How to do hand lettering, the easy way

Hand lettering is a beautiful art and a refreshing way to express yourself. Tweet this.

I've been having a lot of fun experimenting with hand lettering lately. I've seen so many gorgeous prints on Etsy, Pinterest and Instagram that it inspired me to try. I've always loved calligraphy, but I never thought of turning it into art until recently.

Just to give you an idea of how different hand lettering can be from one person to another, here are a few examples I found on the Creative Market (Heart & Soul, Rushistly,  Wonder, Snowberry,  Hello Sunshine).

I posted a picture on Instagram a few days ago and my friend Heather from The Arbitrary Fox asked me how I made it so I thought it would be fun to make a little video of my process.

TOOLS:
Pencil
Eraser
Paper
Liner
Felt



One of the things I love the most about hand lettering is that you can do it anywhere. All you need is a piece of paper and a pencil. Of course, you can use any tool you like; watercolors, felts, markers, crayons... anything goes to make pretty hand lettering art. For the basic instructions to my basic hand lettering technique have a look at my video. I hope you like it!



I really enjoy making videos but man do they take a long time! And why do they always turn out yellow-ish when I've got 3 studio lights pointing at me and the walls are white? Anyone have tips for filming quality videos?



Have you ever tried hand lettering before? Do you like it? What is your hand lettering style? Do you like box letters? Cursive? Let me know by commenting bellow or send me a picture of your project! I'd love to see it. :D

Life lately + 7 things about me

Lately... we tried going to Movies in the Park by Virgin Radio 96.5. Every Wednesday night during the summer the radio station shows free movies in select parks around the city. We usually try to go a few times every year, but this summer, weather simply was not on our side.

Lately... I've been trying out some new beauty products from Sephora; most of them are Tarte products. So far I like them, but they do make my skin feel a bit dry.

Lately... I bought the cutest panda slippers at Simons. I'm a little disappointed though, they're not as comfortable as they could be but I still love them, just because they're cute.

Lately... we did some renovations in our yard. Some of the wood on our patio was starting to rot, so my parents came over and helped us change a few of the planks.

Lately... I bought my very first red lipstick. Yay!

Lately... I've been drinking way too much coffee.

Lately... I've been playing with my babies a lot. M loves to play outside so I bought him some water guns and we've been chasing each other around the yard on warm days. I just love playing with him so much, he's always so happy.

Lately... We picked some fresh veggies from our garden. M really liked helping me cook them. As a matter of fact, I think that his involvement in the preparation process encouraged him to eat his greens!

Lately... I visited the local nursery and bought some new plants for our home. That's nothing new though, I'm always chilling out at the nursery. ;)

Lately... we welcomed my husbands parents into our home for a month. We're in Canada and they're in Mexico so we don't get to see them often, but when we do, it's so much fun.

Lately... I was nominated by my friend Elba of Live Colorful for the Most Inspirational Blogger Award. Thanks Elba! I thought it would be fun to give my answers in a short video. Hope you enjoy it!



I nominate the following people:
1. Chelsea from Chelsea Beeswax
2. Mei of Ice Pandora
3. Melissa from While it Rains
4. Savannah and Jenny of Maiedae
5. Elycia from Love Elycia

The rules are:
1. Thank and link the person who nominated you.
2. List the rules.
3. Share seven facts about yourself.
4. Nominate other amazing blogs and comment on their posts to let them know they have been nominated.

For more daily updates, you can follow me on Instagram.

recent favorites

1. Bright red lipstick a la Maiedae style.
2. I can never get enough of pretty hair colors like Kayla's. I wish I had the guts to try it!
3. This twig pencil by Inkkit.

inspired by

1. Bright watercolor art by The Wheat Field. It's on my to learn list!
2. Gorgeous food styling skills and an entertaining voice like Joy the Baker.
3. Pretty lettering like Stringfellows. I'd love to do my logo like this.

random facts about me

1. I wish I could stay home to raise my kids for the next 5 years.
2. I have the hardest time in the world staying focused. Everything distracts me!
3. I'm very symmetrical when I draw and it drives me nuts.

What to expect when going to the zoo

Last week, my family and I went to the zoo (crossed an activity off my summer bucket list, yay!). I remember going a couple of times when I was little, and I have to be honest, other than the obvious "going to see the animals" part, I forgot what a day at the zoo meant. I made a list of a few things I think are important to know before you head out.

