All About You FRIDAY – Create a Sunshine Box

I have two boxes at home that I love to open, but I don’t open nearly enough. I put them together years ago and placed them on a shelf in a closet. I am reminded of them on special occasions and whenever I open them a smile spreads across my face, my mind starts to open up and I feel the hint of what it was like to be a child again. Here is a picture of my Sunshine Boxes.

I actually just made that name up. But it is appropriate. I am not an artist, but whatever I create from the contents of these two boxes has consistently brought light into my day and into the life of another.

Maybe it’s because my language of love is Words of Affirmation, but there is nothing like receiving a homemade, hand written card. So, the Sunshine Boxes are designed to make it easy to do just that: affirm someone. The boxes include:

Kraft paper cardstock (3×5)
Washi tape
Sticky notes (for quick notes to stick on the fridge or bathroom mirror)
Glue stick
Stamps and stamp pads
Markers and colored pencils
Spray ink (which I have not successfully used without making a mess)
Postage stamps and envelopes

When I open those boxes, there is no excuse not to create something for someone else. Studies show that people are more likely to remember the message of a hand-written note than one received electronically. And a hand-written note stays in a home for an average of 17 days. (In our house, they get put in a memory box.)

So head to your local art supply store and make a couple of Sunshine Boxes. Put them in plain sight so you remember to use them. Whatever you make, whether it is a few words on a sticky note or a three-panel kraft paper card (my speciality), it will be a gift that keeps on giving. For you and one you love.