How many times have you actually sent that thank you note you meant to send?
If you’re like me, you probably intend to send far more hand-written notes than you actually do send. In fact, we created the subscription side of Lost Art Stationery out of this frustration of mine. I wanted to send more physical greeting cards than I really had time to send. Our local card shop wasn’t open by the time I would get out of work. It wasn’t convenient to go at lunch. If I did manage to fight traffic and successfully buy a card, then I had to go to the post office next and stand in line because the card shop didn’t sell postage. Half the time, the post office would be closed and I’d have to remember to make another trip later. What a heroic effort just to get a damn thank you note or birthday card in the mail!
I’m sure this is why most people just end up emailing a cheesy e-card or simply writing "Happy Birthday" on a friend’s Facebook wall. We thought that there had to be a better way, so we created it. Lost Art Stationery’s subscription stationery boxes come in the mail once a month without you having to remember anything, fight traffic, find parking, or figure out when the post office is actually open.
How our subscription box works
Here’s how it works: We ship four cards a month to your home or office for $20 and include the postage and shipping for free. It’s a killer deal, as our cards sell for $4.50 each plus shipping if you were to purchase them individually, and then you'd still have to purchase postage.
After a few months, you’ll build a collection and finally, you’ll never be without the perfect card (that's our motto). You’ll have everything you need right there in your special stationery stash. We have customers who have been subscribers for years and they’ve found beautiful boxes to keep their card collections close at hand. One of our great friends has a whole dresser drawer full of stationery and custom correspondence cards.
A Word of Caution
Like anything else, writing and sending cards has to be a habit that you form and that can take time. Try setting up a recurring meeting on your calendar once a week to hold the time and make sure you set it up to send you a reminder. Ask your doctor before sending a large volume of cards to make sure you're able to handle the outpouring of love and attention that comes from staying in touch with your loved ones.
Don’t worry about sending the exact four cards you get in the mail every month; it’s always nice to have a bit of a library that builds over time. The regular additions to your collection each month can serve as a nice reminder to send a few cards, however. You'd be surprised, but this is a real problem; we've had customers who seriously stress out about sending the cards every month.
I’m still not great at sending as many cards as I’d like, but at least now I can’t blame it on the traffic, parking, or the post office’s crazy hours. If I don’t send the cards I get in my own monthly subscription box, there’s now no one to blame but myself.
So, what do you get in the monthly box?
We always include a thank you card and one birthday card, but we’ll also include a relevant holiday or seasonal card and usually a general “thinking of you” type card as well. It’s also easy to order additional cards from our website. Getting married? Definitely add a few boxes of thank you cards. We’ve had quite a few brides give out our “Ms. ____ Regrets Her Behavior” cards as bridesmaid's gifts. That design always gets a laugh, and then you get to re-live the shenanigans of the bachelorette party as you send the cards to each other.
My partner Chris Lykins designs each card you get from our studio here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The subscription box fuels his ongoing creativity, forcing him to create at least four new designs every month. Sometimes, that pressure is not so awesome for him, but it’s great for those of us who benefit from his work!
When it comes to the actual cards, there are a few things that distinguish Lost Art from other greeting card brands you could choose. Of course, this is my totally biased opinion, but as I often tell Chris, I'm always right.
4 things that make Lost Art Stationery's cards the best
- Thick, luxurious cotton paper. Most of the cards are printed on a fantastic cotton paper from Crane, one of the oldest and most respected paper manufacturers in the country. There are a few designs that just look better on a less textured paper, but I’d say at least 80% of what you get is cotton. Suffice it to say that these are not your typical grocery store cards; you’ll feel the difference as soon as you open the package, and your card recipient will as well. Fun fact: if you’re in the US, you’re already a Crane customer because they make the paper for all of our currency.
- Originality. We’re a small, family-run company with original designs. It’s highly unlikely that your recipient will ever see the same card again in a store. We’re not available in any big-box retailers. Other than selling directly to you here on our site, we’re only found in the finest stationery stores and gift shops. You’re supporting small business every time you order from us or pick us up in your local shop. On that note, we’re looking for new shops to carry our cards, so if you’d like to see us in your favorite brick-and-mortar store, please do make the introduction. Just don’t share with them all the things I said above about traffic and parking.
- Chris’ sense of humor. While I don’t always think he’s funny, apparently everyone else does. He finds unique ways of “dodging the curse,” as he did for our “For Fox Sake” collection. He incorporates funny sayings that many of us heard from our parents growing up. While not every card in the box will be humor-based, there’s usually at least one that will make you laugh out loud. If you appreciate his snarky sense of humor you’ll be delighted each month.
- Beautiful hand-lined envelopes. Again, not something that’s going to be a feature of every card in the box, but occasionally his designs feature beautiful papers, many of them hand-made in small batches. These linings speak to Chris’ obsession with paper and his impressive attention to detail. I’ve been there in the studio when he’s cutting—by hand—each and every lining for a specific design. It’s tedious work that I would hate but for some reason he loves it. And your recipient will definitely love it. If you end up really loving the linings like some of our customers have, you can also order custom designs with lined envelopes like this one.
I’ve given you all the reasons I love the subscription, but you don’t have to take my word for it; here are a couple testimonials from early supporters:
“As one of the original Lost Art Stationary subscribers, I must tell you how much I enjoy opening each one of the monthly boxes of thoughtfully curated collections to discover each beautifully crafted (and freshly creative) card! A seasonally appropriate sampler arriving at my door, complete with perfectly matched postage, is the best of modern conveniences inspired by a tradition of special connection and appreciation through handwritten correspondence. Anytime I want to drop a line and a smile to friends, family, or business contacts, my Lost Art stash is on hand to meet every need and taste. Thanks, Chris, we are delighted with everything and wish you the best! Everyone should give it a try, I know they’ll love it!”
- Rosie M., a happy customer in North Carolina.
"I enjoyed the cards that came with this subscription a lot. My first month’s subscription included a card for Father’s Day, which was very much appreciated. The cards are all entirely blank inside to allow you to write your own message. They also come with envelopes that match the card, sometimes with embellishments like patterned paper. I only wish I had more occasions to send a card."
- Lillian via Cratejoy
Stay in touch this year: Get monthly greeting cards in the mail.
If you want to ensure you'll never be without the perfect card, join our monthly greeting cards subscription box. We send four cards and four stamps each month with stamps included so you can build your collection and never be without the perfect card.
