Pocket Blonde

Les Cakes de Bertrand Notebook by Clairefontaine

2012-01-31T09:04:00.008-05:00

One of the notebooks I picked up at Writer's Bloc a few months back was this beautiful notebook celebrating a Paris tea room, Les Cakes de Bertrand. Today the shop focuses on jewelry and handbags, but the memory lives on.

Here is Clairefontaine's tribute to this wonderful little shop, as well as my personal favorite of all of the notebooks. I love the sepia-toned picture of the Eiffel Tower, and the heavy cover is slightly more green than you see in this picture. I also love rounded edges on journals and notebooks, so that feature made this a must have for me.

Fantastic paper is Clairefontaine's raison d'etre and this journal is no exception. 96 sheets of lined, bright white 90gsm paper that handles fountain pens with ease. No bleed through and the drying time of the ink was quite fast.

The back cover shows the Bertrand and Clairefontaine logos, very simple designs that are spare and elegant. Looking for a new notebook? Take a look at Les Cakes de Bertrand, and if M. Eiffel's masterpiece isn't your thinkg perhaps Sofie or Eloise will appeal to you.

Looks Familiar

2012-01-30T10:39:00.003-05:00

Roaming through Art Brown's website I came across this, and thought it looked familiar. I have an Edison Huron bulb filler in Silver Marble, beautiful design if you're thinking of taking the plung.

Sheaffer Craftsman Touchdown FP

2012-01-26T08:45:00.007-05:00

The Sheaffer Craftsman, made after WWII and mostly popular in the 1950s, came in a lever fill model and this one, the Touchdown--an elongated metal tube that seems to vacuum the ink up into the barrel.

Sturdier that a regular plunger system, but a bit strange looking. When filling with ink, I can actually pump the plunger rather than pull it in one motions.

The Craftsman was an everyday-use fountain pen, made of plastic and measuring 5 1/16" capped. The plastic barrel and cap do retain marks, particularly teeth marks as well as dents from regular use, but this one was in fairly good shape and was brought back to life by The Southern Scribe. This pen, which is black with gold-filled clip and cap band, came with a #33 14kt nib, a fine point that is a bit on the wet side.

Definitely a great vintage pen, if you're thinking of purchasing one you might want to think about one that's not working and having it repaired.

Waterman Hemisphere Agnès B. Fountain Pen

2012-01-24T08:32:00.001-05:00

A while back Vanity Fair ran a profile on the French fashion designer Agnès B., whose clothes run the gamut from "trad to rad" (take a look at Uma Thurman and John Travolta in the Pulp Fiction Twist competition, they're both wearing Agnès B.).

When Waterman relaunched their Hemisphere pen a year ago they introduced a special edition fountain pen and ballpoint that was commissioned from Agnès B. Who best to showcase a French pen company's classic design that a well-known and admired French fashion designer?

Several shops I visit often had this beauty in their lineup, including Goldspot Pens, and I definitely planned to add one to my collection but didn't put a deadline on it. The 2012 Philadelphia Pen Show seemed like the place to finally make the purchase, and I contacted Tom at Goldspot to see if he could bring one with him. Then came the snow, and my plans changed: no train ride to Philly, and a call to Goldspot to buy the pen over the phone.

(And many thanks to Tom at Goldspot Pens for the reduced price, a courtesy to bloggers/ reviewers and greatly appreciated.)

The pen arrived Saturday, and I've been happily playing with it while waiting for the snow to melt. I love the signature on the end of the barrel, which is in lower case in keeping with the corporate name.

According to the press release, the above sweeping lines are a point d’ironie, a humorous punctuation mark created by 19th century poet Alcanter de Brahm. The lines are shown against a deep black lacquered barrel with complementary blue roundels. The cap and trim offset the black of the barrel with their bright chrome plating.

Finally, this is one of the cutest nibs I've seen and used, reminding me of a Parker Latitude. It's what I'd call snub-nosed or squat, not the tapered, longer look of some of my Japanese pens or a few of my vintage fountain pens.

One thing I didn't think to ask about was a converter, so I had to make do with a MonteVerde that I had in stock. It's not bad, but I have to get one that's a better fit.

Finally, how does it write? It's a medium nib but the line isn't as wide as I would have thought. It's definitely wider than the fine points (Japanese and Western) that I use, but it's not as sloppy as my Faber-Castell Ambition medium (which verges on broad). What also caught my attention was how slim the pen feels in my hand, it's not heavy yet it looks like it might have a bit of weight to it. The cap feels very light, so you don't even notice it.

All together this is an elegant pen and a great way to re-launch the Waterman Hemisphere. Do take a look at Waterman Hemisphere pens if you're looking for the next great pen for your collection.

Happy New Year

2012-01-23T11:08:00.001-05:00

6 Novelty Pens Presented by Tiger Pens Blog

2012-01-19T14:24:00.003-05:00

TonyB at Tiger Pens Blog has this post about 6 novelty pens, which made me smile. A friend bought me the Brookstone Breeze Pen for Christmas. The Swiss Army Pen is amazing as well, kind of envy Tom at Goldspot Pens.

Seven Year Pen by Seltzer

2012-01-19T09:06:00.007-05:00

When I first started seeing the Seven Year Pen at the National Stationery Show and a few shops, I did think it was a bit gimmicky--seven years of continuous writing with one ink refill sounded like a gag. So while I wasn't planning on buying one I was pleased when a blue one showed up in my latest Lost Crates shipment.

Seltzer is a New York design company that creates greeting cards, art prints, stationery, and other gift items. They use recycled materials in their products and keep an eye on how much waste they may be generating--the Seven Year Pen, while I can't tell if it's made out of recycled plastic, is made with a jumbo ink cartridge that fills more of the barrel's circumference, so you can write up to 1.7 meters a day for seven years. As you don't have to throw out the pen or the ink cartridge for a long time, this reduces waste (and saves you a few dollars as well).

It's an odd-looking pen, with the clip curving into the end of the barrel. I do like the rounded, curvy design, I just feel like trying to spin the circular piece at the curve of the clip. The pen has a swivel mechanism to bring the tip up and down, and I would say the line is in the medium width, possibly a 0.7mm but could be a 0.5mm. So if you like broader lines, this is for you.

What really got me interested was how smooth the cartridge tip feels when writing. The ink really does glide on the paper, and it's a very enjoyable feeling. I don't feel myself gripping the barrel as hard, pushing down for better ink flow. If you have a chance to test one out, I think you'll be pleased with the feel and look of this pen. Whether you want one for seven years (they are refillable, too) is another matter.

Terpsichore shawl

2012-01-18T08:49:00.001-05:00

Terpsichore shawl, a photo by Pocket Blonde on Flickr.

Finished last night, though I may go back and re-do the edging. But it's finally done, and I'm taking a knitting break to gear up for the Philly pen show.

Cavallini Mini Flora & Fauna Journals

2012-01-17T08:08:00.007-05:00

Cavallini & Co. is one of the premier gift and stationery companies in the US, founded in 1989 and based in California. The notebooks and calendars (and other items) use old images to create modern stationery that just seems like it came from someone's attic or a time capsule. One of my favorite notebooks is this, a popular slogan these days but originally from World War I.

I recently picked up Cavallini's Flora & Fauna mini journals, a set of three pocket notebooks measuring 4" by 5.5" and decorated with beautiful vintage images of birds, flowers, butterflies, deer, and what looks like written pages from an old ledger. The covers are made from a very thick, sturdy, and smooth paper stock that definitely feels like it won't wear out too fast or fray/tear while bumping along in my handbag next to my 20lbs of lifestyle necessities. And the colors are striking, rich but not gaudy.

The notebooks have 96 pages and you get one black, one line, and one graph on cream colored stock that feels like it's about 70gsm to 80gsm. I haven't tried writing yet, as I'm already using several other journals, but I would guess that these are in the Moleskine category: not especially fountain pen friendly, with a touch of shadow using gel ink pens. Definitely check these out, I found them in a small stationery store on the Upper West Side but Cavallini is also available at Barnes & Noble, Anthropoligie, Dick Blick, and other online and bricks and mortar shops.

Any Plans for the Weekend?

2012-01-13T08:43:00.004-05:00

This weekend. Next weekend. I'm going to need time off to recuperate from my weekends.

My Supply Room Giveaway

2012-01-12T14:27:00.002-05:00

My Supply Room is having a giveaway, some BIC Accountant Pens that look really great. So go leave a comment and read through his blog as well.

Publish Post

Waterman Hemisphere Pens and a Guide

2012-01-12T09:04:00.002-05:00

PenFountain has a great post on Waterman Hemisphere fountain pens, as well as linking to a guide they've put together on identifying Waterman pens.

Lost Crates January 2012 @LostCrates

2012-01-11T08:26:00.008-05:00

The January 2012 Lost Crates shipment arrived, and as always we've got an interesting selection of products.

Glad to see the notebook selection for this month is a Whitelines A5 black lined hardcover notebook.

Then we have a Seven Year Pen, able to write 1.7 meters a day (5 feet, 6.92 inches for imperially-inclined) for seven years.

A card duo from Dude and Chick (Elvis the satyr on the front card, the second shows a puzzle), very cute.

Finally, a bright blue luggage tag from Moleskine, an item I've been looking at for some time but hadn't thought I needed one.

If you have a Lost Crates subscription, I'd love to hear what you received. The pre-printed card they send announcing the gifts makes me think the boxes aren't as individually "curated" as LC claims.

January 2012 Carnival @Goldspotpens

2012-01-10T10:47:00.003-05:00

Goldspot Pens is hosting this month's Carnival, go over and take a look at the great posts. And the absolutely enticing photo of the Cross pen at the top of the post is easy on the eyes as well.

True Writer Golden Tortoise FP @Levenger

2012-01-10T08:06:00.010-05:00

Levenger is always a great place to window shop, especially their Circa notebooks. Another category that's a favorite is their own brand of pens, in particular the True Writer series. Currently on of their most beautiful True Writer pens is on sale, the Golden Tortoise collection, and so I've added one (or two, actually) to my collection.

This is one of the best faux tortoise shell designs I've ever seen, it looks very much like an organic material rather than resin. The golden quality gives it a beautiful luster, as do the gold clip and band. And the jewels on the cap and barrel give the fountain pen a very nice tapered effect that does give the illusion of a slimmer pen.

There are three nib choices and I went with the fine. It's a broad fine point, more in the fine with a touch of medium to it, and writes very smoothly if a bit on the wet side (although I've learned my lesson on that score, I just had a nib re-ground and it's so dry I've been gently manipulating the tines to try and get more ink flow). I have to say I'm impressed by the True Writer converters, which are larger and hold a bit more ink than some of the others I use.

I've gotten to like the True Writer fountain pens (Kyoto will be reviewed next), so if you are thinking of getting one definitely look at the Golden Tortoise. It's beautiful, makes an impressive statement, and is on sale--what more inducement do you need?

Millimeter Milligram Notebooks

2012-01-06T08:00:00.002-05:00

These are from a small accessories shop nearby that mostly carries jewelry and notecards, but near the front were these two journals from Millimeter Milligram of Korea.

The smaller gray is a 7 space notebook measuring 4.75 by 7 inches. Half the page is blank, the other half has 7 nicely-space (6mm) lines so you can write and draw on each page to your heart's content. The bright red lines really stand out on the cream colored paper, which is heavy (about 80gsm) and very smooth--a bit like vellum.

The larger brown notebook 5.75 by almost 8.25 inches, with a medium-weight cardboard stock for the cover and slightly thinner cream notepaper. Again, the bright green lines look great on the deep cream paper, an all around pleasing combination. I haven't tried either notebook yet, so I can't say how they will hold up against different inks. My guess is that they'll be okay, not necessarily in the Rhodia-great category but certainly not newsprint-flimsy either.

Where to buy? Online you can find MMMG products at Poketo, the overseas distributor for the US and Canada. I've also read Kinokuniya may stock these, so if you have a store near you they may carry some of the notebooks.

Carezza Triple Pen Sleeve from @Levenger

2012-01-04T08:38:00.009-05:00

One of the nicest pen sleeves I've seen is this Carezza ("caress" in Italian) soft pen sleeve for three pens offered by Levenger. It's beautifully soft leather in either black or eggplant, and has an equally soft suede beige lining. Above from left to right are the Golden Tortoise and Kyoto True Writer fountain pens, along with a new pen from my brother that I'll be writing about soon.

I love soft pen sleeves and cases, for me the seem easier to handle although the leather seems to be more easily scratched and so wears faster. But I've had hard leather cases get scratched, and the mark seems to be scored into the leather it's so deep. So it's always difficult to decide which to go with, but the trio (there's another for two pens) is just the right number of pens for me and the deep purple eggplant color is beautiful.

The stitching in a contrasting lighter color gives a nice design element to the trio, while the suede lining gives a touch of padding that will keep the pens safe in case of jostling or being dropped a short distance.

We'll see how the trio holds up in my handbag, but so far the past three weeks haven't taken a toll on the leather. It's both beautiful and practical, a lovely melding of the two aesthetics.

The Cloister

2012-01-02T09:47:00.008-05:00

Some pictures from a trip to The Cloister last week, enjoy. Vacation is almost over, so I'm lining up posts for the new year.

A saint riding on a donkey.

This is interesting, these are reliquaries for the skulls of three female saints. They are beautiful although a tad grisly.

A very detailed statue of the Virgin Mary.

One of the lower rooms, filled with various noble tombs.

Out in the herb garden, looking at one of the towers.

The iconic image of the Cloister is this unicorn tapestry. Couldn't get a good picture from the front, too many people (like me, lol).

A side chamber with a magnificent vaulted ceiling.

Rohrer & Klingner Salix Blue Iron Gall Ink

2011-12-23T08:02:00.009-05:00

Goulet Pens recently added the Rohrer & Klingner ink line to their product lineup, and one in particular caught my attention: the Salix Blue iron gall ink. There is something about using an ink formula dating back to the 12th century that really makes me feel a bond with my fountain pen--the sheer amount of time it took to create ink, never mind how little might be made from a particular batch, indicates (to me) the strong desire of humans to communicate through the written word (as well as show off one's elite status as someone who can read and write).

Traditional Iron gall inks are corrosive, and will eventually destroy the paper as well as the fountain pen. The modern iron galls are gentler on the inside of a fountain pen, but can still be corrosive if left in the pen for a long period. So when using an iron gall ink, like Diamine's Registrars ink or Chesterfield's Archival Vault, I don't leave the ink in for more than a week or two at a time, and give my pen a more-thorough-than-usual cleaning as the iron gall ink can be difficult to remove.

Rohrer & Klingner's Salix Blue is a blue-black formula, like Diamine and Chesterfield, but unlike those two it doesn't oxidize into black but remains blue. This is really one of the more stunning blues I've used, very deep color with good saturation of the paper (which is 80gsm Rhodia-quality). Drying time is average, and there was no bleed through so double-sided writing is fine.

Definitely a great ink if you want something that's permanent and waterproof (I didn't test it, but iron gall inks seem to be waterproof so I'll take Wikipedia's word for it) then you should give this a try. Especially as the color remains blue on the paper, rather than turning black.

Noodler's Blue Nose Bear Ink

2011-12-21T08:11:00.009-05:00

Here's a quick review of Noodler's Blue Nose Bear ink, which is one of the softest and loveliest blue-green inks I've ever seen. (If you click on that link, definitely scroll down and cCheck out the two videos Goulet Pens has posted showing off Blue Nose Bear.) I'm using one of the new Noodler's Ahab flex nib fountain pens, and the nib is very big and flexible so you get a good idea of how this ink looks.

The ink seems to be very wet in the Ahab, flowing all over the place and I actually had a few spatters on the page. As I wasn't pressing very hard on the nib, I presume it's the ink. We'll see when I try it in one of my Japanese fine nibs, then it might be better behaved.

The paper I was using was an 80gsm stock I have on hand (Rhodia quality, if you will). I was very surprised at how much bleed through there is with Blue Nose Bear, double-sided writing isn't going to work too well with this ink--at least not using the Ahab flex, but maybe with a finer nib.

Drying time and water resistance are average--it's a wet ink, so expect it to take some extra seconds to saturate the page (perhaps a bit too much) and dry, and it's not waterproof so getting it wet will lead to ink running off the page. It does have some fluorescence to it, and it is forgery-resistance if those qualities are of interest. But if color is your thing and you are looking for a new blue-green with exceptional shading, then Blue Nose Bear is for you.

Mark's Ballpoint Pen

2011-12-19T07:59:00.010-05:00

A recent Lost Crates item was this colorful ballpoint pen from Mark's, a Japanese stationery and pen company with some really interesting items (like the notebooks shown in this catalog on the Mark's Europe website).

The packaging alone was stunning, a silver-gray box (at first I thought I'd been send a Lamy pen) and the pen packed inside a clear tube with silver caps. Really quite beautiful.

This ballpoint has a magnetic closure, so when capped it fits tightly and won't slip off. That's something I really appreciate, as I don't like carrying a pen when the cap has been misplaced.

I've swapped out the ballpoint ink refill and put in a MonteVerde gel ink cartridge, so I can have my favorite gel ink in the new pen.

Rockefeller Center at Night

2011-12-14T08:12:00.004-05:00

Not much posting for the next few days as I'm doing various projects as well as getting ready for the holidays. I was near Rockefeller Center the other night and took a few pictures of the tree to post, not very good but you get the idea.

I was about 50 or 60 yards from the tree when I took this one, I'm always amazed at the height of the tree.

Lost Crates December 2011 @LostCrates

2011-12-09T09:43:00.006-05:00

The December 2011 Lost Crates package arrived last night, and it's quite interesting (am I the only one who remembers that you don't combine red and white as it's bad luck?--it symbolizes blood and bandages).

Naturally there's a calendar, the Quotable 2012 calendar. Then there is a pack of wine and thank you notes, small note cards by OrangeBeautiful using Emily Martin's designs. They are all quite lovely, and I've already used one for a bottle of red I'm giving to a friend tonight.

The paper component of the package is a pair of Dream Up jotters by Smock, small flexible 40 page notebooks made in upstate New York.

Finally, two items from Tokyo: Mark's Bicolor Pen (the pen is bicolor, not the ink) and Mark's Washi tape, which is quite lovely. I'm looking forward to trying both, especially the tape for a few projects that need some decoration.

December Carnival of Pen, Pencil & Paper

2011-12-06T10:00:00.025-05:00

To start off the Carnival, here's a great post on favorite pens by Nifty of Notebook Stories, founder of this monthly extravaganza.

Tom Lynch at Went Sketching has a fantastic post featuring one of my favorite pens, the Pilot Falcon. He's also got a review up of the new Noodler's Ahab flex fountain pen which is a must-read.

Economy Pens puts a Zebra in tulle, or something like that (sounds like something out of Fantasia, with ballpoints and gel inks dancing around a fountain of Noodler's Black Swan ink).

Multi Pen Dimentions has a great review of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto in metallic gray, there's something very Klaatu Barada Nikto about that pen.

While I don't watch Mad Men that often, whenever I read about the show I think of the guy who runs their supply room. Here's a great picture of Parker Jotters in a rainbow assortment.

Inkophile has a great review of Noodler's Blue Nose Bear, an ink I'm tempted to buy just for the name.

Over at Does This Pen Write is a great post comparing markers, Cra-Z-Art versus Crayola.

Goldspot Pens has a really nice post on alternatives to buying a Mont Blanc. I love that Laban pen, and I wanted to put this in the Carnival since every midway needs its sales stalls.

Plannerisms took a poll asking a seemingly simple question: white or cream? Paper that is, and the results were surprising.

Peninkcillin has two posts I want to highlight: a review of Waterman Havana Brown Ink, and this review of the Kaweco Sport Classic Fountain Pen.

Kim at Tiger Pens Blog reviews the Pentel Lancelot Ballpoint, one very attractive pen I might add.

Via Dave's Mechanical Pencils I cam across The Catalogue of American Mechanical Pencils by Jonathan A. Veley. This looks amazing, and you can purchase it as an ebook or on a CD, or the photo supplement alone.

777 Pen Repair has an interesting post on Noodler's ink, is it dangerous? There have been many posts on different forums about the corrosive qualities of certain inks on fountain pens, so take a look at Tyler's thoughtful writing.

Nancy Olson, Ink always has some amazing photos of pens, stationery, and more over at her place and this Lominchay Riviera Waves is no exception.

The Pen Addict hosts a guest post by Bryan on the Pilot Prera, definitely a fantastic little fountain pen.

Finally, Brian Goulet over at Ink Nouveau has a really great tutorial on Goulet Pens' swab shop, which in itself is one of the most valuable sites on the Internet. Hundreds of q-tips gave up their cotton so that we might see Diamine Twilight ink on white and ivory paper, so do head over and take a look.

Update: Looks like at least one submission didn't make it through to me (I've had that happen too), and it's a good one from Julie (Okami) at Whatever on the Franklin-Christoph Penvelope.

Update II: Steven H. submitted these great posts that also didn't get through to me, one on a custom-made desk organizer and the other on the fabulous new TWSBI ink bottles.

The next Carnival of Pen, Pencil & Paper will be on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 and is hosted by Goldspot Pens. You can submit posts here.

Cat Ascending Refrigerator

2011-12-05T08:38:00.003-05:00

With apologies to Marcel Duchamp, and not really an action photo of how she climbs up the side, I thought I'd share this photo. Mally has learned to get up to the top of the new refrigerator, where she may survey her kingdom at her leisure. An alpha cat in all her glory.

Monday Blues

2011-12-05T08:32:00.004-05:00

Three new blue inks I'm checking out, ink samples I ordered from Goulet Pens. All are Diamine inks, which I think are top notch: Prussian Blue, China Blue, and Eclipse.

Prussian Blue is dark with a touch of black. China Blue is bright and noticeable. Eclipse is very much a blue-black ink, reminding me a bit of an iron gall ink that's started to change color (like the various Registrar inks). Trying them out before buying is a great way to see and sample ink colors you might not want, or finding out that you already have a similar color. Definitely check out Goulet Pens for ink and the rest of their marvelous items.

JetPens & Field Notes Giveaway Winners Plus One More

2011-12-03T17:01:00.002-05:00

Many thanks to everyone for their comments. Listed below are the winning posts, along with a third giveaway that I decided to do on the spur of the moment.

I used Random.org for the winning numbers, entering 1 and 41 (my post is excluded from this, obviously) but the below copy shows 1 and 100.

Congrats to the lucky three people below. They should email me (diane.fennelATgmail.com) by Wednesday noon and I'll arrange deliverly.

Again, thanks to everyone who commented and a big thanks to Brad and JetPens.com for spreading some cheer.

The winner of the JetPens gift certificate:

True Random Number Generator
Min: Max:
Result: 21
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

CPTN said...

JetPens is trying to steal all my money. I am assured of this. But that Field Notes steno pad sounds pretty great... I've never tried Field Notes before!

The winner of the Field Notes Steno Pad:
True Random Number Generator
Min: Max:
Result: 15

Post #15

v4ever said...: Definitely love Jet Pens.
I love gel pens with different colors, and Jet Pens is the perfect place to get them!

Just this week I received two limited edition Ecosystem Geometry lined journals for review, and I really want to share this with a reader. The winner has a choice of black or red (see this post), and the lucky person is #37:

True Random Number Generator
Min: Max:
Result: 37

Aisazia said...: Would love to purchase from Jetpens and would love to write on a Field Notes book! <333

Interesting Ecosystem Stats @ecosystemlife

2011-12-02T09:24:00.006-05:00

The wonderful folks at Ecosystem sent along several of their limited edition geometry journals to review, and while I was looking over the back cover I saw the following:

ecosystem notebooks have saved the following resources from 2009 to 2011 by using New Leaf paper made from 100% post consumer waste:

10,892 fully grown trees
4,987,549 gallons of water
3,451 million BTU's
302,815 pounds of solid waste
1,035,575 pounds of greenhouse gases

In addition, they've saved millions of people from having to write in an unattractive journal.

Circular Copper Paper Clips

2011-11-30T08:21:00.005-05:00

I've been using gold paper clips for a long time, enjoying the way the color looks next to white paper as well as standing out in the midst of regular steel gray clips. Different types of clips are interesting to me, and so I was thrilled to get this small gift from frequent commenter and guest post author Jack/Youngstown of circular copper paper clips.

