First Purchase From Etsy

I was reading Julie aka Okami's blog post about her new Handbound Steampunk Journal that she bought from Rhonda Miller at Etsy, and decided to see if there were any interesting fountain pens for sale. And boy, were there ever! I fell in love with a handmade pen by Robert Parrish that is beautiful and functional. He sells a number of handmade wooden items, including hair accessories, boxes, and crochet and knitting needles. As someone who crochets, I was interested in the handmade crochet hooks which look incredible and would add a dash of fun and elegance to any crochet project.

The Southern gem wood fountain pen I purchased is dyed, laminated hardwood in bright pink, green and turquoise colors, which I hope my picture shows (the first one above was taken by Bob Parrish for the Etsy website). It is certainly a colorful pen in person, and there were many ooohhhs at the office when I unwrapped the package. The flat top fountain pen has threads at nib and end, so when I take off the cap I have to remember not to pull but turn, same with putting the cap on the end of the pen when I write. The German made Iridium fine point nib is trimmed in 24 kt. gold plating; all in all, a superb purchase. Bob also included an international size ink cartridge and a converter for bottled ink. I filled the converter with Noodler's Boston Brahmin Black and have taken it for several test drives. The nib is smooth over the various papers I've written on, and the pen is nicely weighted and has a great hand-feel. What is also a bonus is that you can request either a fountain pen or roller ball, so if you're more interested in the latter you need only ask. Like Julie and her journal, I will treasure this pen and use it as much as possible.