It's almost time to start sipping hot cocoa, turn on the Christmas carols, and bust out the holiday decorations.  (Who am I kidding, we've been doing that since October.) But for all you folks adhering to a traditional timeline...LET'S GET JOLLY!

As you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal and start thinking about what deals you're going to shop on Friday, I strongly encourage, implore you even, to shop small this holiday season.  Because, let's be honest, Am*zon is doing just fine.

Instead, think of your local coffee shop, your favorite homeware goods joint, your neighborhood plant store, your favorite restaurant in town.  Think of your cousin's Etsy shop, your neighbor's cookie company, the toy store run by the little old couple with the funky glasses.  Think of your local bookstores!!  And perhaps, if you're so inclined, you can feel free to think of me too! 

This holiday, more than ever, think to local businesses when making your shopping list.  Small businesses all over the world are suffering and you have the opportunity to make a huge impact on their businesses.  It might even be the difference of being able to stay open and closing down at the end of the year. Talk about an amazing power you have as a shopper.  Plus, not only are you getting spectacular items that are made with love, you're also going to have far more interesting gifts to give than the latest gizmo from the big box store.   

Here at Kate Talcott Artistry, we'll be having deals for Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, Birthday Sunday (my birthday), Cyber Monday, AND Giving Tuesday.  We even have a little surprise for your on Wednesday because, what can I say, I love to spoil you so.  

So please keep in touch if you want to catch these hot deals.  You can sign up for my newsletter here. Not only do we have adorable cards, stickers, dish towels, mugs, onesies, and notebooks...we also have wrapping paper and gift tags to make your gift look ever so charming.  

In addition to hyping our products, I wanted to take a moment to share some other small businesses this season.  I put out a call on Instagram and Facebook for small businesses who wanted to be featured on the blog.  I asked each of these folks to share one of their featured products for the holiday and a reason why shopping small means so much to them.  I've been sharing them and hyping them the last few days and will continue to do so for the rest of the week, so be sure to pop over to my Instagram Highlights to get all the goodies. 

It has been such a joy to check out all these delightful products and get a peek at what all these amazing shops have in store.  Here is a little video I made highlighting them and below is a list in alphabetical order with a link to their featured product! 

AmandaScripts: I am a calligrapher that provides custom pieces and elements to their party, event or wedding. I also do custom work for personal projects and businesses.

Bellascript Designs: Catie McDermott

Black Fox & Co.: We make and sell bows and headbands for babies and little girls!

Caroline Calligraphie: I'm a calligraphy & fine art studio! For the holiday season, I offer calligraphy prints, custom ornaments, and more!

Cheryl McCaffrey Art & Design: Hand illustrated paper goods & art inspired by nature

Ella Ruth Designs: Sticker, digital portraits, ornaments and other fun products made with love and to remind people to spread kindness and love other well.

Emily Williams Design: Shop Emily Williams Design for custom watercolor pieces that will bring a smile to your face! From art prints, desk accessories, to custom paintings we have it all!

Gert & Co: Gert & Co is your place to find fun, colorful and unique event & wedding stationery, home decor and gifts!

Han Made Good: I make quality accessories to help women feel more confident and put together. Accessories range from scrunchies to headbands, aprons to bags, as well as custom items!

JesMarried: Jessica McGinley

JJ Paperie & Company, LLC: JJ Paperie & Co is a calligraphy & stationery shop based in Hoboken with a love for playful & colorful patterns for greeting cards, prints and more.

Jocelyn Coffee Roasting: Jocelyn Coffee Roasting is a woman owned company that provides ethically sourced, fresh roasted, and delicious coffee. We’re dedicated to supporting women farmers and making a sustainable, equitable industry for all.

Julia Kay Calligraphy: Julia Kay Calligraphy is a boutique calligraphy studio specializing in greeting cards, stickers, art prints & hand-lettered wooden signs!

Kailynn Summer Design: Joyful and thoughtful designs for the home, your love story, and for your brand. I pride myself in providing one-of-a-kind products you're not going to find anywhere else that can become keepsakes for your home for years to come.

Kate Talcott Artistry, LLC: I'm a watercolor artist and my husband and I design paper goods and gifts that are bursting with delight and charm

KelseyMDesigns: Colorful and fun watercolor illustration for the whole family.

