Photo courtesy of Alyssa Toft
Quill and Cue subscription
This might be a good time to spread a little love, no?
Quill and Cue, a new greeting card–subscription line, is here to help. The local company, which launched in November, sends customers a cute blank card, envelope, stamp, and writing prompt every month.
“The idea is to spread unexpected joy,” says founder Alyssa Toft. “It inspires people to do something simple that makes an impact: sending one handwritten card a month.”
Inspiration to start Quill and Cue hit Toft “like in a cartoon—like a lightbulb went off over my head,” she says. In August 2019, Toft and her husband celebrated their 15th anniversary, and ruminated on the idea that no big changes were on the horizon for them (2020 says gotcha). They were already raising four kids, had moved several times, and were content in their lives.
“Shortly after that, I had this spark of an idea,” she says. “I blurted out, Wouldn’t it be cool if I started a business where you get a card each month and sent it to someone out of the blue? I felt compelled to move it forward.”
To Toft, cards don’t need to be reserved for monumental occasions, like birthdays, weddings, or new babies. A handwritten note can be just as impactful—or even more so—when it’s a semi-random I’m thinking of you.
Soon later, she got to work on Quill and Cue. She joined forces with a local freelance artist to create custom cards (some for her kid-specific subscription, and others for adults), and she started writing cue cards to send with the stationery. “You might already know who you want to send your card to, but if you aren’t sure, and want a little inspiration or a challenge, you can use the prompt,” Toft says.
Photo courtesy of Alyssa Toft
Quill and Cue Kid Subscription
Examples of prompts include “Send this card to the person who encouraged you to take a leap of faith” and “Send this card to the person who deserves all the attention and accolades in the world, but never thinks to ask for it.” For Quill and Cue’s kid-focused line, prompts are more age-appropriate, like “Close your eyes and picture your favorite teacher” or “Can you think of the person in your life who makes you laugh until you can hardly stand it?”
Toft says sending a thoughtful note to someone is a small but mighty way to brighten their day—especially in times of turmoil. “Even though the idea didn’t come out because of the pandemic, it’s a meaningful time for Quill and Cue to come into the world,” she says. “Despite these problems, is there something I can do to make a positive impact? It gives people a chance to put positivity into the world. And honestly, who doesn’t need that right now?”
Subscriptions are $8/month. Sign up at quillandcue.com.
