See how creativity can get you into flow state. Relax, be calmer and have more balance in life. Be in the moment and enjoy the little things in life.
Bloom TV invited us as part of Small Business Saturday this year. We enjoyed making origami Christmas trees with Gayle. Thank you to everyone at Bloom Tampa Bay for having us and sharing the love of local.
TAMPA (BLOOM) – On the heels of small business Saturday, the Creative Director of The Paper Seahorse, Tona Bell, joined Gayle Guyardo, the host of the global health and wellness show, Bloom, with how using creativity can help you let go of digital distractions.
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This post is from guest blogger, Alex English. You might remember him from his time as a cowboy here at the studio. Alex is more than that to me, he is my "adopted son" and my daughter's childhood friend. He has always been an amazing human, but he has now grown into the most thought provoking and positive person. A true citizen of the world whose insights should be known. He kindly allowed us to repost one of his brilliant and wise newsletters. He focuses on economics, spirituality, holistic thinking, and finding contentment in our lives. We hope you enjoy and will maybe subscribe to his blog econami...enjoy! We would love to know what you think.
Someone once described me as a seeker, and I now believe that to be accurate. I’m a truth-seeker, and have always been a skeptic, a nonconformist, and a lover of rationality. I value thoughtful perspectives over flat acceptance of the status quo.
Lately I’ve found myself seeking deeper truths about human existence, our purpose as living beings, and the pursuit of authenticity.
This new paradigm started as a series of sticky notes I placed around my apartment to jolt myself when I fall into old patterns and easy but unhelpful habits. They are meant to be broad and thought-provoking, more philosophical than literal or dogmatic.
My intention is to share my own insights, highlight concepts worth elevating, and compile learnings I’ve gathered from diverse sources, from books to podcasts to particularly pertinent Tarot card readings.
I hope they are helpful to your own journey toward personal power, truth, and authenticity.
“Rick Owens’ Garage”
Create > Consume
Be Lucky > Be Smart
Seek Expansion > Seek Validation
Interdependent > Codependent
Absolute wealth > Relative wealth
How you feel > How you look
Compassion > Aggression
Appreciation > Accumulation
Cooperation > Competition
Curiosity > Assumption
Send Notes > Buy Gifts
What you DO have > What you DON’T have
How you can add value > How you can make money
Learn through wisdom > Learn through fear & doubt
I wrote this on a sticky note and posted it on the edge of my TV, as if to say: switch off the in-flow of external entertainment and instead choose an activity of creation, something involving the out-flow of my own mind’s creativity.
The concept applies almost universally. Make something instead of buying it (with your hands, with your mind). Entertain yourself away from screens. Cook at home instead of eating out.
For me, the need to create more frequently became clear when I realized that we are drowning in a new world of endless, bingeable consumption, but none of us seems to be happier or more fulfilled.
Our nature is not to be mindless consumers. We’re meant to create and derive satisfaction from our own process and state of flow.
My dad likes to say: “I’d rather be lucky than smart.”
It’s an interesting distinction. Luck implies some divine intervention and universal abundance, for which one must be grateful and humble.
Smart implies having all the answers, which probably diminishes a person’s sense of humility and the moments of awe they experience.
Luck requires less effort but more faith in the unknown. Relinquishing a sense of control is less stressful than always trying to be the smartest in the room.
While I’ve been working on my finances, it occurred to me that most discretionary spending can be tagged as either for expansion (new experiences, learning, functional tools) or for validation (familiar experiences, comforts, status-seeking).
In terms of limited disposable income, it makes sense to note the contrast between expansion and validation, and perhaps lean into seeking expansion when seeking validation can often feel like an endless hamster wheel.
Interdependent > Codependent
Bell Hooks’ All About Love makes the point that our individualistic society and culture treat dependency negatively and codependency as downright cringe-worthy. But what about interdependence? What about our need for social connection and intimacy in alongside self-love and independence?
Interdependence means relying on others for support, learning, and growth, and is reciprocal, but not fraught. Codependency involves greater psychological closeness, less independence, and often relates to attachment styles and addiction.
Interdependence is natural, is human, and is how we advance as an evolved species of higher consciousness—knowing that it’s great to be independent and self-reliant, but it’s also OK to ask for help and to help others, if we are to all survive and thrive.
One of my favorite YouTube Tarot readers (The Autistic Mystic) makes the distinction between absolute wealth and relative wealth, as we are living our daily lives, here on the ground in 2023.
Focusing on relative wealth will always be disappointing because there will always be someone with more than you and more than me. This is the trap of social comparison and competition.
Absolute wealth takes a broader view and considers all the blessings of our current state: novel technology, connectedness, speedy information and entertainment, advanced healthcare and science.
Our absolute wealth simply by being alive here and now is so much greater than we realize. Our lives would be vastly different just 100 years in the past, and for that we should all be grateful. COVID-19 would have wiped half of us off the planet had it swept the globe in 19-20.
We all have desires, dreams, and a wishlist a mile long. Those things shouldn’t overshadow all of the blessings and privileges we already have, from basics like running water and democratic elections, to truly incredible advancements like mobile computing and modern aviation.
This one occurred to me during a yoga practice, because yoga is a different kind of exercise. Rather than focusing on form and on how your body looks in a mirror, yoga forces you inward, to listen to how your body feels.
In the age of visuals and of algorithmic media, so many people struggle with self-love, self-acceptance, and disorders like body dysmorphia. With regard to exercise, they fixate on optimal looks rather than on what feels the best to their body.
“Yoga helped cure my body dysmorphia” is an article I’ve considered writing, and I believe we need more emphasis as a society on managing how our bodies feel over how our bodies look.
When you view those around you, in traffic, at the gym, or in your workplace as adversaries, to be viewed with suspicion and doubt, every moment becomes one of aggression. It’s a sure way to attract exactly the same energy and attitude from everyone else in your day.
On the other hand, putting your ego aside to lead with loving compassion, letting slights and annoyances go, and remaining open in your daily movements require less effort and are more likely to net favorable outcomes.
Try it if you don’t believe me.
At some point in my journey I realized that I love stuff, but stuff makes me crazy.
How do I avoid accumulating too much stuff that I’m burdened with, either to wear, use, give away or sell?
I’ve learned a trick: to appreciate objects of my desire without needing to possess them. Admire, then release.
When I do acquire something new, I make sure there’s space for it, and it’s either something I need or something that brings me pure joy. Anything less isn’t worth pursuing.
We could all stand to appreciate more and accumulate less.
This is another way of saying: practice gratitude for what you already have in your life while still enjoying the freshness and novelty of new desires.
I delved into this fundamental debate in my previous posts, but the question remains—when do we compete and when do we cooperate, for the maximum broader benefit?
So much competition in life, in business, and in our world is unnecessary. Why do we treat each other like foes when we could easily divide our collective spoils and all enjoy richer lives?
It’s a hierarchical, individualistic, capitalistic point-of-view that’s outdated and needs to be questioned.
“Superbloom”
Living life with curiosity indicates an openness to learning, to newness and expansion, and to be empathetic toward others doing the same.
Moving through life mostly by assumption is like imagining the ending to every book you see, but never picking one up to read.
To remain curious is to invite the unexpected, and isn’t that a key to making life more interesting?
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty done with forced gift-giving of any kind. Birthdays, holidays, weddings.
I’d rather send you a note on your special day and then buy you something when the perfect moment strikes.
Most traditions around gift-giving are way over hyped by corporations and consumerism, and it needs to stop.
I picked this up from another Tarot reader (Minnow Pond Tarot) and it stuck with me.
While it’s clear that we all have a necessity to make money in order to live, consider the age-old adage of entrepreneurship: instead of focusing on money, focus on filling a need that’s of value to others, adding valuable insight and perspective, and be compensated accordingly.
I have long defined my goals by thinking about the ends (money) without considering the means (being of value to others). That was a rookie mistake, and an oft-repeated one out in the world, reinforced by our fixation with money and accumulation.
Ruminating on this concept was a fundamental shift for me, and one I think is worth exploring in a future post.
This is another counterpoint that has stuck with me ever since I read it in Gary Zukav’s The Seat of the Soul.
As an admitted scaredy-cat and tentative 1987 Chinese rabbit, I have often been guided by fear and doubt in my decisions. Making fear-based decisions means learning lessons through those fearful or doubtful scenarios, and perhaps missing key insights or clues about myself that would otherwise be apparent without the fog of fear or doubt.
The alternative is to approach life’s challenges and choices armed with wisdom and bravery. It’s remembering: I’m capable and have made it this far. Many before me have done the things I’m doing, and nothing is permanent, few things are fatal. I am worthy, I am smart and handsome. You get the idea.
I’ve found that humbling and then composing myself before a moment of expansion is the best way to ensure that I remain open, curious, and most likely to succeed, rather than viewing all “scary moments” in life as doomsday scenarios.
I’m still working on this one.
-- Alex English
Happy National Handwriting Day 2023!
Here are the winners of this year's contest. Please see the winners and entries below. There are also the judge, Marie Hornback's, comments on what she specifically looks for in this contest. Please see the things she feels make handwriting a joy to behold. She and I agreed on this years winners and we look forward to any feedback and comments.
We are thrilled that this is the third year of keeping handwriting alive. We hope everyone continues to practice their penmanship throughout the year. We hope you all continue to share this practice with others and keep on writing.
Certificates of appreciation and awards will be mailed later this month. Congratulations to everyone who participated. You have help keep longhand top of mind and you are key to spreading the joys of handwriting.
See you in 2024.
Grade School:
1st Place - Diksha Mehta
Runner Up - Keiana Fernandes
High School/Adult:
1st Place - Garima Srivastava
Runner Up - Sherene Fernandes
Honorable Mention - Juliana Quiroz
Judge (Marie Hornback) comments on the 2023 I Love Cursive Contest entries:
When looking at all the entries, each one has its own beauty. The innate qualities of the human hand are apparent. A judges eye perceives the immediate ease of being able to read the written script without having to re-look at a word to be sure of what it says. A judge looks for the natural flow of the script that would be used on a daily basis as one uses their cursive, for notes, letters, lists, etc. Little things like connecting strokes, especially from the waist or midline on the letters b, o, v and w, can affect the legibility of the writing. Sometimes the letter v can look like the letter u if the connecting stroke has been under curved too deeply and touches the baseline before connecting to the adjoining letter. I look for all the letters to be consistent in size, spacing and slope. The shape of the letters is important too, and a judge realizes that there are variations in letter forms. The important consideration is that legibility is maintained. A judge also looks for the organic natural flow of a script and its practical rhythm for everyday handwriting. If a script leans too much toward a flourished version, then it becomes more ornamental than organic and natural. A flourished hand adds strokes that need an additional look to determine certain letters. Each of the entries have their charm and each one portrays the personality and delightful human element of putting pen to paper. Thanks to all the people who participated. We are thankful for your love of cursive handwriting and your efforts in keeping it alive. Write on!!!
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Celebrate the joys of handwriting by entering our I Love Cursive Contest. This penmanship event will be judged by qualified handwriting expert and Director of the American Cursive Instructor Certification Program, Marie Hornback. Our goal is to get more people writing and learning cursive, to slow down and enjoy a mindful and relaxing activity.
Your handwriting is unique to you and it is something you should love. Being proud of this beautiful art form is easy, it just takes practice. It makes you smarter and you can express yourself faster than printing. The physical act of long hand enables you to really think about what you are wanting to say and express yourself clearer.
This 4th annual contest is open to all ages. There are three categories you can submit in:
There will be one winner in each category, a runner up and honorable mention. They will be announced on January 23rd 2023, National Handwriting Day!
Each winner will receive a certificate and handwriting goodies to continue their journey. This contest open to participants in the United States and across the globe. Entries must be in English.
