Besotted Blog: September 2012

SOUVENIR FOTO SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS

We are pleased to announce that the two scholarships for our Food + Foto class were granted to Lisa S. and Simone|Fleaing France! We wish we could have chosen more scholarships, we believe everyone that applied is worthy of one. We are getting very excited here at the Souvenir Foto School, we have been working round the clock for months planning and for the past few weeks my co-professor Michelle P. and myself have been cooking + shooting like our lives depend on it. To say we are inspired is an understatement, just check out the above test image that Michelle shot above, breathtaking! I can't wait, you? We have a few more spots left, won't you join us?

PAUL + JOE :: A LOVE STORY

I realized this morning that my blog has lacked color lately. I am all for neutrals and a hushed palette, but even I appreciate a pop of color sometimes. Thankfully, inspiration hit via an email from Paul & Joe, a French design house that has both beautiful clothes and an equally beautiful beauty line. It's their 10th anniversary and they are celebrating it with the launch of a new collection called 'A Love Story'. If you have a soft spot for vintage in your heart, then their packaging will delight you to no end. The round blush packaging wrapped with the storks/pelicans, uhm birds motif? So darling! They pay attention to every detail, from debossing their mark into the the cosmetics themselves (hello, script 'PJ' in the lipstick), to replicating authentic beauty packaging of yore with their molded nail polish wand and hourglass bottles. You know I lean to the clean, but I can really appreciate the work that went into taking this line to market to create all these custom components. The word on the street is that this isn't just a pretty face either, their products rate rave reviews. I see it as a very 'gifty' line, maybe not something you would buy for yourself but maybe your bridal party would love a kitten lipstick? Just a lovely line, indeed. Happy Friday everyone!

SCANNING YOUR LETTERING + FAUX CHALKBAORD EFFECT

I found a couple of great tutorials for you this week from James Ketsdever on how to clean up your lettering in Photoshop and how to create a faux chalkboard lettering effect as well. If you have been on my Hand Lettering Love board on Pinterest you may have seen these already, but it's always nice to have a place where you can easily access this info, right? I am not having any luck getting concrete information for you on what nibs calligraphers/letterers are using to create non-script lettering (I will keep poking around). I have tried a few different nibs without much success, who knew it would be harder to print with a nib than create a script? Not I. For the image above I tried a nib called a Brause Steno, it is referred to as the 'Blue Pumpkin' (cute right?). I also tried a new black sumi ink that glides really nicely on the page (I am using mini Rhodia notepads for practice). If you are new to this craft and doing lettering practice like myself, do yourself a huge favor in the beginning and get yourself a nice smooth paper stock that will gladly accept your ink. I've tried cheaper sketch pads which just allow the ink to bloom and get yucky fibers stuck in the nib tip. Better to try to give yourself an advantage with a smooth surface, learning a new skill is tough enough as it is without adding shoddy supplies to the mix!

P.S. When my husband tells me he loves me, every once in a while I will ask 'how much?', without hesitation (and in his very serious + deadpan intonation) he tells me the same thing his mom told him when he was a little boy--'To the moon and back, round and round infinity times.' I think it's super sweet and I love to imagine my husband as a little boy asking his mom how much she loves him.

P.P.S. The lovely Torie (a fellow lettering enthusiast) emailed me that Kelsey C. wrote a wonderful little calligraphy article on Note to Self, a must read for all us newbies!

PRICKLY PEARS ET AL

I promise to pop in later today and give you a nice juicy lettering love post, but I felt yesterdays prickly pear experience trumped anything that I could have written this morning. Let me start out by saying I am brave in many, many facets of my life but not when it comes to food. I eat what I know and I don't stray from this formula. I don't eat anything smarter than a dog, in case you were wondering, bacon has not touched these lips for about 30+ years. There are many things I won't eat, so yesterday when I was presented with a beautiful ruby red drink made with something called a 'prickly pear', simple syrup, a twist of lemon and fresh seltzer I was a bit apprehensive before I would partake. I had to ask how many ounces the glass was and to what ratio the simple syrup was, (hey I am sensitive to sugar) and then I tentatively asked about the fruit/vegetable that was in it. It could have been a beet as it was deep, dark and jewel toned--I don't like beets. I was assured it was not a beet, but a Mexican fruit and I was shown the evidence of whence it came from. Did I mention I am not brave when it comes to new foods? I was with my husband and his friend had laboriously muddled the Mexican Fruit (prickly pear) to create this custom non-cocktail for moi. I knew that refusing the drink would not be an option, so I closed my eyes and took a sip. It was so good! I was soon taking another gulp, the fruit had an almost light watermelon like flavor that meshed so well with the citrus, it was a holiday in a glass, I was transported to sandy beaches with aqua waters. My taste buds did a double take and tried hard to recollect what this might be comparable to, but came up empty. It was like a juicy flavor bomb had exploded in my mouth. Have any of you tried this before? For those that haven't, let me forewarn you that it's not a pear, nor is it particularly prickly. It grows on a cactus and as you can see from photographer/editor Todd Coleman's beautiful image above, they come in multiple varieties. This little innocuous fruit made me want to hop on a plane to Mexico to partake in its glorious variations and all the culinary combinations possible. I doubt I will become more gastroly adventurous in the future, I am a bit set in my ways, but for today I am happy that I was backed into a culinary corner and tried something new. You? Have you tried any new foods lately? Are you a food coward like me or will you be willing to try anything? Inquiring minds (mine) would like to know...

PHOTO ASSIGNMENTS ET AL

It's amazing that someone like myself that doesn't have a 'real' job and that lives in the middle of nowhere is so gosh darn busy! I am getting really excited about the start of our Food + Foto class and will be going into town today to the Durham Farmer's Market for some last minute provisions to work on some shots. I don't know about all you other photo enthusiasts out there but I LOVE having a photo assignment; it helps me focus and I end up getting a more creative shot, in fact most of my fave images are the ones I shot while in the Souvenir Foto School classes. It also helps that we always have a great community and there is some serious talent to inspire the most photo blocked amongst us. Even though I love photography, I admit that I find it hard to self-motivate myself to go out there and shoot for fun. I shoot almost every day for the shop but it's not the same. Speaking of the shop, shooting food is a lot like shooting products, you can learn a ton of tips + tricks from studying what food photographers do, except at the end of a session in food photography you can scarf down your subject--nice.

P.S. I made this with one of the Photoshop actions that comes with the class, it's one of my 'paint with light' actions and allows me to come in and 'paint' my photo in areas that I'd like darker or lighter. It's pretty awesome, ( if I should say so myself).

PINTEREST CURATOR::GINNY BRANCH STELLING

We have already established my addiction to Pinterest and like most junkies it's no fun partaking in the high without a co-conspirator so I am going to try to get you hooked too (if you aren't already). I have grand plans of introducing you to some of my fave Pinterest curators and have already mentioned Michelle P. I am currently having a moment with one Ginny Branch Stelling, I am trying hard not to re-pin her every pin as I am not sure if that is proper 'netiquette'. Ginny has such great taste (and so varied) that I find myself sitting on my pinning fingers so I don't come off as a Pin stalker. Ms. Branch Stelling is a bon vivant of sorts, from her business card it seems she does a bit of everything awesome, but she is most well known for her eye, just the one, I jest, she's an event + editorial stylist and she is the person responsible for making the photographers job a breeze and is instrumental in creating the end image (that we'll covet + pin!). Back to Pinterest, Ginny's boards are filled with eye candy, lot's of details, textures, colors and themes. If you can't find inspiration in them I don't know where you can. I chose some of my favorite more 'romantic' images above, I think they do highlight her eye for texture which to me always adds interest to an image. If you can't get enough of Ginny's Pinterest boards you can visit her at her blog, delightfully dubbed

'My Favorite Color is Shiny'.

P.S. It's not too late to sign-up for the Food + Foto class, so we hope to see you there!

P.P.S. That 'G' is from my hand-lettering practice. I think 'G's' are currently my favorite letter to create.

SOUVENIR FOTO SCHOOL::FOOD + FOTO STARTING!

You are cordially invited to join in on our next Souvenir Foto School Session | Food + Foto edition. This session we will be bringing you a supremely photogenic virtual dinner party! Fortify your photography skills as we plan & shoot a most beautiful and sumptuous supper. Our four course menu is full of simple stunners (don't fret if you aren't up for cooking, store bought is A-Ok). We have limited space at the dinner 'table' so please R.S.V.P. here and get all the details! The classes sell out fast!

P.S. As always we have reserved two spots for scholarships, individuals that want to take the class but it doesn't fit into their finances right now. To qualify just re-pin this pin and leave a note in the comments why you would like to take the class and why we should choose you. Scholarships are open worldwide!

101 THINGS IN 1001 DAYS + A THANK YOU

Today is my birthday and I considered not writing a post, take a day off, celebrate sort of thing when I realized there was no better place I'd like to be than here with you! Okay, Paris or a tropical paradise might be a nice runner-up... I am not coming in here today to brag that I'm a year older, sheesh, no one likes a braggart, but to share a little tradition and maybe you might want to take it up as well. On my birthday I like to write out a list of things I would like to accomplish for the year ahead, it's kind of like a new years resolution but I don't have to give anything up. One year I wrote out 101 things I'd like to accomplish in 1001 days. I only wrote 65 of my 101 things, but I actually accomplished quite a few of my 'goals'. Some of the items I can cross off my list were get married to my Fancy-check! Move out of our apartment and out of Los Angeles-check! Drive cross country- check! Take a calligraphy class-check! Re-read the classics-check! Teach a photo class-check! Sell some of my photographs-check! Have some of my photographs published in a major magazine-check! Leave my horrible job-check! Have Besotted Brand be my job-check!!! Move to the country-check! Have a baby (working on it). Re-design my blog (one day!) There's some others that are coming into fruition as I write this, but I promise to divulge them when they have become a reality. I have not been coy about admitting my propensity to procrastinate so to be able to see everything I have been able to accomplish in such a relatively short amount of time has been very inspiring. It's so easy to focus on what we haven't attained, instead of what we have. I think part of that problem is not having the 'documentation' to look back on. If I hadn't made this list I might have forgotten half (or more) of the things I wanted to accomplish and then when I did do them I wouldn't have remembered that I wanted to, then I wouldn't have the incredible satisfaction of taking pen to paper and crossing off my list. I am writing a new list today and pinning it to my wall, I want to be able to see it everyday and review where I am at, I like to make myself accountable (someone has to do it).

