Technology is a wonderful thing. Take away my iPad or iPhone and you would probably find me curled up in a corner, gently rocking back and forth. Yet as I “unplugged” over the holidays (I use quotations because I didn’t post to Facebook or pin on Pinterest that often, but I still checked my email and all platforms more than a dozen times each day) I realized just how impersonal technology has made me in the last year or two. Friends that I consider my absolute best girls often get no more than a text from me rather than a good old fashioned catch-up call. Family members receive a “Happy Birthday!” comment on Facebook rather than a cute notecard that would take mere moments to sign and drop in the mail. I cannot remember the last time I sent a handwritten letter, just because.

Is the quickness of Facebook, Twitter and text worth the impersonal and unthoughtful sentiment of never picking up the phone or putting pen to paper to tell someone, “Hey, I really care about you and you are worth the extra time?”

No. At least, not any more for me.

Yesterday I shared my 2013 blog resolutions. Today, I share my pledge to be more thoughtful and personal toward the ones I love. It will take practice but technology has made me a more distant friend, daughter, cousin, niece and so on…and that is not okay with me. Starting this month, I want to stock up on plenty of cards and stationary so that I can recognize birthdays and milestones in a meaningful way, not just with the swipe of a few iPhone keys.

Paper Source is an amazing mecca for adorable cards that make me WANT to forgo technology for tradition. I’m currently eyeing these beauties and plan to place an order soon. I should also pop into a Papyrus this weekend.

Credit: Paper-Source.com

Credit: Paper-Source.com

Credit: Paper-Source.com

Credit: Paper-Source.com

Are there other stores or notecard/stationary designers that make you excited to ditch text for pen and paper? I’d love to learn about other shops and designers, especially ones local to Colorado, to support!