You have doubtless seen Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood — well, my brilliant guest today has reconfigured the concept for greeting cards and postcards. For 30 years, Vanessa Harnik has worked alongside her dad Alan running Notes & Queries — which sources and brings fantastic European stationery to American shores.
Earlier this year, I named Vanessa a Maker to Watch in 2026 at Stationery Trends — and felt even better about that choice once I learned she had invented The Note Nest. These illuminated dwellings are full of paper treasures to discover one at a time. On any given day, that may include unused cards to send, writing prompts, pre-stamped postcards — even anonymous notes of encouragement!
Right now there's only two of these small houses of stationery in existence, both located in Notes & Queries' stomping ground of Baltimore. However, working with their local nonprofit makerspace Open Works, they have created 10 note nests for FREE — all that's needed is willing proprietors! Or, purchase a blueprint for $20 and truly make this house your own.
In a digital world that moves at dizzying lightning speed, The Note Nest invites us to slow down, write down our thoughts, and connect authentically, for posterity — one handwritten message at a time. As such, a neighborhood Note Nest may well be just what the world needs right now.
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