I used to be able to write quite well in caligraphy, but it's been so long since I've used it that I've forgotten most of the techniques. I learned from a kit I had bought that included a fountain pen, instructional book, and paper. This was about 15 years ago, but I'm sure such kits still exist. I can still do it to some extent, but mostly with small print. When I try to write big for titles, it looks horrible. Maybe I'll re-teach myself!! THanks for the idea! :)

I've been doing calligraphy for over 30 years, both as a practitioner and a teacher. My suggestion is to go to a local crafts store and pick up a beginning book, the ones by Ken Brown are adequate for a beginner. His books teach a simple italic hand which is an excellent start. After all you must learn to walk before you run! I tried to teach myself calligraphy from a book all those years ago, but to be honest I found it impossible. The craft store or local community college should offer a calligraphy class, invest in that experience. Calligraphy is a visual art but many of the concepts become crystal clear with an instructor. The class was invaluable to me. I went on to do some study under Tim Botts, who is a well-known calligrapher who has made a career with a religious publishing company. His work is spectacular. It's alot of fun and has provided me with many hours of enjoyment and at points in my life it also provided an income. The secret is practice, practice, practice. All the shapes and strokes will become second nature after awhile. The felt tip calligraphy pens are good for practice but nothing can beat the old pen and ink for drama and crispness. Good luck. Let us know how you do.

I suppose I should have said, other pieces that distract the eye from the bird lithographs. I'm not saying the other pieces aren't good in their own right, but they are not your prized lithos. The lithos are small and need to be seen as a more compact unit. Because birds are your theme, I still think the other birds (which don't compliment, even though they do relate to the prints,) should be sprinkled around the room. Kind of like sprinkling your accent color throughout a room; the same goes for any themed collections. For example in a display cabinet, you usually place the major matching group together as a focal unit and then judiciously arrange other individual pieces more randomly. Here are some examples of how much attention a tighter grouping demands. If you are unable to square up your lithos without more of them, you might consider where you could hang them vertically like the last photo. Then hang a really large bird print over your sofa to set the theme.

Yes, crocheting is probably easier to learn and you don't have to worry about dropping stitches. But I beg you, please don't waste your money on either of those "kits". The one that has 8 "bon bons" gives you about 66 yards per bon bon. And you'll get even less per bon bon for the kit with 24 bon bons. Less than 22 yards, a mere third of the 8 bon bon kit. They would be lucky to crochet a 3" x 3" swatch with one of those. I crocheted this swatch with 66 yards of worsted weight, which is just a teensy bit finer than the DK provided in the kit and an "H" hook. It's about 5" x 7". I crocheted this piece with 66 yards of worsted weight and a "J" hook, like one provided in the kit. It's about 4" x 8". Neither of those pieces is enough to make anything. And I looked at the ebooks they provide in the kit. The only patterns you will get are for children. You would be much better off picking up a 4 ounce (or even larger) skein of worsted weight or DK yarn (maybe a variegated) and a couple of hooks (I'd suggest G & H) and a book that will actually teach them to crochet. You can purchase an inexpensive book that will give them the basics of crocheting. Don't bother with a book of patterns just yet. There are so many free patterns online. Have them learn to chain, single crochet double crochet, and half-double crochet. Let them start off making a chain as wide as they would like a scarf and just go to town, back and forth with either the single, double, or half-double stitch. One hefty skein will be more than enough to make a scarf. Seriously, look at the size of a bon bon. That's not a tightly wound ball of yarn. It's a puff of yarn. That hand could probably compress it to less than half its size. I'm sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but even at half the price, it's a waste of money. And I DO hope the girls learn to crochet or knit and LOVE whichever you choose.