A Tiny Home for Handwritten Joy:
Inspired Home for Cards, Notes, and Connection
The Note Nest is a community stationery exchange inspired by the simple magic of Little Free Libraries. It's a place where anyone can take a card, leave a card, write a note, or rediscover the joy of putting pen to paper.
In a world that moves fast and communicates digitally, The Note Nest invites us to slow down, write something real, and connect — one handwritten message at a time.
We believe handwritten notes matter: they mark moments. They carry feeling. They linger in drawers, books, and memory, long after a text message disappears.
The Note Nests exists to encourage meaningful and tangible connection across generations, neighborhoods, and communities. It creates a welcoming space where writing feels accessible, not intimidating, and where everyone is invited to participate.
The Note Nest is intentionally simple:
Take a card that speaks to you
Write a note: short or long, polished or imperfect
Leave a card for someone else, or send your note into the world
Every Nest reflects its community — no two are exactly alike. Each Note Nest may include:
Greeting cards and postcards
Stationery and envelopes
Writing prompts for inspiration
Pens or pencils (when available)
Notes left behind by others
The idea for The Note Nest grew from a lifelong love of greeting cards, letter writing, and community connection.
At Notes & Queries, we distribute beautifully crafted greetings cards from more than 25 publishers across Europe and Great Britain to retailers throughout the United States. Each year, we launch over 1,500 new designs... and with that comes excess inventory.
For years, we've donated boxes of cards to schools, hospitals, and organizations to encourage connection in tangible ways. During the summer of 2024, while sharing extra sample cards with friends, a simple question sparked something bigger:
What if there were a Little Free Library — but for cards and letter writing?
From that moment, The Note Nest began to take shape.
With a rough design by my husband Leon, the craftsmanship of local nonprofit makerspace Open Works, and an inspired logo created by my niece, Hazel Harnik, The Note Nest was born.
— Vanessa Harnik, Founder
The Note Nest is proudly supported by the greeting card and stationery industry.
This is an industry rooted in creativity, generosity, and human connection. By giving excess inventory new life, The Note Nest reduces waste while amplifying purpose — turning surplus into something meaningful.
We hope others across the industry, in the U.S., Great Britain, Europe, and beyond, will join us in encouraging handwritten connection.
Each Note Nest is thoughtfully designed to feel:
Inviting and accessible
Durable and functional
Warm, human, and timeless
Built in partnership with Open Works in Baltimore, every Nest reflects craftsmanship, collaboration, and community.
The Note Nest welcomes everyone:
Children learning to write and express themselves
Teens discovering analog creativity
Adults reconnecting through written words
Seniors sharing wisdom, memory, and care
Spelling doesn't matter. Handwriting doesn't have to be perfect. Intention is everything.
Writing doesn't need to be perfect to be powerful.
A few words can change a day. A card can become a keepsake. A note can remind someone that they matter.
vanessa@thenotenest.net | 7110 golden ring rd. ste 108, essex, md 21221
