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  • Welcome to TPK! This is your first of 2 free articles. For unlimited access to tutorials and articles, join TPK Premium for less than the cost of a latte.

    Books for Breakfast

    November 13, 2012

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Design

    This weekend, I had the pleasure of working with Heather at Books for Breakfast. She reached out to me about designing a blog and Etsy banner for her, along with Etsy and Facebook buttons. I was so excited to start on Heather’s materials because her business name opens the door for so many neat artisticContinue…

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    This weekend, I had the pleasure of working with Heather at Books for Breakfast. She reached out to me about designing a blog and Etsy banner for her, along with Etsy and Facebook buttons. I was so excited to start on Heather’s materials because her business name opens the door for so many neat artistic possibilities!

    I thought my work with Heather would be a good way to outline the custom design process. Initially, she had the idea of depicting an open book with letters spilling out of it. I ran with this concept, ultimately coming up with this design:

    Books for Breakfast Letters Spilling Off Page

    Then, thinking that this may be a little too plain, I ran with the “books for breakfast” concept, combining an egg and a book:

    Books for Breakfast Egg on Book

    (I have clearly been watching too many Once Upon a Time episodes … the Frog Princess-like story that comprises the text in the book spilled out of my brain at an alarmingly fast rate.)

    I like to present these preliminary designs to clients so they can get an idea of what concepts I have, and I can get revisions and suggestions from them. In this case, Heather responded that actually she was thinking of perhaps having the graphic of a person getting ready to dig into a stack of books a la a stack of pancakes with syrup dripping down the sides. She was also very helpful in that she explained a little to me about the illustrations in books from the 70’s; generally, illustrators used three colors. She supplemented this with a Pinterest board, which as always was inspirational.

    I toyed around with ideas for a little bit, and finally sat down to draw this delightful little fellow:

    Books for Breakfast Design

    What a fun technique! I used a pencil to sketch him out, then used a heavy hand to draw dark shadows with plenty of texture. I wanted to keep him clean and cute, so I didn’t do much besides basic contouring. The fun part came when I pulled out the watercolors! My three chosen colors were yellow, brown, and white.

    Next, it was time for the little guy to make his debut. We started him off on Heather’s blog banner:

    Books for Breakfast Blog Banner

    …then as an Etsy banner:

    Books for Breakfast Etsy Frame

    When Heather saw the little boy, she also asked for a bookmark template, which I gladly made for her. We finished up with the Etsy and Facebook buttons for her blog:
    Books for Breakfast Etsy Button
    Books for Breakfast Facebook Button

    I’d love for you to check out Heather’s [blog] and [Etsy shop] to see how everything came together — and also to see her amazing supply of vintage children’s books. She (and her seven-year-old) have excellent taste in reading material, and if you’re in the market, Books for Breakfast is a great resource.

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Sketchbooking

About the author

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bugbee, the illustrator, calligrapher, and author behind The Postman’s Knock (TPK). Since 2012, the TPK Blog has been a vibrant creative space filled with tutorials and lessons on modern calligraphy, hand lettering, and illustration. After publishing The Calligraphy Book, I wanted to elevate the quality of content even further—so I launched TPK Premium. You can join here to receive access to some of the internet’s best creative inspiration and project tutorials.

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MicroGlaze is always an excellent idea when you’ MicroGlaze is always an excellent idea when you’re sending out flourished envelopes like this one! It protects your time investment in the piece and ensures that the envelope will make it to your recipient in mint condition. I almost always use it for international envelopes, especially! #mailart #snailmail #envelopecalligraphy #calligraphy #mailbox #snailmailrevolution #snailmail #postage #mailartist #mailart
✨ If you’re familiar with @theworkshopweek, yo ✨ If you’re familiar with @theworkshopweek, you’ve probably wondered how @thehappyevercrafter pulls it off—especially as a mom of two littles! The event is a creative’s dream, and one of my favorite parts? You can enjoy it in your pajamas 👘☕️ (Let’s be real: most of my artwork happens while wearing extremely comfortable, extremely unflattering clothes.)

If you haven’t heard of Workshop Week, head to workshopweek.co immediately and sign up for FREE! 🎉 My workshop goes live Thursday, June 5 at 1 PM EDT. I’ll be in the chat while it streams, and afterwards, Becca and I will go live to chat about creativity, calligraphy, and anything else that comes up 💬🖋️

Bring your calligraphy supplies, your questions, and don’t forget to download + print the free Soaring Swallow Calligraphy Artwork + Drill worksheet in the supplies list ✨

#TPKCalligraphy #WorkshopWeek #CalligraphyWorkshop #CalligraphyCommunity #ModernCalligraphy #CalligraphyArt #CreativeLife #CalligraphyInspiration #ArtistLife #FreeWorkshop #CalligraphyPractice #Calligrafriends #SnailMailLove #SoaringSwallow #ThePostmansKnock #CalligraphyDrills
🎉 This month’s TPK Premium worksheet is a col 🎉 This month’s TPK Premium worksheet is a colorful tribute to creativity and culture! Meet Brillo Andino — a playful hand lettering style inspired by the rich design traditions of Peru 🇵🇪✨

As someone lucky enough to be connected to Peru through my husband, I’ve come to admire the country’s vibrant visual language. Every letter in this exemplar includes a subtle nod to Andean heritage—from Nazca-style spirals to corn motifs and tiny pan flutes woven into the forms. It’s whimsical, meaningful, and perfect for adding extra personality to mail art, sketchbook pages, or signs.

