Welcome to my blog! This space is dedicated to providing you with lettering inspiration, step-by-step tutorials, sharing our latest adventures, and valuable tips to help you master calligraphy.

FREE MODERN CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHEETS

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Modern calligraphy affirmations
Spread Love with Positive Affirmation Calligraphy this Valentine's Day!

I’m currently designing a new ‘Positive Affirmations’ workbook and I thought I’d take one cheeky worksheet out and share it with you all for free. I’m sure it’ll make a good reason for a relaxing practice session.
With each stroke of your pen, you'll be reinforcing these positive messages and cultivating a mindset of love, gratitude, and self-empowerment.

Lettering Spacing Practise Sheets
Free Letter Spacing Worksheets for Modern Calligraphy practice

Enjoy practicing letter spacing with these freebie worksheets.
If you tend to run out of space when lettering on cards or place cards, don’t worry - we’ve all been there. However, there are some tricks you can apply to your practice to gain a better control over your letter spacing.

Free modern calligraphy printable worksheets
Calligraphy Phrases / Composition and Layout - FREE WORKSHEETS

Sunshine is on my mind and I prepared some fun summery worksheets for you all.
Let’s practice lettering phrases, master composition and focus on making the layout more interesting.

Uppercase Alphabet practise sheets
Uppercase Alphabet - Modern Calligraphy Worksheet

After running the first term of my Lettering Breakthrough Course, where we focused on connecting lowercase letters, I wanted to conclude the course with a bit of uppercase letter practice too.
You can download and print these worksheets for your lettering sessions and keep the practice going.
There are several pages here - some are traceable and some encourage freehand lettering. I hope you enjoy them!

Free Bouncy Lettering Worksheets
Bouncy Lettering Worksheets - Flowers / FREE PRINTABLE

Bouncy Lettering style sometimes doesn’t come naturally and it takes time to get into the swing of it.
With Spring fast approaching I thought I’d design this floral lettering practice to inspire you to have go and add a bit of bounce to your lettering style. Download and print these two worksheets for a fun practice!

Letter R modern calligraphy practise sheet
Letter R Calligraphy Practice - PRINT YOUR FREE WORKSHEET

I remember when I started learning calligraphy 6 years ago and while I enjoyed practicing alphabet, I found some letters so tricky! One of the was the letter ‘R’.
I thought that I’m probably not the only one who struggled with it so I designed this worksheet which you can print and use for your next practice session.

Creative flourishing practise sheet
Creative Flourishing - Free worksheet

I thought I'd share this fun exercise with you for a bit of flourishing practice.
Consistent lettering practice goes a long way and even short 10 minute sessions are a stepping stone to building up muscle memory and mastering this skill. And it's also fun, so let's dig in!

Modern calligraphy worksheet
Free Lettering Practice Sheets - focusing on letter shapes

I love teaching calligraphy and introducing more people to this relaxing skill. I’ve now been teaching my beginner workshops for a while and I’ve noticed a few very common mistakes almost every letterer makes when they first start. It’s natural and is part of the learning process, but I want to help you to master this skill efficiently.

Brush lettering worksheet
Beautiful word tracing practice - FREE brush lettering worksheet

Happy World Calligraphy day everyone!
It’s the lettering enthusiasts like you who are keeping this beautiful skill and community alive!

Flourishing worksheet practise
Free Flourishing Worksheets - Lettering Practice

Let’s be honest - flourishing can be difficult!
It takes patience and practice to get your hand used to those effortless movements until it starts doing it naturally.
It might not look good from the first time you try - but what matters is that you DO try and keep going.
Think of it as learning to ride a bike, or learning to swim or play a piano - the more you practice the better you’ll get.
Nobody has it figured out right away, it took me a while to learn too!

To make it a little bit easier for you - I’ve designed a couple of worksheets to give you that motivation of picking up the pen and giving it a go. Practice tracing some common letters you can flourish and have a go putting them together into words. Hope you have fun!

