Summer is just about over.....

Ok, I thought I would be able to keep at this blog on a regular basis, I was wrong!  Life seems to get in the way of my writing.

But now I am here so would like to show you a few projects that have kept me busy this summer.   Congrats to Kendra and Todd on the early arrival of Delaney Ella.  I made a little sign for her bedroom.

This is a wooden plaque, painted then stencilled.  Around the edges are pearl beads and eyelet trim.

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I also have been doing some wedding projects for Lindsey.  Below is the table sign I made for her wedding. After the wedding I will also post a monogramming project I did for the bride and groom - no one will be seeing it until the wedding day.

The sign will sit on a stand at the entrance to the reception.  Congrats to Lindsey and Adam on your upcoming nuptials!

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I am currently working on a sign for a 40th wedding anniversary and will post that after the party - the party is a surprise and I don't want to spoil the surprise!

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Our thoughts and prayers remain with the residents of Goderich, Ontario who were hit by a devastating tornado on Sunday, August 21st.

And also thoughts to those affected by Hurricane Irene and its aftermath.

This summer has been a rough one, weather-wise.  Please stay safe and watch over one another.

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That's it for now, back to doing some work.  I will try to get to the blog more often; it really isn't in my nature to put things off, I am just getting sidetracked with projects.

Falling behind

There are days when we seem to have to play catch-up on everything....this is one of them but I doubt I will ever really get caught up!

I have been operating in slow gear lately due to some things beyond my control but hope to be back to 'normal' soon. In my downtime I have been able to rest and work in the wedding spiral notebook that I have started for a family member's upcoming wedding. (I am a big list person! lol)

This wedding is going to be very important to our family. We know the bride extremely well and are blessed that she and her groom-to-be are wonderful!

So for this wedding I am going to be making the invitations and related wedding stationery. At this point I have cut the placecards and embossed them. Of course, the lettering of the actual guests' names will be done closer to the wedding date (which is early in 2012). The reply cards are also cut and I have embossed them as well. I will letter those soon, my hands need to have a little break right now. The Save the Date cards are done now, too. We need to get those sent out now that Canada Post is back to work.

I was lucky to find a (new-to-me) supplier of paper products in Toronto. Their assortment of papers is wonderful. The bride and groom have chosen a dark blue metallic paper for the tri-fold invitations I will cut and create. Inside there will be a nice metallic gold sheet which will have the actual calligraphied invitation on top of it on ivory paper. The layers together will be nice, I will post a picture when I have them done.

The invitation will close at the front and be tied with organza ribbon. On that ribbon will be a tag that will have the guest's name on it. This saves having an inner envelope that is traditionally used in wedding invitations.

On the back of the invitation I am making a pocket of the blue metallic and inside that will be the reply card, reply envelope and map to the venue.

It's fun to do this and I am anxious to see how they turn out! 

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Here is a guest book table sign..... This is a canvas, painted with acrylic paint. The border is pearls and lace.

The wedding was wonderful! The bride was beautiful!  Overall, a great day and I am so glad I was able to attend!

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I was saddened to not be up to attending my recent high school reunion so I want to say hello to all of you and I am so glad you had a great time that weekend.  I am looking forward to our next reunion!  Miss you all!


That's it for now, once I get back into the swing of things I will have more projects to post.

Good bye for now,

Sue
penandinkwell@yahoo.com

Rainy day, time for crafts!

This spring the rain keeps on coming so on the days that gardening and yardwork have to be put on the back burner, it's a good time to do some crafting!


I have been making some more placecards using cardstock and my new scoring board.  Over the years I have not taken many photos or scanned my placecards so I thought it was time to do a few to post on the blog.

This is a rubber stamped design and colored by hand with colored pencils.  Your guest's name would be below the stamped area in calligraphy. 

Placecards can be used for occasions other than weddings, too.  They add a personal touch to your dinners and other gatherings. 

They do not need to be fold-over; placecards can be placed on the plates, inside glassware, in small terra cotta pots with moss for a casual look.

I will post other placecards as time goes on to give you some ideas of what I can create. I will also coordinate to your invitations and other stationery.  Using a Cricut machine or stencils, I can create other personal looks.

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It's time for a shout-out to a high school friend who has continued to be a friend all these years later.

I'd like to introduce you to Filomena.

Filomena is a Psychic, Medium, Coach, Holistic Practitioner and Spiritual Trainer.

She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist and Body Worker in several additional modalities.

Visit her web site at  http://www.888angels.com/

The mission of her practice is to offer hope, healing and comfort during times of intense challenges, illness, loss and grief. 

