Calligrapher for Team USA - 2016 Rio Olympics
Yes, I am obsessed with calligraphy on anything that is not paper. So since I've used mirrors for calligraphy for seating charts, signs etc, I thought that it made sense to offer something that would compliment that perfectly. Mirror place/escort cards. Just click on the 1st picture and follow the link to purchase these beauties for your next event. Cheers!
So I've created these laser cut names for place cards ---people's names, but as always my clients are the best resource that I have for new ideas. This client said that it would be really great if she had names for the ice cream bar at my wedding. Seriously?! A) Super cool that you are having an ice cream bar at your wedding. B) Let's take this sign idea to the next level....Let's laser cut it!....BOOM! Love it!
I've been using agate stones with calligraphy for place cards, but I had a client ask about table names. My clients are the best inspiration. These can match the same small agate stones that you order from me, but larger. This Houston calligrapher is just pleased to be able to offer these to you. Cheers!
Since I've been placing calligraphy on mirrors for the last few years for seating charts etc., I figured that it made sense to start offering a smaller version because.... why not?! These make for easy place cards or escort cards. These are in the Etsy shop and like always, I will calligraph these in any hand that I offer in either white, gold or nude pearl ink (love that ink). If you want a different ink color, let me know. I'll always give it a shot. Click on the picture for the link. Cheers & have a groovy day!
ADORE these! These purple agate stones with gold ink turned out gorgeously for an event. Calligraphy & hand lettering truly set these agate stones apart from the garden variety. Cheers!
These agate stones make great place cards, but they also make great escort cards for events. Let's just flip this baby over and place the table names on the back :) LOVE hand lettering and calligraphy on these agate stones as it opens up the possibilities for penmanship.
Something new for the cool kids....You know that I get bored easily and needed something new to write on. AND I have had easily 4 or 5 clients in the last month ask about something white for place card calligraphy that is exactly the same size from tile to tile (not a variation like the agate stones). So they aren't "completely" white as there is slight gray marbling in there, but MY GOODNESS these tiles look gorgeous and calligraph well too. I came across these white marble tiles a few weeks ago & I had them shipped straight from Italy. We're getting fancy over here :)
The size shown is 4" x 4" (hexagon shape) and I will also offer them in 3" x 3". The 4" ones are PERFECT for escort card calligraphy and hand lettering as they easily allow for me to write first & last names (long ones too :)) and a table number. I can write table numbers on the 3" ones too if you like. These are in the Etsy shop today. Links to each writing style via clicking the pictures below. Cheers!
#calligraphy #handlettering #marbletile #IPimpMyPen
If you have been looking for calligraphy in Houston, Texas, look no further! Not only am I a teacher of calligraphy, but I can help you with hand lettering and engraving wine bottles, makeup cases, and more. Take a look at the classes I have available or give me a call when you are in need of calligraphy in Houston.
People say that you always remember your first, last and best experiences. This picture represents a first as this was the first calligraphy mirror seating chart that I calligraphed back in 2014 for a wedding. My work has come a long way since then :). I am so pleased to see that Weddings in Houston Magazine liked my work enough to feature this seating chart amongst the many in the blog post from that wedding. The photo used for the feature was photographed by Ama Photography. Beautiful photography work!
As always, I am honored & pleased to see that my work was chosen from what can be hundreds of photos that are submitted! I was even more delighted to see that the mirror had been pinned on Pinterest which led me to the blog feature. Unfortunately, Weddings in Houston Magazine will not credit the work to me as I do not pay them for advertising. That is also a first as I have been fortunate to have my work featured in various publications regionally & nationally that respect the work of the artists that they feature. Alas, I am pleased to see that my work "made the cut" with Weddings in Houston Magazine. Cheers!
To view the feature click the picture below or HERE. The picture below is of the calligraphy mirror seating chart shortly before it was delivered to the Omni Hotel for the reception.
So the secret's out...I'm making a departure from wedding calligraphy in the way that I have been running my business for the last 3 years. Still creating those cool reception pieces - agate stone calligraphy, mirror seating chart calligraphy, ceramic & marble tile calligraphy, laser cut placecard calligraphy (of course engraving too 😉) and I'll add something else to the list if it's groovy & different. However, I am departing from wedding invitation design & envelope addressing with the exception of my commercial accounts.