Kristin L. Murphy Artist: I'm a watercolor artist telling customer's stories through custom house portraits and pet portraits. I also have a line of paper products from art prints to greeting cards!

Ladychubbletters: I’m a mom who believes that words have the power to change us. And the perfect quote in a bold or beautiful font can be exactly what you need.

mad paperie: Whimsical and bright watercolors to brighten everyone's day!

Presutti Design: I’m a surface designer who offers vibrant, playful, and creative prints and patterns for crafty mama’s, kids lifestyle brands, specialty stationery, and modern housewares.

Puddle and Ink: Serendipitous ink artist in the Pacific Northwest creating colorful things to brighten your day!

Shemazing Designs: Sheena Mays of Shemazing Designs is the Sorceress of Snark. She is a hand letterer and sketch note artist from Akron, OH with a love for color and words. Find cards, stickers and fabulous snarky gifts that say exactly what you were thinking.

Sowing Ground LLC: Sowing Ground is your one stop shop for nature inspired goods for joyful living. Choose from a variety of paper products made from original illustrations or peruse through a selection of handmade goodies like patches and pins.

Studio Soprano: Studio Soprano helps people celebrate and stay connected with lush letterpressed stationery, AKA Better Mail! Gift a monthly membership to the Better Mail Club, a card service that sends you high quality greetings cards AND POSTAGE straight to your door.

Suno Henna: I think every day is beautiful, even if sometimes it’s hard hard to find. So I offer henna temporary body art in personal and party appointments and upcycled henna-inspired home decor to being more everyday beauty into your life!

Talking Out Of Turn: We're a female founded line of colorful gifts made here in North America. We strive to be inclusive while adding a bit of sass to your life!

The Gold Edit: The Gold Edit, AKA Kristen Lukiewski, makes things pretty! I focus on calligraphy and design throughout the year, but during Christmas I like to bring out the big guns, by which I mean: antique Christmas ornament wreaths.

Toques in the Wild: PNW Adventure photographer, we love capturing you, your family, loved ones, and furr babies making memories in the wilderness.

Tusks and Peonies: Edgy and feminist art, stickers, and gifts for awesome people!

Unlost Calligraphy Co.: Based in Austin, Texas, Unlost Calligraphy Co. opened in 2020 and is excited to create personalized ornaments, home decor items, and more! Unlost Calligraphy Co. aims to share the happiness and joy to its customers through beautiful calligraphy.

Wax and Ink: Custom wedding invitations and day of stationery with watercolour, graphic and calligraphy elements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I first started, I didn’t know where to begin, so I found a list like this and started exploring.  Everyone has different tastes, but this is what I like.  As you play around and explore your style, you will probably find things that work better for you, and that’s great! It’s all part of finding your groove. 

In this blog post, I’ll share a little bit about the types of supplies you need to get started with watercolor.  This is mostly aimed toward folks who are a bit more serious and ready to invest a bit of money for high quality supplies, rather than a basic Crayola set.  The one thing about watercolor that I’ve found is that the quality of supplies can make a world of difference.

Be sure to check out the link at the bottom to get my FREE supply list. 

 

PAPER

You can’t just use any paper for watercolor painting.  I mean, you can, but don’t be surprised if the water just slips off the paper and bleeds all over the place.  Here are a few things to consider.

TYPE OF PAPER: 

Watercolor paper is specifically made to allow the water to stay wet on the page long enough for you to work with it, but also to not move around.  There are tiny ridges called tooth on the surface that help grip the water and keep it in place.  There are two types of paper that are most often used.  Cold pressed watercolor paper and hot pressed.  Hot pressed is smooth and dries faster.  Cold pressed has deeper tooth and allows you to manipulate the water and paint a little longer.  I work exclusively with cold pressed watercolor paper.  

WEIGHT: 

You also want a sturdy weight. I use 140 lb cold pressed paper for things I'm going to scan.  I prefer 300 lb cold pressed paper for custom portraits.  The sturdier the paper (aka the higher # lb), the less buckling you’ll have.  Have you ever accidentally dropped your book in the bath and all the pages start to wrinkle? (No?!?! JUST ME?!?!) Well imagine if that buckling happened to your beautiful watercolor painting you just made.  That is why you want a sturdy paper.  

