Playful watercolor illustrations and greeting card designs from new exhibitor Party Sally!
Search Results for: watercolor
About
Welcome! Oh So Beautiful Paper is a leading lifestyle and design blog that makes beautiful design accessible to everyone. Since 2008, we’ve been sharing awesome entertaining and DIY ideas, gorgeous paper goods, beautiful wedding invitations, home décor inspiration, and original cocktail recipes. We’re all about bringing an extra dose of fun and beauty to everyday life. Please have a look around – I hope you enjoy our posts and archives! You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
About Oh So Beautiful Paper
Launched in 2008, Oh So Beautiful Paper reaches an audience of more than 100,000 unique monthly viewers and is a daily read for creative people around the world. Oh So Beautiful Paper also has a loyal social media following, with more than 150,000 Facebook fans, 58,000 Pinterest followers, 16,000 Twitter followers, and 62,000 Instagram followers. Our pins on Pinterest reach an average of 4.2 million monthly viewers, and pins from Oh So Beautiful Paper reach an average of 435,000 daily viewers.
Oh So Beautiful Paper readers value beauty and fantastic design, and they want beautiful things in all aspects of their lives. Our readers are interested in everyday design, DIY projects, food and cocktails, home décor, fashion, travel, and more. 85% of Oh So Beautiful Paper readers are female, and the majority of readers are between the ages of 25 and 34.
Interested in working together? Oh So Beautiful Paper offers sponsored content opportunities (blog posts and social media posts), traditional sidebar banner ads, and styling work (prop and food styling). We’ve worked with a variety of brands, from small independent stationery and design studios to large ‘household name’ brands, including Home Depot, Post-it Brand, Fiskars, and My M&MS. Get in touch with us here for more info!
Photo by Charlie-Juliet Photography
About Founder + Editor Nole Garey
Hi everyone! I’m Nole Garey, and I like to say that I’m a recovering diplomat turned full time creative blogger. I previously worked in international diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State from 2003 – 2010 before leaving to pursue Oh So Beautiful Paper full time. I hold a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University (where I met my husband Andrew), but I’ve been passionate about design and all things paper my entire life.
I fell in love with the world of wedding invitations and stationery while planning my May 2008 Washington, DC wedding and started Oh So Beautiful Paper in large part to help connect other engaged couples with talented designers. Andrew and I welcomed our first daughter Sophie (you can see her awesome birth announcements here) in 2012 and our second daughter Alice (you can see her beautiful birth announcements here) in 2014. We currently live in Washington DC’s Capitol Hill neighborhood with several adorable cats.
Our Philosophy
At Oh So Beautiful Paper, we believe that stationery is an extension of your personal style. It’s a nice and all too rare treat to come home to a handwritten letter or card. We believe sending paper – taking the time to buy, write, and send a card – has enormous interpersonal value. Sending handwritten mail has become a signifier: a mark of the importance and value that the sender places on the relationship with the recipient.
We believe stationery has a role to play in a beautiful lifestyle. Our goal is to help you find paper products that represent you and your personality, whether you live in DC or California or Australia, while also helping to support local businesses, small businesses, and eco-friendly businesses. It might not seem so at first glance, but stationery supports all of these goals. We’re not focused on the mass market, but on stationery that is unique and different, just like you and me.
In The Press
New York Times (June 2016)
The Chronicle Herald (January 2017)
Brides Magazine (April 2011 and November 2012)
Southern Weddings (2010, 2011, and 2014)
Stationery Trends Magazine
Online
The Huffington Post: Caipirinha Recipes You Should Be Downing During the World Cup (06/2014)
The Etsy Blog: Guest Curator, Stationery to Make You Smile (05/2014)
Imbibe: The Summer Rose Cocktail Recipe (03/2014)
The Huffington Post: Brunch Cocktails: Booze Recipes for the Time Between Breakfast and Lunch (08/2013)
The National Stationery Show: Capture Press Attention with Booth Design (03/2012)
The Etsy Blog: Guest Curator (09/2010)
Contributing Editors
Emily Blistein / Hello Brick + Mortar
Emily Blistein owns Clementine, a little shop in Middlebury, Vermont where she curates an ever-changing collection of goods to help feather your nest, delight your loved ones and swaddle your little ones. She is a letterpress admirer, typewriter enthusiast, recovering lawyer and lobbyist for women’s health, advocate for small businesses and cheerleader for things handmade. She lives with four boys (aged toddler to husband), is an ENFP (which explains why having a brick & mortar is heaven), and she really, really likes to laugh.
