DO YOU HAVE A SHOEBOX FOR MEMORIES?

Do you keep a shoebox under your bed for keeping memories still or do you rely on social media and apps to store your things? Technology is great, but I miss the days where I put in effort to send a letter or a postcard to a loved one. Now it seems, more likely that my friendship communications have become like buttons and comments on screen. I agree that the immediacy and convenience of this method is useful BUT...are we losing/forgetting authentic, real communication? Texting instead of calling? Emailing quickly instead of writing out a thoughtful handwritten letter? In fact, when was the last time you used a pen? Really think about it. Education is developing at such a fast rate with technology...one day...will we be even teaching handwriting? Will writing become a historic artform?

What do you think? We'd love to hear your thoughts...

We're on twitter... @shoeboxcafe21

Handmade Xmas Cards

How are you sending Christmas Cards to loved ones this year? Moonpig.com...using technology...facebook messages? Or how about making your very own handmade cards with thoughtfully handwritten messages. Yes, it takes more time, but they'll be kept forever in your loved one's SHOEBOX!

You can now follow us on twitter @shoeboxcafe21

Do you still have pen pals?

During the run up to this Christmas period, why not organise your address book and spend time writing a handwritten letter/cards to your loved ones. 

Nothing says you care more than a handwritten letter!

Is technology taking over pen and paper?

As a teacher who teaches writing as part of the National Curriculum, it is becoming increasingly scary that handwriting and writing in general is being fast replaced by technology, which in my professional opinion, is adding to the decreasing results we have in spelling and grammar. Why bother learning how to spell when your computer fixes it for you? 

How do you feel about this topic? Will we even be teaching writing using pen and paper in the near future?

What do you think? Will handwriting, printing or cursive, become a rare art that only exists and historians would practice? Will typing eventually become the only way we can communicate unspoken words to other humans? Will children eventually grow up never knowing how to hold a pencil and write? 

Join our google+ Community on this discussion and help share creative craft ideas to keep this passion of writing alive and SPREAD THE WORD. 

JOIN:

 Shoebox Keeping Letter Writing Alive

Letter writing is a dying art...

Virginia Woolf eloquently called it “the humane art, which owes its origins to the love of friends”, yet letter writing is a dying art, with most people preferring the instant exchange of email and social media.

Interesting facts...

• The earliest means of writing involving pen and paper was developed by the Greeks. 
• In ancient times, pen was made from sharpened wood, metal or bone. 
• A reed dipped in India/China ink, made from cuttlefish secretion was used on papyrus and parchment.
• 5th Century saw the use of goose quills in Saxon England.
• Lead pencils were used by the ancient Greeks but only as a temporary marker, to be rubbed out later.
• It wasn't until the 14th Century that lead pencils became popular and commonly used.
• Cotton paper came from the far East around the 10th Century and became common by the 12 Century.
• Paper made from linen rags was introduced in the 14th Century.
• The Greeks used athlete runners to deliver their letters, where as the Arabs used pigeons. 
• In 1840, the first prepaid stamp nationwide postal delivery service was introduced by Great Britain. 
• Originally, post fees were paid by the receiver and not the sender.
• In 1860, the post office was invented and then it really took off...

It's amazingly astounding that it took centuries to move from the first chippings on a wall to writing onto a piece of paper, however since 1860, the advances of technology have almost made this art form extinct in less than 160 years! Now instead of enjoying the anticipation and joy of a warm, heart felt letter, communications are instant, less personal and more likely to be a 'like' on your facebook. How the convenience of a button has replaced real communication.