Join Nancy Sharon Collins and other letter writing and paper experts Tuesday-Wednesday, May 17-18 with Switzerland County Historic Society Conservator’s Holiday on the picturesque banks of the Ohio River in Historic Vevay Indiana.
During this year’s annual Conservator’s Holiday, Mrs. Collins’s will provide the ever popular “How to Write a Letter” workshop, the notorious “Mrs. Collins Regrets”, and the infamous Calling Card presentation originally given in 2014. Seating is limited, so reserve your spot now by contacting the Director, Martha Bladen, for your reservation, directions, and further information: 812-427-3560.
Here’s the full schedule of Mrs. Collins’s presentations and letter writing class:
Tuesday, May 17th
“How to Write a Letter” hands-on workshop. It’s not calligraphy or English composition. It is learning two distinct and compatible skills that may be new to attendees: 1) The five-point punch list for writing successful personal correspondence. 2) Enabling people to become comfortable with their own handwriting for the purpose of writing personal correspondence. This method of hand letter writing is unique to the presenter and not at all part of calligraphic canon.
“Mrs. Collins Regrets” visually rich presentation about writing that letter you really, really don’t want to write. This is a “how-to” for drafting hard-to-write letters, using visually compelling, real-life examples—historic and contemporary—illustrating the nuts-and-bolts of how to compose thoughtful, thorough letters and notes addressing sensitive emotional situations. Broadly defined, the subject of this presentation is how to write letters of regret including: job application rejection letters; rejections for proposals (romantic and professional), notices of unwanted or unpleasant actions (personal and professional), letters of termination, condolence letters, including the oft forgotten but very important bereavement acknowledgment letter, and Dear John letters.
Wednesday, May 18th
“Codes and Cards”~ Symbology from Victorian-era to Mid-20th Century Calling Cards ~ Presented by Nancy Sharon Collins
Calling cards have a rich legacy as social media and currency. This presentation focuses on social behavior and how these cards functioned in day-to-day life. It illustrates codes inherent in calling card specifications, including: dimensions, paper type (color, weight, finish), font use, engraving position, ink color, printing type, and the use of embellishments.