I am sure you will find her practice both interesting and enlightening.

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Please feel free to contact me with your calligraphy and hand lettering needs and remember that I also create slideshows on DVDs and CDs along with scanning and saving your precious photographic memories to disk for your safe-keeping.

Email me at penandinkwell@yahoo.com

That's all for now, time to get back to work!

Please stop by again soon!

Thanks!

Sue

Visit my Facebook group - http://www.facebook.com/sue.montgomerylane#!/pages/Calligraphy-and-Hand-Lettering-and-More-by-Sue-Lane/105487656209042



Return to the blog - Saving your photos

I must admit, I get bogged down sometimes just like everyone else.  My blog took a bit of a backseat to other work I have been doing with my class reunion and hockey camp and wedding work. 

Now I am back and ready to discuss converting your photos to cds and dvds.  For quite some time I have been creating slide shows and see the need for people's old photos to be converted to newer technology both for preservation and ease of sharing the photos with others.

I welcome the opportunity to turn your photo memories into a disk for your convenience. Simply all that is needed is the photos, I will convert them onto a cd or dvd.  If you wish to have this completed in a more creative manner, I can create a slide show with a music background for your viewing pleasure either on a cd to be viewed on your computer, or a dvd to be viewed through your player onto your television.

Please feel free to contact me at my saveyourphotosondisk@yahoo.ca  address and I will be happy to discuss the options available.  Currently I am working on a special dvd slide show for a bride and groom, incorporating photos from their childhood and running up until their recent wedding day.  It is a nice keepsake for the couple and they will also receive extra dvds for their parents.

Watch for further updates to my blog, I plan to devote more time to this in-between all of my other projects!

And you can always also contact me at penandinkwell@yahoo.com for your calligraphy and handlettering needs. Watch later this week for some samples of placecards.

Sue

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Personalized Baby Gifts

Baby stocking



Wall hanging




Door or wall plaque

It seems like there are lots of new bundles of joy being born these past few weeks...

Congratulations to all of the proud parents and grandparents!

For a personalized touch, I like to make gifts that are made especially for the new little one.

Small wooden plaques hang nicely on the wall in baby's room or on the door. These usually just have the baby's first name on them. On larger plaques I incorporate the baby's name and birth date.

It is fun to make a Christmas stocking with baby's name -

Santa will now know he has to add a new delivery to his list!

I have begun making baby's wall hangings - fleece fabric with felt letters spelling out the baby's name. These hang on a dowel on the wall. The bright colors are attractive to the little one and the baby will repeatedly see the letters and eventually recognize their own name.

Making personalized gifts is a special way to welcome the new baby. Many babies are now being named with unique names that aren't readily available on items. By creating a baby gift just for this new baby, you can be sure that the baby receives something made especially for him or her.

So for all you Nevaehs, Krystals, Callies and more, you are as unique as your name and I can celebrate your name with personalized plaques, wall hangings, poems, stockings and more!

Thanks for looking!

Please return to my blog again - become a follower!

Happy Birthday to all you new babies!

Sue

Sale Now On!

Due to the economy, many bridal couples are looking to cut costs. I have decided to help in this regard.

Until September 30, 2009 I will be offering price reductions on all calligraphy and lettering work.

Please contact me and I will be happy to give you an estimate for your needs. Even on a budget, it is nice to have calligraphy done and now it is more affordable to all.

Thank you!
Sue
penandinkwell@yahoo.com

Slide shows as gifts

Well I haven't been able to get to the blog in a while...I have a hobby that has been occupying my time that is a great gift idea for your bridal couple friends or a family gift.

Slide shows are fun to create. They are time-consuming but the results can be well worth the effort and hours you put into making them just right! Consider creating one as a shower gift or one to play at the reception. The shows can be created to play on a computer or dvd player; be sure to check when you are looking to download or buy software what the completed project can be played on.

I like to randomly mix-up the presentation order of the photographs, while others might want to have the photos appear in a particular order. Many old pictures are not in a jpg format so you will find yourself scanning the photos to have them available on your computer or take them to a photo shop and they can help with the conversion to the jpg format. It is nice to have some black and white photos mixed amongst the color photos, too.

Scanners are great and many printers now include scanners attached so you don't sacrifice space on your desk or alot of extra money to have one of these fun machines. My new scanner scans multiple photos at once so that is a time saver.

