Okay, let’s have a raw and honest moment here. We all want to be knights and princesses. ADMIT IT!!!
There is just something romantic and wistful and adventurous about have a family crest. A coat of arms. An ancient family motto emblazoned across archaic symbols passed on through the years from generation to generation. This stuff is freaking COOL.
Having grown up at Renaissance Faires, I am especially susceptible to the siren call of having a personalized family crest created. Then, of course, there was growing up at Disneyland, where that epic family crest shop was located in Fantasyland Square. I would flip through their crest history books and daydream about having my own family crest. I remember scanning the names, wondering wistfully what my future husbands last name would be… little knowing that my future husband lived LITERALLY a block away from Disneyland. (This world is so small!)
So you can imagine my excitement when I recently came into contact with watercolor artist Jamie Hansen. Jamie creates personalized watercolor art that combines parts of vintage coats of arms with historical research to create frame-able coats of arms with 24k gold and silver leaf. Drawn in India ink and painted with watercolor, these can include wedding dates, family mottos, and even personalized symbols!
I commissioned Jamie to recreate our Freeman family coat of arms, but was uncertain if our lines branched from the Irish Freeman crest or the English. So we picked out our favorite elements from each (colors, symbols, layout), and Jamie included the two smaller knight helms to represent our two children, Tessa and Thyme.
The end result is rooted in history, our personal preferences as a unique family unit, and thoughtful artistic interpretation. The result is a stunning masterpiece that we are hanging over our fireplace and will cherish forever, even passing it down to our children down the line. (I had hoped to include a shot of it framed over our fireplace, but I am not thrilled with the frame I bought for it.. going to grab a new one, but I couldn’t wait to share this art with you guys! So enjoy the images of the art in all it’s raw, unframed glory, hehe!)
Here is how it works:
1. After ordering from Jamie, she will present a computer generated sketch for approval.
2. Jamie can adjust fonts, mottos, colors, and parts of the art.
3. After approval of the computer sketch, Jamie begins to draw the piece. (She also likes to send frequent photo updates of the piece in progress, for those of you who are impatient like me!)
Turnaround Time: Roughly 3 weeks, including the collaboration phase.
Here are some of the update shots that Jamie sent me during the production phase. From concept sketch, to start, to finish!
What is great that is you start with work from an an existing image / family crest, but can add symbols of important things in your life, meaningful colors, flowers, animals, and places. These can be completely from scratch or based on an existing piece.
These pieces catch the light and are a bright and personalized way to celebrate your family. I took multiple images from different angles so you can better see the depth that the details have – the gold and silver elements just pop off the page, and I love how they reflect the light. I shared this artwork on my Gingi Freeman Photography blog, because this is an AMAZING idea for wedding gifts to the bride and groom on the wedding day, save the dates, or invitation artwork.
Prices range from $200 – $400 depending on size and complexity. Plan to start about a month in advance so the piece can be completed in time.
You can purchase your personalized art by visiting Jamie’s shop on Etsy at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JamieHansen
This is so neat. I love family crests, there is just something fascinating with learning more about your family history! This is the second post today I have read about a family crest, the other one was a DIY for making your own crest with kids.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Yeah, I remember when ancestry.com was doing a free month trial, I went NUTS tracing Jonathan line, haha. And hey, share that list on the DIY crest with kids, that sounds so cool!!
Way cool. A fun family thing to do.
Have a fabulous day and week. ☺
I love it!! I wish you a very happy day!
Mary María Style
Wow this is really stunning! And fun too, I’m sure 🙂
That is seriously super cool, a great peice to have with such personal value. No idea what mine is, I ahve a weird long russian ish name and not much family history before the revolution.
You should Google it! Lots of cool websites out there with crest information!!
What an amazing piece and I have to agree with you we sll want to be Princess at one point or another.
Right?! It is like some primal need! lol
Oh my goodness, this is so cool Gingi, love the way yours turned out.
Thanks Cheri! I am SO happy with it!!!! <3
Wow, absolutely cool! I love family crests!
Kisses, Paola.
This is such a fun and cool idea, so sweet.
That is so cool! My parents are really into genealogy, so this could be an awesome gift 🙂
Of course, I want to be a knight, I don’t think I would make a great princess, but I would make a rocking knight. OK OK OK, soooo I went to school for Graphic Design, and my Father has been asking me to create a family crest since I picked my major. You just inspired me to create one and give it to him as a Christmas present. Jamie Hansen is crazy talented. She did a great job on your family crest. I have a sneaky suspicion my crest will not be as impressive.
OMG Mary, you HAVE TO share the finished product with me! I would love to see how it turns out!!!!
This is an amazing idea sweetie.
So cool.
kisses
Maggie Dallospedale
Such a beautiful creation. That’s one true talent.
Love the way it came out.
http://www.fashionradi.com
My mom has a family crest that’s centuries old. It’s quite an amazing thing to have passed down through thegeneration .