Flourishing practise sheet
Calligraphy Practice Sheets Freebie *flourishing theme*

Hello letterer! I’m excited to share this new freebie, I had so much fun creating it!
Get ready for a flourishing themed practice, lettering some lovely bird species names.

You can use any fine tip brush pens or nibs to trace these worksheets.
Recommendations:

Alphabet practise lettering sheet
Free Brush Lettering Practice Sheet - Minimalist Alphabet

I’ve designed this little freebie to encourage you to practice the very foundations of lettering. If you’re feeling stuck or not progressing - try revisiting the basics and practice individual letters for a couple of days or weeks.

Free Lettering Drills Worksheet
Relaxing 10 minute drill practice - FREE WORKSHEET
 

LETTERING PROJECT IDEAS

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personalised fillable christmas baubles tutorial
project ideas
Personalised Fillable Christmas Baubles
project ideas
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project ideas
cricut tips
project ideas
Introduction To Cricut - Lettering design ideas
project ideas
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project ideas
Nature-based modern calligraphy place cards
project ideas
Leaf Lettering Project Step By Step
project ideas

I really wanted to do this post as a little reminder that LETTERING CAN BE DONE ON ALMOST ANYTHING! Back in summer I had a similar project to this - to letter place settings on leaves to add a botanical feel to the weeding table decor. I learned a lot when doing it, but I wanted to experiment a bit further. I've always used faux leaves and I wanted to try and use acrylic pens on some real greenery.

My honeysuckle bush needed a bit of a tidy up so I took a few leaves from it for this little project.

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project ideas
Christmas lettering project
project ideas
Christmas Ornament Lettering Tutorial - Festive Project
project ideas

These wooden ornaments make lovely gifts and are so much fun to make!
I’ve filmed a short tutorial for you in case you wish to have a go and need a bit of guidance.
You can find a full supply list below and watch a video tutorial while having a go yourself!
Have fun, I’d love to see your projects.

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project ideas
Modern calligraphy gift wrap project
project ideas
Festive Gift Wrap Lettering
project ideas

With Christmas rapidly approaching this year, why not have a go at lettering your own gift wrap? It’s not only a more cost effective, environmentally friendly option, but it’s also adds a ‘WOW’ factor for your friends and family unwrapping your gifts.

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project ideas
Wax seals creative projects
project ideas
Creative Ideas for using Wax Seals on Stationery
project ideas

I’ve put together some wax seal making ideas and examples as so many of you have been purchasing my wax seal making kits. I thought you might find this useful.
Refer to the examples below to help you get creative!

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project ideas
Hand-lettered pumpkin tutorial
project ideas
Pumpkin Lettering / Decorating Tutorial
project ideas

Let's do some pumpkin lettering, it's such a fun Autumn / Halloween themed project, I hope you enjoy creating with me.

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project ideas
Wreath drawing tutorial
project ideas
Autum Wreath Drawing Tutorial
project ideas

I'm so excited to share this fun little Autumnal project with you. Drawing these botanical elements is so relaxing, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with Micron pens once you try them. I love how they make drawings look so delicate and they’re great for lettering too.

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project ideas
Handmade Christmas Gifts
project ideas
Handmade Christmas Gifts
project ideas

This year we had decided to make most of our Christmas gifts. Not only to save some cash, but create a personal and unique gifting experience for our friends and family.

They turned out amazing and were so well received that I thought I will share the ideas in this blog post. I have taken the photos of results and have linked the tutorials and inspiration that has led me to these creations. Enjoy!

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project ideas
Create Shimmery Watercolour Place Cards Using Gold Leaf
project ideas
Create Shimmery Watercolour Place Cards Using Gold Leaf
project ideas

Look at these fun place cards that would make any event look oh so fabulous!
These can be used for birthday parties, bridal showers, family events or weddings. They look so shimmery when the light catches the gorgeous golden accents!

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project ideas
 

LETTERING TIPS

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Brush pen blending
Brush Pen Colour Blending - Video Tutorial

In this tutorial I’m demonstrating brush pen blending techniques in 3 different colourways.

