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 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!

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 :)

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 in Magenta Ink: To the President!

Have an extra invite? Send it to the President for something cool!
Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations, $2 each

Just a few images from a recent job - this client had a smaller wedding guest list, about 50 invitations that needed to be addressed. She had a really cool invitation design: dark purple and this hot magenta color that really popped on her white invitation card stock.

I went shopping and found the perfect ink to match the magenta - purple ink color to match her invitations. So much of her text was already in the deep purple color, so the magenta was really fun to play with.

Another thing she did that was really cool was send a wedding invitation to the President! I've heard of this, but this was the first time I've actually addressed one - if you have an extra invite and want to do something fun, address the envelope to the President and First lady (written above) and they will send you back a personal note of congratulations!

Need some wedding calligraphy for your upcoming wedding invitation mailing? I've worked with brides all over the country to help them get to the perfect vision for their wedding, both with their invitations and reception. So contact me to get started!

Wedding Calligraphy: White Ink on Charcoal Envelopes

Calligraphy for Wedding Envelopes, $2 each

I have to admit, working on darker toned envelopes is always my favorite - because I get to use white ink, and I always am so happy with how they turn out! This couple met with me and after discussing their Boston wedding, gave me their charcoal envelopes with a cool map lining of Boston's Charles River. I thought this was such a cool, small personal touch - so between that and the white ink request, I was eager to get started!

The bride used a map of Boston's Charles River as an envelope liner!

The envelopes came out beautifully: it was about 100 outer envelopes that needed to be addressed in white ink calligraphy, as well as corresponding RSVP envelopes. Guests would mail their reply in with a small white envelopes included with the invitation made of gorgeous white paper - and I was able to make a custom ink mix to match the envelopes, to use for the response envelope address, which happened to be the bride's mother. They came out beautiful!

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

Handling Bad Business Review

I haven't posted in a good three months. Mostly, it's been time...but since I do love writing, I have to be honest: there was a reason my passion had slipped away.

As a (very) small business owner, it hits right to the heart when you come across a bad review of your business. Such a thing happened to me recently, and after much emotional grappling, I have come to terms with it and am trying to move on.

I'll start with a comment I read about employers today: they love seeing "entrepreneurship" on your resume, because it shows that you have personal accountability: taking your career into your own hands, rather than someone else's. And while I have built this wedding calligraphy business up from scratch since starting up five years ago, I am still one person. The buck stops with me - I made a mistake.

Calligraphy for Wedding Signs, $2 each

In this review, the bride had some valid points. I had dropped the ball, we had some miscommunication, and while she said my work was beautiful (a compliment she didn't need to make when dissatisfied), it still cuts to the core when you put everything you are into a business. I take pride in my work, and my goal has always been to have the bride over-the-moon excited for what I've been able to do for her, and when that doesn't happen, I hate to see it.

On the other hand, I can dispute some other points made in this review: but what would that solve? The damage has already been done, time has passed, and nothing will be able to change her mind. For example, one of the issues she had with me was that the ink color I used was inconsistent: some envelopes looked "darker" than others, and that was the only issue she had...and I know for a fact that she was simply wrong. This then transformed to a slew of other errors I was hearing for the first time in her review, which don't really give her much credibility.

I will say that I love this business. 99.9% of the time, the brides I work with are amazing, sweet and so much fun to work with. I love being able to do my part in making their wedding beautiful - especially in that first moment that one of their guests receives their invitation and are blown away by the first impression, which I love to hear!

So, I'm back to blogging. Contrary to my super-critical, take-everything-personal side, that bad review hasn't done any damage at all to my business. In fact, the amount of business I'm doing has DOUBLED since this time last year - with brides finding me both online and through fellow vendor and past bride referrals. All this makes me understand that I have high quality work, and shouldn't let one crazy bridezilla (okay, that was immature but makes me feel a bit better ;) stop me from doing what I love to do.

I continue to look forward to working with my brides, and doing whatever I can to make them happy!