FORM:

Watercolor paper can come in individual sheets, pads like a notebook, or blocks.  A block of watercolor paper is like a pad where there are multiple sheets but all the edges are sealed together.  This also helps your paper from buckling.  There are ways to pre-treat your paper to stop it from buckling, but this is great if you are lazy like me! Sometimes it will still warp a bit if you use a lot of water on the page, but I try to avoid that by putting tape around the edge for some extra security.

BRUSHES 

BRUSH TYPE:

Round: This is what I use for the most part.  These allow you to use pressure to get a really thick stroke and a very thin stroke with a light touch.  I find that these are the most versatile.  

Flat: These are great for getting good crisp lines or filling in a large area with paint.  I don’t use these a ton, preferring the flexibility of the round brush, but some people love them! 

Wash and Mop: If you like doing washes (think sunsets or big meadowy fields) this is going to be a great brush for you.  If you like mostly small detailed painting, this might not be necessary.  I think it is always good to have at least one, just in case.  I don’t use it a ton in my work, but it is really handy when I need it.  It helps you cover a large area with water without parts of your painting drying up first.  

Rigger: These are brushes with really long bristles.  These are good for detail lines and since the hairs separate a lot, it can be good for adding texture.  I don’t like using these as much because I don’t feel like I have as much control, but they can be especially great for watercolor lettering.

Animal hair or synthetic: If you’re vegan, this is a very easy decision.  If you’re not, it can be harder.  When synthetic brushes first came out, while they were cheaper than animal hair brushes, the quality just wasn’t the same, but synthetic brushes have come a long way since then.  There are many wonderful synthetic brushes out there.  If you’re just getting into Watercolor, I suggest synthetic brushes because they are cheaper and still give you incredible control.  

SIZE:

Brushes come in different sizes and what size you get really depends on what you paint.  If you are working on a large scale, you probably wouldn’t really need an itsy bitsy detail brush and a size 1 or 2 would be just fine.  If you are working on a teenie tiny scale, the detail brushes may be the only thing you need.  If you’re just starting out and want a good assortment to cover your bases, I recommend getting a 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 round brush and a size 12 mop brush.

BRAND: 

There are so many brands out there and I have tried a bunch.  In my early days I got a bunch of brush sets off of Amazon trying to find a favorite.  Let me tell you, I got a lot of duds.  Buying brushes is really hard to do online because you can’t quite get a sense for how they spring and wiggle around.  After much trial and error, I’ve found I really like Princeton Select, Princeton Snap, and Princeton Velvetouch brushes.  You can check out a video of my favorite brushes here.

 

PAINT

Okay, so you have your brushes and your paper! You’re almost set to go! Let's talk paint! 

FORM: 

Watercolor paint can come in many different forms.  It can can come in in a tube, like a tube of toothpaste--these come out wet.  It can come in pans, which kind of look like eyeshadow--they are hardened, dry watercolor that you activate by wetting it.  Lastly, you can get watercolor in liquid form, almost like calligraphy ink.  I mostly use tube watercolor for my realistic paintings, since I like the flexibility of painting with wet or dry paint.  I like using liquid watercolor when I am doing watercolor lettering because it helps the paints blend smoothly and requires less set up.

QUALITY: 

Watercolor comes in different quality levels.  There is normal grade watercolor and there is professional grade.  Here is where you don’t want to skimp.  Getting professional grade watercolor makes sure that the paint is really smooth and won’t clump or look grainy (called granulation).  When you’re searching for paint, make sure it says "professional-grade" on it.  If you’re getting paint from a small business, usually in pans, check the reviews.  Some colors perform better than others, just based off of what they are made from.

COLORS: 

This really depends person to person.  If you’re just getting started, you can really get away with a red, yellow, blue, and a black (neutral tint is my preference instead of black). With these four colors, just like you learned in elementary school, you can make most of the colors.  If you paint a lot of florals, you might want to add in a pink and a green.  If you do mostly oceans and skies, you might want some more blue variants.  As you paint more, you’ll find you start to get your favorites. Some of my favorites are: yellow ochre, neutral tint, phthalo turquoise, prussian blue, and oxide of chromium. 

