new work

Practice Makes Better

- Stephanie Leave a comment

letters from rita lettersfromrita.com

Any creative knows that practice makes better (not perfect, though!) Creatives produce our best work when we are consistent, disciplined and diligent about practicing. Even if we’ve been ‘in it’ – in the industry or making that type of art – for a long time, if we forget to make intentional time for practice, we’ll just stay regular, instead of becoming better and more refined.

lettersfromrita.com

For the last few days I’ve made it a point to do at least one doodle or watercolor per day. I’m excited to A) get better at my craft and B) have a really rad collection of random little doodles at the end of the month. After many months of making pretty things for other people, it feels good to make stuff just to make stuff! To create what comes to my mind! It never happens unless I am purposeful about it, so that is what I am up to this month! 

Also! I recently watched this talk about the creative process that inspired me, so give it a watch if you have 10 minutes. (It’s particularly about songwriting, but it is applicable to all artists!)

~S

Introducing the Peace Love Line!

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PeaceLoveLine

So far in my Letters from Rita and shop owner journey, I’ve only offered custom lettering prints. I’ve done this for a couple reasons, like wanting each print to be unique and because I love it, but partly because I was scared to venture into the world of lots-of-prints-at-once. That means you have to find a printer and actually think about production numbers and not to mention have design / concept ideas to make a cohesive line!

Earlier in the summer I was talking to one of my maker friends, who mixes custom orders with ready-made items in her Etsy shop. I asked her what she thought about my shop being purely custom, and she was honest with me. She said that she loves my work, but wouldn’t know what quote or lyrics to have ask me to letter. If I had a bunch of ready-made prints for her to choose from, it would be easier!

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I took that perspective to heart. Even before that conversation I had been experimenting with potentially coming up with a line of prints. But ever SINCE that conversation, I’ve been working really hard at it: not just thinking about it, but DOING it. And I’m SO happy to announce that starting TODAY I finally have a real, live, pretty line of prints! I’m calling it the Peace Love Line. We’ve got peace, love and a lot of creative options (think peonies and mint chocolate chip). The lettering is simple and clean and printed as 5x7s in shiny gold foil!! (Yes, it all started when I was eating mint chocolate chip ice cream 🙂 )

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You can now purchase your very own #PeaceLoveLine print in my Etsy Shop!

Thanks so much for being excited with me!

Coffee Date | Bible, Wedding, Christmas!

- Stephanie Leave a comment

August is upon us! I’m ready for the craziest month of my summer! I’ll be traveling for weddings and photo shoots every weekend, and on top of that decided that I want to commit to blogging here 3 times a week. Which is like, OK, but how? Well I’m pre-scheduling some posts and also relying on good old WINGING IT. Because I do what I want. Not busy. Wildly productive. 😉

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My husband Nate has a goal this year to memorize more Bible verses. One verse a week was the original goal, but if it takes longer than one week to memorize, that’s OK too. He told me that the idea behind it was because in many situations when talking about his faith, he has a verse (or principal from a Bible story) that he can reference, but many times doesn’t know where to find it in the Bible. So he thought if he memorizes those frequently-talked-about passages and verses, he can actually point someone in the right direction so they can continue reading the Bible! I love my man. Pictured above was the first verse he picked, which is ironically one of the few Bible verses I know by heart already, so I got to help him out in memorizing it that week! I’ll keep you updated on new verses he picks.

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You may remember me doing collaborations last summer with some bloggers in the Boston area. The sweet Courtney of Jeune Amour emailed me many months later (thanks for remembering me, friend!) and commissioned me to hand-letter small signs for her June wedding! She sent me the most luscious, textured paper and I experimented with many different types of pens and ink before I settled on using gouache! Guys, it was soooo good. I mixed a shade of gray-ish, navy blue pigment and had the best time lettering those little signs. Courtney just recently shared her wedding images on her blog! Go look! It’s a dream!

PeaceLoveLine

I have a couple new projects in the works for my little lettering biz! A new line of PRINTS! My first ever non-custom, ready-to-order, really cute, really pretty line of prints! They debut in September! I’m giving you a little sneak peek above, you’re welcome 😉 I’m also working on Christmas print/card designs! Yeah, it’s only August, and yeah, I have been listening to Pentatonix’s Christmas album to get in the right mindset, but YAY. Christmas prints/cards!

That’s all I have to fill you in on right this minute. What’s new with you?!

~S

Acrylic Paintings with Hand-Lettering on Canvas

- Stephanie Leave a comment

acrylic paint canvas from Letter from Rita on Etsy

I’m so excited to announce that I an now offering CUSTOM acrylic paintings!!! I love painting (I was one college painting class shy of enough credits for a minor!) and I obviously love lettering, so this is a perfect combo of the two! I am so excited!

I honestly wasn’t sure if this product was going to work out. At first, the paint was too dark, and the gold lettering seemed to get lost. Then I didn’t think they fit the LFR brand… And honestly, I didn’t love them at first. But I worked really hard to make them awesome, and these custom canvas products are now a reality for you and your home!!

acrylic paint canvas from Letter from Rita on Etsy

Each painting is 8×10 and hand-lettered in GOLD ink, with a custom quote of your choice. The gold looks so great in regular lighting, but comes ALIVE in the sunshine. It’s sparkly and beautiful. The paint color options are what they are because, in order for the gold to show up, the paint needs to be on the lighter side of the spectrum. I hand-paint and hand-letter each canvas individually, which means they will be uniquely different and special to you! You can order yours HERE!

acrylic paint canvas from Letter from Rita on Etsy

The ordering process is similar to a custom print; just message me after you purchase the listing with the quote of your choice. Right in the listing you can pick the color and brushstroke style!

acrylic paint canvas from Letter from Rita on Etsy

Thank you all for being on this journey with me! I am so excited to see the quotes and words you choose to put on canvas. I promise these paintings will be a great, colorful, lovely addition to your home. <3

Stephanie

(other art in the wall gallery by JordanneMarie and H.Nichols)

BOLD

- Stephanie Leave a comment

splatter-art_22

It’s been fun for me to experiment with different textures and forms of watercolor over the last couple weeks. I’m really still trying to find my style with watercolor, and these blocky, bright, colorful prints have been my favorites (and it seems like Instagram’s favorites as well 😉 ).

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I’ve been in experiment phase, really trying to hone in on what my little shop is all about. Progress over perfection, people!! Definitely making progress.

Stephanie