Since I was the little girl in the silhouette above, I’ve been obsessed with all things paper and personal! I can still remember the first set of personalized stationery I received as a gift (my name in green with a border of pink hearts), and I used to torment the mailman by handing him undeliverable letters with hand drawn “postage”. While most girls grew up dreaming of that perfect wedding dress, I dreamed of beautifully addressed envelopes, elegant hand lettered place cards, and my new monogram on, well, everything! I’ve saved every note and card I’ve ever received, and while I’ve been responsible for creating quite the storage problem at times, I just can’t bring myself to throw out a handwritten expression of love from a friend or family member. 

When I decided to change my name to Rose at the age of six, I crafted homemade cards and announcements to inform my family, friends, and first grade class of my new name. Although I decided a week later to stick with the name Cara, it wasn’t until 2009 that I realized that my life long obsession with paper, ink, and personalization made a lot more sense if I took it seriously, and so Dear Rose Studio was born.

 I’ve studied calligraphy at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, and continue to expand my hand lettering skills in classrooms as well as through self-study. My work is unique because it is based on traditional alphabets but personalized with custom flourishes and accents that reflect the style and feel of each project. 

My experience in fundraising, non profit development and advancement, and event planning and coordination means that the items I create for your event are not only perfect down to the most finely detailed flourish, but also connect logistical dots, creating a seamless guest experience and event flow. Dear Rose Studio also offers a variety of event services, including design, styling, planning, day-of coordination, and brand activation and experience management.

 I am a member of The Washington Calligraphers Guild, Masscribes, and The International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers & Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH).