Ever wonder how long it takes a calligrapher to hand address a set of envelopes? Curious which ink color is used most often when it comes to calligraphy addressing? We sat down with Bella Figura calligrapher Kelle McCarter to learn about the ins and out of her business, how she got her start, and her favorite way to dress up an envelope.
How did you get into calligraphy? I fell in love with calligraphy and lettering art when I discovered the fabulous work of French artist Francois Gervais. When I moved to Denver seven years ago, I joined the Colorado Calligraphers’ Guild, with the goal of incorporating calligraphy into my graphic design business. I was fortunate to study with renowned artist and calligrapher Laurie Doctor, who was president of the CCG at the time.
Where do you do your addressing? I am blessed with a beautiful space in which to do my work. I have a window view of the Rocky Mountains from my Denver studio. And, having two Golden Retrievers always by my side makes it the most pleasant of work environments.
How long does it take to address an envelope or a set of envelopes? It takes about one hour to complete eight to ten envelopes because I rule pencil lines and erase them after I hand letter each envelope. I call the process “painting lettering” because each envelope is a miniature piece of art that can not be rushed.
What’s your favorite way to dress up an envelope? I adore envelope liners. They are a simple, yet beautiful, way to incorporate another layer of design, color and texture into the presentation of an invitation. Wax seals can be beautiful and modern with a bright colored wax and a simple calligraphy monogram or initial. Also, vintage or themed postage stamps can add character and interest to any envelope.
For my own wedding, I placed Marvel Comics postage stamps on the envelopes to match the commissioned comic strip wedding announcements that my husband and I sent to friends and family after our wedding.
How many ink colors do you offer? Because I work with gouaches (opaque watercolors), I can offer a beautiful array of color options- from opera pink to leaf green, two of my favorites.
What are your most popular ink colors for envelope addressing? Black is the most popular, as it should be. It is classic and elegant always, regardless of the invitation color. A rich antique gray and sepia brown are popular, too. For save the date envelopes that are less formal than the invitation envelopes, white ink on a colored envelope is striking.
What’s your most popular style? “Maura” is the most popular calligraphy that I do. I think it is because it is a blend of modern and classic lettering.
Many thanks to Kelle for giving us a behind the scenes look at her studio! Visit her website to learn more and to work with Kelle for your wedding calligraphy! Be sure to shop Kelle’s collection, too – her designs are currently on sale for 10% off!
Studio & envelope images courtesy of Zorn Photography
Today we’re going behind the scenes and chatting with one of our designers, Ian Koenig. Ian is the designer of Neo Luna, our February design of the month (on sale through 2/28 for up to 20% off!), and was kind enough to share a little inspiration behind this design, how he got started and where he’s drawing inspiration from these days.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work. I currently live in Chicago with my wife Melinda and our four-year old son Lukas. I work at VSA Partners and teach design at the Chicago Portfolio School.
What was your inspiration behind the Neo Luna design? Neo Luna was a continuation of an idea I had in an earlier design called Anais which was to try to get as much color into a design through an array of rules. With Neo Luna, I wanted to have a bit more fun than I did with Anais so I made the language and typography a bit more playful and introduced the Cupid idea through the arrow and heart elements.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Still having Friday night movie nights with my family, still working at VSA, still teaching and still designing invitations for you guys!
How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your life that helped shape you as a designer? During my last semester in college, I took my first art studio class. With two weeks to go before graduation, I was on my way to class and saw the graphic design student’s work on the walls. I knew instantly I could do this type of work and was then a bit bummed that I had not made that walk four years earlier!
I rediscovered design a little while later after I quit my first real job. A friend of a friend was opening a children’s restaurant and I offered to draw him a logo. He liked it and gave me the opportunity to design the uniforms, menus, signage and the business cards. That small introduction to design was all I needed. I am still hooked.
In case you haven’t heard, Amy Graham Stigler’s Boardwalk design is the January design of the month (and on sale for 10% off through 1/31/13!). Amy gave us the details on the inspiration behind this invitation design.
“The colors of this suite were inspired by anemones – one of my favorite flowers. I love the contrast of the pale pink petals & black center. The style is sweet meets modern. I wanted a design that was pretty and playful but had a chic edge (so it didn’t get too saccharine!). This wedding is perfect for a vibrant, fun-loving couple with lots of style.”