Your wedding couple may have many old childhood photos available for you to borrow...if you plan to do this slide show project as a surprise, ask the couple's parents and siblings and other friends if they can lend you photos to scan. As funny as it might seem to insert embarrassing photos of the couple (like their bathtub pics or any little barenaked baby shots), remember that this slide show will be a permanent record and will probably be seen by many people.....so please consider the gift recipient's feelings before you add some photos that might perhaps cause them anguish. "When in doubt, leave it out" can apply here.

It is fun to try to get a hold of old class photos from elementary school, Communion photos, family vacation photographs, and such. Also if there is an old scrapbook containing newspaper clippings and other artifacts relative to the slide show star's life, those can be scanned and incorporated into the project.

The possibilities are endless. A little creativity can go a long way and you can make a one-of-a-kind gift that will be cherished by the recipients for years to come!

Wedding gifts on a budget

If money is tight, you can still give a creative and memorable wedding gift to the happy couple.

Camera savvy? How about taking digital camera photos....the official wedding photographer will capture the 'obvious' shots but you could take candid shots of guests, preparations, etc. that the pro will not shoot. Upload the photos to be processed, many online services charge as little as 19 cents per 4" x 6" photo, so you can get quite a few photos processed reasonably. Create your own cd of the photos for the couple so they can feel free to later get more prints if needed.

Is organization your forte? Are the bride and groom moving into a new home or apartment? Offer your services...packing or unpacking boxes...organizing closets to make the best use of space - the linen closet, kitchen cupboards and pantry or bedroom closets; line the kitchen and bathroom cabinets with pretty shelf liner paper - it's not a fun job but really is a nice, practical touch in the kitchen!

If the couple already has moved in to their home or apartment, offer to do some sorting and decluttering for them - basements, garages and attics are prime targets for this job.

Does the couple have a pet that needs tending to while they are honeymooning? Offer to pet-sit either in their home or at yours. This saves them the cost of boarding their pet and reassures them that a friend will provide loving care in their absence.

Depending on the time of year, if you are have a 'green thumb' you can offer to do gardening tasks -springtime preparing and planting a new flower or vegetable garden; summer lawn cutting or yard maintenance; raking leaves and garden clean - up in the fall; winter snow shoveling.

If you have a special talent that can be applied to the wedding itself, offer your services early to the couple....can you do make-up professionally? There will be a need for that! Can you make flower arrangements, bouquets, church bows? Can you offer to pick up guests from the airports and take them to their hotels? This can save scrambling at the last minute.

Whatever you decide to give as your 'gift from the heart' remember that your thoughtfulness will be appreciated and remembered. While it is easy to go out and buy a toaster, your gift of time can be invaluable. Don't be afraid to make your offer to the happy couple. In these hard economic times, you can give a wonderful gift to the bride and grooom.


Wishing you a marvelous time at the wedding!

Saving some money here and there.....

Plain white placecards, cut from card stock,

lettered in black calligraphy.

Wildfong wedding 2005.

I have been tossing around some ideas of ways to get more business....in this economy some of the little 'extras' that go with weddings seem to get shifted to the back burner. I would like to continue to offer my products and services at a good cost and value to the brides and grooms.

One thought I have is to sell my services on eBay. I am an eBay shopper always looking for good prices so I can assume there are others like me who want quality for a good price.

Currently I have the word out to some past customers asking for a testimonial regarding my work. I will eventually post them on my blog and also use those quotes in my advertising. Over the years I have dealt with many nice people and it has been a pleasure to provide calligraphy to them.

One cost-saving that I can pass on is to have me cut the placecards by hand from card stock; that can save money...rather than order custom placecards with your invitations and other stationery, I can cut them from white, ivory, or from a choice of other colors of card stock. These will be cut, scored for folding, and lettered. You can coordinate these with your wedding stationery yet not pay as large a price for them. Sadly, many placecards get left on the tables at weddings after the reception is over. This can be a waste. So consider saving money by having plain placecards cut and lettered for your wedding.

I would be happy to send you samples and discuss your special wedding needs.

Contact me at penandinkwell@yahoo.com

Reception entrance table

Today was actually a sunny, somewhat warm day so it is putting me in the mood for more wedding work. I have just committed to doing the addressing of invitations for another June wedding....this one from Michigan! I appreciate the word-of-mouth referrals. This bride heard of me from a friend who attended a wedding I lettered last summer.


What do you put on the reception entrance table?

