You guys! I took a leap and joined on as a vendor for the Stevenson Ridge Bridal Open House last weekend. It was such a great experience and helped me get organized and actually finish my semi-custom suites and put together some helpful guides that you'll see on the site over the next few weeks (think timelines, checklists, etc.). Here's a quick snap of our table from the lovely Wolfcrest Photography.

I love giving gifts almost as much as receiving them, but we all know budgets are always tight and you can't buy everyone everything they ever dreamed of... Homemade treats are a lovely way to show you care and share something you love with friends and neighbors. Trust me, no one will be mad about an edible gift this time of year.

Whether you know someone who is a calligraphy expert or is just getting interested in the art, there are plenty of gifts you could get them to make their day! They'll be so happy you remembered their love for hand lettering and will be appreciative every time they use these gifts.

Laura Hooper is a leader in the calligraphy industry, so she's a great person to learn from. She offers workshops throughout the year as well as sells calligraphy starter kits and all the supplies you could think of to get started or continue your/her craft.

Whether your friend pumps out orders and orders of envelopes for brides or just leisurely addresses Christmas card envelopes or party invites, a drying rack is extremely handy. More than likely she's doing them at a small desk or the dining room table, so leaving a ton of envelopes out taking up the whole counter or in danger of tiny hands grabbing them isn't ideal! You can find these racks from several sellers on Etsy and the like, but I love mine from Ashley Bush (AshBushInk).

I'm always pining for new stationery... A girl can never have too many notebooks, cards and pens... Here's a round up of some gorgeous notebooks that will carry you through summer and on into fall. Hopefully a few of these end up on my desk in the near future!

1. Appointed Notebooks | 2. Sugar Paper
3. Rhodia | 4. Rifle Paper
5. Belgrave Crescent | 6. May Designs

You guys, I love giving gifts, and gift baskets are my go-to for events like baby and bridal showers. I usually have a million things I want to give the lady of the hour and a gift basket helps you give a thoughtfully curated package with a variety of practical and pretty items. 

Keep your budget and items you're leaning towards in mind. If you are adding a cookbook, make sure your basket is big enough to hold it as well as a few other goods. The same goes for the opposite, you don't want to buy a huge basket and not have enough to fill it, and go over budget just so the basket looks good. Great places to buy baskets are Marshalls/Home Goods, World Market, and Target. You can get creative with your vessel, it doesn't have to be an actual basket. Try a lidded box, a milk crate, a flower pot, etc. 

Y'all, I'm all about continuing education, and these days it's so easy to find experts in your field putting on free webinars, releasing new blog content, or sharing super inspirational captions with their pretty little Instagram squares. I especially love all of the free "training" out there, but I splurge every year on the Modern Calligraphy Summit. If you are putting any serious thought into legitimizing your calligraphy services or are already an established business and just want to get to the next level, you should consider registering. 

So you know someone (or five!) who is engaged and you want to get them something but you have no idea what that something is... Could be a congratulatory gift, or something specifically for a bridal shower. Either way, consider a gift basket. As y'all know, I'm the queen of gift baskets so you shouldn't be surprised that this is my recommendation!

First, find a basket. This can be something simple or extravagant, but my favorite place to hunt for them is Marshall's/HomeGoods, and my sister randomly found some gorgeous little two dollar gold wire baskets at Wal-Mart, who knew? Find a cute basket, then fill it up. here are some of my go-to's for new brides or mama's-to-be.

We all know a girl either in college or her first job or even running her own company that could ALWAYS use new office supplies. I'm not talking about plain copy paper, but stylish pieces that make her happy anytime she sees them or uses them. Here's a curated little gift guide to pick up some last minute gifts any girl in an office or college setting would love. (Don't forget those stay/work-at-home-moms, either!)

One of my absolutely favorite calligrapher/handletterers Lauren of A Fabulous Fete, teamed up with one of her friends to creat Wilde House Paper, where they curate a monthly stationery box, which you can buy as a single box or sign up for a monthly subscription. I'm dying to get my hands on one, but you can get a sneak peek into their boxes via there Instagram account @wildehousepaper. 

Whether you have a chalk paint wall, have a chalkboard you use for weekly grocery lists or are working on a chalkboard sign for an event, there are some tips and tricks that will make your life easier and your chalkboard prettier. Everything from your cleaning method to the tools you use make a huge difference. This is part one in a three part series, this one focused on where to buy affordable chalkboards.

Who has plans for friends and family to come over in the next two months? More than likely, a lot of you. Even when I feel like my cabinets are fully stocked, before someone comes over I feel like I need one or two things to make everything feel complete.