Start practicing and good luck!
Here is how to enter:
1. Write a half page to full page in cursive. We encourage you to tell us what you will do to help keep cursive alive and why it is important. You may also write your favorite poem, a story or tell us why you love handwriting.
2. Include your name, address, age and what category you are submitting to. Only one category per person.
3. Snail mail it to us:
The Paper Seahorse I Love Cursive Contest
211 South Howard Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33606
or you may scan and email your entry to hello@paperseahorse.com.
4. All entries must be received by January 13th end of day. No exceptions.
5. Winner will be announced on National Handwriting Day January 23, 2023.
Learn more about handwriting teacher and expert Marie Hornback here.
See the results of this year's winners: 2021 I Love Cursive Contest here.
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How I Started the Leelanau Letter Writers – By Marilyn Zimmerman
At the beginning of the pandemic, March of 2020, I took an online class and met Lynda. Since we couldn't socialize during the pandemic (this, of course, was pre vaccine) it was wonderful to connect creatively. From Lynda I learned about zines and the Tampa Bay Letter Writers. In the Fall of 2020, I asked her to send me a zine she’d made that focused on things to do during the pandemic isolation so I could share it with a friend in Michigan, a visual artist who'd always been very close with her grandchildren and who was having a terrible time because she couldn’t spend time with them. I’d also developed a fascination with zines and with the Tampa Bay Letter Writers; I just thought this was all kind of a cool.
During that time, I was dealing with a puzzling medical condition. My doctors were sending biopsies to labs and, and before Lynda's zine came in the mail, I was diagnosed with a rare type of lymphoma. I was scheduled to go to the University of Michigan for more testing and at that point I had no idea whether I was going to live or die. I was scared. Besides that, I was also in a COVID funk, just tired of the whole situation. One afternoon I went to the post office to pick up my mail. I was wearing a mask and I saw that there was a real letter in my post box from Lynda. And the envelope was decorated and it was wonderful. And I was thinking, “Oh, this is the zine for my friend, but I'm going to read it because the envelope's addressed to me” so I opened it. And along with the zine there was a wonderful handwritten letter. It could not have been better medicine for me. I literally stood in our tiny post office with tears in my eyes above my mask, because it felt like Lynda had reached across the miles and given me a big hug when I needed it. It was--I just can't tell you how it affected me. It was such a gift.
I immediately walked down the street to my friend’s bookstore and I said, “Pamela, what would you think if I started a letter writing group in Leelanau County?” (Pamela is a prolific letter writer). She said, “I think that's a wonderful idea.”
Lynda had told me that Tammy had filmed a YouTube video on starting a letter writing group; it was one of her, I think she calls them, Tea and Chat Videos. Lynda suggested I watch it so I did. One of the things Tammy said in the video is that you should decide why you want to start a letter writing group, what the purpose is. And she talked about meetings and gatherings. I knew from the start that I didn’t want to hold actual meetings because a) I didn't really have a place to hold a meeting, and b) I didn't want that responsibility. I just wanted to encourage people to write letters.
I decided that my letter writing group would have a website where I could blog now and then. And that I would send out zines periodically to people who were members, encouraging them to write letters. I could have fun making the zines and include poetry and recipes and whatever. I didn't want people to have to pay dues or fees. I also didn't want people to have to be a resident of Leelanau County to join.
There’s plenty water surrounding our county. In fact, Leelanau County has the second highest water-to-land ratio of any county in the United States. The first highest is Kewaunee County, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Isle Royal National Park is located. We have some gorgeous islands in Lake Michigan that are part of Leelanau County. Consequently, we have a lot of lighthouses in the county. So I decided the logo should be a lighthouse. I went online and found that an artist had penned a lighthouse that had a pen nib instead of a light, which I thought was perfect. I emailed him and paid him $14 to use his artwork for nonprofit purposes. Then I had a stamp made and some stickers. And then I thought, well, now I have to do a website and, of course, I had no idea how to do that. So I called a friend who knew about website construction and said, “Can you give me a few tips on starting a website?” and he said, “Give me the information and I'll just do it.” By the next day I had a domain name and a website. Then I had some business cards printed, and the Leelanau Letter Writers was in business.
Then Pamela, who owns the bookstore, and is good friends with one of the editors of the county's newspaper, The Leelanau Enterprise, contacted her and suggested the paper do a story on the Leelanau Letter Writers. I got a call from one of the paper’s reporters who interviewed me and wrote a half page article that was published in the Enterprise. A lot of people that have summer homes in Leelanau County or vacation here regularly get the paper to keep up on what's going on here. After the article came out I started getting letters from people who wrote things like, “Oh, my gosh, this is so great. I want to join. I can’t wait to write letters again.” It was like people just needed this connection.
I also decided I should join a couple of letter writing groups I’d been following to see what they were doing. So I joined the Tampa Bay Letter Writers and a group in England called the Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society. (It cost five pounds to join and they sent me an actual certificate and I was something like member number 437 of this group, whose motto was When you feel like it, write a letter.) I wrote to the woman who started the British group, whose name was Dinah, and told her about the Leelanau Letter Writers and that her group was part of my inspiration. Dinah looked at my website, and then posted a link to it on her Facebook page. Dinah’s Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society has a huge Facebook following so the response to her post was amazing. A lady from Australia emailed me and asked if she could join. And a lady from England.
In the meantime, I was putting up fliers in local post offices and libraries. And I left my business cards in a few shops. There's a funky stationery shop and bookshop in Traverse City where I sometimes go to buy supplies, and I just really like this the vibe of this place, and it's not in the county, but I left some business cards there. Soon a bunch of Traverse City people contacted me and asked to join.
After the vaccine came out and people could travel again, friends who worked in local shops would tell me that people would come in their stores and ask if they knew me. These people were members of the Leelanau Letter Writers and, because I don’t have a current photo of myself on the website, they'd say they were hoping to run into me and say hello in person. It felt a bit like Where’s Waldo? One elderly woman who lives in New York but summers in Leelanau County wrote me and asked if we could have lunch. I was reluctant. I wanted to write letters but I didn’t want to have lunch. However, I couldn't think of a gracious way of refusing her so I agreed and we met for lunch. And we had a lovely time. We connected immediately and she’s now one of my favorite people.
Another member is a local apple farmer along with her husband. She would write and tell me I should come to the local farmers market and buy their apples. I'd be there today, if it weren't raining, and I wasn't here, but next Saturday, I'll go there and meet her in person.
When I send out a zine, I send that to everyone in the group. Plus, anyone who joins the LLW has the option to join our Pen Pals. It’s a subgroup of members and I periodically send out an updated list of everybody who’s a Pen Pal.
I do all this because I remember that sense that I had when Lynda sent me what turned out to be a wonderful gift. And that first zine Lynda sent for me to give to my friend is still in my possession. When I told my friend about it, she didn’t show much interest so I kept it. It's a precious piece of communication I’ve saved.
I thought when the pandemic receded and the vaccine became available, people would lose interest in handwriting letters. But I'm still getting calls or letters from people asking to join.
The Leelanau Letter Writers now has 42 members and 21 Pen Pals. It's been such a good thing for me and for so many others. So I say thank you to all of you, Tona especially, and Tammy who helped me start this wonderful group.
Learn all about the Leelanau Letter Writers and perhaps join their group!
https://leelanauletterwriters.org/
Read all about Marilyn’s visit to us here in Tampa and see a Tampa Bay Letter Writers meet up:
https://leelanauletterwriters.org/blog-2/
The Paper Seahorse will sponsor your club's first meet up. We send you all the supplies to get your snail mail party started. Call or email us today!
Read: Part I of How To Start A Letter Writing Group In Your Area.
]]>Writing in cursive is a skill that some of us take for granted. It is a skill some of us have never known and it is a shame. Handwriting is beautiful because it is unique to you.
There are so many benefits to writing in cursive. It helps you get your thoughts down faster than printing. It looks so much prettier. Long ago, people were paid by how fast they could type on a typewriter or write with a quill and ink. This skill is neat because now not everyone can read it and for those of us who know it, it is like we are in a secret club. You must have the talent to understand it. All of our historical documents and the foundation of our country here in the United States, are all written in cursive. Shouldn't we all be able to read those? Lastly, writing by hand makes you smarter. Yup, it slows you down and allows you to use different parts of your brain. Eye hand coordination and dexterity help you in everyday life. Many never think of that.
Our mentor, Mr. Michael Sull came to teach and planted a seed with us. We started a contest to gather interest and keep cursive alive. With the help of certified instructor Marie Hornback, we are now in our third year.
Handwritten resources to help you prepare for the 2023 I Love Cursive Contest:
The Art of Cursive Penmanship book by Mr. Sull worksheets and detailed instructions, hints and tips
Free worksheets to improve your cursive by Marie Hornback of Crown Calligraphy.
Classic Cursive Online Workshop comprehensive instruction (almost 8 hours) and lifetime access.
Extensive articles, tools and inspiration from Lindsey Bugbee of The Postman's Knock:
Tips To Improve Your Handwriting with free worksheet
Learn How To Write In Cursive and get a free exemplar
These are more articles and links to paid tools from Lindsey:
Self-Study American cursive workbook from Michael Sull. Quite comprehensive and easy to make copies.
We hope you enter this contest and many of the others out there nationally and internationally. Keep on writing and keep on putting pen to paper, it just feels wonderful!
]]>Since I was a child, I have loved to play with paper, pencils, scissors, and glue. I looked forward to getting that new Crayola crayon box with lovely colors like periwinkle and cornflower. I folded and cut paper making houses, people, and a whole forest of animals. As I grew, I learned fabric crafts: embroidery, sewing, weaving, and needlepoint. I enjoyed creating handmade present for my friends and family. I still have a crewel embroidered pillow I made for my mother one memorable Mother’s Day. Crafting allowed me to use my creative mind. I spent much of my time creating making and fabricating. That energy was well spent. In the process of crafting, I learned from my mistakes, kept going, and failed ever-forward. These were important lessons to learn. I became confident in my abilities and I as a result became more curious other ways to craft, build, and tinker.
As a teacher, I always included crafting as part of my curriculum. As I used crafts to enrich my math, reading, social studies, and science lessons. These projects allowed my students to solidify their foundational knowledge, because they presented concepts they had just learned in a creative way. We made quilts, water clocks, and models of colonial New York, to name a few. The children worked both individually and in small groups to show what they had learned. Along the way, they also found out how to build, sew, weave, and use many different types of tools. Crafting helped the students to be active, curious and develop their interests.
Five years ago, I created a place at my school where students could come to freely craft. The first iteration was Wonder Lab, an unused art space transformed into a makerspace. Then the space was needed for a computer and engineering lab, so I used the lobby outside my office to create Wonder Studio. The Wonder Studio is a small space where students can come during recess time to play with paper, scissors, glue, and a wide variety of crafting materials.
It seems like such a simple idea and it is, but it is so important to the children. The children never hesitate to let me know how much Wonder Studio means to them. During studio time, children can explore what interests them and create their own projects. I do not set any agenda. I just provide space, time, and materials. It always brings a smile to my face when I hear children give their opinion about Wonder Studio. They feel that it is their space, a kids’ space where they have agency. They get so excited to show me what they are working on and love coming to me to discuss a project and to work out problems. In turn, this energizes me to continue to think outside the box.
This year, we continued to have COVID restriction, which shortened the students’ time in Wonder Studio. I considered abandoning it until the following year, but the children would stop me in the hallway or during classes and ask, “When is Wonder Studio starting again? You need to get it up and running!” I could not disappoint them. I am privileged to work alongside some of the bravest and most brilliant little girls who will not take “NO!” for an answer. So, I kept offering times throughout the year, stopping occasionally when COVID restriction prevented us from meeting.
