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Month: December 2021

2021 New Pen Releases, The Tag
December 31, 2021
Rachel
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2021 New Pen Releases, The Tag

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink

DISCLAIMER UPDATE (6/24/22): TWSBI and Narwhal have released a joint statement which I cover in my most recent TWSBIgate post. While not completely satisfied with TWSBI’s response to the situation, I no longer feel the need to dissuade people from purchasing their products.

DISCLAIMER (5/1/22): Since writing this post, TWSBI has been involved in some unsavory actions, and I am currently boycotting them. For more information, refer to the #twsbigate tag page.

This post is based on the “New Makeup Releases | THE TAG” video from Angelica Nyqvist. She’s done this tag for several years, and I thought it would be fun to adapt it to the fountain pen world.

This tag is about evaluating the releases — in this case pens & inks — from the past year.

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2021 25 Days of Dupes Wrap-Up25 Days of Dupes Featured Image
December 27, 2021
Rachel
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2021 25 Days of Dupes Wrap-Up

Posted in Ink

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. If you were unable to purchase the Inkvent Calendar, then I hope this settled your mind about experiencing the colors. I can only assume that the 2021 colors will eventually be released individually, so hopefully this series helped you decide which ones to get.

Comparing the Two Inkvent Calendars

I definitely preferred this year’s calendar to 2019’s. There were actually some unique inks, including some I had to make custom mixes for, rather than a bunch that were practically rebottled versions of standard colors. However, I still feel like Diamine could do better. It shouldn’t be possible to dupe a color in the Inkvent Calendar with a Diamine Ink. That means the colors aren’t “new ink colors that can’t be found anywhere else in Diamine’s existing ranges.” But, I have to at least give Diamine credit for the improvements, especially the additional of multishaders.

Keep Reading2021 25 Days of Dupes Wrap-Up
25 Days of Dupes 2021 – Day 2425 Days of Dupes Featured Image
December 25, 2021
Rachel
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25 Days of Dupes 2021 – Day 24

Posted in Ink

First of all, Merry Christmas! I hope you have a great day and that you get to spend quality time with your loved ones.

Day 24’s ink is Yuletide, a standard ink. Of the inks I swabbed, Colorverse Gravity Wave is the best color dupe. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

Enjoy, and happy inking!

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My 2021 Top PensInstagram 12-24-21
December 24, 2021
Rachel
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My 2021 Top Pens

Posted in Fountain Pens

DISCLAIMER UPDATE (6/24/22): TWSBI and Narwhal have released a joint statement which I cover in my most recent TWSBIgate post. While not completely satisfied with TWSBI’s response to the situation, I no longer feel the need to dissuade people from purchasing their products.

DISCLAIMER (5/1/22): Since writing this post, TWSBI has been involved in some unsavory actions, and I am currently boycotting them. For more information, refer to the #twsbigate tag page.

My planning from last year has paid off. This year, I’m revisiting my 2020 Top Pens and seeing what differences there are in comparison to my 2021 top pens.

As I said last year, I tend to sell or trade pens that don’t make me happy to own. I’m getting closer to all of my pens being favorites, but I made myself narrow them down to a top 10 and top 20. I kind of cheated with the Always Inked section, but don’t judge me too harshly.

This was so much harder than I expected it to be. I slightly adjusted my judging criteria this year. I did my best to put these pens in order of which ones I’m most disappointed to un-ink (clean out). And so, I give you my top pens as of the end of 2021.

Keep ReadingMy 2021 Top Pens
My 2021 Brand “Discoveries”Instagram 12-22-21
December 22, 2021
Rachel
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My 2021 Brand “Discoveries”

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Storage

When I sat down to start writing this post, I thought it would be rather short. Then, I looked through my Airtable database and found that I’d purchased pens from 15 new-to-me brands this year! Wow! Now, when I say new-to-me, I don’t mean I’d never heard of them, just that I’d never before purchased a pen made by that brand.

I bought from a decent mix of indie and mainstream brands, which makes me happy. I like supporting indie brands. And I’ve found, especially recently, that my interest is piqued by indie brands more than mainstream brands.

Anyway, let’s start with mainstream brands to get that out of the way, then jump into the indie brands. FYI: The lists are in alphabetical order.

Keep ReadingMy 2021 Brand “Discoveries”
21 Questions: Fountain Pen EditionInstagram 12-20-21
December 20, 2021
Rachel
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21 Questions: Fountain Pen Edition

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink

DISCLAIMER UPDATE (6/24/22): TWSBI and Narwhal have released a joint statement which I cover in my most recent TWSBIgate post. While not completely satisfied with TWSBI’s response to the situation, I no longer feel the need to dissuade people from purchasing their products.

DISCLAIMER (5/1/22): Since writing this post, TWSBI has been involved in some unsavory actions, and I am currently boycotting them. For more information, refer to the #twsbigate tag page.

This post is based on the 21 QUESTIONS: Makeup Edition video from Theresa is Dead. According to her video the 21 Questions Makeup Edition idea originated from Allie Glines.

This time, there’s no evaluating yourself. You’re just answering 21 Questions. I’m assuming, based on the description under Allie’s video, that there have been other editions of the 21 Questions tag.

Keep Reading21 Questions: Fountain Pen Edition
Loft Pens: Building a RainbowInstagram 12-16-21
December 17, 2021
Rachel
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Loft Pens: Building a Rainbow

Posted in Fountain Pens

I first saw Loft Pens in May of this year. They posted a neat stacked ombre pen. I instantly knew I wanted one, but I needed to figure out the color scheme.

It didn’t take me too long to decide I wanted a rainbow. But, since I was trying to pay off some pens, I didn’t reach out to them right away. However, permies.world didn’t waste any time. They posted the rainbow pen they’d commissioned, and it was very pretty. Unfortunately, my contrary nature meant I no longer wanted one like that because it had already been done. I luv ya, PW, really, I do, and your collection! But I digress. I petulantly removed the rainbow pen from my wishlist and didn’t give it much thought.

Keep ReadingLoft Pens: Building a Rainbow
ARTUS Four Elements AirInstagram 12-15-21
December 15, 2021
Rachel
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ARTUS Four Elements Air

Posted in Fountain Pens

My last ARTUS post. If you didn’t see my previous posts about the Water, Fire , and Earth, you may want to go back and take a look at them. This is the Air, the true “sister” pen to the Water, done by the same artist. Since I covered how I came to own the Earth and Air yesterday, I’m not going over it again. You can read the story in the Earth post. Note: You can view any of the images below a little larger — much larger if you’re on mobile — by clicking on them.

Photo showing the full pen.

Enjoy all of the delicious pen porn contained within this post. I take no responsibility for purchases resulting from them.

Keep ReadingARTUS Four Elements Air
ARTUS Four Elements EarthInstagram 12-13-21
December 14, 2021
Rachel
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ARTUS Four Elements Earth

Posted in Fountain Pens

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my story about doing “something big” with relation to pens. Well, that something big was completing my ARTUS Four Elements set. I already shared the new pens there, and even took a week where my “rotation” was just the set. Like the Water and Fire, the two new ones, Earth and Air, are beautiful. Air will get its own post tomorrow. Today, I’m focusing on Earth. The leaves and swirls are beyond stunning. And the flowers are masterpieces in their own rights. Note: You can view the images a little larger — much larger if you’re on mobile — by clicking on them.

Photo showing the full pen.

Enjoy all of the delicious pen porn contained within this post. I take no responsibility for purchases resulting from them.

Keep ReadingARTUS Four Elements Earth