Dressember 2017: Art Giveaway

I am excited to tell you about a new initiative I am doing for Dressember 2017! It's called #LetterForDressember, and it's an art challenge + art giveaway. If you want to participate in the challenge, creatively letter each day's prompt and share it on social media using the hashtag. I am also giving away my challenge artwork to those who donate to my Dressember page. Keep reading to find out how to receive a piece of my lettering art.

Here's how it works:

  >   Anyone who donates $15 or more to my Dressember campaign is eligible* to receive a piece of lettering art. Donors are eligible to receive one piece of lettering art for each $15+ donation made to my campaign. So if you snag one piece of art, but see another one you want later, you can always get two!

  >   Each day I will post a new piece of art on my Instagram account, @elm_creative. The first person to comment "claimed" has 24 hours to make their $15+ donation to my campaign. If someone has already commented, comment "next" to be the next in line. If the first person doesn't donate within 24 hours, the next person in line will be able to claim the art, and so on. I'll reach out to you if you're next in line!

  >   If you donate $15+ ahead of time, comment "claimed" first and you will be sent the lettering art as soon as possible.*

  >   If no one claims a piece of art within 24 hours, I will share the art on Facebook for someone to claim there. The art will also still be available on Instagram, so I will go by the time the first "claimed" comment is posted.

  >   If art pieces remain as of January 1, I will attempt to distribute them to donors.*

  >   All donations of $30 or more are eligible for a piece of custom lettering art. If you would like a custom piece, please contact me after making your donation with the word/quote you would like lettered. Custom pieces must be 5x8" or smaller.

* I will need to receive each donor's address in order to send the lettering art.

If you have a question, please contact me! I am so excited to combine my love for lettering with my passion for Dressember. And I can't wait to share what I create with you!

Join the Chalk Letter Challenge!

This month I've had a lot of fun practicing my brush lettering skills with the #BrushLetterPracticeChallenge hosted by letterer and Instagrammer Olivia. I love having a word already given to me that I can use for lettering practice. Sometimes I have a hard time thinking of good words to write, and this just makes it that much simpler.

Well, I decided to venture out into the world of creative challenges by making a challenge of my own! It's called the Chalk Letter Challenge and it's starting February 1!

One of the gifts I got for Christmas was The Complete Book of Chalk Lettering by Valerie McKeehan, and it has inspired me to work harder on my chalk designs. And that's where I got the idea for the Chalk Letter Challenge.

My hope in creating this challenge is to practice different styles of chalk lettering, and to also get creative with different design elements. And, I would LOVE it if you decided to join in! You don't have to have Val's book or fancy equipment or even an Instagram account. All you need is some chalk, a board, and the challenge prompts, which are below.

Here's how the Chalk Letter Challenge works: First, print or save the prompt image so you can access it quickly and easily each day. If you have Instagram, you can share the image by reposting it from my account, or by saving the image below on your phone and posting it on your account. Make sure to use the hashtag (#ChalkLetterChallenge) and tag me in the photo so I can follow your progress! If you don't have Instagram, you can leave a comment or shoot me an email to let me know you're joining in!

After that it's pretty simple. Each day there is a different word for you to practice. I tried to pick words that would be relevant to chalk lettering work, the season, and--in their entirety--include all the letters of the alphabet. After you've lettered your word, snap a photo and share it on Instagram with the hashtag! (Or share it on whatever social media site you like best.)

I will be following the hashtag and I would love to see your unique work and your progress. If you miss a day, no worries! February is going to be a really  busy month for me, so I will probably miss a day here and there too. You can absolutely use more than one prompt word in your design or catch up on missed words anytime.

My hope that we can share tips and tricks, and maybe I can get in some Periscope tutorials too! I'm definitely not a chalk expert, but I have been doing paid and unpaid chalk projects for a while and I would love to keep growing my skills. I hope you'll join me!

How to Prep Gouache for Brush Lettering + Calligraphy

Today I'm sharing more about my typography techniques! If you missed my first post on lettering, check it out for a list of some of the supplies I use. In this post, I'll be sharing how to prep gouache (rhymes with squash), a form of opaque watercolor that can be used for both brush lettering and calligraphy. This post is the important next step before I move on into sharing specifics about lettering styles.

For this example, I prepped Winsor & Newton's Designers Gouache in Primary Blue. However, I typically use the less expensive Artist's Loft Gouache for practicing or personal projects. It works well and won't break the bank.