I want to thank you all for sharing my journey with me here, those that stuck by me when I had a horrible job and had my pay cut in half and there were no new jobs in sight, thank you for letting me share my fear, frustration and your hope. Those that encouraged my photography and gave me the confidence that I needed to be able to pursue my hobby with great gusto, thank you! All of you that made my transition from decision to moving cross country (into the country) and cheering me on, gosh, thank you! Everyone that has shopped at Besotted Brand, worldwide y'all; that just blows my mind and makes me 21 kinds of happy (and grateful), thank you! Those of you that stop by here, my tiny portion of the interwebs, I just feel so lucky all the time like I've won some secret lottery of life, thank you, thank you, thank you!

P.S. Monday we are opening up registration for our world famous Souvenir Foto School! We are doing a Food + Foto edition and it looks like it is wrapping up to be quite the class!!!

LIAM STEVENS + CYNTHIA WARREN

I was having the hardest time deciding which artist I should showcase today on my designated lettering Thursday, so I decided to showcase two of my faves in the hand-lettered serif department. Both of these artist could easily warrant their own posts, they are both prolific and have talent in spades and maybe one day I will, but for today I am hoping together they will inspire a deep appreciation for their craft. I can't get enough of these specimens and it's hard to wrap my mind around how difficult these projects were but they made them look so effortless. Granted, the above by Liam Stevens has a bit more cheek thrown in (those illustrations are to die) and Cynthia Warren's menu (on the bottom) is near flawless, no that is not a font folks, that is all hand done and is as beautiful as the day is long (to me at least). I love that it was created in 2003, but is still relevant, hip + classic. Yes, I would love a font like that (look at the 'lowercase' 'O's, and the lowercase 'E's so, so good!

I looked and looked and couldn't find a single resource for you if you wanted to explore this style of lettering, quite disappointing. The only thing I can suggest is to create an alphabet specimen chart from a serif font you admire in your program of choice (Word, PS, Illustrator, etc), print it out and then start tracing it. I suggest tracing so you can get familiar with the letterforms before you take it on yourself and start free handing it eventually creating your own unique hand. For the Ex Libris bookplate that was in a printed hand versus a script I used a few tools--a #2 pencil to draw lines on my sketch pad, a Micron 005 pen (this is SUPER fine) to create the basic shape and to create a 'hollow'/outline for me to make heavier lines and a Pitt artist brush in cold grey to fill in the 'hollow' creating that thick downward stroke. It's a lot of steps indeed. It took me longer to do that one bookplate than it took me to make the entire download! If you have any suggestions for this please let me know, because I have had many test runs and very few moments where I thought I was getting anywhere with this style. If you have no desire to try this yourself you can download a pretty cool serif font called Bodoni at Home here (love the 'W's') and (no I don't work for her, but I have mentioned her a lot lately) but Magpie Paperworks has the really awesome (and affordable) Saltpetre font that I am pretty goners for.

P.S. Total segue here but Cesar Milan re-pinned one of my pins today and now I feel like it totally legitimizes all the time I spend over on Pinterest pinning cute pup photos....

VINTAGE BOOKPLATE DOWNLOAD

I originally had another vision for this download, more modern + graphic patterns (thanks to Michelle P. a pattern genius); but I am currently re-reading the classics and am deep into Jane Eyre so my inspiration is currently of another era. I wanted to take some of my lettering practice and incorporate it into the download, the middle one is one of the fab realistic calligraphy fonts I shared with you last week (Jacques & Gilles). I love to read and I love collecting books, nothing can compare to the feel and smell of a paper book but I am reading (and loving) Jane Eyre on my Kindle. Almost all the classics are available on the Kindle for free. Do you have any idea how this delights me? I love my Kindle because I never lose my place and I can look-up words on the fly. It amazes me how many words I can look up in a single reading where as if I was reading a 'real' book I may have made a note or two to look something up, but may or may not have actually gone the extra mile to do so. After every reading session I feel a bit of accomplishment. That being said, these bookplates are for your paper book collection. You don't have to listen to me, but my suggestion is to print them on textured paper and use archival glue (okay or one of those archival tape thingies) to paste them in your books. You could print out a bunch put them in a glassine envelope or muslin bag and give as a gift. Of course you can always go the easiest route and just print them on a full label sheet. Scissors will give you a more homemade look, but a nice Exacto knife, straight edge ruler (make sure it has a cork back) and cutting mat will give you beautiful, professional results. Just click here to download, enjoy!

