Link Love: Optimus Prime

This week was Amazon’s annual Christmas in July sale disguised as “Prime Day” with deals on everything from tech to books to everything in between. Bookshop.org, the indie bookseller’s best friend offered free shipping on orders during the same days. If you are not familiar with Bookshop.org, they let indie booksellers and affiliates (like myself) set up storefront pages and a percentage of each sale purchased through those storefront sites got directly to the indie shop. Bookshop.org handles all fulfillment and inventory so it really is a win for small sellers. I set up my shop to create a curated collection of the books we discuss in our Patreon video chat If you happen to catch this post on the day it drops, free shipping is good through 07/12/23.

More #21PenQuestions!

• #21PenQuestions from The Gentleman Stationer (via The Gentleman Stationer)
• 21 pen questions: 21 pen answers (via A Fleeting Ripple)
• #5MorePenQuestions: What I Really WANTED to Answer (via The Gentleman Stationer)

Pens:

• Ranga Premium Ebonite Abhimanyu Fountain Pen Review (via The Pen Addict)
• Pen Review: Newton Pens Hale Fountain Pen (via The Gentleman Stationer)
• The Sailor Promenade (via Left Hook Pens)
• Fude vs Bent Nib. Is There A Difference? (via An Inkophile’s Blog)
• Assorted Goings On In Hannover (via The Pelikan’s Perch)

Ink:

• Ink Review #769: Diamine Snowstorm (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist)
• Penultimate Dave Favourite Turquoise Inks #1 (via Penultimate Dave)
• Vinta Vineyard (La Union 1971) (via Inkcredible Colours)
• #1073 KEN’S NIGHT Blue in Green (via HAPPY INK DAYS archives)
• Robert Oster Drinks Part 1 (via Mountain of Ink)
• The Best Waterproof Fountain Pen Inks (via JetPens)
• Octopus Fluids Purpur Ink Review (via The Pen Addict)
• Ink of the Week – P.W. Akkerman #8 Diep-Duinwaterblauw (via Fountain Pen Love)
• Some more Wearingeul Standard ink swatch tests (via FOUNTAIN PEN INK ART)

Pencils:

• Review: Arrtx Graphite Drawing Pencils (via Fueled by Clouds & Coffee)

Notebooks & Paper:

• Papersmiths Notebook Review (via Notebook Stories)
• Ellsworth Kelly Sketchbooks (via Notebook Stories)
• Ghosts of Planner’s Past: Bullet Journalling (via Writing at Large)
• Losing your organiser (via Philofaxy)
• Review: Ohuhu marker pad (200gsm) (via Parka Blogs)

Art & Creativity:

• How to make a home-made sketchbook (via Drewscape)
• 10 Tips on Using Colored Inks from a Professional Illustrator (via My Modern Met)
• 30+ Best Free Procreate Pencil Brushes (incl. Paid Versions) (via The Designest)
• REVIEW: Hahnemühle Art Accessories (via Doodlewash)
• In Surreal Collages, Julie Liger-Belair Explores Home, Interiority, and the Terrain of Dreams (via Colossal)
• How to Embroider Flowers on Your Clothing (via Tilly and the Buttons)
• Paint Anywhere With This Portable Set of Watercolors (via My Modern Met)
• Learn About J.C. Leyendecker, an Influential Illustrator (via My Modern Met)
• SketchBox Urban Sketching Watercolor Palette (via Fueled by Clouds & Coffee: Review)
• By Engraving Found Plastic Waste, Duke Riley Links Extractive Practices Throughout Human History (via Colossal)
• You Can Read Paul Klee’s Personal Notebooks for Free Online (via My Modern Met)

Other Interesting Things:

• 10 of the best office chairs that combine style and comfort (via Creative Boom)
• Knitting Comfortably: Easy Chair Hacks (via Modern Daily Knitting)
• What is Threads? Meet Meta’s new social media platform hoping to rival Twitter (via Creative Boom)
• Postal Service to Release Life Magnified Stamps (via USPS Newsroom)
• A Tour of My Workspace (2023) (via The Postman’s Knock)
• Travel and sketch with TF Canvas Pouch (via TRAVELER’S COMPANY USA)
• Meet My New Brother (via Krafty Cats)
• The Messy Middle: 2023 Mid-year Review (via Dime Novel Raven)
• A 16th-Century Book of Astrological Ideas Tried to Predict the Future Using Illustrated Wheel Charts (via Colossal)
• We’ve Got It Made: Process X Goes Behind the Scenes to Demystify the Production of Our Favorite Objects and Tools (via Colossal)
• Never waste your midlife crisis (via Austin Kleon)
• Listen to a Band That Plays Typewriters as Musical Instruments (via My Modern Met)

We need each other. Please support our sponsors, affiliates or join our Patreon. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!