Join us for the all-new Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course, happening now! →

Learn More
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • YouTube
    • Premium Membership
    • Beginner Calligraphy Course
    • Intermediate Calligraphy Course
    • Calligraphy Worksheets
    • Beginner Watercolor Course
    • The Calligraphy Book
  • Blog
    • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Worksheets
    • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Drills
    • Video Courses
    • Brush Pen Calligraphy
    • Handwriting
    • Hand-Lettering
    • Mail Printables
    • Printable Artwork
    • Procreate Worksheets
      • Cleaning Cloths
      • Erasers
      • Glass Jars
      • Inks
      • Kits
      • Mechanical Pencils
      • Nibs
      • Oblique Pens
      • Paper
      • Protectants
      • Rubber Stamps
      • Rulers
      • Straight Pens
      • Washi Tape
      • Watercolors
      • Wax Seals
  • Help
  • Cart
Log in

Your cart is currently empty!

The Postman's Knock written in calligraphy
Subscribe for $1/week
Sign In
  • My Account
    • Account Details
    • Addresses
    • Payment Methods
    • Order Receipts
    • Subscriptions
    • Printables + Worksheets
    • Video Courses
  • Help
Log in
The Postman’s Knock
  • About
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Help
  • Premium Membership
  • The Calligraphy Book
Subscribe for $1/week
Sign In
  • 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.

    Recent Creations

    July 6, 2014

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    Calligraphy, Design, Inspiration, Weddings

    This blog post showcases some of the projects I have worked on recently. I love my job!

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)WhatsApp
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window)X
    • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)Bluesky
    • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window)Threads
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit
    • Click to share on Mail (Opens in new window)Mail

    Nautical Event | The Postman's Knock

    I haven’t blogged for about a week, and since I have {joyously!} been getting all the materials prepared for Emily’s Atlanta wedding, I don’t have a tutorial prepared. Instead, I thought I’d talk a little bit about the projects I have been working on lately, my recent creations.

    Cityscape Wedding Program Covers | The Postman's Knock

    This week, I have dedicated many hours to Emily’s wedding, which is already coming up this weekend. I have been working with Emily since early December, so it’s surreal {to me, at least} that the event is happening already. It’s also a little sad! I work so closely with clients that by the end of our collaboration, we have become friends rather than just designer/client. When the event is over, I don’t have an excuse to check in all the time!

    Gold Place Cards | The Postman's Knock

    For the past few days, I have been making her place cards with the Finetec gold palette {Arabian gold, I believe}. I used Medioevalis artisan-made {Italian!} paper for the place cards; I love using this paper because it’s luxe and has low absorbency, which means the ink stays very vibrant and crisp.

    I am working on Emily’s event with the collaboration of Melanie Hobert of Celebrate! Event Design and Sweet Meadow Farm. Two weekends ago, Melanie beautifully put together another event I had worked on with another client of hers, Beth. The photos from that event — taken by the immensely talented Anna Howard — are stunning! Take a look.

    Nautical Event | The Postman's Knock

    {The menu set-up; I designed the menu and the place card.}

    Nautical Event | The Postman's Knock

    {The inside of the event … I can’t take any credit for this, except for the table numbers! Isn’t the arrangement of everything stunning?}

    Nautical Event | The Postman's Knock

    {The escort cards, which were pinned to a fishing net … how cool is this?}

    I was so happy to see these photos because it’s one thing to see event materials laying in unassuming piles on my desk — and quite another thing, entirely, to see them adding magic to an event. Thanks again to Melanie and Anna Claire for sharing these photos with me, and letting me share them with readers!

    Another fun thing I worked on quite recently was this whimsical wedding map:

    Watercolor Wedding Map | The Postman's Knock

    My Chicago client wanted a wedding map in Kaitlin style calligraphy; and she had a special request for me to incorporate Nala, the family dog. At first I was daunted by this task because Nala has beautiful black fur — which can be hard to render in an illustration! However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Nala ended up adding a very personal, sweet touch to the final product.

    The last project I want to share with you is Rodger Mayeda’s {of Rodger’s Pen Box} anniversary map.

