Less scrolling. More keeping.
We deliberately create something that doesn't disappear from view after three seconds.
You can keep a letter, read it again, store it in a drawer, or pass it on. The illustration of a forgotten place can go on the wall, the postcard can go between your books, and maybe years later you’ll suddenly find an old letter you’d forgotten you had.
The idea that not everything has to be fleeting is an important part of The Silver Key.
Stories that inspire wonder
The Silver Key is cosy fantasy, but our stories always have one foot in the real world. The forgotten places that Theresa and Marith discover really do exist: ancient gardens, abandoned villages, ruins, strange structures, and places where nature is slowly reclaiming what people once left behind.
Through our letters, we hope to inspire you to daydream, but also to spark your curiosity – about the history of a place, about other people and cultures, or simply about what might lie behind that one old wall in your neighbourhood.
Made with care
Of course, physical post also has a physical footprint. That is why we want to produce our letters as sustainably as possible.
Wherever it is practicable and feasible in terms of quality, we opt for recycled paper and paper from responsibly managed sources, minimise unnecessary packaging, and look for materials that are attractive enough to keep rather than throw away once opened.
With every choice we make, we ask ourselves: could it be more beautiful for the recipient and kinder to the world around us?
We will continue to explore, learn and improve in this area.
Giving back a little magic
Animals play a special role in our fantasy world. From owls and foxes to the many other Animagi that inhabit Willowsedge: our stories draw heavily on the characteristics, symbolism and beauty of real animals.
That is why we feel it is only right to do something in return.
We donate a portion of our profits to animal welfare.
A letter on your doormat is therefore not only a lovely moment for you, but by taking out a subscription, you’re also doing your bit to help animals in need.
A letter you keep.
A place you discover.
A story that stays with you.
An animal that can go home again.
Tessa
Where words fall short, Tessa begins to draw.
With a sketchbook to hand, she brings Willowsedge, its residents and its forgotten corners to life. She finds her inspiration in the strangest – or rather, the most ordinary – of places. Whether she’s doing her shopping at the market or sitting in the dentist’s waiting room. Inspiration comes from unexpected places, as long as you take the time to look. She collects art postcards and never tires of atmospheric bookshops and historic villages.
All of the illustrations you'll find in our letters start out as pencil sketches at her drawing table.
Annemieke
Annemieke is the one who loses herself completely in the stories and residents of Willowsedge. She now knows their quirks, secrets and little habits so well that she will, without a doubt, name her next pet Delphi.
There’s no shortage of animals, as she lives surrounded by greenery and draws her inspiration from her vegetable and flower garden and the animals in and around the yard. She also bakes special cakes with great love, in which flowers, seasons and stories come together. Just as with her creations, The Silver Key is all about attention to detail, a sense of wonder and creating something that people can enjoy.
Your subscription supports the Bird Rehabilitation Centre Zundert
Every year, VRC Zundert takes in over 7,000 native wild birds and mammals that are injured, ill or otherwise in distress. These range from small songbirds and squirrels to owls, foxes and roe deer. The aim is, where possible, to rehabilitate them and ultimately return them to their natural habitat.
And we think that fits in very well with The Silver Key: to find something that needs help, look after it for a while, and eventually let it go its own way again.
Would you like to find out more about this charity?
Vogelrevalidatiecentrum Zundert