🖋️ Whether you follow the letter formation guide exactly or let it spark your own place-based alphabet, this worksheet is all about slowing down and savoring the creative process.

💌 Available now for TPK Premium members (just $5/month!) — visit the link in my bio and head to the “Brillo Andino Playful Peruvian Hand Lettering Worksheet” post. 🌄

#handlettering #calligraphypractice #peruvianinspired #brilloandino #tpkpremium #creativeinspo #mailart #playfullettering #slowcreativity
Earlier this month, my family and I took a trip to Earlier this month, my family and I took a trip to Lima, Peru—and this sketchbook page was my way of bottling it all up. The ceviche, the ocean views, the family time… I didn’t want to forget a second of it. 🐟🌊

If you’ve got a trip coming up—or even a favorite memory you want to hang on to—I made a blog tutorial to walk you through how to turn it into a page like this. It’s low-pressure, fun, and you’ll end up with something that feels like a little treasure. 🖌️

Click the link in bio and look for the “Travel Memories” blog post. I hope it gives you a spark!

#traveljournal #sketchbookinspiration #watercolorart #calligraphyart #thepostmansknock #limaperu #travelmemories
It’s Thursday, and this is your gentle reminder It’s Thursday, and this is your gentle reminder to slow down. ✨ There’s something spellbinding about gold ink flowing across black paper—especially with Enya in the background. 🚤 

Calligraphy isn’t just about pretty letters. It’s about breathing, focusing, and letting the rhythm of dip, write, repeat carry you into calm.

If you’ve been craving that kind of creative peace, there’s a whole world waiting for you at The Postman’s Knock (link in bio). Courses, worksheets, and tutorials—designed to challenge, to soothe, and to inspire.

#calligraphyvideo #pointedpen #moderncalligraphy #goldink #blackpaper #dippen #calligraphylove #calligraphyinspiration #calmingcontent #relaxingreel #asmrcalligraphy #thursdayvibes #slowmade #creativeflow #thepostmansknock
There’s a brand-new tutorial on the TPK Blog tod There’s a brand-new tutorial on the TPK Blog today (link in bio)! You’ll learn how to make this rugged little trifold card, complete with layered watercolor mountains and a calligraphy quote. 🏔 The concept was inspired by a gorgeous floral card from @fpmmac — I just reimagined it with a more outdoorsy feel. Per usual, I used my favorite @greenleafblue palette to paint these earthy, moody peaks. The colors make the whole project feel grounded and bold at the same time.

Full blog access is for TPK Premium members (starting at $5/month), but non-members can still view two articles/month — so you can absolutely check this one out! Every post takes me 2–3 days to create, and I fill them with clear instructions, helpful photos, and ideas you’ll actually want to try. If you like what you see, membership opens up 900+ tutorials/articles to explore!

#thepostmansknock #watercolorcard #diycardmaking #calligraphytutorial #watercolormountains #greenleafblue #handletteringlove #diygreetingcard #moderncalligraphy #watercolorart #creativeprojects #slowcreativeliving #tpkpremium #handmadecards #craftingjoy #cardtutorial #paintedgreetingcard
This little box has been starting calligraphy jour This little box has been starting calligraphy journeys since 2019—because it takes the guesswork out of getting started. ✨ Whether you’re brand new to calligraphy or coming back after a break, everything inside is designed to help you feel inspired, confident, and ready to create.

The workbook (and its accompanying video course!) gives you structure. The supplies are special and thoughtfully chosen. And the whole thing feels like an invitation to slow down and enjoy the process.

If you’ve been thinking about learning calligraphy—or gifting someone else the nudge to try—you can find the kit in the TPK Catalog now. Just click the link in bio and navigate to “Shop.”

#moderncalligraphy #calligraphykit #tpkstyle #learncalligraphy #calligraphyforbeginners #pointedpenlove #calligraphygiftideas #dippenlove
Sometimes, the best creative projects are the ones Sometimes, the best creative projects are the ones that don’t go exactly as planned. This tree art was made with watercolors and a straw—yes, a straw! The branches take shape as you blow paint across the page, and from there, it’s all about adding leaves and a few cheerful bluebirds. 🌿💙

This technique is relaxing, a little unpredictable, and really satisfying. I hope it gives you a gentle creative reset, especially if you’ve been deep in detail-heavy work lately. 💛

You can find the full tutorial on the blog (with video + step-by-step photos)—just search “Soothing Organic Tree Art” on thepostmansknock.com, or tap the link in bio!

#watercolortutorial #watercolorillustration #artproject #creativebreak #strawpainting #birdillustration #calligraphyandillustration #tpkstyle #slowcreativity #arttimelapse #artforkidsandadults #natureinspiredart
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