In Link Love

Link Love: Crickets & Bookworms

Author AnaPosted on 5 Comments
Link Love: Crickets & Bookworms

This week, the Desk HQ has been filled with the sounds of crickets (and a few cicadas) and the sounds of school buses and kids on the playground (yep, Desk HQ is situated across the street from an elementary school). What do the sounds mean? It’s back-to-school time and the summer is coming to an end. But for the pen community, it means shopping for fun (or silly) back-to-school supplies and getting in touch with our inner grade schooler.

I think I’m going to find a cool pencil box and fill it with some gel pens, some fun shaped erasers and a box of crayons because they smell good! Maybe add some stickers, and few mini toys because I am secretly nine years old. Oh! And maybe I’ll visit the library for some new books to read to relive the feeling of a Scholastic Book Fair. Didn’t you love them?!?! How do you celebrate back-to-school season (even if you aren’t actually going back to school)?

Pens:

Ink:

Pencils:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

Do you like this week’s illustration? I made it by collaging vintage images together digitally. No AI. This type of work takes time and thought and Patrons of The Well-Appointed Desk receive a packet of my favorite collage designs as postcards when they sign up. Your support helps keep this site running and helps to keep me running (do you how much coffee it take to make the perfect “book worm”????) Please consider joining our Patreon — just don’t use Apple App Store to do. If you subscribe, you’ll hear me rant about Patreon in the most recent member’s only podcast. See??? Win-win! Thank you!

In DIY

Making my own journal.

Author Laura CameronPosted on 3 Comments

I am generally a pretty crafty person, so when I saw that my yarny friend Treasure Goddess was hosting a journal making class at her barn I was ready to sign up. The class was taught by local fiber and textile artist Barrie Mason, who has been selling her wares at local shows for years.

Barrie was delightful and made the class very easy for us by doing the hard parts in advance! We showed up on Saturday morning and among mimosas and muffins, got down to the business of journal making. Barrie provided the signatures of 80lb drawing paper, already folded and precut to size. She also brought a huge selection of covers, papers, threads and adornments for us to choose from, in addition to a bag of tools for each participant to use during the course.

Our first task was to select a cover and optional origami papers to separate the signatures. For covers, there were tons of different colors and options – leather, faux leather, indigo dyed canvas, and what I chose, which was cork. Materials aren’t as hard to come by these days as you might think. We were using heavy weight fabrics designed for bag (and journal!) making and they’re available at many independent fabric stores. Barrie also brought a beautiful selection of origami paper, in intricate patterns and solid colors that we could use to separate our signatures.

Once we had selected our materials, it was time to start. The first thing we needed to do was punch holes in the signatures. I should explain: signatures are groupings of pages that have been folded and trimmed down to size. For the journal that we were making, we were given three signatures. I chose to wrap each in origami paper as shown above. To punch holes in our paper (which would match holes already punched in the covers, and make sewing things easier), we were given a cardboard template (showing the location of the holes), an awl (a sharp pokey tool!) and a thick catalog to use as a cradle. Basically we opened the catalog and place the fold of the papers in the fold of the book. Then we lined up the template and used the awl to poke the holes. It was much easier than I thought!

Once our signatures were prepared, it was time to start sewing. Barrie brought tons of waxed linen thread colors to choose from. Once you had selected what you wanted, she led us through the process of sewing the book together with a blunt tipped needle. In and out and through and round and over and under…. very technical! And after adding each signature, we used a bone folder to keep the creases neat and tidy. And in the end our signatures were firmly held in place by the waxed linen thread and our book was close to done.

The final step was to choose a closure. Barrie provided snaps to those who wanted, but she had also told us we could bring a button or bead that we had in our collections. I had purchased some large purple buttons years ago and had one left – it was perfect. She helped us place it and then our final thread served to wrap around the journal and the button and hold it closed. She also provided a selection of beads – I added one at the end for a little extra weight and decoration.

