Proudly Filipino 
Whether you’re a hearts-and-flowers kind of person or not, there’s no doubt that you’ll be seeing a lot of those this Valentine month.
Just visit any mall, and you’ll be sure to find hearts, Cupids, and flowers staring at you from every restaurant and store. So to keep up with the trend, your business should consider joining in on the fun and bringing the look and feel of this iconic holiday to your shop.
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Partnering with Te Amo Floristeria, Globe myBusiness is all set to help businesses in preparing for the month of Hearts. The Introduction to Brush Lettering and Boxed Flower Arrangements workshop was recently conducted for entrepreneurs who want to enhance their businesses during the season of love, or for those hobbyists who just want to experience something new.
Since this month is all about flowers and handwritten letters, Ina Estrada, a bank teller turned branding designer for Te Amo Floristera, believes that brush lettering can add that extra “oomph” to your product packaging, or to gifts for your loved ones. Here are some tips that she provided:
- Choose the right tools.
From brush pens to felt tips, Ina showed the different kinds of tools that can be used in creating your own handwritten brush lettering. Although she stated that style depends on the artist’s preference, it’s still important to know the basic strokes, colors, and styles that these different tools can come up with.
During the workshop, she provided a simple brush pen and a felt tip copper pen to the participants. “I like giving my students pens that are accessible to everyone, ones that you can buy in the bookstores,” she said. Expensive pens are pretty, but not really required. Once it’s executed on paper, it really doesn’t show any difference.
- Add your own style.
Although Ina provided worksheets where the participants could copy her handwriting for practice, she said that there’s nothing wrong with adding your own style. “If you copy my handwriting and don’t add your own style, then every brush lettering [piece] will be the same,” she stated. Adding your own twist to the design can make it unique, which in turn can add the extra charm that improves your work.
- Practice, practice, practice.
Even though Ina is what we can call an expert in brush lettering, she shared that in order to get to where she is, she spent about 10,000 hours in practicing her craft. The creative process never stops. Even experts spend hours and hours learning and trying to make their work better. She pushes her students – and you – to do the same.
After learning how to design their letters, it was time to learn how to arrange flowers for this month-long Valentine season. Te Amo Floristeria is known for its high quality flowers imported from countries like Holland, Japan and China, and its signature packaging, which doesn’t need a vase. For this workshop, they gave their participants sunflowers as centerpieces for their boxed flower sets. Participants were allowed to choose the colors of their boxes and flowers, and to freely design their own arrangements.
As the workshop progressed, entrepreneurs and crafters alike were introduced to this delicate and inspiring art, and many of the small businesses expressed that this workshop gave them that competitive edge that will leave a mark in the consciousness of their customers.
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Winniefred Hui, one of the owners of Meraki Jewelry who attended the workshops, emphasized that in this world of mass-production and machines, handmade products are very rare. They have a certain charm, and she believes that this workshop could bring that much-needed charm back to the business world. Another participant, Erika Chan, whose family owns Kimono Ken, believes that the workshop could help keep their restaurant in theme for the Valentine month. Appealing to customers and lets enhancing the dining experience even further.
So even if flowers and letters aren’t for you this season of love, who said you couldn’t put them to good use? Globe myBusiness can help you turn this hobby into a skill to spice up your present and future business ventures. Work your way towards flowers and brush letterings this February — your customers will certainly love the handmade touch.
For more business tips, and advice straight from our industry experts, check out our website and subscribe to Globe myBusiness’ myBizKit.
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