With that said, I participated on a commercial shoot last week for Slinging Ink (commercial hand lettering side of my business) and here is the result. We went for chaos & beauty for a food account. We loved it and hope that you do too! Cheers!
Quite often, I am asked "so you are a calligrapher/penman/engraver? How do you make a living at that?" Well, here is one way....fragrance bottle engraving. The last 2 weeks have been fragrance bottle engraving events nonstop for Mother's Day. I LOVE IT! It was such a pleasure working with Prada, Calvin Klein, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs and Chloe yesterday.
I love that I am able to use my love of hand lettering, calligraphy & engraving AND make a living. Who could ask for more? If you noticed that my business is making a departure from wedding invitation design and wedding envelope addressing, you would be correct. I absolutely ADORE making the reception pieces (tiles, agate stones, mirror seating charts, laser cut wood calligraphy) and those will REMAIN as interestingly they have become what I am known for :). Hope you enjoy this journey as much as I am. Cheers!
I just adore working with these agate stones for hand lettering and calligraphy. They come in various colors and each one is different as they are created by nature. Some may not like that fact that each one is different, but I believe that is one thing that makes them pretty awesome. Just like people :). Cheers and have a groovy day!
Probably one of the most meaningful bottles that I've engraved at an event. Here's to groovy parents... Gotta Love Macallan scotch.
It's always a treat to see my work featured in publications and I was quite honored to have my work chosen as one of the "looks to see" in 2016. Cheers!
Calligraphy and hand lettering on anything but paper is what I say. These agate stones make for fabulous placecards and double as a keepsake! Cheers!
#IPimpMyPen
As my work ventures more and more away from paper, I love the hand lettering opportunities that have presented themselves as well as the artistic freedom. These black agate stones were created for an event in LA with gold ink. I'm truly adoring using anything but paper. Cheers!
I've calligraphed quite a few mirrors in the last few years, but this was by far the largest and it was just absolutely gorgeous in person. It measured 90" x 34"...had to use a small ladder for this one. This mirror was also cool as the client wanted a scattered organization with the lines as the mirror was much larger than what was needed for the list roughly 65 lines (about 100 guests). The monogram was nice as this was the first mirror where a client already had a monogram that was used from the invitation and wanted to incorporate that with the mirror....and I got to play with illustration a bit with the florals around the monogram.....Yes that was freehand :). Groovy times! Cheers!
It's no secret that my work has made a deviation away from paper over the last year. Obviously, I still work with paper, but it has definitely taken a backseat to glass, mirrors, wood, metal, acrylic etc. I just ADORE these laser cut names that are often used as place cards. This is my hand calligraphy taken to a larger size. Next medium that I plan to work in....FABRICS. Why not?! Cheers!
What do you do when a client wants gold ink, but the paper choice would make it difficult to see that ink on the chosen paper? (See USPS, I keep you in mind when I work :) Just change the canvas, of course. We decided to go with white ink on the envelopes except for the envelope for the guest of honor. On hers, I decided to add a little watercolor and lighten the canvas such that the gold ink would be more pronounced. Cheers!
Getting caught up on my personal correspondence. It's funny that this was the reason that I began my calligraphy journey when I moved to Houston years ago. I just wanted my personal correspondence to look nice. life is funny that way....
I must send out a thank you to Nikki Hite, my sorority sister that introduced me to Crane & Co paper when we were in college. Once I felt that paper, I was intoxicated with correspondence, etiquette with correspondence & all things paper from that day forward. She is probably in some way responsible for my being in this profession. You never know who will influence you... Cheers to random discussions in a dorm room :)!!!!
Guess what was in my inbox a few weeks ago one morning...!!! Slinging Ink (commercial side of Bella Grafia) has done it again!
"The judges have made their final decision and I am pleased to announce Slinging Ink Hand Lettering has won in the 2016 Business Excellence Awards! You have been named: Best Commercial Calligraphy Company - Houston" I'll take that! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