Thanks to all my fabulous brides for being you,
Ashley

Calligraphy Addressing: Wedding Envelope Etiquette

Calligraphy for Inner and Outer Envelopes, $2.50

I recently had a bride ask for best places to look for how to address her envelopes, because she wanted to keep them as formal as possible. Tired of trying to figure out how to address your envelopes to that same sex couple? Don't want to offend your recently widowed aunt?

The uncertainty stops here: stop second guessing and take a look below at this easy to read chart to help you put together your wedding invitation addresses! I've described nearly every situation you can have below: how to address to children under 18, unmarried couples who live together, etc. Hope this helps :)

	OUTER ENVELOPES	INNER ENVELOPES
	Single Guests
Unmarried Female	Miss Jayne Jones or Ms. Jayne Jones	Miss Jones and Guest or Ms. Jones and Guest
Divorced Female-kept married name (Smith)	Mrs. Jayne Smith or Ms. Jayne Smith	Mrs. Smith and Guest or Ms. Smith and Guest
Divorced Female-back to married name (Jones)	Ms. Jayne Jones	Ms. Jones and Guest
Widowed Female	Mrs. Jayne Smith or Mrs. John Smith	Mrs. Smith (and Guest) *never use 'and guest' if recently widowed.
	CHILDREN
Children under 18	*Do not put on outer envelope Only list parents.	(1 child) And Eva (2+children) Eva and Lukas *List by age-oldest first.
Child 18 and over	Miss Emily Jones	Miss Jones and Guest
	COUPLES
Unmarried couples who do not live together	Miss Jayne Jones *the only name on the outer should be the person who lives at the address.	Miss Jones Mr. Davis
Unmarried couples who live together	Miss Jayne Jones Mr. Richard Davis	Miss Jones Mr. Davis
Married couples-*notice the use of 'and' to signify marriage in the following:	Mr. And Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
Married Couple-She kept maiden name	Mrs. Jayne Jones and Mr. Richard Davis	Mrs. Jones and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-She has hyphenated last name	Mrs. Jayne Jones-Davis and Mr. Richard Davis	Mrs. Jones-Davis and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-She has a professional title and he does not.	Doctor Jayne Davis and Mr. Richard Davis	Doctor Davis and Mr. Davis
Married Couple-both are doctors	Doctor Jayne Davis and Doctor Richard Davis or The Doctors Davis	The Doctors Davis
Married Couple-both are doctors with different last names	Doctor Jayne Jones and Doctor Richard Davis	Doctor Jones and Doctor Davis
Same sex Couples-list in alphabetical order by last name	Mr. Dan Smith Mr. Thomas Jones	Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones
	MILITARY
He is a commissioned officer	Colonel and Mrs. Richard Davis	Colonel and Mrs. Davis
He is a non-commissioned officer or enlisted man	Mr. And Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
He is a retired commissioned officer	Colonel and Mrs. Richard Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis
She is a commissioned officer, he is not	Mr. and Mrs. Richard Davis or Captain Jane Davis and Mr. Carl Davis	Mr. and Mrs. Davis or Captain Davis and Mr. Davis
	MISC.
Judge	The Honorable and Mrs. Richard Davis	Judge and Mrs. Davis
Reverend	Reverend and Mrs. Richard Davis	Reverend and Mrs. Davis

Now that you've put together your wedding invitation list in the most formal way possible, do you need a wedding calligrapher to help give your invitations that personal touch? Contact Ash Tree Calligraphy to get started on your wedding calligraphy project today!

Wedding Calligraphy: Nautical Navy Theme

Calligraphy for Inner and Outer Envelopes, $2 each

The latest wedding calligraphy project recently completed was a series of inner and outer envelopes in a beautiful cream color. The inner envelopes were lined with an adorable red lobster liner, and the bride I met with informed me that she would be having a nautical wedding.

