Search Results for: calligraphy

My Wedding

My husband Andrew and I were married on a beautiful Sunday afternoon just outside of Washington, DC.  We planned a vintage-inspired garden wedding that we hoped would feel like a big, fun dinner party for 50 of our closest family and friends.  To stay within our modest budget and to personalize our wedding as much as possible, we incorporated DIY elements and projects throughout the ceremony and reception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{all photographs by Punam Bean}

From this day on, I choose you to be my wife/husband…

To live with you and laugh with you

to stand by your side and to sleep in your arms.

To be the joy to your heart and peace to your soul.

To bring out the best in you always

And to be the most that I can for you.

I will follow you anywhere,

From the driest desert to the tallest mountain to the farthest city.

I will love, honor, and cherish you

in sickness and in health for all the days of my life.

May these vows and this marriage be blessed.

May it be sweet milk,

this marriage, like wine and halvah.

May this marriage offer fruit and shade

like the date palm.

May this marriage be full of laughter,

our every day a day in paradise.

May this marriage be a sign of compassion,

a seal of happiness here and hereafter.

May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,

an omen as welcome

as the moon in a clear blue sky.

I am out of words to describe

how spirit mingles in this marriage.

– Rumi, This Marriage – Ode 2667

For a list of wedding blessings by Rumi, please click here

Our wedding team:

Venue – Woodlawn Manor
Catering – BasiKneads Catering
Cakes – CakeLove
Officiant – Cantor Jan Morrison, Columbia Jewish Congregation
Invitations – Cricket Press
Calligraphy – Laura Hooper Calligraphy
Day of Coordination – Jasmine Smith
Bride’s Attire – Monique Lhuillier “Claire” Dress
Groom’s Attire – J. Crew
Photography – Punam Bean*
Floral Arrangements – Amaryllis*

*I experienced significant issues while working with both Amaryllis and Punam Bean and am unable to recommend them to other DC-area couples.  Please visit United With Love for a full list of DC-area wedding professionals.  I am also happy to provide a short list of recommendations upon request.

Submissions

Oh So Beautiful Paper accepts submissions from independent artists, graphic designers, calligraphers, stationers and invitation studios. Please read the full submission guidelines below before submitting your product or editorial submission for consideration. Any submission that incorrectly spells the word stationery will be automatically rejected.

Oh So Beautiful Paper warmly welcomes submissions in the following areas:

  • Editorial submissions (custom invitations and announcements, calligraphy, behind the stationery, etc.)
  • Stationery Product Submissions (greeting cards, notebooks, art prints, gift wrap, pens, etc.)
  • Holiday Cards + Calendars (please see below for our seasonal product submissions and editorial calendar)

Please note, Oh So Beautiful Paper respectfully does not accept the following for editorial consideration:

  • Press Releases
  • PDFs or digital mock ups
  • Kickstarter campaigns

Oh So Beautiful Paper is dedicated to showcasing fresh and original content, particularly features on custom design projects and real wedding invitations. Editorial priority will be given to products or designs submitted exclusively to Oh So Beautiful Paper. Please indicate in your email if your submission is currently awaiting decision from another blog or media outlet. Oh So Beautiful Paper reserves the right to reject submissions that have already been submitted or featured elsewhere. Exclusivity requirements do not apply to seasonal stationery products such as holiday cards and calendars.

Due to the high volume of submissions, we are currently unable to respond with regrets for product submissions (greeting cards, shop updates, etc.). If necessary, we will contact you for additional information regarding your submission.

 

Product Submissions

  • If you think your product would suit the Oh So Beautiful Paper audience, please email us with a link to your website/shop and 5-8 attached product images.
  • All images should be 1280 pixels wide and 72 dpi. Please do not send links to image folders on Google drive, dropbox folders, or online galleries.
  • Strong preference for product images against a white background. Styled product photos are also acceptable, but may not work for product round up posts.
  • If this is your first submission, please include a short description of your company.

 

Seasonal Product Submissions

Designers are welcome to submit their products for consideration in seasonal stationery product round-ups. Normal image guidelines apply; please submit one photo of each holiday card. Oh So Beautiful Paper currently does seasonal features on the following products:

  • Calendars
  • Planners
  • Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s cards
  • Valentine’s Day cards
  • Easter cards
  • Mother’s Day cards
  • Father’s Day cards
  • Halloween cards

Please submit cards 1-2 months prior to the actual holiday (e.g. Valentine’s Day cards should be submitted no later than early January). I accept Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s card submissions beginning in mid-October. I accept calendar and planner submissions for the following year beginning in August.

