Sunday Reading for November 13, 2022

1. Pelikan Hubs Are Back! (via Pen Addict). Pelikan Hubs are this week! I’m the Nashville-area Hubmaster, so if anyone is interested in joining and you haven’t signed up, just let me know.

2. Fountain Pen Myths (via Rachel’s Reflections). I didn’t even know that some of these were “myths” about fountain pens! An interesting read, especially if you’re new to pens.

3. What Makes a Stationery Purchase “Good”? (via mnmlscholar). I think I lean more towards a “staying power over time” standard, personally.

4. Monteverde Sweet Life Blue Velvet Cake (via Dapprman). Blue Velvet Cake was one of the most popular “Sweet Life” inks back when this series was first released a few years ago.

5. Montblanc Patron of the Arts Moctezuma Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). Why not include a review of a crazy high-end, completely out-of-reach pen this week?

6. November Foliage Ink Palettes (via Mountain of Ink). So here in Tennessee we’ve gone from November feeling like September to November feeling like, well, January, but we did get a short glimpse of fall foliage last month!

7. Vintage EF Blackwing 602 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Believe it or not, I’ve never used an original EF Blackwing. I do use a lot of pencils, but I guess the hype and the current cost for an original just got to me.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I turned my attention away from Fountain Pen Day (which was all-consuming, yet insanely successful - thanks y’all!). I wrote my annual paen for the ballpoint pen, which is my No. 2 writing instrument of choice, as well as a post comparing five of my current favorite ballpoint refills.

New This Week In the T.G.S. Curated Shop!

2023 Planners from Traveler’s Company have dropped, as well as 2023 limited and special addition accessories including the pencil board. Yesterday, I added a huge batch of Field Notes, including some of the best-looking editions I’ve seen in quite some time. In addition to the Hatch Show Print collaboration - which of course I’m going to stock because, well, Nashville - the covers on the “Underland” and “Signs of Spring” editions might be among my favorites. The Reporter-style “Front Page” and “Heavy Duty” editions also make a return to the regular non-limited edition lineup. Finally, be sure to keep an eye on the “Gently Used” section, as I’ve been regularly cycling pens, paper, and more that I’m clearing out of both my personal stash and the store review sample stash.

Field Notes

Penwell

Lochby

Rhodia

Consider T.G.S. Patreon - New “Gently Used” Items in the Patreon Shop!

For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation via shop purchases, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5 (with a discounted annual option) and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. For Fountain Pen Day I added a handful of pens, as well as the last of my pocket notebook stash, to the Patreon store, which backers will want to check. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!

Sunday Reading for November 6, 2022

1. Fountain Pen Day: Pens I’d Run into a Burning Building For (via A Fleeting Ripple). Last week was Fountain Pen Day, when the community gathers each year to celebrate our favorite writing instruments. I’ve enjoyed reading how everyone celebrates, this post included.

2. Fountain Pen Day Giveaway! (via Well-Appointed Desk). You have until Tuesday to get in on this KWZ giveaway, with two of their best-known inks.

3. A Pilgrimage to NYC’s Fabled Yoseka Stationery (via mnmlscholar). I’ve yet to visit Yoseka, but it’s top of my list for the next time I’m in NYC.

4. Flax Pen to Paper - Road Trip! (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I enjoyed getting to meet the Flax team in San Francisco, and look forward to visiting their shop next time I’m in LA.

5. 2022 Scriptus Pen and Writing Show (via Rachel’s Reflections). Scriptus is the single-day show in Toronto, which content-wise looks like an amazing show but the crowds were certainly something to behold.

6. Travel First Class with the Onoto Magna Greenwich (via UK Fountain Pens). Ok, so I need to pick up an Onoto for review. The GMT function probably doesn’t interest me from a pen perspective, but it’s still a creative addition.

7. Pocket Size Review: Benu Minima Skulls and Roses (via Penquisition). It’s been a while since a Benu has grabbed my attention, but these did immediately. I may have to pick one up.

8. Ink-a-Pet: Sleeping Cat and Little Penguin (via KraftyKats). Chloe reviews the Ink-A-Pet ink vial holder, which appears to be the product that every true pen and ink enthusiast never knew they needed. Plus the post has a discount code!

