Calligraphiti

I just want to write a quick little blurb while my tinies are napping.
just so you're all aware, words that are not in white are either links to the products I bought or links to things I think are relevant. That way you can also buy the things or see the things I have also seen. Enjoy


I've taken up calligraphy as of two months and four days ago. it's pretty great. I thought it was going to be awful so I threw a fit my two year old would have been impressed by when I got my first nib and ink. (Kyle got mine at Hobby Lobby but they're cheaper on Amazon)
I started off with youtube videos and it quickly overtook my pinterest feed as well as my instagram.

I started out with a dip pen. Which is kind of what you think of when you think of the declaration of independence. or harry potter. I guess it depends on what kind of person you are.
So you can get different nibs (or tips) for different styles.
and of course, I ordered a calligraphy set.
and I experimented and played around with those for a while until I got a little better at handling the nibs and the flow of ink.
then I ordered a ink pallette.
I don't know if it's what ink does in general or if it's just speedball, but the speedball inks I have have crazy differing consistencies, and I don't really like that about them. Black seems super watery and thin and it bleeds through everything so easily. But my metallics are super thick and chunky almost, I find myself needing to dip multiple times just to get through one word. The flow from my nib is always different and it's making me crazy. I think I'm going to try out Winsor & Newton inks next.

dip pen mischief from me. let's all keep in mind that I'm new and not great. Stop judging me.

but more recently, like last week, I ordered and received my first brush pen set made by Tombow USA. I'M IN LOVE. Basically these pens are equivalent to a paintbrush that never runs out of ink. This fixes a lot of things. I can control the width of my lines by easy pressure, and I don't have to worry about when to best pick up to get more ink. Plus it flows so much easier. Bonus, the other end is like a fine tip marker so you can always touch up your letters a bit more. Best part? They don't bleed through paper very easily. Which means I can also use them in my adult coloring book that by love Rhonda got me to get bolder pictures.
I love that there are tons of different palettes to choose from with Tombow USA as well. I ordered the Soda Shop pallette too, but it's backordered, so I'll be waiting rather impatiently for those to arrive.

and here's my more recent exploits with my Tombow USA dual brush pens. (it comes with a blending pen, and that's how I got that magical rainbow thing happening with Selena Gomez's Lyrics that have been stuck in my head for a couple weeks)

I honestly use all of my calligraphy stuff on regular old sketchbook paper. I have a packet of parchment I got recently on sale at Barnes and Noble that I love but it's super thin and nearly see through so I'm not sure how often I'll use it.

However, I stumbled upon a hashtag on instagram that said #crayoligraphy.
which is where people have disvoered that regular crayola (and other brands I'm sure) MARKERS can be used similarly to a brush pen (so writing super light on upstrokes and then pressing down pretty hard on down strokes) so I tried it out... AND IT WORKS. Here I am spending money on pro brush pens and I could be using markers. what.

I'd like to take this paragraph to explain that there are tons of different brands out there for both dip pens and brush pens. I have only discovered a few due to lack of funds. I'm sure I'll be experimenting with different brands of both types. I don't foresee my love of hand lettering and modern calligraphy dying out any time soon.
So, that should answer quite a few questions that I've been asked. If you have any more, please comment and I'll try to answer them. I'm still pretty new.

That's all folks :)

Attempt.

OKAY: DISCLAIMER. I'm just writing. I'm not backspacing or rephrasing, I'm just pulling a Cady Heron and allowing word vomit to present itself on my blog. You're welcome.

Today I mentioned my blog to a cute guy.

and it made me think.
Why did I stop writing?

really, I don't know. I feel like it's mainly because I wasn't really writing anything that anyone would want to read. I just logged into my dashboard (that's what bloggers have, just so you know. a dashboard.) and I have over 7,400 views. I seriously don't know how that happened. I had like, a thousand the last time I remember checking. So obviously I'm hilarious. Or something. And that means I should obviously keep writing on my blog.

I don't really want my blog to die. So I guess in order for that to happen I should really give it a purpose.
Like, should I write about how incredibly crazy it is to be a single mom trying to date people? Because man, I could start screen shotting my conversations and have a book made by next Tuesday.

Or maybe review the insane amounts of books I've been reading? (seriously, it's insane. I've read... hold on I'm counting. 41 books this year.)
In the 56 days (don't check that we all know I failed math) that have happened in 2016. I've read 41 books.
That's more books than most people read in a year...
In two years.
In 15 years, if you're my mother. (Love you ma)
I could review those books. I would have to google how to adequately review books, but I could do it.

DETOUR: Click here to go to my instagram and see the 23 books I read in the month of January. And then creep on the multiple other books I've been reading. And then check out my calligraphy, because I've been practicing. And if you have instagram, follow me, because it makes me feel cool.

CARRY ON: Maybe I should just keep writing about life. The silly things Rhyssie says (I'm not whining just my lips are) or start counting the evergrowing list of ways Kamden gets himself in trouble (seriously, tonight he made himself throw up on purpose to get out of eating dinner. It worked. He won. He's magical. Seriously I was gagging so hard, I'm a useless mom) Or how my Xiaden (who failed kindergarten) is now pretty much on a second grade reading level. (#proudmom) (seriously did I just put a hashtag in my blog?)

who knows. I don't.
I guess I have some thinking to do.

Maybe I'll think about it while I read Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (the second novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children) 'cause it's fantastic.
And text cute guys. 'cause I can.
And continually push Minerva off of my face. 'cause she's a cat and the word "no" doesn't actually exist.
those are the things that I will be doing in between thinking about the fate of this silly little blog of mine.

laters, haters.