Today we’re excited to share photos of the premier issue of paperswell: modern design ideas for paper goods & weddings, a brand new magazine celebrating beautiful invitations, letterpress, stationery, paper goods, weddings and more. Bella Figura calligrapher and designer Kelle McCarter teamed up with photographer Laura Dombrowski to put this beautiful magazine together, and we were completely blown away by all of the lovely features (including lots of Bella Figura invitations and an artist profile on fellow Bella Figura designer Maura Gauthier)! One of the best parts? A portion of the proceeds for this magazine will be donated to the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, which is an organization in Golden Colorado whose mission is to rescue and find loving homes for abused and abandoned Golden Retrievers. We’ve got a sneak peek at this gorgeous new publication for you, but be sure to pick up your copy today at paperswell.com!
Today we’re excited to share the inspiration behind Ikaty, Bella Figura’s December design of the month {the entire suite is on sale for 20% off through 12/31!}. We chatted with Kamal, the talented designer who created this fashion forward, fabric-inspired invitation, and she filled us in on the background of the gorgeous design that we just can’t get enough of.
The Inspiration Behind Ikaty
“Ikaty” is a modern tribute of my love and fascination for the IKAT pattern, the trend, and how it mirrors a promise of commitment. To see its progression in the past couple of years is compelling to me. It’s been a part of my home since childhood – on pillows, rugs and clothing growing up, but not on paper. “Ikat” is an Indonesian language word, which depending on context, can be the nouns: cord, thread, knot and the finished ikat fabric as well as the verbs “to tie” or “to bind”(ref: Wikpedia). Sounds a little like marriage…
…and I am. I also have 3 wonderful children and try to balance it out as a working mom. This process of dyes and interwoven, complex patterns reflects my work, my marriage, my kids and what’s to come. Each distinct weave can take you into a different path in your life, growing and multiplying until you have created a pattern, a routine, or hopefully a touch of surprise in your life.
Creative from the start: I’ve always been creative and needed an outlet. My mother is a choreographer, and I’ve danced my entire life, performing throughout the US. I went off to Pratt and decided I wanted to do something that still communicated with an audience. Something which told a story, whether it was through photography, graphic arts or advertising. After taking a risk at the NY Stationery show in 2009 with 42 letterpressed cards and 16 coaster sets, opportunities came through my door. Ever since then, the experience has been truly organic. It feels as though there is something unexpected and new everyday.
Bella Figura calligrapher Debi Zeinert shared this close up look at her amazing work, a video that features her various calligraphy styles. Her elegant calligraphy can be found in her wedding invitation designs, and her calligraphy accents can also be found in other popular Bella designs (such as Loretta Formal and Calligraphy Monogram). In addition to beautiful, hand-calligraphed letterpress stationery and invitations through Bella Figura, Debi is also available for calligraphy addressing through her business, The Blooming Quill. Your envelopes, escort cards, and other wedding day stationery pieces can all be hand-done to match your letterpress printed suite! Check out this video to see Debi in action, and for more details on working with her, visit her website.
We just love when magazines and blogs decide to showcase the beautiful letterpress printing we get to do every day, so today we’re sharing some of the amazing features Bella Figura has been spotted in over the past few months. One of the most recent spotlights was found in the fall 2011 issue of Inside Weddings, where Kamal‘s majestic Bejeweled design sparkled.
A few months back, Brides magazine highlighted our Nouvina design by Heidi, which features modern, whimsical flowers and fun, bold colors.
Stationery Trends also decided to feature one of our invitations this fall — the ever popular Irving invitation (designed by Ben Whitla).
We were also thrilled to see one of our calligraphers, Patricia Mumau of Primele, featured in Martha Stewart Weddings a few months back!
The color combination of Cream and Sand inks on our 1-ply ivory cotton paper really lets the unique nature of the paper shine through. The hand calligraphy accents only add to the understated elegance of the suite.
inks: cream + sand | fonts: sans capital | calligraphy: patricia mumau harrison hand | paper: ivory 1-ply cotton | invite size: a7
This design won an honorable mention in our Bella Figura design competition for the first half of 2011. This twice-a-year competition recognizes outstanding and inspired design submitted by our beloved dealers.
Today we’re exited to introduce our October Design of the Month – Canopy by Ellie Snow. We love this design for it’s fun approach and modern, romantic feel. As our Design of the Month, all custom letterpress invitation orders of our Canopy design placed between now and October 29 will receive 20% off – don’t miss out! (Promotion may not be used on purchases of other designs.)
Meet the Designer – Ellie Snow
Ellie Snow received a BFA in printmaking from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and afterward tried (and hated) about four different career paths before transitioning into her current career path as a freelance graphic designer. In 2008, Ellie launched her design blog, Mint, and got engaged shortly thereafter. After receiving great feedback on the stationery she created for her own wedding, she began designing for other couples. She is now a freelance designer and we’re happy to call her one of our Bella Figura designers!
