Children's Name Art - Watercolor and Fine Lettering

As promised here are a few pieces of children's name art. There are also some baby birth certificates on my page, if you scroll down lower on the page, you can take a look at those. I am hoping to get into designing some nice vintage birth certificates as well using a collection of wonderful vintage art I have purchased.
For now, the first piece I made for my friend Julie's son, Connor. I gave her this gift at his shower and it was such fun to create! It will carry him through for years, as it is made in vivid colors and simply uses area wildlife with animals he might see here in Pennsylvania, to go with each letter. All letters were drawn in pencil and then watercolored along with the animals representing each letter.



The next piece was created for another friend of mine, using the letters of his name in the color navy to go with the baby's room theme of "nautical". Knowing this theme and that my friends attended church with me, who would love scriptures on their piece, I found all of the images to go with nautical items and then found scriptures to place beneath each one that either started with that letter or had the word in it. Steve & Leslie were thrilled with their custom watercolor and I hope you enjoy it too.


It was great fun to find the items to watercolor and to search for scriptures to go with it.
I thoroughly enjoy getting to create custom art for my friends and they are always excited to receive it. I love knowing a little piece of my heart and creativity is hanging in their home. It is always an honor to be included in the decor of their children's room.
Here are some more close ups of the piece for Matthew, so you can get a better look at the watercolor and the scriptures in calligraphy...


If you are interested in having a custom name designed to match a child's room in your life, I would be extremely honored to do so! Simply write me or phone me with the details of your room and I will be happy to design something creative and fun for you! I haven't had much chance to design girls' themes, so I certainly would welcome that. This would be a great gift for a baby, or for a christening. I also can do christening and baptism certificates for children as well.

Wedding Seating Chart Design

Here is a lovely alternative to the usual place cards. This is a monogrammed seating chart. We used this colored monogram design scheme throughout her entire invitation, programs, and they even blew it up to a very large size and put it on the doors of the church! Click on it for a close up. These are done in a design phase then blown up on film type paper for a nice gloss finish and mounted on foamcore, or framed to your desires. My client had it framed and matted in the soft green color of the monogram. It is then placed on an easel outside of the doors to the hall where your guests will be seated. I will show some other pieces from her design scheme in an upcoming post on programs and menu cards. Email if you would like to discuss this type of artwork for your wedding!
Tomorrow's post -- children's name art!

Now scheduling for April and May! Welcoming new customers with my special offer...

Just a quick little reminder, that I am now scheduling for the month of April and May for incoming orders and I would love to include YOU and your wedding on my calendar. There is nothing I love more than sitting down with you and helping to create beautiful words that will add to the elegance of your wedding. I will meet with you personally at a time and place of your choosing with folders full of samples that will help you choose the type style that will accentuate your event. I promise you the best prices along with a quality of workmanship I am certain you will be happy to receive. If you have an idea that you will be requiring my services in these upcoming months, I would love to reserve a space for you and be certain that I will save that block of time especially for you - to dedicate it to your exciting upcoming event. My goal is to make ordering as simple and stress free as possible.
I have never needed to turn a client away in 23 years. I normally do everything in my power to get you your order (even staying up all night if I must!), when you want it, and how you want it... with no hidden charges, such as list maintenance fees, rush charges, colored ink charges or set up fees that some calligraphers charge. I have even decided to take away the dark envelope charge. I have found a new way to do them that works efficiently and I will now do dark envelopes for the same price as regular envelopes! Bottom line, I am doing my best to keep my prices competitive for you, helping you to choose my services, all the while making sure you get what you desire. I want to be your calligrapher!
Take advantage of my 23+ years of experience. My expertise is reflected in the quality of your final envelopes. I promise you will be pleased, and I will do everything I can to be sure that you are happy with your finished product. I guarantee my work.
The months of April and May also include my very special offer mentioned previously, of a free marriage certificate, with every order of 100 envelopes or more (if you have less than 100 - you may still have the certificate at 50% off!). Samples are in a lower post. Simply scroll down for further information about this very fun piece of artwork that will become a family heirloom.
Coming soon on this blog... samples of children's name artwork. Seating charts. Wedding Programs. Table Number Cards. Place Cards.
If you have anything you would like to see samples of on this blog, feel free to write me and I will do my best to get things posted that you would like to see.
I also plan on discussing and displaying upcoming wedding paper trends to keep you current on things going on in the wedding market today. It may give you some ideas of things you could use for your wedding. Fun ideas for table naming, unique ideas for place cards, paper trends in invitations. Keep an eye on this blog for these upcoming posts!
Wishing you all very happy and stress free wedding planning! Talk with you soon! ~ Tammy