Step One: Assemble Supplies

When prepping gouache, you will need a small, deep container in which to mix, use, and store unused paint. I used a paint cup--about 3.5 oz in volume and about an inch deep--with a storage lid. I recommend using a small cup like this for a couple reasons. One, if your cup is too big, you will have either too-watery gouache or too much mixture, and to start, you don't need a lot of gouache mixture. Two, if your container is too shallow, you won't be able to properly dip and load your calligraphy nib.

You definitely don't have to buy paint cups to mix your gouache. You can use something small you have at home, like an empty Carmex lip balm jar. However, it is nice to have a container with a lid so you can store any unused mix until you're ready to letter again.

You will also need water, a small paintbrush for mixing (I prefer one with firm bristles), a paper towel for spills and cleaning, and either an eye dropper or straw for adding the water to the paint cup. (Or you can just stand at the sink and use a very fine trickle of water, but start the flow before putting the cup underneath.)

Step Two: Place Gouache in Cup

Measuring out the gouache is a process of estimation. When I first learned how to prep gouache, the instructor showed us a swirl of the paint in the cup and said that was how much we should add. My advice for first timers, start small. You can always add a little more if your mixture is too thin. I usually add about a "loop" of paint, as shown below.

Side note:  If I'm mixing different colors to create a custom shade, this is the point in the process where I do it. I typically will add a few small dollops of each color and blend with a paintbrush. When I reach the desired shade, I move on to step three. Keep in mind that the water will slightly lighten whatever color you use.

Step Three: Add Water to Cup

Use your eye dropper or straw to fill the cup 1/2 way to 3/4 of the way with water. Again, if this is your first time, you can start with less and add more as needed.

Step Four: Mix Gouache and Water with Paintbrush

Use the paintbrush to mix the gouache and water together, pressing down and stirring in a circular motion. Periodically you can pull the brush out to see if gouache is clinging to it. If it is, slide the brush over the rim of the cup to scrape the gouache off and continue mixing. Make sure to press the bristles into the edges where the bottom and sides of the cup meet as the gouache may gather there. The goal is to blend all the solid pieces of gouache into the water.

Your gouache is properly mixed when it is fully blended with the water and the consistency is similar to milk. This is a good consistency for calligraphy. It's a little thicker and remains on the nib. When I do brush lettering, I usually delude the mixture with more water.

Step Five: Store Unused Mixture

The great part about using a cup with a lid is that it's super easy to store your mixture, or take it on-the-go. If your mixture has been sitting for a little while, the gouache may begin to separate somewhat and settle at the bottom. Before you use it again, mix it up with your paintbrush. If it's getting stringy or solid, it's time to dump it and make some fresh!

If you have any questions about gouache prep, please leave them in the comments or tweet to me @MrsEliseMance. Next I will be covering some lettering techniques using prepped gouache so stay tuned!

My Favorite Lettering Supplies

I'm excited to kick off a new year with some new things, both in my Etsy shop and here on my blog! I love creating and sharing art, and I want to bring more of that into this blog. To start, I'll be diving into lettering and typography art!

People often ask me about my typography: is it hard to learn, how do you do it, what supplies do you use? In upcoming posts, I'll dive more into sharing the ins and outs of creating different types of lettering art. To start, I'm sharing some of my current favorite lettering supplies--a list that is subject to change because it's always fun to try new things!

1. Nibs: I'm currently using these Speedball Hunt Bowl Pointed Pen No. 512 Nibs. I like the fine tip for making delicate lines and the bowl shape to hold more ink. These nibs work well in my next favorite supply...

2. Oblique Nib Holder: After I got this Speedball Oblique Pen Point Holder, I never went back to my standard nib holder. The oblique holder puts the point of the nib at a better angle for writing delicate calligraphy at a slant.

3. Inexpensive "Practice" Gouache: I love using gouache for calligraphy and painted lettering. Gouache is a form of opaque watercolor. When you're learning and practicing, you may go through a decent amount of gouache, so I recommend snagging some less expensive tubes, like this set of 12 paints Artist's Loft.

4. Designer Gouache: For special projects and fancy occasions, you may want to invest in a high quality gouache like Winsor and Newton Designers Gouache. A great color is Jet Black, though they have lots of options.

5. Paint Cups: Gouache does take some prep work to make it the proper consistency for use in a calligraphy pen. These Artist Loft Plastic Paint Cups work great for prepping, using, and storing gouache. [In a future post I'll go over the steps for prepping gouache.]

6. Slim Round Paint Brush: I've been doing more brush lettering and my favorite bush to use is a size 1 round, like this one from Michael's. The slim, long bristles are good for creating thin and thick lines, depending on the angle and pressure you put on them.

7. Watercolor Markers: I started learning how to do modern calligraphy styles with duel tip watercolor markers. They can help you learn about how to apply pressure to create the shapes and lines you want for your lettering. My favorite ones to use are Tombow Duel Brush Pens which come in a wide variety of colors and sets.

