Commissioned Calligraphy Work: Song Lyrics for Home Decor

Commissioned Calligraphy Artwork

This was a really cool project that I worked on around my "calligraphy vacation", which is defined as the period of the year September-December, where couples are all busy getting engaged. (My busy season for calligraphy starts in January - when all the planning begins!)

This woman reached out to me a few months back looking to complete a project for her home - her husband is a song writer, so she commissioned me to create 18 complete pieces featuring lyrics and song artists in calligraphy on scroll paper that she provided.

From the Beatles to Kanye West, this project was a blast! She placed each of the completed pieces - around 7"x10" in size - in frames and used them as really personal home decor accents. Makes a great gift idea if you are looking for something personal for the songwriter or musician in your life - also a great wedding gift idea for the couples first dance! Shoot me a convo to get started today.

An Elegant Charcoal Grey and White Wedding: Wedding Calligraphy

Calligraphy for Wedding Invitation Envelopes, $4.50 for set pictured

I love it when my brides follow up with images of their wedding!! Pictured below is some custom calligraphy work I did for a May 2013 wedding. The bride's colors were a beautiful elegant charcoal grey and white: I custom-mixed the grey color to match her invitations for both her outer envelope addressing and response envelope address for her invites.

Arrange your escort cards around a striking floral arrangement

Then a few months later, I did her place cards for her wedding - and these were so fun! I LOVE the way white ink looks on any dark cardstock or envelope - it has such a dramatic, striking look. The cards were on the larger side, so I was able to do very large letters for the flourished names.

Calligraphy for Wedding Escort Cards, $1.50 each

Calligraphy for escort cards, $1.50 each

 If you are looking for a calligrapher to help out with your wedding - for invitations, escort cards, or both - shoot me an email on how we can get started!

Wedding Ceremony Calligraphy: Certificate of Marriage

Custom Wedding Ceremony Calligraphy Document

 In the throes of wedding calligraphy season, I took a chance on a custom project and am SO glad that I did! A couple approached me in July of this year to commission a custom Commitment to Marriage document in calligraphy. There were a few elements that they were looking for in their document, and I've included a few images of the finished product: (Visit the Ash Tree Calligraphy Facebook Page to see more images!)

1) Lines for Guests' Signatures. The purpose of the wedding document was not only to write down vows that the couple promised each other, but for guests to participate in the ceremony by signing as witnesses and promising to support the couple in their marriage.

For this couple, it required about 117 lines - one for each guest. Though they initially wanted 3 columns of lines, we were actually able to fit the right amount of space with exactly 4 columns instead.

2) Color Palette. After consulting with the groom, we discussed that brown ink with tones of green would best match their wedding colors - and I recommended using a light cream color paper, as the colors would look best.

I was able to incorporate all of these colors in different areas of the wedding document  - including "illuminating" the first letter of a few lines with the green accent over the brown.

3) Illustrations. After a previous illustration of the California coastline I did last season for a destination save-the-date, this was another request to place a design element in addition to calligraphy on the document - and as an artist, I'm always up for that challenge!

Involve guests in your ceremony with their signatures!

We looked at three stock images of trees that the couple liked, and I used those as inspiration to create my own - tying in all of the document colors of brown and shades of green. The tree was meant to be a simple accent, while also representing the strength and sturdiness of their marriage. They opted for two identical, mirrored trees on each side of the top of their document.

There was also a slight flourish to graphically separate the signatures of the couple to the promises of the guests - I used the darker green tone to tie into the document and added leaf elements.

4) Size. Lastly, this document was also the largest I've created to-date! The final finished project was about 15" x 22" in size - I provided the paper to make sure it was archival and could withstand the test of time. I also recommended that once it is framed and matted, placing documents such as this in areas of little natural sunlight to decrease the chances of fading.

Looking for your own custom calligraphy project? Shoot me an email about what's on your mind for design, and let's get to work!

Reception Calligraphy: Table Tents and Place Cards

Table names instead of table numbers in calligraphy, $2 each

 Just showcasing a few recent client-supplied calligraphy images from her wedding reception:

Wedding Calligraphy for your guests' place cards!

The bride and her fiance were big book lovers, so they named each of their tables after fictional places: such as Hogwarts, Neverland, The Shire, etc. The names were written horizontally with a custom-mixed lavendar ink on deep purple, long table tents.

Table Tents for Wedding Reception Tables, $2.00 each

Her place cards were silkscreened in red and deep purple ink as well on both pink and lavender shades of cardstock. I wrote out the place card names in calligraphy for each guest, and the mix of color for the place cards was both refreshing and gave the place card display a real pop!!

