Tag: creative lettering

Christmas Calligraphy Cards

Taking this beautiful Sunday to make some Christmas cards for friends and family for the holidays!

Using a stunning teal India ink and gold accents to bid my cheer.

The envelope was neon pink so I used gold and pink wax seals to finish it off.

This is the first time I’ve tried my hand at calligraphy as gifts and they turned out pretty great!

Check out the video timelapse and follow me on instagram @paulbbuttefield where I’ll add the photos of the cards (once the surprise wont be ruined)!

A Writer’s Day

Wake up and daydream about the writing you’re going to do today – 1 hour

Habitual preparedness to get in the zone (generally includes coffee making, music and podcast listening, stacking almonds, etc.) – 2 hours

A writers lunch – 1 hour

Reading what you’ve written – 20 minutes

Figuring out where to start – 40 minutes

Writing – 4 paragraphs – 2 Hours

Feeling like you’ve written an epic war novel and watch Netflix – 5 hours

Daydream in bed about what you’re going to write tomorrow. – 2 hours

(I just wasted 20 minutes on this.)

Handwriting and Diabetes

After taking a quick peak in Carter Sexton’s Art Materials store in Valley Village, I decided to buy a few arty pens and a book to help me get better with my handwriting.

I bought “Creative Lettering and Beyond”, a book that focuses on calligraphy, but I hope will help me in any case on the subject of lettering. Since I am trying to post more and be a little more personable, I need to work on the ole’ penmanship. But here’s the rub: Diabetes and penmanship don’t go well together.

I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for going on 22 years now, and in my mid-thirties, the disease is starting to do its business. The eyes don’t work like they used to, the feet got the pins and needles, and my hands shake depending on how my blood sugar is doing. Now that I am consciously making more of an effort to pay attention to the motions my hands actually make while putting pen to page, I can see the inconsistency in my movements and my coordination. Luckily, that’s what practice is for!

I’ll be taking this book cover to cover and see what I can manage, right after I run out and get a real ass calligraphy pen, some nibs, and ink. Because if I’m going to do it, by God, I’m going to do it fancy.

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Has anyone in the Los Angeles area taken a class on Calligraphy or handwriting? If so, put the info in the comments!

You can buy “Creative Lettering and Beyond” on Amazon here!

Learn about Type 1 Diabetes here!