Jack's note along with the clips pointed out that while New York City offers so much, there might be a few things that are harder to find. And it's funny, but I don't recall seeing these paper clips in any of the stationery stores I frequent. Even more funny because they are sold by A&W Products of Port Jervis, NY, not very far from the city so you would think they'd be everywhere in Manhattan and the other boroughs.

The clips seem almost Celtic pagan in their design, as if someone just dug them up from a bog or burial site. They look great next to white paper, and there are two colors in the box of 50: regular copper color and a darker grayish color that looks a tad like pewter. Stylish, decidedly different, and fun as well--these will add some interest to my paperwork in the future.

JetPens Gift Certificate Giveaway (and more) @JetPens

2011-11-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

Brad Dowdy, first known to all of us as the Pen Addict and more recently as the marketing chief for JetPens.com, has very generously offered a $10 JetPens gift certificate in a giveaway here at Pocket Blonde.

In addition, I've gone through my stash and have a second giveaway item to add to that, a new Field Notes Steno Pad, a 6 by 9 inch spiral top stenography book that's great for all your note-taking needs.

So here are the rules:

Leave a comment to this post below. Comment 1 is #1, comment 2 is #2, etc. Comments can be on anything, but please do muse on the wonderfulness of JetPens and/or Field Notes if you are so inclined.

The contest starts now and closes on Saturday noon. Two winners will be drawn using a random number generator, the first will win the JetPens gift certificate and the second will win the Field Notes Steno Pad.

Winners will be posted Saturday, December 3 around 5 pm, and they will have until Wednesday, December 7, at 5pm my time (NYC) toPost Options contact me to arrange for their gift to be sent.

If the first winner doesn't get in touch with me, then the second winner moves up a place and a new comment will be chosen for the Field Notes Steno Pad. If the second winner isn't available, then a new comment will be chose for the Field Notes Steno Pad. All decisions are final, but please do enjoy the giveaway.

Thanks again to Brad and JetPens for their thoughtfulness to Pocket Blonde's fans.

Grandluxe Fantasia Color Pad

2011-11-28T08:14:00.003-05:00

This caught my eye at the local stationery store, and while I hardly ever use colored paper I was struck by its smoothness and deep colors. This Grandluxe Fantasia Color Pad measures 8.3 by 11.7 inches, with 70 sheets and seven beautifully rich colors to write on.

What surprised me is that it's not construction paper or something equally heavy but 80gsm writing paper, the same as a Rhodia notepad or webbie. There is a larger pad also available, as well as a memo cube that looks adorable.

I haven't tried writing on it yet, and that may be as I'm thinking of a JetPens order and one of their white ink pens might be a great way to try this out. Colored ink seems to be a must with this, but other than silver and white I don't think anything will show up on the darker colors. No matter, it's a fun pad that will definitely add something extra to your writing.

Holiday Gift Suggestions

2011-11-21T10:00:00.010-05:00

Various holidays are fast approaching, and a particular Pen Addict had a great suggestion that I post a gift guide. Below are some ideas for gifts large and small, things I wouldn't mind giving or receiving (or both!).

First up is JetPen's Cplay Sevenroll Leather Pencil Case, which has been on my radar since they arrived. The Sweet Cherry Red leather roll case is bright and fun, but there are other colors to choose from as well. Fill it with lots of different pens, such as this Uni-ball Signo RT with blue-black ink (my favorite!), a Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen, the Lamy Safari in Charcoal Black, and the Ohto Rook Fountain Pen with a black/red body.

Also take a look at the Palomino Blackwing wooden pencils, re-introducing a much-loved classic. Since you'll need something to write on take a look at the Rhodia No. 16 dotPad. If you'd prefer a pocket memo book, then another great addition to the JetPens web site is Field Notes, so check out their offerings of Memo Books and Steno Pads. To add some color to the festivities, here's a set of glitter markers by Kuretake that look fabulous, or a set of multi-color crayon sticks.

Writer's Bloc just added the Myndology notebooks to their line up of stationery, a disc-bound notebook that's very much like Levenger's Circa notebooks but comes in jellybean colors as well as staid earth tones. Another Writer's Bloc notebook I'm very fond of is the Clairefontaine Catitude line, which just completely captures the essential nature of cats. If you know someone with a real feline and, therefore, a real litter box to take care of then Way of Cats' Littermint might be a nice gift as well (stop by the blog and say hello to Tristan and the gang). Finally, these Alice in Wonderland Screen Cleaners are both practical and totally eye-catching.

Renaissance Art has a lot of fantastic leather cases for Moleskine notebooks, Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and more, as well as their leather journals and custom work.

Doane Paper is always a great place to browse and shop, the grids + lines concept is a winner and all of the products are fantastic. I am especially fond of the three-pack of large notepads, a staple for me.

Lost Crates is a fun option, and if you're lucky and quick you might snag one of the much-anticipated Noodler's Ahab flex nib fountain pens at The Goulet Pen Company. And for the Elvis fan, Goldspot Pens has the Limited Edition Elvis rollerball showcasing Jailhouse Rock.

Next Monday there will be a giveaway post, including something from JetPens.com (many, manythanks for this) and a notebook or two from my personal stash (Lost Crates, anyone?). So do keep an eye out on this space. And have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Another Fantastic Post!

2011-11-18T11:39:00.005-05:00

Went Sketching's at it again with all his talent, I'd be jealous if I wasn't so tongue tied.

Submit Your December Carnival Post

2011-11-17T15:05:00.003-05:00

I am hosting the December Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper, with the post going up on Tuesday, December 6. Entries are due by Sunday, December 4, you can submit here.

Pilot Timeline Gel Ink Pen

2011-11-16T09:12:00.008-05:00

Got an email from Tokyo Pen Shop that mentioned a new pen they were carrying called the Pilot Timeline Gel. What a beautiful gel ink pen, the colors are amazing. So is the price, but looking is free. Check out TPS on Facebook too.

Whitelines Slim Notebook @WhitelinesUSA

2011-11-16T08:40:00.010-05:00

Stopped by my local stationery store last week and saw this Whitelines slim wirebound notebook with squared paper and interesting size. It's 5.75 by almost 11.75 (not 11), with 70 pages of 80gsm paper that's very gel ink friendly--no bleed through or shadow at all.

It reminds me of the Rhodia reverse book, one of my favorite Rhodia notebooks, and the Le Carre staple-bound notebook. But the former is rectangular while the latter is square, so this Whitelines is a longer, slimmer way of taking notes or working on designs.

Sideways the Whitelines slim notebook is equally good, and I could see using it when space is limited and I can't get the notebook vertical on a flat surface.

I've got this page set up to mark a knitting pattern I'm about to work on, a two-part scarf with 12 rounds of a 12-row pattern. As I'm just beginning to learn to read the knitting, rather than the chart, I still need a way to mark off what I've done. This Whitelines slim notebook is perfect for keeping tabs on the scarf's progress, while a comfortable size to slip into my knitting bag.

What amuses me is that I've drawn in the lines of the chart, rather than rely on the squared Whitelines paper to keep me on course. And that makes me wonder, how many other people use square paper and then draw the lines of the graph? Habit is my first thought, but also fear of not seeing the squares and misunderstanding what I've got in front of my eyes. Are others as redundant/nervous as me?

Poppin Blue Ballpoint Pen @Poppin

2011-11-11T20:40:00.009-05:00

A recent addition to office supply retailers is Poppin, an online store with tons of sleek products for your desk. I've been all over their site looking at various pens and stationery supplies, but not really thinking of ordering yet as I've got lots of stuff in my stash that I have to get through firsts.

But Lost Crates sent me three of Poppin's Signature Blue Ballpoint Pens in my November package, and I couldn't wait to try these. I love the look, very simple uni-color with an edged clip that I find very attractive.

The pen is refillable, so I can replace the ink with something else once I determine what will fit. Could go with a gel ink, or maybe a blue-black color, whatever takes my fancy when it's time to refill.

These are basically no-frills pens that are sturdy and solid, with clean lines and a good design and production. The plastic fits together well, and there are no seams or nubs showing the molding process. The pen barrel feels a bit wider than my other pens, but that may be due to the lack of a rubber grip (which presses in a bit, giving the impression of a thinner pen).

For the price ($6 for 12 pens, then add in shipping and tax if applicable) it's a very worthwhile purchase, especially the fantastic color range (11 colors in all, including turquoise, magenta, two blues, two greens, red, black, and brown). The pen does skip a bit on starting, but then the ink starts to flow regularly and writing is normal and smooth.

Thinking of getting some office supplies, and don't want to do another Staples order? Definitely try Poppin, the pens and paper look fantastic as do the desk accessories and other products.

Lost Crates November 2011 @LostCrates

2011-11-09T09:01:00.004-05:00

My November Lost Crates shipment arrived, and first thing I noticed was the wonderful card added to the box noting that this package was curated by Jack. Garret signed the other card, so thanks to both of you for an interesting box.

This month's selection is very much to my liking:

one Monsieur leather notebook (which I haven't reviewed yet but have on my to do list)

a box of Pantone notes, with 20 different color cards and envelopes.

a PooPooPaper scratch pad with zebra striping (I love the slogans on the back of the pad, "two bums up" and "brown is the new green")

three Poppin blue ballpoint pens, which I've been wanting to try.

I'm really looking forward to using and reviewing all of these, great job Lost Crates!

Brause Nibs and Astrology Guides

2011-11-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

Great post at Went Sketching, very impressive art work and client!

Le Pen by Marvy Japan

2011-11-07T08:30:00.009-05:00

Over 30 years ago Marvy Uchida introduced this long, sleek plastic barrel pen with a micro-fine tip and dye-based ink that adds some pop to the color. My favorite was the purple, but all the pen colors were beautiful and I was hooked. I think part of the attraction was the name, Le Pen--as if it came straight from Paris even though the barrel is clearly marked Japan. Another part of the attraction was the clean design of the pen itself, just a slim round barrel and blunt-cut cap so unlike the BIC ballpoints we used for work, school, and home.

Although I see these all the time at various stationery store, I hadn't thought to get one until a burgundy Le Pen showed up in last month's Lost Crates shipment. And it's just as I remembered it--the tip seems a bit porous and flexible, more like a sponge than a nail, and the line width looks wider than the claimed 0.3mm. I will definitely have to do a line match up to see where this Le Pen fits on the width scale, but for now it seems more like a 0.5mm or 0.7mm and that may preclude it from really fine line work.

But Le Pen retains its smooth writing style, and just has a great hand feel. The burgundy color seems very red, not as brown as some in that shade. The indented barrel end and very tight click-fit cap, as well as the indented silver clip, add to the overall attractiveness of the design. I remember now that it was one of my favorite pens, and I'll be looking for more to add to my collection.

Pentel EnerGel Needle Point Liquid Ink Pen

2011-11-03T08:46:00.008-04:00

Many thanks to Brad and JetPens for sending me this Pentel EnerGel needle point liquid ink pen, which writes like a dream.

I love the true blue color of the ink, which does dry fast. There's something elegant about needle point tips the longer I look at one, although I can find them at times a bit disconcerting on first sight. I like how regular pen tips taper from the section down to the ball of the tip, and needle points seem strange and spiky.

I find myself looking for my needle point pens now because they are great for writing in really tiny spaces such as marking errata on knitting charts, which I've been doing a lot of lately--both knitting and catching mistakes in the pattern. With little space in the book for making changes, needle point tips are essential for correcting these errors and making notes. So the 0.5mm width of this tip seems quite good for what I need, but a 0.4mm or even 0.3mm would be great as well (if only EnerGel pens came with those tips!).

Definitely take a look when you're mulling over your next order from JetPens (I was looking at all of these items just the other day, someone got a great haul of goodies!)

Peacable Kingdom

2011-10-31T09:47:00.003-04:00

I've never seen my three girls lounging this close. But as we all know, the best place to sleep is (left to right) on the windowsill (Seranne), on the radiator (Mally), or on mom's knitting (Theia).

American Cursive Handwriting @FPGeeks

2011-10-31T09:37:00.005-04:00

Check out this blog post by Fountain Pen Geeks on Michael Sull and his American Cursive Handwriting, a 349 page guide to traditional cursive handwriting in the US. That is amazing, I'm thinking of ordering the Reference guide.