In these brief periods of time, children finger-knitted, leaved to weave, sewed stuff animals, made easels out of paper straws, beaded innumerable bracelets, decorated containers, painted bird houses, and just made beautiful messes. Beautiful mess is definitely essential to the creative process. “I need to come to Wonder Lab. My mom would never let me do this at home,” a student proclaimed as she scattered gold glitter over glue on a sign she was creating. And I am happy to provide that space, that place of wonder and curiosity where beautiful messes are made, and creativity is crafted.
.
This past winter, Ava, one of my 5th grade students, asked me to teach her to hand sew. She wanted to make a stuffed animal for her little sister. Over the course of three months, Ava started the slow process of designing, embroidering, and sewing a stuffed bunny. I thought she might abandon the project, but she did not. This was quite a feat because our Wonder Studio times were short, about 20 minutes, two times a week, and they were often interrupted by COVID closures. But Ava persevered, and in May she gave the little bunny to her sister. This was so gratifying to me because I taught Ava a skill that my mother had taught me. It has made me want to hone my own crafting skills, so I can be a better resources for my Wonder Studio students.
If I hadn’t already gotten the message from my students that Wonder Studio is important to them, I was reminded by Ellie, a 2nd grader, during the last week of school. Ellie saw me in the hallway and held up one finger, “Wait right there,” she commanded. Ellie ran to her classroom, ran back to me, and handed me a card. This is what she expressed:
I keep Ellie’s card in my office, proudly on display. If I ever have a question of whether or not to continue Wonder Studio, all I have to do is reread Ellies’ words, and I know the answer.
Crafting may seem like a simple activity, the stuff of childhood, and it is. But it is also an essential part of a creative mindset. Many of the students, who are consistent participants in the Wonder Studio, are also students who sometimes find academic work more challenging. There is no doubt in my mind that crafting fosters creativity, and creativity provides an ongoing sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. This is important for all children (even grown ones). Kids thrive in a space where they can freely use their hands, hearts, and minds. I am so glad I crafted Wonder Studio so they can do just that!
Find more inspiration and read more of Joanne's work at: www.worddancerblog.com
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As many Americans, we have a need for productivity, the hustle culture and an over-achieving lifestyle. It has been sold to us and presented as the way to be. This had caused many of us to have anxiety. That coupled with global climate issues, viruses, politics, it can all be too much. Leaving us feeling helpless and confused. What to do? Self-care is more important now than ever. Taking time to nourish our bodies, our spirits and our souls. Our minds and hearts!
Developing meaningful connections with ourselves and others helps put the world in perspective. Finding flow, taking time to reflect on the best things in life, embracing gratitude and having a positive mindset will get you through anything. Creating space and down time, also known as self-care, hobbies or goofing off, will give us the much-needed balance we crave.
Unplugging, stepping away from a screen (TV, the phone, the tablet and computer) resting our eyes and minds will actually probably do as much for us as a workout, glass of wine, or medication. Developing a habit of allowing more space and time in your day will do wonders. The world moves fast and we often have so much to process it can be daunting. Taking time to integrate and not always being in a hurry makes for a richer experience. Really exhaling and letting go at least once a day, even for a half hour, you will find a new sense of awareness, a bit of peace in a chaotic mind.
Doing something with our hands and getting into flow state is as simple as listening to a record, having coffee or tea with a friend, writing a letter or sketching. What is your hobby? How do you unwind? How do you charge your batteries? Step away to solve a problem? We would love for you to share with us what has worked or not worked for you.
]]>Find out more about joy in this amazing Ted Talk. It is easier to see and feel joy and how to do it will surprise you. Ingrid tell us Where Joy Lies and How To Find It:
Download her JOYSPOTTING guide for free. We are so grateful for Ingrid and her web site: www.aestheticsofjoy.com
My word last year was JOY, it was at times so hard and I wrote it in my journal everyday for 365 days. I was able to experience it many times. Maybe that is the gift of having awful things happen is that you then get to appreciate the little things, you start to realize joy is all around you, you just have to look for it.
Share with us what you find and how it changes your life. Be free to find joy.
Yours in joy,
Tona
]]>As a studio that values slowing down and savoring life, we believe using our hands to express ourselves is key to well being. Being able to communicate in many forms is becoming a lost art. We believe your handwriting is unique to you and it is something you should love. Being proud of this beautiful art form is easy, it just takes practice. It makes you smarter and you can express yourself faster than printing. The physical act of long hand enables you to really think about what you are wanting to say and express yourself clearer. Thus increasing the odds that you will be understood.
The criteria for our contest by judge, Marie Hornback, are guidelines that make up the core of a solid cursive practice. Legibility and consistency are key. According to Ms. Hornback, “As a teacher of handwriting, and one who teaches others how to teach handwriting, I always stress the importance of consistency in four areas:
As our expert and guide, she looks for specific benchmarks while allowing for stylistic interpretations that do not distract from the gracefulness of cursive writing. Presentation is always important in everything we do, for this exercise we chose her four S’s in these wonderful examples. Congratulations to these winners of the I Love Cursive Contest 2022:
Grade School Category
1st Place Winner: Angela K
2nd Place Winner: Nick
Honorable Mention - Isabel
Adult Category
1st Place Winner: Micha T. - Incredibly this entry was done with his non-dominant hand!
2nd Place Winner: Eric M. - His submission was 5 pages long and he kept consistency on every single page till the end.
Honorable mention - Karra
Here is a link to download your very own cursive exercise sheets to start practicing for next year’s event. Thank you Marie for these handy tools.
You might also want to read our article on tips to improve your handwriting as well.
Remember to love your handwriting, practice a few minutes each day and have fun with the joys of putting pen to paper. I just feels good!
Until next time, keep writing.
]]>As we enter 2022 and look back on 2021, I wanted to share some discoveries...It has been challenging and there were definitely highs and lows, personally and professionally. In both fronts there were more highs than lows. I hope it was the same for you, that you are more resilient and have learned better coping skills.
Personally I have learned and practiced three life changing things:
1. let go of the shit from the past - it just weighs you down and you can't do anything about it anyway.
2. stop agonizing over the future - it isn't here yet and it could be even more than you hoped, so why even jeopardize that?
3. start breathing - really inhaling and exhaling. We all hold our breaths or only breathe so shallow it is not enough. If you only do one thing, start to really breathe.
If one or two start happening, just do three. Breath is life and the fuel that gives us the energy we need. Need more? Simply breathe more. The power is all inside, it always has been. That's it. 2021 was pivotal for me. My word was JOY. I did find it. And 2022, we are gonna MANIFEST some magic...
]]>We could all use a little magic right now. There is not one person on this planet who has not been affected by the challenges of the pandemic. Things are starting to look up and yet the sustained low grade (or high grade) stress of it all seems to be catching up with many of us. Anxiety, depression, substance abuse and more is at an all time high. This condition did not happen overnight and will not subside overnight. We must be patient with ourselves. Some of the habits we used to cope with the situation need to be replaced with new habits, more positive ones.
Picking up pen and paper can be a welcome change from endless doom-scrollling on social media and media in general. Journaling helps us reduce anxiety and allows us space and time to find ease and peace. When we cultivate inner clarity through words, moving meditation with pen and paper, we find a place where we can let go of fear and put things in perspective. Coming from a place of centered calm, we can handle whatever life throws at us, or whatever our busy minds create. We can reduce the overwhelming feelings and sit in the space of mindful moving meditation.
As our words flow onto the page, remember that we create our own reality. We cast our own spells, how will your life benefit from a moving meditation?
Read more about moving meditation here.
Learn more about getting started with journaling here.
]]>Through the years, we have had over a dozen in person meet ups sharing our love for TRAVELER'S Notebooks. From ten people to over 60, we have had amazing times sharing and exploring the world of journaling, traveling and what it means to have a free spirit. Life should be a nice trip and with TRAVELER'S Company, everyday can be special.
TRAVELER'S COMPANY describes us and partner stores as follows:
The owner is a user of TRAVELER'S notebooks and handles them with love. You may be able to meet local users and discover products and special experiences that can only be found there. If there were such TRAVELER'S COMPANY-authorized stores all over the world, traveling with TRAVELER'S notebook would be more fun. We want TRAVELER'S COMPANY Partner Shops to be a place where TRAVELER'S notebook users can gather and converge during their travels. The best part of traveling is encountering people from different countries with different cultural backgrounds. Through interaction and conversations at these hubs, we can find common joys at TRAVELER’S COMPANY Partner Shops.
We are only able to ship these items within the United States. Thank you for your understanding.
Have a nice trip!
]]>Bring your TRAVELER'S notebook and document as you discover the dynamic destination of Tampa Bay. These spots will leave you feeling inspired and refreshed. We hope you enjoy our hometown favorites...
The vibe of Tampa Bay …
The first thing that travelers to Tampa Bay comment on is our natural beauty. The second is the friendly, laid-back vibe. Hues of green and blue dominate the landscape. Tropical palm trees and the long, twisted branches of live oaks dripping with Spanish moss create a canopy of green, shading visitors from the bright Florida sun. The most beautiful of all is the blue water that surrounds everything.
Locals and tourists mingle as they stroll along the waterfront of Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard, the world’s longest uninterrupted sidewalk, as they marvel at the historic homes on one side and the playful porpoises and manatee splashing in the waters of Old Tampa Bay on the other.
A winding river runs through the city, several miles of which are developed as the Tampa Riverwalk; a walkable, bikeable, Segway-able path connecting cultural and entertainment along the downtown waterfront.
Close by are crystal clear, spring fed rivers that stay a constantly 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 °C) year-round for cooling off as you lazily float or paddle along the tree-lines shores.
Maybe the most spectacular of all, are our white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. It is here where travelers love to dig their toes into the soft, white quartz powder that we lovingly call sugar-sand.
After the lush scenery, Tampa Bay is known for a vibrant, eclectic culture. It blends traditions of the Spanish, Italian, Greek and Caribbean Island people who founded this area. The result is delicious food (authentic Tampa Cuban eats), historic architecture and friendly folks of Ybor City.
Two jewels of architecture include The Tampa Theater, a 1925 movie theater, and the Henry B. Plant Hotel, which is now home to the University of Tampa and a splendid museum. Both are on the National Register of Historic Places.
We have world class art (The Salvador Dali Museum and the Chihuly Gallery) and entertainment (Busch Gardens, MOSI, Children’s Museum, nightlife etc.) The Southern charm, mix of eclectic cultures and plenty of outdoor living makes Tampa Bay a dynamic destination.
We also have several winning sports teams: The Lightning (NHL Hockey) just won the Stanley Cup for the third time, and The Buccaneers (NFL Football) won the Super Bowl last year.
We have found that quite a few people who seek out our studio are from larger markets, they specifically search for independent stationery stores. And ask for recommendations on other creative businesses to get a flavor of the city. We love being an ambassador to our tropical oasis.
It's a good day to be in Tampa Bay.
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Go with the slow and sip life. Find solace in space, the mental kind of head space so you may process all that happens in life. Everyone needs some quiet brain time off, space to think and feel. I find that writing helps get all that stuff out of my head. All of the to do lists, the appointments and overwhelming things, seem much more manageable when it is down on paper. I feel freer so I may move on and not be weighed down by the mere thought of them.
August is Mental Health Awareness Month. Something we should all talk about, ask ourselves how we are doing, and ask others how they are doing. Regular check ins are healthy and easy to do. Reach out to someone even if you think they are doing okay, you might be surprised. Ask yourself at least once or twice a day. What do you need? What do you want? What would make you feel good?
Journaling and letter writing create a place where you can find space in your life. A few minutes to slow down and unplug from the digital world. A moment to exhale, let go and just be. There are many ways to journal and you can try a few of our getting started favorites by downloading our Journaling 101 pdf.
