Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils

My favorite way to welcome fall is to curl up under my blanket and watch “You’ve Got Mail.” No many how many times I watch it — and it’s been too many to count — it always makes me feel cozy and comforted. Who hasn’t longed to be Kathleen Kelly, with her perfect outfits and passion for books? 

I’ll never forget the way my heart fluttered when Joe Fox wrote to her in one of their email exchanges,

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”

As someone who loves school supplies, I wished that someone would send me my own bouquet of newly sharpened pencils. This became my go-to gift to give in the fall.

My favorite pencils are the No. 2 Ticonderoga pencils in black. There’s just something about the way they sharpen that I’ve always loved. When I bundle them together into a “bouquet” I usually computer-generate the famous line and print it onto patterned paper. (In this case, I used one of the free artists' papers from Somerset Studio). Next, I use a shipping tag as a template to cut the quote out. Finally, I wrap the bouquet with a pretty ribbon or some twine, and secure the tag in place. This is the perfect gift to give alongside a beautiful journal. This is a low-cost yet meaningful gift that is sure to make someone’s day.

Featured Supplies:

• Sunrise Petals Journal by Papaya Art │ Explore artful finds by Papaya.
• Free Artist Paper from Somerset Studio magazine