    Rodger's Anniversary Map | The Postman's Knock

    I have never created an anniversary map before; my watercolor wedding maps have thus far been used either as save the dates or supplements to a suite. This was, effectively, different and fun to make! It was also a bit more simple than other maps I have created, and I made a point not to incorporate any black. The map is pure watercolor — no India ink involved.

    Rodger's Anniversary Map | The Postman's Knock

    Rodger's Anniversary Map | The Postman's Knock

    The Japanese translates to “Love needs no teaching.” {Thanks to TPK reader Meredith for translating; the meaning had completely escaped me!}

    Rodger's Anniversary Map | The Postman's Knock

    After I sent this map, I got such a great photo back from Rodger! Check out Rodger and Dianne holding their anniversary map:

    Rodger's Anniversary Map | The Postman's Knock

    {How great do they look?!}

    I hope you enjoyed looking through my hodgepodge of recent creations. Creating things like this is hard work … yet it’s so much fun, that I am still in awe that it’s my career. If you have any questions about how I made any of these, feel free to ask! I’m an open book.

    I’ll be back next week with a tutorial or two; and this month, my goal is to create a Kaitlin style premium worksheet for your enjoyment. Stay tuned for that!

    As usual, thanks so much for reading. You guys are the best.

    XO,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)WhatsApp
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window)X
    • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window)Bluesky
    • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window)Threads
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit
    • Click to share on Mail (Opens in new window)Mail
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.

Join TPK’s free mailing list

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow TPK on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • RSS Feed
  • Mail
Previous post: Cityscape Illustration Tutorial
Next post: Typography Letter Art

All-time favorite posts

  • The Beginner's Guide to Modern Calligraphy

    The Beginner’s Guide to Modern Calligraphy

    1.5m views
  • 8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet) | The Postman's Knock

    8 Tips to Improve Your Handwriting (Plus a Free Worksheet)

    859.7k views
  • Painting with Watercolors for Beginners

    Painting with Watercolors for Beginners

    819.8k views
  • Free Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet

    Free Brush Pen Calligraphy Worksheet

    482.5k views
  • How to Write Faux Calligraphy (Video Tutorial + Free Worksheet)

    363.7k views
  • 11 Calming Calligraphy Drills Printable | The Postman's Knock

    Celebrating Six Years of the “11 Calming Calligraphy Drills” Worksheet (Free Download)

    291.5k views
  • Lovely Loose Watercolor Flowers Tutorial

    Lovely Loose Watercolor Flowers Tutorial

    205.1k views
  • The Ultimate DIY Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit

    The Ultimate DIY Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit

    186.4k views

Latest posts

  • November’s Coffee Date: Creative Gift IdeasNovember 11, 2025
  • Simple calligraphy envelopes
    3 Easy Ways to Address an EnvelopeNovember 5, 2025
  • Gorgeous Illustrated Autumn Pumpkin Tutorial
    Gorgeous Illustrated Autumn Pumpkin TutorialOctober 22, 2025
  • Spread from "Draw Your Adventures"
    October’s Coffee Date: Drawing Your Days with Samantha Dion BakerOctober 20, 2025

Browse by category

Browse by date

8 responses

  1. Autumn Blalock Avatar
    Autumn Blalock
    December 8, 2016

    An anniversary map!! How wonderful and unique! A tutorial by any chance?? It’s gorgeous!

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      December 23, 2016

      No tutorial right now (though there’s an old post that half-outlines the process), but I would love to post one in the future!

      Log in to Reply
  2. Rodger Mayeda Avatar
    Rodger Mayeda
    July 7, 2014

    Lindsey, I’ve said this before, but your work is simply amazing. It is so much fun to ‘peer’ over your shoulder as you employ your creative talents and teach others how to do so as well. Anyone lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your talent and creativity are truly lucky! I know that Dianne and I feel that way!

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 11, 2014

      You and Dianne are too sweet; though I would say the same to you! Sit me in front of one of your machines, and I would probably make something that looks like Frankenstein’s monster. No, I’m giving myself too much credit … it would continue to be a block of wood! 🙂 Thank you, Rodger!!

