My personal pen collection (or part of it - who am I kidding) ready to go for 2023.

Sunday Reading for January 1, 2022: Happy New Year Edition!

January 1, 2023

No-Buy December: Year in Review (via A Fleeting Ripple). Today’s post will be year-end recap-heavy, I’m going for a modified no-buy 2023, limiting purchases to certain circumstances.
Thoughts Heading into 2023 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I agree with Kimberly that this year definitely felt like a whirlwind. We share many overlapping goals for 2023.
New Year’s Resolutions 2023 (via Well-Appointed Desk). “Use more of what I have” and “record more of my daily life” resonate with me.
My Favorite Five Pen and Ink Combinations from 2022 (via mnmlscholar). Here’s a shout-out to mid-toned grey inks!
Year in Review - 2022 Pens and 2022 Top Tens (via Rachel’s Reflections). There are some gorgeous pens featured here in the top ten, including several from companies with which I was not familiar.
Greatest of All Time (GOAT) 2022 Fountain Pens (via SBRE Brown). I’m sure many of you have been waiting for this one!
2022: Some of My Fountain Pen Highlights (via Fountain Pen Blog). I love seeing what others picked up, and the directions they are taking with their collections as they evolve.
My Fountain Pen Drawings in 2022 (via Inkredible Colours). Speaking of what people do with their pens, this is incredible!
My Journey on the Path of Writing Instrument Enlightenment (via KraftyCats). Congratulations to Chloé on the profile in the PCA Pennant magazine!
Parker Vacumatic Shadow Wave and How I Look at Vintage Pens (via Writing at Large). This article captures the charming side of vintage pens. Sure, there are frustrations, and they can be high-maintenance, but the character of certain models is irreplaceable.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I finished my 2022 Year-End Review process and started looking forward to 2023, with a post on my personal reflections and goals for the coming year, as well as a post discussing my personal notebook and planner setup to enter the new year.

This Week in the Curated Shop

Today is the last day for our Year-End/New Year’s Clearance Sale! Take 10% off most items in the shop using the coupon code “LOYAL10.” See this post here for full details on the promotion, and if you’re in the market for a planner/journal (dated or undated) we have you covered! Yesterday we received a massive restock of Lochby products, including the full range of A5 refills for the Field Journal, which features 68gsm Tomoe River paper (at least while it lasts)! We are also fully restocked on the Lochby Field Journals and Lochby Tool Rolls in all colors!

TWSBI

Caran d'Ache

Maruman Mnemosyne

Field Notes

Consider Joining T.G.S. Patreon for 2023!

Yesterday I posted what I consider the first post of the New Year for T.G.S. Patreon: a personal reflection on the current state of my pen collection and how I hope to further refine it in a way that ensures everything gets used - something that’s extremely important to me. This is just a start. One of my personal business-related goals for 2023 is to build out the Patreon program, which currently consists of a core group of my most dedicated supporters, into something that provides more benefits in the way of additional content that differs slightly from what you’ll find on the public blog. To start, I plan to bring back periodic “Digital Divide” content, which I enjoyed writing but for which I previously struggled to find an appropriate platform. Honestly, upon perusing the Digital Divide archive, several of the articles are dated and need to be refreshed, which gives me an excellent starting point. Patreon support levels begin at $3 and $5 per month, priced to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the community while providing me with adequate financial support for the site. A 10% discount applies to annual pledges. In addition to the exclusive content, Patrons receive early access to periodic gently used sales and access to monthly meetups.

Finally, please note that I appreciate all of my readers, customers, and supporters, regardless of whether you decide to become Patreon members. There will be no change to the frequency or nature of the main T.G.S. content. Patreon’s just intended to be an extra. Best wishes for 2023!

Year-end Pen Cleaning: How I spent Christmas Eve. And will likely spend at least a big chunk of Christmas Day.

Sunday Reading for December 25, 2022: Christmas Day Deep Freeze Edition

December 25, 2022

My 2022 Brand Discoveries (via Rachel’s Reflections). I was going to take a pass on Sunday Reading for today, but I was catching up on my own blog reading this morning, especially year-end reviews like this one, and figured I would go ahead and do a post. Rachel discovered some excellent indie brands this year.
My mnml inkvent challenge returns, week one (via mnmlscholar). Now that I have another converted fountain pen user in my household, I’m not going to get out of doing the inkvent calendar next year, and probably some sort of challenge like this one.
Vinta Holiday 2021 Inks (via Mountain of Ink). Vinta’s holiday inks from last year are still available at Vanness! Festive colors that you can use year-round!
IWI Color of Nature Cold Dew (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I’ve gotten really into grey inks lately, and this cool-toned grey looks interesting.
Fountain Pen Review: 2022 Lamy Safari Special Edition Strawberry and Cream (via Rants of the Archer). I still haven’t picked some of these up. I really want to swap the clips and end caps. I may indulge in some Christmas Day end-of-year shopping.
Classic Pens LB7 Artist’s Proof Review (via SBRE Brown). I guess there are still LB7s floating around out there, though they don’t seem to turn up much on the secondary.
Platinum Curidas Fountain Pen Review (via Pencilcase Blog). I need to revisit the Curidas, especially since Platinum has gotten most of the issues worked out with the feeds.
Inkmas Day 10: Dominant Industry for Wonder Pens (Tuna Grey and Ginger Chicken) (via Well-Appointed Desk). Shop cat themed inks from Wonder Pens and Dominant Industry! I’ve been using a lot of Dominant Industry inks lately, so look for reviews!
Inkmas Day 12: Vanness Inc. Sweet Tater Pie (via Well-Appointed Desk). In case you might have missed it, Vanness has launched their own in-house ink line!
Pelikan’s Pint-Sized Cap Top: The Long and Short of It! (via Pelikan’s Perch). Vintage Pelikans are growing on me more and more, especially the long-cap M101n model.

In Case You Missed It…

The past week on the blog has featured the annual Year-End Review series in which I recap posts from 2022 and make my year-end observations. This coming week, we’ll be talking about resolutions/intentions for 2023!

Five Up, Five Down in the Personal Collection. I take a look at five items in my personal collection that I used more than expected, and five items that I used less. This project was pretty fun, especially in revealing that I wasn’t using certain pens I very much enjoy and need to get back in rotation.
Part II: Favorite Products Reviewed in 2022. An annual tradition in which I look back at my five favorite products that I reviewed over the course of the past year.
Part III: Top Sellers from the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Another tradition from the past couple of years (since I started the shop), I look at ten best selling products by volume. Any orders placed over the weekend will ship promptly after Christmas.
Part IV: Series and Editorials. A resolution of mine from last year was to write more “editorial” style content, and I think I succeeded! This includes more posts in response to reader questions, as well as a series on Notebook Systems, Specialty Nib Grinds, and “System Techo”.

This Week in the Curated Shop: New TWSBI Holiday Drops, and a Year-End Promotion Using the Coupon Code “LOYAL10”

While it was a bit too late to ship in time for Christmas, TWSBI is dropping a Jade Green and Rose Gold ECO-T set, which comes packaged with an 18ml bottle of midnight blue TWSBI ink. We also have more of the Caran d’Ache “Colour Treasure” Collection, which I believe will be going away after the holidays, so if you want your Jumbo Pencils sets, act now!

Finally, as a special year-end bonus, take 10% off all eligible items in the shop through 11:59pm Central Time on January 1, 2023. It’s time to clear out some back stock to make room for a bunch of new goods I plan to bring in, so enjoy this opportunity for loyal readers and customers! Use the coupon code “LOYAL10” at checkout. (Excludes TWSBI, Lochby, and Good Made Better.)

TWSBI

Midori

Caran d'Ache

Maruman Mnemosyne

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

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. (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 December 18, 2022

December 18, 2022

Thinking Backwards to Plan Forwards (via mnmlscholar). Alas, I have begun the process of setting up my own planner/notebook/journal system for 2023.
My Techo Kaigi for 2023 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). I’ve never heard of the concept of a “Techo Kaigi”, or a process where you reflect on your planner(s) and journal(s). and whether it/they are working for you.
Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf Special Edition Italic Edge Fountain Pen (via Blake’s Broadcast). Montblanc’s bespoke nib program apparently allows you to customize a nib to your preference, and German retailer Fritz Schimpf created this crazy customization.
Flying: Opus 88 Minty (via a fleeting ripple). Finally! Someone who apparently loves the Minty as much as I do. Happy to have enabled!
Ridiculous Pens (via Rachel’s Reflections). This was a fun post in which Rachel looks at several pens with (overly?) intricate design elements.
BlueDew Writer Lapis (via Rants of the Archer). I’ve heard a lot about BlueDew fountain pens, particularly their flex pens. They offer standard nibs as well.
Ensso PIUMA Primary Manipulation Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). Apparently even Ensso is getting into the Primary Manipulation game?
Unlined Smythson Notebook (via Notebook Stories). Smythson notebooks went on sale in November, and I considered springing for a (still expensive) review sample, but I deferred because I couldn’t find a reliable review testing the paper with fountain pens. Now we have one!
Inkmas Day 7: Colorverse Chi-Town (via Well-Appointed Desk). I agree that this is sort of an odd color for a Chicago theme, but the ink looks interesting!
End of 2022 - A Bit of a Wrap Up (via Gourmet Pens). I love year-end wrap-ups and reflections from others in the pen world.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog, I started the 2022 Year-End Review Process, with the first posts in this series. Part I was “Five Up, Five Down in the Personal Collection,” and Part II was “Favorite Products Reviewed in 2022”. I plan to keep the multi-part format that I started last year.

This Week in the Curated Shop

PSA: This weekend I’m shipping out all orders placed through today, and starting tomorrow (and definitely by Tuesday), Christmas delivery is MUCH less likely given the rush of packages that will be going out this week around the U.S. So get those gift orders in ASAP!

So what’s new in the shop? Lots of stuff continues to arrive. We’ve built our our offering of Maruman Mnemosyne products, with literally all the sizes of notebooks and notepads that we can get our hands on, in spiral and bound formats. The Mnemosyne line is exceptionally good fountain pen friendly paper that won’t break the bank, and best of all, the spiral bound notebooks are perforated. Also, now is an excellent time to pick up your planner for 2023. We have Traveler’s Notebook Planner Refills, as well as all sorts of undated planner options and the Midori Multi-Year Diaries!

Maruman Mnemosyne

Caran d'Ache

TWSBI

Reading Accessories

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

Sunday Reading for December 11, 2022

December 11, 2022

Lamy 2000 Fountain Pen Review (via The Poor Penman). I agree with a lot in this review, but I’m not convinced that the new Lamy 2000 pricing is unreasonable. $250 for a piston filling fountain pen with a 14k gold nib in today’s inflationary market seems, well, reasonable. (To compare, a steel nib cartridge-converter Esterbrook sells for $155-$195, depending on the color, which is pretty standard.) I think Lamy is seeing the effect of years of underpricing this flagship, which has created the perception that the Lamy 2000 should be a “cheap” pen.
The Go-To Notebook Review (via Blake’s Broadcast). Blake reviews this new collaboration between Chronicle Books and Mohawk Paper, which can be found at mainstream retail. But can it be considered fountain pen friendly?
Butterflies: KWZ Monarch (via A Fleeting Ripple). I have not seen this before, but if you like inks in the red-orange color spectrum, you will want to check this one out.
Color Traveler Delta Light Blue on Midori MD Cotton (via Inkredible Colours). A true “light blue,” as opposed to a turquoise, might be one of the few shades that I’ve never had in my collection.
25 Days of Dupes 2022 - Week 1 (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel takes a look at the Diamine Inkvent calendar and comparable inks from this year’s release.
A Balanced Academic Conference Carry Kit - the Non-Pen Parts (via mnmlscholar). A great gear post for conference carry - compact yet utilitarian.
A travel-friendly academic conference pen load out (via mnmlscholar). And the pen-and-ink counterpart for a conference carry.
Ink Review #737: Pennonia Balaton Blue (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). Balaton Blue is one of my favorite multi-shading inks, with gorgeous shades of purple and blues.
Limited Edition Esterbrook Camden Oktoberfest (via Rants of the Archer). I’m a little late, because it’s far past Oktoberfest, but I’ve not paid attention to this release and it’s a pretty one.
On the first day of Inkmas… (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana hits the road to Dromgoole’s in Houston and reports back with the first ink of Inkmas.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog, I talked a bit about two of my favorite topics: Pens Under $40 and New Releases that Won’t Break the Bank, and the current state of my personal collection, as I’ve steadily been reducing my accumulation of “standard” release pens in favor of a more curated collection focused around independent and small-batch makers.

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

We had a bunch of new releases arrive, including the TWSBI Precision Ballpoints and Mechanical Pencils, which have sold rapidly, as well as a complete restock of new Caran d’Ache Colour Treasure Items including the newly arrived five jumbo / “Maxi” pencil sets. Pretty much all TWSBI fountain pens are available! Don’t forget to check out our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide, and remember that if you want to give your package the absolute best shot at arriving by Christmas, get your orders in by December 15 to account for any shipping delays. (Packages shipped after that date may make it in time, there’s just not much wiggle room.)

TWSBI

Kokuyo Highlighters

Midori

Field Notes

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

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. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership, and this week you can get an extra 10% off Gently Used items with the coupon code referenced above!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!

This week has been a mix of old and new.

Sunday Reading for December 4, 2022

December 4, 2022

Diamine Invent 2022 Day 1: Bliss (via Writing at Large). I successfully resisted the siren song of the Inkvent Calendar, one more time, but I’m going to be following along with all of you opening up the new ink each day.
Diamine Invent 2021 21-25 (via Mountain of Ink). And if you haven’t finished your 2021 Inkvent Calendar yet (or simply want to see another example of what’s in store for you this year), check out Kelli’s post on the last five from 2021!
Phoenix Pen Stands Pen Tray and Rests (via KraftyCats). Pen trays are a grossly underappreciated desk accessory, and simple, functional designs such as this one need more exposure.
NaNoWriMo Wrap-up 2022 (via Pen Addict - Sarah). For all of you who participated in NaNoWriMo this year, congratulations!
A Third Bitly into Bullet Journaling for Teaching: Curriculum Pacing Logs (via mnmlscholar). I love reading posts about how people use bullet journaling and other notetaking techniques, even in professions completely different from my own.
Kilk Orient Fountain Pen Review (via SBRE Brown). The longer you do this pen reviewing gig, the harder it gets to find companies whose pens you haven’t yet tried. Turkish company Kilk is one of those companies on my list. That section shape looks extremely comfortable for how I hold the pen.
My Pen Collection, 2022 (via Notebook Stories). One of the longest-running notebook review sites on the internet talks about their pen collection!
Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen Review (via Pen Addict - Jeff). If you enjoy the pocket pen format but would appreciate something a bit larger than a Kaweco Sport, consider giving these Gravitas pocket pens a try.
Ink Traveling Kit (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ever wonder how the Well-Appointed Desk travels to pen shows? (And I’m always happy to see the Lochby Field Journal shout-out!)
TGS in the NFocus Magazine Holiday Gift Guide! (via NFocus). Many thanks to my friends who saw fit to include me in this year’s NFocus Magazine Holiday Gift Guide! I’ve been trying to establish more of a local presence in the community.

In Case You Missed It…

This week on the blog I published my thoughts on a pending Kickstarter project, the “Writewell” writing desk from our friends at Good Made Better. You have a little less than two weeks left to back the project, if you’re interested! I also wrote this editorial piece on “Hot Takes” and myths about pens, including several common misconceptions about our hobby/passion that I hear from new users.

This Week in The T.G.S. Curated Shop - New Arrivals and Holiday Season Craziness!

Just in time for the Holiday shopping season craziness, TONS of new stuff is hitting the store, and I’ll be listing it as fast as I possibly can. This week saw the arrival of the TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen in the new “Ice Blue” finish, a color truly suitable for winter. There’s also been a full TWSBI restock, including all colors of the Swipe, both ECO Glows, and the Vac700R Iris. Finally, this week we received the Midori MD Multi-Year Journals in three, five, and ten-year formats. Read more about these and more restocks in this week’s Thursday Drops post.

Midori MD Notebooks

Caran d'Ache

Field Notes

Opus 88

Consider T.G.S. Patreon!

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. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership, and this week you can get an extra 10% off Gently Used items with the coupon code referenced above!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!