{Spotlight}

Today I am ridiculously excited because the ladies of Sweetgrass Social in Charleston S.C. featured Hardink on their blog...Check out the post here!  Huge thanks to Meredith and Jacqueline who are exceptionally talented and always a pleasure to work with.  If you're a bride getting married in Charleston you should do yourself a favor and check out their work!

Tis the Season

Don't you just love that quote?! It makes me feel like Christmas, which I need, because I haven't been feeling like Christmas is actually here.  In reality it's not only here, it's coming in full force.  I've done some pretty fun holiday projects over the last few weeks.  A few Christmas cards (including my own!) which I look forward to showing you pictures of in the coming weeks.  But for now I'm focusing on something that I've been working on that I happen to love...and that's Christmas tags!  I love paper in general, and wrapping paper is no exception, but sometimes I feel like it needs a little something extra.  Here is my solution to that problem...

I love the plain ones to keep around the house and use on gifts here and there, but I happen to think the personalized ones are awesome for delivering gifts to friends.  I love tying them around the neck of a bottle of wine or around a jar of something that you're giving friends as a Christmas gift.  I just think they pop and bring something extra to a gift.  I guess I'm a little partial though?

I'm getting more and more excited about showing off some amazing holiday cards, but I don't want to give them away until I know they've all been sent out.  So until then you'll just have to wait!

New Photos!

One of the aforementioned wonderful people who has helped me get Hardink off the ground is Donald Yeager  an AMAZING photographer here in Nashville.  I met Don through his equally as amazing wife Hillary of Brocade Designs who did the flowers for my wedding.  Not only was she beyond a Godsend during the chaos of wedding planning, but she gets me totally (which can be quite a challenge).  Don and Hillary came over and took some gorgeous photos of some of the work I've been doing recently.  Check out the sneak peak below!

Check out the rest of the photos on the website!  HUGE thanks to Hillary and Don for all of their help creating these beautiful photographs!

Grand Opening!

Hardink Calligraphy is Finally Here!  

Those who know my best know that over the past two months I have spent almost every second of my free time working on the beginnings of this new business.  It has been time consuming and often straining but I am pleased to announce that I am officially in business.  A huge thanks to everyone who has helped my to find my footing!

First thing on my agenda is to give you a preview of what it is that I've been consumed by, so stay tuned...Until then, thanks in advance for all of your support!  

Wedding Season 2011 Now Open & Samples of Years Past

My father Tom and myself.

I know it's been a while since I have posted any new samples. I have spent the remainder of the year 2010 caring for my dear father Tom Dolby, who was suffering with lung cancer & bladder cancer and other health issues. After 2 years of fighting this devastating illness with all of his heart and soul, his body finally gave out on New Years Day of 2011 at the age of 68. He fought a long hard battle and we are all so proud of him. My heart broke at the loss of this gentle, sweet man. He was a great father with a fabulous sense of humor.

I would like to thank my clients who were patient with me this year when caring for my father or news of his health may have interfered with work. Family always comes first for me. But I would always do my best to complete orders if it even took me all night or driving far to get an order to a client.  I am grateful to have had the time I spent with my father to care for him in his final months and grateful to all of you for your prayers, patience and understanding during this past year.


With that said... It is time to open up my schedule to the season of 2011. I look forward to working with new clients who have received my name from previous brides and grooms and wedding planners as well as though who have found me through google or various bridal wedding sites. I am excited to get business going this year, so feel free to phone me or email me to place your invitations into my schedule for this year.

The most popular theme and a continuing growing trend is the "Vintage" theme. Vintage inspired weddings include items that go all the way back to the 1930's and 40's. Vintage cars, vintage style invitations and anything of a polished, classic nature is included. Lace veils, pearls, gloves all accessorize the bridal look of this type of theme. When it came to invitations, swirls and letterpressed invitations were all the rage. My font most popular last year to go with that theme was "Zane Flourish".  Every year seems to have a personality for fonts that becomes that year's favorite. If you wish to view more of my fonts, simply scroll down to the bottom of the blog page and they are a small way up from the bottom.

Zane Flourish Font - Most popular font of 2010 to match the "Vintage" themed wedding.

 

 

 

 

 

 Now on to some more unique wedding items for your viewing pleasure.
The wedding card box below was created for a lovely wedding at Nemacolin Woodlands using the them of "Enchanted Forest". The box was created in the colors to match the wedding theme including chocolate brown, purple and vivid green.  Real woodland items were added to the box including wooden swirls, pinecones and velvet leaves.

Enchanted Forest Theme Wedding Card Box

This was a bathroom basket sign created to match the theme as well.

 The bride and groom provided various toiletries for their guests to use. A cute poem explaining the basket was placed near each one in all of the restrooms at the reception..  

A friend's wedding cake. Fresh flowers arrived at the wedding reception site and I was asked to decorate the cake for the bride and groom using the flowers. I was a floral designer, so I was thrilled to do so and thought the cake turned out lovely.

This was a custom ordered marriage certificate utilizing pieces of the actual invitation as well as drawing in the color theme of the wedding, which was red and black. 

Seating chart using a monogram created by the bride's friend. 

Small gems were added to dress it up and brown borders brought the whole thing together with the elegant swirls added by myself.

This is the matching menu card created to go with the "W" monogram theme.

Vintage style marriage certificate - a special gift from me to a bride for being so wonderful with me.

Marriage Certifcate ordered as a special gift by a friend.

Seating Chart in black and pink to match color theme. Chart divided by letters and 2 boards were created to hold the many guests attending this wedding.

 I will be adding some more photos soon, listed by wedding. I look forward to sharing more fun ideas with you, so that you may be able to get some ideas of your own by utilizing what is shared here, and yet adding your own personal twist to make it your own! I am thrilled to create anything you may dream up or you can leave all the details to me. Either way... adding calligraphy and special items to your wedding will leave your guests with that true sense of your theme and that they have just attended a very special wedding!