Certificates, Envelopes and Proofreading | |
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CERTIFICATES: When filling in a stack of certificates, I wear a rubber ring on my index finger a bit below the tip. It makes it much easier to take the next one off the stack, especially since I have very short nails. The ring is about 1/4" cut from a rubber thimble, the kind sold in stationery stores for leafing through papers. This may only save a second or two per certificate, but when I'm doing them in lots of 500+ it makes the job seem to go faster. Corinna Taylor, Chicago ____________________ I have even noticed that I make fewer mistakes if I go through the list once doing just the names. I think this approach also saves a great deal of time. When I am entering details onto certificates, I find that many of them require two or even three different pen sizes. I will go through the bunch using the largest pen size, and then the next largest, and so on. As I insert each subsequent piece of data, I proofread the previously entered data until I reach the last piece of information to be placed - this I either check as I go, or check with a quick run through at the end. Karen Ter Har, Melbourne ____________________ If it's a certificate with three lines to fill in, name on top, degree in the middle and date at the bottom...I fill in all the date lines first because I like the dates the least. Then I fill in the degrees and then I do all the names last. By the time I get to the names, I think my lettering is fully *warmed up* so the names turn out best. But, the time saver that I like is by working from the bottom up, I do not use a guard sheet. Maybe some will frown on this, but I really enjoy lettering without a guard sheet, but I would only do it on a three line certificate lettering from the bottom up. Jean/Ellen Wilson ____________________ Interesting, for I read, a long time ago, a similar tip in a calligraphy book - and I'm pretty sure it was William Gardner's book. When doing a piece, with the draft done, and everything being equal, William starts the work on the third line, and when he is fully warmed to his task, and everything is humming along nicely, he comes back and inserts the first two lines. That way, if there are any wobbles or hesitations, they are not so obvious as they would be if they appeared on the first line of the document. Kaz, Melbourne ____________________ It is very easy to become rote, bored and, worse, "less than" with the integrity of your work when you reach a certain percentage of names on certificates. Don't tell me it hasn't happened. When you feel the bland transition approaching, think of a loved one, a son, daughter -a special person in your life- and see them looking proud at their name. It works. For them. For you. Glen Epstein, Ia City ____________________ ENVELOPES: This is not my best tip but it is one I was thinking about today that is so simple but it may be worth a mention for people who are considering getting into the business of envelope addressing. Always stack the envelopes with the flap up so that as you reach one, you have to turn it over, and you will be sure the flap is at the top. The stacks of envelopes are usually in 50's and half of them are turned upside down, which will be a problem if you forget to turn them around. Jean/Ellen Wilson ____________________ Also, when doing sets of double envelopes, I have people make the list for the inner envelope on a separate list. By doing all the inner envelopes together, I make far fewer mistakes than trying to do the sets of inner and outer envelopes at the same time. Some people like to pick up the inner envelopes and start the stuffing before I am done with the outer envelopes. If they are short on time, this gives me a little breathing room. ~Jean/Ellen Wilson ____________________ I have even noticed that I make fewer mistakes on the outer envelopes if I go through the list once doing just the names and then go back and do the addresses. This is especially useful if I am doing the name larger with flourishing and keeping the address in a smaller size. Almost everyone is requesting larger names and smaller addresses these days. Jean/Ellen Wilson ____________________ If clients are giving you a handwritten list, ask them to write it in all caps. There are fewer letters that are similar in caps than in u&lc and it will be easier to decipher and less mistakes will be made. Jacqueline Sullivan ____________________ Ask clients to make a 3x5 card for each person on the list. This way you can read each card individually and there is less likelihood of picking up a zip code or address from the name that follows or precedes the one that you are working on. The client can then use the cards to keep track of gifts, "thank yous" and replies. Jacqueline Sullivan ____________________ My clients love this tip. It seems that there are always some people who return response cards without putting their name on them. Before sending out invites, put a small pencilled number on the back of each response card that corresponds with a number on your list. This way, if someone forgets to put their name on the response card, you can check the number with your list and you will who it came from. Jacqueline Sullivan ____________________ Try using Sumi ink for addressing envelopes. It is a rich black and does not smear as Higgins does. Best Bottle ink is great and can be purchased directly from Oriental Art Supplies Suppliers (800-969-4471) or from Paper and Ink Books (800-PEN-7772) Margaret Harber, NYC ____________________ PROOFREADING: When you are trying to determine if the spacing of your writing is correct, turn your paper around, hold it up to the light and look at it backwards and upside down. It is easier to see the spacing flaws. Mary W. in Connecticut ____________________ Proofreading is very important, and yet it can be difficult, frustrating and downright embarrassing. So, my Pearl of Wisdom will be on that subject. When I am proofing batches of certificates, envelopes, or anything for that matter, I read aloud the information on the piece which I have lettered as I am comparing it to the words on my list. This helps me to stay focused and to see what is actually there instead of proofreading through my eyelids. Also, I try to proofread in silence, sometimes wearing earplugs if I have to. It took my having to pay expensive extra shipping back and forth on a large, richly illuminated testimonial and almost missing the deadline to make a believer out of me. I also ask my husband, one of the world's best proofreaders, to check over important pieces, like a testimonial. (I would never ask him to check 1500 certificates!). A second pair of eyes is an invaluable tool! Diane Jones, Sewanee ____________________ Proofreading trick: start at the last word and read backwards, you will be able to pick out misspelled words easier. Marji Groth ____________________ Never point out where you cleaned up that error or scraped off that letter. ~Margaret (Lammerts) of Totfield | |