My ADHD brain in blog form.
Posted in Ink
Phew, that’s a wrap on the first 24 Days of Dupes! Please let me know in the comments if you’d like to see me match the 2024 Inkvent calendar; it would probably be in late February into March.
As I mentioned in the opening post, Colorverse has no plans to release the full line of Colorvent inks like Diamine does with Inkvent. However, Colorverse does plan to release the “top 3” inks. More on that in a bit.
Posted in Ink
Hello, welcome back to 24 Days of Dupes 2024. Below you’ll find the inks for days 19-24. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap-up post.
Some info:
Enjoy, and happy inking!
Posted in Cat
Time flies, and we’re now two years out from Athena’s FIP diagnosis. Find out how she’s been since my last update post.
Posted in Stationery
This post is a little different than my standard tag post. I found A Clockwork Reader‘s video Makeup Book Tag! first, which gave me this idea. In the description of that video, they list “Creator’s video: no longer available.” However, Angelica Nyqvist recently posted The Makeup Book Tag | MY FAVES FROM BOTH WORLDS 😱 to her second channel where she credited Belle Terese‘s video makeup book tag! 💋📖 | bookmas day 7 ❄️ (2024) and sarawithoutanH‘s video MAKEUP BOOK TAG (2016), neither of which credit a tag creator. All that to say, the original idea isn’t mine, but I have adapted the idea to the stationery world.
Since I’ve unintentionally gotten known for #MakeupMonday and #FPCosplayFriday, this seemed like an appropriate tag to do. I had to seriously change some steps, because I just don’t use those makeup products, but I made this work for my routine. Without further ado, let’s jump in.
Posted in Fountain Pens, and Non-Fountain Pens
I’m proud of myself for coming in under my fountain pen purchase limit this year! Even if I count my two reserved pens — a Nahvalur and my in-progress Stanford Pen Studio commission — I only acquired 27 pens this year, 9 less than my limit. Go me!
Like last year, I’ve included photos so you can see the pretties. Where possible, I’ve also linked to my dedicated blog posts. Now, enough chit-chat, onto the ranking!
Posted in Ink
Hello, welcome back to 24 Days of Dupes 2024. Below you’ll find the inks for days 12-18. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap-up post.
Some info:
Enjoy, and happy inking!
Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink
As I do each year, I’m sharing my current top tens. I’m continuing my approach from 2022 and 2023, with my top ten pens by appearance and top ten nibs. Since I’m keeping to the same format, I’ll compare my lists. This year, though, I’m also adding my top ten inks by usage.
But without further preamble, enjoy my top tens of 2024.
Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink
Time for another addition to this yearly tradition. If you’re curious, you can check out the 2021, 2022, and 2023 entries. This idea was originally based on the “New Makeup Releases | THE TAG” video from Angelica Nyqvist.
This tag is about evaluating the releases — in this case pens & inks — from the past year. But, this year, I have to add a caveat. My focus has been on indie makers, and I’ve mostly ignored mainstream manufacturers. I had to do some research to find the answers to many of these questions. Let me know if you agree or disagree with me.
Posted in Fountain Pens
Can you believe it’s already the middle of December? I don’t know where this year went, but it’s time to start my end of year retrospective posts.
Before I dive into this post, I want to remind you all that I “discovered” these brands like Columbus “discovered” America. That a brand is on this list doesn’t mean that I didn’t know it existed before this year, it means that the brand did not have any representation in my pen collection before 2024.
Continuing the trend I started last year, I once again purchased from less new brands. Technically, I only bought from two new-to-me brands: one pen, and one ink. However, among other “unique” situations, I gave a brand I’d written off a second chance, and I bought my first modern pen from a brand.
Posted in Ink
Hello, welcome back to 24 Days of Dupes 2024. Below you’ll find the inks for days 5-11. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap-up post.
Some info:
Enjoy, and happy inking!
Posted in Ink
Hello, welcome to the first post of 24 Days of Dupes 2024. Below you’ll find the inks for days 1-4. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap-up post.
Some info:
Enjoy, and happy inking!
Posted in Paper
I meant to write this post a couple of months ago, around the beginning of October. But, hey, better late than never, right?
I’ve divided this post into four major sections, so if you’re only interested in some of them, feel free to jump directly to them. Each section has a short update to my previous paper system changes post, followed by the new information.
Topics: Sizes & Uses | Paper | Layouts | Accessories
The short version of this post — the TLDR, if you will — is that things are going significantly better, but I still have a few issues to work out.
As a short aside, I’ve gotten used to bringing multiple binders when I go to work. It no longer bothers me. But, I rarely bring more than my blog binder with me elsewhere. I need to get back into the habit of bringing my Mini 5 (M5) binder with me more often.
