Join the I Love You Card Community
Image of I Love You cards courtesy of Heidi Harris
Love is one of those things I just don’t think any of us can get enough of. And thanks to I Love You cards, there’s a stellar option to spread the love wherever you go.
So, you might be asking, “How is this related to luxury wellness?” Wellness indulgences can be expensive spa getaways or $100 leggings. But, they can also be free or inexpensive self-care practices like expressing gratitude or taking a bath. Sure, these experiences might not require a financial investment. But, these moments are still luxuries, because they require our most valuable resource — time.
As we go through this #bubblylife journey together, along the way, I want to share some of my favorite ways to give my mind, body, and soul a little TLC. Now, back to these I Love You cards…
The cards are the result of a post-art school project started years ago by my friend and go-to photographer Heidi Harris. (BTW, Heidi shot a lot of the photos I use on the FRESHJUICE + bubbly website.) Back in 2005, Heidi was finishing art school where she’d studied drawing. Her professors were encouraging students to continue to practice drawing in some way. But, Heidi wanted to figure out a meaningful way to accomplish this.
“In the part of Atlanta where I lived at the time, I was encountering homeless people on a regular basis and wanted to do something other than tell them I didn’t have any money to give,” Heidi told me when I asked her for the story behind the cards. “And that’s when this idea started to develop.”
To begin, Heidi created some simple cards that said, “I love you” and would give them to strangers and friends simply to bring herself and others joy. She’d also leave them in stacks around town at coffee shops or other spots — and started to realize there was a lot of demand for the cards.
A few years later, she created a website to help further spread the word and started receiving requests for cards from across the country, and then someone in France requested a French version. And so on, and so on.
Flash forward to today, and Heidi has now created I Love You cards in 35 languages. They’ve spread smiles around the world, and have even resulted in love stories that people reach out to Heidi and share.
For a $5 flat rate (to cover printing and shipping), anyone can request their own set of cards. (I just received mine!) Heidi will send you 20 cards, a sticker, and an instructional card with encouragement on how to share the cards. Then, it’s up to you to share the love!
“Whenever you give a card away, it’s an amazing feeling,” Heidi said. “You smile. The person receiving the card smiles. It really is one of my favorite free ways to practice self-care and gratitude.”