New ornament styles

Well, since I'm starting to have return clients with additional children or other reasons to need an ornament, I thought it was time to offer some new styles.

This is a new traditional style one. You can purchase this one here

And this my new Winter Wonderland style. This could also be used as a new baby boy ornament. You can purchase this one here. I've also been asked to create a 25th Anniversary ornament, and one for pets. I hope I get to them soon, but we'll see what the holidays bring.

Until next time, and hopefully, sooner rather than later.

Jen

I broke out my Rapidiograph pen

One day I posted on my Facebook page that I was searching through my drafting supplies looking for a Rapidiograph pen. I told anyone who knew what that was to holler. A couple people knew, and a shout out to my friend Jan Hurst, who aptly called it “like a Micron only more trouble.”

The project that I was working on was a guest sign in sheet. The bride and groom wanted the monogram from their wedding invitation reproduced on the top of the document. The monogram just happened to be inside of double circles. My first attempt was to just draw the circles freehand. I did not like the result. No matter what I did, it just kept getting worse. You know it’s bad when I bring artwork up for the hubby to look at and give an opinion.

I just didn’t want to do the entire thing over. It was finished, except for those ugly circles. Then I finally realized that I could just do the center circle over, cut it out and paste it on top. But, I still had to find something that I could make a perfect, even circle with. Hubby grabbed various round cups and things looking for the perfect size.

I started searching for my drafting supplies. I found the Rapidiograph and some circle templates, but none were large enough. I took a break. While away from the house, I remembered that I had a circle ruler that I’d bought at a calligraphy conference several years ago. Woo Hoo! I had my solution. Now, to fill that darn pen, but, oh wait, the ink made for the pen was all separated and all that squirted out was something that looked like oil. Ok, so let’s try the Sumi that I used in the rest of the artwork. Ta da! it worked. Suddenly, I could draw perfect circles. Nice. 

This is the pen and the now, perfect circle. I once had a job where using a Rapidiograph was a daily occurrence.

Now, to just re-do the inside monogram.

Here is the finished project. I’m extremely pleased with how this guest sign-in sheet turned out and will soon be offering it as 

an item in my Etsy shop.

Until next time.

Jen

Three years in the making

Yes, this project took 3 years to finish. I started it while I was pregnant with Evie. I wanted to have it done for her nursery.

I bought the letters. Painted the sides of the letters. Picked the scrapbook papers, cut them out and glued them on. Selected some of the embellishments, and then I got stuck.

I couldn’t figure out how I wanted to finish them. Every birthday that rolled around I vowed to get them done. Well, this year, I had some time between Christmas and New Years, and finally decided how and what to do to finish them.

I asked my hubby to show me how to use his Dremel tool because I wanted to rough up / soften the edges of the letters. He put a sanding disc on the tool and I had at it one afternoon. After that I used my brown pan pastels to darken the edges and make them look old. This was the part that I was stuck on. I’d wanted to try to do this in white, but I just didn’t think it would look right.

More recently, I bought one of these 7 Gypsies small trays. They hold one 4x6 photo and has cubbies for other things. This was a small enough project that I thought I could get done in a short amount of time. Sure enough, perfect baby photo, some floral accents, her hospital baby bracelet and a large pink ‘E.’ Done.

The letters are hung by some pink ribbon and the tray rope is from one of her baby shower bags. Yes, I’ve cut up bits and pieces of the baby shower bags to use in scrapbooks, if I ever get caught up enough to work on one.

My calligraphy friends will probably notice the one little thing that will probably bug me forever, but I really didn't see it until I was almost finished. Can you find it? But, I felt a real sense of accomplishment finishing and hanging those darn letters.

Until next time.

Jen

Family reunion T-shirt design

So, we are getting ready to leave for a weekend at Virginia Beach. It's what I have been calling a 'mini' family reunion, since it's just us cousins attending. My sister thought it would be neat to make matching T-shirts for everyone. At the time of the original idea I could have had them printed, but life got in the way and I ended up making them.

First I looked for a clip art design that I could alter and add to. I found a couple possibilities, then I created the lettering.

I did the lettering with a folded ruling pen and a Mitchell #4 or 5 nib. I used the colors that I used in the clip art design and Dr. Martin's Tech inks. Dipping in the different colors so they would blend a little.

Next I had to scan the lettering in and manipulate it in Photoshop. The clip art was an Illustrator file that I saved as an eps so that I could open it in Photoshop. I won't get too technical, but here is the final design.

I had purchased white T-shirts for $2 each at Michaels when they were on sale last week. I also used an iron on transfer paper for light fabrics by Jolee's. I was skeptical but had little time for experimentation. The directions said to use an inkjet printer and then iron them on. It was great to load the design onto the Jolee's Website and print from there, because it automatically reversed the design so that it would be right reading once ironed on.

This is the result.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. The color is great, the lettering and clip art seem to match pretty well, and it was pretty easy to do. Just a little time consuming, but all in all I did the shirts for about $3-$4 each. I can't wait to do our group photo on the beach, oh and thank goodness I only had 18 to do. Ok, 19 since I messed up and got one wrong size shirt. Ugh.

Until next time. Jen

Escort cards vs. Place cards

Ok, it’s a little embarrassing admitting this, but, lately I’ve noticed brides asking about my doing escort cards. Well, yes, of course I do them, I just have assumed that meant place cards. Then a recent bride had both! I finally had to ask her when I met her what the difference was.

Evidently, escort cards are a card with a table number on it, which is then placed into an envelope with a person or couples name on it. These would be available for pick up at the cocktail portion of the reception.

Place cards are the usual tent (ie: fold in half) cards that are placed at each place setting at the table.

Here are the escort cards and envelopes and place cards that I did for this bride. The font style is Bickham and the lettering was done in navy blue acrylic paint/ink. I love the little pair of gold birds on the escort envelope.

On the agenda for this week: Another wedding job to do, addressing this time. And, I have these creative jewelry ideas in my mind that I need to act on, otherwise, I’ll just keep dreaming about the designs.

Until next time.

Jen