In Paper Review

Review & Giveaway: Midori Letter Pad & Envelope Set

Author AnaPosted on 44 Comments
Review & Giveaway: Midori Letter Pad & Envelope Set

Midori Letter and Message Pads (starting at $7 and up) are made with unique Iyo Washi paper, a paper that comes from the Ehime Prefecture in Japan, known for its high-quality water. The paper is textured with distinctive brush strokes when viewed closely.

Close-up image of the texture of the washi paper

Each pad comes with 16 pages in a top bound pad which can them be combined with matching envelopes to send special notes for the new year or other special days.

The design style we tested is not currently available but many colorful styles and options in the Midori Message Letter Pad ($7 each) that are still available.

We tested the paper with an assortment of writing tools and all stayed true with no splining, bleeding or feathering.

View of the back of the previous sheet. No show through or bleedthrough. Can also see details of the foil stamped design in the corner.

There is very slight showthrough with darker and wetter pens but nothing that would impede using both sides of the sheet.

I am delighted with the quality of these pads and the paper they contain though I would not really expect anything but the finest quality from Midori. All their papers are top-notch.

The Giveaway

We are giving away ONE set of the Midori Letter Pad 145 Silk Printing Colorful Japanese Maple and matching envelopes. This set has a red leaf pattern printed on the reverse side of the paper to create depth and a unique look like falling leaves. The front of each sheet has gold metallic details. The envelopes also feature gold accents. The Letter Pad sheets can be folded in half and slipped into the matching envelopes for the perfect presentation.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below and let us know your favorite flower, plant or tree. If its native to Japan, even better! Play along and type in something. It makes reading through entries more interesting for me, okay? One entry per person.

If you have never entered a giveaway or commented on the site before, your comment must be manually approved by our highly-trained staff of monkeys before it will appear on the site. Our monkeys are underpaid and under-caffeinated so don’t stress if your comment does not appear right away. Give the monkeys some time.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Friday, Feb 14, 2025. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Monday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your actual email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. If winner does not respond within 5 days, I will draw a new giveaway winner. Shipping via USPS first class is covered. Additional shipping options or insurance will have to be paid by the winner. We are generous but we’re not made of money. US and APO/AFO only, sorry.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Vanness Pen Shop for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In news

Shop News: Peter Pauper Stickers & More

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Shop News: Peter Pauper Stickers & More

Before we launch into shop news, I want to remind anyone attending the CA Pen Show, there are still spots available for my classes.

Let’s fall in love with inks together on Friday, Feb 14 from 3:30-5:30pm! SECRETS FROM THE INK COLLECTOR: Swatch & Catalog Your Collection will be your chance to dive deep into how to organize, catalog and make sense of your burgeoning (or potentially burgeoning) ink stash. Each class participant will receive a swatching starter kit filled with tools and goodies to help get you started in your ink collecting journey.

On Saturday afternoon from 11:30am-1:00pm, let’s make some magic using nothing but pens, ink and our intentions! In the SIGILS: Make Magic with Pens & Ink, I will show the simple steps to make a magical symbol from simple marks and then how to use colors to strengthen your intention. Your journal can be a place of magic and this class will start you on your journey. Class participants will receive a free copy of my SIGILS Zine to use as a reference.

Both classes will be taught in person at the CA Pen Show next weekend. Sign up for your classes now to be sure to get a spot!

Restocks!

Creeping Moon is very popular in the shop and sells out fast. We are thrilled to get our favorites back in stock including the Apothecary Bookshelf Washi Tape, the beautiful, the durable, beautiful B6 hardcover notebooks and my favorite book clip, The Draco dragon book clip.

Shelley Couvillion washi tapes are also back in the shop including the Forgotten Armory, Magic Mail and Dark Library which are all cut like postage stamps (not actual postage!). Lots more are available in our Washi Tape dept.

New Products!

I love Peter Pauper Press’s sticker collections. I’ve been using several of their books in my monthly planner/journal set-ups so I’m so happy to be able to offer them in the shop. I was even able to get a few new collections for the shop that will be sure to turn up in upcoming planner set-ups. Each book comes with oodles of stickers for a very attractive price. I think you’ll love them too!

The Studio Series Letterpress Stamp Set from Peter Pauper Press is a great value set of upper and lower case rubber stamps plus punctuation, all with wood peg mounts and comes in a wood box. Individual stamps measure about 1/2” x 3/8” and are great for planner/journal titles.

Game Night Favorites!

If you’re ready to get your game on, we have you covered with notepads, coasters and stickers. Geek out with us!
Check out our:

Artist’s Open House: This Saturday, Feb. 8 in KC!

Finally, if you live in the Kansas CIty area, both Well-Appointed Desk and Skylab Letterpress will be participating in an Artist Open House in Brookside on Saturday, Feb. 8. We’ll have lots of merch  available  along with creators TagTeam Tompkins and Amuck Design.  Snacks and mingling too!