Lost Crates October 2011 @LostCrates

2011-10-31T09:14:00.006-04:00

I've been a bit ambivalent about my October Lost Crates shipment, not because anything was terrible but because it was so...blah. Nothing really excited me, so I've been putting off showing the Crate haul.

From let to right: Pressed Ink set of 10 thank you notes,Conceptum soft cover blank journal ("the new notebook with numerous practical functions"--if it would make coffee for me in the morning, that would be new and practical as well as greatly appreciated); Semikolon photo booklet; and in front, a Le Pen by marvy Japan in burgundy. The latter is probably the one item that got my attention, as I remember when those came out about 35 years or so ago and I loved them (and still do).

Not a bad group of products, but for some reason I just can't get excited about any of these items because I don't tend to use many of them (I'm not a photo booklet person, and I have stationery I use for thank you notes). The Le Pen will be reviewed, and that's about all for this Crate. I'm looking forward to November, just to see what type of pen they put in.

Carpenter Pencils at Went Sketching Blog

2011-10-31T09:10:00.003-04:00

Great post on drawing with carpenter pencils by Tom Lynch at his new blog, Went Sketching. Take a look at the Halloween cut outs as well, spooky!

Compendium Write Now Journals @ShopWritersBloc

2011-10-26T14:50:00.012-04:00

Cheryl at Writer's Bloc very generously offered me a journal to review from their Compendium line, a name I wasn't familiar with that has an assortment of message journals that look to add a little hope and inspiration to your life. In particular is this Write Now Journal with the "Make the World A Little Kinder" motif that immediately grabbed my attention: it's a really beautiful image of the 7 chakras centers on the front cover.

The front and back view is beautiful, with the vibrant Roy G. Biv assembly of circles on a page green-gray background. I'm impressed with how bright the inks are and the overall design of this journal; the others in the series are equally compelling, but I have to say this one is my favorite. The cover is flexible, and has a light grain texture that's actually pleasing to the fingertips. Measuring about 5 by 8 with 128 pages, it's a good journal for every day use.

Inside you see the pages, which are printed in soy ink on chlorine-free paper. The paper is actually a bit on the scratchy side, I could feel the tip of my fountain pen going over it but there wasn't much resistance and the surface actually feels smooth to the touch. Every 6 pages is separated by a colorful buffer page containing a quotation, which adds a nice touch.

The inside cover has a space for writing your name or whatever you want to put down, with a lot of colorful images that add to the overall appeal of this journal. That, and the price, make it a winner!

Fountain pen ink had a slight bleed through, although the actual writing didn't feather out on the line. I'd say it would be about the same with a gel ink pen, so double-sided writing will have some shadow to it.

That said, this is one of the best-looking and most thoughtful journals I've ever seen. If you're a reiki/chakra enthusiast this would be a great journal for detailing your work and thoughts, but it's perfect as a daily diary for the less esoterically inclined.

BIC Triumph 730R Rollerball

2011-10-24T11:44:00.007-04:00

The BIC Triumph 730R rollerball is a sleek looking pen, with a molded plastic body that ends in a rounded point. Like it's sibling the Triumph 537R, it's a smooth writing gel ink pen that bills itself at The Ultimate Writing Experience. Perhaps, but one problem I find with it is that the cap won't post and I find myself misplacing it on my desk or around the office. I like to post the cap so I know where it is--with this, I have to hold it in my hand or else risk misplacing it.

The other thing to mention is the 0.7mm tip, which is billed as a medium width but seems quite wider than that. I'm definitely going to swap out the refill for a 0.5mm when the time comes, as the line width just seems way too wide for my taste.

As for writing, it's a great pen that is smooth but I'm not sure I'd call the ink flow controlled. I noticed the ink was very wet, and took a few seconds to dry. So smears and stains are definitely possible with this pen. But if you're not in a hurry, this is a great option. Two packs can be found in the office supplies aisle of your local supermarket, so take a look next time you're grocery shopping.

Monami Love Pet Pens @ShopWritersBloc

2011-10-21T09:06:00.009-04:00

When Cheryl from Writer's Bloc very generously offered me a set of Monami Love Pet gel ink pens to review I was really thrilled, and couldn't wait for them to arrive. What an incredible set of 10 gel ink, 0.38mm needle tip pens in a great array of colors.

Each pen is labelled for a specific dog, and there's a small picture of a puppy on the end of the pen. I'm guessing that the Love Pet label is a literal translation of the Korean, and on a whimsical level it works well. Who doesn't love their pet? Whatever, let's move on to the pens and leave the explanation to someone else.

First, the design: these are square pens and very easy to hold, the edges don't get in the way of holding the pen and so aren't really noticeable. All of the details are coordinated to the pen's color, so with orange you have an orange barrel, orange detailing on the barrel, and orange writing and accenting on the end where the specific dog picture is located. Each cap is labelled 0.38, and the 10 pens have their own plastic carrying case so you won't misplace a color in your bag.

The colors are: black, dark blue, red, green, purple, pink, light blue/turquoise, navy blue, brown, and orange. Each one features a dog, such as a maltese, siberian husky, shihtzu, fox terrier, and pomeranian.

I have to say that the first blue above, which I think of as a regular blue, really caught my eye. It's a deeper blue, while the royal blue below has a decent touch of purple to it. The 0.38mm width of the tip is perfect for both reading and writing, and the line seems to jump off the page.

If you want just one Love Pet pen rather than the 10 pack, Writer's Bloc has the blue, black, and red available.

The pens are refillable, and while I don't see a refill available at Writer's Block I'm pretty sure these are standard sizes. A Hi-Tec-C or something similar would probably fit, but an email or phone call would give you better information. The above pic shows them capped, posted, and taken apart to show off as much of the pen as possible.

What a great pen set, and the price is quite reasonable. Definitely Shop Writer's Bloc, and check out the Monami Love Pet gel ink pen set. They also have an amazing selection of Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks and pads that make a great combination with the Monami Love Pet pens.

Moleskine Reading Light

2011-10-19T08:39:00.009-04:00

While I don't use reading lights much these days for reading, I do like having one handy in case I need a quick light to see what the cats knocked over.

This Moleskine reading light caught my eye for it's design and the product material, which is some type of polymer that's very flexible and reminds me of Gumby.

The thinness is achieved by making it rechargeable using a USB port, so there's battery pack attached to the light and I don't have to go looking for double or triple As. The light has a blue dot that turns off when recharging is complete, and each recharge lasts for hours. (Is it me, or does the USB connection "tongue" look a like a middle finger?)

The Moleskine reading light works well as a book light, not the brightest I've ever seen but quite usable. If you're a Moleskine person, or into gadgets, then this is something you want to take a look at. I can see keeping this in my bag for lighting emergencies, or for when I'm going some place where a regular flashlight won't do (such as through a Federal security system, where batteries are frowned upon).

Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Color Multi Pen @JetPens

2011-10-17T08:51:00.003-04:00

Many thanks to Brad, Pen Addict and JetPens marketing whiz, for generously feeding my habit for new pens by sending me a Uni-ball Jetstream 3 Color multi to review. This one is has a navy colored body with a pink clip and plunger, something I know will stand out among all my other gel ink pens.

I have several Jetstreams in my pen holder, including a different style of 3 pen multi and my favorite retractable ballpoint. Pictured above is the navy/pink Jetstream multi next to the RT ballpoint, a nice comparison of the multi's dimensions.

This Jetstream comes apart in the middle of the barrel, revealing the blue, black, and red ink refills. Uni-ball gel inks are a proprietary formula, and really do glide across the paper. While this has 0,7mm refills, a medium-large width, you can also purchase 0.5mm refills and try out various other brands to see if they fit or have different colors. In this case, I'm quite taken by the brightness of their red, which has some yellow in it and really stands out. The clip is big and solid, and also stands out.

The Jetstream 3 Color Multi is a good looking gel ink multi pen, writes very well, and comes in an assortment of colors. Do take a look when you're at JetPens, particularly if you are interested in a multi pen.

Maruman 5 Section Binder

2011-10-10T09:00:00.002-04:00

Maruman makes a lot of interesting notebook and office supply products, including the Mnemosyne and Sept Couleur notebooks, this caught my eye at Kinokuniya: a B5 sized black vinyl binder with 5 colored sections (B5 paper is 6.9 by 9.8).

If you use sectioned notebooks for keeping your projects in order, this is a really great idea. The colored tabs on the outside look striking next to the black vinyl binder, while the inside tabs can be further identified and described on this starting page.

There is also space on each tab's main page for further description, or it can be left blank if you want the sections to remain pristine.

What really makes this different is the way you load the paper: the binder unlocks at the bottom white rectangle, and the entire ring system slides out for greater ease. That is one of the sharpest designs I've seen, taking a plain ring binder system and giving it a memorable feature that distinguishes it from every other notebook and binder manufacturer.

Here's a close up of the locking mechanism: the upper ring system has a screw-type nob that fits into the bottom hole, and when you twist the system locks back into place, snaps the rings closed, and there is an additional lock on the bottom of the system that tightens everything. So there's no way the rings can accidentally open, which sometimes happens and sends papers flying all over.

One thing I like about Maruman loose leaf paper is the variety of line widths they offer: 5mm (think Rhodia webbie), 6mm, and 7mm. If you prefer wider lines for writing as I do,the 6mm and 7mm are ideal.

This is a really different tabbed binder system, with the front color coding and inside locking mechanism making it stand out from ordinary binders. Not sure where you can find one, but if you do see one definitely check it ou.

Vintage Parker Vacumatic Fountain Pen

2011-10-05T07:52:00.011-04:00

This is one of my favorite fountain pens that took some time to find, mostly because I was looking for the Azure (blue) color in a slim profile. The Parker Vacumatic comes in a lot of shapes and sizes: Major, Junior, Debutante, Sub-Deb, and whatever else.

Mine seems to be a late model (1941-1945) plastic filler sub-debutante, a smaller model than the Debutante and measuring 4 9/16 inches capped (from nib tip to end it's 4.25 inches, and capped it's 5.25 inches). This plunger system, made of celluloid, was used in response to the lack of materials during war time. It's smaller in diameter than it's metal predecessors, with a button end.

This is a small pen but a bit larger than vest pocket size, likely meant to fit into a handbag or perhaps into a shirt pocket. The nib looks like it's a fine point, and one of the smoothest writers I've got (all of my vintage pens have fantastically smooth-writing nibs, while my modern pens seem to be temperamental).

From what I've seen, the transparency is okay (I have to hold it up to the light to see through it) while the imprint (Parker Parker Vacumatic USA Pat) is clear and fairly deep.

What's interesting to me is the clip, which is a non-blue diamond that came about in 1947. Reading around I've learned that the blue enamel on the diamond at the top of the clip indicates a lifetime guarantee. The nib simply says Parker and the arrow has 5 feathers to it (some nibs have 8).

Next to my Parker Sonnet you can really see the size difference, both length and diameter. The jeweled tassie on the cap adds a nice touch, while the blind cap at the end (the part over the filler) is plain and sleekly curved. I like the profile of this pen, and the single gold-filled band just gives it a touch of sparkle.

Thanks, Tiger Pens!

2011-10-04T15:20:00.000-04:00

Totally forgot about this (September was a busy month), but Tiger Pens posted an interview with me on their wonderful blog. Many, many thanks for the ego boost!

October Carnival of Pen, Pencil & Paper

2011-10-04T15:10:00.003-04:00

Economy Pens is hosting the Carnival, head over and take a look at all the great posts.

Muji Double Ring Blank Notebook @MujiUSA

2011-10-03T08:52:00.008-04:00

I am not fond of double ring notebooks, as I've had problems in the past with the end rings separating and catching on my clothes or other things. But this Muji beige double ring notebook caught my eye for its unusual shape: 6.9 by 9.8 inches. It's a hard cover as well, so notetaking using my knees as a desk top works out okay.

The blank paper also made an impression: the pictures don't capture the color, but it's a very deep ivory with a lot of weight to it that I don't expect in recycled paper. It's also got a very smooth surface, making writing a pleasure.

The paper (80 sheets, by the way) is also fountain pen friendly, and does pretty well with gel ink pens. The ultimate test is a Sharpie fine point, and there the paper couldn't keep back the bleed through. But the paper did absorb the ink quite well, so there was not dotting or ghost writing on the following page.

All in all, a good notebook and something I'm going to enjoy using. But I will have to stop by one of the NYC stores and check out this recycled dot notebook, which comes in an A6 pocket size.

