Put Your Heart to Paper with Hallmark

I have shared here before how much I want to be better at putting pen to paper and following up gifts with thank you cards, sending cards to loved ones out of the blue, and remembering to get birthday wishes in the mail so that THEY'LL ARRIVE ON TIME.

I'm always working on making sure my message isn't cliche because words are powerful and getting specific can take a card from being a nice gesture to a treasure they'll hold on to for years. Those kinds of cards don't happen all the time (and that's why they're extra special) but I want them to happen when it matters most.

When Hallmark asked if I was interested in sharing about their Put Your Heart to Paper campaign for Mother's Day, I wrote back (ahem, e-mailed back) right away. They sent over a selection of both playful and sentimental cards and I picked out four that I knew each of the mothers and grandmothers in my life would enjoy. 

The top card has sparkly pink glitter paper under the 'Loved' cut out and my Meemaw is all about the sparkle so I chose that one for her. She's been a mother for almost sixty years and even though she's not my mother, her influence in my life is felt in so many of the ways my own mama parented us. I hope she understands how special she is to all of the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids she now has! 

The card directly under that has a hand-held mixer on it and reads 'Good moms let their kids lick the beaters'. On the inside it reads 'Great moms turn the mixer off first'. It reminded me of my mom because she loves to bake and makes a point to make cookies with the kids every time we visit. I inherited her sweet tooth but didn't start baking much until we moved to Colorado and now we have matching Kitchenaid mixers.

Every time I pull it out to make brownies I remember her sharing how my Meemaw got her finger stuck in one when my mom was a little girl and I am always extra aware of not making the same mistake. You can bet my kids have heard that story and will always remember, too! I hope it reminds my mom that those memories my brother and I made with them growing up not only stay with us, they get shared with our own kids. All of those moments invested in our lives are still there.

The card that reads 'The best moms get promoted to Grandmas' got a little adjustment because my dad's mom has always been Grandmother to us. In fact, our kids often get cards sent from her with the addition of 'Great' written in front of the printed 'Grandkids' text so I think she'll appreciate the customization. We didn't get to grow up in close proximity to either set of grandparents but they didn't let that stop them from being a big part of our lives.

They were always intentional about calling regularly, sending gifts and cards exactly on time, planning trips for us to visit them, taking us on vacations every summer to make fun memories, blessing my brother and I with a car on our 16th birthdays and laptops when we went off to college, etc. They've blessed in more ways to count beyond that and I hope this is a reminder to my grandmother (and granddad) of how we will always appreciate them and the work they've put into our lives.

The last card with the olive green inside is for my sweet MIL, Cheryl. She's always been so welcoming and gracious to me since even before I joined their family and I so admire her strength, work ethic, and hospitable nature. I know how fortunate I am to have a good relationship with my MIL and I know part of that is because we both love a good garage sale! Ha! She and my mom have both been extra supportive and appreciated in our lives this year as we've transitioned states and careers. We are so fortunate to have such strong examples of love in our lives and I couldn't ask for better examples for myself and our own kids. 

Hallmark has a long history of creating beautiful cards for all of the different kinds of relationships out there and all of the levels of intimacy shared between two people. Their purpose is to promote intention and thoughtfulness and to allow people to share their hearts even when it's not always easy to get the words out right. I love that.

I watched the Put Your Heart to Paper campaign video (scroll down when you get to this link) and got a lump in my throat for all of the ways the sons and daughters opened up about their relationships with their own mothers. It's a tearjerker so be warned! It's also really beautiful so if you're in need of a little nudge to the sentimental part of your heart, press play. 

You can find Hallmark on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to learn more about their selection of cards for Mother's Day and watch the other videos in their #PutYourHeartToPaper campaign here. 

Now, let's hope my mom, MIL, grandmother, and meemaw don't see this blog post until Sunday.

-Rachel 

 

Note: I am being compensated for sharing this post with you but the content and opinions are my own. I'm so happy to continue to work with brands that fit the Smile and Wave aesthetic and support time spent sharing here.