April in Ink: Choosing the Path of the Pen


A collection of hand-drawn gift wrap and stationery by artist Nathalie Portet, featuring a Gothic Victorian rocking horse bag, patterned papers, nature-themed tags, and notecards on a whitewashed wooden table.

April has been a month of returning to my roots while navigating the many paths life offers a creator. From the misty coast of Concón to the discovery of new creative rituals, here is a look behind the scenes at Etch and Ink.

The Wisdom of the Body: A Crossroads

Recently, I found myself at a surprising crossroads. An opportunity arose to bake my cookies for local sales and events—a passion I have perfected over 30 years. However, after two days of non-stop baking in my home convection oven, which only fits 28 cookies at a time, my body began to speak up.

I was reminded of the physical exhaustion that comes with high-volume baking. My body shouted at me that if I chose this path, I would be sacrificing the time and energy I’ve invested into my silversmithing studio and my drawing—crafts I have spent significant time and resources mastering.

The moment I decided to say "no" to the baking venture, something beautiful happened: I immediately made sales on Zazzle for wrapping paper designs I absolutely love. It was an instantaneous reminder that while I love to bake, my heart belongs to the pen and the torch.

Nathalie Portet's silversmithing work bench--a double width bench Nathalie built with repurposed pine wood with jewelry tool organization
My hand-built double width workbench for silversmithing.

A Legacy of Joy: The "Paint Your Own" Tradition

While I’ve decided not to pursue baking as a business, the joy it brings to my family and others' families remains a core part of my story. This Easter, I gifted a "Paint Your Own Cookie" set to a friend traveling to Europe to see her granddaughters. This is a craft I developed years ago to surprise my own children in their Easter baskets, and it remains a tradition to this day, even now that they are 22 years old!

Receiving photos of those adorable little girls having so much fun painting and eating their cookies brought a tear to my eye from immense joy. The older I get, the easier tears flow! It reminded me that baking is for connection and tradition, while drawing and silversmithing are for my professional creative soul.

The Art of the Dip Pen: Back to Basics

I am thrilled to share that I have finally returned to the drawing style I loved during my university years. I’ve ordered a new set of traditional dip pens and ink—a choice that feels like coming home. Unlike uniform technical pens, these nibs respond to the slightest pressure, allowing for a beautiful variation in line thickness. It is a messier, more organic process, and I am loving the "back to basics" energy.

An overhead close-up of a detailed pen and ink lobster illustration in a sketchbook. An artist's hand holds a dip pen to ink the last un-finished antennae. Vintage art tools—a Winsor & Newton black ink bottle, seashells, drafting compasses, and a leather pencil case—are arranged around the sketchbook on a green self-healing cutting mat.
Hand-drawn lobster in pen and ink.

Upcoming Collection: The Shoreline Series

Inspired by a recent family trip to Playa Quiriyuca, I am beginning a new collection centered on lobsters. Literally anything can be the inspiration for my next piece. Exploring the beach’s hidden caves and tide pools with my children and seeing all the crab legs and shells all over the sand near the water got me excited about drawing ocean animals. My mind skipped past the common crab and went straight to the lobster—envisioning them as a bold, sophisticated motif for events like a coastal Lobster Bake rehearsal dinner. My cross-hatching shading technique gives the lobster an edgy spin and will offer something unique for wedding rehearsal dinners and coastal events, something less cutesy and more modern or moody.

A Surge of Creativity: Kombucha & Labels

This month, I also ventured into homebrewing kombucha! My first batch was so delicious it sparked a new desire to build a system to keep the bottles fermenting despite the harsh Concón winter months. It was all fun and games for a while, until the fall weather arrived and my fermentation slowed so much that I got moldy batches three times in a row! I can't tell you how frustrating that was, or, more accurately, how sad. In the beginning, everything always looked good, with signs of a healthy pellicle forming...until it wasn't! Even though I placed my bottles near the internet router on the shelf on the second floor, it just wasn't enough to withstand the drop in temperature at night. The fermentation process slowed down and eventually settled in. But I've got a couple of ideas up my sleeve involving a wooden box and reptile heaters... To be continued!

Three glass 500ml bottles filled with kombucha and natural maracuya fruit for a second fermentation on a granite counter. 500mL bottles of homebrewed Maracuyá Kombucha 

Curating a Vision: Benable

I’ve also officially launched my account on Benable. I’ve created three curated lists that act as "vision boards," pairing my hand-drawn designs with items that share the same chic, minimalistic vibe. I’m excited to report that these optimized lists have already generated their first sales and I made it to the trending list!

  1. Hand-Drawn Soft Gothic Wedding: Full Collection
  2. Moody Zebra Safari Baby Shower Vibes 
  3. The New Chinoiserie: Hand-Drawn Peacock Wedding Inspiration

April’s Gratitude Gallery

My hand-drawn art has traveled to some incredible places this month, and I am so grateful to everyone who chose these designs to be part of their special moments:

  • A Wedding in Pennsylvania: For choosing an extensive Peacock and Magnolia collection to celebrate their big day.

  • A 21st Birthday in California: For selecting the Irish Green wrapping paper for a milestone celebration.

  • A Large Stationery Order in Connecticut: For a bulk request of 100 Red Cardinal note cards.

  • Gothic Table Decor in California: For a 14-set order of Dark Floral Skull Gothic table cards.

  • Global Delivery to New Zealand: For taking my Pastel Pink designs all the globe!

Thank you for being part of this journey. If you’d like to see more of the pieces mentioned above, you can find them in my shop.

Until next month, keep creating.

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