In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Chocolate Lovers

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment

FF-Chocolate

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d focus on the true meaning of the holiday: chocolate. Sure, there’s love and romance and all that stuff but really, who doesn’t want yummy chocolate or some fine stationery goodies that evoke the deep rich deliciousness of fine cocoa?

  • Graf von Faber-Castell Guilloche fountain pen in cognac € 295 (via Fontoplumo)
  • Christopher Elbow Signature Chocolates 16-Piece Assortment $34 (via Elbow Chocolates)
  • Rhodia Rhodiarama Blank Notebook in Chocolate Brown $18 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • De Atramentis Desserts Chocolate Fountain Pen Ink $15.95 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Delta Italiana Collection Fountain Pen in Brown $156 (via Pen Chalet)
  • Design Shim Chocolate Macarons Sticky Notes $3.10 (via JetPens)
  • No. 6 DARK ROCKS chocolate bar $8 (via Elbow Chocolates)
  • Fountain K Pen in Brown starting at $75 (via Karas Kustoms)
  • Creme Deluxe Traveler’s Notebooks in Creme Brulee, Dark Chocolate and Black Beauty starting at $54.99 (via Chic Sparrow)
  • Diamine Chocolate Brown Fountain Pen Ink $14.95 (via Anderson Pens)
  • Butler Walnut Pen Pot $38 (via Fresh Stock Japan)
  • J. Herbin Pearly Chocolate Calligraphy Ink 15ml $17.95AUD (via Notemaker)
In news

Podcast: Freakonomics “Who Needs Handwriting?”

Author AnaPosted on 10 Comments

I know putting up posts like this is like throwing a roman candle in a pile of dry tinder but I don’t want to be the only one on the soapbox today. So, please join me! Take a listen to today’s episode of Freakonomics where the hot button topic is whether or not we need handwriting. Our pencil friend and favorite purveyor of graphite Caroline Weaver from C.W. Pencil Enterprise even gets a shoutout. Get riled up and leave your opinions in the comments!

In Link Love

Link Love: Left, White & Life Paper

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

rp_link-ana1111111111111111-1-1-1-1.jpgPens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Planners & Organizers:

Other Interesting Things:

In Desk Set

Desk Set: Pastel + Storage

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment

The Desk Set Header

pastel-desks

I loved seeing these pastel bright desks full of great organizational and storage ideas. I particularly like the the pegboard is just propped up behind the desk instead of needing to be mounted to the wall making it a good solution for renters and space to hide cords. While originally designed for a kid’s room, it doesn’t look all that different from my desk, I have my own stash of ponies and dolls too!

Images from:
Petit & Small
Love Print Studio
Marie Mersier

For more desk inspiration, be sure to check out The Well-Appointed Desk Pinterest board.

In Ask The Desk

Ask The Desk: Fountain Pen on Washi Tape?

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment

rp_askthedesk_hdr211111-1.png

Shana asks:

I recently got a fountain pen after having lost one many years ago. (A noodlers Konrad, go flex!) I’m using it often in my planner, which also has a lot of washi tape marking appointments. So far the few inks I’ve tested seem to not like washi tape as a surface to be written on. What inks work on washi tape?

Shana, I went to my planner-and-washi-tape experts, AKA my secret society of enablers, for some information. First thing I discovered is that washi is a word that gets used by a lot of tape sellers to describe a wide variety of paper tapes, some more papery than others and others more shiny. The original paper tape from Japan, MT stands for “masking tape” and actually, the term “washi” refers to a specific type of paper made in Japan. So technically, the tapes we use in our planners is paper tape or masking tape.

