expressionsbyel

Greeting Cards and Books

written from the heart

Expressions

By El

Hi! I'm Ellarry. Some of the people I love most call me El.

Welcome to Expressions by El! Here, you will find a collection of unique greeting cards I created to honor my dad's memory, celebrate life's blessings, and help people whose hearts are broken. You can also check out my new children's book and watch for announcements about my upcoming books.

I have loved to write since I was a little girl. Fifteen years ago, as a senior in high school, I started writing articles for my hometown newspaper. I have been a journalist ever since and have had the privilege of writing thousands of stories about people from all walks of life.

For years I dreamed of publishing my work in other places. My dream came true when my manuscript was accepted by Chicken Soup for the Soul. My story "Independence Day" was published in two Chicken Soup for the Soul books: "Find Your Inner Strength," released in 2014, and "For Mom, With Love," released in 2016. Another piece I wrote called "Whole Hearted" was published in Farm and Ranch Living Magazine in 2020.

In the summer of 2020, I began writing and designing my new greeting card line (story below). Click here to shop.

My debut children's book, "Loved by Lettie," was released in April 2022. The story pays homage to my humble upbringing on a 60-acre farm in Minnesota. I'm so excited to finally be able to share it with you!

My upcoming book, "Little Barn Kitchen,” a story cookbook, will be released in 2024.

I'm also a lyrical songwriter. "Boots," a song I wrote to honor my dad's memory, was released in 2021. "Down," a song I wrote to raise awareness about domestic violence, is currently in production.

Thanks for visiting!

Love and peace,

Ellarry

The Story Behind Expressions by El

On a January night in 2019, about five months before my dad passed away, he and I were sitting at the old farm table reminiscing, as we often did. I mentioned one of my favorite childhood memories: watching funny movies together. Some of the movies that made us laugh the hardest were from the ‘90s and starred Adam Sandler.

I smiled, remembering Dad’s fits of laughter as we watched “The Wedding Singer,” “Billy Madison,” “Big Daddy,” “Happy Gilmore,” and others. And I cried a little on the inside, knowing how much I would miss those days.

Another movie we talked about was “Mr. Deeds.” At one point, I joked to Dad that I should start writing greeting cards like Sandler’s character did in the 2002 comedy.

“You should! That would be neat. Absolutely neat,” Dad said with his infectious enthusiasm.

About a year after Dad passed away, that conversation popped into my head. That summer, I was laid off from my job due to the pandemic and eager to do creative writing projects I never had the time for as a busy journalist. So, I decided to write and design a few greeting cards.

Just two or three cards for fun, I thought.

It was fun. And healing.

Making cards helped me through the valley of grief. It gave me purpose and hope.

I enjoyed making cards that celebrated blessings - birthdays, anniversaries, marriage, babies, etc. - but even more fulfilling was creating cards for people who, like me, have been handed some of the sourest lemons life has to offer. Blending poetry and prose, I wrote cards for people who are feeling blue during the holidays, have lost a loved one to suicide, have suffered a miscarriage or late pregnancy loss, have a broken heart, and more.

Created for blessings and broken hearts, Expressions by El includes otherwise hard-to-find cards for everyday people. The collection features cards for devoted stepparents, doting grandparents, cancer survivors, recovering alcoholics, people experiencing depression, and much more.

Explore the collection

Say, El, do ya wanna stop and grab a card? Dad often asked. He always had a card to give someone, no matter the occasion. In later years, he had a box full of them in the dining room.

I will never stop missing my dad or wishing we could have one more talk at the farm table, but I hope that with each card I create, I can make this world a little brighter and carry on his legacy.

Dad and I pitching manure in the 1990s.

For Blessings and Broken Hearts

I have spent much of my adult life reeling from inexplicable grief and trauma. For that reason, the Broken Hearts collection from my Expressions by El card line is especially meaningful to me. Many of those cards were written with tears and deep resonance.

I know what it's like to be broken... to feel hopeless, lost, lonely, and afraid... to lose people you love the most. My wish is that one of these cards will bring comfort and hope to someone you care about.

I also hope that the Blessings collection from my Expressions by El card line, as well as my new children's book, will bring joy to your loved ones and help celebrate milestones.

Loss has shown me that cards are so much more than pieces of paper marked with ink. The cards that my dad and grandparents gave to me have become some of my greatest treasures since they went to Heaven.

Cards

Click here to shop the card collections

Books

"Loved by Lettie"

Lettie’s heart is full of love for animals that neigh, baa, quack, cluck, meow, bark, moo, and say cock-a-doodle-doo. Her favorite animals live on her grandma’s farm. Wearing bibs just like Grandma, she can’t wait to spend a whole day by the big white barn. Adventures with a sneaky cat named Annie, an old tire swing, and a slice of pumpkin pie show Lettie the best things in life are simple and homemade.