The final journal is approximately 4.25″ x 6.25″ (11cm x 16cm) and is the perfect size to carry along or throw in a purse. Overall the class was super fun and now I need to decide what to use my new journal for!

In feature

New Girologio Leather Zipper Pouch

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments
New Girologio Leather Zipper Pouch

Girologio recently introduced a new Zipper Pouch ($40, available in 4 colors — Midnight Noir, Rustic Saddle, Crimson Ember, and Aqua Breeze). It’s made from buttery-soft, pliable Italian leather and constructed in the US. The Zipper Pouch utilizes top-notch YKK zippers so zipping and unzipping is smooth and easy.

Yes, its a pouch, not an individually divided pen case but I like having some “dump cases” for non-fountain pens and accessories.

The zipper pouch measures approximately 9″ x 3″ x 2.5″ which is long enough to carry unsharpened Blackwing pencils or Tombow ABT Brush Pens. The pouch opens wide enough to dig around in the pouch without having to take everything out to get to something on the bottom.

While I am a bit concerned the light aqua color might show more wear and tear and dirt than a darker color but because the inside is also light its easy to see the contents. And its soooooo pretty. Like Tiffany Blue! So… trade-offs.

The loops on each end make it easy to zip open and closed as well as to carry around your office or pull in and out of your bag. One loop is a thumb loop for zipping the bag shut and the other is large enough to loop your fingers under to lift in and out of your bag. Be sure to remember which end you decide to be the “up” and which the “down”.

I recommend storing pens with the tips facing the longer grab handle as you may be more inclined to tuck in a bag with that end facing up and then reduce any chance of leaking. Storing horizontal is always the best option but when traveling (long distance or just to you local coffeeshop), you may need to carry it vertically.

I was able to cram a lot of pens and stationery accessories into the pouch including several rolls of washi tape, eraser, glue stick, stamps and even some business cards.

All this was in the case, and it easily zipped closed. It’s small size disguises its TARDIS-like capacity.

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

In feature

Coming Soon! Rickshaw x Well-Appointed Desk Pen Cases

Author AnaPosted on 13 Comments

I cannot tell you all how excited I am to announce my first-ever Rickshaw Bagworks pattern! I hand drew some of my favorite ink bottles in pen and ink.

Outside view Rickshaw Sinclair case
Outside view Rickshaw Sinclair case
Inside view of Rickshaw Sinclair case
Inside view of Rickshaw Sinclair case

I used a Platinum Carbon Desk Pen with Platinum Carbon Black ink — and then created ink splashes using liquid watercolor paint. I scanned all the art into my computer with a craggy old Epson all-in-one printer/scanner and then edited the pattern in Photoshop and adjusted the color of the splatters to create the color scheme you see here. Mark at Rickshaw transferred the patterns into Illustrator to align them to his templates and voila! The ink bottle pattern was born.

Currently, the linings in all the cases is the turquoise in either plush or nylon/poly — depending on the case.

1-, 2- and 3-pen coozy sleeves
Single, 2- and 3-pen coozy sleeves
Inside peek of the single pen coozy sleeve with my Sailor Line Friends pen peeking out!
2-pen sleeve, ready for action!
3-pen coozy with some very serious pens.

Can you name all the brands shown in the pattern?

All the art was created by hand. No AI. No tracing. No tomfoolery.

6-pen rolls. Regular roll on the left, deluxe roll on the right (with flap to protect pens)
6-pen rolls. Regular roll on the left, deluxe roll on the right (with flap to protect pens)
Interior view of 6-pen roll
Interior view of Deluxe 6-pen roll

Now, maybe you’re wondering, “How do I get one of these unique Rickshaw cases?” First, they will be available in person at the San Francisco Pen Show for their debut. We will have all the designs shown here PLUS Bonzai and A5 Field Bags. How much ink bottle pattern is too much?!?!?

A5 zippered pouch
Prototype has plush lining but the final version will have an easy-to-clean poly/nylon lining in the same color. Holds A5 and smaller notebooks, art supplies, cables and so much more. One of my favorite cases!

