Day 9: #30GratefulDays | Calligraphy Necklace

Photo from Tin Espinas

I finally received the Dandy Ona necklace which features my own calligraphy. It was part of my workshop with lettering teacher Tin Espinas at Hey Kessy, which is incidentally one of my favorite stores because it sells art supplies and handmade crafts. I am happy with how it turned out and of course, it is crafted in sterling silver so I am sure it will last a lifetime. 

I advocate attending workshops, especially for handmade crafts. The experience of learning a new skill or improving your crafting game is priceless. Like during my calligraphy workshop, I realized that I am more of a brush lettering girl after all, but I enjoyed the vulnerability that comes with having no idea how a pointed pen works. It was messy, it was not my cup of tea, but I had a lovely time. The necklace was a beautiful bonus, and it is inspiring to wear something handmade. 

Now that I am unemployed, I need all the inspiration that I could get. Wearing a necklace with my own handwriting reminds me that if I can survive a calligraphy workshop with a quality output to boot, then I got this. A little sparkle would not hurt. 

Strokes of Learning

Yesterday was a busy day for me. I started my Saturday with my usual Zumba, followed by brisk walking and a hearty breakfast. Afterwards, I got ready for my calligraphy workshop, which was hosted by Hey Kessy and conducted by Tin Espinas. 

I already practice brush calligraphy, so I was expecting to know the basics of pointed pen calligraphy. I was challenged with the different tip of the provided writing instrument. It demanded more control and also, estimation of the ink. It was tedious but I enjoyed it because it was totally new for me. I was terrified to mess up my work, and yes, I did splatter my paper with excess ink. Eventually, I was able to execute the basic strokes and even submit our required output, as shown in the photo above. 

The key takeaway for this session was that the fear of learning something new is only an illusion. I may have messed up with my work, but I survived the class. I managed to submit the required card. The best part was being picked up by A after the class so we could have late lunch, coffee, and a lazy drive to his public speaking engagement for Word of Mouth. He did fantastic and I enjoyed being a stage girlfriend. 

Indeed, it is always soul-reviving to learn new skills and listen to honest stories. I cannot wait to have more soul food soon.