I have been doing Morning Pages for several years now and wonder how I got by without it before? I probably did some form of journaling but never as a healthy, daily ritual with green tea...I enjoy Japanese green tea, the flow of a fountain pen on luscious paper where my thoughts tumble out sometimes faster than I can write. Cognitive release and insights are the rewards.
Write here, write now, we hope you pick up a pen and say something on a page…
Enjoy and free your mind,
Tona
Download The Beginner’s Guide to Journaling here and try it for yourself. Throw some ink on paper and get that stuff outta your head.
Credit: Clearwater Beach Tourism Sunset beach photo.
]]>We are pleased to announce that we have been selected by TRAVELER’S COMPANY to be an Official Partner Shop. There are only a handful of us in North America. What does this mean? We carry exclusive Factory Store items that are not available online anywhere, except Japan. They are only available in store at select partners who have been carefully selected to represent the TRAVELER’S Factory Brand. We are honored and pleased to bring these goods exclusively to Tampa Bay and Florida. We will not be selling these online but in our showroom only.
Originally, we were not able to ship these items. However now, TRAVELER’S COMPANY is not only helping retailers maintain and strengthen local community relationships, but also allowing us to sell online in our respective countries. By only allowing select shops to become partner stores and have exclusive items, this helps The Paper Seahorse become a special destination not only in Tampa Bay but in Florida and the Southeast United States.
If you are out of state, you can find a list of North American retailers who are also TRAVELER’S FACTORY Partner shops below. We are proud to be in excellent company and encourage you to visit these small, independent stores. Especially now during these very uncertain times, small businesses everywhere are being challenged. Help maintain authenticity in your community and shop small this holiday season. Bigger chains and retailers will find a way to survive, that is not as easy for the smaller shops.
Here is what you need to know about the TRAVELER'S FACTORY Collection:
The refills and paper cloth zippered cases come in both the regular and passport sizes.
The cloth zippered cases are available in mustard, sky blue, olive green and navy.
The colorful refills come in black, sea green, mustard yellow, black and coral.
The brass collection consists of airplane motif clips and a lovely round charm that features Mt. Fuji.
The pewter charms come in the following fun, analog designs: airplane, luggage tag, TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK, coffee mug, coffee bean, 35 mm camera, ukelele and a fountain pen.
You can call and book an appointment or you can visit our showroom the last Saturday of each month from 12p - 5p.
Find a North American TRAVELER'S FACTORY retailer near you:
Yoseka Stationery - Brooklyn, New York
Wonder Pens Stationery Shop - Toronto, Canada
Omoi Zakka Shop - Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia
Oblation Papers & Press - Portland, Oregon
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This new limited edition pencil is dedicated to the comic book! How fun is that? Remember the Sunday comics? I read mine with my parents after breakfast on that slow weekend day.
It might also be referenced as the Mr. Vieux Bois pencil...In 1837, Swiss teacher Rodolphe Töpffer published a collection of illustrated stories chronicling the adventures of a character named Mr. Vieux Bois. Each page featured six panels with images and captions to convey the action and dialogue. It was unlike anything readers had seen.
The world’s first comic book was created by Rodolphe Töpffer.
For 200 years, comic books have evolved from a niche medium to a comprehensive storytelling device. Comic book writers, pencilers, inkers, letterers, and colorists have birthed iconic characters, explored profound topics, and deftly blurred the lines between pop-culture and art.
One of the most popular modern comics is the Marvel. Their Universe movies continue to dominate the box office. What is your favorite comic?
The Blackwing 64 is a tribute to comic books and the minds that bring them to life. Each pencil features a halftone design that’s a nod to the 64 color palette utilized in some of the earliest comics. It also features a unique doubled imprint inspired by comic book lettering. Its firm graphite is perfect for sketching a new character concept or writing a list of their super powers.
The deets:
FINISH: halftone
FERRULE & CLIP: black
ERASER: black
IMPRINT: dual
GRAPHITE: firm
These pair well with the Volumes 64 limited edition CMYK erasers.
]]>When I was younger I was so impatient, always in a rush. I have gotten better, however sometimes I still get caught up in the go-go-go cycle. What is happening? What am I missing out on? After last year’s checking in to see what was happening in the world, I found it makes me anxious, not being able to sit still or focus. We say this summer is all about going with the slow. Really slow, like at a snail’s pace…
I saw a great acronym the other day: JOMO (the joy of missing out) How awesome is that?
Let’s not always be in a rush…let’s live a little…trust in the process...it will all get done when and how it should. The news, the social media, the rushing to get “back to normal” just because we can is way overrated. The crowds, the traffic, it will all be there when we return. For now, let’s practice JOMO, find that joy of not knowing.
Can you remember back to when you would sit down at a table, either for dinner or a cup of coffee/tea and not have a phone? You would look around, look at the person across from you and have a real conversation? You would not be distracted by a shiny flat electronic device, but by the people or things around you. Your senses would be heightened and you were freer because you were not worried about what was happening that exact moment about anything except what was in front you. You were not stressed about work, what celebrity was in rehab, who broke up with who...at that moment it did not matter if some politician was being mean or someone suffering mental angst was doing bad things...or hearing about some natural disaster...for a moment in time, everything was OK. And it will be OK. If we collectively take a moment to just be.
Missing out is just a feeling, in actuality you are living. You are learning what it is like to sit and smile. Laugh and relax. Give in to the fact that life is meant to be lived and enjoyed. How and when did we lose that? If something is super important you must trust that you will find out about it. If not, then it was not that important and life goes on. Release the cycle of being constantly in the know. Simply be in the moment. Be still. Exhale and enjoy.
Find the joy in missing out. Then start telling everyone about JOMO. Play it with others.
Try it, you might just like it.
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As the COVID-19 lockdown recedes, and increasingly more places are opening up again, let's take this opportunity to avoid rushing right back into a chaotic world. It's been hard for everyone in their own way, and we deserve some self care.
Self-care is all about the self: What makes YOU feel content and at peace?
Below are some tips that can inspire and ignite the flame for your own personalized self-care routine.
Be sure to follow @thepaperseahorse and use the hashtag #SelfCare21 to spread the word that self-care matters this year.
Studies show that when we are intentionally grateful, and put a focus on the positive, our brains cannot focus on both the positive and negative at the same time. In short, being grateful disables our negativity and we begin living in a more happy and abundant state. The easiest way to practice gratitude is by starting a Gratitude Journal - this such an effective tool for bringing more happiness into our lives without having to change our circumstances.
Did someone say something nice to you? Somebody mention a good job you did on something? Write it down! When we keep an ongoing “compliments scrapbook”, we have something powerful and uplifting to look back on if we ever start to feel down on ourselves, and don’t we all need a little pick-me-up sometimes?
Life can be a rush. Our world expects a lot of us, for what feels like all moments of the day. Make the intention to just be still, even if just for a few moments. It does restorative wonders for our emotional health and our stress levels. Find a time in the day where you can be still and make the intent to enjoy and appreciate it. Don’t fixate on that next project you have to do or what you still have on your shopping list. Know that everything will be done during its proper time, but this moment is a moment for stillness. Our Little Box of Calm continues to be a best seller for those wanting more calm in their life otr a gift for a loved one who needs some peace.
It may sound silly, but science is on our side with this one! It turns out our sense of smell is the most powerful of our senses, and is strongly connected with our mood. When we are surrounded with uplifting scents it lifts our spirits and leaves us feeling more positive, focused, and at peace. ⠀
Journaling has tremendous benefits for our mental and emotional health, not to mention it makes you a better writer. Journaling on a regular basis helps us organize our thoughts and ideas, and is a natural stress reliever.
Getting swept up with our phones and computers can easily make us lose track of ourselves. Take time this week to turn off all your devices for an hour (or more!) and decompress from the stresses of the digital world. This is a great practice to do on a regular basis. Our current issue Hippocampus Magazine Vol 2. has some great tips for digitally detoxing. We also found a very helpful article from our friends at Porch.com we think you will enjoy.
If there's a mantra or quote that resonates with you, it's leaving an impression on you for a reason. Make room for positive reminders in your life, and leave them in writing where you can. Journals, desktops, and by our bedsides are all good places.
Sometimes self-care means taking your own self out on a little date. It's refreshing, restorative, and fun, especially if your way of relaxing usually means staying at home. Shake things up and spend a day off out and about, plan an event, or even take a class. Travel!
If you're feeling stressed, or overworked, or drained, there's no shame in recharging your batteries with a bubble bath, or a glass of wine, or a little bite of chocolate - self care means getting you back to your best. ⠀
We may not realize how draining our four enclosed walls and computer screens can be for our souls, until we step outside and spend time with nature. Getting friendly with the outdoors brings us back to our roots (pun intended), and leaves us centered and restored, so we can be at our best.
Even just being around pets and animals is shown to be therapeutic & reduce our stress levels. If you don't have any furry friends, don't be afraid to ask a stranger if you can pet their dog while they're out for a walk. Our shop kitties, like Little Black Kitty Kat and Mr Green Eyes, are always up for a good petting, as long as you're friendly.
Sometimes we feel like we have to do everything, and do it ourselves. We want to be successful and hardworking, but what can be even harder is recognizing when we’re getting stretched thin. Don’t be afraid to say no to something, to prioritize your own health and happiness. Knowing our boundaries can lead to our best and most meaningful work.
Having positive sources of energy in our lives keeps us fueled, reassured, and happy. It's good to remember to make time for the people that lift us up, and spend less time with the people that bring us down. In the words of Jane Eyre: "To live amidst general regard is like sitting in sunshine, calm and sweet."
Just 15 minutes a day is refreshing, and gets a good dose of essential vitamin D in our bodies. If it's a beautiful day, spend it outside.
If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, a good trick is to have a bedtime routine that you do every night, before you hit the pillow. It sends a message to the brain that "the day is over, and it is time to sleep", whenever you do your routine. Reading a book before bed, or always burning a candle are good ideas for your end of day routine.
Reading is a natural stress reliever, especially when it's a good read. It's a great way to end your your day, relax, and take your mind off things.
Taking a normal task and giving it a level of attentiveness that you don't often do is a refreshing way to bring ourselves back to the present moment. Practicing with small tasks can ease us into a life more abundant with mindfulness and gratitude. WE are grateful for the many people who have told us our Gratitude is the New Attitude Wellness Kit has made a big difference in their lives.
Learning a new skill opens us up to new possibilities and different ways of thinking and seeing the world. It gets us out of our comfort zones, which is so good for our personal development. Starting new hobbies can become a solace for us, a new activity that we can look forward to. One of our most popular classes is Watercolor Journaling 101.
Whatever our goals, whatever the challenges that we face, whatever next experience we are in during our lives, the first step is taking care of and loving ourselves - because at our best, we do our best, and can do more for others and the world. Always remember that.
What do you like to do to make sure you're taking care of yourself? Let us know! We're here with you and wish you the best while you're on your self-care journey. Share this page with friends and family so we all remember to take care of ourselves.
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Blackwing Pencil fans, something interesting is going on with these, brand new “special edition” Blackwing Palomino Eras pencils in blue and orange. This is the second in what looks to be a series of Eras pencils.
The first edition Blackwing Eras came out quietly in the summer of 2020 as a way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the re-birth of the famed Blackwing602 brand, rising from the ashes of history to become the glorious phoenix we know today.
The first Blackwing Eras pencil’s styling in dark grey was a nod to the brands retro past and must have struck a chord with fans because The Paper Seahorse and all other Blackwing retailers sold out before we could put them out on the shelves.
