I love pens. I love paper. I doodle non-stop. Dan yells at me because I’ll absently doodle on bills if it and a pen are within reach. Even with Google docs or Google calendar or whatever electronic tools that are available out there to keep organized, I still keep a very paper-based system of note-taking, just so I can write.

      I’ve always wanted to try calligraphy ever since jr. high but like so many other interests I thought I had, I never got past just dabbling here and there. Same with photography. A steady attention span has never been my forte. I’ve been dabbling with photography forever it seems, and it was only a couple of years ago that I decided to step it up. So I’ve decided I’d like to step up my calligraphy skills as well, and quit saying it’s something I would like to do without doing it. I really don’t have any skills to begin with, aside from a penchant to just scribble.

      I’ve had this pen, nib and ink set that I got eons ago in Florence, Italy. I used it the other day for the very first time. I love the way the ink smells, like moist soil in a dark forest, the noise the nib makes as it scratches across the paper’s surface, how the ink sprays if I bear down too hard. And how much the whole process hurts my hand.

      Calligraphy practice

      Calligraphy doodles

      Calligraphy doodles

      Calligraphy practice

      This is a work in progress! So far I like writing S’s and lower case f’s the best. I am horrible at lower case a’s and n’s. Lots to practice, but I’m so enjoying the process.

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      Looks like you’re off to a great start! I love how you wrote “meow”. :)

      I love this! So pretty. I’m having some new notecards designed, and you’re inspiring me to at least get a better pen and write neater!

      Wow, you’re doing beautifully! I love calligraphy, too, and love taking notes by hand just to exercise my penmanship. Funny, I wonder what it is about a’s and n’s. My a’s and n’s are always a little messy, too.

      Wow that looks really pretty already!

      i must agree- your practice looks better than anything i ever did! Love it!

      I too always wanted to learn calligraphy, and though I tried a couple times it wasn’t with an actual quill pen. Maybe one day I’ll give it a go once more. I believe as we grow older we have more patience for these types of things.

      You have lovely handwriting, Li.

      Love it! In college I had to learn a bit, but had zero patience! Looks like you’ve been doing it for a while, not just recently!

      oh gosh, this makes me drool. literally. i am obsessed with handwriting to begin with, and these are LOVELY!

      My goodness woman, is there anything you AREN’T incredibly good at??