The connection to ancient calligraphy practices makes this medium so meaningful for me.

40 weeks + we're still playing the waiting game. Le sigh. But we have trust that our little guy knows his birth date. We're just appreciating every quiet minute of our life-before-Lucas, while anxiously anticipating the storm of love + nappies that surely is to come. It's a pretty remarkable feeling, going through the preparatory motions of readying a room, transforming my private studio into a nursery + feeling like he's already here. Putting his own little style stamp on wh

When you're starting a new practice, the tools you choose can be immeasurably important, if not imperative to your success. With pointed pen calligraphy, one of the most important tools to choose is your pointed nib. Trying to decipher the world of nibs can be a daunting task for a beginner, so let's break this down into the things you'll want to consider: Flex. When talking about point pen calligraphy, the basic anatomy of the pointed nib allows for a relative amount of flex

It wasn't you, it was me. I just didn't understand you, which meant I didn't know how to love you. I'm sure you felt used + discarded. Because you were, quite literally, used + discarded. But let me explain. I was so focused on getting things done at work. Focusing on my career, what I needed was support. Someone to make things easier, not more complicated. When I spent hours formulating the absolute perfect turquoise blue ink to match that little girl's bedroom colors for he

♥ Becka Bravo • Locale: Bari Zaki Studio • Photography: Laura Escobar So, you've been working through your Beginner's kit, or you're an experienced calligrapher who has been at it for a while now with a straight pen + you're looking at new tools to expand your practice. Yea! The expansive world of calligraphy supplies can be inspiring... and sometimes a little daunting. If you decide that an oblique pen is for you, investing in an upgraded holder would be

Hopefully we were all a little more thankful this past week. A little more gracious, a bit softer + a lot more open. Hopefully we saw a little more of ourselves in each other + sought to find commonality in those we disagree with. Hopefully we found gratitude in in lives + people + things we have. There is strength in the softness. Because when we are grateful for what we have, we can better see what others do not + hopefully, that's our first step, together. DOWNLOAD PRINT H

Something bold, something new, something brush lettered, something blue. Whenever we get the opportunity to work with Jenin Paradise of Planning for Paradise, our hand-lettered dreams tend to kick it up a notch. Her unique vision + impeccable style are the stuff of stationery bucket lists. So, when we showed up for our Bright + Modern styled shoot for 100 Layer Cake at Magnolia Bridal in the gorgeous riverside town of St. Charles, Illinois, things got all the more interestig

You've picked up a pointed pen + you've started putting ink to paper! Woohoo! At this point, it's truly important to remember that a proper grasp of the basics is essential to your continuing (successful) practice. We all want to jump hand first into addressing our blog-worthy wedding invites, flourishing our coworkers names + penning the next viral Pinterest quote, but let's take a wee step back, luv. Your favorite professional calligraphers had to start somewhere - as shoul

Every calligrapher should start with a few essential items at their immediate disposal - paper towel or lint free cloth, water bowl, a soft art pencil, washi or artists' tape, ink + of course, your favorite pen holders + an assortment of nibs! Just remember, there are no "perfect tools" for everyone - you may prefer a certain holder or nib that simply doesn't work for another calligrapher. For instance, you won't find me without my favorite black sumi ink, Griffhold Sraight P