Paper anniversary

How the year has flown by. My first wedding anniversary is coming up in less than a week now, and of course I was living in fear of what to get my wife. It had to be just right. Romantic and thoughtful.

Last month I had this idea, and until last week I wasn't sure it would be do'able. Having done some caligraphy in the past, and my wife having asked if I'd ever do more, I knew I needed to write our wedding vows in a nice, simple script, frame it, and give them to her.

Trouble was, I couldn't find a copy of our vows anywhere. They were just gone. I'd written them myself, and while I had a copy of about everything else I've written, those were missing. Worse, I couldn't let on that I was looking, and the clock was ticking. (Her friend and I eventually found them in an old e-mail account unused for a year and a half.) Worse still, I had almost no time to brush up on my lettering. I just had to practice particular letters over and over until it flowed well enough that it wasn't embarrassing.

It's like renewing our vows. It's the type or romance that she loves. It should win me points for ages...

I chose Copperplate Script from the Speedball Textbook. It's simple in design, and it looks nice for this type or writing. Blackletter Gothic is an awesome sytle of font, but not so great for non-WrathOfGod type stuff. I used Bienfang parchment, a C-5 nib, and Speedball Super Black India Ink. Good stuff. No clumps, no drips, and no bleeding.

Here is just the text on paper. Tomorrow I frame and wrap it, and Saturday I'll hand it over. The detail is a bit lacking in the line thickness, but trust me, it's there.



I know it may seem simple and a bit plain, but this is the result of some well intentioned effort. Her best friend has been my conspirator and is excited about it too. I have a terrible time waiting to give gifts, so I had to yap about this someplace.

[/sap]

Edited by reifidom - 12 September 2006 at 11:56pm

I could maybe add "and choop" after my name.

I love the stuff. It's nice when you can get a line of text down just right. The wider nibs on some dark parchment can do some amazing things. It can bring a little class or some dark ages catholic church to your door.

Handwriting is falling by the wayside, but I enjoy it quite a bit.

Congrats on a year!!! May many more years together be in your future.

Is it really cheap when you have no money to be miserly with in the first place? :)

Hades wrote: That is a pretty big word Reif, better provide a link to dictionary.com

I think that should be a link at the top of the page.

Tae Kwon Do wrote: I have some of those fancy pens someplace. Lord knows they have no ink anymore....

You've got to dip that pen man. Dip it! Ink wells are where it's at. No cartridge for this man.

procarbinefreak wrote: someone's gonna get laid

Me?

I think it is great!   Congrats on one year.   I have the same problem, I can never wait to give a gift.  

reifidom wrote: I love stationary and stationary supplies. It's like a bad habit with me. I can always find an excuse to spend more on a notebook or a nice pen.

Some of the stuff I have seen...is just plain excessive.

Why someone needs a solid white gold and saphire encrusted pen I will never know...

Good luck too by the way, I realise now i never said it. Best of luck and cheers for the future. My girl and I hit our 3 month today.