Archive for B loves
Butterfly Tags by AmyLiz
I love these oh so cute butterfly tags made for me by Etsy seller AmyLiz, who by the way is fantastic! I used them to calligraph wedding quotes in our Ashley and Taylor styles. These tags will be used in an upcoming project of ours. Stay tuned for more details!
Crane’s Lettra Envelopes
Many of our clients are not from the Toronto area. They ship their material to us and opening their packages is like opening a gift. We never really know exactly what kind of material we’re going to get to work with.
Whenever I open a package and see the blue Crane & Co stationery box I get all excited. Crane’s Lettra paper is 100% cotton and kind of feels like fabric. The paper is incredibly soft and luxurious and it is specifically designed for letterpress printing. It’s fibers do make it a little more difficult to work with a calligraphy nib pen. However, I’ve developed a technique of working with Lettra and the end result is fantastic. The ink floats on top of the material creating a raised ink feel to the touch… a great compliment to paper that’s most often used with letterpress.
Seals of Love
I love wax seals!
According to wikipedia, wax seals were used in the 16th century for security purposes. They prevented tampering and proof that a letter was actually from the real sender. Today, wax seals are no longer needed for such purposes but can still be used to add an elegant touch to your wedding invitations.
Here are some tips to get you started:
1. You need to purchase a stamper to create the impression. Michaels has a selection of inexpensive stampers in wedding symbols (love doves, hearts, bells, …) and alphabet initials. If you want something more unique or one custom made you can check out Ebay or Etsy.
2. Purchase faux sealing wax for use in a mini glue gun - Faux sealing wax is flexible and won’t crack like real wax. Michaels also sells this type of wax, but has limited colours. I have purchased from Seasons Creationson Ebay before and they have a ton of colours to choose from.
3. Don’t make your seal too fat- If you do then your envelope will be over-sized and you’ll have to pay for extra postage.
4. Rub a bit of cooking oil onto the stamper - I’ve found that after using the stamper a few times, it’ll begin to stick to the wax. Rub a bit of oil onto the stamper - just a little is all you need and the stamper will peal off the wax easily
5. Buy extra envelopes - It may take a little bit of time to get use to the stamper and wax at first. Be sure to buy some extra envelopes because if you don’t get tip 4 right (see above) then you may end up ripping some envelopes when trying to pull the stamper apart from the wax.
6. Buy pre-made wax seals- If you’re not in a DIY mood you can always purchase pre-made wax seals. They’re like stickers you just peel off and stick to your envelopes.
Stationery Love
When I started doing handwritten calligraphy one of the common questions I was asked was “Why? Isn’t that what computers are for?” So to answer this question, let me give you a bit of background about myself:
Call me a bona-fide pack rat but I’m one of those gals that has kept every single card - birthday, wedding, Christmas, invitation, you name it - that I’ve ever received. (see pic below)
I converted a shoebox into my “stationary” box (yes I know, it’s misspelled - see pic below) when I was a kid and to this day it is still filled with the hello kitty and morning glory stationery I used to collect.
Perhaps my love of stationery came from the days a few of my childhood friends moved away and we kept in touch through snail mail. I used to decorate my stationery with colouful lettering and pictures. Of course this all stopped with the invention of the Internet.
So for those that ask why I do what some call a dying art? It’s because of my love of stationery. I love seeing a beautiful card in my mailbox, in between the junk mail and bills. I know I’m not the only one. I do Calligraphy for those brides who will appreciate a beautifully addressed invitation. Who will gush over a custom postage stamp, a wax seal or a letterpress invitation. And for the fellow pack rats that will keep a gorgeous envelope that was addressed to them. =)
Featuring: ABCD Designs Bespoke Stationery
I first encountered ABCD Designs Bespoke Stationery when I was scouring the www for someone to design my wedding thank you notes. My first reaction was: “Darn… I wish I found ABCD earlier on. I would have had her create my ENTIRE wedding stationery wardrobe.”
Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo (ABCD) is an artist, designer and stylist living in New York City. She designs some of the most unique stationery pieces I’ve ever seen. After a complete style consultation, the designs are created from scratch to tell your story and reflect your own personality and style. Hence, the term Bespoke Stationery!
Be sure to check out ABCD’s website and daily sketch book for stationery that is sure to become a treasured token for your special event. For now, here’s some gorgeous eye candy:
