Kickstarter: Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal Notebook

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

When I heard about the Bullet Journal Kickstarter campaign last fall, I jumped in with both feet. First and foremost, to support a project that has benefited a lot of people. But secondly, in hopes of getting a grasp on the concept of Bullet Journaling. I am starting to wonder if I’m the only person in the world who hasn’t quite understood how Bullet Journaling works. I hoped that by backing the project, I’d receive enough documentation and instruction to make the system make sense to me. I received the backer-only documentation earlier in the Kickstarter campaign and I printed it out but just reading through the material didn’t make it all gel in my brain.

So today, I watched the original introductory video to the Bullet Journal system again in hopes that the whole Bullet Method might finally stick into my head. I’m  think I need to just jump in and try the methods outlined on the video and on the web site and then hope that the details fill themselves in for me.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

I just received my special edition Bullet Journal notebook created by Leuchtturm 1917 for the Bullet Journal Kickstarter and it has a lot of really nice features included. There are three ribbon bookmarks to mark multiple spots in the book as you work as well as pre-printed pages for the index, page numbers (which is a feature of all the Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks) and a guide to using the Bullet Journal system printed in the book. The remainder of the pages of the book feature page numbers and a light dot grid for maximum flexibility.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

The notebook is a standard Leuchtturm 1917 Medium size (145 x 210 mm) with 80 gsm “ink-proof” paper and 240 pages. The paper is the warm white used in standard Leuchtturm 1917 notebooks. Its a pleasing creamy color that is not stark white but not some yellow-y as to alter ink colors dramatically. In the back of the book is the standard Leuchtturm 1917 pocket and the notebook has a vertical elastic to keep it closed.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

The dot grid appears in light grey dots and is pretty unobtrusive which is how guides should be. The spacing is 5mm between the dots.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

There are three bookmarks in the book – a white, black and grey – all from a textured grosgrain ribbon. I don’t think there’s quite enough color contrast between the grey and the black but I appreciate that they’ve added additional bookmarks to mark varying places throughout the notebook.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

Hopefully the “unlimited” edition will soon be available for sale to folks who did not get the opportunity to back the Kickstarter campaign but are interested in trying the Bullet Journal system in this custom-designed notebook.

If you want to try the system for yourself, visit the Bullet Journal web site to learn how to turn any notebook into a Bullet Journal.

Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal

Put Those Refills to Good Use

I like to liberate refills from the assorted plastic pens I have accumulated over the years. These are all those gel pens I’ve purchased over the years from Jet Pens. While I love the flow of the refills, the lackluster plastic barrels leave me wanting.

I started opening each plastic pen and discovering that they are almost always a standard sized refill like a Pilot G2-sized or Hi-Tec C-sized. There are also far more colors and point sizes available in the full pens than in most refill-only options. Red, blue and black are fine for many folks but I want to be able to choose orange, evergreen, turquoise or purple, if the mood strikes.

By hacking the refills out of plastic pens, I created  an almost unlimited supply of potential refills for my favorite pen bodies. And by using these fine gel refills, I have catapulted certain pens into EDC pens because now they are not only beautiful and comfortable but can contain the exact right refill for me.

Render K pen hack

This habit started with Karas Kustoms and the Render K and RETRAKT pens. The lengthy list of possible refills led me to create the Refill Guide and really start experimenting with trying different refills with different pens.

Render K pen hack

I even save the springs in a plastic retractable to help stabilize a refill in a machined pen. If the refill fits but is too long, trim it down with a pair of sharp scissors. Empty refills can be trimmed to add length to a too-short refill to fit into a different pen as well. With each plastic pen costing less than a couple bucks, its not a tragedy if you make a mistake.

Happy hacking!

On a Personal Note…

Milo

Since returning from the Atlanta Pen Show, the health of our beloved cat Milo continued to decline to the point where we had to say goodbye to him yesterday. Nine months ago he had an accident that had left his back half paralyzed and this lead to further complications in his overall health and well-being. We were hoping and praying that he might recover from his injuries but in the end, age and infirmity made him more and more uncomfortable. Even the vet said we had done more for him than most people would have and he lived a much longer, happier life as a result of our vigilant care.

That said, I was beside myself with sadness yesterday and today. Hopefully, regular pen, ink and paper-related posts will resume tomorrow and your patience and understanding in the delay is greatly appreciated.

New Sponsor: Anderson Pens

AP-logo-black

Please join me in welcoming Anderson Pens to the Well-Appointed Desk family! Anderson Pens was founded in 2010 by two wonderful pen collectors, Brian and Lisa Anderson, who fell in love with each and pens before founding their own shop. There is a brick and mortar store that you can visit in Appleton, WI. If you drop by, send them my love.

You can also order from them online and they have a fabulous collection of pens, ink and paper to choose from. They offer great customer service and you can meet the Andersons in person at anyone of the big pen shows across the country.

Some of the latest additions to their inventory are:

  • Paperblanks Journals
  • the new Monteverde Mountains of the World, Limonada, Invincia Deluxe in Stainless Steel,
  • De Atramentis ink

Some of other reasons to love Anderson Pens:

  • They stock Sailor ink and pens
  • They are the first pen store to get a Montblanc account in seven years!
  • They sell 3ml ink samples at 3ml. That’s larger than anyone else, at the same prices, and the offer more than 600 colors to choose from.
  • They are the exclusive US retailer of  the Australian Toucan ink (sold in pouches)

Check out a virtual tour of their store on Google maps.

Thanks again to Anderson Pens for sponsoring The Well-Appointed Desk. If you visit the store or place on online order, let them know you heard about them here. Thanks!

Giveaway: $1500 in prizes from Pen Chalet

National Stationery Week 2015

To celebrate National Stationery Week, the fine folks at Pen Chalet are hosting a giant giveaway of products totally over $1500. There are five different prize packages that include a fountain pen plus additional stationery goodies. Pens include a Platinum 3776, a Conklin Crescent, Lamy Safari and a Kaweco AC Sport.

There will also be special coupon on World Stationery Day on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 so be sure to check back for deals then.

Hop on over to the giveaway page for details about the prize packages and to enter.

Fashionable Friday: Aqua is the new Black

Fashionable Friday: Aqua ins the new black

I’m looking forward to warm, summer days and nothing embodies that more than ocean blues, aqua, and turquoise. I think of swimming pools, sea glass and blue skies.

  • Maida Vale Bag $205.20 (via Boden USA)
  • Printed Desk Accessories in Solid Pool with White Interior $39 (via PBTeen)
  • Wahl-Eversharp Skyliner 50’s in green menthol $159 (via Wahl-Eversharp)
  • Diamine Aqua Lagoon ink 30ml 3,50 € (via Fontoplumo)
  • Caran D’ache Chromatics Hypnotic Turquoise Ink $35.95 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Florence Skirt approx. $75 (via Boden USA)
  • Omas Bologna Collection Rollerball Pen in L’Aqua di Bologna $247 (via Pen Chalet)
  • Ogami Professional Hardcover Notebook 5″ x 8.25″ Plain in Aqua Green $20 (via Jet Pens)
  • Rhodia Rhodiarama Blank Notebook 3×5″ in Turqouise $18 (via Goldspot Pens)
  • Pilot Iroshizuku Ink in Ku-jaku Peacock $28 (via Jet Pens)
  • Lamy AL-star ocean blue fountain pen 26,90 € (via Fontoplumo)
  • Monteverde Prima Fountain Pen in Turquoise Swirl with Broad Nib $60 (via Anderson Pens)
  • Filofax Saffiano Aquamarine Pocket Organizer $43 (via Goldspot Pens)