Hello and welcome! My name is Shabina. I'm a lover of paper, hand lettering, and all things crafty. I have been creating stationery and other party items for weddings, birthdays, and all sorts of events for many years. The first wedding invitation I designed and created was for my own wedding 15 years ago!
To share a bit more about myself, these are a few of my favorite things (I love musicals!), in no particular order.
1. iPad Pro + Pencil: I love gadgets and am really enjoying trying my hand at digital hand lettering. It's great for practicing while out and about - no need to pack paper, pens, inks, etc.
2. New York Times Crossword Puzzles: I grew up watching my dad solve crossword puzzles, but did not discover the joy of it myself until I was in college. Currently, I have 2 NYT puzzle books on my nightstand and 2 books + the 2019 day-to-day calendar on my desk. I might be a little bit addicted.
3. Watercolors: I took a class in 2015 to learn watercolor painting and fell in love. In the photo above is one of two Altoids travel palettes I have. My husband designed and 3D printed the pans for me so I can travel with my paints easily - we travel light and I'm known to bring less clothes to make room for art supplies.
4. Jadeite: I collect vintage milk glass and jadeite dishware. My most treasured pieces are two Fire King Jadeite Jane Ray oval serving dishes that my mom gifted to me for Christmas one year. They originally belonged to my great-grandmother, who had etched her initials onto one of the plates, and she passed them down to my grandmother who passed them down to my mom. I love old things and the stories they hold!
5. Coffee: with with lots of milk, please.
6. Tablea: Filipino hot chocolate. I make it with whole milk + a cinnamon stick + whipped cream, what a treat!
7. Tatting shuttles + lace: I'm learning to make lace by tatting. I also enjoy knitting, crocheting, and embroidery (especially sashiko & kogin from Japan). My hands are usually busy :)
8. Kindle: books have been a constant companion since childhood. The Kindle is a great way to travel lightly with books in tow, plus I can read late into the night without needing a separate light source - an awesome feature when camping.
9 + 10. My passport + wedding rings: my husband and I love to travel together. We try to go on a big trip once a year, but the biggest adventure we've had was our 9-month long trip around the world in 2016.
11. Ink: I've loved hand lettering since I learned how to make bubble letters in my 5th grade art class. In high school, my grandfather, an architect who had beautiful handwriting and always had a fountain pen in his shirt pocket, bought me my first calligraphy set as he thought (correctly!) that I would enjoy the art. However, I struggled because I'm left handed and did not know there were special nibs for lefties. I gave it up after a couple of years trying, but in 2015, I decided to try again and happily discovered pointed pen calligraphy and its suitability for left handed people. It has been a much better and more rewarding experience compared to my first attempt.
Last but not least: my loyal 15 year old pup Jedi! He's usually nestled on a blanket by my feet whenever I'm working. He's a good boy!
What do you love? Let me know!
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