Moleskine 2012 Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner

2011-09-30T08:23:00.010-04:00

For the past three or four years I've used a Day Timer as my office planner, keeping my personal planner (a Quo Vadis) separately. But a local bookstore has been in trouble financially and last week there was a "buy-a-book weekend" to help them out. For some reason I just couldn't find any books I wanted to read when I saw the Moleskine section and this Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner in particular. I grabbed it and headed for the check out, feeling both virtuous and organized.

At the front of the Notebook is a Personal Data page that I don't think I would ever fill out in its entirety, especially the financial and credit card data. They want you to put down your number, or just the bank name? So when you lose it your identity theft will go much smoother? Name, address, and phone number will suffice for me, though I am curious about my blood type and should ask my doctor.

Lots of different information in these Moleskines, with a selection of calendars at the beginning such as this monthly at-a-glance.

You also get international holidays, measurement equivalents and temperature conversion tables, time zone information, pages for travel plans and memories, and an international sizing chart so you can convert the size of a pair of women's jeans in the US with Great Britain, Denmark, France, and Italy (12, 32,32, 32, 32, and 32 respectively--I look at that and think that one country seems to be marching to its own drummer).

One handy feature is this ruler, for taking approximate measurements. I've found the inside ruler in my Field Notes notebooks very handy when I can't find my tape measure and I want to get an idea of how much knitting I've done or have left. This will also be useful for those times at my desk when I can't find a ruler and need a measurement.

This was the main reason I chose the Weekly Notebook Diary/Planner, the right hand lined page where I can make free-hand notes outside of the date. Sometimes I need more space, or just want to write something other than a work schedule. As I don't like writing things that I've done on a Wednesday in the Thursday space, so I wanted a large, basically blank page to use for my weekly jottings.

Final picture is of the back of the Moleskine and it's well-known envelope. Included are these sets of adhesive labels for easy reminders of things to do or whatever.

I'm looking forward to using this, and glad I could support one of the few remaining (and historic) independent bookstores in Manhattan.

Notebookism Reviews the Writer's Diary

2011-09-29T08:58:00.003-04:00

Notebookism is back, and has a great review of the Fabriano Boutique Writer's Diary.

ECO Staple Free Stapler Review

2011-09-28T08:35:00.012-04:00

One of the items in my August Lost Crates box was this ECO Staple Free Stapler, whose tag line is "made for a greener planet." I'm not sure I buy the idea that not using staples will make much of a difference, but I'm all for small steps as well as big ideas so it's worth a try out.

Made of plastic, the Staple Free Stapler stitches the paper together by creating a rectangular hole and pushing the cut-out paper back and through it makes in the sheets. It's a great idea, although not useful for more than 4 sheets of paper at a time. There is no waste paper to clean up, unlike the office 3 hole punch and the tell-tale confetti it leaves behind.

On the back the ECO folks have put a handy guide to how this stapler works, both in pictures and words. I do think the "Made by Humans" tag on the back of the wrapper might be better placed somewhere than right above the "Made in China" line. The latter begs the question of what type of laborers were used and raises questions in the mind about their working conditions, thus taking away from the warm fuzzies you're supposed to feel using this ecologically-sound stapler.

On a corporate level, this makes it partly unworkable if your presentation or whatever is more than 4 pieces of paper. Even Power Point presentations tend to be accompanied by photocopies of the slides, so I'd say this stapler is more for casual use around the office or home than for Board-of-Directors-type meetings. The hole in the pages also makes me thing this might not go over so well for large gatherings: heavy duty photocopiers now have staple options, which is a blessing when you are making 50 copies of a 10 page document.

But it's fun and green, so I'd say the ECO Staple Free Stapler would be a great alternative to using metal staples. Saves on having to run out to an office supply place to pick up staples, and eliminates the question of storing all those metal bars for future use (I tend to misplace mine, then have to buy more).

Stationery Review Looks at the Moleskine Messenger Bag

2011-09-26T13:52:00.002-04:00

Check out Andrew's review of the new Moleskine messenger bag, some great pictures as well.

Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen

2011-09-26T08:19:00.007-04:00

I finally picked up a Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen some time back, but haven't used it much. I tend to admire the deep metallic blue color and wide barrel, then reach for another pen to use. I like Platinum fountain pens, and have several that run along the price range spectrum from modest to high end. Reviews have been pretty good, so it's time I gave this my attention.

As noted, it's a big pen with a lot of presence. It's nicely weighted, not too heavy but substantial enough. The barrel, cap, nib, and enamel on the clip are all color coordinated, so if you're not fond of the color you've got a lot of it to not be fond of--the blue is quite lovely, but the red has been likened to a giant lipstick. The coating is shiny metallic and scratch-resistant, so I have no worries about putting it in my bag next to my wallet and keys.

As for writing, I purchased the o.3mm fine nib; the number is stamped on the nib as well as the Platinum "P" logo, which I love. Comes with cartridges, but no converter. The section is clear plastic, and not entirely sealed. When I was cleaning out some ink from the first usage to see how well it did, water and ink got into the threads inside the section and obliterated any view of the inside area. A minor detail, but one of those "tsk" moments where you wish you could go back 30 seconds or so and undo your action.

Perhaps the most important talking point, the cap is specially designed so the ink doesn't dry out or evaporate and clog the nib. I'm tempted to wait a year to test the claim, but I think I'll just keep using it and see how well it writes. So far, I do like this pen and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good starter.

Platinum Riviere Fountain Pen

2011-09-23T10:06:00.006-04:00

One of the September Lost Crates items was this Riviere Fountain Pen by Platinum. It's an interesting pen with lots of pluses and one minus.

On the plus side, it's a thing, stylish design. The plastic body and cap are sturdy, but it's a thinner design that I like. The clip is solid looks like it was modeled on the higher-end Reglus with it's stone age point design.

Another plus is the nib, which is small and a bit on the squat side. This reminds me of my Parker Latitude nib which I love using. The Platinum "P" logo is on the nib, along with an "M" indicating a Japanese medium point. Not too wide, I like Japanese mediums more than their Western counterparts.

Overall, it's a great looking pen. But there is one big minus: the ink pours out of the feed, all over the nib and paper, into the cap, and eventually makes its way onto your fingers and clothes. I don't know if this is because of the cartridge ink, or a flaw in the feed.

As far as purchasing, your best bet outside Japan is on eBay. I don't recall seeing them at Kinokuniya, but they might be there hiding behind other pens. But that's the beauty of inexpensive fountain pens, when you are looking for one type another makes itself know to you.

Exacompta Nostalgie Journal by @Exaclair

2011-09-21T09:04:00.009-04:00

I've been using various journals and notebooks for daily record keeping, and when my last one ran out I dug out this Exacompta Nostalgie Journal with Frank Lloyd Wright's May Basket illustration on the leather-like cover.

That this is not leather is a tribute to the faux-textile manufacturers everywhere. It looks and feels like leather, while the tan color and saddle-stitch needle work bring to mind a leather journal made from saddle leather. The May Basket design, originally intended for a magazine, is embossed and appears on both the front and the back. Inside you have a brief description of May Basket's original date and purpose as well as Wright's signature. Overall, an impressive cover.

The journal is an Exacompta Basics Forum blank refill, with 200 pages of 64gsm Clairefontaine paper. If you are a regular user of the 80-90gsm Clairefontaine and Rhodia papers you will feel the difference in this blank refill's paper right away. It's smooth to write on, but much thinner and easily see through using fountain pen, rollerball gel ink, or ballpoint oil-based ink--but especially the first two.

I've been keeping a daily record of my consumption habits, both food and money, to get a better sense of what I'm doing and why. I like the size of the Basics Forum blank refill (4.75 by 6.75, plus a few extra millimeters for the cover), as it gives me the room I want to write out notes as well as accounting. The above, with some details buffed out, is an example of one day in the life ("pigeon" is a notation on an injured pigeon I found outside my building, and took down the street to the guy who raises pigeons hoping he could help--don't know the outcome yet, haven't had the nerve to go back--Schroedinger's Cat, anyone?).

But entries can be seen through from day to day, making this a very busy page. On the one hand that's great, as I only have to use one side to mark the page in half (such as above, the line divider shows through on the left page while I've made a line on the right). On the other, I have to read my current writing over my older writing which makes the page seem too busy.

All in all this is an excellent cover and a very good refill journal. If you're looking for something decorative and functional, check out the Exacompta Nostalgie Journals.

Economy Pens Giveaway

2011-09-19T15:50:00.001-04:00

Do go over to Economy Pens and enter the giveaway, lots of great items going to a few lucky somebodies.

BIC Atlantis Ball Pen

2011-09-19T08:44:00.005-04:00

Here's an interesting ball pen, the BIC Atlantis with easy glide technology. I decided to try the blue, but this comes in standard issue black as well.

The pen does have a very smooth, easy glide and seems to move more like a rollerball's gel ink that a ball pen's oil-based ink. It's smooth, with just a tiny bit of smearing that really isn't noticeable on either paper or your hand. But as with all ball pens, I still have the desire to wipe extra ink off the tip even though their was none. The tip is 1.0mm and billed as a medium point, and while it doesn't see to be that that wide it does look like a good width for writing.

I like the look of this pen, the grip has just a touch of give so my fingers don't start to ached from clutching a chunk of hard plastic. One interesting feature is that the pen twists open at the back near the clip rather than at the front near the tip.

Retractable, refillable, nice design and color--don't know what the connection to Atlantis might be (I'm hearing Donovan warbling away in my head now) but if you see this pack you might want to try it out.

Kikkerland Retro Tape Dispenser

2011-09-16T08:31:00.008-04:00

One of the items in my Lost Crates shipment was this Kikkerland Retro Tape Dispenser in bright red. Along with a neon green tape roll, this stands out on my gray desktop in an eye-catching way. The colors are Christmas-y, although for some reason I think of the Grinch rather than Saint Nick.

Kikkerland's web site mentions that the dispenser has concrete inside for weight, and an anti slip bottom. Viewed from the side, the rectangular shape and opening remind me of a geometric elephant, where the plastic holding the blade looks like the trunk coming up. The green tape has just enough color to show up against white paper, but not enough to be really noticeable. I could imagine this driving someone crazy, as no one would think that the tape really is green.

Next to a standard tape dispenser this really stands out, partly because of the color but definitely because of the design. I'm really enjoying just looking at this colorful addition to my desttop.

@LostCrates September 2011 Box

2011-09-14T08:16:00.007-04:00

My September 2011 Lost Crates box arrived, and it's an impressive lot of paper and office supplies that focuses on Kikkerland products.

Just one problem with this month's shipment: the box was closed but not sealed. So I have to congratulate the United States Postal Service employees on their restraint, as anyone could have opened it, taken everything, and shipped an empty box.

Just a great assortment of products this month, I'll be writing reviews over the next few weeks as I start to use some of these.

From upper left:

Kikkerland Silver bullet highlighters (they look like lipsticks, what a great design)

Daiso fountain pen (0.5mm nib, can't wait to try this)

Kikkerland tape dispenser and a roll of clear green tape (this should be fun)

Leuchtturm 1917 large plain notebook (been meaning to try this)

Revolver small journal (my first product interview for Pocket Blonde was with Ellen, so I'm looking forward to using this)

(The title contains the Twitter nick as I've set my blog to automatically tweet, and I wanted to make sure LC sees the mention)

Pantone Honeysuckle Journal

2011-09-12T09:07:00.007-04:00

I've enjoyed finding different Pantone stationery and supplies at a few stores, and this caught my eye the other day browsing at Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store (which stocks Field Notes notebooks as well as many other unusual and interesting items): Pantone 18-2120 Honeysuckle journal.

Honeysuckle is the color of the year for 2011, so this journal features the Pantone Honeysuckle color chip wrapping around the front and back covers. The paper is so-so, I haven't tried it yet as I'm waiting for something I really want to keep track of and haven't thought of anything yet.

But when I do use it, I'll have a lot of choices inside this one journal: there are four styles of paper, starting with blank sheets, then grid pattern, lined, and dots.

The top 2/3rds of the sheet is gray, the bottom third is white, and the lines/grids/dots are in yellow-gold. Not easy to see, but a pretty combination. The above pics don't really show the different page styles too well, but it's a really great idea.