In feature

Notebook Review: Hobonichi Fireside Chat Notebook – B6 – Blank

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments
Notebook Review: Hobonichi Fireside Chat Notebook – B6 – Blank

The Hobonichi Fireside Chat Notebook (B6 Blank) ($14) is a 40-page deliciously B6-sized notebook with a cardstock cover that features a quote from the mysterious “Mr. Safety Match,” whose wisdom occasionally appears in the daily quotes of Hobonichi planners. Most notably, these notebooks are filled with Tomoe River S paper. The yellow cover features blank pages other than the little smiley face printed in the bottom right corner of each two-page spread that references the quote on the cover.

The spine is stitched with thread in a lovely turquoise color.

While I’m not crazy about the quote on the cover, it has a very “you’d be prettier if you’d smile” vibe. I like blank paper and stickers can cover up the quote in no time. I wish it had just been a plain cover but someone must have thought it would be clever to use these quotes.

The Hobonichi logo is blind debossed in the back cover. I wish they’d just done that on the front instead of the quote.

The realy reaosn I purchased the notebook was wanting a Tomoe River cahier notebook in B6 size and I’m delighted to note the paper works as expected.

Some wetter inks do show through but with 52gsm Tomoe River, it is to be expected.

Other options of this notebook are available in lined, dot grid and graph with different colored covers and different quotes so if you like B6-sized notebooks but want a different printed guides, there are options. All are $14 each.

I think I’ll use this as my “ink first impression” notebook for the year — a place to test and sample inks before I swatch. And yes, it will be covered in stickers in a New York Minute.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Happy Lunar New Year!

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Link Love: Happy Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year was actually a few days ago but I wanted an excuse to share the new Year of the Snake postage stamp (link to article below). I love this series from the USPS and love that they continue to create new designs each year. May your year be filled with joy, prosperity and peace. We could all use a heaping helping of that right now!

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

Thanks for reading this week’s Link Love. If you subscribe to our Patreon, you will have access to our bi-weekly podcast, TL:DR, filled with even more news and information from the pen community. There are also lots of other perks and your patronage supports this site. Without  you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you to our current Patrons. You are the best!

In Fountain Pen Review

Fountain Pen Review: NAGASAWA “Odyssey Snow White” LE

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Fountain Pen Review: NAGASAWA “Odyssey Snow White” LE

The Nagasawa Odyssey Snow White LE fountain pen ($375) is an exclusive Sailor fountain pen, based on the “Pen Style 2005 Mine” design, released through NAGASAWA in Japan and made available in the US through Vanness Pen Shop. The Pen Style 2005 Mine shape is a little different than the classic Pro Gear Slim design as the ends are a bit more blunt and the pen is a bit shorter. The longer I hold it and look at it the more fascinated I am by the subtle differences.

The Odyssey Snow White LE features a milky white resin with (what they describe as antique gold nib and hardware but that looks more like) rose gold to me. The end caps, clip and 14K nib all feature the same warm gold finish giving the pen a surprisingly unique look and feel. The metal hardware makes the Odyssey Snow White LE feel weightier with a slightly different balance as a result.

Each pen is numbered on the nib.
Close-up of antique gold showing engraving of rooster and “Kobe” text as well as “!882” and “14K”
Compared to a standard Pro Gear Slim, the Pen Style 2005 Mine in slightly different length.

The overall design of the Pen Style 2005 Mine Odyssey Snow White LE looks so similar to the ProGear Slim but there are notable difference in the end caps, cap band and, when capped, the pens are slightly different lengths.

Comparison of length when posted. Almost identical in length posted.

Even the clip is slightly different but it just the removal of the engraving details. The Pen Style 2005 Mine Odyssey Snow White LE is just simpler in design, more modern.

The Pen Style 2005 Mine with the metal hardware makes the pen a tiny bit heavier than a standard PRoGear Slim: Capped, the Snow White LE is 23gms to a ProGear Slim at 19gms with the converter filled. Uncapped, the Snow White LE is 14gms, just 1gm heavier

The nib is the MF, medium fine. Its similar to the F Fine nib but just a tiny bit wider.

The Odyssey Snow White LE is a unique and beautiful pen. It is pricey but that may be as much a result of the LE nature as it is the unique model and hardware finish. I think its a lovely edition to any pen collection.

Tools:

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Vanness Pen Shop for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Roses & Chocolates

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment
Fashionable Friday: Roses & Chocolates

I want to celebrate my friends, family and favorite foods and flowers in February. (Boy, I love an aliteration!) Grab your favorite roses and chocolates and celebrate yourself, your friends and your loved ones. Romance yourself!

Fashionable Friday: Roses & Chocolate

OMG! I forgot to include a polish color this week so I suggest hopping over to Mooncat and checking out their array of fabulous reds and browns! My favorites are The Arsonist and Bottled Rage which are quite ironically named!

Thanks to my sponsors for providing some of the images I use for Fashionable Friday. Please consider making your next purchase from one of the shops that support this blog and let them know you heard about them here. Thanks for your support and for supporting the shops that help keep it running.