Regardless of where you live, you probably have an actual or emotional hangover from the US presidential election. As of this post, the results are not conclusive and the results are too close to call. As a result, the stress and strain of this year continues to linger. The fact that the US election results are so close suggest that the US is very divided politically. This division means many families are disagreeing about politics or can’t even be in the same room.
My wish for the future is to find more things that unite us and to be more understanding when we disagree. We all want security, happiness, good health, and the option for choices in our lives. How we get there is often why we disagree. I want to be optimistic and say that it’s possible to be compassionate and understanding. If we start small… being kind to our neighbors, smiling and saying thank you to anyone who provides a service (delivery drivers, servers, cashiers, etc) and putting our frustration into constructive action (volunteer with an organization that matters to you, donate to charities, write letters to your political leaders or heck, run for office!) we can make the world a better place.
Pen people are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. We argue about modern vs. vintage, different nib styles and grinds, paper types and inks (“Who needs all those colors?!?”) but we can all agree we love pens (or pencils or stationery)… so it’s a start!
Friday is Fountain Pen Day. If nothing else, it gives us a reason to keep going… in the meantime, we have lots of pen and ink reviews, ghost cakes, video recommendations from Modern Daily Knitting, and some shameless self-promotion for both our shop (FYI: more notepads will be available Friday or Saturday. We sold out of our first print run!) and for Laura’s new knitting pattern.
Pens:
- Pokka Jakket and Dokk Accessories Review (via The Pen Addict)
- Handwriting with the Esterbrook Estie Journaler Nib (via Gourmet Pens)
- Kaweco – ready and raring with a slew of new offerings! (via Inked Happiness)
- Re-reviewing Loft Pens: how does v2 stack up? (via UK fountain pens)
- Copic Multiliner vs. Sakura Pigma Micron (via No Pen Intended)
- Pen Case Review: Esterbrook Nook V2 (via The Pencilcase Blog)
- The TWSBI Go (via Left Hook Pens)
- Building an interesting pen collection without breaking the bank (via UK fountain pens)
- At last, a pen roll that works for me: the Rickshaw Hand Roll (via UK fountain pens)
- Next-Level Lamy Review – Studio and Aion (via The Poor Penman)
- Sailor 1911 Compass: A True Entry Level Contender? (via The Gentleman Stationer)
Ink:
- Backpack Inks Set 1 (via Mountain of Ink)
- Papier Plume Bloody Pumpkin (via Mountain of Ink)
- Van Dieman’s Diamonds are a Girl’s BFF on Midori MD (via Inkcredible Colours)
- Writer’s Blood is the new Diamine Reddit ink! (via FOUNTAIN PEN INK ART)
- Kala Nostalgia Nostalgia Abstraction Harvest (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
Pencils:
- When the Tools Become Tools Again. (via PENCIL REVOLUTION!)
- Blackwing Eras Pencil Review (via The Pen Addict)
Notebooks & Paper:
- The surprisingly impressive pen+GEAR Composition Notebook (via Write Experience)
- Why I Love Leuchtturm (via Chicana Writes)
- Review: Baronfig Guardian Pro for Confidant Notebooks (via Comfortable Shoes Studio)
- New Job, New Notebook (via Notebook Stories)
- Exceed Notebook Review Dot Grid Journal at Walmart (via Notebook Stories)
- “Do or Do Not” Notebook by Skylab Letterpress + The Well-Appointed Desk (via Tools and Toys)
Art & Creativity:
- New Design: (Con)Sequential, Manos del Uruguay Alegria Grande (via The Corner of Knit & Tea)
- Inktober Days 21-25 (via Apple-Pine)
- October Roundup plus an update on my everyday sketching (via Liz Steel)
- Artist Gives Forgotten Thrift Store Paintings a ‘Star Wars’ Twist (via My Modern Met)
Other Interesting Things:
- Vintage Photos of Famous People With Their Minis From the 1960s and 1970s (via Design You Trust)
- Knit (or Ink) to This: Getting Away from It All (via Modern Daily Knitting)
- On the Cover of Calligraphy Crush Magazine! (via The Postman’s Knock)
- Emulating My Grandmother’s Beautiful Handwriting (Includes Free Worksheet) (via The Postman’s Knock)
- Pebble Stamp Kit (via Nero’s Notes)
- PREVO the Zine: The Thoreau Set. (via PENCIL REVOLUTION!)
- Stationery Orbit 15 – Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict (via The Pen Addict)
- Ghost cakes. (via Present&Correct)
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Now, you can go back to hiding under your covers. Ollie approves.