Celebrating! Calligraphy by Tammy takes the number one spot on Google! I celebrate by offering you a FREE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE - March - May!

As a stay at home Mom, with a serious illness, I have been blessed with the ability to have an artistic talent that allows me to work from home. It's so nice to know that other women love to support those of us who enjoy staying home to take care our kids. I am so fortunate to know that so many of you out there are encouraging me through this time of my life as I learn to live with my illness - RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy). I feel very fortunate that it has not affected my arm (thank you Lord), and only my leg. This means that I am still able to create beautiful written words just for you! I love making your wedding or event special.
Now on to the CELEBRATION! A dear new client of mine let me know that this week while googling "Pittsburgh Calligrapher", my blog came up at number one! What a wonderful tribute to know that you are clicking my page more than any other calligrapher in the area. Thank you so much! I am overjoyed to find that you are drawn to my years of experience and that you are willing to give me the privilege of writing for you. Thank you to my past clients and future ones.... for all of your kindness in choosing me and for making my page #1 on Google!
The wedding season is off to a glowing start with many happy brides and grooms. This month alone I have been able to please 10 happy couples. And it's only March! I don't charge a lot of extras as some calligraphers do, such as list maintenance fees, or colored ink charges (except for gold/silver) or even rush fees. If I am able to get your job done quickly and just the way you want it, I am happy to do so without any extra fees. I will do my very best to get it when YOU want it! I am here to make sure you are pleased with both the quality of my work as well as my prices! I am thrilled to receive your order and know that it is a privilege, so I don't need to nickel/dime you on the details. I simply want to do the best job I can for you and I am happy to meet you personally to do so in both price and quality.
I would love the opportunity to do your wedding or any calligraphy work and to help celebrate my number one position at Google I have created a very special offer.
With any order of 100 envelopes or more, you will receive a custom created marriage certificate* (SAMPLES BELOW) or if there is something else you would like created such as a wedding poem -- just let me know (sample also below). This is a hand created piece of artwork displaying all the statistics of your wedding in beautiful lettering with jewels and metallic highlights.
It is a piece of art you will gladly display in your home, and one that will become a family heirloom for generations to come. I will even let you choose colors to match your wedding, or perhaps a flower theme, maybe ribbons to match or simply a white or ivory bridal theme. The choice is yours! The sky is the limit! If you have less than 100 and would still like to order a marriage certificate, I will offer you a discount of 50% off.
Just my small way of saying thanks for making my page number one on Google!
This offer is good through the remainder of March through May 31st.

* - Marriage certificate will be unframed. If you would like the certificate framed in your choice of frame, white/ivory/black/wood (in dark or light)/silver/gold, I would be happy to purchase a frame for you and put it all together for an additional $20. These make great wedding gifts too!

This is a sample of my own marriage certificate created for our own vow renewal. Next year we celebrate our silver anniversary of the original day! I am blessed with a wonderful marriage and I thank God for my husband Brian every day. He is the light of my life and cares for me in this illness with such a kind loving heart. I pray that all of you have a wedding and marriage as wonderful as ours.

