A Pink Typewriter (and Why You Should Get One)
Isn’t it beautiful? I love my pink typewriter. My husband gives me a befuddled look when I say it’s beautiful, but he humors me about it anyway. Have you ever considered getting one or even thought about why you should get a typewriter?
Why I love that clunky pink thing is a mystery to him (and sometimes, even to me!), but it represents so much. Plus, it’s like sculpture on the desk. At least I think so.
It kind of looks like this one from my past. I started typing early. (No, I didn’t, but my mom was an expert at keeping me occupied!)
The slow, deliberate way I have to type on this typewriter soothes me. Lots of typos if you try to go too fast. Slows things down a little, which can be a good thing. I also love how inconsistent the type is. Lighter, darker, it all just looks more simple and handmade.
I found this pink beauty in a roundabout way. A couple of years ago, my daughter requested a typewriter for her birthday. When she was little, we had sold our electric typewriter, against her protests. “We have a computer,” we had told her back then. “Why would we need a typewriter?”
(I still get pangs of guilt when I think about it. Would it have killed me to keep that electric typewriter? It really didn’t take up that much room..)
We were in purge mode, though, at the time. (I should have had more purge modes. When we moved, recently, that became really, really clear to me…)
So, in a hunt for a typewriter for my daughter, I found a tiny, cluttered, amazing typewriter store here in our city. It was a bit of a drive, but well worth it. Inside, I found a small mountain of typewriters.
One of them gave me a bolt of nostalgia. It was the same manual portable typewriter I had used in college. (I once typed a thirty-six page lab report on that thing. If a mistake was made, the whole page had to be re-typed, unless it was just a single word that could be painted over with White-Out. Ah, kids today have it so easy. Not really…)
In the end, at the magical typewriter store, I purchased two typewriters — a nice, old (90’s) electric typewriter and also the pink relic. I couldn’t NOT buy the pink one. I gave my daughter the choice. She picked the electric one for her birthday gift. I think it reminded her of the old one from her childhood.
This pink old thing ended up in my possession, and we were both happy. (My birthday was a couple of weeks later!)
My daughter had fun with her gift right away.
(And now you know which birthday it was!) She’s the one who actually inspired me to use a typewriter for my paper crafts.
If you ever have the urge to take a step back from the computer, you might find that a typewriter is a relaxing way to:
Type a letter
Write a grocery list
Modify a pretty note card with a quote
Type a message inside a pretty note card
Make headings for your bullet journal (or all kinds of things for your bullet journal)
Have I convinced you that you need one of these keyboards from the past?
Linking to:
Thursday Favorite Things at Katherine’s Corner
Inspiration Spotlight at Dear Creatives
Made By You Monday at Skip to My Lou
Handmade Monday at Sum of Their Stories
Merry Monday at Our Crafty Mom
Inspire Me Monday at Create with Joy
Wonderful Wednesday at OMHG
I have always wanted to find an old , vintage typewriter that would still work and maybe one day I will. I wish you both happy birthday! Your gifts are unique!
Thank you Maya! I'm sure you'll find your typewriter one day. It's funny how much I love mine.
Oh my goodness – a typewriter store? I need to go there.
I took typing class in 9th grade. It changed my life. I can type fast without ever looking at my fingers once. I want my kids to learn how to do that.
Yes, it was really a wonderful place. At least I thought so! Two older gentleman own it, and they are really interesting and funny. I remember my typing class too. It was so much fun. My kids learned to type with computer software!
Thank you for linking your beautiful pink typewriter to Thursday Favorite Things. I am the new co-hostess and making visits to the party goers. God bless and have a great week! Linda @Crafts a la mode http://www.craftsalamode.com
Thanks Linda!
How lovely, I'm glad you and your daughter have such nice typewriters.
Thank you Lisa. We love them.
This typewriter is just too pretty for you to have left it in a shop – that would have just been rude!
My daughter's boyfriend has recently bought a typewriter, he made her an amazing piece of art for her birthday, a passage from Beedle the Bard (the Harry Potter thing) he typed on the typewriter, and a papercut over the top of the 3 brothers. It's very cool. I think technology os great for everyday stuff but there's a place to nostalgic items too.
I agree — I couldn't leave it in the shop! The Harry Potter piece sounds so cool!
Hello pink beauty! I received a baby blue typewriter for Christmas when I was 16. I have no idea where it went. If I ever see it in a store….
You will have to buy it if you see it! Ooh, baby blue is as pretty as pink!
What a gorgeous typewriter and I love that it is pink! I love anything pink! You've showcased it so nicely!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thanks Carrie! I love it so much!
It's the uniqueness of it that made me smile!! And I would have been just like you and purged the typewriter—which is why there aren't any in our household!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Haha, yes! The purging is usually a good thing!
I love the clickety clack of a typewriter! These need to come back into style. And I would type away on this pretty pink one any day!
I agree! There's something so satisfying about that sound!
I love it sooo much, I never had a pink one. But, I had a massive and very heavy one, that was purchased at a military open house sale. I typed my homework, letters and more on my beast ( a name that was well deserved). I love hour pink one even more knowing it brought so many memories. I'm happy your daughter was so happy wigh her new/old electric one. too. xo
Thanks, Katherine! It makes me happy every time I see it up there on my desk!
I LOVE your suggestions for what to create with the typewriter! I may have to think about purchasing one for myself! Although I believe my local library has one available for use – maybe that's more common than I realized but I was surprised to see that!
http://www.paperandvine.com
Thank you! It is so much fun to have. I didn't realize libraries have them anymore — that is awesome!
Love it! I wish I still had mine that I had as a child. My grandson wanted a typewriter when he was in elementary school. I did not understand why since he had a desktop and laptop. I found him one on eBay and he loved it! He said typing on it was so much better than a computer because when you were finished (he used to write short stories) all you had to do was pull your paper out of it. I guess that's easier than printing it out on a printer!! Shared x 3 ♥
I agree with your grandson! So much easier to just pull the paper out of the machine!
Man, I am so jealous of your beautiful pink typewriter. I need to find one.
I hope you find one! Such a simple thing that is so much fun.
I love it.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you!