After our calligraphy consultation, I looked at her outfit (she had a cute "preppy" white jacket with navy piping" and asked what she thought about doing a navy ink color for her envelopes. After showing her a few samples of the color from my portfolio, she excitedly agreed.

Navy Calligraphy for Inner Envelope, $2 per whole set

The envelopes turned out so beautiful! The paper was high-quality from Crane & Co., and came in strong cardboard boxes that allowed for easy transport and exchange. And for paper nerds like me (aren't all calligraphers some kind of paper nerds? With all the writing they do? ;) It was overall very exciting.

I've worked with brides all across the country to provide the wedding calligraphy for their big day. Inner & outer envelopes, place cards, RSVP's, Save the Dates - I've done it all. Local to Boston? Let's grab some coffee and talk about what you are looking for.

Custom Calligraphy Ink Color: Lapis Blue

Custom Ink for Wedding Calligraphy

This was the calligraphy job I always love to get. My bride client wanted something a little different for her wedding invitation calligraphy on her Vera Wang invitations, which were beautifully embossed on heavy white "torn" paper. Each part of the invitation had an imprinted nautical element, from sea shells to sand dollars, and the invitation print was a simple block in a brilliant lapis blue color.

The same lapis blue was also used for the letterpress return address, and was the shade selected for the envelope lining. It was such an exquisite color scheme, that the bride naturally wanted to continue the color scheme on the invitation address - and that's where I came in.

Lapis blue is a very unique color: it ranges in shades and tones, much like any abstract color when you Google it. It is not a color that can be picked off a shelf at my usual ink-purchasing haunts: it has to be special ordered - that is, if you didn't go to art school, have a painting background, and understand color theory.

Custom ink mixing for calligraphy outer envelopes, $2 each

I knew I'd have to custom-mix this color, which I've done in the past for clients seeking a certain "look" for their wedding calligraphy. This specific shade of lapis blue, if you can believe it, actually has a hint of red in it. I already had a red ink bottle, and purchased a bright blue bottle of ink. I started mixing small amounts, adding lots of blue with a dab of red and dab of white to give it some opacity. After mixing for several minutes, I had gotten the color exactly - take a look at the pictures!

Of course I was completely ecstatic, and couldn't wait to finish the wedding calligraphy job so the bride could see her custom calligraphy ink selection. She was thrilled with the results, and I am still so happy that I nailed the color, after being out of school for so long. Some things are like riding a bike, I guess :)

Looking to give your wedding invitations a bit of an edge? Contact me for custom wedding calligraphy ink options, and we'll get started making your wedding invitation vision come true!

Custom Calligraphy: Return Address for Ink Stamp

Custom Calligraphy Return Address Digital File, $15

After consulting with a bride recently who was looking to have some custom calligraphy work done (my favorite!) one of the items she requested was getting a single calligraphy "Return Address" digital file that she could then bring to her own printer so that she could have a custom stamp made for all of her future return addressing needs.

I thought this was such a great idea! After completing the job (see file image, above) I sent to her in her required size and file type. I then decided to try my own and see how it would come out. I chose to use Staples, and uploaded my own address in calligraphy artwork to have a custom self-inking calligraphy return address stamp made.

I was so excited when my stamp finally came in the mail - it came out perfect, and I'm now pleased to offer these custom self inking return address stamps on my etsy website! Not interested in dropping $40? I also  have an option to just purchase your own custom calligraphy return address file that you can use to bring to your own local or favorite printer of your choice!

Custom Calligraphy Return Address Self Inking Stamp, $38

I've sold a few so far, and they've been such a success - I can't wait to do more. You'd think as a calligrapher I'd have thought of this already...but now I look forward to bills and mail so I can stamp my return address. Lame? Maybe. Excited over little awesome things? Definitely.

Click any of the links above to visit the shop listing to get your own custom calligraphy stamp or custom calligraphy return address digital file - it makes a great gift for a new bride (help them commemorate their new address together or new shared name!) or will definitely make your own life easier, if you're a bride with Save the Dates, Invitations, and Thank You Notes to address (that's you're entire guest list x3!)