8. Pad of Paper: I like mix media paper for everyday use with gouache and markers, two non-dry art mediums. I like this pad by Canson because it's a great size--not too small, not too big to take on-the-go--plus the pages are perforated for easy removal. If you're looking for a higher quality paper for special projects, I recommend an archival quality Bristol paper, like the Strathmore 500 series.

Other tools I use frequently include a ruler, ball bearing compass, scrap paper, cup of water, paper towels, pencil, and large eraser.

I'll be sharing more posts on lettering soon! If you have questions or certain things you want me to cover, please let me know. I firmly believe anyone can learn how to do different lettering techniques with patience and practice, so if you want to learn, now is the time!

Dressember + Giving Tuesday

After Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, comes Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. It also happens to fall on December 1, the first day of Dressember. Because of that, I'm merging my Dressember campaign with Giving Tuesday for a sweet little deal!

For Giving Tuesday, I'm asking you to donate to my Dressember campaign as a way to give back to a very worthy cause. Dressember partners with International Justice Mission and A21 to fight human trafficking--both working to fight injustice and care for victims.

To everyone who gives to my campaign on December 1, I will send a surprise gift! All I need is for you to provide your mailing address so I can send it to you. This is a great way to get involved in Giving Tuesday, feel great about making a donation to a worthy cause, and receive a reminder of your generous gift!

Please consider giving and helping get Dressember going with a great start! If you're looking for more information on the campaign and my participation, check out the Dressember page on this blog, or visit my official Dressember campaign page. I have some different incentives going on and send special updates to all my donors!

Donate now!

I'd love to connect with you if you have more questions about Dressember or if you're participating as well! Please leave a comment below or contact me.

Dressember + Periscope: Bringing the Campaign to Life

After participating in Dressember last year, I've been challenging myself to come up with new and creative ways to promote the campaign, raise awareness, and share the process with all of you! To help bring my Dressember challenge to life, I'm going to be sharing it on Periscope!

 
If you've never heard of or used Periscope, it's a live video streaming app. That means you can watch live videos of me gearing up for and participating in Dressember. All my videos will remain on Periscope for 24 hours before disappearing, so they're only available for a limited time.

If you already have or decide to download the Periscope app, you can follow me there @MrsEliseMance. If not, you can also watch online at https://www.periscope.tv/MrsEliseMance. All my videos will automatically post to Twitter as well, so you'll know when I'm live and can get a direct link to the video I'm shooting.

Another new feature I've added this year is called "Support a Dress." When you donate $30 or more to my Dressember campaign, you have sponsored a dress.

As a sponsor, you get to pick out a dress for me to wear from my dress catalog (it's toward the bottom of the linked page). When I wear your sponsored dress, I'll send you a photo and give you a shoutout on social media. I think this will be a fun way you can participate by choosing what I'll wear!

For those who choose to donate anonymously or don't select a dress, I will select one for you and recognize you when I wear it.

I hope these initiatives make the whole process more interactive and fun while bringing awareness to a cause that is near to my heart. If you have any questions about this post or Dressember, please leave a comment below or contact me.

Dressember 2015: Let's Team Up to Change the World

 
In a couple months I'll be participating for the second consecutive year in Dressember, an initiative that uses fashion to raise money and awareness for anti-human trafficking work. I know it's early, but I wanted to get started on planning and sharing this with all of you so that this year can be bigger and better than last year!

Last year--and already this year--some of my friends have expressed interest in participating in Dressember. I hope this blog post will give you some more information and help you decide if this is something you want to do. I hope you will consider joining or supporting me, last year was amazing and I know this year will be even better!

What is Dressember?

The goal of Dressember is to use clothing to declare a message while working to raise support for anti-human trafficking organizations International Justice Mission and A21. Participants commit to wearing a dress each day for the month of December, demonstrating the inherent freedom and femininity of all women.

The Dressember foundation states, "In its first year of fundraising, Dressember had 1,233 registered participants in 32 countries across 6 continents who collectively raised over $165,000. One hundred percent of the funds raised in 2013 went directly to International Justice Mission. In 2014, participation doubled, and the funds raised nearly tripled, at over $465,000 raised."

If you'd like some more information about Dressember, you can check out the FAQ page.

How can I help?

Last year I participated in Dressember by myself. This year, I've created a team that I hope you'll join if you decide to participate! The team is called World Changers, and is open to anyone, women and men.

And speaking of men, here's a note for the guys: If you want to join the team and be a voice for women, consider a creative way you can participate. You can wear a bow tie each day, share a dress photo each day on social media, or if you're creative, draw a different dress each day! It's totally up to you!