What is the inspiration behind Canopy?
When I’m designing invitations I love to imagine the wedding and the couple behind them—and in this case, they could be whatever I wanted them to be! So I imagined a small, summer, outdoor wedding surrounded by those beautiful old trees we have in the South. I wanted it to be a little quirky and modern, and sentimental, too.
When did you know you wanted to be a designer? How did you get your start?
I always thought I’d be a graphic designer from the time I was little. Somewhere along the way I decided I wanted to pursue a career in social work, but it only took a year of working for a non-profit for me to realize I needed to be creating things on a daily basis. It’s so energizing! I teamed up with a freelancer to get my start, and once I had a few pieces in my portfolio I was lucky enough to get hired with a small design firm. I was an art major with a concentration in printmaking (letterpress, screen printing, and book making), so graphic design wasn’t such a stretch, even though I didn’t go to school for it.
If you were an ice cream flavor, what would you be?
I’d have to say vanilla, but with lots of toppings. The toppings are the best part!
What’s your favorite PMS shade?
I love a bright red-orange these days, so I’m going to go with 172.
What other designers/illustrators do you admire?
I’m really into Olle Eksell‘s work right now.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Maybe Italy. I think Italian is the most beautiful language, and the idea of having fresh food markets always within walking distance sounds heavenly.
What five things on/in your desk could you not live without?
My laptop, of course! And I always have scissors, a good pen, scrap paper, and a ruler within reach.
What’s the most memorable vacation you’ve ever taken?
My now-husband and I spent three and a half months backpacking around Thailand. We briefly visited Laos and Malaysia, too. Kind people, incredibly delicious food, and such gorgeous scenery!
Can you share a favorite childhood memory?
North Carolina doesn’t get much snow, but in 1989 my hometown was “buried” under 15″ of snow. 15″ isn’t a lot of course, but because it was so windy the snow piled up to 8 feet in some places. At the time I was probably 3 feet tall, making it especially magical! I remember people sledding on whatever they could find – trash can lids, plastic bags… needless to say we don’t keep sleds around in North Carolina!
What’s something about you that no one would ever guess?
Even though I spend about 10 hours each day on the computer and am a constant blogger, I love the idea of unplugging completely. No cell phone, no computer, no television…just good books, home cooked meals, and lots of time outdoors. Sounds nice, right?
Today we’re exited to introduce you to July’s Design of the Month – Hendrix by Jessica Hische. It’s pretty, playful and a touch whimsical, and one of our favorites from our 2010 collection. We think it’s perfect for a garden party wedding or an outdoor celebration under the stars. As our Design of the Month, all orders of our Hendrix design over $1000 placed between now and August 15 will receive free letterpress thank you notes – don’t miss out! (Flat thank you notes, letterpress printed to match your invitations with unprinted envelopes.)
Meet the Designer – Jessica Hische In honor of our Design of the Month, we thought a little Q & A session with the talent behind the design was in order. Brooklyn-based Jessica Hische is an incredibly inspiring designer, typographer and illustrator. In addition to her amazing art prints and Buttermilk, her first typeface of which we just can’t get enough, we are obsessed with her blog and her Daily Drop Cap project. Without further ado, meet Jessica Hische.
What was the inspiration behind Hendrix?
My friend, illustrator John Hendrix, had a baby girl and commissioned me to design his baby announcement, which I letterpressed for he and his wife in exchange for one of his original drawings. The Hendrix wedding invitation design takes elements from the original announcement and tweaks it and expands it to a full wedding suite. Everyone loved the original design so much I was so happy to be able to share it with others!
When did you know you wanted to be a designer? How did you get your start?
I actually didn’t know what graphic design was until I was in college. I always knew I wanted to do something art related, I just didn’t really know exactly what that was until I took my first design class in my sophomore year at Tyler School of Art. I loved that design isn’t really self-expressionistic — it is about solving problems and doing what is appropriate for a client / project.
{Jessica notes, “I love breakfast.”}
If you were an ice cream flavor, what would you be?
This is a tough one! I think the closest one might be Ginger, but if “Almond Croissant” was an ice cream flavor I’d be that.
What’s your favorite PMS shade?
PMS Warm Red U or something a bit more orangey.
What’s the most memorable vacation you’ve ever taken?
I was invited to speak at the Semi-Permanent Conference in Sydney this year and went a week prior to vacation with my boyfriend. It was the most fun vacation I’ve ever been on. All we did was eat amazing food, drink amazing coffee and get our pictures taken with koalas.