Calligraphy for Wedding Envelopes: Kraft and Navy

Calligraphy for Inner and Outer Envelopes, $2.50

On a recently completed wedding calligraphy job, the bride here had the great, unique color scheme of navy and kraft. It was a calligraphy job with both inner and outer envelopes, and the bride had the return address on the outer envelope (which was a kraft tone) in navy.

Our initial dilemma was a matter of ink choice between white and navy on the outer kraft envelope: we went back and forth because the kraft color is a medium tone, and it's always a toss up as to what will show up best. For example, on dark tones I always recommend a light color ink so that the text will pop: and dark ink for light envelopes.

Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations

After doing samples of both white and navy ink on the kraft outer envelope, I determined that navy ink looks best: the white seemed to get lost on the paper. I was a little worried that it wouldn't look navy, because the brown tone of the kraft makes the navy lose it's blue tint - but they definitely turned out great.

Then, on the inner envelope, she opted for a white color ink. I've done several jobs with white ink on navy, and always love the way that it looks!

Wedding Calligraphy

Are you in need of a calligrapher for your wedding invitations, or are just looking to make your life a bit easier? Contact me today to find out how to get started.

Wedding Calligraphy: Outer Envelope and Return Address

Calligraphy for Return Address, $1 per envelope

This calligraphy job was for a small wedding on simple cream colored envelopes with black ink. The envelopes needed calligraphy for the outer envelope, containing the invitation, and calligraphy for the return address on the back. As you can see, I was very happy with the results! If you are a DIY bride, it's always tough getting all that return address info on the back flap without it looking smushed: so be careful!

Calligraphy for Wedding Invitations, $2.00 each

The bride also opted for a personal design and favorite of mine - incorporating dots in the zip code. I've always done a spread-out zip code underneath the town and state, because I think that it looks better and really ties the whole address together. Adding the dot accents gives it a little something extra - without going too over the top! You can also read about the place cards for this job here.

Need calligraphy for your wedding invitations? I've been addressing wedding envelopes for years, and am operating out of Massachusetts, just North of Boston. Contact me to get started today on your own wedding consultation!

Wedding Calligraphy: White Ink on Chocolate Brown Envelopes

Calligraphy for Wedding Envelopes, $2 each

I have recently completed another white ink calligraphy addressing job, which never gets old against a deep, rich-colored envelope like chocolate brown.

This client came to me with deep brown and green hues as their wedding colors, and really wanted the addressing to jump off the envelope. They fell in love with the idea of white ink, as well as the whimsical dots between the zip code - which always add an extra personal touch to an address.

Calligraphy for Return Address, $1

This job also involved both outer envelope addressing with a return address needed on the back. This is the perfect option if you want your envelopes to precisely match the address they are being delivered to.

If you are looking to have calligraphy on wedding invitations, email me to get started! I'll show you a full portfolio of my work, schedule a consult on what style and colors are right for you, and answer any questions you may have on etiquette. Contact Ash Tree Designs today!

Custom Calligraphy Ink Color for Wedding Envelopes

Wedding Calligraphy for Outer Envelope Only, $2

This bride came to me with the coolest vintage-inspired invites that I've ever seen. Using different fonts and styles to create an antiqued feel, the invitations came in a charcoal-grey color scheme that she requested for a custom color mix for her calligraphy for outer envelopes.

You can see from the images that she chose the spread out zip code with no dot accents between the numbers. The envelopes were great quality, looking almost woven, and thus great to write on. I used a C-5 calligraphy nib, and custom-mixed a grey using a mostly white ink bottle with limited drops of black. The result was a "not too harsh" ink color that really popped, and looked great against her invitations!

Custom calligraphy ink for wedding envelopes

Looking for a custom color, or just don't want to even THINK about addressing all those envelopes yourself? Contact me today to get started on your calligraphy project: I've worked with brides all over the country, and will help you to make your wedding a day to remember.