 
If you decide to join, go to dressember.org/participatex and create your own fundraising page. Make sure to set a goal for how much money you would like to raise. When you’re done, you’ll see a green box near the top right of your fundraising page that says “Create or Join a Team.” Find the team name “World Changers” in the drop-down list and click “Join Team.” After you join the World Changers team, I will add your personal goal into the overall team goal.

When things get going, make sure to tag your posts with #TheWorldChangersTeam so we can see what everyone is doing throughout the month. 

What if I don't want to participate?

That is totally fine! I know wearing dresses for 31 days during the winter isn't for everyone, so no judgement here! You can still help out in other ways, though. 

Please consider donating to my fundraising campaign and ask yourself what you can give to this cause. Every dollar you invest goes to IJM and A21 (and is also tax-deductible within the U.S.), no amount is too small to give to this great work. Plus it feels really good to know that you've done something to make a difference in the world.

Next, please share my page with others you think should join the cause. You can post a link to it on Facebook, share it on Twitter, and email it directly to friends and family members. The direct link is https://support.dressemberfoundation.org/elisemance. This is a simple way to raise awareness and to spread the message that human trafficking is a very real, very wrong crime.

I'm also working on coming up with some incentives and other projects related to Dressember. If you're interested in helping me with a creative project, a collaboration, or coming up with ideas, send me an email at eliseloyola(at)gmail(dot)com. 

I'm so excited for Dressember and can't wait to see how we'll change the world together!

Etsy Shop Grand Opening Party + Giveaway!

I am so excited to throw a virtual party to celebrate the grand opening of my Etsy shop, ELM Creative Designs! Everything starts bright and early August 7!

Product Giveaway

Friday at 12 a.m. the giveaway is open! Enter to win this product bundle valued at over $35 by completing the tasks at the end of this blog post. The giveaway will be open through Sunday.

The product bundle includes (clockwise from top): Two nautical-themed mini (3.5 x 5.5") hand-stamped Moleskine notebooks in brown and navy, filled with blank paper; hand-lettered 5 x 7" quote card on archival quality bristol paper, lettered in mint watercolor ink; hand-lettered minimalist hello greeting card in mint; gold color block hand-painted canvas wristlet clutch (approx. 7 x 4"), features detachable wrist strap and zippered opening; hand-lettered happy birthday greeting card in mint; bonus roll of metallic gold triangle print decorative masking tape!

Promo Code

Start shopping tomorrow morning and use code GOPARTY to get $5 off $10 or more through August 14! Plus, for every purchase you make this week, you will receive another coupon code to use on a future purchase through September!

New Shop Products 

I'm excited to reveal some new shop products in connection with the grand opening party! These new products are one-of-a-kind and available now!

Hand-Stamped Gold Arrows Canvas Clutch // Hand-Stamped Bicycle Blank Mini Moleskine Journal Set
Hand-Drawn Minimalist Hello Greeting Cards // Hand-Stamped Nautical Blank Mini Moleskine Journal Set
Hand-Painted Explore Canvas Panel // Hand-Stamped Turquoise Anchor Canvas Clutch

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Coming Soon: A Party!

This is just a quick blog post to invite you to an upcoming event that I am super excited about!

To spread the word about my new Etsy shop, I am hosting a grand opening party online! It will be lots of fun for all with some great offers, new products and a giveaway! It all starts August 7.

Join the official invite on Facebook for the latest details. I'll be sharing things like new product photos, giveaway details, and some sweet discounts! Plus check back here August 6 to preview exactly what I'll be giving away and when you can enter to win!

This party is for everyone so please pass the word and tell your friends!

Grand Opening: ELM Creative Shop + Sale

I am so excited to announce the GRAND OPENING of my shop on art-hosting site Society6! And what better way to celebrate than with a sale?! Get free shipping + 20% off all apparel, tote bags, phone cases, and mugs!

This shop has helped to fuel my creativity as I have been working hard to fill it with new designs and art pieces. I launched it with a soft opening several months ago, but wanted to add more of my original work before the grand opening. Now I have not only my photography for sale, but also some of my painting and lettering designs!

Please come check out what I currently have to offer! Also, if you sign up for my ELM Creative email updates, you will be the first to know about new designs and sales! (Updates are only periodic and definitely NOT spammy, I promise!)

I'm so thankful for the support and encouragement I have already received. I've always wanted to have a shop of my own and now I get to! My goal is to create unique designs and also meet the requests of my shoppers. So, if you have a particular design you would like to see, let me know! The sky's the limit!

>> Shop at ELM Creative now! <<