COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. ARE YOU ACCEPTING CUSTOM WORK?
In order to give my best to the important people in my life, and give my best to my shop, I have to regretfully decline from doing personal custom work. I am available for large-scale freelance projects for editorials and product lettering. The cost for such services starts at $500. Please email me at lindsay{at}lindsayletters{dot}com if you’re interested.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN DOING EVENT STATIONERY & SIGNAGE?
I majored in graphic design in college. When my beautiful, unique, wonderful friends started getting engaged (circa, 2007), I was pretty unimpressed with what they were sharing with me in the way of their choices for wedding paper goods. So much thought and detail goes into planning any event, I believe the invitation and event stationery deserve just as much detail and consideration. So, I took maters into my own hands and started creating one of a kind invitations for them. From there, my client base grew and grew thanks to word of mouth and this blog. Since then, the bespoke wedding market has boomed! Thanks, in part, to Pinterest… as well as more and more DIY-savvy brides and kick ass wedding planners that aren’t afraid to come up with some crazy awesome and unconventional ideas. And now, years later, I’m thrilled to be just one of many amazing designers who create unique wedding stationery.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED DOING CALLIGRAPHY?
My mom enrolled me in a calligraphy class in a summer program when I was in 5th grade. I thought it was pretty cool, but all it really meant for me was that I ended up lettering the certificates for everything important that ever happened to me from that point forward… my whole 6th grade class graduation certificates… all the 1st communion certificates… and then there was confirmation certificates… the list goes on. It wasn’t until after college that I really, really began to enjoy calligraphy and lettering as a passion. When I started designing wedding invitations, I would ask my friends to let me address their invitations. The more I addressed, the more I realized that I actually enjoyed that part of the invitation process sometimes even more than designing. And that’s when I began to play with the calligraphy I’d learned as a little girl and to develop my style to make it mine. I like it when things look a little less than perfect–a little quirky, a little mix of modern and vintage all at the same time. I try to emulate that emotion in my calligraphy–fancyish, but really approachable.

Q: CAN YOU TEACH ME HOW TO DO CALLIGRAPHY?
No, but Melissa can. Check out her website and online class: istilllovecalligraphy.com

Q: WHAT KINDS OF PENS DO YOU USE?
This totally depends on the project. Anything from fancy schmancy calligraphy pens to gel and micron pens. But 99% of the time, you’ll find me using a fresh sharpie marker. For more info on a calligraphy pen starter kit, check out Melissa’s website at the link above.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR ARTISTIC PROCESS?
First I draw on paper. Black ink, white paper. Then I scan the art into my Mac with my scanner {I use both an Epson and HP, depending on the project}. Then I bring the JPEG into Illustrator to make the scan into vector art. In Illustrator, I finesse and manipulate as I see fit. This could take 5 seconds or 5 hours, depending on the design. Then I either send the lettering off to be made into a letterpress plate or play around with different colors and send to press digitally. Sometimes painting and dancing to Katy Perry or burning candles and listening to French music are also involved. And also coffee. 

Q. WHERE DID THE ADDRESS STAMPS YOU USED TO SELL GO?
As much as I love creating address stamps that people love, I simply can’t keep up with the demand and am no longer selling them. You can read more about that here.

Q. HOW DID YOU CREATE YOUR BLOG/SHOP/WEBSITE?
I built my blog using WordPress.org, ProPhoto Blogs, blood, sweat, and tears. And some help from my awesome friend Meg. If you’re interested in creating your own blog, visit my friend Emily’s website: The Blog Class. As far as my website, a super talented team at Aeolidia did that!

Q: I’D LOVE TO GET STARTED DO WHAT YOU’RE DOING! ANY ADVICE?
I learned so, so, much from my internships and former career as a graphic designer. I’ve also learned so much from working along side people I love and admired. It’s hard for me to say how to go about your own crazy journey, because I’m just figuring it out as I go myself. My advice is pray hard, google your butt off, be nice to people, find local people you love to work with, and only produce work you’re proud of. Try to have people in your life that keep you accountable to the things you find most important and drink lots and lots of coffee. Pray more. I know that’s not much help. My friend Laura at Making Brands Happen is WAY better at entrepreneurial encouragement. Check out her blog! I know you will leave inspired.

x o x o