This was something we had come to expect from the limited-edition volumes, but Eras are not part of the Blackwing Volumes program. Both the original Eras, and this 2021 version have “Special Edition Pencils” printed on the box, unlike the Blackwing Volumes box which reads, “Limited Edition Pencils.” The Volumes pencils also sell-out quickly and are very collectable and their value increases. The 2020 Eras also sold out quickly, were not re-made, and also have become a hot item for enthusiasts. So, are we to believe that the new, 2020 blue and orange Blackwing Palomino Eras will also have a limited run? We don’t know. The only link to these pencils on the Blackwing website, is through one of their blog posts. It’s a mystery!
What we do know is that like every other Blackwing pencil is crafted from California incense cedar, the finest Japanese graphite and of course, the famous square ferrule, and replaceable eraser. Specifically, this year’s Blackwing Palomino Eras feature:
We find the brighter, yet still retro colors, combined with a crisp white eraser to be a fresh look in a pencil for summer. What do you think? Comment below.
]]>Lindsey Bugbee a.k.a: The Postman's Knock
The Paper Seahorse:
Hello Lindsey. Thank you for inviting us into your home. Many, if not most of our readers will already be familiar with you, your work and your fabulous calligraphy blog, but for those who may not, can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Sure. I'm Lindsey Bugbee. I have a website called The Postman’s Knock, which is about art, but also a lot about calligraphy, and I think it's just a place that people go to find tutorials and to learn new techniques, and it's really exploded over the past few years. I started in 2012. Just anybody who knows about calligraphy knows about The Postman’s Knock, which has been really neat. And yeah, so that's what I do, I guess. I'm a blogger, calligrapher, artist and entrepreneur.
Lindsey's Husband Hernán and their little boy
My husband is Carlos Hernán.... Who goes by Hernán... Because Carlos is a pretty common name. And he, like I said, has his PhD in aerospace engineering, but during the course of his PhD, he did a lot of coding, and particularly he coded our website, so he's really sort of the mechanic, I guess, behind the website, so if something isn't quite right with downloads or orders aren't going through or whatever, he really comes to the rescue with that and looks and sees what's wrong and he fixes it, and in fact, right now he's working on a new version of the website, but he's just really good aesthetically. Without him this business would not be a successful business because I think it presents very well online, and I certainly couldn't do that, but he is a WordPress genius, and it's just something he taught himself in his spare time, so... I guess I'm married to a rocket scientist.
The Paper Seahorse:
Can you please share with our readers where we are today?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Where we are right now? Yeah. Okay, okay, so we're in Boulder, Colorado, we are in my house... We live here in Boulder because I'm from Western Kansas, which is three and a half hours away.
Boulder, Colorado
This is actually the closest you can get to a metropolis if you're from Western Kansas, so it's a good compromise for us because my family is there, we can drive there and see them or we can hop on the bus just outside the house actually, and go to the airport and go to Lima, which is where our non-family is from, and we live here in Boulder for the geographical reasons, but also because my husband does this PhD here in aerospace engineering, and I guess we just kind of got used to the lifestyle. I don't love the winters, I'm more of a warm weather person, I think I'd be happy in Florida, but... I don't know. It's beautiful here. I love our house, this is where we work all day, and it's where we play too, we have a little one-year old, which is really fun, and so... Yeah, we're in beautiful Boulder, Colorado.
The Paper Seahorse:
So how do you even get started in the calligraphy business?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Well, I think that I was always under the impression that you cannot have art as a career. I remember going into university and I said to my mom: “I'd really like to major in Art,” and I had been doing art since I was in kindergarten. I had this amazing instructor who I had her from Kindergarten through senior year of high school, so I had been doing art forever, and I won international awards, just making different things like Batiques. For example, one of my batiques toured New York while I was in high school, and my mom said, Why would you major in that? You already know how to do art. I'm 17, so I'm going, Oh yeah, that's a good point. Okay, I'll study English. So I studied English and got out of college with this English degree... What do you do with an English degree? So I became an office manager down here on Pearl Street, and I hated that job, it wasn't a great office manager because it was sort of this 9 to 5 really depressing sort of sort of work, and I started thinking about quitting after two months, but one co-worker said to me and planted a seed by telling me that she actually would write on envelopes for people's weddings for extra money. And I thought, Oh God, how hard can that be? So as it turns out fairly hard, but I taught myself how to create calligraphy with a regular pen, and then that sort of segued into a calligraphy with a dip pen... So I started The Postman’s Knock with the idea that I would be creating these envelopes and people would get excited when they heard The Postman’s Knock because they'd be getting these beautiful envelopes. Of course, I only did commissions for two or three years, and then it evolved into more of like a teaching sort of website, but that's how I got started.
The Paper Seahorse:
So you evolved into teaching. Were you surprised? When was this, by the way?
Lindsey Bugbee:
When it started evolving into a teaching website, it would have been probably about 2014 or 2015, because that's when I became very serious about the blog on the website, because when I had studied at University of Kansas, my internship had actually been in editing, so I was doing blogging for Mother Earth News, which is based in Topeka, Kansas. So I had experience with blogging and I noticed that every time I blogged about calligraphy, there would be this big response, you would see a spike and views on the website, people would be commenting on these blog posts, and so then eventually my husband Hernán, who grew up in Peru, told me about this little booklet they have in Peru called... Oh no, I can't remember what it was called, but it was, you know, some booklet to teach you cursive and you said, You know, it would have examples and stuff, I think maybe you should make a printable so people can learn calligraphy. So I started by making a free little printable, and then I made a bigger printable that was like 20 pages and sold it for five bucks per PDF. And that's kind of how it all evolved.
The Paper Seahorse:
And The Postman’s Knock has become one of the most visited calligraphy blogs in the world...
Lindsey Bugbee:
So yeah, the response I got to the website and to the instruction on the website, it's just been overwhelmingly kind... I guess I was pretty hesitant to put myself out there at first because you're always afraid that... Especially with the internet, you have people that feel like they can say anything. And I guess I initially felt like I would get people attacking me saying, “Oh, you know, your art isn't that good, your calligraphy is not that good, I can do it better.” But what I actually found is the response has been overwhelmingly kind, and I'm not sure if I've just been profoundly lucky with that, but I have gotten emails from people all over the world and... Because our number one viewership is the US, but that's only 60% of people to visit the website, the other two biggies are Canada, in the United Kingdom. And then, of course, we have a lot of people from India who also enjoy the website, but I have just gotten a lot of emails from... For example, there was a woman that said her mother had cancer and she was at the hospital with her a lot, and she just needed something to distract her, and so she would come out in the waiting room and do calligraphy with worksheets from The Postman’s Knock.
There have been other people, just a lot of people that need, whether it's physically or mentally, to get their mind off of these issues… they'll create calligraphy and it makes them feel good, and they'll send me these emails saying thank you because you know this is something that really sort of saved my life. And so I think it's been amazing to know that the website has that kind of impact, and it's been surprising for me to see how wonderful people can actually be. I feel like it's a very special kind of website because even if we mess up on an order, because we just started shipping out tangible things that aren't downloads, and once in a while, my employee might forget to put an ink in there or whatever, and I feel like with other businesses, you might write and say, What is going on here? We always get the nicest emails, Hey, just to let you know, and you know, this was so sweet, people are so nice. Really, it's been pretty awesome.
I actually have a book from a woman who was inspired by our website, Kestrel Montez, who just wrote a practice workbook on modern calligraphy. It was pretty cool with my website because I was hugely inspired by Molly Suber Thorpe’s book, Modern Calligraphy, and I loved that book. And it was one of the reasons I got into calligraphy, and then she reached out to me, she's reached out to me twice now to review her books, which is so neat because when I started, I was a nobody and I wouldn't have been on her radar at all but now she's asking me to review her books.
Calligraphy Class at the Paper Seahorse in Tampa
The Paper Seahorse:
What kind of audience do you have and where do you see it going?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, that's actually kind of an interesting question because we think about that a lot, being a couple where I'm from the United States and my husband's from Peru, which is a disadvantage country, my audience is largely women, but specifically women that are in their 30s to 60s, they have some disposable income because they can create calligraphy, so that's interesting to ponder because my in-laws in Peru never really saw the postman knock as a valid business because to them it was, you're trying to meet your basic needs. How could you possibly make money teaching people how to write... So needless to say, I don't have a huge audience in Peru, just a couple of Peruvians. But yeah, it's mostly women that are older than 30.
The Paper Seahorse:
What kind of numbers of people are you're reaching? Where do you think it could go?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Oh man, I haven’t looked at Google Analytics in a while. That would be something. My husband knows, I think. We get about 300,000 page views per month. I think that's right. And as far as where I see it going, I really don't know. I mean, because if you would have asked me in 2011, well 2012, I guess is when I officially started, what is this business about, I would say, “Yeah, I'm just going to make custom wedding envelopes. That's what I want to do.” Now, if you ask me what I want to do, yeah, I want to ship stuff out, I would love to get into watercolor a little bit more, I love watercolor, so I'd love to have some resources teaching people how to create watercolors, or not watercolor specifically, but watercolor paintings. I really don't know, I'm just going to go wherever it takes me...
The Paper Seahorse:
You have a friend that makes watercolor paints, right?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, yeah, Jessica, she has Greenleaf and Blueberry, and they're the best watercolors, I do use them for calligraphy and of course for painting, but she is a pretty amazing artist.
Calligraphy Class at The Paper Seahorse
The Paper Seahorse:
Why do you think that people are gravitating towards writing by hand?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I think that people are gravitating towards the analog writing by hand because we are just so inundated every day with technology, and I think technology is an amazing thing, my family has a group chat where we'll all say what we're doing, which is great, because they're in Kansas, I'm in Colorado, but I think it can also be very exhausting. Every time I get on the iPad to create lettering and procreate, these notifications will pop up of emails I'm getting or text I'm getting, and I think that it's just kind of overwhelming because as humans, you hear a ding or see a notification and it's like... Oh, I better check that. Even if the email or message is of little consequence, I think that that can be really overwhelming, and so for me, especially when I became a mom and things were super stressful, it was amazing to just sit down... put on a podcast and write. And it's just so relaxing. So I think that that's why we're sort of returning to that because it's relaxing, it's intentional. You have to really think about what you're writing. Whereas if you're sending a text message, there's a lot of auto-correct or whatever, and you might write and send it and then think, Oh, I could have said that better, or whatever. So I just think it kind of is returning us to a slower way of life, and I do think technology is amazing, like I mentioned to you earlier, that's how we even arranged this interview is through text messages... I mean, it's a necessary thing. But I think that to go with that, you also have to have some balance, and that's where the hand lettering comes in.
Lindsey Bugbee Writing at Her Desk
The Paper Seahorse:
What does it feel like when you're writing?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Just relaxing, I guess. I'm not thinking about anything. It's just... I imagine it would be like somebody who loves yoga, it's a lot of up and down, and no pressure and pressure and re-dip and wipe off. I could see how it wouldn't be for everybody, because it is just so dum-de-dum-de-dum... But I think that it's certainly my way of meditating and relaxing, and I think that that's true for a lot of people. Like in the workshops I teach, there might be a couple of people in there who will say, “Yeah, I'm here so I can learn to make money with my calligraphy,” but mostly it's people that are there saying, “I just need a way to learn how to relax, I need something meditative to do, and I think this is it for me.”
The Paper Seahorse:
What do you hear from your... what do you call them? Students? Fans?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I would call them learners. Yeah, people are always emailing really nice things, which I feel bad about because just yesterday I got this email that was so, so long and sweet, like really sweet telling me about how happy this woman was, she found my website and what she had learned with it, and she attached examples of her work, and then I feel bad because I just... I can't sufficiently express how that email made me feel and certainly not matched the kindness of her email when I write back, but yeah, people will send me these really impressive things that they've done, and I really encourage learners to take a picture before - try doing calligraphy for a day, take a picture, see what it looks like, and then two months from now, after you've been practicing a couple of times a week, compare... Because it's really hard to see it. It's kind of like losing weight or whatever, when it's your every day you don't see the results. But if you take a picture two months ago, and then now you'll see that you've really improved, so I've gotten a lot of photos of people's improvements and it's like, wow, that's amazing that you use the resources on my website to teach yourself how to do this, that's so cool!