9. Cartier Pasha Fountain Pen Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). I have a custom pen that features a vintage Cartier gold nib, which I absolutely love. The nibs are indeed on the smaller side but they’re excellent writers.

10. Finer Things: Ferris Wheel Press Ink Collection (via A Fleeting Ripple). Ferris Wheel Press has been killing it lately with their latest ink series in some extremely interesting colors.

11. A Few Bloggiversary Thoughts (via Fountain Pen Blog). I always love reading blog origin stories and what drew people to this hobby.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I took a second look at the Aurora Optima fountain pen, and also looked generally at why I like this pen so much: the style. I also reviewed the Opus 88 “Minty,” a new model from Opus that’s been making the rounds, and shares the same general “streamlined flat top” profile that I enjoy so much with the Optima.

View fullsize

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Enter the Fountain Pen Day Giveaway and Take Advantage of the Ongoing Promotions: They End Tonight at 11:59pm CT!

The big news this week in the shop was the launch of our various Fountain Pen Day offers, plus a general discount of 10% on most items. Visit the Fountain Pen Day post for details. We also added a bunch of new products from Hightide Japan to the Curated Shop, including the “Attaché” pocket fountain pen, as well as new colors and designs of the melamine pen trays, a restock of the Sandglasses in the larger sizes, and all colors of the folding metal bookstands. Stay tuned as we gear up for the Holiday Shopping Season (which may already be underway)!

Penwell

Hightide Pens

Opus 88

Traveler's Company

Consider T.G.S. Patreon - New “Gently Used” Items in the Patreon Shop!

For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation via shop purchases, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5 (with a discounted annual option) and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. For Fountain Pen Day I added a handful of pens, as well as the last of my pocket notebook stash, to the Patreon store, which backers will want to check. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!

Sunday Reading for October 30, 2022

1. Sinclair Showdown: A Look at the New Sinclair Model R from Rickshaw Bagworks (via Chicana Writes). I fully agree that the Sinclair Model R builds on everything that made the original Sinclair three-pen case so enjoyable to use, with some nice new additions.

2. Vinta Inks The Awareness Project Collection (via Rants of the Archer). Vinta inks are among my favorites, and they’ve just released a new collection to raise awareness of endangered animals in the Philippines.

3. Joan Didion’s Notebooks (via Notebook Stories). Apparently Joan Didion was a fan of Clairefontaine notebooks, among other brands. There is an auction of her papers going on right now, apparently.

4. Magna Carta Emotions Power Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). Magna Carta pens have received a lot of attention, with their larger pens, some of which come with a No. 8 nib. I like the acrylic on this particular pen.

5. Laban Aphrodite Pink (via Mountain of Ink). Kelli is in the midst of reviewing the Laban “Greek Mythology” series, which is among my favorite recent discoveries. They are all nicely behaved and underrated inks, in my opinion.

6. Anderillium Cephalopod Ink Review. Yes, All of Them (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). While I love several of the inks in the Avian Series as well, as a whole the Cephalopod Series (based on squids and octopuses) is probably my favorite of the two.

7. Lennon Tool Bar Egret Paper (via Inkredible Colours). I’ve had a couple of requests for recommendations for more absorbent paper lately, and this option potentially looks interesting.

8. Wahoo! I Made It to Anniversary Two (via mnmlscholar). Congratulations on a two-year bloggiversary! I can attest that it’s far from easy!

9. Karas Pen Co. Decograph (via Left Hook Pens). The Decograph was Karas Pen Co.’s first foray into a more “traditional” pen style, and while initially acrylic-only, they’ve apparently released an aluminum model.

10. Giveaway: All Treats, No Tricks - TWSBI Cerulean Blue (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana and team are giving away a TWSBI Cerulean Blue in collaboration with the T.G.S. Curated Shop! Don’t miss the opportunity to win this pen and other great prizes. (Plus we have a ton of TWSBIs in stock right now, see below!)

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog was a relatively busy one, though I had a mid-week hiccup on scheduling due to a family funeral. In celebration of the re-release of the T.G.S. Exclusive Penwell in our unique “Aged Red” finish, I thought it might be fun/interesting to revisit my review of the original Penwell, which shockingly is five years old! I also wrote a piece about hacking stationery, and some tips and tricks to keep in mind if you’re inclined to modify pens, inks, and paper! (The post also includes some shots of my latest “experiment”.)

