Welcome!

I grew up in Raleigh at a time when the nuns taught at Our Lady Of Lourdes. They lived out back of the school and wore those imposing yet Holy Habits that commanded your adoration, attention, and, quite frankly, your fear. So, when they asked you to "sit up straight" with your "feet flat on the floor" and compose your letters properly according to the Palmer Method of Handwriting, you did just that! I believe it was at that impressionable age that I became infatuated with the formation of letters. When I was introduced to calligraphy in 1978, it was no wonder I fell in love with this beautiful art form. My first taste of the calligraphic world lasted no longer than one hour. The instructor turned a piece of chalk on its edge to form calligraphic works of art from A to Z on the chalkboard. That was that! But it was all I needed to fire the embers that had been sparked in elementary school. Watching the slow, rhythmical shaping of those letters was like listening to classical music. It was not until 1997 that I enrolled in my first formal calligraphy class. Boy, were my eyes opened! I knew I had a lifelong road of learning ahead of me. It's been 38 years since that white piece of chalk was laid on its side. I am still learning. Come learn with me!

Friday, May 4, 2018

How to Make a Pastel Border


How to Make a Pastel Border

This is so very easy, and when it is done, it makes whatever you have lettered look fabulous.

In the first image, top left, you see the pastels that I used. It's just a simple, inexpensive little package of pastels. You choose the pastel kits you want. They come in all kinds of colors. 

The craft knife is used to scrape off some of the pastel colors you want to use onto a scrap piece of paper.

Make sure you have taped some copy paper or scrap paper around your lettered piece, making sure the taped down papers are straight, both vertically and horizontally. The best tape to use is Removable Tape. And the tape is on the outside of the strips of papers so that the inside is free of tape. See image top right.

Now the magic begins.

Using a cotton ball, dip it into the pastel scrapings. Swipe the cotton ball over the top of the taped down papers towards your lettered piece. That tidbit is important. You do not want to put the cotton ball on your piece and swipe towards the taped down papers. See image bottom left.

Once you are happy with the amount of pastel you have put onto your piece, carefully lift off the scraps of paper to reveal a perfectly crisp border. See image bottom right.

Ta Da! 

Wasn't that easy? And this little gem of a trick enhances any lettering art.
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