Day 3 (L. Doctor, "Speak to Me..."), Movement

 Laurie's class is SO inspiring...right up my alley.

(And just to share how so, she starts out with a somewhat meditative part, grounding us, and focusing on our breath, then reads a poem that fits the theme. Her voice is also very calming, and it really sets the tone. Reminds me a bit of my Journal Challenge with Nadia Coburn.) *At times, I may even go for a quick nature walk before I start in, just to get more inspired, as that helps my creativity.

Today's theme was "Movement".

I'm showing this piece first, as i just thought the cropped part of it looked cool.

and here's the full part of this section (on its side). Using our own handwriting and a fine point black pen, we were to write in somewhat script format, while really focusing on lengthening the ascenders and descenders. (I have too many loops.) We were also to try and move our whole arm, to really get that flow going. 

My only struggle with this, is that I work better if I have something specific to letter vs. just words. If we're to letter just words, i find myself thinking to much of what to letter.

Here is the full practice sheet, but with touch-ups.

And before.

We started out with "waves" or rolling hills (upper left) in pencil. I then went back and erased, and using 2 B-nibs (5&6), went over the words with navy blue FWPress ink, trying to alternate thick and thin. (*this reminded me a bit of my "Waves" piece from earlier this year: https://foldedpenfan.blogspot.com/2025/05/waves.html -- totally fits with the theme.)

Close up, where I filled in with ink.

(I started with words, reminiscent of the ocean, but then just started writing whatever came to mind.)

The next part (Top Right) was filling in 1" squares with varying shades of yellows and greens (mixing from the blues of Days 1 & 2.

Next was the black pen (Lower Left, b/4 touch-ups), and finally, using my Pentel pointed brush and the yellows and green w/c's, lettered marks and words to represent tall grasses (Bottom Right). I forgot to take a pic with just the brush, as I added script lettering over it, using my Nikko G pointed pen and darker green w/c ink as well as some walnut ink.

Close up after touch-ups.

I wasn't sure what to letter, until I read the poem, "Invitation", by Mary Oliver. I found it perfect!

*Laurie actually read another Mary Oliver poem, one that was quite long, but I cannot remember the name. I then went and read a few more of her poems, and found them lovely, so much so, i hope to letter a few in the future.

Here is a closer look. I plan to redo, but found this not bad!

*I actually did redo, and will post separately, later!

close up.

another close up.

I only have 2 more days, and will be so bummed when it's over. BUT I'm glad I have lifetime access, as I can always redo and maybe find more inspo!

*This class (Day 3) also inspired yet ANOTHER original poem from me, as she asked us to reflect on "Who am I?" So, I started writing some musings on this, but instead, a poem emerged! (entitled, "I Am...") -- will share my work for it later!

Blossom Poem (I heart me)

*NOTE:  For those of you who may check this blog daily -- or even weekly/every so often --(first off, THANK YOU!! -- I know blogs are probably somewhat "passe", so I appreciate if you follow!), just wanted to give a little update re: the 100 Day Challenge... I'm taking a bit of a break. (will explain later).

For now, am sharing this:

This post is fairly apt for today, with it being the first day of Spring!

Since March last year, I started composing poetry. It all started out with a week-long challenge of a short meditation first, listening to a poem (which set the theme), then prompts to journal about whatever we felt.

I've been trying to get into the habit of journaling (for years!), but a few things stop me: 1) I don't get the therapeutic feeling from it. Sometimes I get clarity, but I'm hoping for that healing aspect. Maybe it's happening and I just don't realize it. I actually try nighttime journaling, to set the tone for my sleep. 2) the second issue is me forgetting. I need to just make time, and I get distracted with other tasks throughout the day. and finally 3) My hand cramps up!

I say this in all my correspondence to others: the reason for my typed up letters vs. handwritten penmanship is to save my hand for lettering. Even just a page-long written letter is hard on my hand. Maybe if i held a stress ball in the other? 

Another issue is that my brain is trying to output more than my handwriting can handle.

ANYway... Back to my poetry.

In doing this type of meditative journaling, I wanted to take parts of what I wrote and letter them in my healing journal, however, when i started pulling out my words, poetry emerged!

Some of it is prose, but most of it rhymes, which I have fun with. 

This one is from January:

At first, I started with the "scrap" piece of art (in the center):

The center piece was from when I was just playing/sketching. I loved it so, and wanted to do something with it, so I tried lettering this poem around it.

However, I think it looks too cluttered.

(Not sure why I did this, but the small art piece says, "i" in the center of the "stem", with the heart as the bloom, and "me" at the bottom -- the "root"? if you will...  😊 -- "i heart me".)

So, b/c it's now Spring, I decided to letter "i heart me" in florals. (pp):

and here it is b4 adding shading:

Below is the empty space before:

Here is my poem w/out the art. As you can see, I used various lettering. The poem reads:

Blossom and bloom, Keep Shining Through

Show your true self, Let others make room.