P.S. Any suggestions for my next classic tome I should read?

GREIGE + A WINNER!

I think it's high time I announced another monogram winner. I love the simplicity of this two-letter monogram, it's classic but a bit mod. This week the winner is Christine F.; who happens to be the owner of a beautiful on-line shop called Greige. I was weak in the knees when I clicked her link and saw she owned this beautifully curated collection of home furnishings. I decided to make this a dual post, announcing the winner and introducing you to this luxe destination. It would seem Christine and I share a similar aesthetic and love for the raw, natural, neutral with a surprise glam element thrown in (hello, lucite trunk with rope handles). I have spent an inordinate amount of time Pinning items from her shop for my future dream home.

If you would like to try to win a future monogram, just re-pin this Pin and leave a comment with your monogram. Please make sure there is a way for me to get a hold of you too! For those that didn't win, please keep trying! And if you can't wait you can use the code IWANT at check out all week long to get 50% off any monogram of your choice!

GWYNETH PALTROW + J. CREW

I don't usually post about fashion, but when two favorites come together I think it warrants a post, no? I received an email from Gwennie (via Goop) wherein she teamed up with J.Crew for a transition into fall preview. It was executed flawlessly, Gwyneth modeling the clothes and then a little link on how to get the look. I am a G.P. fan, so this sent me over the edge of euphoria when coupled with styling eye candy powerhouse J.Crew. I don't spend a lot on my wardrobe, (unless it's shoes or handbags which I feel are investment pieces), but I do like the quality of a lot of my J.Crew acquisitions. Their belts last forever and I don't know what they do with their ribbed tanks, but they seem to never lose color or shape; I have a navy ribbed tank that has lasted me years.

I am getting excited about fall in my new neck of the woods, previously in the City of Angels we didn't really have any delineation between the seasons, September often brings a second coming of summer (but hotter than you would ever like), so it will be novel to experience a seasonal change. Maybe I can rejoice in the Pumpkin Latte cravings with the rest of the blogosphere, as the thought of a Pumpkin latte in September in Los Angeles is about as enticing as getting bamboo shoots pushed under your fingernails. On another note, I know I promised downloads and hopefully I will have those ready for you by tomorrow! I am also announcing another winner for the monogram giveaway tomorrow so I hope you stop on by to see if it's you!

20 + CALLIGRAPHY ALPHABET SPECIMENS

On my journey to learn calligraphy and develop my own hand I have read many, many books. I have taken a private lesson with a master calligrapher, but regrettably it was terrible timing for me with work + moving and I was only able to get in the one lesson. I also took a class at Paper Source, which was fun but didn't turn me into a calligrapher in the 2 hours I spent there. I had my 'aha' moment when I recently took Melissa Esplin's Modern Calligraphy Course. I am a visual learner (a lot of individuals are), I found watching her create the letters was very helpful for me. One of the things I had read previously that clicked when coupled with Melissa's class was that in calligraphy you are 'drawing' the letters. This makes sense when you realize you need to pick your pen off the paper multiple times to create one letter; unlike with traditional cursive where you are told to keep your writing instrument on the page. Another tip I found very helpful in my practice is to reference alphabet specimens. The alphabets I appreciate the most (at the moment), are ones that give a very clear diagram of the stroke order. Before when I viewed these diagrams, I thought I would have to create the letter in one fell swoop (impossible), now that I know that it is okay, neigh, encouraged to lift my pen, I know that I can create the strokes in steps, which results in an actual letter (a huge achievement in my book). I have found a slew of reference alphabets for you. What is the absolute best calligraphy/lettering tip I can give you today? Practice. You really need to practice to achieve your goals in this discipline, but the best part is that with practice you can achieve a modicum of success. I love Copperplate, but Spencerian is what was taught in schools before the Palmer Method took over. Spencerian is the reason why so many of the American 19th century letters, ledgers and every day notes were so elegant. I have been asked how much I practice and I have challenged myself this month to practice every day for an hour. I usually can't do this until late at night, but it is a very meditative practice so I find it works well before I go to bed. I also don't always practice with dip pen and ink, a pencil works fine to get familiar with the strokes (so for those putting off learning until you can afford tools you can actually start tonight). Practicing with the sample alphabet specimens will help with one day developing your own hand. Most of all have fun!

//ONLINE SPECIMEN RESOURCES//

Iampeth-This stands for the International Association of Master Penman Engrossers Teachers of Handwriting. Here you will find a treasure trove of antique specimen books that have been scanned and that you can view for free! It is a wealth of resources, plus there's free videos showing you how to create Copperplate letterforms as well.

The Palmer Method-If you are of a certain age and went to Catholic school there is a great chance that you are familiar with this hand and learned it at school. It is casually elegant. There's a font here that is pretty spot on if you can't wait to master this hand.

Ames Historical Society-You'll hear the name Ames a lot in calligraphy circles, this link is a beautiful scanned guidebook and some interesting history thrown in to boot.

The American Instructor-A lovely antique alphabet specimen.

Finnish Penmanship Sample-Simple + elegant letters both Majuscules (uppercase) and miniscules (lower case).

