Why Maria Started Deco Ink Designs

A hobby sparked by inspiration!

As a busy mom of 2 under two, I was longing for an outlet in August 2015. I was looking for a healthy way to unwind and de-stress… a hobby! Gosh who knew a hobby would bring so many opportunities, let alone an Instagram tag that would change my life.

In the midst of postpartum depression and anxiety, my best friend tagged me on an Instagram post by @handletteredabcs. They were hosting a monthly challenge to post your own calligraphy on Instagram. It was then that I was inspired to start calligraphy as a hobby. Every evening when my husband would arrive from work, I’d hand over the baby duties and get to lettering.

Where my calligraphy journey first began - with pen and paper!

Learning from the best on Instagram

I learned from so many up and coming calligraphers like

The @handletteredABCs
@anintran Nina Benito (The Best Teacher!)
@piecescalligraphy Sharisse DeLeon
@lhcalligraphy Laura Hooper
@angeliqueink Angi Phillips
@pascribe Paul Antonio
@jennarainey Jenna Rainey

Lefty Calligraphers to follow:

All were amazing teachers and super inspirational! I eventually started my own calligraphy Instagram where I would post all of my progress. I’d practice 3-4 times a week for 4-5 hours a night! Within 3 months of posting, the inquiries started rolling in for invitations and calligraphy chalkboard signs. Even logo designs were a request!

Guys, the possibilities and opportunities are endless with calligraphy!

I started an Etsy account for invoices in 2016 and eventually was fulfilling 40 orders a month selling my hand lettered laser cut signs. Yes! Laser cut calligraphy signs! When I heard from a colleague at work in mid 2016 that I could turn my calligraphy into an actual physical item I was intrigued!

Learning how to use the laser was like learning calligraphy all over again, though. Fail after fail, hours upon hours of frustration. Every time I wanted to quit, my desire to feel accomplished made me try again and again. Luckily I was a member at the Chandler Az TechShop where I had experts guide me through my problems. It was expensive to keep my membership there but was worth all the money and hard work!

The Techshop was the place to be in 2016! They housed universal and epilog lasers, 3D printers, sewing machines, a water jet machine, a woodshop and just about any machine needed to print on shirts!

Unfortunately they closed their doors in late 2017 which forced me to place my Etsy shop on pause for a full month. On the verge of giving up, my husband gave me the greatest news on the eve of my 29th birthday and told me he wanted to help my business by investing in it!

With the loss of my father in law in April 2017 and then the loss of a business venture, we decided to give it all we had and invested in a laser cutter. I quit my high-paying corporate job to fulfill my dream and haven’t looked back.

Now, most of my projects include my iPad and my laser cutter.

From hobby to full time career

Inspired by the pressure to not let my family down and making my father in law proud, I quit my full time job and went full force on my business!

My daily job tasks were writing calligraphy names on my iPad, vectorizing the hand lettered names on Adobe Illustrator and laser cutting them on my universal laser cutter.

Every order was different! I was fulfilling orders for cake toppers, nursery names, backdrop signs, place cards and more! I initially fulfilled laser cut orders on our handpicked 1/4” wood before eventually changing to thinner wood to make it more affordable.

Then I learned about clear acrylic and fell in love!

It’s so shiny, pretty and versatile! In fact my Etsy shop sells clear acrylic table numbers, menus and place cards for calligraphy needs!

As of today Deco Ink is still using our hand picked 1/4” and 1/8” wood along with an array of acrylic colors. We love it all! Acrylic is shiny and pretty but breaks really easily and wood is sturdier but has its natural flaws.

Today, Deco Ink has three main passions

We teach calligraphy at a local art shop, run an Etsy shop to support calligraphers around the US, and create custom wedding laser cut signs for local Arizona brides!

Aside from those main passion projects, we also create signage for party planners in Arizona including Parties on Purpose and Create and Inflate.

We love our job and wouldn’t trade it for anything!

As the creator and CEO of Deco Ink my heart goes out to all the mothers, no matter if they’re working moms or stay at home moms! It all takes so much dedication and passion!

My vision for Deco Ink

My vision for Deco Ink is to continue to be a support for others! Whether they’re learning calligraphy for the first time, need materials for their calligraphy projects, or are looking for someone to bring their vision to life, I’m here for it all!

My future passion projects are making Christian-based home decor with my calligraphy, teaching calligraphy online and making Deco Ink fonts, and gathering a community of like-minded mothers that strive to be better parents while breaking free of mom guilt!

There’s just so many possibilities and such little time!