Framed Wedding Poem - Dancing With God

The picture above is of the poem "Dancing With God". A pastor at my former church ordered this from me for his son's wedding. He read it at the wedding and wanted the happy couple to have a copy of it for them to treasure and remember always. I chose a nice natural parchment paper in a gray tone, with black letters highlighted in silver. Silver rub on swirls were added as embellishments along with metal butterflies and rhinestones in crystal. I thought the butterflies reminded me of dancing, so they seemed to be a good fit to dress up this piece.
Here is a copy of the poem and what is says in full, in case you might want to use it for your wedding. The sentiment is truly lovely.

DANCING WITH GOD

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.

I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.

The movement doesn't flow with the music,

and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,

both bodies begin to flow with the music.

One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back

or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.

It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.

The dance takes surrender, willingness,

and attentiveness from one person

and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.

When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "U" and "I".

"God, "U" and "I" dance."

God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust

that I would get guidance about my life.

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings

and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.

May you abide in God as God abides in you.

Dance together with God, trusting God to lead

and to guide you through each season of your life.

Here is a close up for a better look at the embellishments and clearer look at the print:

Elegant Wedding Gifts - Marriage Certificates & Wedding Poems

I love to create Marriage Certificates! What a fun piece of artwork to treasure. They are an exquisite framed memory of the day you were wed. They become family heirlooms and beloved mementos. They can be created for anniversaries as well! They are a lovely item to display on a table at your event, to place near your wedding cake or guest book. The photographer can take a photo of your certificate alongside your bouquet and rings, for a lovely captured moment of the pieces of your special day. I am showing a display of many marriage certificates I have created through the years below. (Where needed the last names have been blocked for the privacy of my clients.)

These are great wedding gifts! I have a client who orders one for every wedding she attends. She lets me know that the bride and groom often send her thank you notes, proclaiming that the marriage certificate was always their favorite gift. In years to come, it will become a piece of your family heritage, displaying your history. It can be customized to include any and all information that YOU would like to include from minimal such as names, wedding date and church alone, or can include the whole wedding party! We will work together to create a masterpiece that matches your wedding, or one that is simple and elegant in tones of white or ivory. It can include beautiful special adhesives that are 3D fabric miniatures of wedding dress and tuxedo or doves and wedding cakes. They can be understated including only ribbon or a monogram or piece from your invitation. Some of the examples below show this such as the pink & brown ribbon ones using a piece of the client's actual invitation.
Prices depend upon the amount of information you would like to include. You may order them framed or unframed. For pricing feel free to email me to discuss the details. Prices begin at $35+ for unframed. Framing begins at an additional $20+ depending upon the size and type of frame needed. I am happy to shop for a frame for you that fits your budget!
Remember to order one for every wedding you attend! Simply call me when you have the invitation information. It is a one of a kind wedding gift that is unique and original! Your bride and groom will know that you took the time to order an exceptional gift, a custom created piece of artwork that will be cherished for years to come. They will never forget this very special gift or the giver!

WEDDING CERTIFICATE SAMPLES-
(Feel free to click on them for a close up):

Marriage Certificate utilizing the couple's invitation front.
Cake is a 3-D Martha Stewart adornment.
Wedding Certificate using the monogram from the invitation front.
Wedding was in Hershey, so brown ribbon was added to go with the wedding's chocolate theme.

Marriage certificate using the 3-D stickers of wedding dress, tux,
champagne and even bow tie and ribbon for the best man and maid of honor.
(Excuse my shadow in the background! I took this one outside. LOL)

Marriage Certificate in bridal shades of ivory, using wedding cake 3D stickers along with doves. Letters are jeweled and the frame is a lovely shade of ivory.

Larger Wedding Certificate in bridal colors, displaying all of the wedding party details.
This was for a wedding for a gay couple, two women, who are friends of my sister.


Marriage certificate created to match the wedding theme of red roses.
All place cards, menus and programs also had the red paper rose on them to match.
The 3D wedding cake in this piece is a Martha Stewart sticker.

Marriage Certificate in wedding whites done on gray parchment to highlight paper cutouts.
Jolee's stickers in 3-D wedding tux and gown, and lovely doves also adorn this piece.