Calligraphy for Wedding Place Cards, $1.50 each

Looking for calligraphy for your wedding reception? Shoot me an email and we'll talk about how we can make your reception special :)

Calligraphy for Your Wedding Photo Booth

Dress Up Your Reception with Some Signage in Calligraphy! $2

Lots of brides are doing fun activities for guests at their reception, such as video or photo booths. Why not dress up the reception a bit with some signage in calligraphy to tell guests what's what?

Tell guests where to go and what to do!

This bride wanted to do just that, so I did "Photo Booth" in calligraphy on beautiful handmade paper to fit into a chic horizontal frame for her to hang at her reception. We can do these in conjunction with your table numbers or place cards, and they definitely add a special touch to your big day!

Email me to find out more about the process, or to discuss any custom signage project that is in your heart :)

Wedding Invitation Calligraphy for Navy Ink

Calligraphy for Wedding Save-the-Dates, $3 each

Completely new font style for a recent wedding calligraphy for a save the date job: the bride really wanted to get as close to her STD font as possible, So I did some creative re-working of my custom style to try and match it - and the result was gorgeous!

This was also a custom-ink calligraphy job, where I was able to match the ink of her Save-The-Date envelope liners to a rich navy ink color for her guests' addresses in calligraphy.

Custom wedding calligraphy ink address

If the idea of sending out Save the Dates makes you sad because of significant wrist-cramping, shoot me an email on how we can get started!

Wedding Album Calligraphy

Another trend I've noticed and been doing quite a lot lately is calligraphy for wedding albums. Newlywed brides are inquiring if I am able to do their names and wedding dates in calligraphy on the first page of their wedding album - and of course I can!

Wedding Album Calligraphy: $15

This is a great, unique idea post-ceremony that can really help you remember the day. For those brides who are putting together their own album rather than ordering an album from their photographer, this is an even more special touch. I've done wedding album calligraphy on two Rag and Bone photo albums, which are gorgeous quality that I highly recommend if you are shopping for the perfect album to remember your big day. 

If you haven't gotten married yet but don't want to forget, we can also do this before the wedding! This bride also had me do some wedding reception signage in calligraphy, and left her album with me to complete as well.

Add your names and wedding date to your album!

I couldn't have been happier with the finished product: the album was in neutral earth tones with a small tree on the back corner cover, so I recommended a rich brown ink that would complement the album without being too harsh, like black ink would. She also loved the look of all lower-case letters, which was also an option.

Interested in adding a special touch to remember your wedding day? I've worked with brides from NYC to Utah, so contact me on how to get started today!

Charcoal Ink Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations

Inner and Outer Envelope Invitation Calligraphy, $3.50 per set

It's definitely peak calligraphy season! I've had the opportunity to work with many wonderful brides this past month, and I can't wait to get images of my work to share. This latest client had gorgeous ecru colored envelopes with a rich charcoal gray ink liner for her inner envelopes.

I was able to custom-match the charcoal gray ink for the outer and inner envelope addresses in calligraphy: and they came out beautifully. The client bride was from New York, so after a phone consultation we decided on a style that would best match her wedding theme - flourished with a slight tilt to the right, similar to the text used to create her invitation ( you can see a small piece of the invite in the top left in the image below)

We will also be working together as we get closer to her wedding on calligraphy for her rehearsal dinner invitations: those will be a smaller job size, but definitely an elegant touch for her special day!

Calligraphy for outer wedding invitation envelope only, $3

I've captioned the images so you can see pricing if you are considering wedding calligraphy for your invites - for an inner and outer envelope, it comes to $3.50 per set, and for just the outer envelope only, this is just $3 each. If you have the budget for calligraphy, it definitely saves that last-minute stress and hassle of addressing your invitations - especially if your guest count reaches the triple-digits!

Interested in calligraphy? I've worked with brides all over the country to help make a statement with their wedding's first impression - the invitation. Shoot me an email to set up your consultation today, discuss your style and pick any color ink you desire :)

Calligraphy Labels for Wedding Reception

Food labels in calligraphy for wedding reception, $2 each

A few months back, I had the pleasure of working with my 2012 calligraphy giveaway contest winner in helping her out with free calligraphy signage for her wedding. The bride needed signage for her buffet-style reception, as well as for her drink menu for the bar.

This is such a great idea for brides who are looking to do a buffet-style dinner for their guests - having calligraphy food labels at each station lets guests know exactly what they are getting, eliminates guesswork and constant questioning of waitstaff, as well as give something for guests to read / think about while waiting in line.