The journal is 5 x 7 inches and 192 pages, so it's bigger than a back pocket but can easily fit in a purse or bag. If you're looking for a trendy journal that's got some nice design features, check out Chronicle Books.

The Winner Is Penemuel

2011-09-11T17:01:00.001-04:00

Can't seem to get a screen shot, but this is the result:

True Random Number Generator Result: 6

Penemuel said...: I love prompts/story starters - this looks like it could be fun!

Congrats! Send me an email at diane.fennelATgmail.com with your mailing info and I'll get this out to you in the next few days.

Many thanks to Allegra Newman for her guest post and for a copy of her book to give away.

Renaissance Art Leather Moleskine Cover

2011-09-09T08:30:00.008-04:00

My journals travel with me and tend to get beaten up, so I wanted something to keep the cover of my Moleskine Little Prince large journal fresh and new. Renaissance Art makes beautiful leather covers for Moleskine journals and other paper products, such as the Levenger Circa Notebooks, as well as Kindle and Nook covers, photo albums, laptop bags, and more.

I went with the large Traditional Leather Cover in Cranberry (although the Rust Orange was definitely in the running), which has a thinner cover than the rustic leather journals (1.2mm vs. 2.2mm). It has a texture that reminds me of eel skin, very smooth and shiny. This particular cover will also fit Ecosystem large journals, but not a Rhodia webbie. (The above picture compares the two widths; the Ecosystem is just a bit wider, but will fit in the Renaissance Art cover.)

The sewing is firm and tight, and the back cover has a slit for an elastic band closure to come through if you want to use that to secure your journal. There is no front closure on this cover, while other designs have snaps or ties to keep them closed so using the elastic band is necessary. I'm not fond of the band showing through, and am not particularly concerned about others reading through--it's got all my knitting projects and patterns, as well as noting mistakes and prayers to the Yarn Goddess.

Overall a very good leather cover, and I'll be looking at the smaller Traditional Cover for my Field Notes journals.

Guest Post & Giveaway: 365 Things to Write About

2011-09-07T09:00:00.012-04:00

I'm really excited to have this guest post by Allegra Newman, the author with P.C. Trauth of 365 Things to Write About. It's a simple system to help you write, and is available in Kindle format. Check out Allegra's website and Facebook page as well for great ideas to write about (jelly wiggles?). Keep reading for the giveaway, I think you'll be very pleased.

365 Things to Write About, by Allegra Newman

When I was a teenager, journaling reinforced my goal to be a writer. I scribbled countless poems and story ideas into my entries, convinced that when I graduated from school, I would finally have all the time in the world to focus on writing them. What a lovely dream that was…

It gradually disappeared within a year of graduating college. Working a “practical” job didn’t leave many free hours for writing novels and poems, although technically at my job, I was creating stories…from endless hours of camera footage for reality television shows where families traded their wives and husbands or hired famous chefs to revamp their ailing restaurants. Not exactly the quality writing I’d been aiming for when I fantasized about being a writer, but it paid the bills.

Unfortunately, journaling also took a backseat to twelve-hour days in edit bays, re-working scenes to be more dramatic. I’ll write tomorrow, I’d assure myself as I tiredly climbed into bed every night. Then the next evening, I would find myself making the same false promise. Let’s just say it is a black-letter day when you realize that you’ve been writing in the same 120-page journal for two and a half years. It becomes even more depressing when a lame attempt to pen ONE descriptive sentence takes SIX hours.

This January, I confronted my old pals, procrastination and denial, and ended our ten-year relationship. I had switched career paths to have more time for pursuing my creative interests, and I was committed to putting that plan in action – which was easier said than done. Where colorful scenes and characters once poured effortlessly from my head onto the page, now sputtered lame, monochromatic sentences like “I was upset so I got in my car and drove around town.”

It was embarrassing. My vocabulary had dwindled to generic, one-syllable words. In my mind, I could recall a hot, sticky summer in the South, but when I tried to translate that image on paper, my brain drew a big blank. If I was going to write again, I needed a way to jumpstart my creative flow. Taking another artist’s advice, I took up journaling again, but this time, I forced myself to get up half an hour earlier every morning to write in a spiral notebook I’d found in the closet. Instead of perusing Huffington Post while I chugged coffee, I made myself fill three pages with whatever was on my mind at 6am. Surprisingly, I usually found I had more to say at that ungodly hour than I ever had when I wrote in the evenings.

Journaling got me writing something, but it was a cup of coffee which helped me to come up with a method for challenging myself to write better. One morning while I impatiently waited for the pot to brew, I found myself scrawling almost a page’s worth of words about the scalding, black liquid which would soon fill my favorite ceramic mug. Intrigued, I tried the exercise again the next day and brought my living room to life on paper. And that was my “Eureka!” moment. I thought about the various stories I’ve read in books or watched in movies where everyday objects or places become characters – a garden cultivated by a young girl, a tumultuous climb up Mt. Everest, or a spider that saves a terrific pig from becoming bacon. The smallest things in our lives have the potential to become the greatest stories of all time.

Each day since, I’ve challenged myself to write whatever I want about one thing. Instead of laboring over the perfect words to convey a story or poem, I let go and allow the object, person, or place to invoke the scene I set on the page. Are my efforts helping me to write? Well, between May and June, I penned 150 pages of a story which I started eight years ago and never got around to finishing…but it looks like that might be possible now. I can’t say it’s always easy, but I’m having fun and enjoying the art of writing again, which is why I loved doing it in the first place.

The Giveaway

Allegra has donated a copy of 365 Things to Write About for a giveaway at Pocket Blonde, which starts today (Wednesday) with this post and ends Sunday noon EST. I'll pick a random winner using a random number generator, and will post the entry at 5 pm. You'll have one week to get in touch with me to claim your prize (diane.fennelATgmail.com). Shipping will be by media mail.

The Rules

Leave a comment below, a sentence or two on anything that takes your fancy. Comments will be considered numbered by their order (i.e., first comment = 1, second comment = 2, etc.).

Enjoy!

And while you're enjoying Allegra's post, tell your friends and family to enter the giveaway, stop by Allegra's website and check out her writing, and take a look at her Facebook page.

Lamy ABC Fountain Pen

2011-09-05T12:02:00.001-04:00

Billed as the perfect pen for beginners young and not-so-young, the Lamy ABC is a sturdy wood and plastic fountain pen with a medium-ish nib that is cartridge-fill only (taking away one of the more intricate maneuvers, filling a fountain pen from a bottle of ink). Mine came in a shipment from Lost Crates, not something I would ordinarily be interested in but since it was part of the package I thought I'd give it a try. (Cat tail not included.)

The instruction booklet is printed in 6 or 8 different languages, along with illustrations on how to open the pen and insert the cartridge. There's also a blank strip for you to write your name (or whatever else) and attach it to the pen cap.

The Lamy ABC cap, section, and jewel comes in either red or blue, and are block-y so that the pen and cap won't roll off a table. The jewel at the end is pretty big, and won't fit inside the cap so the piece can't be posted. As I'm apt to leave things behind I could easily see myself forgetting the cap, otherwise this is a really cute, really usable pen for children and adults.

The nib doesn't leak nor did I have any skipping (although that may be as much a paper factor as the pen). As big as this pen is, it feels comfortable in my hand, and I enjoyed not having to mess around with filling a converter. Just pop in the cartridge and start writing (no dry start on this one, which was nice).

The Lamy ABC has the kind of design that gives adults permission to use and enjoy it, a quirky pen that's not really as strange-looking as it may seem. If you're interested in the unusual, check out this pen.

The Best Brother Ever

2011-09-01T14:04:00.005-04:00

This showed up today at my office, a gift from my brother: a Parker Duofold Senior Lucky Curve fountain pen and pencil set in jade green. The barrel imprint is quite good, and is marked "Geo S. Parker Duofold Fountain Pen Janesville, WIS Lucky Curve Pat 4-25-11." The pen was manufactured in the 1920s (1923 to 1927 for this cap band from what I've read), and the barrel shows the ink discoloration typical of this pen. Posted the pen measures about 6.75 inches. And there's a matching pencil for added glam!

My brother bought the set and had it totally overhauled by Ron Zorn of Main Street Pens. It's a great looking pen, with just a small crack in the cap that's not really noticeable (pushing down too far when posting it is the likely explanation). I've wanted a Duofold for some time, and getting both a Senior and a Lucky Curve (the nib and filling system, although that may have been switched out) are heaven. Many thanks DFB!

Muji Notebooks Update

2011-09-01T11:38:00.001-04:00

Didn't know this, Muji notebooks come in three flavors: Malt, Corn, and Bamboo.

BIC ReAction Ball Pen

2011-09-01T08:12:00.006-04:00

I think I bought this two-pack of BIC ReAction pens for the color combination, black and green (kind of Frankenstein-ish, now that I think about it), more than for a chance to sample the pen. It's one of the BIC Ecolution sustainable development pens, 74% recycled plastic.

The pen barrel is hard plastic with grip lines. There's a green clear plastic plunger that's very bright, as well as a green swirly plastic piece inside the plunger that is likely the pen's "exclusive shock absorbing spring system" advertised on the packaging. I like the pen's slightly-curved, hourglass silhouette and the use of matte and glossy black as well as green print on the clip.

The ReAction has a 1.0mm medium tip, the width isn't too extreme and the ink doesn't seem to smear or blob. Good smooth writing all in all, a great addition to the writing collection.

Guest Post: The World in a Ballpoint Pen, by Jack Labusch

2011-08-30T08:25:00.001-04:00

My ballpoint pen . . . that’s my laboratory!

We have a lot to thank theoretical physicists for. They’re different, though, right? Well, maybe not so much. Here’s Physicist Richard Feynman on a new malady you may recognize that he first saw in one of his Manhattan Project colleagues at Los Alamos.

“ . . . [Stanley] Frankel eventually suffered from ‘computer disease’, a preoccupation with using the computer itself rather than running designated problems on it. This disease interfered so much with his functioning in the implosion program that [Hans] Bethe in March 1945 asked Feynman to take over the computation group.” (Credit: Critical Assembly, by Hoddeson, Henriksen, et. al.)

Above is Physicist Julian Schwinger in 1965, shown in his home after winning the Nobel Prize in physics along with Feynman and Shinichiro Tomonaga. I can’t identify the pen, and the body language seems incomprehensible to this onetime salesman. Anyone want to take a shot at interpreting the photo? (Photo found on Wikipedia. The original caption reads: “His laboratory is his ballpoint pen”.)

Rollerball Pen by Miquelrius

2011-08-29T08:38:00.004-04:00

One of the items in my recent Lost Crates shipment was this flowery 0.5mm rollerball pen by Miquelrius with art by Joshua Davis. The design is lovely, lots of flowers in white, orange, and blue on the barrel of the pen, while the large dark blue cap has a spacious clear plastic window to check the ink supply.

This is one of the smoothest rollerballs I've used, the ink flow is sustained so there's no skipping. You can almost feel the ink coming down the cartridge that's how much flow this has, and the deep, true blue color of the ink is different.

The only negative I can think of to this pen is that it isn't reusable. Other than that, if you happen to see one at your stationery shop give it a try.

Waiting for Irene

2011-08-27T13:01:00.003-04:00

Left work early yesterday to get to the store for the weekly groceries (there were people buying 8 and 10 cases of bottled water, my thoughts on that are not pretty).

The entire transit system shut down at noon today, it is very strange not to see any buses on the avenue. I live in Zone A, the evacuation zone, about a quarter mile from the East River. I'm confident the surge won't get over the promenade (10 to 12 feet above the river), and the cats and I will be okay. But if Irene actually came over NYC rather than near us my fourth floor apartment would be oceanfront property.

The above is of Irene on August 22, 2011 courtesy of NASA.

R by Rhodia No. 12 Notepad

2011-08-26T09:47:00.007-04:00

Many thanks to Karen Doherty, VP of Marketing at Exaclair, for sending me one of the new R by Rhodia No. 12 notepads. It has the new soft touch cover with an orange front and black reverse for a great contrast. And I love the "depuis 1934" on the cover as well, really highlights the French origins of this notepad as well as the company's long history.

This is one of the cutest sizes, 3 3/8 x 4 3/4, which is perfect for purse or knitting bag. The paper is an amazing ivory color, really beautiful with a deep gray or violet line (can't quite tell). I'm thinking that I am going to love the larger sizes of this, and I am definitely looking forward to getting a few of them to try out.