1. Be Patient
This is kind of obvious but believe it or not, I actually expected to see all the animals up close as soon as I got to their habitat. Silly right? Make sure you are ready to wait for them to come out; you could be waiting for a while. If you can, bring some binoculars, that way you wouldn't have to wait around as long; unless you want to take pictures.



2. Plan Ahead
There are often shows planned during the day. Research ahead and make sure you plan your day around these. Sometimes the animators attract the animals so you aren't waiting as long. Even if they don't, at least you get a bit of information while you wait. It makes the trip that much more interesting.



3. Bring Water
Make sure you bring a bottle of water for each member of your family. There are a lot of attractions and you'll be walking a lot, so you'll be very thirsty. I'm assuming you're going on a warm sunny day like we did, but even if you don't, I still recommend bringing water. Having an umbrella is also a good idea, you know, portable shade...



4. Bring Food
It's a good idea to bring some snacks. Food at these kinds of attractions tends to be a bit pricey. You can indulge in a few treats if you want, but it's still a good idea to bring snacks so you don't burn a hole in your wallet. Speaking of which, make sure you have some cash handy, because the food stands don't accept interact or visa.



5. Bring Activities
If you're going with children, make sure you bring some toys & activities just in case you have long wait times. It will be much easier for you, and a lot more fun for your kids. ;)



6. Wear Comfortable Shoes
I can't stress this enough. You are going to be walking all day, and most likely standing; comfortable shoes is a must.



We had a lot of fun (if waiting around a lot can be called fun) and we will definitely make this into a yearly activity. I'm sure our son will appreciate it more when he's older.

Have you ever been to the zoo?

A fun night out, how i met my husband

Last weekend, my husband, son and I went out for some hot chocolate at Juliette & Chocolat. It was so nice to get out of the house and enjoy the city a bit. Even though our life has been filled with many magical moments ever since we became parents, I miss going out with my husband. The last time I remember going out alone with him was when we were dating. Speaking of which, I don't think I ever wrote how we first met.




I'm sure you all know that I absolutely love to dance. Strangely though, I was never really a fan of salsa until I met my husband. A friend of mine had convinced me to try it out. The very first time I accompanied her, my husband (who was a random man at the time) kept waiting in line to dance with me... and every time we danced, he had this huge smile stamped on his face. He later told me that my smile and passion for dancing kept him coming back. At the end of the night, he asked for my number. I didn't really feel comfortable with the idea, so instead, I gave him my email so he could add me on Facebook. Every weekend he would send me private messages asking if I was going salsa dancing. I replied no quite a few times, because quite frankly, salsa dancing still wasn't my thing. A few months later, on a weekend where I needed to unwind, I said yes. We spent a part of the evening sipping a deliciously creamy milk hot chocolate at Juliette & Chocolat, followed by an evening of hot salsa dancing at Club 649. This later became a weekly routine. We fell in love shortly after that. :)




Juliette & Chocolat is chocolate heaven, literally. They offer a wide variety of imported chocolates with unique flavors and serve them practically in any way imaginable: grandma or classic style, dark, milk or white, in shots, milk-shakes or smoothies, with fruits or spices, and even as alcoholic cocktails. They also serve meal crepes and salads; perfect for a quick boost in energy before an evening of dancing... that velvety grandma hot chocolate will always pull me back in.

Club 649 is a Latin night club. There are four reasons why I enjoy this club. First, knowing how to dance is not a requirement; they offer free dancing classes (beginner, intermediate & Brazilian) Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 to 11pm. Second, the cover charge is only $5, yes... $5. Third, the age group varies quite a bit; anywhere between 20 and 50. Last, you don't need a dance partner; there are plenty of friendly single men and women waiting around the dance floor just waiting to dance with you. Plus, the atmosphere is fun and relaxed.

So there you have it, that's how I met my husband. I seriously can't wait to go out dancing again, I miss it a lot. Until then, we'll just enjoy a hot chocolate in town once in a while.

Where do you go to enjoy the nightlife?

If you want to know of other awesome places to go out at night in Montreal, you can check out the nightlife category of tourisme-montreal.org.