In Link Love

Link Love: Late-Week Apple Mojo

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
A little late-week mojo from Anderson Pens' midweek mojo Apple Picking post. It seemed appropriate after my trip to Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, eating cider donuts and petting sheep. How are you enjoying the fall weather?
A little late-week mojo from Anderson Pens’ midweek mojo Apple Picking post. It seemed appropriate after my trip to Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, eating cider donuts and petting sheep. How are you enjoying the fall weather?

The highlights this week are the release of the new Baron Fig Archer pencil and the close of the NockCo Lanier Briefcase. Other big news is the Trilogy Zero Fountain Pen, the launch of the Slice Planner Kickstarter and the new Sailor ink colors and Diamine Shimmer inks are starting to make their way into the blogosphere so we’ll start seeing reviews and samplings like the ones listed below. There are also two recaps from the Insights X Stationery event for you to peruse. Enjoy and sorry for the last post this week. I’m slowly getting back on schedule post-holiday and should be back to my regular schedule by Monday.

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In feature

Giveaway: Denik Notebooks

Author AnaPosted on 168 Comments

Denik Love Sketchbook

Last week, I did an epic review of the Denik notebooks and I’ve been using the Denik Sketchbook for my Inktober challenge as well.

The kind folks at Denik have 10 notebooks for me to give away so you can have a chance to try them out yourselves.

denik-notebook

THE RULES: Leave a comment below and tell me which Denik notebooks covers above is your favorite. Those are the ones you have the chance to win. One entry per person.

FINE PRINT: All entries must be submitted by 10pm CST on Monday, October 24, 2016. All entries must be submitted at wellappointeddesk.com, not Twitter, Tumblr or Facebook, okay? Winner will be announced on Tuesday. Winner will be selected by random number generator from entries that played by the rules (see above). Please include your email address in the comment form so that I can contact you if you win. I will not save email addresses or sell them to anyone — pinky swear. Your email address will be forwarded to Denik who will handle the shipping. The giveaway will be open to US residents only.

Thanks to Denik for sending these the notebooks and giving all my readers a chance to try them too. Be sure to check out all their notebooks and sketchbooks.

In news, Pencil Review

Announcing: Baron Fig Archer Pencils

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

Baron Fig Archer Pencils

It’s not everyday that a company unveils a new pencil. Today, Baron Fig announced its new Archer Pencil. Or should I say “rolled” out its new pencil since they are packaged in a matte charcoal paperboard tube? Inside, are snuggled a dozen hexagonal graphite painted pencils with a charcoal tipped ends.

Baron Fig Archer Pencils

Discreetly stamped in white foil is the Baron Fig bran name and a monoline arrow on the opposite side on the barrel of the pencil just below the the black dipped end. Very nicely designed and very simply branded. The paperboard tube doubles as storage for your pencils much like the tins of yore but with a modern Apple/21st-century twist.

Baron Fig Archer Pencils

Baron Fig Archer Pencils

Baron Fig Archer Pencils Writing Sample

I sharpened the pencils with a 2-step, long-point sharpener and the HB lead had no problem holding the point and keeping a nice point for the duration of my test writing. The Archer is a lighter pencil than a Blackwing since it doesn’t have the large ferrule and eraser on the end so I found it light in the hand and easy to balance. The lead is lighter and harder than the Blackwings as well but that means its a bit less smudgy too. I even did some heavy scrbbing tests after I photographed the writing sample just to verify my instincts, and the Archer really did maintain a god crisp point even after scrubbing a good chunky of graphite on the page.

I’d compare the Archer to one of my favorites, the Faber-Castell Grip 2001 HB, in terms of hardness but the wood is a bit weightier. It smells good too. Yes, I sniffed it. This is a full-service blog.

I really like these pencils but I am biased because I like pencils that are HB, a bit on the harder side without erasers and are well-designed. The price is right and the packaging and design is SPOT-ON.

The Archer is available in a tube of one dozen for $15. You can order today and pencils will start shipping on 10/20.

DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Baron Fig for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love, news

Off The Grid: Up To My Ears In Fluff

Author AnaPosted on 10 Comments

alpaca-and-ana

Just wanted to let everyone know I’m taking a little vacation. I’ll be off the grid in upstate New York for the rest of the week, communing with knitters, nature and hopefully a few alpacas like my friend above at the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival. Hope you all can survive without me and don’t steal the hubcaps off the blog while I’m gone.

I’ll be back next week for a late edition of Link Love and some much-anticipated pen and ink reviews. I’ll do my best to keep up my Inktober drawings while I’m gone so check out my Instagram. I’ll try to post if I get any cell reception or if I can squeeze any bandwidth from the other enthusiastic social media mavens.

Day 2 "A is also for Alpaca"

In podcast

Art Supply Posse Ep. 19: Leap Without a Net

Author AnaPosted on 2 Comments

This week on Art Supply Posse, discuss our Inktober projects, Big Magic, Learn-to-Draw books and listener feedback. We pour it all in, add ice, a dash of bitters, shake, and garnish with a lime. We serve it up in a Collins glass with snacks and a bowl of links.

You can listen to it here, on the web site, or hop on over to iTunes and click on that subscribe button and add it to your favorite podcast catcher so you never miss another episode.

And just so you know, we won’t be recording an episode next week as Heather and I are both on vacation. So this episode runs a little long… enjoy our babbling, catch up on some back episodes or use the extra time to check out Magic Lessons while you wait for our next episode.

In Link Love

Link Love: Getting the Gist

Author AnaPosted on

rp_link-anaPens:

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In news

Kickstarter: Write Your Own Adventure – 2017 Planner

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

Just yesterday, Ask The Desk was filled with questions about planners for 2017 and this morning I discovered the Write Your Own Adventure planner from Emma Kate Co. in Australia. This looks like such a good option for 2017 that I backed the project and bought two. When they arrive, I plan to give one away because I think it will make a good blog holiday gift. Let’s hope they ship in time.

write-your-own

The planner is hardcover with die cut tabs at the bottom of the pages and the weekends are given more space than the weekdays. I don’t know about you but that just about aligns with my life. I do way more on the weekends than I do on the weekdays. Or I try to cram more in, anyway.

There is dot grid and simple details with minimal design elements and just a few little quotes throughout. Just enough to feel nice but not so much as to feel cluttered.

The book is available with a grey or blush pink cover, I ordered one of each.

I’m looking forward to a year where I can write my own adventure. How about you?