• 8 Artistic Ways to Celebrate Happiness Happens Month

    August is “Happiness Happens Month”, an admittedly little-known holiday that encourages you to celebrate the things that make you happy. If you read the TPK blog, I’m betting that you derive joy from being creative! So, I’ve put together eight suggestions to make the eighth month of 2025 your happiest, most artistic month yet.

    1. Meditate on August with the “August Celebration Intermediate Calligraphy Worksheet”

    Picture a slow summer afternoon, the kind where you finally get a minute to relax and do something just because it feels good. That’s what the limited-edition August Celebration Intermediate Calligraphy Worksheet is for. It features fun drills that let you practice calligraphy while giving your mind a little break and your creativity some room to stretch!

    2. Start or Contribute to a Sketchbook Journal

    Several blog posts here on TPK mention the benefits of keeping a sketchbook journal. There’s a reason that I keep talking about it … and that’s because sketchbook journals are amazing! Start one, and you’ve got an easy way to get lost in your creativity and process feelings. You can also experiment with new art and lettering techniques in a judgment-free zone.

    How to Add Color to Your “Day in the Life” Sketchbook Layout | The Postman's Knock
    If you’re a bit lost on what to journal about, you can check out this list of sketchbook journal theme prompts.

    3. Read Inspirational + Creative Publications

    There are several books and magazines out there that can lift your mood and set your creative wheels in motion! Your local library is always worth a browse, or you can check out one of the books or magazines in the 8 Artistic Books to Jumpstart Your Creativity post.

    4. Spend Quality Time Making a Project for Someone Else

    In keeping with the “Be the Reason Someone Smiles” theme, try dedicating time this month to creating one thing for someone else. It could be a card, a handmade gift, or mail art … whatever you have time to make and feel like taking on is perfect! If you enjoy making mail art and want to make a stranger smile, check out More Love Letters! It’s such a cool concept.

    8 Creativity-Infused Ways to Celebrate Happiness Happens Month | The Postman's Knock
    Making something creative and meaningful for someone else is always rewarding! I made this simple birthday card and envelope pair for my aunt last month.

    5. Make a Birthday List

    I love sending cards or gifts to loved ones on their birthdays, but I have trouble remembering when their birthdays actually are. For that reason, I keep a birthday list. If that’s an idea that appeals to you, find out the birthdays of people you care about, and write all of them down in a monthly format. That way, you can stay on top of things at a glance!

    Birthday organizer from TPK's Letter Writer's Complete Resource
    I keep birthdays written down on an organizer from The Letter Writer’s Complete Resource. If you don’t have an organizer like this, you can easily DIY one.

    6. Treat Yourself to a New Art or Calligraphy Supply

    As the cliché goes, “money can’t buy happiness”, meaning that having more things won’t necessarily make you happy. While that’s true, a carefully-chosen new art or calligraphy supply can get you excited about creating and encourage you to try out new techniques. So, think about one supply that you’ve been wanting to try out, and take the leap to get it. It doesn’t have to be an expensive supply! Broad-tipped markers for “Crayola Calligraphy“, for example, will set you back a couple of dollars. New calligraphy nibs are also very cheap!

    Crayola calligraphy used to write "Colorado" with mountains in the background

    7. Take on a New Creative Endeavor

    According to the book The Happiness Project, challenging ourselves to learn new things is one of the most effective ways to be happy. There’s something about working toward a goal and celebrating the victories along the way that is so satisfying! This month, think about something that you’ve always wanted to learn how to do, and get started. Really: you can stop reading this article right now, open up a new tab in your browser, start searching. Chances are, you’ll find tons of YouTube videos and articles explaining exactly how to do what you want to do.

    Watercolor flowers made with a triangle brush
    A couple of months ago, I challenged myself to learn how to use a triangular paintbrush. The results? Delightful.

    8. Start Working on Holiday Projects

    Yes, it’s still summer. But, in the spirit of staying on top of things, you might consider starting to work on holiday projects now. A lot of people send out holiday cards — and if you’re one of them, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and design yours this month. If you are a calligraphy/hand-lettering fan, start working on your envelopes. Honestly, you’ll thank yourself when Halloween time rolls around and the “holidaze” — a time warp in which it’s difficult to accomplish anything — begins!

    Christmas Tree Holiday Envelope Art Tutorial | The Postman's Knock
    It may feel a little strange making mail art like this while you’re still wearing sandals and shorts! When the super busy holiday season begins, though, you’ll be glad you dedicated time to projects like this now. We’re already almost 75% done with 2025, after all.

    I hope that this article inspires you to take on some creative endeavors this month that you may not have considered before! If you have any questions or input about any of the suggestions on this list, I’d love to hear from you. Otherwise, have a wonderful, supremely happy and creative month, and thanks for reading TPK!

    Warmly,