roll on the calligraffia blog roll

In the coming days I will be launching (with a bang I've got to say!) the first of what will be our regular series of posts all about calligraphy blogs and blogging calligraphers...

thank you to everyone who sent in suggestions and links - we will be showing each one over the coming months - so please be patient with us

and please keep sending in your suggestions and links - to your own calligraphy blog - or one that you really enjoy (chances are others will enjoy it too!) all we ask is that it is a blog (not a website.... ) and that it features calligraphy.


I can hardly wait to show you the first one - from my favourite calligraphic blog (you'll understand when you see it why I've held off until now to launch into the blog roll!)

now that will keep you guessing!

cyberscribes on facebook

If you've been on either facebook or cyberscribes over the past week and a bit you no doubt will have noticed the establishment of the facebook cyberscribes fan page (such excitement) - seemingly overnight every calligraphic facebook soul jumped on board.... now I've got a confession to make... I've never been a part of cyberscribes (I know, I know - CRAZY.... but there's only so many hours in the day and webby things a small girl can be a part of) well, not that is until I connected via the FB fan page..... 

and talking connection, to tell the tale of the establishment of the page I've roped in the the creator of the FB page - June Maffin ..... over to you June...

Serendipity.  I love that word - the way it sounds - the way it looks - what it means - its history.  Horace Walpole coined the word in the late 1700's from a Persian fairy tale whose heroes were "always making discoveries by accidents and sagacity of things they were not in quest of."    In a nutshell, that's the story of the Facebook Cyberscribes Fan Page whose origins are quite serendipitous ...

After reading posting after posting after posting of Cyberscribers wanting to connect on Facebook, I decided to create an alphabetical listing for myself so I could delete the "Me, too!" emails that were coming fast and furious to Cyberscribes (a great Yahoo Group begun by Teri Martin (Yay, Teri!).  Then the "Others might welcome such a listing" thought came to me, so I sent a note to the group and before I knew it, the "Me, too / Add me" emails stopped going to the group and were coming directly to my inbox.  Mmmmm.

Something was evolving here that I'd not planned.  Then came suggestions that I create a Facebook Fan Page for Cyberscribers.   More evolution.  I contacted Teri for her thoughts and she joined the "Create it!" voices.  So, I did and on April 8, 2010, the Cyberscribes FB Fan Page was created. Before I knew it, Cyberscribers were joining the FB group - and calligraphers who were on FB but not on Cyberscribes were joining the Cyberscribes Yahoo Group!  Cross-fertilization, new opportunity for networking/discussing/sharing.  ;-)

Today, ten days later, 308 people have joined the group ... calligraphers who found the FB Fan Page discovered the Yahoo Group ... international connections were made ... friends discovered friends they didn't know were on FB through the group.  Such fun!  Along the way, I asked Nan de Luca if she would create a graphic which she did - a beautiful one done in Copperplate. And, she not only kindly offered to help administer the group when I'm giving workshops/on holidays but came up with the idea of inviting other calligraphers to create a graphic which would be used on the FB Fan Page on a rotation basis.  What a creative idea! Yay, Nan!

I love this idea ... many calligraphers sharing in the design of the group's graphic ... various members showcasing their talent and creativity ... seeing different ways the word "cyberscribes" can be calligraphed.  I hope Cyberscribers will take up this invitation.

As for the Cyberscribes Facebook Fan Page - all are welcome to join - begin a discussion - create a graphic for the group - let us know of your website - send photos of your work - share the URL of your blog - whatever!  Who knows where this will all lead.  What fun!

Serendipity?  Yes, the creation of the Cyberscribes Facebook Fan Page has indeed been serendipitous!                   

June Maffin, Vancouver Island




How great is that!




so here are the connection details - the facebook fan page lives here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/CyberScribes/107430969296032?ref=mf


and of course cyberscribes group is here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cyberscribes/


just in case you haven't found both of them already - see you there or there!

blogging best...

Over the following year we are planning to post a series of reviews and links to blogging calligraphers and calligraphy blogs. If you have or know of a great blog that prominently features calligraphy in its posts – well you need to let us know about it!

You can nominate your own blog or tell us about one you've stumbled over – it can be new or established, feature traditional or contemporary, amateur or professional work, by individuals or groups, from any point of the globe*

Basically - it just needs to feature calligraphy. Over the coming 12-18 months we will intermittently feature blogs that YOU nominate (if it fits the guidelines, we will post it) and then we will also add featured blogs to a blog link page

we hope you'll all enjoy being a part of this evolving project

here's how to get involved

please email us the following information (or as much of it as you know...):

BLOG URL: (that's the blogs web address - this is essential!)

BLOG NAME:

BLOG AUTHOR:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION of the BLOG: (eg: in a few words tell us about the contents and focus of the blog – the type of calligraphy featured and whatever info you feel sums up what viewers will find when they visit)

FAVOURITE FEATURE/POST:

YOUR NAME/CONTACT EMAIL (this will only be used for the purpose of verification and will not be used for any other purpose)

soooooo let's get going people – tell us about your favourite blogs today (you can send multiple blogs if you can't choose a favourite!) and let us tell the wwworld!

* only blogs in English or with translation will be featured in this initial review.

We would love you to join us ... visit A Letter a Week now: http://aletteraweek2010.blogspot.com/
Any questions ... I'll be happy to help.

Happy (calligraphic) New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

We wish you a peachy-keen 2010

filled to the brim with calligraphic endeavours

In the coming year we are hoping to bring you many more calligraphic stories and lots and lots of delicious photos - and in the next week or two we are going to be sharing with you ways that you can be more involved in bringing calligraphic 'news, views, reviews, interviews and how-tos'  to the blogging universe via calligraffia.

Right now here in Australia it's a sunny summer New Years day – and my thoughts are on heading to the beach for a fabulous day of sun, surf and sand.

wherever you are may 2010 be a happy and creative one for you and your loved ones.

SEASONS GREETINGS

We'd like to wish you a very happy and peaceful festive season. We'll be back in the New Year with more exciting interviews and calligraphic happenings from around the world.


(Peace card by Julie Williams)

coming soon...

Any time now our first guest blogger is about to arrive at calligraffia HQ - and we think you are going to just love what he is going to share.

As a hint you can check out his website


are you excited yet? - well you won't have to wait long.