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

We had several new items hit the shop this week, including the arrival of the new TWSBI “Glow Purple”, which will begin shipping tomorrow on Halloween! Additionally, we now have Traveler’s Notebook 2023 Diaries in stock, a full restock of Hightide Sandglasses in the 30 and 15-minute intervals, and the arrival of Opus 88 fountain pens! We also previewed one of our 2023 Fountain Pen Day promotions, in which all purchases of a fountain pen from the T.G.S. Curated Shop will receive a complimentary ink sample, so you can get your new pen writing immediately.

Washi Tape

Opus 88

Penwell

Caran d’Ache

Finally, don’t forget to participate in this week’s giveaway, where you can win one of three bottles of Anderillium Ink! The giveaway ends tonight!

Many Thanks for Your Shop Support, and Please Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve been surprised at the level of enthusiasm and support for our curated retail strategy over the past couple of months, and after careful consideration are beginning to build out our inventory with more brands and product categories. I love managing this aspect of T.G.S., as it offers me the opportunity to directly put great stationery - including brands I feel are underappreciated and underemphasized - into your hands. For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. (Reminder that those pens which made it through Patreon are now available to the general readership!)

Sunday Reading for October 23, 2022

1. Colorado Pen Show Recap (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Though a smaller regional show, the Colorado Pen Show always receives good reviews, and if you’re West of the Mississippi it should be on your list of shows to attend.

2. Edison Pens Collier Grande with #8 Nib (via SBRE Brown). Back when it was first introduced, the standard Collier fountain pen was considered huge! Today, not so much. The Collier Grande features a huge No. 8 nib that many people I’ve spoken with have enjoyed.

3. Meet Your Maker - Tim Crowe, Turnt Pen Company (via Pen Addict). I’ve enjoyed reading this recent Pen Addict series of profiles on independent makers

4. Esterbrook Premium Camden Northern Lights Manitoba Blue (via Macchiato Man). This year Esterbrook released “Premium” models of their Camden fountain pen, with colorized nibs from Hinze Pens. As always, Yagan has a quite thorough review.

5. Endless Recorder Regalia vs. Cosmo Air Light (via Well-Appointed Desk). Endless, unfortunately has had to move away from both Tomoe River 68gsm (gah!), but their Regalia substitute looks excellent. I’ve not tried it myself but it’s received good reviews.

6. Sunshine: Penco A5 College Ruled Notebook (via A Fleeting Ripple). As you all know, we sell Penco products in our shop, but I’ve been somewhat hesitant to stock their notebooks given that I don’t know much about performance. Since Penco as a pen company is mainly known for their ballpoints and mechanical pencils (which are great) it probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the paper isn’t designed for fountain pens.

7. New Pen: New Moon (via Fountain Pen Blog). Delike apparently has a writer’s Fude nib on the market, with only a slightly upturned tip, making it excellent for writing?

8. Sailors’ Dilemma (via The Poor Penman). I managed to successfully avoid Sailor’s North American “Don’t Miss the Boat” sale (mainly because I was out of town), but you could get some absolutely insane deals! To this day, I’ve never owned a Sailor Zoom nib, but I am intrigued a bit because they’ve been getting a lot of attention lately.

9. Blackwing Soft Handheld Eraser (Well-Appointed Desk). Blackwing has worked on building out their accessory lineup, with the latest being a larger handheld eraser based off the iconic Blackwing ferrule.

10. M1000 Maki-e Phoenix Limited Edition (via Pelikan’s Perch). I always admire the artistry on teh M1000 Maki-e edition, even though the pens have always been more than a bit out of my price range.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog things got back into a bit of a rhythm following my return from vacation. I published the fourth installment of my “Guide to Notebook Systems,” this time looking at single-book systems (or “Non-System Systems”), using Midori MD as an example. I’ve enjoyed writing this series and it’s almost complete. I also reviewed two inks from Anderillium: Colossal Squid Dark and Green Kingfisher Green, both of which are darker green-black/teal-black colors that make for excellent workhorses.

This Week in the TGS Curated Shop: T.G.S. Exclusive Penwells Are In Stock and Shipping!

