The DWRDNET Stationery Feed with Lisa Vanness (via dwrdnet). Lisa sits for an interview with Derek and talks about the origins of our podcast project, On the Paper Trail, among other things.
Not About Pens, Inks, or Paper (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). As someone who’s definitely been branching out beyond pens, inks, and paper and different sorts of projects in the stationery-adjacent realm, I can definitely relate to this.
Pilot Fountain Pen Basics Live at Vanness: We Know Our Ink and Paper (via Vanness Pens). A walk through Pilot converters and how they work.
Paper Republic’s Big Leather Journal #A4 (via Inky.Rocks). I’ve not seen an A4 leather notebook in this style, and am somewhat curious how it would work with a cover this large.
Tactile Turn Abstract (via Figboot on Pens). The latest Tactile Turn release features an abstract swirl pattern in white and black with a pop of color.
Finding an Old Treasure in My “Stash” (via Well-Appointed Desk). The Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen is an overlooked player in the Caran d’Ache 849 line of pens that includes the ballpoint, rollerball, and mechanical pencil. This one never caught on as much as it probably should have, but some people enjoy it.
In Case You Missed It….
This week we released a bunch of new content, including Episode 3 of the On the Paper Trail Podcast, in which we discussed our recent visit to Pilot Pens USA in Jacksonville. I also published two somewhat related/complementary pieces of content: (1) a post on cleaning fountain pens (specifically how frequently you should clean them); and (2) a YouTube video on shimmer inks and considerations when using them in fountain pens. We’ve had so many new users both in-store and online recently, and this post and video addresses the more popular questions.
This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop
The new Lamy AL-Stars arrived this week, and they sold briskly in the shop on Friday and Saturday! Personally, I’m partial to the dark green “Pine” pens but if you’re a fan of dusty pink colors, “Flamingo” also looks great. We also have a fresh shipment of the Pilot Custom 74 Lavender Fog North American Special Editions with the specialty nibs, including Soft Fine, Soft Medium, and the coveted Soft Fine-Medium. Last but not least, we still have stock of the TWSBI ECO Black Marble + Bronze, as well as a restock of Serpentine ECOs. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops e-mail for new arrivals and restocks, and especially this week because there have been a lot.
Note that this coming weekend we will be attending the California Pen Show (February 19-22). We would love to see you there! Our Nashville store will remain open with reduced hours (1-5 on Friday, and 11-5 on Saturday) while we are away.
How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects
If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. As of this morning, ALL Patreon supporters (including non-paying free members) have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail” which have not been publicly released.