Meet Lindsey Bugbee, the incredibly talented owner and designer of The Postman’s Knock. Lindsey is a pleasure to work with and ever provides the flawless calligraphy and artistic touch to many of our brides’ wedding invitation suites. Her designs are completely custom to the bride’s vision, and as you will read, are sure to have you anticipating the local postman’s knock! We met Lindsey through a friend, Jessica Backus, with Bash Factory and the rest is history. We were immediately inspired by Lindsey’s work and friendly demeanor; and we knew our brides would feel the same. So today, we want to take the time to celebrate Lindsey at The Postman’s Knock by introducing her with a little Q&A:
1. What inspires you? And what inspired you to begin practicing calligraphy and design?
I find inspiration in almost anything. For example, I was watching Sherlock Holmes the other night, and the end credits are very cool! (A vintage illustrated ink spatter look.) I actually took a couple of screenshots to store for future reference because I think it would make a cool save the date or invitation suite concept. Pinterest has been a godsend for me; it’s a wonderful place for me to store all the graphics that get my creative juices going.
My greatest inspiration is my clients. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. They’re the ones who give me ideas to build upon. For example, a few months ago one of Melanie’s brides contacted me about a letterpress save the date design. I had her create a Pinterest board of design elements and invitations she liked, and in that way I was able to determine that this particular bride loves sophisticated shine. I knew that gold foil stamping would be perfect for her! With that in mind, she and I talked design. At one point, she mentioned that her fiancé is from Iran, and he expressed a fondness for skyline-type designs. A lightbulb went off in my head, and I proposed an Atlanta skyline comprised of a Persian-inspired design motif. The final result utilized magenta letterpress with gold foil stamping to render an eye-catching and clever save the date design.
As far as what spurred my interest in calligraphy and design … well, it’s always been there. I grew up in rural Kansas on what you would probably call a homestead. It was very quiet, and I had to figure out how to entertain myself. Eventually I discovered that making art was a great way to have fun. My mother didn’t mind letting me draw or paint on certain walls, and we had a sand driveway that I could make line drawings in after it rained. My grandmother used to color and paint with with me, and I remember watching her and thinking, “I wish I could keep inside the lines like that!”
I think that pretty penmanship comes with being able to draw. If you can convincingly depict a 3D object onto a 2D object (e.g. draw a sunflower on a piece of paper), you can write. It just takes a steady hand and some practice! I don’t use traditional calligraphy styles, though; I like making up styles as I go. Often I create new styles depending on the client and what I think will be best for their event.
2. When did you open “The Postman’s Knock” for business?
I opened The Postman’s Knock in September of 2012, a year and a half after I graduated college. The Postman’s Knock started as a little Etsy shop with only a baby shower invitation, an offering for custom logo design, and a few fledgling wedding envelope calligraphy listings. I decided to name my business “The Postman’s Knock” for two reasons:
1. I want people to be excited to receive packages from my design studio (and effectively look forward to hearing “the postman’s knock” on their door).
2. I am on a mission to make mail feel like a gift; when wedding invitees, for example, receive a wedding suite, my goal is to make the experience one of opening a gorgeous package rather than an ordinary letter. I am focused on making the mailbox a place of beauty rather than just a place where people receive bills and catalogs.
Now, The Postman’s Knock {affectionately abbreviated as “TPK”} has morphed into mainly a wedding design studio. I love creating wedding materials — save the dates, suites, menus, logos, etc. — and working with brides, grooms, and event planners. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Sweet Meadow because Melanie was the first event planner I ever worked with! I have collaborated on budget-friendly digitally printed suites, sumptuous letterpress suites, and even a completely hand-written suite. The thing that I offer that most designers can’t is matching envelope calligraphy: I create invitations in a unique style tailored to the bride and groom, and then I write on the envelopes in such a way that the invitation matches the envelope.
3. Tell us a little about what it’s like living in Colorado. (i.e., what is the view like from your workspace?)
Well … living in Colorado is very comfortable for me. I live in Boulder, which is about 30 minutes from Denver. Because I grew up in western Kansas just minutes from the Colorado border, we visited Denver (which was a three-hour drive away) quite a bit — my high school even took yearly field trips to the art museum there!
I cannot tell a lie: I’m not a skier or snowboarder … but I do hike in the Flatirons once in a while, and I enjoy taking advantage of Boulder’s walking and running paths.
The best part about living in Colorado is the food. Boulder in particular has absolutely amazing restaurants (it was named “America’s Foodiest City” by Bon Appetit) and an unlimited amount of cuisines for such a small city — Nepalese, Ethiopian, Cuban, Colombian, Argentinian … anything you can think of, really. Pizzeria Locale has the best pizza I have ever tasted — and I studied abroad for a semester in Italy!
If you visit Colorado, I wholly recommend a visit to Pearl Street, Boulder’s downtown area. It’s packed with unique shops and restaurants, and in the summer street performers keep it interesting by juggling fire and telling jokes.
It’s probably cliché, but the view from my workspace is mountains. Boulder is nestled in the mountains, so when I look out the window I see them. Of course, I see them enough that I generally just tune them out (which is sad!); but once in a while, I actually “look” — and I think, “Wow. I live here.”
4. You are a multi-talented artist. Are there any other hidden talents or hobbies that you’d like to share with us?
That’s a very nice compliment … thank you! I think that everyone can be considered a multi-talented artist in some way, though. Life takes creativity, period. One of my other channels for creativity is cooking; if you couldn’t tell from my love for the restaurants here in Boulder, I really enjoy eating (who doesn’t?!). I have harnessed the power of Pinterest to categorize and comment on my favorite recipes, and I make as many things from scratch as possible, whether’s it’s brioche buns, pad thai, or homemade pitas with schwarma and hummus. I also make a lot of Peruvian food because my partner is Peruvian, and he loves to eat comfort food like seco de carne (cilantro stew) and arroz con leche (rice pudding). He’s been begging me to make cuy (guinea pig, a Peruvian favorite), but that’s not going to happen!
5. What was your first experience with weddings?
When I was in college in Lawrence, Kansas, I occasionally catered on the weekends for Evan Williams Catering. Evan lives in a large estate in the middle of Lawrence, so in addition to catering, she planned and hosted events. It was there that I saw just how much time, energy, and, frankly, money, goes into executing the perfect event. It was also there that I saw how much all three of those elements could accomplish: the weddings that Evan helped to coordinate were pure fairytale-like magic and a far cry from the weddings in Morton buildings that I had experienced in rural Kansas. Once in a while, I would create calligraphy place cards for Evan’s buffets … but the thought to offer those services to clients all over the world never occurred to me (I was a college student, after all).
Now that I am in the weddings business as owner of The Postman’s Knock, I get to help in varying degrees to make events stunning with my fondness for illustration and calligraphy. Some clients have me create all of their materials, from save the dates to menus to thank you cards; and others just need me for a few elements. The best part about what I do is being able to be a part of so many weddings: I have sent custom materials to Australia and New Zealand, England, Singapore, Canada, and all the major US cities.
Ladies and Gentleman, The Postman’s Knock. Thank you, Lindsey!