Designer Rolodex Submissions

The Designer Rolodex is a curated, invitation-only directory of wedding invitation designers.  You can find more information and an application link right here.

For our full editorial policy, please visit my policies page. If you are interested in advertising on Oh So Beautiful Paper, please click here to request a copy of our ad rates.

Note: Oh So Beautiful Paper reserves the right to edit any photos submitted for editorial consideration, including but not limited to: cropping, re-sizing, brightening, and hue/saturation adjustments. Oh So Beautiful Paper also reserves the right to edit descriptive text submitted for editorial consideration, including but not limited to spelling and grammar corrections.

Thank you!

Have you previously been featured on Oh So Beautiful Paper?  Feel free to download one of our badges here!

Online Art Classes We Can All Do At Home

Wildfield Paper Co Watercolor Swatches

Image via Wildfield Paper Co.

Hi friends. How are you all holding up? Hopefully everyone is safe and quarantining at home, and during these uncertain times I know some of us are looking to the arts to help us de-stress and pass the time at home. So for those of you looking for online art classes we can all do at home – primarily calligraphy, painting, illustration, and printmaking classes – I thought I’d share a few of my faves for you!

 

Written Word Calligraphy

Image via Written Word Calligraphy

CALLIGRAPHY

  • Calligraphy is so meditative and therapeutic – and there’s so much you can do with it once you master the skill! After teaching more than a thousand students through sold-out in person workshops, Karla Lim from Written Word Calligraphy just launched her first online workshop! Karla worked really hard to make her in-person workshops completely virtual, with printable worksheets, notes for troubleshooting, group live sessions, private Facebook groups, and feedback from Karla to help students get where they want to be. Enrollment is only open until April 14 – sign up right here!

 

 

  • For those of you looking for a full introduction into all things calligraphy, I highly recommend the Modern Calligraphy Summit! There are two installments so far – Modern Calligraphy Summit 1.0 and Modern Calligraphy Summit 2.0 –and the classes including brush lettering, invitation design, envelope layouts, basic copperplate, writing on non-traditional surfaces, digitizing watercolor illustrations, and so much more! And as much as an in-person workshop would be totally amazing, it’s just as incredible to be able to learn from so many talented calligraphers from the comfort of your own home. The Modern Calligraphy Summit also includes handy templates and handouts, a private Facebook community to support you as you learn, and lifetime access to all the amazing content so you can go back and watch the videos as many times as you need to practice and get the hang of things. Enroll right here!

 

Carolyn Gavin

Image via Carolyn Gavin

PAINTING + ILLUSTRATION

  • For those of you who enjoy watercolor painting, the Watercolor Summit is right up your alley. Learn how to mix custom colors, paint landscapes and skies, florals of every variety, and even animals with layers and depth with over sixteen hours of instruction from teachers like Jenna Rainey and Annie Mertlich of Wildfield Paper Co. The Watercolor Summit includes a list of recommended supplies, a private Facebook community, and lifetime access to all the course materials. There’s also a bonus pack just focused on Annie’s botanical paintings and a full second installment of the Watercolor Summit focused on gouache painting coming on May 11! Enroll right here!

 

  • If you already have all your supplies and want to learn how to paint specific kinds of flowers, a few of my favorite watercolor artists offer more detailed classes on their own channels. Watercolor artist Yao Cheng has several classes on Creativebug, while Jenna Rainey also has a ton of video tutorials on her YouTube channel, covering everything from anemones to peonies to leaves!

 

 

 

  • And since many of us are staying indoors these days, landscape painting could be a great way to remember our favorite places – or the places we plan to visit when it’s safe to travel! I’ve always been drawn to loose Impressionist-style landscapes. This landscape painting class uses oil paints, but you can totally follow along in acrylics or watercolor depending on your preference.

 

 

Katharine Watson

Image via Katharine Watson

PRINTMAKING

  • I took a printmaking class back in college and absolutely loved it – I’ve been wanting to get back into it ever since, and I would love to teach my girls when they’re a bit older! I’m definitely signing up for this linoleum block printing class from one of my favorite printmaking artists, Katharine Watson and this monoprinting class from Courtney Cerutti.