      Log in to Reply
  3. Meredith Avatar
    Meredith
    July 7, 2014

    These are all so pretty I want to cry. Also I took two years of Japanese, so I’m not going to claim to be an expert, but that writing looks very neat and pretty to my eyes, especially if you didn’t look up the order of the brush strokes. The phrase is pronounced “Koi ni shishou nashi,” meaning “Love needs no teaching”

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 7, 2014

      You are too cool (and well-rounded)!! I’m going to modify the blog post to include the translation. It completely escaped my mind. And thanks for confirming that it’s legible … and that I wrote something like what I thought I wrote! (It would have been awful to find out after the fact that the phrase says something inappropriate or awful!) Thanks so much for another helpful contribution; you rock!

      Log in to Reply
  4. Zakkiya Hamza Avatar
    Zakkiya Hamza
    July 7, 2014

    These are so splendid Lindsey. I adore every detail that you put in here. So so thrilled to have found your blog. Such an inspiration 🙂

    Log in to Reply
    1. Lindsey Bugbee Avatar
      Lindsey Bugbee
      July 7, 2014

      Thanks so much!! I debated inserting our feline friend, but ultimately decided that she should make her (or his??) debut on Inkstruck. 😉 I hope you and the little one are feeling better, and that preparing for your trip hasn’t been too stressful!

      Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Sorry! Only TPK Premium members can comment on articles and tutorials. You can become a member here. Already a member? Sign in.

The other day, I was thinking about sending out ho The other day, I was thinking about sending out holiday cards, and I immediately dismissed the thought with, “I have zero time to calligraph envelopes for those.” ✍️

... But is that true? I put it to the test for the latest article on the TPK Blog. Using some time-saving tricks I’ve learned over the years (like using a watery ink, a bouncy calligraphy style, and minimal pencil guidelines), I timed myself making three envelope concepts. Two of them took 5 minutes or less. The most time-intensive took 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The envelopes still turned out looking elegant, especially with the help of some artistic postage stamp collages. 💌

For clear step-by-step tutorials detailing how to make these envelopes and sourcing pretty postage, visit the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”)!

#snailmail #mail #calligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #happymail #snailmailrevolution #mailbox #postage #vintagepostage
After I chose this music to accompany this reel, i After I chose this music to accompany this reel, it dawned on me: drawing a calligraphy medallion is like, well, Belle’s arc with the Beast. 

At first, it’s a bit of a weird situation. Strange shapes, questionable structure, possibly some growling (à la “YOU WILL JOIN ME FOR DINNER. That’s not a request!”) when the inevitable ink smudge happens. You keep thinking, “I’m not sure why I’m doing this ... should I hop on Felipe and gallop away?” 🐎

But something shifts as the medallion starts to come to life. And when you finish that last detail and pull back, the music swells. Light bursts from your paper like it did from Beast’s digits as he transformed into a stunningly beautiful prince. ✨ You’re practically in a ballroom celebrating, and, wait, did your furniture just turn into an adoring crowd that’s celebrating your fortitude and skill?

(And now you know how my mind works 🧠 ... I love a good metaphor, no matter how weak it may be!) 

To learn how to make a calligraphy medallion, just search for “calligraphy medallion” on the TPK site (link in bio). You’ll find both free Blog tutorials and detailed premium worksheets.

... I’ll show myself out now. 🙈

#pointedpencalligraphy #calligraphy #handwritten #pointedpen #dippen #calligraphymedallion #calligraphydrill #calligraphypractice
My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remi My favorite autumn projects are the ones that remind you how cozy this season can be. 🍂 This project definitely fits the bill ... create it with a hot, comforting drink nearby and an excellent audiobook, and you’re in for a treat! ☕️ ✍️ The tutorial on the TPK Blog (link in bio, then navigate to Blog) is super detailed, with mini tutorial videos to guide you every step of the way.

#autumnart #watercolortutorial #arttutorial #handpainted #paintingtutorial #pointedpen #dippen #flourishing
Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending Happy Halloween! 👻 This year, I’m pretending to be ... someone who writes calligraphy quickly! (No, just kidding — not about the video being sped up, but the choice of costume. I actually picked up a skeleton PJ set at Goodwill. 💀)

Even if you won’t be indulging in candy, remember to treat yourself this season, starting this weekend! The holiday season can be hectic, and it’s important to claim some relaxing time for yourself. Cheers to the “holidaze”! 🥂

#halloweencalligraphy #calligraphy #pointedpen #dippen #handwritten #writingvideo #calligraphyvideo
🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligra 🎃 This is the last week that Halloween calligraphy drills will be available at TPK! Find what you like in the shop, download, then print it out on a pointed pen-friendly paper. Then, let the (happily!) spooky vibes take over while you practice your strokes. ✍️👻

➡ Link in bio to visit the TPK site.