Calligraphy food labels for wedding reception, $2 each

The bride was also kind enough to send me the two images above from her wedding - she had taken the labels I had written in calligraphy and placed them in small frames next to each appropriate dish.

"Ash Tree Calligraphy work is amazing! She is very responsive, accommodating and has an amazing talent...She did my place cards, food labels and drink signage and everyone thought it was such a nice touch to our special day! You should definitely use this company!!" - Candice, Wedding 3/16/2013

Pics of the calligraphy food labels right from my desk!

Thinking about adding another personal touch to your wedding reception? I've worked with brides all over the country to make their day perfect - shoot me an email to see what we can do to make your wedding special!

Image credits: Andrew Nyholt, photographer - nyholt.com 

Wedding Reception Calligraphy: Food Labels for Buffet Stations

Calligraphy signs for your wedding buffet food stations!

This was a fun, unique project that I had never done before: a bride recently commissioned me to do food labels for her wedding reception in calligraphy - that is, she was having a buffet and wanted guests to know what was available at each buffet station.

Buffet Food Station Signs in Calligraphy, $2 each

This is another great idea to dress up your reception a bit - and buffet stations are a fun way to inform guests what's available to eat (without the guessing) - especially when they are waiting in line.

Looking for wedding calligraphy for your wedding reception? Most signage takes just a week to turn around, and ink can be custom mixed to match your wedding palette perfectly. Contact me on how to get started!

Wedding Calligraphy for Reception Signage

Calligraphy for Wedding Reception Signage, $2 each

Wedding signage for your reception is a fun way to dress up your reception, let your personality shine through, as well as play up your wedding's theme. I just received these adorable images from a past wedding calligraphy client and wanted to share.

She had a nautical wedding on Cape Cod, so much of her theme was conveyed in the colors she chose: such as navy, white, and red. Above is a sign I did for her breaking down for guests what was in her Signature drink, and it was held up by a monkey's fist sailor knot - great idea!

"Reserved" Signs in Calligraphy for your wedding ceremony, $2 each

The reception isn't the only place you can use signage for - I also created several "Reserved" Signs in calligraphy navy ink to be placed in pews reserved for close friends and family during the ceremony.

Add fun signage in calligraphy for your wedding reception!

When guests arrived at the reception space, the bride provided the girls with the option of ditching their heels for more comfortable red flip-flops for dancing. The calligraphy sign for this was just fun - "Sole Mates", in red to match the shoes and her theme.

Wedding Calligraphy for Table Numbers, $2 each

Lastly, the same idea of her signature drink carried through onto her reception table, where I also wrote her table numbers in calligraphy. The numbers in red ink were the perfect touch to once again sit on top of a monkey's fist sailor know.

If you are looking for a unique, handmade touch for your wedding reception with signage in calligraphy? Contact me today for a wedding calligraphy consultation, and we'll get you started!

Wedding Reception: Red Tag Place Cards with White Ink on Mason Jars

I did a blog post about working with this bride's wedding reception calligraphy a while back, but just recently got some beautiful images from her nautical-themed wedding.

Red tags with white calligraphy on mason jars for favors!

Navy blue, red, and white played a big role in her reception, (she had table number cards with instructions on how to eat a lobster-cute!) and she decided to do her place cards using red tags with white ink calligraphy featuring each guests name attached to Mason jars, which served as wedding favors.

Matched perfectly with the white and red straws

If you ever get the opportunity to use white ink on a colored cardstock for your place cards, or white ink on dark envelopes for your wedding invitations, USE IT! It makes for such a striking contrast and impression. Enjoy the photos!

If you are looking for a unique, handmade touch for your wedding reception, contact me for a wedding calligraphy consultation, and we'll get you started! 

Image credit: Stacey Kane Photography, www.staceykane.com

Event Calligraphy for Certificate Names

Occasionally, I'll get a freelancing request outside wedding calligraphy work: calligraphy also makes a great final touch to more formalized events. For example, I get commissioned every year by a student club at Harvard to write out their Final Dinner invitations on gorgeous cream card stock. So in this latest featured case, a client found my work online and needed about thirty names written in calligraphy for award certificates for an upcoming function.

I liked doing this job because it reminded me of how I got started with calligraphy: when I was in high school, and the Dean recruited me to fill out National Honor Society certificates after seeing some of my early work. Since then, I've been honing my skills and catering to all different clients and styles - from brides to event planners: the handwritten art definitely has it's place in a digital world!

If you are in need of a calligrapher to help you out with some certificate names (and maybe don't trust your own hand!) shoot me an email on how to get started. With quick turnaround and flexibility, I will definitely be able to help you out!

