Lifestyle :: Getting Creative with the Nespresso Festive Collection

I can’t believe Christmas is just a few more days away! The holiday season always gets me in the mood for some arts and crafts. Whether it be decorating some freshly baked cookies, curating personalized baskets, or getting creative with my paint strokes, there is nothing more special then adding a few homemade touches when it comes to holiday gifting.

While enjoying a cup of Paris Black from the latest limited festive release of Nespresso Parisian Gourmandise, a collection of coffees and espressos inspired by Parisian patisserie, I was mesmerized by the design of the black and white capsule resembling that of a kaleidoscope created in partnership with renowned French architect and designer, India Mahdavi.  The patterns she created for this entire collection were made up of curvy lines and straight edges which I found to be similar to those you’d find nestled between letters in calligraphy.

With this thought in mind, I was urged to create a set of DIY Holiday Calligraphy Cards, perfect as a companion to holiday gifts (a Nespresso machine perhaps?) to family and friends!

You might be intimidated by the thought of hand-lettering, well, don’t! It only requires a bit of practice, a few drawing utensils, and some Christmas music in the background to spark that extra level of creativity! Might I add, brewing a cup of delicious black peppery Nespresso Paris Black coffee from your Vertuo machine might also help with maintaining your concentration level considering it exhibits an intensity level of 11!

A couple of years ago, I had bought a fancy calligraphy set with a proper pen, tip attachments, ink and all. To this date, it’s still sitting in my closet, collecting dust. What I’ve learned from this recent experience is that calligraphy can be achieved with just a few simple tools such as a pad of paper, a pencil, eraser and markers. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

I recommend researching a few samples online, printing them out and tracing them over with pencil. Once you’re comfortable with a few different lettering styles, draw your own with pencil, making adjustments where needed and go over with markers, just as I’ve done!

If some of you are thinking, “I can’t do that, I’m so not artistic,” you’re wrong! Much of my creativity comes from trial and error. Do you possibly think these were created on my first attempt?!

Over the years, I’ve come to observe that pairing a familiar routine with the creative process helps me actually become more creative. For example, to some people perhaps it’s having a shower, walking the dog or a few minutes of meditation. In my case, it’s having a cup of coffee! The smell of coffee is so comforting and it immediately sends a readiness signal to my brain.

Whether you’re looking to exercise your creative muscles this holiday season, still seeking for the perfect gift, or maybe merely just trying to find some time to unwind, I hope you’ll consider a tasty cup of Nespresso Paris Black coffee, easily brewed with a tap of a button in the privacy of your own home.

Happy Holidays! (PS head on over to Instagram for a chance to win your very own Nespresso VertuoPlus Machine!)

Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with Nespresso Canada.