The Paper Seahorse:
It must be very gratifying
Lindsey Bugbee:
Absolutely, it's gratifying.
The Paper Seahorse:
Calligraphy is a special kind of handwriting, right? Explain what calligraphy is compared to plain writing.
Lindsey Bugbee:
I think everybody has a different definition for calligraphy... When I say calligraphy, I'm talking about dip pen calligraphy. But online, you'll see a lot of people refer to brush pen calligraphy as calligraphy. That's a little bit more popular, I would say, than the dip pen because it only requires a marker to create, and then still others would argue that calligraphy is just pretty penmanship. So I guess if I had to give you a definition, I would say that calligraphy is writing with intention, it's writing with the intention of making beautiful letters, it's the art of letters... It's writing pretty. But I guess specifically, writing pretty and connected, you know, I guess you wouldn't look at beautiful block lettering, which means the letters aren't connected and say, Oh, that's some great calligraphy, it's more like it needs to be connected, at least in my mind.
The Paper Seahorse:
Okay, so the story of the famous Nikko G nib… Do you want to take it from the beginning?
Lindsey Bugbee:
You know, when I first decided I was going to learn calligraphy, like I told you, it was, okay, I'm going to make these wedding invitation envelopes. So I went to a local craft store and I found a Speedball kit, and I didn't know anything about calligraphy, so I thought, “Okay, well, these things -I didn't know what a nib was - look like they all work.” I got them home and they were just awful. I just couldn't figure it out. Now, I realized the problem was they were too flexible, which means that the tines of the Nib were just a little finicky, and if I would have been better at calligraphy and known I was doing I could have used them, but I wasn't, and I didn't. So I had been creating calligraphy for a while and sort of blogging about it and using these speedball nibs, and this man named Roger Mayeda from Albuquerque, New Mexico reached out to me and he said, “First of all, hey, I think maybe you would find success with the Nikko-G nib, have you thought about using that needs sort of medium flex? I think it's pretty great for beginners, and then B, I've been making these oblique pens, would you like to try one? I'm retired, I'm just making them in my spare time.”
Rodger Mayeda Examining His Hand-made Pen
So I tried the Nikko G and I tried the pens, and I realized the Nikko was great for beginners. The Nikko G isn’t a calligraphy nib, it's for Manga which is Japanese illustration, and it’s made out of steel, and it's a fairly large nib, so it can hold a lot of ink, and it's just really great for beginners because it's not incredibly responsive, so if you are making a downstroke you have to press really hard for the times of the nip to split open and make that down stroke, which is really good, because as a beginner, you don't want an incredibly responsive nib, It can be fine for downstrokes, but for upstrokes, you just have to learn to regulate your pressure, and if the nib is too flexible, then you're going to get tines that play a little bit and you're going to get your ink spitting, so it's good to start off with a medium flex nib.
I wasn't having ink battering issues anymore, and it was kind of like having a bike with training wheels. In calligraphy, dip pen calligraphy specifically, pressure is very important. When you go up to make an upstroke, you don't apply pressure to your nib, which is why you get a very thin stroke, when you go down, you do apply pressure and the tines split open and give you a thick stroke, so that's where you get that contrast. Well, with the Nikko G, it’s quite easy to achieve that contrast as a beginner, and if you apply a little too much pressure on the upstroke, it doesn't catch... I'm getting pretty nerdy about this, so anyway, it's just been interesting to see that domino effect: I made the recommendation of them on my blog, and I said, “Hey, you beginners should try using this nib,” and after that, I noticed that both in books and online, either credited to The Postman’s Knock website or not, all the calligraphy teachers say, Start with an Nikko G it’s the best beginner’s nib. So it looks like the popularity of the Nikko G nib is coming from me, but really, it's all coming from... you know, this guy in Roger Mayeda in Albuquerque! Luckily for me, he still continues to help me and teach me a lot of things pertaining to calligraphy, which sort of trickles down into the website.
The Paper Seahorse:
That's so fun. So, okay, you have a lot of people that pay attention to what you do. So, that funny term, Insta-famous really applies to you. What do you think about all that?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, okay. So I guess... Well, I'm not sure that I would even call myself into famous, I've got 100,000 or so followers on Instagram, which really isn't much compared to a lot of people, and I think as far as people paying attention to what I do, it's nice for me because they mostly just pay attention to the art and calligraphy aspect. So if people reach out to me, it's always about art or calligraphy, which is something that I so profoundly enjoy that it's almost like, “Oh, these are my people!” I don't feel scrutinized like other people might, I don't feel pressure to make sure that my nails are perfectly manicured, if I'm posting pictures of my hands, I don't feel pressure to put on make-up... If I'm putting a picture on Instagram, because for me, it's about the art and it's about the calligraphy, I think really the Insta-famous thing, which again, I'm not even sure I would classify me as that, I would just say that it's been good because I'm finding these super nice people who are into the same thing that I'm into, whereas I have a great group of friends in my everyday life, but they're all aerospace engineers, are working on wind farms or whatever, nobody is really into calligraphy, and one of my aerospace friends did take a workshop for me, and that was fine, but you know, they're just not into it, like some people around the world are that are writing to me. So I think it's just been a really good way for me to find my people.
The Paper Seahorse:
Could you describe the growth of a calligraphy and of handwriting and why you think it's happening and what it gives to people?
Lindsey Bugbee:
So I think that calligraphy and handwriting has become hugely popular, and I think that it is in direct response to all of the technology that we're surrounded by, and I'm not going to sit here and tell you that technology is bad and we need to get back to our roots and just communicate via analog, but I do think that technology can be very overwhelming, it's really tough to be plugged in all the time, so it would be really easy for people, for example, to open up a Google Doc and keep a diary there, but I think that it is hugely more satisfying to open up your tangible notebook, hand letter, keep a bullet journal, keep a regular journal or sketchbook. And then you know, you have to think about to what the form that something is taking communicates. So if I text you happy birthday, that doesn't really say much. It didn't take much effort. But if I sit down for two hours and I make you this beautiful handmade card and I write calligraphy and send it to you, it says is Happy birthday, it's the same message, but it's a completely different form of communicating, which makes it a completely different message. So I just think it's different modes of communicating, it's getting back to... Just to the days where you could just sit and not have anything going on and not have people able to just reach you immediately, it's refreshing
The Paper Seahorse:
Going back to when you write, when you send someone a hand-written note, aren't you also giving a piece of you?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, I think that when you give somebody something hand-written, it's time, and time is the most precious commodity that we have, so if I send you an envelope that's beautifully calligraphed, what that says to you, first of all - I mean, besides being a visual treat - it's saying that I gave you some of the most precious thing that I have. So I think that that makes the medium and the message that much more special because it takes effort, and for me to take the time to make something like that, not only is it 15 minutes to make that envelope, but it's hours and hours and hours of practice before that, to be able to make that envelope, so I think it's something really special.
The Paper Seahorse:
Let’s take a moment to think about that. Those hours are spent focusing, single-task focusing on exclusively on that person...
Lindsey Bugbee (left) and Tona Bell - Founder of The Paper Seahorse (right)
Lindsey Bugbee:
For me, it's nice to be able to show my affection in that way, for example, I had taught a calligraphy workshop at The Paper Seahorse, your great little retreat in Tampa, and I wanted to express my gratitude to Tona, the owner afterwards that she had let me take that space for a while, and so what do you do? Of course, I'm going to give her a hand-made note and in an envelope, and it's nice because even a year later, I'll see that she'll make Instagram posts with that envelope in there, so it's hugely gratifying and it's nice too. I guess, really think about the person and for me, I think about the reaction that the person is going to have receiving the envelope, it's just such a treat to get things in the mail, there's just an incredible difference between getting an email from someone and getting a hand-written note, especially when it comes in a calligraphed envelope really, that's why we have cool book covers. You pick up books that look great, so why wouldn't it be the same when you're sending a greeting card or whatever you want to build up anticipation, and that's why brides and grooms want envelopes that are beautiful because what's inside is important, but the outside is what really sets the tone.
Lindsey's Calligraphy on an Envelope
The Paper Seahorse:
Do you feel like you are helping to create some good in the world?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, absolutely. I think everybody feels that way. Right, but as far as I'm concerned, I think that... I hope that I'm helping people to express themselves artistically, and I know that there are a lot of people that read the blog and they'll say, “I'm not an artist, but I made this,” or “I'm not an artist, but I learned calligraphy, and here's what I have” and you know, I think it's sad when people have this label that they're not an artist because everybody is an artist in their own way, so I know that the website has encouraged some people who have reached out specifically to me, and I hope that others who haven't reached out, I've been impacted too. So yeah, I like to think that I'm doing some good, maybe a little...
The Paper Seahorse:
What do you hope for the future?
Lindsey Bugbee:
With calligraphy specifically? In general? Or for myself?
The Paper Seahorse:
Both, I suppose. Where do you think it's going with people returning to handwriting?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I really don't know where it's going with handwriting. I think that people have always been interested in calligraphy and handwriting, it just has gotten bigger as technology has gotten bigger, which is ironic, but I see that technology is getting so much bigger, so that it makes sense to me that a return to the analog, like hand lettering and drawing and things like that, would get bigger as well as a reaction. I don't think that the two things, digital and analog are mutually exclusive, I think that they actually help each other to grow. And as far as what I see for The Postman’s Knock specifically, I would just like to be able to share more of what I know with people. So I know how to paint with watercolors, I know a little bit about how to create things in procreate, which is an iPad app. I'd like to share that. So we'll see where it goes. I'm not sure.
The Paper Seahorse:
I know we talked about this before, but can you share with us some more stories about the impact that you had on some people in their life.
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, let me think for just a second… Yes! Even today, it was yesterday actually, I received an email from a woman who... I mean, it was like a novel - if I printed it, it would have been three pages, just talking about how glad she was, she found my website, and it's funny because usually somebody's searching for one thing because we have a whole bunch of different tutorials, you know, there might be something about crayons or colored pencils or water color, but then there's a lot about calligraphy, so you sort of go down this rabbit hole, so a lot of emails will start off and say, I was looking for this, but then I also found this on your website. And now I'm into calligraphy and nothing could stop me, and it'll just be emails of people who... I've had a lot of cancer patients who, this is just a way to get their mind off of things and relax, because in the end, calligraphy is a very relaxing activity, it's not something that you do fast, so it's really something you should sit down and do with intention and quite slowly. Let's see, I've had the fun ones - people who say, I made my own wedding invitations and I calligraphed all the envelopes... Those are really fun. I've gotten a few of those. I don't know. Just people use it for different things. One woman I know is working on a piece right now for her daughter. Her daughter's husband was recently killed in this horrible accident, he was working on a movie, he'd actually worked on The Shape of Water, but he was working on a new movie and a stunt went wrong, and so this woman is writing out of love for her daughter to sort of encourage her because they have small children, and so for this woman, she took one of my in-person workshops, it's a way of showing love and encouragement and giving her daughter something to look at every day to remind her that her mom is there for her as she's raising these kids alone.
Nikko G Nib and Calligraphy Drill Sheet
The Paper Seahorse:
It does look intimidating, the strange looking pens and the nibs and ink, but what would you say to someone that feels intimidated?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I would say that calligraphy looks very intimidating. And it's not the easiest thing in the world to do. I'm not going to lie and say, Yeah, you could learn - I don't know, just in a day. But I think anything is intimidating when you first start. And if you asked me if anyone can create calligraphy... Yeah, I really think as long as they want to... Anybody can create calligraphy. Absolutely, there's really no handicap for that, you know how to create letters, so why can't you do it beautifully?