How to Write Like an Architect-This isn't calligraphy, but is lettering. This is one of my favorite hands and when I print I try to always re-create it.

//BOOKS WITH CALLIGRAPHY ALPHABET SPECIMENS//

The Technique of Copperplate Calligraphy-I love this book because it gives multiple variations on uppercase letters which I really appreciate. There are certain letters that I have a hard time with or just plain don't like the way they look and to have an option for an alternate makes me very happy.

Mastering Copperplate Calligraphy-This is a large manual with tons of samples. Even if you don't want to learn but love calligraphy this is a beautiful tome to see. It doesn't have the stroke order, but she explains creating letters very well and I think the novice can follow along easily.

//VINTAGE ALPHABET SPECIMENS//

Etsy has some wonderful and affordable vintage specimen and guidebooks. I highly recommend them if you are interested in procuring some. Not only are they useful but would make a beautiful collection. Try search words like penmanship, calligraphy books, alphabet specimens.

Ebay-If you get serious about collecting penmanship guidebooks Ebay has some super rare and yes, expensive ones. Just looking through the listings on them is fun too!

Potboiler Press-Some great antique calligraphy books.

//ONLINE CLASS//

I Still Love Calligraphy-Melissa is a wonderful teacher and she does provide both a downloadable alphabet and guideline sheets for her students.

FEAST FINE ART & CALLIGRAPHY

I figured a little lettering eye candy would be in order for this week, no? This is the hand of Alissa Mazzenga of Feast Calligraphy, it's so lovely, feminine and unique. Artists like Alissa raise the bar for every letterer that wants in on the modern 'calligraphy' scene. There are many talented lettering artists in the world and I will continue to showcase them here and introduce you to some up & comers. I am popping back in later today with some downloads for you (I hope you like). And one more resource post to round out this week!

LETTERING IN ILLUSTRATOR + IMPROVING YOUR HANDWRITING

I am beyond thrilled to share our very first Besotted video tutorial courtesy of my pal, one of my favorite Pinners and my partner in Souvenir Foto School Miss Michelle P. When I mentioned what I was doing this week Michelle kindly offered to create this video for those that wanted to explore lettering in the digital realm. The tutorial was created with Adobe Illustrator, which I sheepishly admit that I am not great with, but Michelle makes this tutorial very simple and even those not too familiar with the program can follow along (you can get a free 30 day trial here if you don't have it). After I watched this I emailed her immediately and asked for more, she made it seem so easy that even I the Illustrator challenged felt like she could try this. You can view the video here (or click the image).

I knew when I started this week that I didn't want to solely focus on calligraphy so I am including some resources for improving your own handwriting or creating a more interesting personal hand:

//BOOKS//

Love Your Handwriting by Heidi Swapp - Heidi is a well known scrapbook product designer, but it's her distinct whimsical hand that has made her a stand-out in her industry.

//CLASSES//

Love Your Letters Workshop by Letter Girl- I haven't taken this class but I really want to. I love Gina's casual and happy hand.

Letter Lab-I took this online class, it's not for everyone as the focus is for scrapbooking, but I am very open minded when it comes to classes + learning I try to always extract the kernels that will work for what I am trying to accomplish. I can happily say I did learn a few new tricks.

//WEB RESOURCES//

French Cursive-This may be one of my favorite foreign hands. I go crazy (in a good way) when I see French cursive. You will need a Cahier d'Ecriture, French ruled paper and a sample alphabet, if you scroll down on this link you will find one!

SeanWes-Sean is an amazing lettering artist, but what's even more amazing is that he is so generous with information. I really liked his post on copying (hope you do too).

//PENS//

I am a huge pen enthusiast, but this is a short list of pens I use in my everyday to assist with my penmanship. Lettering pens are a different animal.

Le Pen-These have a great tip, come in many, may colors and are nice and petite so they feel really nice in your hand.

Sharpie Pens-I love these, but they seem to come up missing when you use them (because others will love them as much as you do).

Muji Pens-These are great looking and you can get super tiny points. I find a tiny point makes everyones penmanship look better.

//FREE HAND-LETTERED FONTS//

For those that won't be trying out Michelle's technique (I totally can't wait to), here are some fonts that mimic a hand-lettered look. The one I used above is Grant's Ghost. Festus is a good faker too. If you are looking for a French handwriting font DuCahier is the only game in town.

P.S. If you have any questions for either Michelle or myself leave the questions in the comments and we are happy to answer.

P.P.S. The always lovely Going Home to Roost mentioned this week (thank you!) and added some of her own favorite links!

