Sunday Reading for January 9, 2022

January 9, 2022

2021 Year in Review (via Well-Appointed Desk). Ana has a comprehensive review of last-year’s developments in the stationery world. Suffice to say, there was a lot of change, both good and not-so-good.
The Noodler’s Cinematic Universe: Noodler’s Q’ternity (via Left Hook Pens). Wow. This is a great article going deep into the various references on the Noodler’s Q’ternity bottle, which is getting to become a bit of history that many people might not recognize immediately.
Leonardo Officina Italiana Furore Aquapetra Rose Gold and Zenzero (Ginger) Gold (via Rants of the Archer). More great materials from Leonardo, and I think that “Zenzero Gold” might be my favorite of these two.
Magna Carta Elements Earth Fountain Pen Review (via S.B.R.E. Brown). Magna Carta is one of those brands that I’ve admired from afar (mainly due to their classic shape and materials), but I haven’t actually had a opportunity to get my hands on a pen.
Hello, Hello (via Ink Between the Teeth). Sometimes you just need a break. Welcome back!
Reflection: Journaling for Clarity (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). When I spoke earlier this year about promoting more content that shows how people use their stationery in a way that’s meaningful and useful to them, this is exactly what I was talking about.
Elbwood Pocketmaster: An Uncompromising Pocket Fountain Pen (via UK Fountain Pens). This is a really interesting pocket fountain pen design, especially the fluting on the metal section.
State of the Art: Working on Useful Journaling V2 (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). Ever wondered what goes into creating a zine? I really enjoyed Useful Journaling V1, and can’t wait to see the new edition.
Stabilo Boss Pastel Highlighter (via Pen Addict). For some reason, these were my favorite highlighters when I was in school. Maybe it was the compact, ergonomic design or the fact that they last forever. Anyway, I now find myself wanting to get my hands on these again.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I looked at my daily carry to start out 2022, which is a mix of the familiar and a few new items. I also kicked off ink reviews for the year with a review of Ancho Chili Pepper, a subtle, muted color from The Birmingham Pen Company. Finally, please don’t forget to check out this post, which discusses the T.G.S. Patreon and how you can help support what we do here at T.G.S. in 2022.

This Week in the Curated Shop

There weren’t many new arrivals this week, other than a small restock of Hightide Sandglasses which I got listed. (Some colors continue to trickle in.) For a recap of our top-selling products over the past year, you can check out the “Best Sellers” category, along with this “Back to Basics” post from earlier this week containing some ideas on basic products to help stock your office or writing space for 2022.

Clairefontaine

Traveler's Company

Write Notepads

Life

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For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. The Patreon membership also has “first dibs” on my regular gently used stationery sales. Check out the current sale, as there is at least one custom fountain pen remaining!

Birmingham Pen Company Ancho Chili Pepper Writing Sample

A New Ink for the New Year: Birmingham Ancho Chili Pepper

January 8, 2022

Last year I placed my first order with Pittsburgh-based Birmingham Pen Company, and ended up with a handful of interesting colors. The first ink I reviewed was Angelfish, one of their “Rich” formulation inks, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that this sheeny blue ink dried quickly and didn’t bleed, smear, or feather in the same way that many other super-saturated inks have a tendency to do. I’ve actually had Angelfish inked up since I reviewed it, and would even go so far as to call it a potential workhorse.

A second Birmingham ink I’ve enjoyed is Ancho Chili Pepper, one of those colors that defies description, in that it’s a greenish-brownish-grey, which on some papers shows purplish or red undertones, especially when still wet. Ancho Chili Pepper features Birmingham’s “Crisp” formulation, meaning that the ink has been crafted to perform well on “a variety of premium, mid-range, and discount papers.” For me, this screams “workhorse ink,” and I can confirm that this ink largely lives up to its promises.

Birmingham Pen Company Ancho Chili Pepper Wet Swab — The brown and reddish tones are most visible when the ink is still wet. As it dries, Ancho Chili Pepper takes on a more green-grey hue.

For one thing, the muted color fits me perfectly, in that it not only falls into my one of my personal favorite color schemes (dark greens, or should I say “green-ish inks”), but it’s the sort of office-appropriate muted color that stays interesting while not being overly ostentatious. I’ve found this ink performs quite well on high-end and mid-range papers, though I did experience some minor bleed-through and a touch of feathering with cheap copy paper. (I suspect it might perform better in a narrower nib - my long-term test pen has been a medium TWSBI Diamond 580 Rose Gold II, and I’ve found the rose gold plated TWSBI nibs to write a wetter line than their steel equivalents.)

Birmingham Pen Company 30ml Bottle — I always opt for the smaller, 30ml bottle, but if you really enjoy certain colors you can purchase as much as 120ml of ink in an eyedropper bottle for only a minor upcharge.

I continue to be impressed with Birmingham inks, which can only be ordered directly from the Birmingham Pen Company website, including Ancho Chili Pepper. Most inks are available in 30ml, 60ml, and 120ml bottle options, and Ancho Chili Pepper is reasonably priced at $13, $16, and $19, respectively. The inks are hand-mixed in small batches, so certain colors go in and out of stock, but keep checking back if what you want is not available at the moment.

I purchased the ink featured in this review with my own funds, for my own personal use. This post does not contain third-party affiliate links. T.G.S. is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

2022 Daily Carry Everyday Notebooks — My core set of daily carry notebooks should look familiar.

2022 Daily Carry: Starting the New Year

January 5, 2022

I haven’t put that much thought into what I’ve ended up with for my 2022 “daily carry,” but perhaps that’s a good thing. With a couple of exceptions, I’ve defaulted to what works for me, and unless something breaks during the year the “Core Notebooks” and “Bags and Pen Cases” haven’t changed from 2021 and won’t change for 2022. I have an insanely busy schedule from January through March, and I’ll need consistency to make it through.

Core Notebooks

Primary “Day Job” Notebook: Standard Traveler’s Notebook with Stalogy Half-Year. Of all the various “systems” I’ve tried over the years, I keep coming back to the Traveler’s Notebook format. I love the long, narrow page layout, which fits my notetaking style. I use a checklist/action-item style of notetaking that’s similar to bullet journaling but idiosyncratic in that I’ve used it for years, adapting it to my specific needs, and aspects of it make sense to nobody other than me. I’ve also enjoyed the Stalogy paper for its light weight and grey grid ruling. It doesn’t handle ink as well as Tomoe River paper, but it dries much quicker and therefore perfect for my workday.
Personal Journal/Workbook: Roterfaden Slim with Traveler’s Company Inserts. A collaboration with Baum-Kuchen, this Traveler’s-size Roterfaden is used as my personal journal/workbook, as I love that I can easily swap out the refills with the Roterfaden clip system. I don’t know whether this particular size of Roterfaden has been discontinued, but Baum Kuchen sells an A5 Slim version that’s similar. The specific refills I use in this notebook change regularly, but one constant has been the MD Cotton Letter Pad from the “B-Sides and Rarities” collection. (I don’t use it to write letters - it’s just a really convenient skinny notepad with great paper.)
Sketchbook: Nanami Paper Cafe Note. If you’ve met me at a pen show, you’ve seen this notebook. A combination journal/scratch pad/sketchbook, “whatever” notebook, this compact notebook features an absolutely massive amount of Tomoe River paper and goes with me anywhere. There’s no “system” or dedicated purpose for this notebook. As of now, it contains two years’ worth of pen show doodlings, draft reviews, ink tests, drawings, and other nonsense. And I love it.

Bags and Pen Cases

This category has remained consistent for years (with the exception of the Superior Labor Pen Roll, which I recently picked up). I don’t see any changes coming soon.

Filson Original Briefcase. It’s a classic, plain and simple. I acquired this six (?) years ago and haven’t been tempted by another briefcase or messenger bag since. The definition of a durable, versatile bag that also looks great.
Nock Co. Sinclair. Another classic, which unfortunately is going out of regular production. This three-pen zippered case in a limited waxed canvas finish helpfully limits the number of pens I can cart around at any given time, and slips easily into my oft-overstuffed briefcase or backpack.
Superior Labor Pen Roll. By far the single nicest leather accessory that I own. I love the olive green tone, the soft-yet-durable leather, and the layout. No, I don’t mind my pens touching.

The Cortex Theme System Journal, shown here in a gorgeous leather cover sent to me by Harber London, which I’m currently reviewing.

Other Tools I’m Using or Still Figuring Out

I have a third category of notebooks that are either tools that I’m trying to work into my main rotation or “role players” that, while important to me, don’t necessarily get used every day.

Plotter System. I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary Plotter system for testing at the San Francisco Pen Show, and have been thoroughly impressed with both the quality of the binders, paper and other accessories. Contrary to popular belief, the Plotter is NOT designed as a planner (though the system can certainly be set up to be used as one). If I had to summarize it, I would describe it as more of an “analog content manager,” with a range of flexible options for managing to-do lists and notes, including a unique foldering system that I’ve been relying on to help manage T.G.S. I’m diving deep into Plotter this year, so look for an initial review in the coming months.
Cortex Theme System Journal. Last week I wrote about my personal goals for 2022, as they pertain to T.G.S., and many of you mentioned how my discussion parallels many of the ideas discussed on the Cortex podcast and their “Theme Journal” that’s been receiving some attention in pen circles. As it turns out, while I listen to that particular podcast only occasionally, I picked up a Theme Journal and have been waiting for the beginning of the year to use it. I’ll have a more thorough write-up once I finish setting up the notebook and working through the system for a couple of months, but so far I’m impressed with the thought that went into it, the ideas behind its creation, and the flexibility of the layout.
Commonplace Book. I sporadically keep a “commonplace book” to track quotes from my reading, but I’ve fallen off the wagon with commonplacing a bit and need to catch up. Here I’ve typically relied on a Write Notepads Hardcover Notebook for durability purposes, since I envision keeping my commonplace books for the longhaul as I fill them up.
Filofax Notebooks. Not fancy stationery by any means, but I use these highly versatile notebooks to manage handwritten notes from my job. Also, if I print out an article or a denser piece of online writing to read later with a pen or pencil, I will stick it in one of these to carry with me or save for later. While the included Filofax paper is pretty good, I highly recommend investing in the hole punch so you can use the paper of your choice.

I’ll likely do a mid-year check-in on how this lineup is working out, with some longer-form reviews in the meantime. I intend to spend more time focusing on workflows, notetaking, and analog “systems” this year, as it’s a personal interest of mine and something readers have been requesting. Stay tuned!

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links. T.G.S. is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Thank You For Your Support, and How to Help T.G.S. Grow in 2022

January 4, 2022

Those of you who have been following this site over the years know that it’s undergone a bit of a transformation since 2020. While T.G.S. still posts at least two pieces of original content per week, the site no longer relies on third-party advertising and affiliate support to pay its bills. How do we keep the lights on? Direct reader support, whether that be through purchases in the T.G.S. Curated Shop or pledges via T.G.S. Patreon. I won’t make an extended plug here, but whether you’re a longtime reader or only recently discovered the site, I’d appreciate it if you’d take a brief moment to browse the carefully curated selection of goods in the shop, and/or visit the Patreon Page. Any level of support is greatly appreciated. We recently added annual memberships to the Patreon, which offers a discount on a paid-up-front subscription. I’m looking forward to 2022, and building on what we’ve been able to do with your generous support so far!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold. The goods stocked in the shop are carefully selected to match the mission of T.G.S. in general, which is to highlight well-made pens, pencils, paper, and desk and reading accessories that not only look great but are actually meant to be used in your everyday life.

Pens Inked Up for 2022 — Are you cleaning and inking for 2022?

Sunday Reading for January 2, 2022 (New Year's Edition)

January 2, 2022

My 2021 State of Pens (via Leigh Reyes). Leigh’s year-end updates are always thoughtful, well-taken, and full of links to content you may have missed throughout the year.
2021 Is Hindsight (via Penquisition). A great year-end update from Evan. I’m looking forward to reading more of their content in the year to come.
A Pen Man in a Strange Land; Quick Update (via The Poor Penman). It’s always fun to learn a bit about the backstory behind different blogs and accounts. Best of luck!
Greatest of All Time Fountain Pens 2021 (via S.B.R.E. Brown). The 2021 GOAT List is live!
My 2022 Pen New Year Resolutions (and Laminated List) (via UK Fountain Pens). Anthony is taking a similar approach to what I did for 2021. I’ve found it a much more satisfying approach to collecting and using, with a lot less stress.
A State of Reflection (via Comfortable Shoes Studio). I’ve enjoyed following Les’s creative endeavors over the past year! Be sure to keep up with her blog, which features much more than stationery.
“Why Are You Selling This Pen When You Said It Was Perfect?” Five Reasons I Part with Greatness (via UK Fountain Pens). Just because a pen isn’t right for you long-term doesn’t mean it’s not a good (or even a great) pen. As Anthony points out, needs are different, and needs change.
Theme System Journal Review (via Pen Addict). I have an early version of the Theme System journal that I picked up a couple of years ago, and I’m finally going to try it out starting this month.
Tales of a Vandal Pen User: Reflecting on Eyedroppers (via Peaceable Writer). I’m also somewhat ambivalent about eyedroppers, but I certainly miss writing in cafes and libraries.
Ink Comparison: Kin Mokusei v. Apricot (via Well-Appointed Desk). If you’re having trouble keeping track of Sailor’s ink release history, Jesi has created a reference in this post. I’ve moved away from a lot of Sailor inks recently, but this is a handy tool if you have a large stash of Sailor inks and find yourself wondering if a newly released ink is similar to something you already own.

In Case You Missed It… “Resolution” Posts for 2022

I say that I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I did a couple of posts anyway: Five Intentions for 2022: What I Want to See From Myself, and Five Wishes for the Pen Community. You’ll notice that most of the posts in this weeks links involve similar content, and it’s encouraging to see that a lot of us seem to be on the same page headed into the new year!

This Week in the Curated Shop

It’s been a bang-up inaugural year for the shop, and I’m off to do my inventory count this afternoon (FUN!). Many thanks to all of you who participated in my year-end inventory promotion. While sales may be over, check out this post highlighting some products that are sure to help you with your New Year’s planning, as well as the new “Best-Sellers” category in the store! (BTW, the Planner promotion runs through tonight! Take 10% off all dated and undated planners before you have to head back to work.)

Planners

Sandglasses

Clipboards

Desk Trays

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