If you are unable to attend the show, you will have an opportunity to purchase the cases after the show either at Vanness Pen Shop or in my shop. I will let you know when those are available but it might be a couple weeks post-SF depending on if we sell out in SF.

The Coozy case is similar to the Sinclair but with a slightly boxier shape and no inner pockets. Great to corral pen sleeves, small notebooks, phone, cables and other items that get lost in the bottom of your bag.
A mini sketchbook (The Voyager Passport sketchbook is in my shop) fits perfectly in the Coozy case for a sketch-on-the-go kit!

Let me know in the comments if there are other designs or configurations that you are interested in purchasing and I may be able to add those to the shop in the future. Stay tuned and I can’t wait to share these with you in person!!!

In feature, Ink Review

Ink Review: Ferris Wheel Press Leadcast Letters

Author Jessica ColesPosted on Leave a comment
Ink Review: Ferris Wheel Press Leadcast Letters

Last weekend I attended the Washington DC show and helped at the Dromgoole’s booth selling ink and paper. While helping people find the perfect ink to match a pen or the latest release, I spent an enormous amount of time looking at ink colors and ink boxes. The Ferris Wheel Press boxes have caught my attention with their level of detail and story line. One of my favorites is the new Leadcast Letters. 

All of Ferris Wheel Press inks come in a glass bottle with a heavy brass cap. The detail on the Leadcast Letters box has a special place in my heart because of the letterpress print shop and a great one too.

The gold foil detail makes the scene pop.

Don’t forget the cats!

 

But the ink inside is actually my favorite feature here.

Leadcast Letters is an interesting color – a brown-gray with a bit of a yellow undertone. It is slightly darker with a touch more yellow than Sailor Maine and lighter than Rohrer & Klingner Sepia or J. Herbin Cacao Du Brésil.

Paper choice has a huge impact on the actual color of Leadcast Letters. Tomoe River (52gms TR7) paper gives the most neutral gray.

Cosmo Air Light paper brings out more blue tones while toning down the yellow.

Midori MD paper brings the yellow undertones to the point of appearing almost brown.

I lined up all three papers in one photo to try to capture the difference paper choice makes with this ink. Cosmo Air Light is the top paper, Midori MD in the center and Tomoe River paper on the bottom of the photo.

Leadcast Letters can be found for $22 for 38mL at Dromgoole’s, under $0.60 per mL placing it around the middle of the price range for inks. Which is your favorite paper/tone for Leadcast Letters?

DISCLAIMER: Some of the items included in this review were provided to us at a discount for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details

In Link Love

Link Love: Back at the Desk!

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
Link Love: Back at the Desk!

I was going to post about the DC Supershow but I realized two things. First, as always, I am so busy helping people during the show that I completely forget to take any photos. The only images I could show you are the ones I “borrow” from other people. And second, all anyone (including the internet) can talk about today is Stationery Fest currently taking place in Brooklyn. Between the long lines and the rainy morning weather, it look slike there may have been some challenges for the start of the event but everyone seems to be in good spirits and excited for this inaugural event. I recommend checking out posts on instagram under the hashtags: #stationeryfest2024 or #stationeryfest. If you want to find photos from DC, check out #DCpenshow2024

Pens:

Ink:

Notebooks & Paper:

Art & Creativity:

Other Interesting Things:

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In feature

Stationery Store Day – August 3, 2024

Author Laura CameronPosted on Leave a comment

Tomorrow, August 3, is Stationery Store Day.

According to founder Kristina Burkley:

Stationery Store Day, much in the way of Record Store Day or 
Independent Bookstore Day, is a day carved out for everyone who loves 
paper to celebrate and lift up the most special specialty store: the 
paper shop!

So go visit your favorite independent stationery shops (there’s a list of independent shops here). If you’re able, purchase a few goodies. If you’re not able to purchase, you can still help! Post to social and tag your local shop or find the owner and tell them how much you love their space.