As we approach the solar solstice, sunset comes earlier every day. Since the sun is gone by 4:30 around here, it seems like a good time to bring out black pens. Not just any black pens, however. Black pens with black trim as well. Above (top to bottom): Strathmore 500 Series Multi Media paper sketchbook;…
The Lamy Safari Candy Collection ($29.60 for fountain pens) is their 2020 special edition collection. There are three new colors in this collection and what is unique to these pens compared to the regular line of Safari fountain pens is that the whole pen is colored to match the body including the clip: the Mango…
I really need to put together a revised Top 5 Fountain Pens Under $25. I would definitely include the Faber-Castell Grip in that list. I reviewed it last year. This year, Faber-Castell released three new colors for this pen: Pearl Mint Green, Pearl Turquoise and Pearl Rose. All three models are available in EF, F…
For the last decade, I was always under the impression that the Akkerman bottles were unique to Akkerman. This past week though, I stumbled across some vintage ink bottles on Pinterest that look quite similar. This ad for Waterman ink features a bottle similar to the Dutch Masters bottle shape, complete with the marble in…
When Princeton Architectural Press sent me their newest Little Notes in African Batik and Katazome (30 sheets and envelopes $16.95) a couple weeks ago, I thought to myself, “Well, these are cute but will people get much use out of them?” Then, the Covid-19 lockdowns started and I realized that these little notes are more…
This Daiso ceramic doodad (12 for $20.16) was not originally designed to hold ink sample vials but it’s absolutely perfect for it. It’s actually designed to hold a toothbrush. Sample vials (5ml size) fit in this ceramic holder perfectly. It keeps me from tipping over a sample vial when I’m doing swatch samples or just…
More and more pen companies and pen shops are getting into the special edition game. So it comes as little surprise that limited edition Kaweco Sports are slowly making their way west. I acquired a set of special edition Kaweco Sports from Hong Kong a couple years ago (in the Pantone Colors of the Year:…
