Every year, Amazon Prime Day rolls around and every year it seems like fountain pens get no love. Of course, this isn’t a surprise, but wouldn’t it be nice if there were at least a few decent deals to look forward to? So that you wouldn’t have to, I sifted through the sale items and came up with a few …
Which Papers Are Good Tomoe River Replacements?
If you’re connected to the online fountain pen community in any way, you’ve probably heard rumblings about Tomoe River paper lately. If you haven’t heard yet, it seems that Tomoegawa, the company who manufacturers Tomoe River, has plans to shut down the machine that currently makes Tomoe River later this year. A replacement machine for manufacturing has not yet been …
The Big Paper Retesting and Rerating
If you’re familiar with this site, you know that I’m a big fan of good paper. So much so, that I came up with my own rating system to test different papers. These tests involve using the exact same pens and inks every time in an effort to get consistent results. I have been using this system for more than …
New Paper Search Tool Now Available!
I recently started working on a tool that I hoped would prove to be a comprehensive search experience for anyone looking for specific paper qualities. Initially, these specific qualities were more or less what is already available in my Massive List of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper Ratings post. After coming up with a first draft and getting a bit of …
What Are Typical Sheen And Ink Color Combinations?
There is something fascinating about an ink with beautiful sheen. Maybe it’s how a colorful metallic sheen can enhance how handwriting looks, or maybe it’s just that it feels a little magical to write with a blue ink and have it appear red when viewed from a certain angle. Have you ever noticed that certain ink colors tend to have …
Why I Keep A Currently Inked Journal (And Why You Should, Too)
You may already know that I keep an ink journal. This is a great reference for how each ink looks in a variety of different pens. It’s also a handy reference for the properties of each ink (dry time, how it holds up to water, how it shades and sheens). In a separate journal, I also keep track of each …
Custom Paper Sample Pack Updates
I’m back with another Shop update. After February’s successful limited edition InCoWriMo Stationery Sample Pack, I wanted to add some new papers I had discovered to the Custom Sample Pack. I’ve also been looking around for other high-quality papers that may be of interest to paper lovers. The New Additions One paper that I’m excited to now offer is Kokuyo …
A Few Thoughts On Getting Started With A Bullet Journal
I was chatting with a friend recently and the topic of bullet journals came up. She thought it looked like a good system and, knowing I use one, wanted to hear my thoughts on it. I am not a strict bullet journaler, but do try to keep one for my daily schedule and routines, as well as lists I use …
Let’s Take A Look At Paper Color
Fountain pen friendly paper can have many qualities. In my reviews I pay close attention to a papers feathering, bleedthrough, ghosting and even how it handles ink to produce shading and sheen. One thing that I never really mention is the color of the paper. Personally, this is something that I hardly notice, but I know that many people care …
Carmyne’s Journal Giveaway!
It’s time for another giveaway! I can’t believe it’s been a year since my last one. I guess that’s one more thing to dislike about 2020. This time I’ll be giving away a Carmyne’s Journal. Be sure to check out my latest blog post if you missed my review of these great journals. About Carmyne’s Journals To briefly summarize what …