Baby Girl Nursery Print, Water Color Calligraphy

I have a handful of work that does not fit my typical wedding and live event work. It’s always piece I love and am proud of, but differ just enough from my typical offerings. This beautiful, water color and brush lettering print is just one of those pieces that could not stay hidden in my files any longer!

Photo by Wonder & Awe; Mary McCoy

It is always an honor when someone asks me to do a print for them. It seems even more sweet when it is a print to hang in a nursery, since so many hours are usually sent by new parents in that space.

When Chelsea ask me for this beautiful brush, calligraphy verse I had to say ‘yes’.How beautiful is this room and how it fits above the bookcase? Just a gorgeous sentiment and in an already beautiful room.

Calligraphy vs. Lettering—why it matters?

Last post we explored the difference between calligraphy and a font. Today we are talking about what makes calligraphy different than hand lettering or faux lettering.

Now the definitions I am going to use may vary between the people you ask. These are MY understanding of them and MY definitions that I have learned through my own studies.

What is the difference between calligraphy and lettering?

Calligraphy

As a refresher, Calligraphy is the art form of writing beautiful or decorative letters with a specialized tool such as a pointed pen or brush. It is different from handwriting or cursive due to the beautiful heavy down strokes and the light up strokes. Unlike handwriting or cursive, calligraphy is created through strokes that make up the letters verses the fluid, one line of handwriting or cursive.

Lettering

Lettering, though similar to calligraphy, is the art of drawing letter forms. Unlike calligraphy, lettering you can create using any tool such as pencil, marker, brush or pen.

Like calligraphy there are many varieties of hand lettering. Think about back in grade school when you would use bubble letters for notes or posters. This is a style of lettering. Lettering can be cursive letters or printed letters that mimic fonts or handwriting.

Faux Lettering

Then what is faux calligraphy? This style of lettering falls in both the camps of calligraphy and hand lettering. Your goal is to create letters that look like calligraphy but using a different tool like a marker or pen. You are using strokes like calligraphy to make your letters, but going back in filling in the downstrokes, like hand lettering, to make your letters look more calligraphy like.

Like the chalkboard above, these are beautiful calligraphy letters created with a chalk marker. I went back in and filled in the downstrokes to give the calligraphy style but with a simple marker.

To recap:

Calligraphy - strokes to create letterforms with specialized tools.
Handlettering - drawing letter forms and using any tool to do so.
Faux Lettering - Using tools and style of hand lettering to create the look of Calligraphy style letters.

All three art forms area beautiful option for anyone of your parties, cards and posters. What are you going to use next?

Perfume & Bottle Painting

Something I have been loving is the customization of gifts for loved ones like perfume!

This unique and stunning option for gifting or a live event will surely wow your guests and loved one with a painted bottle!

Often done within 5-15 minutes, this beautiful art work can be paired with glass calligraphy engraving to make a truly one of a kind gift that is perfect for your bridesmaids, mothers and mother in law, and all your special events for loved ones or yourself!

Ask me today about how we can add one of a kind painted touches to your gifts for your wedding or loved ones.

Styled Shoot: Pink Lemonade at Bridge 410, Chicago

It is always a pleasure to collaborate with other wedding vendors for our clients weddings. It is just as fun to collaborate together on styled shoots of what we hope to see in the future trends for our clients. This shoot is no different! An incredible collaboration over all and I had so much fun dreaming up this invite suite for this colorful, city wedding!

AnamariaVieriuPhotography-PinkLemonade-Lakeshoreinlove-LinaLuluPaperie_Wedding_Stationer_Chicago_WeddingVenue_TheBridge410.jpg

Find all the images and more information on each vendor over on Lakeshore in Love Blog today!

Live Calligraphy Event: December 2022

I had the pleasure of working a few great brand including Bloomingdales, Louis Vuitton and Freixenet Wines this past December to help celebrate the holidays!

Handlettered Freixenet wines at Marianos

I had the pleasure to work with Freixenet Wines and Marianos of Chicagoland this past December to letter on their beautiful cava bottles for guests. It was great to get both create special, custom bottles for customers as well as play around with phrases for the holidays for customers later to pick up. I fun hostess gift or surprise to bring to the party to celebrate!

LinaLuluPaperie_Live_Event_Lettering_Calligraphy_Friexent_Wines
LinaLuluPaperie_Live_Event_Lettering_Calligraphy_Friexent_Wines

Brand Refresh with Ness McCormick Photography

What is harder than choosing a new logo? Being a graphic designer who chooses to design and update their own logo! You may have noticed the updated LLP logo on the header of the website. Along with a brand and color refresh. I updated my headshots with a fun brand shoot with the wonderful Ness McCormick Photography this past Summer, and love how they turned out!

Caroline of Lina Lulu Paperie sitting at a desk, holding a calligraphy pen looking to the left.