Posted in Ink
We have a new calendar this year! Colorverse debuted their foray into the advent calendar world, Colorvent, and I snapped one up, because I love Colorverse ink. I’m considering duping the Inkvent Calendar sometime early next year, let me know if that’s something you’re interested in seeing. Of course, because it’s a completely different calendar, there will be some differences, but there will also be a lot of similarities.
As I have the past couple of years, I will be posting once a week with all of the inks from that week, with the day based on Christmas. Since Christmas is on Wednesday, my Colorvent posts will be on Thursdays. My first dupe post will be on the 5th, with the inks from December 1-4. My final dupe post will be on the 26th, with inks from December 19-24. And I’ll have a wrap-up/reference post on the 27th linking to the 4 dupe posts and listing the best dupe for each ink.
The biggest difference is the number of days. The Colorvent Calendar has 24 days to Inkvent’s 25. However, I don’t want to post on Christmas day, so the final weekly post, as I mentioned above, will still be on the day after Christmas.
Posted in Fountain Pens
Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This is my final entry in this initial run on SPS. However, I will continue this series as they partner with more artists, and already have an entry planned for their newest partner, Renée Gerstner.
I also want to remind everyone that I’m not affiliated with SPS, I’m just an avid fan of the people and the work they do.
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
This series has tested me more than any other blog series so far. Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to scroll through so many Instagram accounts, look at so much art, and keep myself from purchasing? I want ALL the pens, and ALL the art.
OK, full disclosure, I didn’t get through this series without any purchases. I bought some art from Yulia Glas. I tried to resist, I really did, but I couldn’t help myself.
I’ve enjoyed this series more than most of my other blog posts, too. It’s been great learning more about each artist, and helping to support them. I’m also happy to know that Di and Dave are as great as they seem.
Just a quick thank you to my readers.
Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This entry is spotlighting Di Möhr, SPS’ co-founder who you can find on Facebook and Instagram
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
While I don’t own any of Di’s painted pens, Jim does, and I have one of her bead-wrapped pens. As I worked through the previous 10 posts of this series, I scrolled through the SPS Instagram feed countless times, and realized just how many pens Di painted before SPS “blew up,” keeping her too busy to work on art pens herself.
I’m keeping this post a surprise to Di, so it’s not the same type of Q&A style that the other artists’ posts were, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy the pens anyway. So that there’s no confusion, Di is no currently accepting commissions, nor is she working on art pens with any regularity. However, since this series has been about the wonderful work of SPS and their artists, it didn’t feel right to me to leave her out.
Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This entry is spotlighting Lana le Roux who you can find on Instagram
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
Lana is the fifth SPS artist I’ve commissioned a pen from. This particular commission is still in the works, but I know it’s going to be amazing.
Lana is a quintessential Renaissance woman. She is a chef, puts together beautiful catering spreads, paints stunning traditional art pieces, mixes custom resin blanks, paints pens, shares SPS administrative work, and is learning lathe work! And those are just the things I know about.
Posted in Ink
This post is inspired by Theresa is Dead‘s video Why Picking ONE Blush from 32 Is the Most Dramatic Thing You’ll Watch Today! I thought it would be a lot of fun to narrow down my top ink of any given brand. Because I own the most Diamine inks, I decided to start there.
I started this bracket with colors as similar as possible to make the early choices a bit more fair/even. As I decide between any two given inks, I’m looking at my swatch book. Forgive me for not including pictures of the swatches, but I don’t have time right now to photograph and edit 44 images. I have, however, provided links to ink reviews for each ink.
Disclaimer: I pulled images from several sites to have isolated photos of each bottle: JetPens, Mann Inc Ltd, Vanness Pen Shop, Flax Pen to Paper, Cult Pens, and some Reddit posts.
Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This entry is spotlighting Lisa Strachan who you can find on Instagram
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
I’m still trying to determine what pen(s) I’d like from Lisa. Several of her pens have been highly tempting, and I was too slow to get a couple that I would have liked to own, like her Bird of Paradise pen. Lisa specializes in botanical illustrations, but not just on paper and pens! She has an amazing portfolio of textile arts.
Welcome, or welcome back, to my Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) series. If you haven’t seen my previous posts, I suggest you check them out to see the amazing work the SPS collective produces. This entry is spotlighting Zelna le Roux who you can find on Instagram
SPS Series Posts: SPS Overview | Brandon Lodewyk | Carla Nel | Di Möhr | Hanna Farmer | Kseniia Nel | Lana Le Roux | Lisa Strachan | Val Myburgh | Yulia Glas | Zelna le Roux | Initial Wrap-Up
I’m still trying to determine what pen(s) I want to get with Zelna’s art. I was fortunate enough to see her Zebra pen at the DC Pen Show, and it was INCREDIBLY tempting. While Zelna specializes in oil paint, she works in various media, producing beautiful works with amazing richness and warmth.
