plain black t: how to | anatomy of a thank you note

hands down, nothing beats a handwritten thank you note. even with the prevalence of facebook posts, tweets, and emails, handwritten notes are still the preferred method of "thank you" correspondence, and are becoming super chic. just take a look at these companies creating some amazing stationary. {sugar paper | minted | paper source | greenwich letterpress}. just amazing. if that doesn't get your heart racing, we need to check your pulse.

i really do think a simple, handwritten expression of gratitude is one of the best ways to say thank you. though i'm offering the basic anatomy of a thank you note, the bottom line is this: just say thank you. let someone know what their gift, or gesture, or time, or whatever-else-it-may-be, means to you. it's a beautiful thing.

greeting | it may seem obvious, but it's important to use the correct name and correct spelling here. if you're writing your sister, that's easy. if you're writing a potential employer to thank them for an interview, double check the spelling of his/her name. and use whatever form is appropriate {ms. doe, jane, jane doe...you get the picture}

date | not many people date thank you notes anymore, but i still think it's standard. if i hold onto a card {which i often to}, realizing when it was written can be a fun memory.

gratitude | always begin with the two most important words. thank you. of course, you can be as fancy as you'd like {i'm so thankful for, i want to express my gratitude, i appreciate your kindness...endless options!}.

detail | to me, this is the most important part of the note. the amount of detail you offer really expresses how thankful you are. share an inside joke from an experience, tell them how much you've enjoyed their gift, or express what their gesture meant to you.

future | express how much you're looking forward to seeing them again, or just let them know they've been on your mind.

repeat | let them know once more how thankful you are.

here are some of the thank you notes i'm currently lusting after...fabulous!