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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.

    How to Make a Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope

    June 7, 2022

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Birthday Cards, Dip Pen Calligraphy, Tutorials, Video

    Next time you need to make a happy birthday envelope for a card, look no further than this tutorial!

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    How to Make a Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope

    A calligraphy happy birthday envelope builds anticipation for the card inside! Today, I’ll walk you through how to write a simple and pretty greeting that features white calligraphy with gold accents.


    Written Tutorial

    1. Gather Your Supplies

    To get started, you’ll need a few key supplies. Feel free to make modifications or substitutions to the list below!

    The Perfect Calligraphy Envelope Generator
    TPK’s Perfect Calligraphy Envelope Generator is a free printable that will come in handy for a variety of projects.
    • The Perfect Calligraphy Envelope Generator (printed on any paper)
    • Dark Envelope (I used an A2 envelope in “Ebony Black”)
    • White pencil
    • Black eraser
    • White ink
    • Gold watercolor
    • Brause EF66 nib + oblique pen
    • Parallel glider or a regular ruler

    2. Make a Pencil Draft

    First, use a ruler, a white pencil, and The Perfect Calligraphy Envelope Generator to make a pair of guidelines. Be sure to draw slant lines, too! Then, write “Happy Birthday” on the top line and your recipient’s name on the bottom line.

    Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope
    If you want some practice writing  “Happy Birthday”, you can download the Free Greeting Card Calligraphy Cheat Sheet + Worksheet.

    3. Add Ink

    Next, use your favorite pen + nib combination and white ink to write over your pencil draft.

    Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope
    I like to use a Brause EF66 nib + an oblique pen to write in elegant, right-leaning calligraphy.

    4. Add Gold Accents

    Now, give the calligraphy just a bit of glittery personality by “hugging” some of the strokes with gold watercolor.

    Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope
    If you’re not sure how to write with gold watercolor, see this tutorial.

    5. Erase Pencil Guidelines and Enjoy!

    Finish up by using a black eraser to erase your pencil lines. Be gentle! Sometimes white ink will smear if you go over it too aggressively.

    How to Make a Calligraphy Happy Birthday Envelope
    I tucked this happy birthday envelope — with a gift certificate inside — into a calligraphy starter kit and sent it to Daisy at her mother’s request.

    I hope that this tutorial comes in handy next time you want to create a lovely birthday card presentation! Thanks very much for watching/reading, and enjoy the rest of your day.

    Warmly,

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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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Previous post: Not Your Average Father’s Day Card Tutorial
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3 responses

  1. LadyBird Avatar
    LadyBird
    September 12, 2024

    Great Tips. Calligraphy can add such a personal touch to special occasions like birthdays!

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    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      October 28, 2024

      100%!

      Log in to Reply
  2. Jesika Parker Avatar
    Jesika Parker
    June 10, 2022

    I didn’t have any expectations concerning that title, but the more I was astonished. The author did a great job. I spent a few minutes reading and checking the facts. Everything is very clear and understandable. I like posts that fill in your knowledge gaps. This one is of the sort.

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If you’re looking for a hobby that helps you slo If you’re looking for a hobby that helps you slow down (and creates something beautiful while you’re at it), calligraphy is it. ✨ I teach a Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course that will guide you step-by-step, even if you’ve never picked up a pointed pen. Just search for it online when you’re ready or visit https://tinyurl.com/tpkbeginner —I’d love to cheer you on. 🖋️💛 #pointedpencalligraphy #learncalligraphy #writecalligraphy #calligraphyvideo #dippencalligraphy #copperplate #obliquepen #brauseef66nib #sumiink #goldink #penmanship
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If “The Calligraphy Book” has found a spot on your shelf (or workspace, or coffee table!), I’d love to see it. 📚 Feel free to send a photo or tag me in a post or reel!

#calligraphy #calligraphybook #moderncalligraphy #handlettering #letteringcommunity #artistlife #creativecommunity #stationerylove #snailmail #calligraphyinspiration #thepostmansknock #tpk
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These hand-drawn arrows (from a printable on the TPK Blog) add a whimsical, artistic touch that pairs nicely with bold lettering. If you’re taking the Hand Lettering 101 eCourse, a project like this is a fun way to put your new skills to use! → You can find the arrow printable and a tutorial for making an envelope design like this at the link in my profile. ←

#HandLettering #EnvelopeArt #MailArt #HappyMail #SnailMail #ModernCalligraphy #LetteringPractice #CreativeProjects #CalligraphyInspiration #TPK #ThePostmansKnock #HandLettering101 #SnailMailRevolution
😉 #calligraphy #misspelling #pointedpen #dipp 😉 

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@nin.heartmadehappiness made my day with this swee @nin.heartmadehappiness made my day with this sweet photo and message:

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And thanks to a few too many episodes of The White Lotus, I even knew what that meant! 😉

It’s such a joy to see The Calligraphy Book finding its way to cozy corners around the world—on bookstore shelves in Sydney, in hygge nooks in Scandinavia, and now in beautiful Bangkok. 🌿

If you ever spot it out in the wild, I hope you’ll flip through it and maybe even bring it home. Creating this book was truly a labor of love (I hand-drew every single illustration!), and getting to see where it ends up—and knowing it’s inspiring your creativity—makes every bit of that work feel worthwhile. ✨

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It’s available on the TPK site through July 1, and there’s a guided video meditation to go along with it. Whether you’re practicing drills or simply unwinding, this pairing is meant to bring a little calm to your creative space. 🧘‍♀️ 

📥 Download + watch via the link in my profile — it’s all in the latest TPK blog post!

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🧘‍♀️ Tomorrow is World Calligraphy as Med 🧘‍♀️ Tomorrow is World Calligraphy as Meditation Day! I’ve teamed up with @calligraphy.as.meditation to bring you a calming hour-long calligraphy meditation—complete with the beautiful (and free) worksheet featured in this video.

✨ Join us at 4 PM EDT: I’ll be live in the chat during the meditation and will hop on Zoom for a Q&A right after. Whether you’re new to calligraphy or looking for a moment of peace, this is for you.

Creating this meditation was something new for me—but I loved every minute of it, and I hope it brings a little calm to your day, too. 💛

🖋 Details & worksheet: Visit the TPK blog (link in profile!)

#calligraphyasmeditation #calligraphymeditation #worldcalligraphyasmeditationday #calligraphycommunity #pointedpenpractice #calligraphyvideo #mindfulmoment #moderncalligraphy #freecalligraphyworksheet #calligraphyinspiration #tpkcalligraphy
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