BRAUSE ROSE NIB FOR PAINTERLY STROKES

Okay, the Brause Rose nib is slowly becoming another favorite nib. It has not made its way to favorite yet, because sometimes it feels like I am trying to hold on to a slippery piece of pasta. It's aesthetically beautiful, it has an embossed rose on its body which feels so very Victorian and lady like to me. This nib takes a lot of practice to get comfortable with for a newbie to the craft. I have only been doing this for a few weeks so I don't know how long it shall be before I can pull this out and scribe without fear of ruining what I am working on. When I am having a good practice session I can make the nib create beautiful thick stokes that mimic what I imagine I would want a paint brush to do (lettering with a brush is VERY difficult), this is a good 'cheat'. You can also get very thin hairline strokes as you can see on the uppercase 'L' and the word 'rose'. My suggestion would be to try the Zebra G or Nikko G and get a feel for the dip pen and then work your way after a couple weeks to this nib. It feels very 'springy' to me and is categorized as a flexible nib, meaning to get those hairlines you are going to have to have a feather light touch and to get those thick strokes will take nary any pressure. I don't know for certain, but it seems like a calligrapher like Molly Jacques might use a nib like this to create the beautiful thick strokes of her lettering.

In doing these posts I wanted to be sure to add in some random lettering tips. One I should have made clear immediately before practice is wear clothes you won't care about getting ink on. I ruined 3 shirts and my favorite pair of jeans before I started putting on an outfit specifically for lettering practice. It's just a black t-shirt and black leggings (I look like a cat burglar), but I don't have to stress about ruining another article of clothing. I also always put down a piece of butcher paper; I love my desk and would be so sad if I ruined it. I have already spilled an entire container of black Sumi ink on my desk (and keyboard) and I never want to re-live that experience. Again if you have questions ask me in the comments, I am so new to this craft, but at least I can share my experience.

You can read about the Zebra G + Nikko G nibs here and the Gillott 404 nib here.

P.S. You will find when you start out that certain letters will vex you. I hate my 'k's and seriously can't believe I posted one. I am also having the worse time with the letter 'B'. My favorites letters are the uppercase 'L' and 'G' I want to find words that start with them just so I can write them all the time!

GILLOTT 404 NIB::GOOD FOR BEGINNERS?

The nib is spelled Gillott with two 't's' but Gillot was a French painter so maybe I wanted to write Claude Gillot's surname with a Gilott nib for this sample, we will never know...I bought this nib (the Gillott 404) because it was recommended as a good nib for beginners. This is where I suck in my breath and tsk, tsk. It's a nice nib and you could technically make much thinner hairlines, but this nib is a bit tricky. I found this could get messy really fast, on the upside if you wanted to make a splotchy lettered piece then this could be a good choice. I had a hard time with skipping and running out of ink fairly quickly, so I would have to dip a lot (thus more margin for splotchy errors). As you can see above, I had a very heavy hand and created something a lot chunkier than I would have liked. One of the tips I learned that you don't find in a lot of books is to take a match to your new nib tip, this burns off the lacquer that is put on at the factory to prevent the nib from rusting. If you don't burn or clean the nib (some suggest using a toothbrush), than the ink doesn't stay in the well (this little well thing is pretty close to magic btw). Another tip that I have been using is cleaning my nibs with unscented baby wipes. It's SO easy, this is how I clean my rubberstamps as well, no mess and I don't have to run downstairs to wash them and then lose them in our sink drain! If you want to see a couple of my current favorite nibs visit this post.

ZEBRA G NIBS:: BEAUTIFUL HAIRLINE STROKES

One of the hardest things to navigate in hand lettering seems to be what nibs to choose. The most frequent answer to my questions have been answered with, "it depends on the person". I understand the gist of that sentiment, because each person holds the pen holder with a different weight and it does depend on many variables, but I still wish someone would give me one concrete suggestion. I am hoping that maybe my experience can at least guide you in the right direction. I am going to pop in with a few pen nibs that I have tried out. My current two favorites are both Japanese nibs, the Nikko G and the Zebra G (they are very similar to each other so if you are having a hard time finding one, try the other). The sample above is with the Zebra G, I love that it can make such beautiful hairline strokes. In calligraphy they refer to nibs as being stiff or flexible (and variations in between). For beginners it seems that a stiffer nib is easier to manipulate. One of the things I really like about this nib is that it is so smooth and doesn't skip, you can have a heavier hand (like I do). The Zebra G's first got popular with Manga artists and have worked their way into a lot of modern calligraphers tool boxes. When I posted a sample image on Instagram two of my fave lettering artists immediately commented that the Zebra G's were their favorites. I think starting a lettering practice with either the Nikko G or Zebra G will be a great start and give you a little confidence in your abilities. Earlier I mentioned variables with nibs and you can't even believe how many subtle nuances can change your lettering outcome such as type of ink, paper, even humidity. Don't give up, change it up! I'll be back later with more samples and nib suggestions. I am no expert, but if you have questions please let me know.

P.S. I almost forgot! I was on Brooklyn Limestone sharing a crazy easy + cool no sew bed skirt D.I.Y.. come visit!

6 REALISTIC CALLIGRAPHY FONTS

There are a ton of beautiful script fonts available but I wanted to try to isolate some of the new calligraphy fonts that feel more close to a 'real' hand. I chose a selection from classic & sophisticated to the more casual and even girly. A lot of these font designers have multiple offerings that may entice you as well. I love fonts, but I do try to keep my font collections to a minimum, too many fonts can slow a computer down and also I am not known for being able to make a quick decision. These are not free fonts, they will take an investment, but I really feel like they are worth it. The bottom one is from the font house Emily Lime a newcomer to the scene, I love everything she is doing and from what I am seeing on the interwebs it seems like a lot of designers feel the same way.

