Calligraphy Envelopes, Table Numbers and Place Cards

A couple of months ago I received two envelopes just a day or two apart. I thought I had posted them, but I found them in my 'to-blog' stash tonight, so here they are.

Kim Shenberger (The Constant Scribe) of the Chicago, IL area sent this envelope to me. I love her mix of casual capitals and script lettering - and of course the pretty flowers.

Debi Zeinert (The Blooming Quill) of the Milwaukee, WI area sent this one. Her free and easy script is always so 'inviting', and I love the little flourish!

Here is a set of table numbers I did for a recent wedding.

And here are a few place cards. These are my typical script lettering. I typically add a few extension flourishes such as on the K, R and the Ys in these, but can do more elaborate flourishing if desired.

These are a more casual script. The beautiful hot pink and gold cards were from Cartwheels in Louisville.

Though the casual script takes less training to do, they are actually more difficult for me. It's hard for me to break out of the more exacting flow of the traditional script lettering.

To see more wedding related calligraphy, please see my wedding blog.

Have a beautiful life!

Add Beauty to Life with Calligraphy, the Art of Beautiful Writing

A lovely client recently posted one of the place cards I did for her in her wonderful blogpost about one of the dinner parties she likes to give. I recommend you read her blog (here) if you are a foodie or gardener. She adds an artful touch to her life through her food and her garden - and, thankfully, my calligraphy!

Here is her artful presentation of one of 'my' placecards at her party.

And this the caption beneath the image on her blog: Lovely place cards by Jan Hurst. Because I look for an excuse to have her gorgeous calligraphy in my life.

I love it! Thanks, Jennifer!

Here is a photo of the cards I did for this dinner party.

Another way to add art to life through calligraphy is by sending beautiful mail, such as this gorgeously flourished white on black envelope I received from my talented calligrapher friend, Jane Farr. I LOVED getting this gorgeous study in black and white in my mailbox this week. Unexpected pretty mail is the best! (Thanks, Jane!) It is adding a touch of beauty while on display on my studio. (And I am looking for some of those weathervane stamps, which are so perfect with the white on black envelope!) See more of Jane's work by clicking the link to A Place to Flourish on the right under 'my favorite blogs'.

I've been lettering lots of place cards. I'll share more after the events are past, but in the meantime, check out my wedding blog to see others.

Have a beautiful life!

A Puzzle Pencil Quiz

Here's a little quiz for you. What do these disparate objects have in common?

This is a portion of the cover of a book I made.

These are pages in one of my journals.

And here is a framed piece done in white pencil on black paper.

I used to use colored pencils a lot more than I do now. The other day I didn't have any crayons, so I let my toddler grandson use my pencils. Starting him with good supplies early.

The common element, of course, is colored pencils! The book cover seemed a little too stark, so I shaded some of the letters with a little colored pencil. The journal pages were drawn or embellished with colored pencils, and the white pencil is from my set of Prismacolors.

It took me three minutes longer than average to solve this puzzle. I must be tired. Have fun!

Have a great week!

New Bookcases, Vintage Postcards and Good Mail

As the de-clutter guy on tv says, "The problem is too much stuff." Yes. I know. And another problem is 'too much stuff in too small a space'. Because I am not only doing calligraphy, but I also like to paint and do collage, there's lots of 'stuff' to be stored. When I bought this house I wavered between turning the family room into a studio, turning a bedroom into a studio or sharing the family room/studio space. I opted for the latter. I was working full time then and not doing much art, and I knew I wouldn't use it much if my studio were relegated to an upstairs bedroom. The door could have been closed on it when it was messy or had important work going on, but I would feel isolated. The downside of this plan is - not much space, too much going into that small space, and the mess (or alternately the important work) is there for anyone to see (and for little hands to get into.)

My art books have been stored away, not out for easy access, until recently when I purchased two nice bookcases. Having all of my art books exposed for my 2 1/2 year old grandson to pull down and possibly destroy was risky, according to his mother. I risked it. I'm glad I did. Here are a few photos of my new shelves and a blurry one of Jace seated on the floor in front of them. (He left them alone except when we played 'hide My Little Pony' on the shelves together.)

I am so happy with my new shelves! Having them allowed me to get rid of my old computer armoire (always a wreck of a mess) and prompted me to clean up my studio. I feel much more productive, and am working diligently on having a place for everything and everything in its place. New flooring is next on the list, and maybe a move to 100% studio too, but I have bought myself a little time to mull that one over.

Here are a few studio photos. It's not magazine-worthy, but it's a lot better than the days of working on the dining room table!

A recent project was working with these vintage post cards. If you'd like to see them transformed, please keep checking my wedding blog, which right now has some place card and table setting images from a lovely bride I worked with some time ago. You can see them on my wedding blog here.

Fun mail last week! A nice envelope, exuberantly addressed, from my friend Diana Hutchison in Florida and a bill - not such good news, but it was from Kate Page in Nashville for guild dues. How can you not want to pay them when the notice comes so beautifully addressed?