Guest Post: Euroffice Online Office Supplies

2011-08-25T08:40:00.011-04:00

Euroffice is the UK's No. 1 online office supplies company. You can follow them on Twitter at @eurofficecouk.

Online Office Supplies Contribute to Immense Buyer Satisfaction

The World Wide Web has truly transformed every aspect of our lives. The impact is more pronounced on the business world as well. Various types of businesses are not only going online to widen their customer base, but they are using cyberspace to make affordable quality office furniture and accessories available as well. Hence, buying online office supplies adds momentum to the already mounting effect of the internet on businesses.

Various web-based stores for office furniture and stationery are efficiently catering to the diverse requirements of new, as well as established, businesses. Office supplies form the biggest section of any online shop since it offers numerous small but extremely important (and handy) items. If you want to place an order for paper, simply take a look at the store's paper section and you will find a wide variety from many popular brands that include: letterhead papers, printer and copier papers, colored papers, recycled papers, and more. You just need to go through the description of the paper product to determine if this meets your needs.

Online office supplies also include a broad range of writing and desk accessories. No matter what type of business you are in, there are dozens of products available to fulfill your precise needs. Whether it is archival boxes, presentation folders, suspension file storage, paper clips, scissors, glue, staples, sticky notes, envelopes, pens, or pencils, all the items that can make your office environment more organized can be purchased affordably online.

Purchasing office supplies over the internet can help you compare prices against a vast multitude of prospective suppliers. When you shop online you are minimizing the guesswork. There are customer reviews that will assist you in determining whether a particular online supplier meets your needs, as well as earns your trust. Stores like Euroffice ensure complete transparency in all their transactions, and strive to enhance the satisfaction of their customers with a host of online office supplies, the lowest price guarantee, and free next day delivery. So, go online for complete office stationery purchase now!

BIC 4 Color Soft Grip Ballpoint

2011-08-24T08:23:00.006-04:00

The original BIC 4 color was a staple of my school days, but I never really liked it. The barrel felt too big in my hand, and I wasn't fond of the blue and white color combination or the plastic ball on top. The revised version has a loop at the top so you can carry it on a lanyard or perhaps a key chain. At Easter the 4 Color turns pastel, which is a nice touch.

When Office Supply Geek reviewed the new version of the BIC 4 Color I did take notice of the black and grey combination, but didn't really look for it on my shopping trips. Then I saw on at Staples, and as there was a sale I thought I'd give it a try.

As the Geek mentions, the new BIC 4 Color touts a soft grip barrel that actually has a matte hard plastic grip on it. The prior versions had round, smooth barrels with no grip function at all. This actually is noticeable and makes the ballpoint feel better in my hand as I'm holding something that is easy to catch onto rather than sliding down my fingers.

Next to my Hi-Tec-C Coleto you can see that the BIC is slightly longer, and lacks the space alien profile of the former. The BIC ink refills are described as 1.0 medium tips, which for a ballpoint sounds about right. You can get fine tip refills for the BIC if you want to change the style, or try hacking a Hi-Tec-C refill.

As for writing, three of the four colors (Red, Black, Blue) wrote smoothly with a lot of flow immediately. The green was a bit on the pale side, and felt like I was pushing it through dried cement. Too much effort for that one, so I may either skip green or try a single refill and see how it works.

Like multi pens and want something with a sleek profile? Give the BIC 4 Color Grip a try.

Target Up & Up Retractable Gel Ink Pens

2011-08-22T08:20:00.009-04:00

This pack of four rollerball pens from the Target Up & Up line of office supplies caught my eye and the price was especially attractive ($3.47), so I popped a pack in the bag for later use. Like the Pilot G-Knock and the Zebra Sarasa, these molded plastic pens have subtle curves and a large rubber grip for comfortable writing.

The Target rollerball has a 0.7mm width stainless steel tip, with a deep black ink that flows smoothly for a great line. In a comparison with the the Pilot G-Knock, there was no difference in the writing, as you can see above. The Target Up & Up is slightly longer than the G-Knock, and had slightly different design curves. But the rubber grip is the same, down to the cartouche on the side.

These Target rollerball pens do seem to be as good at the Pilot G-Knock, and at a lower price point. The only drawback is the color choices, blue or black. Would turquoise or burgundy be too much to ask? If you are browsing the supplies at Target, definitely add a pack to the carrier.

Uni-ball Alpha Gel Slim Ballpoint

2011-08-19T08:45:00.001-04:00

The Uni-ball Alpha Gel Slim Ballpoint has a grip that reminds me of the Sensa pens, but it's made out of some type of springy rubber that springs back into its original shape like one of those stress balls.

I like the design of this ballpoint, it's slim only in comparison to the regular Uni-Ball Alpha Gel pen. Otherwise, there are lots of curves to this pen starting with the grip and continuing through the barrel and the clip.

It's also a big pen, measuring 5.75 inches with the plunger fully extended, about a third of an inch longer than my burgundy Zebra Sarasa.

(Just a note that while I adore JetPens, they are selling these Alpha Gels for $13.50 while Tokyo Pen Shop has them for $10. TPS offers free shipping on orders of $25 and up too, and they just added fountain pens to their lineup so do go over there and browse around. I've ordered several times from TPS and found them reliable and fast.)

I can't tell from the packaging if this is a 0.5mm or 0.7mm tip, while the pens are usually marked on the clip or plunger this one isn't. Nor is the ink refill above, so I'll have to guess that it's a 0.7mm (not a 0.5mm as I wrote above).

Something I hadn't noticed before that's a great little detail is the small piece of cotton at the end of the ink refill, which would keep ink from escaping the back. I'm not sure when this would be needed (high altitude?), but it makes you appreciate how much attention to detail is paid on all aspects of these Uni-ball pens.

The royal blue color accents are nicely place, with a darker blue on the tip of the clip and the end of the barrel as well as the top of the plunger and a more powdery blue coloring the grip. The pen is actually very light in the hand even with the metal barrel, and writing takes very little effort.

Looking for a ballpoint in the $10 to $15 range, something that looks good and writes well? Here's a great option for you.

Moleskine Le Petit Prince Notebook

2011-08-17T08:45:00.003-04:00

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic Le Petit Prince was published in 1943, has been translated into 190 languages, and has sold 80 million copies. I can't help but think that a large part of the novella's appeal are the wonderful illustrations done by Saint-Exupéry of the Prince, his planet, the Baobabs, and his Rose, among others.

In April 2011 Moleskine released Le Petit Prince special edition notebook featuring the Saint-Exupéry drawings in two motifs and four styles: pocket and large, lined and plain paper. Each cover is engraved in silver with one of the illustrations (on the large plain paper notebook above it's the Prince on his planet, with volcanoes and flowers) and the line "L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux."

The front inside cover shows the desert at night, with all the stars and planets.

Instead of Moleskine's signature "In case of loss, please return to:" and "As a reward, $___" you have this charming variation including planets and secrets.

Between the front and back is Moleskine's beautiful cream paper. There's something about a blank sheet of fine paper that's inviting and daunting and a bit frightening, like a ferris wheel.

The back inside cover has the Moleskine pocket, and inside is an illustration of the Prince as well as the Fox. Instructions show how this can be made into a standing tableaux.

And the final sentiment that anyone who carries a Moleskine will agree with, although Field Notes has a variation about not writing it down to remember it later but writing it down to remember it now.

Charming and beautiful, if you're interested Amazon has them at a slightly reduced price.

Here's the Moleskine Le Petit Prince video that features the Pocket lined notebook.

Pouches! (and Shoplet's Giveaway)

2011-08-16T09:00:00.009-04:00

Thanks to Shoplet's blog for pointing me to Invite.L and their amazing assortment of colorful pouches. Someone else likes Field Notes I see.

Shipping is $7 flat rate, but I can't tell if that's inside the US or not (although the blog has a ".us domain). The company itself seems to be registered in Korea; I may have to just email to find out what the story is on US orders.

Sometimes I think it might be easier to get a group together and split the costs for certain really cool non-US companies (I'm looking at you, Notemaker). If anyone would be interested in joining me on that, let me know.

Also, take a look at Shoplet's weekly giveaway, this week feature's 12 Avery backpacks, which I didn't know they made.

ACME at Art Brown International

2011-08-16T08:39:00.001-04:00

Nancy Olson, Ink has a great post on ACME's debut at Art Brown International Pen Shop. If you're in the neighborhood do stop by and check out ACME's offerings and their elegant display.

Monteverde Artista Clear Demonstrator Kit

2011-08-15T08:30:00.002-04:00

I had noticed this Monteverde Artista Clear Demonstrator on sale at Art Brown's web site for some time, but only recently stopped by to pick one up. I love clear fountain pens, there's something really fascinating to me about seeing the inside workings of the pen as well as being able to tell rather than guess how much ink is left.

The kit includes a beautifully-designed box with a white satin-style lining that puts me in mind of a coffin (sorry, but it does!). There are 12 Monteverde ink cartridges in various colors included in the kit, as well as a twist converter if you want to use a bottled ink.

The pen is made out of clear plastic, with a lot of silver accents. The clip is pretty wide, and hooks easily so there's no fumbling with the fastening that leads to the pen falling out of a pen roll. The converter end is white, which adds an additional nice accent.

The Artista Clear Demonstrator has a medium nib, but it's not as wide as some mediums I've used and I find I like this line width, and the pen itself, quite a lot. The pen feels good in my hand, not to0 small or long, and for whatever reason I really enjoy writing with it. There's not as much skipping, although paper quality does have a lot to do with that, and I haven't had any dry starts indicating the nib is probably exposed to air and drying the ink. I am probably gong to have the nib re-ground to a stub, as I think that tip would go well with this pen.

If you are looking for a clear demonstrator to add to your collection then I would say this is a great choice, especially as it is on sale and there were about a dozen or more available a week ago.

Goldspot Pens Reviews the Pilot Knight Ballpoint

2011-08-11T14:00:00.001-04:00

Nice review of the Pilot Knight Ballpoint pen over at Goldspot Pens. While I'm partial to the Fountain Pen version, it's great to see the Ballpoint get its due.

Lost Crates August 2011

2011-08-11T08:00:00.007-04:00

My first Lost Crates subscription arrived and I'm really pleased to see the colorful items added to the list.

The way this is packaged adds to the nostalgia, brown paper tied with string. I'm waiting for Sam Clemens to come along with a pocket knife and open it for me at the knot, saving the string for whatever use he may have on the Mississippi.

Primary colors seem to rule this group, now I'm thinking I may have to re-take the test and add the paisley or plaid sample to see what shows up next.

I'm pleased with this first Crate, which is anchored by the large Moleskine journal. The contents are:

*one bright red, blank Moleskine journal

*one bright yellow New York State Field Notes memo book

*one bright blue Made by Humans Eco Stapler (really looking forward to trying this)

*one Joshua Davis blue rollerball from Miquel-Ruis

*two Pop Ink blank memo books from The French Paper Company.

Uni-ball Jetstream Stick Rollerball

2011-08-10T08:10:00.000-04:00

With all the back to school items piled high in stores across the country, finding a pen that would be to your liking should be pretty easy. I saw these Uni-ball Jetstream 101 stick rollerball pens at a Shop Rite and was definitely interested. I love the spare design and length of stick pens like the BIC Stic and Paper Mate ballpoint stick pens. The pen just seems to feel, and look, better in my hand. And having a Jetstream option in a rollerball featuring their proprietary Super Ink was just perfect.

I was surprised to find out that the pen is refillable, although it has one of the longest refills I've ever seen. The plastic barrell is round with a beveled end so that it fits into the cap with a very satisfying click. No lost pen caps for this Jetstream.

At 1.0mm this Jetstream 101 has a very wide tip and is great for larger writing needs. If you're a teensy Rhodia or 3M sticky you may want to get a needle point rollerball instead. Although refills can obviously be in the size of your choice, and I'm thinking a Hi-Tec-C 0.5mm would fit just fine so I'll be trying that one out soon.

What about the ink? It's smooth, and the pen absolutely glides over the paper. I think this is one of the smoothest rollerball inks around, and it doesn't smear so fast writing is fine. Unfortunately my camera didn't feel like taking a picture of my writing sample, so you'll have to take my word on this.