Historical Love Letter in Calligraphy

Commission a Love Letter in Calligraphy

 "If a picture speaks a thousand words, a love letter speaks a thousand more."

Valentine's day brings out the romantic in all of us. So instead of getting that $3 Hallmark card from CVS, why not get your partner something a bit more meaningful, that you can look at every day?

I received this commission a few months ago, where a woman wanted to replicate a historical love letter in calligraphy to her husband: a letter that meant something to the both of them. While you don't quite have to go to this length (this was an actual letter size, about 8 1/2" x11"), there are plenty of quotes you can use from love letters past. This commission was completed on a beautiful cream card stock with a crisp black ink, using calligraphy nib size C-5.

 

Pricing varies by length: $50 for full letter, $25 for 1/2 page

I'm so interested in future projects like this, that I've actually ordered a book featuring the greatest love letters of all time. Even in the age of email, tweets, texts and IMs, nothing has ever replaced the power of a love letter. This would make a fabulous Valentine's Day gift for those passionate readers and lovers of words. And if it's hard for you to write your own love letter {ahem, gentlemen} why not utilize words of great authors past to say what you really feel but can't express?

I can't wait for the book to arrive and to see what I can learn - it features love letters from all kinds of historical figures, from Mozart to Napoleon. I think even simple excerpts would look stunning on simple card stock - and though V-Day is close, this would still make a great gift for any romantic occasion: for your wedding, anniversary, birthday, etc.

Would you like to commission your own love letter in calligraphy, either from your own words or from writers past? Contact me to get started!

Press for Ash Tree Creations

What an amazing year it's been here for Ash Tree! From wedding calligraphy features in online magazines and blogs, to a fabulous partnership with She's the First selling cupcake necklaces to help raise money to fund girls' education, 2012 has certainly been busy. Here's a summary of all the recent press this year -

She's the First Cupcake Necklace, $20

A Charm for Charity - Shopaholic
Jacquelyn Mysliwiec, South Shore Living Magazine

"Teaming up with She’s the First, a not-for-profit in support of girls’ education across the globe, local jewelry designer Ashley Osgood of Ash Tree Designs has designed a unique handmade cupcake pendant which acts as the bright and whimsical charm on her $20 cupcake necklaces, in which $15 for every one purchased will go toward the charity. 

Osgood, specializes in sea glass jewelry, as well as recycled sail products, but her innovative outlook on jewelry design constantly leads her to all sorts of mediums, designs, and projects— such as—her keepsake vibrant "tie-dye" cupcake necklace. If you’re looking for a gift for a special lady of any age, this 100% handmade necklace is a steal. It’s a gift that will make more than just the receiver smile."

Holiday Gift We’re Loving: She’s the First’s Cupcake Charm
StyleWatch, People Magazine

"What’s better than a cupcake? A cupcake that’s calorie-free! She’s the First, an organization that sponsors girls’ educations, helping them become the first in their families to graduate, is doing a modern bake sale this holiday season. 

The non-profit partnered with Etsy’s Ash Tree Creations to design this cute cupcake charm, which stands just 1-in. high and hangs on a 16-in. silver plate chain. It mirrors the organization’s rainbow cupcakes, which are sold nationwide to raise funds for its cause. And this cupcake will help, too: $15 of the $20 price will benefit She’s the First’s important programs."

Buy a Cupcake Necklace - 75% is Donated to STF!

She's the First & Cupcakes!
Sprinkles and Style blog

"This cupcake necklace, which you can buy from Ash Tree Creations, would be a great gift for your sister, niece, friend, the little girl you babysit, or even yourself! The handmade tie-dye cupcake charm is adorned with sparkling Swarovski crystals on 'vanilla frosting' that's fun, vibrant, and eye-catching - would certainly be a happy addition to your jewelry collection."

Birthday Bazaar: A Rainbow of Fun

NYC Metro Parents Magazine

"We’ve compiled a bazaar of ideas, products, and tips in this birthday party package. Read on for our favorite new party products, other momentous birthdays we're celebrating in April - 

Want a one-of-a-kind gift that gives back? This handmade magenta-and-teal special edition cupcake necklace donates 75% to She’s the First!, a nonprofit that sponsors girls’ education in the developing world ($20; etsy.com/shop/AshTreeCreations; learn more about the cause supported by artist Ashley Osgood at shesthefirst.org)"

Calligraphy feature on BravoBride.com

The Art of Calligraphy
BravoBride.com

"I love the white script against the black envelope, making for a traditional look. The place cards are given extra pizazz with a handwritten calligraphy note by Ash Tree Creations."

