HELLO LOVELY PEOPLE! We're in full spring swing over here at Celebrate Colorfully. With the expansion of our team and our full line-up of weddings over the next few weeks, we've been busier than ever!
Today I'd like to introduce you to Stephanie from Ellie and Ace Calligraphy! This girl has a heart of gold and is truly one of the sweetest people I've met in Dallas. Like most creatives, Stephanie wears many hats in life but her true passion is calligraphy. She's even sharing her love with others through her new workshops and classes.
We met Stephanie through a friend and can't stop gushing about how wonderful her work is. Just see for yourself!
1. What are five words (or a 5 word sentence) that would describe yourselves and/or your company the best?
Calligrapher | Maker | Versatile | Unexpected | Creative Passion
2. How did Ellie and Ace come to be? What got you into hand lettering?
I’ve always loved handwriting and different styles of lettering. Growing up, I would change the style of my handwriting, often emulating another style that I loved and making it my own. My class projects always involved an element of hand lettering – even in grad school!
It wasn’t until a dear friend recommended that I check out a calligraphy class that I realized this was a skill set I possessed that was somewhat unique and extremely versatile and useful. I started taking classes locally, and was instantly hooked, doing projects mostly for friends and family in the beginning. I’m so thankful for how this unexpected creative venture of mine has evolved!
My favorite part of the calligraphy industry is working directly with clients and other vendors (like Celebrate Colorfully) to bring a creative vision to life for a vast array of life events. I am humbled by the opportunity to meet such neat people and learn about a small part of their lives through my work.
3. Any tips for a DIY bride?
Go for it | There’s so much room for creativity – let your invitation and envelopes really say something about you and your special day!
Have a plan | Practice your lettering style, size & envelope layouts on scrap paper cut to size. Play around with different sizes and styles of lettering, such as script + print or various sizes and spacing of letters to create your unique envelope. Once you’ve decided on the final “look” then use handy tools like grids, templates, or a light pad to make lettering your actual envelopes easier and quicker.
Get the right tools | Are you really into brush lettering, traditional pen and ink, or maybe even watercolor? Make sure that you’re getting the right tools to set you up for success in your lettering. I have a list of my favorite supplies on my blog and would be happy to consult with any DIY bride wanting to get started doing her own envelopes.
Embrace imperfection | Remember that each envelope you do is a unique work of art! Each of us is our own worst critic, so if you feel frustrated (which I often do!) just know that practice makes progress – not perfection. In an age of everything digital, people truly appreciate the time and heart invested in something that’s done by hand. Your guests will love your work!
4. What are your favorite local hangouts?
Matt’s Rancho Martinez – give me Bob Dip + happy hour everyday
The Village Country Club walking trail
Half Price Books – it’s dog friendly!
Fuel City – tacos + corn in a cup
Home – I’m an introvert, so I get a lot of my energy and creativity from being at home, reading books and blogs, and organizing and decorating (when I’m not working on projects for clients!)
I probably need to get out more – ha! This list makes me realize that my life centers around my dog and Tex Mex food!
5. Tell us more about your classes!
I just recently started offering beginner’s calligraphy classes after getting quite a few requests. This was an unexpected direction, but one that has been so much fun! I’ve hosted group classes in Dallas and Sherman, and have also done a few private lessons.
My classes are essentially hands-on workshops where students can learn the basics of modern calligraphy. The classes are designed for beginner level letterers with little or no experience. You don’t even have to have pretty handwriting to give it a try.
Students get my script calligraphy “starter kit” that includes my favorite beginner tools: an oblique holder, a straight holder, pot of black ink, nibs, washi tape, a pencil, practice grids, a tracing pad, and an alphabet exemplar.
I will be booking a couple more group classes later in the summer (July), but in the meantime, I’m open to scheduling private individual and private group classes. I think it would be such a fun bachelorette party for a group of friends wanting to do something a little different than the “typical” bachelorette events.
Sign up for the Ellie and Ace Class mailing list to be the first to know when new classes are added to the calendar!
FOR MORE INFO + INQUIRIES
EMAIL | ellieandace@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM | @ellieandace
All photos from Ellie and Ace