 

  • I took a Suminagashi paper marbling class a couple years ago and it was SO fun – and incredibly meditative. My 6 year old took the class with me and also loved it, so it’s kid friendly for those of you with artistically-inclined kids! I was thrilled to find this online version that anyone can take at home. 

 

Happy learning everyone!

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphed Stationery Inspiration

A bit of dark and moody stationery inspiration is kind of perfect for winter, don’t you think? Embrace the coziness of shorter winter days and the sparkle of the holiday season with some romantic black, white, and gold calligraphed stationery inspiration from Kristin at Lustre Theory – featuring the gorgeous calligraphy of Seniman Calligraphy and dreamy handmade paper from Fringe & Rose. You’ll find a few of my favorite things in this inspirational suite, from beautiful gold wax to a moody floral envelope liner and shimmery gold ink on black envelopes. So pretty!

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

From Kristin: I wanted to create stationery inspiration that was dark and whimsical but still had romantic tones to it. Almost gothic in style. The styling of this suite was very important to give it those mysterious moody vibes. I used black linen fabric for the background but chose an off white cheese cloth to add texture and help the black paper pieces stand out more.

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

The cotton rag paper is handmade by Fringe and Rose. I chose this particular paper because of its loose uneven edges and textured surface. The wax seals are messier than you might normally see, with drops and dribbles. I just let the wax burn right off the stick and drip directly onto the paper and ribbon, creating those black flecks you see in the gold.

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

If you look close enough you’ll see the script text on the cotton paper pieces is a quote from “The Tell-Tale Heart” By Edgar Allan Poe – because, details!

“It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees –very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.”
The Tell-Tale Heart – By Edgar Allan Poe

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Romantic Black, White, and Gold Calligraphy Stationery Inspiration by Lustre Theory with Seniman Calligraphy on Fringe & Rose Handmade Paper

Thanks Kristin!

 

Stationery Design: Lustre Theory

Handmade Paper: Fringe & Rose

Envelopes: Cards & Pockets

Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy

Ribbon: Silk & Willow

 

 

Photo Credits: Lustre Theory

2019 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Creatives

It’s time for our annual gift guides – starting with gift ideas for creatives! I try not to duplicate items from year to year, so please do go back and check out the gift guides from previous years if you’re searching for the perfect gift for a creative person in your life. There are tons of great ideas in there, from creative tools to classes. This year’s gift guide features two things I desperately want for myself (the pink camera strap and insulated coffee mug), the cutest magnetic letterboard, and a bunch of books!

2019 Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Creatives

1. Votes for Women pin from And Here We Are. Wear it proudly in 2020!

2. I love the colors of these magnetic boards from The Type Set Co., and the magnetic letters are SO much easier than traditional letterboards. 

3. + 4. Know someone who wants to learn calligraphy or watercolor painting, but doesn’t have easy access to classes or workshops? Books are the perfect solution! Molly Suber Thorpe’s new book, Mastering Modern Calligraphy, is perfect for intermediate calligraphers, while Jenna Rainey’s Everyday Watercolor Flowers teaches the basics for creating a variety of beautiful watercolor blooms. 

5. The prettiest camera strap EVER. Comes in a variety of colors and styles, and can even be customized with initials or logos!

6. Every creative person I know listens to podcasts and music all. day. long. Keep those airpods close with these beautiful cases from Rifle Paper Co.

7. I have a Zojirushi travel coffee mug that keeps my coffee warm when I’m out and about, but I really want one of these insulated Yeti mugs for when I’m working at home! They come in so many beautiful colors. 

8. I’ve been obsessed with these magic flags from Secret Holiday Co. for a couple years now. This cyan blue is so pretty and there’s also an ochre version!

9. More books! I love gifting books for any type of design enthusiast. We’ve got Paris by Design and Travel Home for global design enthusiasts, along with Grit by Angela Duckworth and Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller for entrepreneurs looking to take their creative businesses to the next level.

10. Creatives can never have too many notebooks and notepads! I love these new metallic Field Notes notebooks and the sentiment behind this notepad from People I’ve Loved.

11. Vintage stamps are essential for stationery styling. Angela Liguori sells the most perfect little bags of gorgeous international vintage stamps!