Wholesale selling tips
Offering your products for wholesale tips

Getting your products into wholesale can help your business grow immensely!

Top tips for brush lettering and nib calligraphy
Brush lettering and nib calligraphy troubleshooting tips

Hello, here are some lettering troubleshooting tips I hope you find useful.

Guide to calligraphy nibs
Trying out different nibs - dip pen calligraphy

So I only use one or two of these nibs day to day, I sort of landed on them as my favourites and my hand has gotten used to them. They're Nikko G and Zebra G nibs. However, trying out different nibs can be especially helpful if you're heavy handed and haven't quite found the nib that feels easy to work with.

Simple Calligraphy tips
Ten Simple Calligraphy Tips for Beginners
Easter place cards ideas calligraphy
Mini Egg Easter Place Cards - Step by step tutorial

I’ve got an exciting little Easter project for you here! The other day I saw a photo of Easter egg design nails and naturally, I got very curious about making something calligraphy related in a similar design. I thought that place cards would be a perfect project for that. Maybe you’re having a little get together with friends and family, or maybe it’s just you and your partner and your fur baby. Putting your calligraphy skills to good use whenever you can… are you with me?

Find the right calligraphy style to suit you
Which Lettering Style Should I Begin Learning?

I did something exciting today, I MADE A QUIZ!

I’m currently offering 3 different lettering workshops and people often ask what’s the difference between them and which one is suitable for them personally. I get such messages very frequently so I thought why not to do a quiz to help you figure out what would suit YOU best!

Video tutorial - brush lettered cards
Brush Lettered Card Designs - Happy Birthday and New Home Card, Video Tutorial

I just love brush lettering! It opens up so many possibilities - if you’re practicing this skill you’ll know exactly what I mean. You’re probably never buying greeting cards because you can letter them yourself!

I thought I’d share these two fun card designs as a lovely project idea. Or if you’re in need of a New Home or Birthday card - this tutorial is for you. These are perfect if you need a quick card on the spot. Let me know how you get on in the comments below.

Brush lettering inspiration
Autumn and Halloween Lettering Design Ideas

I hope you’re all enjoying this beautiful season. Autumn is my favourite time of the year and somehow it’s when I feel the most creative and tend to take my colourful pens and painting palettes out for a spin. I thought I’d share some of the supplies I’ve been lately enjoying together with some Autumnal lettering inspiration.

Simple to stylised video tutorial
From Simple To Stylised Lettering - Practice Your Lettering Style Video Tutorial

If you feel that you’ve been neglecting your lettering practice lately, this tutorial will help you to get right back into it and maybe even make you discover some new ideas for your own lettering style!

Lettering Style Video Tutorial
Practice Your Lettering Style - Video Tutorial

Try this for a fun, short and sweet lettering session! I’ve filmed this little video to help you get creative, explore your lettering style and just go with it and see where it takes you.

Pointed Pen troubleshooting tips
Pointed Pen Calligraphy Tips - Scratchy Nibs

Hello calligrafriend!
I’ve put together this blog post to help you learn and navigate your calligraphy journey. Perhaps you’ve started learning and have been feeling a bit frustrated, running into issues like ink bleeding, nib catching, inconsistent ink flow and have been thinking of giving up? Don’t just yet. It’s the natural learning process and the more issues you encounter and work through, the better and more experienced you will become!

autumnal lettering
Amazon Storefront Update

Hello letterers, I’m so excited about this season! I know it’s only the 1st of September, but I got out all of my favourite pen colours and supplies today and thought I’ll share some of my favourites with you.

coliro pearlcolors
Pointed Pen Calligraphy with Coliro Pearlcolors
Gold Brush Lettering Finetec
Best Shiny Metallic Paints for Lettering - How to use Finetec Palettes

When it comes to shine and shimmer, I have to admit that I’m all in for that, and I’ve done a lot of research on finding the best supplies for gold and silver lettering on dark backgrounds.
I’ve tried lots of different brush pens, here are my favourites:

White ink calligraphy tips
Best White Ink for Brush Lettering and Calligraphy

In this video I'm sharing my favourite white pens for brush lettering on dark backgrounds. Have you tried lettering on some black, burgundy or navy card?
The result is just beautiful!
Dr Martins Bleedproof White is known to be the most opaque white ink for lettering, and I'll share some tips and tricks on how to mix it up to ensure your lettering looks its best!