Our collaboration with Good Made Better - the T.G.S.-exclusive Penwell in the “Aged Red” Finish, is back in stock after a two-year hiatus! For this run, we’ve managed to keep the pricing the same, and Patreon members qualify for a special discount + free shipping, so members should check the Patreon site for details. We also restocked some favorite Washi Tape patterns, and added nearly a dozen more from iLootPaperie, which you won’t want to miss. You can check out the full new releases post here, as well as an update regarding the latest special editions from Caran d’Ache, the “Colour Treasure” editions.

Platinum

Caran d'Ache

Anderillium

Washi Tape!

Many Thanks for Your Shop Support, and Please Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve been surprised at the level of enthusiasm and support for our curated retail strategy over the past couple of months, and after careful consideration are beginning to build out our inventory with more brands and product categories. I love managing this aspect of T.G.S., as it offers me the opportunity to directly put great stationery - including brands I feel are underappreciated and underemphasized - into your hands. For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. (Reminder that those pens which made it through Patreon are now available to the general readership!)

Sunday Reading for October 16, 2022

1. Rituals: Galen Leather The Old School Molded Pen Case for Five Pens (via A Fleeting Ripple). I love the Galen old-school cases, and I’ll echo that their packaging and presentation is top-notch.

2. RIIND The Compact Pen (via KraftyCats). I really enjoyed the original RIIND pen, though some found it a bit large. The “Compact” version is worth checking out.

3. My Personal Pens: Gravitas Blue Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). I’ve also enjoyed getting to use the larger Gravitas model. If you appreciate larger, heavier pens, check this one out, and look for my own review soon.

4. The Plot Is Afoot (via Pen Addict - Sarah). I can’t believe NaNoWriMo is here already. I want to do SOMETHING to commemorate the occasion, since I love the idea, but I’m overwhelmed as it is and this year a novel just isn’t going to happen. Be sure to check out Sarah’s choice of pen.

5. Hieronymus XH5 Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). 120gsm paper tends to be extremely thick for me, but at this thickness it often can’t help but be fountain pen friendly.

6. The Tale of the Lady and the Scholar: My London Autumn Pen Show 2022 (via Fountain Pen Blog). I had originally intended to try to make the London Autumn Show, but life events intervened. On to the Spring? Semikolon’s new line of products intrigues me.

7. October 2022 London Pen Show (via Dapprman). A great pictorial recap of the London Pen Show!

8. Cypress Eggshell Series Dandelion (via Rachel’s Reflections). I love these eggshell designs, but I’ve not tried a pen from Cypress. Should I pick one up? (Also check out Part II of this post.)

9. Sheen with Purpose and Ink Mullets (via mnmlscholar). I’m going to submit “Ink Mullet” to the dictionary for 2022 new word of the year.

10. Ferris Wheel Press Curious Collaborations: Paper Tree (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ferris Wheel Press is killing me with all these new collaborations….

In Case You Missed It…

I was on vacation this past week! No, seriously, I probably had about five different posts noting this fact, so hopefully it didn’t take anyone by surprise. In the meantime, I did a wrap-up post discussing the 2022 Pen Show Season, since both the Colorado Show and New York Metropolitan Shows are currently ongoing. While there are a few more this year, my own pen show season has likely come to a close.

This Week in the Shop

Despite me being on vacation, a lot of new arrivals hit the shop this week! For starters, the second round of Platinum Preppy Wa fountain pens are now available for purchase, and - wait for it - the T.G.S. x Penwell exclusive “Aged Red” model is now available for preorder, with the Penwells likely arriving and shipping out sometime later this week. We are also restocked on most of our Caran d’Ache pens and pencils. There is MUCH more on the way in the near future, so stay tuned! Since I’m back in town, there should not be further delays in orders shipping, and anything placed while I was away should ship by tomorrow.

Platinum Preppy Wa

Nahvalur

Marks

Gently Used

Many Thanks for Your Shop Support, and Please Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

We’ve been surprised at the level of enthusiasm and support for our curated retail strategy over the past couple of months, and after careful consideration are beginning to build out our inventory with more brands and product categories. I love managing this aspect of T.G.S., as it offers me the opportunity to directly put great stationery - including brands I feel are underappreciated and underemphasized - into your hands. For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5, and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. (Reminder that those pens which made it through Patreon are now available to the general readership!)