Samples of Fritz’s gorgeous work: envelopes, rubber stamps, a chalkboard-style menu, and tags. Photographs courtesy of Meant To Be Calligraphy.
We’ll admit it, receiving a gorgeous, calligraphed envelope thrills us every time, and we’re really impressed by those who can create the gorgeous lettering. That’s why we were delighted to talk with Michele Hatty Fritz, the talented artist behind Meant To Be Calligraphy.
Fritz has loved calligraphy ever since taking her first class as an elementary school student. But her career took her in a different direction; she worked as a journalist for 15 years at such publications as USA Weekend Magazine and the Washington Post. She continued to do calligraphy work here and there, and in June 2009 decided to start her own calligraphy business.
“I decided to trade one sort of writing for another,” says Fritz. “And I’ve loved every minute of the past two years!”
Fritz letters wedding envelopes, of course, but she also works on invitations, menu cards, signs, seating cards, escort cards, programs, as well as other, more unique materials.
“A maid of honor hired me last summer to write out the toast she had given at her best friend’s wedding,” says Fritz. “The toast was so well-composed and heartfelt that I suggested that I write it out and bind it into a small book to give to the happy couple. Both the maid of honor and the newlyweds were so delighted, which made me so happy.”
One of Fritz’s newer projects has been creating custom calligraphy return address rubber stamps (see photo, top right).
“Whenever I send packages, I write out the address labels in calligraphy,” says Fritz. “I kept hearing back from the recipients that they liked the labels so much they actually kept them—that got me thinking that perhaps people might like to have a way to add a bit of beauty to their own letter- and package-sending endeavors.”
Brides often look ahead to after their wedding, asking Fritz to design stamps using their new, married name and address, planning to use them in lieu of return address labels for thank-you notes (they also make a great wedding present). Stamps featuring just a family’s last name are also available, which could be used to adorn plain notecards, gift tags, even cocktail napkins.
Visit Meant To Be Calligraphy’s Web site to view more of Fritz’s work, and visit her Etsy site to purchase custom stamps.
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