#calligraphydrills #halloween #calligraphypractice #learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #dippen #pointedpen
✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium membe ✍️ Learn with us! Right now, TPK Premium members are working their way through a new version of The Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course. It’s an *awesome* course that’s even more thorough than the original version (which is saying a lot because the original course has 281 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ reviews)! We just had the Lesson 3 class discussion this morning, ️and I’m so impressed with how much progress students are making — and I love their observations! One person compared using the Brause EF66 nib to driving a Lexus, which I got a kick out of. 🚘 

Premium membership ($5/month) grants you complimentary access to the course through January 6th; take it live with us! Once this course wraps up, we’ll be moving on to the new Intermediate Modern Calligraphy Online Course in February. 

Find details by visiting the link in my bio. I’d love to help you build those foundational skills that will allow you to create gorgeous envelopes, place cards, invitations, quotes, correspondence, and much more! The Lesson 4 class discussion is three weeks from now, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up. 😊

#learncalligraphy #pointedpencalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #calligraphycourse #learningcalligraphy #writingcalligraphy #realtimecalligraphy
🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you 🍂 The newest tutorial on the TPK Blog walks you through how to make this gorgeous illustration, step-by-step, with helpful instructional videos. To find the tutorial, visit the link in my profile, then navigate to the blog. ENJOY! 🤗

(PS - Loving the colors in the @greenleafblue Anthesis set ... I used French Orange Ochre, American Violet Hematite, Pyrrole Scarlet, and Italian Green Earth to make this pumpkin. All *fabulous* autumn tones!)
Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenle Loved chatting with @sdionbakerdesign and @greenleafblue last Friday! Samantha is exactly as thoughtful and creative as you’d imagine from her Draw Your… books — and this answer to Jennifer’s question says it all. ✨ Just have fun and make art!

☕ Want to watch/listen to the whole conversation? Head over to the TPK Blog to hit play on the recording! (Link in bio, then navigate to “Blog”.)

#artistchat #artist #samanthadionbaker #greenleafandblueberry #thepostmansknock #arttalk #creativity #sketchbooking #sketchbook #artadvice
The Postman’s Knock

About

  • About Lindsey
  • Get to Know TPK
  • Behind the Scenes
  • How I Learned Calligraphy

Legalese

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refunds & Return Policy
  • GDPR Data Erasure Request

Printable Worksheets

  • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Styles
  • Pointed Pen Calligraphy Drills
  • Brush Pen Calligraphy
  • Handwriting
  • Hand-Lettering

Courses

  • Beginner’s Pointed Pen Calligraphy
  • Intermediate Pointed Pen Calligraphy
  • Beginner’s Watercolors

Help

  • Contact Lindsey
  • Calligraphy FAQs
  • Calligraphy Troubleshooting

Subscribe to the Blog

Join over 125,000 creative minds who receive inspiring, value-packed emails from TPK each week. As a free subscriber, you’ll get helpful tutorials, free worksheets, and creative ideas delivered straight to your inbox—plus the occasional sneak peek or special offer.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow TPK on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • RSS Feed
  • Mail

© Copyright 2025 The Postman’s Knock – All rights reserved

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
  • Manage options
  • Manage services
  • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
  • Read more about these purposes
View preferences
  • {title}
  • {title}
  • {title}
Writing Copperplate Calligraphy

Unlock Exclusive Perks with Premium Plus

Fuel your inspiration and creativity with TPK Premium Plus! Members enjoy three free worksheets or learning resources every month, unlimited video course access, member-exclusive tutorials, and a 10% discount on all Supplies Shop orders.

join today ($15)
All About the Brause Rose Nib

inspiration in your inbox

Let The Postman’s Knock Spark Your Creativity

TPK’s innovative newsletters are an artistic treat. Join the 125K+ subscribers who have already discovered The Postman’s Knock, and receive 10% off your first Digital Catalog order.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.