250 years deserves a handwritten note 🇺🇸

I was a young high schooler in 1976 when America celebrated its bicentennial and I still remember the hoopla, the pride and the excitement of that moment. 🇺🇸

50 years later — it's happening again. And this time I have my own quarter century stationery business to mark the occasion with! 😄

I couldn't let America's 250th birthday pass without designing something special. So I created the America 250 Pack — four designs that capture the spirit, beauty and pride of this once in a lifetime milestone:

✦ Red, white & blue forever ✦ God Bless America ✦ Home of the free because of the brave ✦ Land that I love

Eight cards. Four designs. One very special birthday. 🎆

Whether you're reaching out to a longtime friend, a veteran you want to honor, or someone you've simply been meaning to write to — this is your sign. Pick up a pen and celebrate 250 years of America with a little handwritten love. 💌

👉 Order by June 24th to receive before July 4th!

The cards are $18 per set of 8 and available now at the link below. 🇺🇸

💌 Celebrate National Letter Writing Day (9/1) and the Power of Putting Pen to Paper 🖋️!

September 1st, is World Letter Writing Day—a day that personally reminds me of the timeless power of a handwritten note!

For me, this day carries a special meaning. Last year, I committed to a year of letter writing. Over the course of 12 months (366 days, accounting for Leap Year), I wrote to friends, family, strangers, mentors, and even my mailman. What started as a personal challenge turned into something much bigger—a journey of connection, gratitude, and discovery.

I have also tagged it as my year of JOY because every single day I was thinking of someone to write to and what I could say to them about what they mean to me and that made me happy and excited for them to receive my words. And on the flip side, I was blessed by the overwhelming feedback I received in return. Give it a try 😉 , and it doesn’t have to be every day…I promise you will find the JOY too 😊!

I learned that the simple act of sitting down with pen 🖋️ and paper 📃 can (and will):
💌 Brighten someone’s entire day.
💌 Create lasting keepsakes that people treasure.
💌 Offer a sense of presence in a digital world.
💌 Heal, encourage, and inspire in ways we sometimes don’t expect.

That journey also deepened the mission behind my business, Social Butterfly Designs, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year 🎉. For 25 years, I’ve been designing stationery and cards with one goal in mind—to help people connect more meaningfully through handwritten notes.

To celebrate this occasion, I’m sharing a resource close to my heart: 14 Note Writing Tips (see image below 👇) with ideas I have been sharing on my Instagram account @socialbutterflydesigns over the past several months. Whether you haven’t written a note in a while or already have a drawer full of stationery, these tips will help spark ideas, ease the pressure of “what do I say?”, and make the process fun again.

Some of my favorites include:
✨ Try writing to someone out of the blue — those unexpected notes often mean the most.
✨ Don’t forget to write to people you live with — a little surprise love note can go a long way.
✨ Write to a stranger — during my letter-writing year, this was one of the most magical experiences.

So, in honor of National Letter Writing Day, I encourage you to:

1. Pick up a pen.

2. Choose someone—anyone—who could use a lift or just a few kind words.

3. Write a note that’s just a few sentences long.

That’s it. No need for perfect wording or fancy stationery (though I won’t say no if you use a favorite design 😉). What matters most is that you take the time.

Because when you put pen to paper, you’re giving someone a piece of yourself—and that gift lasts far longer than a text or email ever could.

Check out “Jill’s Go To” Pack

These four designs were my

“Go To” notes during my year

of letter writing!

SIDE NOTE: This weekend I got together with some lifelong friends and shared a handwritten note one of these friends had written to me in high school and she was so caught off guard to see her handwriting and words (single-lined college ruled paper, double sided front to back) after all these years. She was amazed I still had it and was touched I shared it with her and passed it along. I have so many more where that came from because the thing about notes is that you can hold onto them forever, unlike a text or email, and they still mean something to me and if shared, to the one who wrote them in the first place.

OK, so if you have stuck with me this long, you obviously have some interest in the topic at hand. I am going to be putting together a course which I am (for now) calling The Notewriting Lab, where I am going to go deeper into my own personal note writing experience and share a lot about what I’ve learned over the past 25 years in running my stationery business with tips, personal accounts and some surprises along the way. If you might be interested in such a course, just drop a heart in the comments or send me an email and I will be sure to keep you posted.

Happy National Letter Writing Day, friends! 💕

Jill

Follow along on Instagram @socialbutterflydesigns and @thenotewritinglab. Hope to see you there!

The 5-Minute Handwritten Note Formula

In a world where digital messages often dominate, a handwritten note stands out as a personal, heartfelt gesture that can make a lasting impression. But how do you find the time or know exactly what to say? That’s where my 5-Minute Handwritten Note Formula comes in! This simple, yet powerful formula will help you write meaningful and impactful notes in just five easy steps.

Why Handwritten Notes Matter: Handwritten notes are a tangible way to show appreciation, strengthen relationships, and leave a lasting impression. In fact, research shows that handwritten notes can create a stronger emotional connection than digital messages. Plus, they make the recipient feel truly valued. Whether it’s for a birthday, thank you, congratulations, or just because, a handwritten note is always in style.

What’s in the 5-Minute Handwritten Note Formula? The 5-Minute Handwritten Note Formula is a step-by-step guide that simplifies the note-writing process, making it easy for anyone to write a heartfelt, personal note with ease and thoughtful direction. Here’s a sneak peek at the formula: