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!
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!