be more issues. Dunno.
already plenty of issues
It’s so FUNNY to me to search for two random words like “typewriter plants” and be presented with WONDERFUL TYPEWRITERS IN THE WILD. Download the magazine for FREE and behold the fun weirdness for yourself.
What can I say. I like making book-like structures.
I’m fully aware that part of my enthusiasm for manual typewriters is due to my complete fatigue with fixing my website over the last few months. Having Amélie exploring the world has also made me realize that it’s important to have tactile tools, whether it’s a page she can type on or a record she can play herself. Feeling like an independent person doing her own thing is important to her. She gets exasperated having to ask for drinks and snacks. Being able to pull herself up to a desk and click clack away without anyone having to show her how has added a level of glee to her life.
Mine, too.
Janice
PS.
- Download the FREE magazine.
- Sign up for the writing workshop.
- Send me MORE typewriters. *Christophe rolls his eyes*
PPS Almost forgot! This is happening over at the shop. Canvas prints, framed. YES!