BRAND: 

I really like Winsor & Newton professional watercolors tubes. For liquid paint I like Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Liquid Watercolors.  Liquid watercolor is great for watercolor lettering.  For an opaque white, I will either use a Winsor & Newton gouache or Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed-proof White.  

WATER 

Y’all! This is the easy one! You can use water from your tap and just a couple of cups to hold it! Pro tip - make sure it looks very different from your coffee cup!

 

 

Do you have that friend who always has her act together? She never forgets a birthday, she’s the first to RSVP to events, she even gets her Christmas cards out the first week of December.  You KNOW she isn’t waiting until the last minute for holiday shopping, AND she checked off her whole gift list before the end of cyber Monday!  How the heck does she do it?!?! If you, too, struggle with details like this, I am here to help! 

Here are some tips on how to stay on top of all things holiday.

Gifts

 

It is a good idea to START NOW! Now is the time to get going! Especially if you are looking to get a custom piece made for your loved ones.  Artists need time to get these projects done and if you book your commissioned piece early, they are going to be less rushed on your piece too! You won’t have to pay for rush shipping either.   

Make a list--even if you’re waiting for Black Friday to do your purchase, make a list ahead of time.  I know that my sister loves puzzles, so I know to keep my eye out for any elaborate puzzles that come across my path.  Write down the name of the person, the type of item, and the store you want to get it from.  Sign up for that store’s email list so you get first notice of any products, especially if they only have a limited number.  You’ll probably get a sign-up discount too! When you sign up for my newsletter, you get a sweet welcome coupon code! 

Sending gifts early is especially important this year with all the USPS cuts.  Packages are taking longer than expected to be delivered already and it will only get busier the closer we get to the holidays.

 

Wrapping

 

 

 

There are lots of fun ways to add some festive flair to your holiday wrapping.  You can get fun wrapping paper and add cute gift tags or sprigs of nature if it’s for someone local.  I like to get butcher paper and decorate my own.  I’ll be putting out some Instagram videos to share how I do this soon!  

If you’re wanting to go with an eco-friendly option, you can make gift bags out of fabric! My mom made us some and she just used two rectangles of fabric and sewed a hem with a ribbon inside for a draw string.  Definitely a good beginners sewing project.

If tape is your enemy and you hate wrapping presents, then see if the places you’re shopping at will gift wrap the items for you! We sure do! For just $6.00 we will wrap your present and write any note you’d like and ship it off to it’s destination.  Who needs the paper cuts anyways!?!?!

 

Holiday Cards

 

 

Let’s be real, the holidays are going to look a little different this year.  Many of us will not be traveling to gather with loved ones. Let them know you care with a greeting card!.  Tell them what you loved about the holidays you’ve shared with them and how you can’t wait for a raincheck next year.  

Want something a little more personalized?  You can get a family Christmas card printed.  We are offering a very limited number of family holiday card design slots.  Sign up for yours here.  If you have your heart set on custom holiday cards, now is the time! We can even print out a holiday letter and get your envelopes addressed printed for you--talk about easy! The season is always so hectic, let us handle it for you! 

 

Festive Decorations

 

 

This is my favorite! I have a minor (INTENSE) obsession with the little felty creatures.  This year I am trying to start making my own Christmas Village out of my felty critters! We also got a potted tree that we can bring inside for the season and put back outside to continue growing.  There are so many types of decorations, it can be overwhelming, but think about your style and values.  I love delightful charm and we are trying to find ways to be more ecologically minded so these two elements fit perfectly for our holiday decorations.  Do you love opulence? Maybe a tree with all gold ornaments is for you! If you love snarky sayings bust out the punny decor and you are good to go! Whatever your vibe is, my best hack is to think about the types of things you like and go nuts on the sales after Christmas so you get all your items at a discount! Then you can dream about them the rest of the year! 

 

Aftermath: Thank you notes. 

 

 

Okay, so imagine...Christmas is over.  You’ve cleaned up the wreckage and scrubbed out all the candy cane sticky spots off your couch.  All you want to do is relax.  Oh wait, what is that? The nagging pull of decorum and responsibility?!? Did Aunt Edith get me the candle or the blanket? Who gave your child that toy that sings that you’ve already hid the batteries for? Don’t leave your thank you notes to chance! Keep track of your loved ones generosity with our Thank You Notes and Thank Yule Log(coming soon!)! Never forget a thank you note again! 