It's just one of those things that you have to take one step at a time, so it's not a difficult thing. It's just you have to understand how to break it down, which is why I have courses on the website explaining how to do that, but I would say first you need to figure out the relationship between the strokes. So what is the difference between an upstroke and a downstroke. Second, you need to familiarize yourself with the instrument, which in my case would be a dip pen. So how does the dip pen work? How do you make those strokes that you familiarize yourself with? And then third, it's just a lot of practice, and I think practice really has this negative connotation where you're going to sit there for hours, not enjoying what you're doing. Now, it has to be really enjoyable, so you need to be making things that ignite your passion for this art, so whether you're making mail art, your sketch-booking, you're working on a bullet journal, you just need to make your practice fun because practice is mostly where your higher skill level is going to come from.
As far as I'm concerned, and I think this is a big reason that people are attracted to the postman knock blog, there is no hierarchy for being good at calligraphy, it's all kind of a personal journey, and I know that there are some people out there that would like to really impose rigid rules and say, Well, this person isn't as good as this person because they just are not as disciplined to me. It really is an art. And the nature of art is that people have different styles, so I think that what one person is into is going to be completely different from what someone else is into
The Paper Seahorse:
You mentioned bullet journals, there's all of these ways people are using writing, calligraphy and writing. Can you share some examples of the variety of ways to incorporate calligraphy?
Lindsey Bugbee:
Yeah, I think that some of the coolest utilizations I've seen have been in public... On chalkboards, for example, if you go to a coffee shop, those are neat to see, a lot of people are doing bullet journals right now. I'm actually planning my son's birthday party and it's a lot of Ethiopian food, a lot of people don't know what's the difference between this dish or this dish, so I'm making place cards so people can know, you know what they're actually eating. Of course, calligraphy is a huge part of weddings, you've got invitations, envelopes, place cards, seating charts, all sorts of things. For Thanksgiving, we usually put brown paper on our table and then we'll create calligraphy on there... directly onto the table that you're eating on. Sketch-booking is big. The difference between a sketchbook and a bullet journal would be that sketch-booking is more general, whereas the themes of my bullet journals pages are more specific - either specific to a day or keeping track of goals. But you can use calligraphy for anything, for sure.-
The Paper Seahorse:
Mindfulness is a big topic these days. And how does penmanship and calligraphy relate to mindfulness?
Lindsey Bugbee: I would say that calligraphy and penmanship relate to mindfulness because you really have to be intentional and present with what you're doing in calligraphy. It's very easy if your mind isn't really in, it to skip a letter or mess up on the letter you're making, so you really have to concentrate on what you're doing. And I think that that sort of pulls you into the present moment. And that's a curious thing because you're very in the moment, but then time also speeds up because you're doing something that you really enjoy and that's relaxing you. So I think that calligraphy is a great way for people to really get into this mindfulness thing, but also create something beautiful and be productive. So that's a good feeling.
The Paper Seahorse:
How is the experience of writing by hand different from when you're writing on a computer or an iPad or a phone?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I would never trash talk technology because I love technology, I use it every day. Obviously, if you find The Postman’s Knock, you're on a computer, you're on an iPad, you're on an iPhone, I love the potential for communication with technology; that said, I don't think that technology for me and for a lot of people is a good way to relax. If anything, it sort of keys me up a little bit when you get on Instagram and you're looking at people's pictures, or you get on your computer and you think, Hey, I'll just check Facebook or Pinterest for one second, in one second turns into 30 minutes. It's just different, and I notice I do have Procreate on my iPad, which is an app or you can write, but to me, it's a great practice tool because it doesn't require a lot of supplies, but it's just not the same as that tactile quality of sitting down with paper and dipping your pen into ink, and writing with it until it runs out. It goes back to the mindfulness thing, technology, just... It's so fast and it gives us the potential to communicate so quickly, and I think that we're inundated with so much technology that you almost overlook when you're being communicated with that way, it's very easy to ignore a text, or even when you open up your mailbox and you see that you've gotten an envelope where your name is printed on it, I think you automatically give that less importance than the envelope where something's written out. I've noticed in marketing that companies have started sending out things that have scans of handwritten notes, just to catch your eye.
So yeah, I think that technology is amazing and it makes our lives better, yada yada,.. but it can certainly be overwhelming and it's very fast. I think that calligraphy, once you get the hang of it, is not overwhelming, it's something that you can do with intention and it's not incredibly fast, so it just sort of counteracts what we're experiencing with technology.
The Paper Seahorse Studios
The Paper Seahorse:
When you are sitting at your desk and you're making calligraphy how does it feel? What's going through your mind?
Lindsey Bugbee:
To me, when I sit down to create calligraphy, in my ideal situation, I'm really interested in people and stories, so I mostly listen to podcasts, specifically true true-crime podcast while I'm creating calligraphy. So to me, I guess half of my mind is on the story that I'm listening to, and then the other half of my mind is, I guess just paying attention to what I'm doing, so I'm drawing out guidelines, I'm making slant lines to guide my slant, I'm dipping the pen into the ink, making sure that it's at an appropriate level. I'm writing, and I suppose I just feel completely relaxed at that point, and then also excited because if you're writing something, 95% of the time, it's because someone is going to see it, so even the place cards that I'm working on today, as I'm creating them, I'm thinking about the reaction that people are going to have to them, it's going to elevate the gathering that we're having from just to gathering in the home to something truly elegant. So I think it's just a mixture of being completely engaged with my writing and with this podcast, and then also feeling anticipation.
The Paper Seahorse:
Who are some of the other calligraphers that you admire?
Lindsey Bugbee:
I think Molly Suber Thorpe did a great job with her Modern Calligraphy book, and I think that got a lot of people into calligraphy initially. As far as people whose work I admire, Phyllis Macaluso is a Canadian calligrapher who just makes these gorgeous floral motifs and flourishes and she sent me a couple of things that are just beautiful. So that's been a treat, Jodean Cooper is a calligrapher in Arizona, she makes gorgeous thing, she can write great Spencerian, which is a traditional script, and you know Kate Watson, she actually, I think got started with calligraphy because of the TPK blog - I could be wrong about that - but she recently did an event for Guy Ritchie, which I thought was fun. But really, since I'm not on social media a lot, I haven't connected with a ton of people that I really should connect with, and those are the people that just come to mind, but there are many, many more who create gorgeous things that are worth mentioning.
The Paper Seahorse:
What are some of the most surprising things that have happened to you related to calligraphy or writing?
Lindsey Bugbee:
So in 2015, I was really not that great at calligraphy, certainly you could have done a Google search and found a lot of calligraphers that were much, much higher skill level than me, but there was this woman who read my blog, and she reached out to me and said like, Look, I'd really like you to do my daughter's wedding invitation, she wants me to handwrite them, but I really can't because I have arthritis in my hands, and so I said, Well, the timeline is a little tight, but... Okay, she sounded just really sweet, and so she said, great, but you just need to talk to one before you can take on this project going. Okay, so the person called me and it was a Hollywood agent wanting me to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and I'm going, Oh my gosh, when I saw the names on that agreement because I definitely knew those names. So I took on the project and it was so cool because I'm handwriting these wedding invitations, and as I'm writing the wedding invitations, I was watching this actor in this actress on screen on Netflix as I'm creating their wedding invitations. And it was really neat to get to hand-write all of those. They wanted handwritten components for a couple of reasons, first they didn't want any information leaking to the press, which is easier to control if it's just one person, and then second, they didn't want to print things for that same reason, it would have been 10 people working on a printing company. Then when I got done, it was really cool because the tabloids were speculating, you know about this wedding, and the bride’s mom sent me all these pictures of this venue and of the wedding, and it was really neat to get to be a part of that. Now when I see this actor or actress in movies, I think how I created their wedding materials, and I know that when they go home and in the evening, they have this invitation framed in their home, so that's a really cool feeling. And then I've gotten to work on a couple of books. That's been cool. I've been featured in my favorite magazine ever, Flow Magazine, which is a magazine that is published out of the Netherlands and super cool, and it gives me opportunities to do interviews like this one, which is just...really neat. So yeah, it's opened up a lot of really cool doors for me.
The Paper Seahorse:
So the last question is, what do you think people should really know about calligraphy and writing pretty that they may not already know?
The Postman's Knock Class at The Paper Seahorse
Lindsey Bugbee:
Well, I really think that anyone can do it because you can write already - you know how to write a letter. So why can't you do it beautifully? But the trick is you have to want to do it, just like anything. So I don't think that you can necessarily force somebody to learn, but if you're motivated and you want to learn it, you can. Second, you don't need really expensive materials to learn calligraphy, really all you need is the Nikko G nib, a straight pen, some Sumi ink, and then some 32-pound laser jet paper, specifically HP premium brand, I would say, and some exemplars wouldn't hurt.
The Paper Seahorse:
Thank you so much Lindsey. We appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with all of us.Lindsey Bugbee:
You are very welcome. I just want people to know how relaxing of an activity it is, because I think that it can be really great for your mental health.
Creative Classes at The Paper Seahorse for Mindfulness and Creativity
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Hello!
I am so happy that you found our little island of peace, calm and analog goodness. We created The Paper Seahorse as a way for people to take a little time out, slow down and experience the relief and joy of writing by hand. You may enjoy sending cards, letters, pencil, pens typewriters, writing in a journal, doodling - what people like you share with us is: that it really doesn't matter. The good feelings come simply from stepping away from our phones for just a little while, finding a comfortable space and reconnecting with ourselves and other by putting our thoughts on paper. Many people tell us they quickly feel anxiety melting away.
What I have found is that it is much easier to find calm when you already have experienced creating it for yourself when you need it. That is why I designed the Little Box of Calm. It is a beautiful and easy way to begin or jump start your journey on the path to a happier, peaceful life.
In times of uncertainty and stress we must release fear. We must trust the process of life. With the pandemic getting better. it still with us and we are all fatigued. We have all made sacrifices and we are all still in this together. It was and still is hard. So why not give yourself and others some grace? We can help each other wherever we are by practicing kindness and empathy. But to help others, we must help ourselves be our best grounded self. Here are 4 easy things we can all do to feel better and stronger.
These are the things I focus on every day:
1. laugh out loud - as much and and often as possible
2. give thanks
3. be kind (first to yourself, then others)
4. sleep - diet - exercise (in that order)
Even though I know that these are the keys to a healthy, peaceful and prosperous life, do you think I am always following my own advice? Of course not! We all wander and stray a bit from the path, what matters is that we try and try again.
What I have found is that it is much easier to find calm when you already have experienced creating it for yourself when you need it. That is why I designed the Little Box of Calm. It is a beautiful and easy way to begin or jump start your journey on the path to a happier, peaceful life. I also invite you to explore more about the Little Box of Calm, our Letter Writing Kit, all of the videos and stories we are continually creating to help you find the joy in each day.
Yours in analog pursuits,
Tona Bell
Founder, The Paper Seahorse
https://www.paperseahorse.com/blogs/news/welcome-to-our-little-island-of-calm]]>
There's so many fun ways to use your TRAVELER'S notebook - that's what makes the cult notebook so fun and interactive. One interesting way you can customize your TRAVELER'S notebook is by turning it into your own little "Letter Writing Studio." Our founder, Tona Bell has created her own Mobile Letter Writing Kit using some of the Traveler's Company B-Sides and Rarities special edition products. Check it out by clicking here.
This is a great way to encourage yourself to send more snail mail in your day to day life.