Broke Ass-Bargains
Broke Ass-Bride Newsletter

"Love the look of calligraphy but your budget won't allow it? Ash Tree Creations is giving away an entire calligraphed reception package! Visit her Calligraphy Giveaway page for more information on how to enter!"

While I do see sales year round for cupcake necklaces and other handmade jewelry, the holiday shopping season is over - so it's time to ramp back up for wedding calligraphy for 2013 clients and weddings. 

I've already booked several clients for Jan-Feb, but if you're interested in having your invitations addressed in calligraphy, contact me on how to get started! 

Wedding Calligraphy: Navy Ink on Cream Envelopes

Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations, $2 per envelope

Featured here are some images from my latest work with a bride who had navy blue as one of her wedding colors. Her invitations were a cute and simple design, with two birds hanging out in a gorgeous deep navy embossed branch.

After the consultation, we decided the blue would look beautiful on her cream envelopes. I did a custom ink mix to match the embossed design, her return address on the envelope, and the invitation text perfectly.

She opted for a thicker nib for the calligraphy pen, so the lettering made more of a statement on the envelope. The bride also requested less of a flourish on her addresses - and with a thicker pen to work with, that was more than easy to accommodate.

Wedding Calligraphy for Invitations, $2 per envelope

Are you looking to have your wedding invitations professionally addressed by a calligrapher? Contact me on how to get started: I've worked with brides all over the country - and if you're local to Boston we can grab some coffee and talk about what you're looking for. Talk to you soon!

Wedding Calligraphy: Grey Ink on Cream Place Cards

Wedding Calligraphy for Place Cards, $1 each

Just completed another wedding reception calligraphy job for a client with a fall wedding. With grey and yellow in her wedding palette, the bride opted for cream colored place cards for her wedding reception - and wanted each guests' name to be written in grey ink.

After her consultation and viewing some previous work where I had also done calligraphy in charcoal grey ink, we elected on a slightly lighter shade so as not to look too harsh on the cream, with an added flourish to the text. She then gave me her cream cards from Paper Source, where she had craft-punched the bottom front edges of each card herself. I thought this made them look a lot like lace, and they were so fun to work with!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy

The bride also needed the place cards relatively last-minute, as she expected to do them herself and simply ran out of time - which I do see occasionally. Luckily, we were able to connect via my Wedding Wire Calligraphy Vendor profile, and I was able to turn about 80 cards for her in a matter of days.

Have a few weeks before your wedding and would like some calligraphy for your place cards? I've worked with brides all over the country on last minute *emergency* touches, and would be happy to help you. Contact me to get started!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy Purple Ink

Wedding Calligraphy for Place Cards, $1 each

Typically once I complete a bride's wedding invitations, I hear from her a few months later to help her out with her reception. This can include anything from wedding signage to escort cards, and I just recently finished another beautiful job!

This bride's colors were gold and purple, so I matched the purple decorative scroll in her printed place cards and table cards for the names and numbers - and they came out great!

Wedding Reception Calligraphy

CALLIGRAPHY TIP: A tip for brides looking at place cards - whether you are going to hire a calligrapher or just writing out cards yourself, I recommend choosing a card stock that does not have an iridescent finish. This can make it difficult to write on, as the ink isn't able to sink into the weave of the paper well enough to give a crisp line. Already bought iridescent? The trick is to get an ink that is acrylic-based, which has similar qualities to paint - not water. This should work out much better for you.

Need some place cards or table numbers for your wedding? Contact me on how to get started with the calligraphy process - it will definitely push your wedding reception over the edge!

Bridal Shower Calligraphy

Calligraphy for Bridal Shower Signage, $2 each

This was a really fun project - I was commissioned through my Ash Tree Designs etsy shop to do calligraphy on these cute provided cards for an upcoming bridal shower. The bride's friend found me on Etsy originally though my wedding calligraphy signage listing, and after a few back and forth convos she was ready to go.

Wedding Calligraphy Signs, $2 each

She picked out several different pastel - toned card stock with adorable patterns, and created signs for each of the Bridal Shower "stations". She also lives in California - and it's always cool that someone across the country likes my work enough to ship it!

It's such a fun was to dress up an event, by directing where guests should go and what they should do. She matted each of the calligraphy cards and placed them in frames to designate the favor table, where to leave gifts, and even directions for the bar (we ALWAYS need instruction when there's a bar at a party ;) 

Guests need to know how to drink at the bar!!

Looking to have a similar project done for a party or special event? Shoot me an email on how to get started and for a quote - obviously distance isn't an issue :) Talk to you soon!