4 Day Letter Connection Challenge
4 Day Letter Connection Challenge

I really enjoyed running our ‘Perfecting Connecting’ lettering challenge in our Calligraphy Beginners Facebook group.

I thought I’ll recap it here, so other people can join in and learn.
Letter connecting is one of the biggest struggles to all calligraphy newbies, and I’m here to help you get it right.

You’ll get a free brush lettering workbook, a full supply list and a daily video for guidance sharing so many useful tips and tricks - It’s completely free to join! Are you in?

Let’s get to it!

Calligraphy tips guide
Preparing Brand New Calligraphy Nibs For Lettering

Have you got yourself some brand new calligraphy nibs and know that they need to be treated, but don't know how?
Or maybe you started lettering straight away and realised that the ink flow isn't very good?

brush lettering supplies
Best Beginner Friendly Lettering Supplies

I’ve created a list of my favourite lettering supplies that I’ve tried over my 6 year calligraphy journey!
This is what I use every day for most of my projects, and I’m so happy to share these to improve your practicing! Experimenting with new pens, inks and paper can help you to develop your own style and have more fun and colourful projects!

Modern Calligraphy + Cotton Paper
Modern Calligraphy + Cotton Paper

Handmade paper is one of my favourite materials to work with - you can’t go wrong with a cotton texture, deckled edges and a rustic look.

How To Use Tombow Dual Brush Pens - Tips and Tricks
How To Use Tombow Dual Brush Pens - Tips and Tricks

If there was one pen I would have to pick from all the brush lettering supplies - the winner would definitely be the Tombow Dual Brush Pen! Not only it’s considered to be the best beginners brush pen, it is also useful for an intermediate level hand letterers to help create amazing projects!

It was the first pen I bought when starting my lettering journey, and even though any pen seemed to feel intimidating at the time, I’m glad it was the one I started practicing with.

COTTON PAPER LOVE
COTTON PAPER LOVE

I just love cotton paper. That texture, deckle edges, and if you add watercolour to it - it's the whole lot of perfection. Many of you have been asking me what paper do I use for these projects, so I thought I'll share with you a bit more of the process.

 

WATERCOLOUR INSPIRATION

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Painting watercolour leaves
Painting Watercolour Leaves Tutorial

I’ve created a quick tutorial on helping you learn to paint watercolour leaves. I often post videos on Instagram showing the process but I thought I’d do a detailed real time video.
It’s so relaxing! Once you get a grasp of it you’ll want to paint leaves ALL THE TIME.

Learn to paint with Watercolour
Learn To Paint Watercolour Blueberries

There’s a new video up on our Creative Feel Designs Youtube Channel and it has lots of summery vibes!

Join in for this simple watercolour tutorial and learn to paint beautiful branches of blueberries.
We’ll be working with muted forest colours and I’ll teach you how to map out your artwork before painting to make things a little bit easier.

 

WEDDING STATIONERY

FREE PRINTABLES

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Free print donwload
Free Christmas Wall Art Printable - All Is Calm, All Is Bright

This year, I decided to go all in decorating our house and making it look Christmas ready! I think the fact that it’s our babies first Christmas has something to do with it, but I’m feeling extra festive. Along with the usual decor like a tree, lights, candles, eucalyptus branches and fresh flowers, I thought I’d letter some simple prints to go in a wooden frame.

Free 'Take a Deep Breath' Printable Wall Art
Free 'Take a Deep Breath' Printable Wall Art

I’ve designed a ‘Take a Deep Breath’ print for all fo you, to be reminded to stay calm and content.