Depending on the size of table, table can be used for many purposes - like I mentioned in an earlier blog, the placecards (escort cards) can be placed on the table. Also I make table signs with the bride and groom's names and wedding date. This is a keepsake for them but also makes a nice decoration on the table. Some couples like just plain canvas board with hand painted lettering, while others like a more embellished style with lace or pearls or both. These signs sit upon a small wooden easel and are usually done in either 5" x 7" size or in 8" x 10" size. They can be coordinated to the wedding colors.


Also on the entrance table many happy couples place their guest book and a nice pen. This is to encourage their guests to sign in....years later it is nice to reflect on who attended the wedding. Some books are small and just allow room for the guests' names but other larger ones allow for comments. You may want someone 'stationed' at your entrance table to have them steer guests to the guest book and placecards. It is also nice to have a friendly face greeting people! Consider asking someone you are close to (who is not otherwise in the wedding party) to take on this task. It shows you want them to participate in your happy day and there is no cost involved for that person, unlike bridesmaids who have the expense of the dress, shoes, etc.


(The photo above shows a small table that was beside the larger one at the entrance to the reception. While the large table held all the placecards, this table was specifically for the guest book.)


Beside the table you may have your large easel with the seating chart, if you are using that. If your reception entrance table is large enough, you may also consider having your seating chart propped up on that table on a smaller easel or in a frame.


So just remember to keep in mind that the entrance table to the reception can have many uses and will ensure your guests are greeted with a lovely table that sets the tone for their entrance.


Please feel free to contact me for samples and to discuss your needs - my email is penandinkwell@yahoo.com

Placecards

Wedding Placecards


Hopefully spring is right around the corner....that also means that many folks are thinking about weddings. It's never too early to plan your wedding... Are you ordering placecards with your invitations and envelopes? Will you letter them yourself (clear penmanship is a must!) or have them lettered by calligraphy or computer? To save money, you may opt for plain placecards (white, ivory, or patterned) or you can order them to totally coordinate with your invitations and related wedding stationery.


No matter what style wedding you are planning, you have the option of placecards (also known as escort cards) for your seating arrangements. Some couples prefer to have one placecard assigned per guest (ie. Mr. John Smith; Mrs. Mary Smith) while others feel that one placecard per invited couple (ie. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith) suffices. A space for the table number can be at the lower edge of the front or back of the placecard.


You may choose to have your placecards lettered before receiving all of your rsvps and then pull out the ones that are not planning to attend the reception. This way, you can have the placecards all completed and then start assigning the tables as soon as your rsvps come in.


Or you can wait for all of the replies to arrive by your specified date and then have the batch of placecards all lettered at that point.

• Decide who will be sitting at each table and number each of the guest tables On your placecards, you would indicate the table number on the front below their names. As your guests enter your reception, have a table set up with such things as the guest book, any photos, and the placecards. It is best (if you can) to lay the placecards out in alphabetical order to ease in locating their card. Your guests then can pick up their placecard and proceed to the table indicated on the card. When they arrive at their assigned table, they can choose their own seat and begin to mingle with other guests.
  


• Another option is again to decide who will be sitting at each table. On a large easel located at the entrance to the reception, list the seat assignments. ..Table One - Mary and John Smith, Tom and Betty Jones, etc. The guests find their name and then proceed to the assigned table. On the table itself are the placecards set above the tableware setting. To ease in your table set-up, have the placecards numbered on the back so that you have them grouped them together to place on the table.
  


• If you prefer not to use an easel, your list of seat assignments can also be placed on the entrance table with the guest book, etc.
  

Your goal is to make it easy for the guests to find their seats.

Of course, if your wedding is going to be more casual, no seating arrangements need to be prepared. The guests are free to chose their table mates. You may choose to have the placecards on the entrance table with no table number assigned and your guests can take their placecard to the table of their choice.

Placecards can ensure that people sit at the assigned table and also serve as an introduction to table mates who have not been acquainted before the wedding day. Many guests also like to keep the placecard as a token keepsake of your special day.

Please feel free to contact me at penandinkwell@yahoo.com to discuss your ideas and needs.

Day One

Well I finally got my own domain name today! www.sulane.com Special thanks to my dear friend Linda Everett (blog.lindaeve.com - check out her blog!) You will enjoy her creativity and wit!

After years of creating my own site on yahoo/geocities, it is time for me to have my own official site. So I have started this blog. I offer calligraphy and hand lettering services at reasonable prices and can supply samples and references! I am also going to be expanding into the world of slide show keepsakes....watch for further information at a later date. I hope to also offer interesting crafting projects, helpful hints, ideas for using recycled items...my idea list is slowly growing.

I will be back soon! From the snowy north, sign me,
sulane

email me at penandinkwell@yahoo.com