Bloomingdales 150th Anniversary: David Yurman

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of engraving gift sets with David Yurman jewelry that honored Bloomingdales 150th Anniversary! It is always fun tot be down in the beauty and jewelry department at on elf these events as they had a great DJ playing, a live artist painting a stunning look, and of course snacks.

Thank you David Yurman and Bloomingdales on Michigan Ave. for having me - here’s to another 150 years!

Styled Shoot: Traditional NYC Elopement with a Modern Twist

What is more gorgeous than engagement photos in classic NYC? A beautiful elopement captured with a mix of classic and modern city backdrops. This beautiful shoot was the concept of Sophie Kaye Photography and photographed by April and Mike Raymond. Find the complete vendor list at the end of these gorgeous photos.

This beautiful shoot combines modern wedding silhouettes and florals among the backdrop of traditional and timeless New York City architecture. Playing off the mix of modern and classic, I kept the suite simple with pops of florals to bring in modern, desaturated color. To finish off the announcement and highlight the calligraphy I added romantic touches of the floral, vellum jacket, a wax seal with gold foil and dried florals, and you can just make out a black and white photo of Washington Square Park that graces the backside of the announcement with the couples custom wedding monogram.

New York Elopement Announcement, Invite, Black and White, Lina Lulu Paperie, WashingtonSquare, Classic, Modern

Personalized vow books are the right touch for any elopement. Store your handwritten vows in a beautiful booklet with your monogram and wedding date to preserve your words for years to come. They additionally give you a beautiful, clean way to hold your vows that won’t stand out for the wrong reasons in your photos.

Not exchanging written vows? Personalize the booklet with your monogram and date and use the booklet to store a note to your partner about your marriage and love story.

Photo @aprilandmikeraymond
Planning & Concept @sophiekayephotography
Model @amanda.larson_
Floral Designer @navafloral
Hair & Makeup @bymadelineeleanor
Gown Designer @pninatornai
Gown Boutique @kleinfeldbridal
Ring Box’s @thestylingreserve @the_mrs_box
Shoes @jimmychoo
Jewelry @chanelofficial
Stationery @linalulupaperie
Coffee @ralphscoffee

Anna and Max – Family Tree Chalk Board

Anna asked me about creating a family tree chalkboard for the wedding that had been posted toned due to the pandemic. I loved this sweet and beautiful tribute idea to their families and the family of their own they were honoring by being wed.

Chalkboard with Family tree for Max and Anna wedding at Bridge 410

Photo by Max Warren

Photo by Max Warren

Photo by Max Warren

The chalkboard at Chicago's Bridge 410 was the perfect blank canvas for Anna and Max to pay tribute to their parents and grandparents through a family tree, illustrated in chalk. This piece was a beautiful backdrop to their April 30th wedding reception and celebration.

Photo by Max Warren

Photo by Max Warren

Clarins, Earth Day Celebration with Calligraphy

This past week I had the pleasure to create these fun calligraphy and painted flower pots for Clarins at Bloomingdales on Michigan Avenue. They were celebrating Earth Day with a qualifying purchase you received one of these custom flower pots, a pack of seeds and a tree planted in your name. How amazing is that?

I loved the different ideas people asked me to paint including a dog themed one for a frequent customer who brings in their dog in often, a French inspired pot, a pot for a librarian with hand-drawn books and even an original illustration by me based on the flowers on the table!

Thank you Clarins and Bloomingdales for having me!

Painted Flower Pots with calligraphy
Flower pots with painted calligraphy
Clarins_EarthDay_Calligraphy_LinaLuluPaperie

Room 1520 Mirror Calligraphy: Wedding for Lauren & Michael

Michael and Lauren were married this past winter at the gorgeous Room1520 in Chicago, IL. I loved being able to write out their bar menu, complete with monogram and specialty drinks including the “Olive Love You” Dirty Martini and the “Barrera-ita” Margarita—a play off the new couples last name.

The monogram and type was carried over to the couples reception seating chart where I matched the calligraphy and font from the seating chart print outs to fill in the mirror space below.

Congrats Lauren and Michael!

Photos by Courtney Cimo

The Big Fake Wedding, Chicago: Inspired By Morocco

On a warm August night, a handful of vendors came together for a gorgeous vow renewal on the rooftop of Lacuna Lofts under a gorgeous floral arch.

The invitations and paper good were inspired by traditional Moroccan patterns and colors as well as the lush colors of the florals. I loved getting to pull in warm tones to a lighter palette with the contrast of a deep wine color as the RSVP envelope. To add a hint of glamor and a little more elegance, the calligraphy is done in a metallic gold with the invitation foiled in a warm gold.

The theme continued on the beautiful table scapes with arched menus in the same sand color pulled from the invite palette with mimicked arched acrylic placards, bringing in a pop of green to this already stunning table.