I asked my pals if they’d had any good experiences with tape and fountain pens and, with the differences in tape shininess, your results may vary from theirs. In field tests, all my secret society testers agreed that, while they could theoretically get some fountain pen and rollerball ink to adhere to washi tape, it tended to bead up and take way too long to dry to be useful. Most recommended that if you wanted to write on the tape itself, to use a permanent pen like Sharpie Extra Fine Permanent markers, Staedtler Lumocolor permanent markers, Stabilo Write4all permanent or American Crafts Slick Writers. The testers also suggested that ballpoint pens and gel pens do as well, but the gel pen needed a lot of drying time. One tester had some luck with 6B, 7B or 8B pencil but a pencil that soft may have the tendency to smear.

You may want to look for some plain paper stickers as an alternative to washi tape to use in your planner if you want to use them for appointment notations and write on them. Particularly Flex nibs will be a particular challenge since they lay down a lot of ink in regards to dry time as well. Quick drying inks might help like Private Reserve’s Fast-Dry line or Noodler’s Bernake series.

So, the short answer is no. Fountain pens and washi tape are not the best of friends. Best of luck in finding the perfect pairing.

In feature

Field Notes Paper Reveal

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment

Field Notes Colors Edition Shenandoah

During a recent bout of caffeine-induced insomnia, I was on the French Paper Co. website, looking through their blog section, marvelling at all the beautifully designed screenprint posters and other designer-y goodness when I stumbled across an entry that would be of particular interest to the readers of The Well-Appointed Desk. I found a listing for the printing notes for the Field Notes Colors Edition: Shenandoah. While Field Notes describes the paper stocks used for their covers as “the Sweet Birch, the Chestnut Oak, and the Red Maple” on their web site, we now know that its actually French Paper Construction Green laminated to Construction Red, Pop-Tone Gumdrop Green laminated to Pop-Tone Lemon Drop and Pop-Tone Jellybean Green laminated to Construction Safety Orange.

And, of course, the classic Kraft cover Field Notes and the Dry Transfer Edition use French Paper Dur-O-Tone Packing Brown Wrap cover stock. Now you know the secrets too!

In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Gong Hei Fat Choi

Author AnaPosted on 4 Comments

FF chinese new year

Officially, Lunar New Year this year falls on Monday, February 8 this year and is the year of the Monkey. I only know how to wish greetings in Cantonese, not Mandarin, so you can say it with me, “gung-hay-fat-choy”! At least in Hong Kong, you’ll sort of sound like you know what you’re saying. So, eat something that feels suitably festive (I recommend BBQ pork buns from your favorite Chinese restaurant), dress in red or gold and maybe try one or two of the customs most often practiced to bring in a prosperous and auspicious new lunar year on Wikipedia.

  • Chinese Zodiac Year of the Monkey Letterpress Art Print Junishi $5 (via Tag Team Tompkins on Etsy)
  • Filofax Original Personal Organizer in Pillar Box Red $94 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Nomadic PE-07 Pen Case – Red $15 (via JetPens)
  • J. Herbin Diamond Wax Seal $34.95AUD (via Notemaker)
  • Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen in Gold Zig Zag with Medium Nib $14.50 (via JetPens)
  • Caran D’Ache 849 Goldbar ballpoint with pencase (Special edition) € 36,90 tax incl. (via Fontoplumo)
  • Sailor Chalana Maroon Gold Stripe Fountain Pen with 18KT Gold EF Nib $239.95 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Diamine Shimmering Fountain Pen Ink in Red Lustre $20 (via JetPens)
  • Diamine Red Dragon in 30ml Mini Bottle $7.50 (via Anderson Pens)
  • Velos V Paper Clips in Gold Box of 75 $2 (via Fresh Stock Japan)
  • Pilot Elabo Fountain Pen in Red with Soft Fine Nib $159 (via JetPens)
  • Lamy Pico Pocket Size Extendable Ballpoint Pen with 0.7 mm Medium Point in Red $34.50 (via JetPens)
  • Kate Spade Bows Gold Push Pins Set of 24 $42.94AUD (via Notemaker)
  • Platinum 3776 Kanazawa-haku Ascending Dragon $360 (via Anderson Pens)