Release expectations, give yourself grace,

And always remember, 

You're ALLOWED to take space.

Close-ups:

Not bad italic!

pp

fp

b nib for "expectations"

Keep Blooming, folks!  :)

Merry Christmas!!

I really got into these varied lettering trees this year -- had so much fun with them! (*See my Snail Mail blog to see other samples:  https://snailmailingmadness.blogspot.com/  )

So, here is one I created for Meg (PTEx) trying to match her name on the env.

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"

This one is so near perfect. I love how the M & e at the top match her name (see snail mail blog -- will post soon!), and the double stroke S. Where things started going wrong is the Neuland-ish "Happy" (bad spacing) and too much ink on the w of "new" (Wink of Stella brush pen) -- grrr. (not my fault)

Other than that, I love it! (hope the recipient does too.)

-------------------------

And below are close-ups of another:

*Will post full piece, if I can find, as I've misplaced the original!

Holiday Greetings (varied letters)

Inspired by the card sent to Nele (then, the varied lettering tree names)

It says, "Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, Merry & Bright, Peace and Good Tidings, Love, joy, Ho Ho Ho, and Happy New Year" with my signature, date and "Noel" for the stump.

Although, overall, I'm extremely proud of it, it is, of course, flawed. 😕  I won't say which letter(s), in hopes you don't see it! 😉😏

Very time-consuming, or I would have redone.

(Sent to Angelique)

Various Lettering to Nele

This idea was inspired by the card below. (purchased from P&I -- lettering by Charles Pearce:  the word Peace lettered in diff. styles & languages.)

I started out doing her name on the env. in this manner (diff. hands/ styles), then instead of writing a note inside the card, decided to letter in the same manner, tree shape too.

Styles used: pp italic, blackletter, Neuland, versal, pp script, double uncial, italic, tall uncial, b-nib monoline typewriter, brush, uncial, folded pen, akim pp, semi-foundational, B-nib Enviro, pp, and combo italic/gothic. Finished with pp semi-Pointura.

env. with card

Styles: Dancing Cap, italic, drawn tall uncial, monoline Enviro, Blackletter, foundational, folded pen, Neuland, brush, bnib akim, double italic, funky combo, uncial

Env. 

2.5 x 3.5 insert: Various trees 

(embossed, tiny uncial, folded pen, pp design, Crayola, Pilot pen on end)

Sent in this handmade mini-env.

This also inspired me to do more lettering like this!

Chocolate Day!

the FoC on Ig posted that Oct. 28 is National Choc. Day (but we had to post our submissions by the 25th), SO here is my entry!

"Chocolate is happiness you can eat."

So mad it smudged, BUT so does chocolate!  😄

Love my chip idea! (although it also looks like a Hershey's kiss.)

I decided to leave one not colored-in, to represent white chocolate.

B-nib & pp.

And initial test piece with a pointed brush. 

 

Acceptance. (multi-hands)

From 2003.

It was created to represent the stages of grief. I used diff. tools and lettering to try and express each emotion/feeling. I also tried applying diff. colors to each as well.

Layers upon layers, as grief is not linear!

For acceptance, I used pp uncial, but it was hand-drawn vs. lettered. I also lettered is on a clear piece of paper/vellum to layer on top of the other lettering.

Close up. (you can see the top layer of paper of acceptance to the right)

Spent way too much money on framing it, as I never hung it.

Throwback (Monoline Booklet)

This month's prompt for the FoC was "Share a spread from a book you made that has calligraphy". This is more of a booklet than a book, as I don't think I've ever made a book (well, aside from scrapbooks -- haha!) -- but I do have some in the works!

This is from a workshop where I learned to use a B nib. I fell in love with this style, as it's so fun. Would love to do something similar to this again.

*These cropped images are a bit blurry.

Cannot remember the name of this font, but will update if I find out!

Hairpin

Just regular

Enviro

 

M...Monoline

B-nib lettering.

 

L...Lettering

L:  mixed italic / blkletter

E:  "stick" fp

t:  gestural

t:  bnib

e:  Neuland

r:  pointed pen

i:  double line

n:  uncial

g:  italic

 

ABCs of Lettering...A

 I decided to start another alphabet challenge, as I've always wanted to do this one.

So, for the month of June, I'm doing the ABCs of Lettering with lettering/calligraphy/typography terms.

(Getting a late start posting, but am now playing catch-up!)

A...Alphabet

each hand /font/ pen labeled in this pic.

April (b nib)

from 2020.

I kinda like it.

Happy Bday, Dr. Seuss!

In honor of his bday today, am posting a few of his quotes, etc. I've lettered. 

Plus, a bit of a milestone b-day, as he would have been 120 years old (same year as my grandma!)

B-nib

Posca marker and cut out (get it? Stand out/Cut out?)

I'd love to be able to redo my lettering. Plus, how fun it'd be to have these stamps again. (env. from early 2000's?)

Close ups