Calligraphy Flourish Friday - Reason to Celebrate!

As promised, this week I'm hosting a giveaway to celebrate my 50th birthday.  If you live in the USA and would like a chance at winning one rubber stamp of my "Don't stumble over something behind you" lettering, then simply leave a comment on this blog post at Blogger (Please: not on Facebook, not at Flickr, and not via email).  The rubber stamp is new, unused and made of red rubber. (Pictured at top.) It is mounted on a wood block measuring 2.25 inches x 2.25 inches.  (Ink pad not included.)

Have you heard the Grrrreat News?!

 Incoming IAMPETH President, Heather Victoria Held, has announced the 2014 IAMPETH Convention will be right here in Indianapolis! Woohooo!!! I am so excited!  Mark your calendars, get your ducks lined up, and come to The Crossroads of America! If you are not already a member of IAMPETH, then now is a good time to join.  The membership year begins July 1st, and dues are $35 per year.  As a member, you will receive the Penman's Journal 4 times per year AND receive the 2014 convention registration materials early.  You can learn more about joining IAMPETH at their website by clicking: HERE

  :) Let's celebrate...

 ....by having a second giveaway prize!  This is a 20" x 24" canvas print of my Isaiah 54:10 (NIV) calligraphy.

The sides are printed in black.  It is not pre-wired for hanging, but it does come with hanging hardware.  Again, if you live in the USA and would like a chance to win this canvas print or the rubber stamp then  leave a comment below here at Blogger.  You have until Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 1pm Eastern Time to enter. Please be sure your first name is included in the comment. One entry per person, please. I have removed the word verification system, but I will approve each comment before it posts.   There may be a delay before your comment appears.

**The registration deadline has now passed. I have closed the option to comment.  I will announce the winners sometime on Friday, July 26, 2013.  Thank you!**

I will announce both winners on Friday, July 26, 2013.

I will use random.org to select the winners.  The first winner will receive the rubber stamp, the second winner will receive the canvas print.

Thank you for your continued support and following along on my journey.

I appreciate your interest!

Go forth and flourish!!

xo

Jane

©Jane Farr Calligraphy & Design LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. WWW.ZONDERVAN.COM
The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Offices by Biblica, Inc. ™

Calligraphy Flourish Friday - Celebrating 50

 I celebrated my 50th birthday this month, and since this is typically a slow week on the internet, I want to take a little time out to thank everyone for all the funny cards, beautifully hand lettered greetings, gifts, emails, texts, messages and phone calls.  The love and good wishes of family and friends made turning 50 a pleasure! (Well, excluding the above birthday greeting from the AARP. haha)

With the help of family and friends, my daughter surprised me with this video. I loved it!!!  If you're ever looking for a special gift for someone, then consider this great idea.  With smart phones, iPads,  Photo Booth on desktops,  etc., people are able to record and send video clips. Amazing! (Rachel used iMovie to compile the clips and arrange the video.)  Thank you, Rach! Thank you family and friends!

To celebrate my 50th with my readers, next Friday I will announce a giveaway.

Be sure to check back.

Until then, go forth and flourish!

....and for those of you at IAMPETH, I hope you're having a wonderful week.  Enjoy your last few days in Albuquerque!  I can't wait to see you at IAMPETH in 2014!

xo

Jane

Calligraphy Flourish Friday - Envelopes: Reuse, Exhibit and a Giveaway

Happy Flourish Friday, Friends!  Here are a few more images of how I reuse envelopes.

For envelope work, I require 10% extra, blank envelopes.  The extras are used when there's been a change to the list after I've already addressed the envelope or if there's been an error on my part or the client's.  At the end of the job, I will hold back several blank envelopes from the remaining 10%.  I do this because there are often late additions to the list even after the client has mailed the invitations, or an invited guest will move and their invitation needs redone.  It's much easier for both the client and myself, if I already have extras on hand.

If I'm left with any envelopes after the wedding, then I may try to reuse them - whether they've been addressed incorrectly or they're still blank.  I realize this isn't for everyone! I don't do it with every job, but sometimes it just feels like such a shame not to reuse them.  I can salvage parts of the liners, back flaps, and even the corners. 

The return address is normally preprinted on the envelope, which I must cover or cut out.

I cover the return address with a portion of the back flap, or the liner from a back flap, leaving enough margin to add my own return address.

 I just noticed I didn't finish the "k" before I took this photo.  (I can't remember if I finished it at all!)

The easiest way to cover a return address is to cut the gummed area off of one of the discarded envelopes.

It's usually a large enough strip to cover the return address but not always.

I know this seems tedious, but I seem to like tedious, time consuming projects!  I can spend hours goofing around with envelopes and addressing them.  To view a previous post about reusing envelopes:   CLICK HERE

You can find a variety of stamps from  the U.S. Postal Service, including accurate information about the design and issue of each stamp, on the "Buy Stamps" page at their website: USPS

Isn't this a pretty pen holder?  It was made by Chris Yoke, one of the newer members of the Calligraphy Guild of Indiana.  CGI is blessed to have some terrific new members.  Chris brought some of the pen holders he made to one of our New Members Group meetings.  I think he was surprised when I asked if I could buy this one!  He now has an online store.  If you'd like to learn more about Chris, his interest in penmanship, and his pen holders, please visit his website here:

Yoke Pen Company    If you sign up online to receive his newsletter, then Chris will enter you for a chance to win a FREE pen holder! How about that?  His first giveaway is July 1, 2013 - that's Monday, so you better get on over there. You can find the Yoke Pen Company giveaway page: HERE

One final thing: I received word from French calligrapher, Emmanuel Spaeth, about the call for entries for the 2013 edition of Mail Art Across the World (MAAW).  No matter where you live or your skill level, I hope you'll consider participating in this wonderful exhibit of calligraphic mail art.  The submission deadline is November 30, 2013.  Read all about it here: Mail Art Across the World

You can view my posts about previous editions of MAAW HERE and HERE.

Enjoy your weekend.

Go forth and flourish!