View all of Emily’s Brick + Mortar posts right here!
Megan Soh / Behind the Stationery
Megan is obsessed with beautiful stationery, which makes her the perfect author for our Behind the Stationery column! You can find Megan on her blog, Petitely, and on Instagram.
View all of Megan’s Behind the Stationery posts right here!
Andrew Whitehead / Cocktail Contributor
Andrew Whitehead is a DC-based cocktail enthusiast (and just happens to be Nole’s husband). You can find him on Instagram, where he shares cocktail recipes and a behind-the-scenes peek into his liquorary concoctions.
View all of Andrew’s cocktail posts right here!
About The Design
The design and layout of Oh So Beautiful Paper® was created by Nole with hand lettering and watercolor graphics by Liz Libre of Linda & Harriett and web development by Eli Van Zoeren. For those of you obsessed with pretty fonts like me, I have featured many of of the fonts used on Oh So Beautiful Paper in a weekly column here. If you have any questions or would like to say hello, please email me!
Thanks for visiting!
……………..
Online Art Classes We Can All Do At Home
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!
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!
- Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls is another one of my favorite calligraphers and has a couple of calligraphy classes over on Creativebug! Her calligraphy on unconventional surfaces class covers techniques for writing with calligraphy on unconventional surfaces, like wood and chalkboard, using acrylic paint, gouache and chalk.
- 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!
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!
- If acrylics are more your speed, I’m intrigued by this Loose Floral Acrylic Painting class with Australian-based artist Claire Bremner. The colors are so fun, and the loose painting style is super accessible for beginners. She also has this Expressive Floral Artwork class!
- Speaking of bold, bright colors, I was absolutely delighted to discover this gouache and watercolor painting class from one of my favorite artists, Carolyn Gavin. It’s geared more towards intermediate level artists, with a focus on flowers, fruit, and natural objects. The class includes 31 days of video instruction and painting prompts – enough to keep you busy for a while! And for beginners, this gouache painting class from Heather Ross looks like fun!
- 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.
- If you’re looking to develop your line drawing skills, Lisa Congdon has a whole range of classes over on Creativebug, including a month-long daily drawing challenge and a4-part basic line drawing class.
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!
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!
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!
Modern Calligraphy Summit and Watercolor Summit 2019 Enrollment!
Hiiiii!!!! I’m still here! Are you still here? We have so much to talk about! I’m hoping to get back into a more regular blogging schedule once my kids go back to school next week, but in the meantime I wanted to quickly pop in here and let you know that enrollment for BOTH the Modern Calligraphy Summit AND Watercolor Summit are open from now until August 30! If you’re interested in learning either calligraphy or watercolor painting techniques, you’ll definitely want to read below for more info. Yay!
Image by Jenna Rainey – one of the talented instructors!
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, the Modern Calligraphy Summit offers the most amazing group of online calligraphy classes from every single calligrapher that I would want to learn from in person if I had the opportunity, including Anne Robin Calligraphy, Lauren Saylor of A Fabulous Fete, Karla Lim of Written Word Calligraphy, and so many more. 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 two bonus LIVE Q&A sessions with the instructors in January. And of course LIFETIME ACCESS to all the amazing content, so even if you can’t start the course material right now you can pick it up at your convenience – or go back and watch the videos as many times as you need to practice and get the hang of things!
I’ve heard from so many people who have benefited from these courses since the summit first launched in 2016, and now is your chance to learn calligraphy and watercolor at home! Enrollment is only open for a few days each year. You can even sign up for BOTH calligraphy summits and get $100 off! You can enroll in the Modern Calligraphy Summit here and the Watercolor Summit right here. Go, go, go!
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links, you’ll help support Oh So Beautiful Paper while also learning the beautiful arts of calligraphy and watercolor painting! I only recommend products that I truly love and trust that you’ll love, too. My full disclosure policy can be found here.