Price is good, $3.89 plus tax for a 3 pack so you're not breaking the bank trying out this Jetstream. And as it is refillable, you can reuse the sticks with the refill ink and width of your choice. The Jetstream 101 is a lot of pen for the money, if you see them at your local back to school sale you might want to add a pack to your check-out.

The Occasional Rant

2011-08-09T14:35:00.004-04:00

Sometimes you look at a situation and wonder "do these people know they are pointing that AK-47 at their own feet?" The Tea Party people make me ask that question.

(Which reminds me of another comment made some years ago by a foreign journalist about the New York Times' lengthy, agonized, and ultimately boring account of how they got the WMD/Iraq story wrong, and went something like "why do they shoot themselves in the b@lls?").

This Kevin Drum post from Mother Jones is an important read, as is the LA Times story he links to regarding the probable losers in the budget-cutting battle to come.

Another good map and discussion, from the Economist, really shows where the money comes from in the US and where it goes.

When the Tea Partiers and their friends stop cheering the US downgrade (and why S&P should be believed on anything, given their role in giving triple AAA ratings to asset backed securities and other questionable financial items), they may come to realize that the budget cuts are going to hurt them much worse. At which point they'll get angry at all those elites like Obama who took away their country, which they want back right now.

August Carnival Time

2011-08-09T08:55:00.006-04:00

August always makes me think of the Great Allentown Fair, so I'm in the mood for a carnival. Peaceable Writer is hosting the August Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper and there are a lot of great posts so go take a look (especially the post on seven brown inks).

Noodler's Black Swan in Engish Roses

2011-08-08T08:30:00.007-04:00

The second of the Black Swan inks is Black Swan in English Roses, which is much different from its Australian cousin (as you can see in the picture to the right that compares the two Swans).

English Roses is a deep, bright burgundy, reminding me of the wine inks of De Atramentis. It has more in common with a poppy than a rose (as Nathan Tardiff notes in his video). The ink's shading is beautiful but understated to my eye.

By contrast, Australian Roses is a black cherry color, and has a much heavier shading quality to the ink. It's a much darker color and doesn't have the brightness of English Roses.

Drying time is neither very quick nor very slow, just a regular Noodler's ink drying on the page. The paper I used isn't in the Rhodia/Clairefontaine category, but a bit better than copy paper.

The Roses inks aren't waterproof, but I was surprised at how well they held up when water was poured over them and then rubbed into the writing.

Definitely take a look at the video, the art work and explanations of the process behind the ink are always worth watching.

Rhodia Bloc No. 120 Rainbow Notepad

2011-08-04T09:55:00.012-04:00

I saw this Rhodia notepad in a post and was really taken with the rainbow colors of the paper, so naturally when I placed an order at Writer's Bloc I included a No. 120. I had seen the rainbow assortment in some wire bound Clairefontaine notebooks, but not in a Rhodia.

The No. 120 is larger than the No. 18, but is the same size as the No. 19 (8.25 by 12.5) that you can find in yellow lined paper or dotPad . There are 80 sheets of 80 gsm, 5x5m gridded paper in blue, bright yellow, pink, and mint green for you to choose from.

This is one cool design, and the larger paper makes it ideal for writing, doodling, notetaking, or whatever you usually do with A4 sized paper. You could keep notes segmented by color, and as the paper is three-hole punched you can add it to a binder.

I've noticed that when I don't quite know what use I'll make of something before I buy it I tend to find half a dozen uses after I've made the purchase. Inspiration is still coming to me, but I've started coming up with some plans for this that make it a necessary part of my daily arsenal. This may be the case for you, so definitely check out the Rhodia Bloc No. 120 rainbow notepad.

The Magical Appearing/Disappearing Uni-ball Jetstream

2011-08-03T08:04:00.005-04:00

About two weeks ago I came into my office and found a Uni-ball Jetstream rubber body pen on my desk. What was unusual is that it wasn't mine, as I use other Jetstreams but not this one. I'd lucked out--instead of someone walking off with one of my (more upscale) pens, someone left one of her (more upscale) pens with me.

The Uni-ball Jetstream rubber body is a great looking pen and I started writing my notes and doodles with it. Smooth ink flow, didn't smear, nice barrel, the 0.7mm width not too wide, and the rubber coating that feels a bit softer in the hand.

Last night I decided I'd write a review of it for the blog, and get it officially on the #dailyarsenal list. I brought my digital camera in with me to take pictures, only to find...no pen. It was on my desk, now it's gone.

Perhaps it is a Quantum Jetstream, only in one place when you are focusing your attention on it. Or perhaps one of my co-workers left it on my desk a few weeks back, then saw it yesterday afternoon and took it back. Not a problem, but it does raise one question: who is coming into my office looking over my desk after I've left for the day?

Another post will be up shortly, but if you like gel ink pens and Jetstreams then try out this rubber body pen.

iTunes Moleskine App

2011-08-01T07:54:00.014-04:00

The iTunes Moleskine app looks fantastic, just as if you had a Moleskine at your fingertips to write or draw in, like Hemingway or Monet or Klaatu the robot (maybe one of those--Monet?--didn't actually use a Moleskine, but that's not the point).

To start, you can change the color of the ribbon around the cover to match whichever type of Moleskine you want. This doesn't actually do anything other than making the app look more real and attractive, but that's quite all right. I chose yellow, but you can get red, orange, green, purple, or any of the other shades available.

You start by creating a thought, which is dated and can be given a category (that's the asterisk icon on the right). This page seems to start out lined, but you can choose what type of paper you want to write on through the menu. And there are lots of menus!

This menu at the start of your throughs lets you choose Text, drawing, or adding a picture. The problem I had was that while I wanted Text to type in my thoughts, I couldn't get past the drawing part of the app. Something was wrong, so I went to the help section (which is the lighbulb on the top right of the pages).

Page one of the help info gives me all sorts of useful data, but how do I get to using Text?

Page 2 tells me how to turn Text on, so why isn't it working? Nowhere does Moleskine mention that if you tap twice on the iPad it will bring up the keyboard so you can type rather than write or draw your text. I found that out by accident, as I was absent-mindedly tapping on the app trying to figure out what was wrong.

Unfortunately, once I brought up Text I couldn't figure out how to switch back to the drawing part of the app, so I went into another menu to look.

This menu lets you choose the way your pages look, categories, and sharing your thoughts by emailing the page.

This is a view of how to change the4 paper, from grid to plain to lined. It's a deep ivory color, which I haven't found a way to lighten and don't thing you can.

When I was doodling around with the drawing app this message came up--if you want to write something (like you would in a Moleskine with a real pen rather than a capacitative instrument) this function mimics text to smooth out your writing or printing and make it legible. You have still written something, but now you can read it.

Here's the keyboard for Text writing, which I was glad to see. For people who would like to draw, there is a major problem in that the Moleskine app is portrait only. A landscape function would be great for artists and dabblers.

My handwriting on surfaces like this (such as the FedEx and UPS devices) isn't that great , although the smoothing-out function made it look better. One problem is that your hand rests on the iPad as you write, and so you can leave lines and squiggles on the page. Doesn't seem to have the hand-rest function I've seen on other notebook apps, where the screen basically becomes frozen so you don't pick up any extra lines.

The Moleskine app is beautifully designed and looks fantastic, just like a real Moleskine. But it is unwieldy (the reviews on iTunes are pretty brutal) and needs more work and better instructions. It's free, however, so if you're looking for a way to keep a Moleskine on your iPad and have a lot of time to figure out how it works (and the online instructions are no better than the ones show above) then you probably want to take a look at this.

Clairefontaine Catitudes Lined Notebooks

2011-07-29T08:26:00.005-04:00

Several weeks ago I ordered some new notebooks from Writer's Bloc, including two of the new Clairefontaine Cat Journals. While I didn't get to choose the journal covers, I liked them all so it didn't really matter (I imagine if you have a preference you can email a request).

When I opened the package I saw the lovebirds in the first picture and the cutie above, looking as if she's about to hit Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman any minute and would I mind opening the door of her Town Car for her? Now that is Catitude!

The back of these journals have animal prints of varying designs, making this a nice looking journal front or back.

It's Clairefontaine, so you get 96 pages of 90gsm bright white paper. I haven't tested the paper as I'm still undecided as to which one to give to my friend, but it's good stuff as many of us know. I like the wide lines of this journal and the rounded edges at the corners, and I like the size as well which is 8.25 by 5.75.

If you like Clairefontaine and cats and lined/ruled notebooks check these out, they are inexpensive ($5.25 each) pleasures that brighten the day.

Julie (Okami) Reviews the Moleskine Dog Journal

2011-07-28T08:38:00.004-04:00

Moleskine's Passions series includes Dog and Cat Journals, and while I've been tempted by the latter I haven't taken the plunge yet. But Julie (Okami) at Whatever has decided to try out the Dog Journal, take a look at her review and pictures.

Colorsharp Metallic Markers

2011-07-27T08:25:00.001-04:00

Another Target purchase, and something I don't tend to use much but liked the look of, was this set of Colorsharp Metallic permanent markers. While they strive to imitate Sharpie, the Write Dudes don't quite make it on at least one important level: the tip of the marker is spongy, not firm like a Sharpie, so you can't really write with these. They are more for writing large letters or for coloring a lot of space, but not really for smaller, finer work that requires a firm-tip marker.

That said, the colors are really beautiful, especially the two greens. Including gold and silver in the set may be considered cheating (they are metallic by their nature, not by chemical wizardry) but the other colors really are nicely metallic with looking harsh or cheap. Eight different markers for around $5 is a great bargain, though I'm not sure how I'm going to use these (playtime in my blank notebooks most like it).

EP of Economy Pens has several posts on Write Dudes highlighters and pens, take a look if you're interested in more from this line.

Moleskine Black Rollerball Pen

2011-07-25T09:21:00.006-04:00

A.I. Friedman on West 18th Street has a great selection of Moleskine products, including many of their bags and other accessories (sunglasses, small cases, and the specialty Passion journals). Among their stock is the Moleskine Rollerball Pen, both the black plastic ($14.95) shown above and the metal rollerball ($49.95) which comes in its own crafted case.

It's a great design that will fit on many journals, the pen cap is open on one side to slip onto the edge of the journal cover.

This is one of the darkest black inks I've every used (and it is proprietary to Moleskin); while it goes on very wet (you can see the shine as you write) it dries within a few seconds. I was surprised that the ink leaves a shadow on the Moleskine paper, so while there is no bleed through you still may not be able to write on both sides. The pen comes in a 0.7mm wide and the one I'm using, a 0.5mm fine tip. The line seems about right, not too wide or unwieldy.

The pen itself is slim and rectangular, reminding me of a carpenter pencil. It feels a bit strange in the hand, too wide and hard-edged rather than round with a soft grip like my other pens.

A side view of the way the pen looks attached to a Moleskine journal. It's slim profile and matte black plastic actually allow this pen to blend into a black journal like the Moleskine. As it disappears, you don't notice it until you go looking for a pen to write with.

The Moleskine Rollerball is certainly priced competitively with other higher-end rollerballs, and is made specifically to attach to a journal--the one time you really need a pen at hand. Definitely a fun product with an elegant design, take a look if you are thinking of adding to your collection.

Paper Mate Profile Retractable Ballpoint

2011-07-22T08:26:00.002-04:00

Saw a pack of Paper Mate Profile ballpoint pens at Target and was interested when I saw the 1.4mm broad tip. That's really wide, more so that I normally like, but I was interested and decided to give it a try.

The Profile actually is made in the profile of any number of great pens such as the Pilot G-2 and the Zebra Sarasa: curving clip, rubber grip, clear barrel. One tiny design difference is the plunger, which has a rounded, clear smokey tube over the actual hard plastic plunger that gives the top a curvier appearance in keeping with all the other curves on the pen.

This is one of the smoothest ballpoint pens I've written with, the specialty oil-based ink flows like a gel ink. I didn't notice any blobs of ink or smearing, but I've seen reviews online where that has been a complaint.

The 1.4mm broad tip makes for large, clear writing. The metal tip is much bigger than the ones I normally see on my gel ink pens, but even a few of my ballpoints are no where near this one. As an example, I wrote with some of my favorite pens to compare the line width. If you need a bigger line, the Paper Mate Profile is something you want to check out.