There are lots of ways to customize your notebook for letter writing (given the huge line of inserts available from the TRAVELER'S COMPANY). Our favorite is using a 008 Zipper Pocket to house all your writing tools, stamps, tapes, envelopes, etc., and 012 sketch paper as letter paper. 012 sketch paper is perforated, which makes it extremely easy to rip out your letters once you're done writing.
You can include an address book in your notebook, pictures, postcards, cards, and any other goodies you'd want to send in a letter. This is a project you can dedicate to one notebook, or include as a section in your own TRAVELER'S notebook.
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS VIDEO:
Leave a comment, and tell us how you use your TRAVELER'S notebook.
]]>Our dear friend, Tammy a.k.a. Paper Tams is a big fan of the TRAVELER'S COMPANY.In this video she shares her whole collection of TRAVELER'S notebooks for different uses. TRAVELER'S notebooks are known for being versatile for just about any use you can think of. Tammy's collection is a great example of this concept. She customizes each of her notebooks (and makes clever use of various inserts) for a different area in her life.
Tammy has camel passport that acts as a portable financial planner. She has one notebook dedicated to the Tampa Letter Writers Society, two she keeps for work, one for journaling, and two 011 Traveler's Notebook Regular Binders for Refills, filled up with archived inserts. Each one, she gives herself the freedom to let her creative juices flow. Her collection is a great source of inspiration for just how far you can explore with your TRAVELER'S notebooks.
How do you use your TRAVELER'S notebook? Tell us in the comments!
]]>Ever since Midori - now Traveler's Company Japan - introduced the Traveler's Notebooks and the Traveler's Notebook line of inserts, people from all over the world have customized and made them their very own. Which is wonderful because that is what the designers in Japan had always hoped for.
The Paper Seahorse has held several large gatherings of TN enthusiasts and we are very happy to share with you some of what our community brought into the studio to share.
Here is Dani sharing her Traveler's Notebook capturing her experiences travelling to Paris, France. She keeps this notebook as a living reminder of her travel adventures. She uses a regular size, brown Traveler's Notebook leather cover with just the 003 Traveler's Notebook Blank MD Paper refills. Some washi tape and some sweet-smelling Coccoina glue sticks and priceless treasures from her travels is all she needs.
How do you use your Traveler's Notebook? Please let us know! Please comment below.
]]>This colorful painting is called "Mother Sun" it was created by the most creative person I have ever met. She was an artist, a gardener, an animal lover and all around kind person. Everyday I strive to be like her and I hope to make her proud. She is my mother, Gail Bell. I wanted to share a little bit about her because she is so inspiring.
She had a very humbling childhood. She grew up without means, in the country woods of Georgia and her own mom died when she was just 16. Her aunt raised her and taught her about quilting, cooking, gardening, and telling a good story. These experiences shaped her life forever. She got married to a nice boy from Atlanta and moved to Taiwan where they adopted me. I could sew before I could write, my toys were mainly things in the yard (I had to stay outside until dinner and find things to do!) and our house was the one where everyone always gathered. Some of my friends actually wanted to spend more time with my mom than me!
Gail was a writer, a librarian and the most popular summer camp leader for miles around. Probably because she worked with the local kids to put on plays and skits where they wrote, made their costumes and entertained us all. She had a knack for putting people at ease and kept her childlike wonder until the day she died. She had a secret weapon, it was her imagination. She visualized possibilities and positivity. Her favorite color was sunny yellow and she always had a smile on her face.
She believed in the power of intention and positive affirmations. She started painting later in life, at 5, and infusing her work with hidden affirmations. She sold her work in galleries around the country. She created a line of posters, notecards, and accessories. She began speaking on the power of the mind and teaching accessible mini-meditations. She got to meet Louise Hay at a New Age convention and pretty much came full circle.
Sadly, she soon passed away before she could help more people. Or maybe she helped enough. The most important gift she gave me was the gift of imagination and understanding the power of intention. I realize that my exposure her advanced way of thinking is why I do what I do. I encourage everyone I meet to be more creative and mindful. To know that you alone hold the power inside to create your own reality. To understand that words have power and so does intentionality. We can manifest anything we want, it just takes slowing down, following your heart and believing in yourself.
I am so grateful for the lessons my mom taught me and continues to teach me. Who has been that for you?
I hope this Mother's Day, you take the time to tell your mom, the person who raised you, your aunt, grandmother or friend how grateful you are for them and how they may have inspired you. Maybe you are a mom and it is you. We could all use some encouragement and recognition. Seize the day and reach out to that feminine energy and pay it forward.
Our voice is free and one of the most powerful tools we have. Taking the time to act, using the power of the pen, is empowering and impactful. We all have passions and taking a few minutes to be heard can make all the difference. Go ahead we dare you create change now!
Be The Change You Wish To See In The World
Here are our Reasons to Write/Letter for Positive Change. Many people of all ages and circumstances need words of encouragement. The pandemic helped us realize how important taking time to share a few heartfelt words can be.
1st responders:
911 operators and fire fighters
Essential workers at any hospital or clinic
Facebook Groups letter request groups:
Forget Me Not
From The Heart
Letter request web sites:
www.Loveforourelders.org
www.bringsmilestoseniors.com
Local charities that speak to you. Here are mine:
Election year or anytime:
Political Action – vote, climate change issues, gun control, etc.
How to write to your local representatives, where to find them, what to send.
1. How to find your local politicians:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/senators_cfm.cfm?State=FL
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Senate Bill 442/House Bill 451
Ban Fracking in Florida
Richard Corcoran – Speaker of the House
Representative Holly Raschein – Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommitte Chair
2. How to write your local representatives:
Sample initiative and letter or email:
Please Support HB 451
Hi __name of politician here___,
Fracking could begin any day in Florida, and in some of its most precious ecosystems, including the Everglades. It could rapidly do irreparable damage to Florida's environment and economy--its tourism, citrus, coral reefs, etc.
That's why I signed a petition to The Florida State House, The Florida State Senate, and Governor Rick Scott, which says:
"Preparations are underway to start fracking outside of Naples, Florida on a parcel that extends all the way from Fort Myers to Miami and intersects the Everglades. Fracking poses enormous dangers to our food and water supply, air quality, and soil, and therefore to human health and welfare. It involves known carcinogens and neurotoxins and does irreparable damage. It poisons wildlife. It uses massive amounts of water and accelerates global warming. The wastewater injection it typically involves has precipitated earthquakes. We urge you to put an immediate stop to fracking and fracking-related activities throughout the state. "
Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/no-fracking-in-florida-1?s
We hope these examples and resources have helped inspire you in creating letters for positive change. There is always a reason to write a letter and some you may not have thought have can be so very impactful. So raise your wands (your pens) and make some magic happen!
]]>To celebrate National Letter Writing Month this year, we have compiled our best ideas and resources into one blog post. Whether you need a pen pal, are looking for inspiration to write, or want to use the pen to save the world, we've got you covered. Hope you explore the many joys of keeping in touch. It is good for you and good for the recipient! Here are our FAQs created just for you:
1. How Do I Find Fellow Letter Writers In My Area?
Do you wish you could find like-minded letter writers in your area? Join a letter writing group! The kind folks @lwsdirectory have put together a web site to help navigate the list of growing societies.
2. How Do I find A Pen Pal?
Are you looking for a pen pal? We can help! There are many options depending on what you are looking for.
2. Is There A Local Letter Writing Group in Tampa?
Yes! The Tampa Bay Letter Writers are a group of everyday people who are not afraid to go rogue and unplug from the digital realm. Once a month we embrace our love of the written word and gather together to pen missives.
We have members from all over the country, not just in Tampa Bay. Come learn about the letter writing revolution.
Your membership includes your very own membership kit, including but not limited to the Tampa Bay Letter Writers postal passport, official ID card, newsletter, philatelic goodies and more. Also guarantees at least a half dozen mailing throughout the year and entry to all monthly meet ups. Virtually for now, we are still in a pandemic.
3. How Can I Start A Letter Writing Group?
Starting a letter writing group starts with you hosting a social. We give you hints and tips to start one in your area. It is easy and if you reach out, we will even sponsor your first one.
4. How Can I Write Letters For Positive Change?
Learn about the power of the written word. Letter for positive change is easy. You just need the information on what to write and to who. The Tampa Bay Letter Writers have a video to help you. Co-founder @papertams gives you hints and tips in this video. Or you can find more resources here in our reasons to write/letter for positive change post.
5. What Are The Benefits of Letter Writing?
The pen is moving meditation. It is powerful and increases well-being.
In a study published in the journal, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, researchers found that expressive writing had long-term health benefits including improved immune system, improved mood, improved lung function, improved liver function, and a feeling of greater well-being.
What are you waiting for? Write on!
6. How Can I Support Your Youth Letter Writing Initiatives?
Help keep letter writing alive! Give the gift of snail mail to the local community. Any denomination helps.
We support local classrooms learn the joys of letter writing and keeping in touch. Please help fund our efforts to get kids writing more.
Your contribution goes directly towards letter writing kits: stationery, postage, handouts and other learning materials.
We teach kids by explaining why to write a letter, how to write a letter, then we give them the tools to try it themselves.
If you are a teacher, parent, counselor or just a fellow letter writer, please contact us so we may help supply children with a new favorite past time. It is future generations that will ensure letter writing lives.
7. How To Create Your Own Traveling Letter
Ideas for making a traveling letter. Using your imagination and a simple notebook, you can create a snail mailer to be enjoyed by you and a group of friends. It is a round robin thing where the last person gets to keep it. We made ours with the TRAVELERS NOTEBOOK refill 025.
Additional resources for making your own traveling letter can be found here:
Creating a Traveling Letter Among Friends - ideas for content
Make a Snail Mailer Notebook - how to make one
]]>These thoughts rings so true with us here at The Paper Seahorse. How about you? COVID has taught us to focus on what is really important, like when we were a little kid. We did not know about material things and cash. Or even firsthand meanness. Hopefully all you knew were simple things; playing, loving parents and that every day was going to be a new adventure.
As an adult, and having to do “adulting” things, we forget to have balance and play. We overlook having freedom in thought that anything is possible. The only thing holding us back is us. Our judgements and labels, our thoughts and fears.
We dare you to allow yourself to be as rich, cool and successful as Syed says above. It just starts with a new framework. Throw out what you knew before. We give you permission to have the life you have always wanted. Starting right now.
And now my personal perspective on making kindness the new cool:
New stamps arrived today. The USPS is honoring three Asian Americans this year. This one is Chien-Shiung Wu, a Chinese Asian who is considered to be one of the most influential nuclear physicists of the 20th century.
It is quite interesting to me that these two came on the same day. As an Asian-American, I do not really think of myself that way until someone points it out...where are you from? where where you born? Or recently, have you been attacked? Do you feel safe? It is weird for me to think about these things.
I was adopted at 3 weeks old in Taipei, Taiwan. My parents brought me to the Us when I was old enough to travel at 8 months. I was naturalized at 2 1/2. My parents are from Georgia here in the USA. When I was growing up my mom told me I was all Taiwanese and all American. I am both of these things. However I feel more American since I did not grow up with Taiwanese culture or traditions. As an adult I do identify with some elements of Asia and I ponder nature vs nurture alot.
It saddens me that there has been terrorism and violence against Asians here in the US. There are apparently those that think that will make them feel better about the situation. Violence and hatred achieve nothing but spreading more of that same energy. There are many ethnicities that are all that and all American. Blended and simply human. The US is a melting pot and the world is pretty much soup now. Can't we all get along?
Kindess is the new cool. Check in and see if you have been raised with any biases, how can you make positive change? What can you do right now to help raise the collective vibration? When we all lift one another up we all win.
Yours in Paper Seahorse goodness,
Tona
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