 

Whew! How exhausting! I think it's time to sit back with a cozy blanket, some fuzzy slippers, a good book, and a big ol' mug of peppermint hot chocolate! 

  

“I don’t know how you do it? I didn’t even have time to brush my teeth!”

This is something that has been said to me on many occasions when I tell people I’ve just started a business before my daughter turned one.

Helloooo folks! Welcome to my new blog. I thought I’d start off the party by sharing a little bit about how Kate Talcott Artistry came to be! I thought about writing my whole long story, but honestly TLDR, I’ve worn a lot of hats before arriving here: teacher, tutor, waitress, librarian etc. What has stayed constant is that I love learning and trying out new things. Watercolor is an artform that teaches me something new every time I pick up the paint brush.

If you’re wanting to learn a new skill or take your hobby to the next level, I’ll be peppering this blog with great tips and tricks for hobbyists and creatives alike. To kick it all off, here is a list of 7 things that led me to starting my watercolor business.

 

1. My creative drive

I’ve always loved being creative and learning new skills. Whether it was making up plays as a kid, snazzying up a vintage dress for prom, or my affinity for picking up crafty hobbies (friendship bracelets, making iMovies back in the early 2000s, stop motion videos, knitting, felting, scrap booking, hand lettering, quilting etc)--I’ve always like to explore different materials and push the limits to give it my own spin.

 

2. Workshops and classes

I had to learn somehow, right?!?! I took a class at this charming local paper store called Paper Delights with Sarah Simon, also known as The Mint Gardener, and I fell in love with watercolor. I took another class that Sarah was teaching through The Watercolor Summit, where I learned from a ton of different artists and started to learn more about the ephemeral art of watercolor. I was hooked.

3. Lots and lots of practice

Once I had the basics down, it was all about practice. I would spend hours working on the same leaf stroke shape. I would mix colors to see what hue it made. Finally, I bit the bullet and tried not to wince every time I ‘played around’ on my expensive watercolor paper. I learned more about which supplies I liked and didn’t like.

4.Support from family and friends

Andy, my husband, is the most supportive partner I could ask for, he even decided to join the family biz making it a heck of a lot easier to focus on the painting side of things. I also had great examples--both my parents made big career shifts to follow their passions. My dad went from opera singer, to boat captain, to doctor. My mom went back to school in her 40s to become a teacher. They showed me what it looked like to take brave risks and work hard. My friends and family have also benefited from the honing of my craft. Birthday presents have consisted of pet portraits, silly signs, hand-drawn cards, and more.

5. Tough Love

My friend Morgan can be credited as the main catalyst for taking my love of watercolor from hobby to business. She is not a woman to mince words. One day she took me aside for one of her famous “kitchen talks” where you speak of VERY SERIOUS THINGS and told me that it was time. “No more playing around,” she said. I had to take it to the next level. She offered me an opportunity to make a design for her Denver based garden store, Birdsall & Co. After seeing photos of my work in her store,an actual tangible product, I was hooked.

6. A can-do attitude

I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge. Not one to half-ass things, once I made the decision to make my business official we were getting the business license, LLC, and domain name that week. When things started to pick up, I realized that if I wanted this business to grow at the rate I’d hoped, we’d need more manpower. Andy’s marketing background, artistic eye, and keen energy for thorough research and precision makes for an excellent compliment to my planning obsessed, big-ideas brained, creative self.

7. Becoming a mom

I had always planned on being a stay at home mom. You can imagine my surprise when instead of going to bed in those early sleepless nights, I decided instead that I needed to paint. I found that painting gave me a sense of autonomy and fueled a part of me I didn’t know I needed. That and coffee, coffee also was a main source of fuel. (Let us give a big shout out to my Mr. Coffee--the true hero of this story.) My goal in being a stay at home mom was to be home and care for my daughter. Well, this way, we’re doing both. Andy and I have always valued creating a home that is filled with love, care, and creativity. We love that this business allows us to do just that.

Want to hear more from little ol’ me? Sign up for the newsletter to get shop updates, watercolor tips and tricks, and delightful musings from yours truly!