Something new, something old

Joan calls our weekly class "script-building time," encouraging us to concentrate on learning new scripts during our sessions with her. (Outside of class, we can work on special projects using scripts we already know.) A couple weeks ago I started learning Carolingian (above), one of the oldest and most important scripts. I think my favorite part about Carolingian is that it's acceptable to write the letters either straight up and down or slightly slanted to the right (but all of them should be one or the other within the same manuscript). What a relief—I usually have a hard time with the straight-up-and-down-only scripts and tend to avoid using them.

Sometimes I also use class time to brush up on scripts I haven't practiced in a while—what good is script building if I don't retain anything, right? I recently spent some time refining my Copperplate (practice sheet, mistakes included, below). I write in Copperplate all the time, but mostly for deadline-sensitive projects like wedding invitations, so I don't have time to really scrutinize my work and make sure every stroke conforms to the guidelines explained in Gerald Krimm's A Copperplate Manual. I'm glad I revisited a few letters that never look quite right to me when I write them (yes, I'm talking about you, "e" and "k"), because after a few adjustments, they look just a tiny bit more Krimm-like.

Pretty paper

I got a large sheet of this decorative paper at the Paper Source last weekend to make another accordion album, and I've been having so much fun with the leftovers. I honestly believe it complements every single color in the PS palette (plum and luxe frost were used below).

Merci

It's always a good idea to keep an arsenal of thank-you notes ready to go. These were made almost entirely with cutouts and assorted scraps from past Paper Source catalogs. I wonder if they know that their catalogs are just as useful as their merchandise for card making? Merci, Paper Source!

Mistakes

The funny thing about doing calligraphy is that the last thing on my mind is the words I'm actually writing. I'm too preoccupied with things like spacing, the ink/paper relationship, and special characteristics of individual letters to think about the big picture. This leads to really silly spelling mistakes way too often.

When I started writing the third line of this stanza from a Robert Frost poem, I had this feeling of dread that I would mess up the last two words, "for form." I just knew I would write an "m" after "for" because I'd already be anticipating the next word. And guess what? I did.

I realized the mistake right after I put down the first stroke of the "m," so I tried to move quickly. I gently moistened the paper and wiped away the still-wet ink. As you can see in the close-up photo, that just created a big ol' mess.

This was really discouraging—why do these things always seem to happen at the end of the text instead of at the beginning?—but maybe it will finally get me to slow down and concentrate more. One good exercise is to transcribe a word or phrase in another language (Joan has given me some samples of Latin before) so I have no choice but to look at each letter one at a time.

Also, even though Roman Uncial is a 6th century script, a handy 20th century invention called Adobe Photoshop will clean that right up.

Materials: Mitchell size 0 nib, Winsor & Newton gold ink, Winsor & Newton gouache. I also wrote out the stanza in Private Reserve's Copper Burst (below) as a rough draft. I love Copper Burst (it's actually dark brown, not copper) but the Bienfang drawing paper I used for this project just couldn't stand up to it.

Pool party

Okay, so I'm not really having a birthday party—just a regular Sunday dinner with my family. But that doesn't mean I can't send invitations! As you can see, I'm still crazy about my new circle punch and eyelet setter.

I printed the invitations with a laser printer, which is worth noting because I've asked several Paper Source employees about which type of printer to use with their papers and they always recommend inkjet (except with vellum). Inkjet printing usually looks pretty good, and I prefer it for papers with a bit of texture (like luxe white), but I've found that laser printers work best when I want to print directly on card stock in their P.S. collection. The ink is glossier and darker and it doesn't smudge at all.

New toys

Back in ancient times, setting eyelets involved loud hammering and furniture damage. I always avoided using eyelets out of fear that my neighbors would knock on the door and tell me to shut up (I usually do arts and crafts sort of late at night), but I wished I could use them more often because they add great texture to any card.

Just when I was beginning to accept that I was condemned to an eyelet-less life, I found out that there have been significant advancements in eyelet-setting technology in recent years, and I am now the proud owner of a Making Memories Instant Setter. It punches holes and sets eyelets without a hammer and makes a little less noise, so I am free to go eyelet-happy at all hours of the night from now on. I hope my neighbors are just as thrilled as I am!

I also figured I'd add a Marvy-Uchida Jumbo Craft Punch (along with some other odds and ends) to my order to get free shipping from Joann.com. I chose a circle with a two-inch diameter, the perfect size for my Seattle Girl stamp from A Muse.

Gift tags

When I'm planning to give someone a gift in person, sometimes I like to make a gift tag instead of the usual foldover card just to mix it up a little. It gives me the opportunity to look through my (beloved) box of ribbon and it's a good way to use up odd scraps of card stock.

I wrote on this one with a Mitchell size 4 nib and Winsor & Newton gold ink mixed with a little bit of distilled water. It needs to be stirred before each dip of the pen, but the extra step is worth it—I really think this ink makes my calligraphy look ten times better than it actually is, plus it works well with every type of paper I've tried it with. Maybe I'll get it in silver next time I'm at Flax.

Accordion albums

I can't believe it has taken me this long to get into bookbinding! The Paper Source has offered classes for a while, but I never got around to signing up for one—I'm always sort of hesitant to commit to learning a new craft because I'm afraid it will take time away from the ones I already like to do. But recently Lisa brought a really cute accordion album she made to calligraphy class and said it was easy to put together, so I finally picked up the supplies with a Paper Source gift certificate I had been saving for something special.

It was so much fun to pick out different papers for the front and back covers, and Lisa was right, it was easy to assemble! I was blown away by the Paper Source's PVA (bookbinding glue). It is amazing and I'm already thinking about all the different ways I'd like to try it out even for non-bookbinding projects. The last time I was this excited about an adhesive was when I discovered the Therm O Web Memory Tape Runner XL, which I classified as a life-changing event.

Ink, revisited

I've reconsidered the decision I made in my last post—I'm going to use Pelikan 4001 instead of Speedball ink on the Stardream Quartz envelopes. I wrote the address in the top photo in Speedball, and though the ink was darker, my calligraphy looked like total crap. It's really just a touch darker than the Pelikan (a sample of an address written with Pelikan is in the bottom photo, but unfortunately my poor photography skills have made it look lighter than it really is), so I don't think it's worth it to sacrifice the quality of the writing. Any opinions?

Ink

When I first started learning Copperplate, I went through a few different inks before I discovered Pelikan 4001. It's the best—the consistency is perfect and the colors are so vivid. I was positive I'd never use another type of ink again, so I've been meaning to give away the other kinds I tried first (one Speedball, one other type of Pelikan).

But tonight I discovered Pelikan 4001 isn't infallible. When I started addressing the envelopes for Peggy and Andy's wedding invitations, I didn't think twice about using Pelikan 4001 in Brilliant Black, but I started to notice that the ink didn't look as opaque as it usually does, and I didn't like how my pen glided a little too smoothly. The Stardream Quartz envelopes have a shiny surface, so I figured the ink just didn't react well with that type of paper. Just for comparison, I dug out the practically unused bottle of Speedball ink to see if it would have a different effect, and it turns out it grips the paper much better. It's a little thick, so the thin upstrokes of the Copperplate letters aren't quite as thin as I'd like them to be, but I think it's the right ink to use for the project. Good thing I didn't get around to giving it away!