Through September With A Grateful Heart
Through September With A Grateful Heart

Every day, list the things you are grateful for - we tend to take our everyday lives for granted and concentrate on things we don’t have. Why not be happy in the moment, right here, with what you have and where you are.

Click HERE to download your checklist!

Print at home or your local print shop - this is A6 size, handy to put in your notebook or journal.

Brush Lettered Quote Free Printable
Brush Lettered Quote Free Printable

This is one of my all time favourite quotes! Hope this will inspire you to wander, dream big and stay grounded! Download yours and print at home through here ! It can be printed up to A4 size!

Free Daily Planner Printable
Free Daily Planner Printable

With January being the month of fresh starts and new goals, there is a lot of pressure and hard work to be put in achieving everything we have set our minds to. 

The best thing that helps me is staying organised and planning the time wisely. 
This daily planner have helped me stay focused and productive throughout the week, and yes, there is a little section for 'FUN' too, because we all need to recharge ourselves in order to be the best possible versions of ourselves!

Free Calligraphy Christmas Tags Printable!
Free Calligraphy Christmas Tags Printable!

It's a start of the holiday month and I created these FREE Modern Calligraphy Gift Tags that you can use for your own gift wrapping.

I hand lettered these joyful messages that hopefully will add a special touch to your presents and help you tune into the festivities! 

The tags can be printed through HERE

Download the file, print at home or at your local print shop, cut them out and add a vintage string for that simple, rustic look! ENJOY!

 

 

TRAVELS

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road trip
Cornish Holidays - 4 Day Itinerary (when the weather isn't too good)

This summer is the first time I visited Cornwall, and I can’t believe how much I was missing out on.

South Of France - Citrus Festival
South Of France - Citrus Festival

February is a beautiful time to visit French Riviera. Blooming of mimosas, peak of the citrus season and warm temperatures (comparing to the rest of Europe) are good enough reasons to escape the reality.

But our actual reason endeavouring on this trip was to experience the fun of a Citrus Festival. That’s right - a celebration of the citrus harvest.

It is usually organised from mid February - mid March in a little town called Menton, just 40 minute train journey from Nice.

My Favourite Places To Visit In London On A Day Out
My Favourite Places To Visit In London On A Day Out

I count myself lucky living in Brighton as it’s only about an hour train journey from London! As most of my friends have moved to London for job opportunities and education, I try to dedicate at least one visit every month to catch up with the dearest girlfriends!

Traveling is my recharging!
Traveling is my recharging!

ravelling is what sets my soul on fire and gives me all the good energy- which I am later using to create work. It is when I feel most alive. Exploring new cultures, places and trying new food, exhausting myself with beautiful views and hikes- feels like a real adventure.

MINDSET / LIFESTYLE

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Handmade gifts - UK businesses
A gift guide to some of my favourite small businesses
Mindset tips - modern calligraphy
3 Mindset Tips to Help You Feel Positive About Your Calligraphy Practice
FIVE TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY WHILE RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS!
FIVE TIPS FOR STAYING HEALTHY WHILE RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS!

As you may already know (my dear IG friends). I take 'caring for myself' quite seriously. Small business does not just run itself. But we need to learn not to run ourselves mad. 

It's Monday morning, you hear the order labels printing in the background, the kettle boiling, that crisp smell of ground coffee and you realise that it will be one hell of a long day.

Questions like 'how am I gonna get everything done? I need to organise that pile of cards and prints, I need to prepare for new product launch, there's that custom order I need to finish off today, oh and I totally forgot about that family meeting! How is it 6pm already?!'

Overworking myself became normal and I felt that guilt creeping up every time I allowed myself to rest.

Welcome to my little creative chaos!

This was exactly me when I just started this business one year ago. I have never been a very organised person, but this was a time, when I had to take charge of things. Just for my own sanity you know. I had to take control.

So I started taking care of myself. I put myself first, Because I had to be healthy and have a clear head in order to create good work. 

Here are the top 10 things that helped me to stay focused and healthy and filled my days with productivity.

Alina SnepsteComment