That is seriously SO COOL. What a treasure!!
Beautiful work! Now you officially have a family crest that in the future everyone will fight over to see who gets it!
Hahahaha, I actually thought the same thing! Like, how do we divy THIS up?? Eeeny meeny miney mo???
Thanks a lot 😀
woooow 😮 This is amazing ! OMG
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Wow, what an awesome idea and it looks so dramatic and cool!!
Have a lovely day 🙂
Rosanna x
This is SO cool! My mom actually has a book written by an genealogist in Ireland on the history of our Irish lineage, we’re O’Neill’s, with our coat of arms on it. She’s so proud of it and has to show everyone in the family who hasn’t yet seen it every time they visit her house, haha. Thanks for sharing, girlie, and I hope you’re having the best week so far!
XO,
Jalisa
http://www.thestylecontour.com
Hahaha, I am the same way. Someone new to the house? LET ME SHOW YOU MY WEDDING ALBUM, AND BABY PICTURES, AND FAMILY CREST AND AND AND…. 😉
Oh wow, that is so cool and a perfect gift!
Have a great day,
-Kati
Almost Stylish
This is seriously so cool! Your family crest looks so regal!
Thanks Rowena!!! I LOVE IT!
😉
Ficou muito legal!
Ótima quarta!
Beijo! ^^
That is really neat. My family crest would include a lot of chocolate treats.
Hahahaha, it would, wouldn’t it?!?!?!
I have always wanted to be a princess and I did quite a lot of family history research with my father back in the days, so I know our family heritage and crest. Would be nice to have it painted.
You should!! It is such a fun source of pride and heritage!!!
This is really cool. Thank for sharing it.
Gemma x
http://www.jacquardflower.uk
The family crest is so neat, dear! Love the artwork! xoxo
This is such a cool thing to do! I love how regal and noble it looks! My nanna loathed tattoos and always threatened to throw us out of the will if we got any. Her favourite grandson got around this by having the family crest tattooed on his arm clever bugger!
Hey, if you are going to get a tattoo, that is certainly the way to do it! That is a noble kind of rebellion right there, haha!
This is so cool.
http://societyfix.blogspot.com.eg/
This turned out so cool, lady!
-Ashley
That is so cool! I’ve always liked those family crests.
Great post https://bysinkj.blogspot.com
Oh how awesome! I love your crest, and the idea of a family crest is amazing.
This is so unique 🙂 I love your unusual your blog is, you cover such a range of topics!
aglassofice.com
x
Hahaha, I try!!!
Have a lovely weekend!
Kisses, Paola.
That is just so cool! 😀
It’s really cool!
Have a great weekend!
http://www.recklessdiary.ru
wow che meraviglia
Seeing things like this are rare these days, so I love looking at the colors and reminders of family history. Thanks so much for sharing Gingi! Hugs…
*hugs back atcha!*
Thanksy a lot 😀
As I said, this is super interesting my friend 😀
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oh wow! looks very nice! I adore such family images, very creative way
i didn’t realize that family crests were a thing until i went to a cultural summer school as a kid and they asked us to bring ours in to do art with it (at which point i realized my family didn’t have one, lol). maybe it’s time to just make one?! traditions have to start somewhere (; also didn’t know about the crest store in disneyland until a couple months ago (despite gong too much oops), but it was cool and unexpected when i did stop in!
Thats so cool that it is still there, they took it down for awhile and replaced it with kids costumes and hats and such…. really happy to see it back! Hope they bring the jewelry store in New Orleans Square Disneyland back too!!!
Wow, it sounds really unique and interesting and I’m more than sure that such a crest will be perfect gift to celebrate any family’s events.
This is cool gift idea. I have always been fascinated by family crests and coat of arms. The tradition is steeped in history.
LaToya
http://www.toyastales.blogspot.com
Yeah, me too! It is something that needs to be preserved, too many people get away from their roots!
Oh wow, what a cool idea, and I like that he does some of the research. I would like to get my family history done one day. And yeah I use to the Renaissance Faires every summer with my friends.
Allie of ALLIENYC
http://www.allienyc.com
I LOVE Ren. Faires… we are trying to get our family much more involved in them… they are the BEST!!
How did you read my mind? Lol. I admit to being fascinated by Royal life and the nicer aspects of it. Side note: this is also my blog: http://katemiddletonjewelry.com
I wouldn’t mind having a personal crest or seal. It’s formal and fun, and it allows you to make your letters and other official items look more impressive. I kind of wish it were socially acceptable for us to use crests in the U.S.
Ohhh, will have to check your other blog out!!! You totally CAN have a crest in the US (where I am, haha)… just do it! Buck the norm! BE A REBEL!!! hehehe…
wow, looks unusual and charming!
http://www.infashionchains.com
Great post dear <33
very beautiful print
new post on my blog
kisses