From top to bottom:

Burgues Script//Nelly Script//Jacques & Gilles//Zaner/Belluccia//Bombshell Pro

I have mentioned my friends at Magpie Paperworks prior, but it's worth having another easy to access link for you here to buy their beautiful calligraphy fonts.

P.S. Calligraphy fonts will never replace the beauty of a hand-lettered piece, but I know not everyone has the time + inclination to letter themselves and also you may not have the budget to hire a calligrapher so these fonts are beautiful alternatives.

ARTIST SABINE::PICK ME

I have had the image of the beautiful model with Italian script floating across it on my inspiration board for two moves, basically for-like-ever. I just love the effortless hand; loose, sophisticated and uncontrived. I first found the image on a Tumblr blog (where you can usually find no information about content source) and I had NO idea who it was, then to my complete and utter delight the genius behind the creation left a comment here. Yes, you read that right, she left a comment here, on this little blog and I was able to finally give her the kudos she deserves. Not that she needs my kudos as luxury companies such as Audi and Collette Dinnegan have already hired her hand for their projects. Sabine, of Pick Me an Australian based company is the artist and I just love it all. I couldn't find much about her from her site, but I now know she has done magazine covers (wow) and the name Sabine is perfect for someone with such artistic inclinations, doesn't it just sound like the person behind the name should be doing something wildly creative? I hope you like this find, you can visit her site here (a Paper & Ideas Studio) and see a bit more of her work. I shall be back later with more lettering tips and the like so stay tuned...

On a more somber note, it is 9-11 today, which always brings back a traumatic time in my life (as it does for many). It was a turning point that was forced upon me, but really set the ball in motion of who I am today and how my life has been lived and turned out thus far. As the great Winston Churchill has been quoted as saying, "If you are going through hell--keep going". I agree. If anyone reading this is going through a dark time, just know it is temporary, it will pass and you will come out the other end a better person, even if it doesn't seem like it right now. My wish for you today is to have a beautiful, wonderful and unforgettable day filled with possibility, love and laughter (lots and lots of laughter).

LETTERING LOVE

Oh, what a week this is going to be for me-BUSY! I decided since it will be such a whirlwind week that I would dedicate this entire week to lettering (thus getting myself a bit organized). I am getting SO many emails with specific questions and I can't answer everyone individually (although I would love to). I will be covering dip pen nibs that I have been using, books, resources, new to me lettering artists, favorite calligraphy/hand lettering fonts and of course some downloads. I hope you enjoy this week and it answers some of your many questions. I will be back to my usual chaotic blog next week!

LISA ELDRIDGE:: SUPERMODEL MAKE-UP SECRETS

I often times feel like the internet is nirvana for my every whim + curiosity. If one day I am interested in classic book endpaper patterns or the next I am curious about Venetian glass pens I can very well find someone waxing poetic on those seemingly obscure subjects. If I want to know the secrets of how a famous make-up artist makes my favorite models and starlets look flawless well that's usually a little harder to find, until that is I discovered the fantastic+ talented Lisa Eldridge. Lisa has decided to share her over 20 years experience as a make-up artist with us mere mortals via video tutorials. She herself could have easily been one of the starlets she works on she is that captivating. I stayed up the previous evening watching every one of her videos until my computer decided to call it a night at around 3:00 a.m. This morning in an excited fervor to try out some of the techniques I learned I went a bit overboard. My cheeks were a little too rosy and I was a little heavy handed on the eye shadow (I never wear it so I suppose I need some practice). When I was walking the girls with my husband this morning I saw him giving me quizzical side glances. "What?", I asked, "Do you love my new make-up?" He scrunched up his nose and pushed his glasses higher on his bridge before he answered, "I think it's a little much," he answered matter-of-factly. Wherein he circled the area around my visage with his pointer finger to indicate exactly what he considered was 'too much'. I ordinarily would have stormed off even though I know that he is often right about these things, but I just laughed. I knew I was a little too enthusiastic with my new found beauty knowledge. With any new skill, it takes time, although Lisa does make it look very simple. I think once I have come down off my internet high I will be able to actually re-create some of her 'no make-up, make-up' looks, which is her signature and which I would like to be mine. I would love for people to think I have naturally flawless skin, long lashes, a pretty pout and a rosy glow, wouldn't you? My favorite part of the video series is she tells you exactly what cosmetics she uses to achieve the look and what tools she uses, she'll even give you alternate options to make them easier to find. I am crazy for this resource and hope you will be too. Have a happy weekend!

POP-UP POND

I was a little pre-occupied today completing a tutorial for another blog (not my own), that I neglected to work on the lettering post I had planned. In a perfect world I would be incredibly organized and have posts written weeks in advance, but the world is not perfect, nor am I. I am sure it will come as no surprise to you that I write my posts on the fly each day. I like to think that I am being spontaneous but really I am being lazy. The whole not having a particular subject on a particular day has kept me in 'fly' mode, but I think that this year, maybe even this month I plan to get a little more organized here. I thought I would start with Thursday being my Lettering post day, but obviously today I failed you and myself. Not to fret, Friday is upon us and I shall write a nice big one tomorrow with loads of links! These photos are of a rogue pond off the side of the road; a road that my husband and I take to get to the grocery store. It's so odd that it pops up out of nowhere. The pond is sandwiched between two houses and nearly abutts the road. I always worry that someone (hopefully not me) will accidentally drive right into it. I have been wanting to get a shot of it for awhile, but asking my husband when he's on a mission to get somewhere to pull over on the side of the road so I can take photos is usually futile. On Monday he was feeling generous with his time and acquiesced but kept screaming, 'be careful', which only made me feel jumpy and ill at ease. Standing in front of that pond is scary, it's as large as a lake and I don't know the difference except I don't think lakes are covered in lily pads. I saw a movement in the water and my husband said it was probably 'crocs'. I know he was just teasing but being that close to the pond/lake with the potential for a giant fanged dinosaur- like creature to pop its head out of the water and eat me for breakfast didn't sound like a good time. So, I turned on my heels and ran back to the car, until next time when I am feeling a little more brave.

HANK + HUNT

This is Jenny Batt the mastermind behind the blog Hank + Hunt. You may have already pinned a zillion of her D.I.Y.'s she's pretty clever + crafty (and busy). I have wanted to recommend her blog previously, not that I am in the habit of recommending blogs, but Jenny's got a great voice and is just so darn creative. When I went to do this last time it looked like Jenny was going to stop blogging and then I thought, what horrible timing I have. She since has continued her blogging journey and I am so glad she has! Look at that photo, why wouldn't you want to read a blog by such a pretty, happy lady? One of my favorite things about her blog is how honest she is; she shares her sources, her secrets and frustrations and it makes her so much more real and accessible. It reminds me of the bloggers of yore who let you in on their lives so you didn't feel like they had everything perfectly 'together'. I have no idea why this industry has become about the 'Jones' who can do bigger, better more whatever, but Jenny brings it back, makes the D.I.Y.'s easy enough that even the novice crafter can partake and have success. I read an interview recently from a big blogger that said blogging is dying, that it's a chore for her and the blogging world is over saturated, she wouldn't recommend anyone start a blog now. When I read a blog like Jenny's I am glad she doesn't subscribe to this 'big bloggers' philosophy, because I think everyone has a unique perspective and I am grateful that people like Jenny are taking the time to create interesting and exciting content. It's fun to discover a new favorite blog and want to Pin or (bookmark for the old school) every.single. post. I hope you go visit Hank + Hunt and add it to your weekly reads, it sure would be nice to have her stick around a wee bit longer.

P.S. Jenny just added a visual search to her blog for her amazing DIY's!

BEST MADE CO.

It started out with an axe, that is the very humble beginnings of this amazing New York company. I love everything about this shop from the brand name to the mission of re-inventing + re-branding everyday functional items into more beautiful sleek versions of themselves. I don't need anything from this shop but I sure as heck have a laundry list of 'wants'. You should visit, it's a visual feast for your inner graphic designer. Visit Best Made Co. here.

SUMMER STORM::CLOUD STUDY

I love to get lost in the clouds, just staring and watching the rolling waves of fluff move and create familiar shapes. I thought it would be interesting to get the storm clouds in different phases for you. The first one I can totally see a heart, is that just me? The sky is just starting to darken but it's a pretty deep indigo, the clouds are still bright white, there's hope that the storm will pass. Alas, the second image the clouds start to congregate, darken and push out the last of the blue in the sky, the sun rays peek through but it's all in vain as the clouds are on a mission; when they put their mind to it nothing can stop them. The final photo my world is cloaked in shades of gray, the sound of thunder makes the house shake--it's storm time.

Last night may not have been the worse storm since we have been here but it certainly was the loudest! I had B. wrapped up in her Thunder coat, a magical invention if there ever was one. I laid there in the dark just listening to the roar of the thunder, the lightening bright even behind my closed lids. I love the sound of the rain, the cool breeze that wafts into the bedroom through the open window; the smell of wet earth, wood and pine is not too shabby either. It's supposed to rain all week, so I will have lots of time to take in more clouds, smells and sounds. I think I might even take some time this week to paint. I am certainly feeling inspired and the cloud study is definitely a beautiful reference point, but I won't try to recreate it as I think that Mother Nature already perfected those images and I could do nothing to add to their beauty but I have some ideas that I want to play with and besides it's always a good time when you break out the paints and just lose yourself for a few hours, I highly recommend it. I am finding that studying painting helps me to become a better photographer, you notice light in new ways and you know I love me some good light. You? Will you be doing anything for yourself this week? Something creative or trying something new? It's a short week it should fly by, it might be nice to take a little time for just you.