The Well-Appointed Desk

Pre-Order: Lamy Al-Star in Copper Orange

AnaDecember 31, 2014December 31, 20141 Comment

Our fine friends over at Fontoplumo just posted the opportunity to pre-order the new Lamy AL-Star in the special 2015 Copper Orange color. There is also a special copper orange ink cartridge set available. The fountain pen is 26,90 € (about $32.50US) and the ink cartridges are a pack of 5 for 1,95 € (about $2.30US). The copper orange is also available in rollerball and ballpoint pen versions.

The Lamy limited edition Safaris and Al-Stars are quite popular and reasonably priced. This is a great way to get a good pen in a novel, new color. While I am not a fan of the molded grip for left-handed writers, many folks love these pens — both right- and left-handed.

You can pre-order today and receive your pen and/or ink in February. I placed a pre-orer with Fontoplumo last year for the Kaweco Sport Skyline edition in Mint and it arrived several weeks earlier than I expected so Frank ships out as soon as products are available, even internationally.

In Link Love

Link Love: Resolve to do it all better in 2015

AnaDecember 31, 2014December 31, 20142 Comments

This week, I’ve decided to skip my traditional RSS feed and go in search of interesting sites and articles to help you achieve whatever paper-related goals you might have for 2015. Do you want to get more organized; improve your handwriting; write more letters or start journaling? Here’s this week’s new year’s edition of Link Love!

Get organized:

Home Organization 101: The Office (via A Bowl Full of Lemons)
6 Easy Resolutions for Your Most Organized Year Ever (via Domaine)
How I Organize My Projects (via Create.Share.Love)

Ready for tomorrow.

A photo posted by Patrick Rhone (@patrickrhone) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:54am PST

Plan it out:

The Best Notes System (via Hollis Finds)
How to Prepare Your Planner for 2015 (via Homemakers Daily)
My Blog Planner (DIY planner in a Moleskine notebook) (via Create.Share.Love.)
Planner Basics: How To Use A Planner 101 (via Giftie Etcetera)
Planner Hack: The Sticky Borrowed List (via Giftie Etcetera)
Hobonichi Techo Follow-Up (via East West Everywhere)

Writing More:

Why You Should Keep a Journal (and How to Start Yours) (via Lifehacker)
Journalling School — Session 1: Recording Your Life, Session 2: Sustainable Journalling, Session 3: Restarting a Journal, and its goes through 12 lessons but this will get you started (via My Life All in One Place)

(Fabulous Spoonflower fabric with pen nibs via Lefty Lettering)

Handwriting & Penmanship:

How to Improve Your Handwriting (via The Guardian)
10 Ways to Rescue Your Handwriting from the Grave (via Fastco)
Why Your Kids Have Such Terrible Handwriting and What To Do About It (via Slate)

Daniel Radcliffe was kind enough to pose with a member’s Pigeon Post. Member Peter mailed it to his stewardess friend Demi, who ran into Mr. Radcliffe on a plane on Christmas Day. Thank you for being such a good sport! #letterwritersalliance

A photo posted by Kathy Zadrozny (@16sparrows) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:10am PST

Letter Writing:

Why We Should Write More Letters (via Jon Negroni)
I Challenge You To Write More Letters! (via My Pen Needs Ink)
Making Mail: Mail Art Documentary (via YouTube)
Join the Letter Writers Alliance (via 16Sparrows/LWA)
Letter Writing Directory (via Papered Thoughts)
International Geek Girl Pen Pals Club

Other Cool Stuff:

Capsule Wardrobe 101 (via Unfancy)

In news

Crowd-Funded: Brauller Writing Tool

AnaDecember 29, 2014December 29, 20143 Comments

Have you heard about the new crowd-funded aluminum pen, the Brauller? It appears to be a pen designed to customize by slipping the refill unit out of one case and allowing the user to slide it into a different colored case while swapping out the grip and/or cap as well. The Brauller takes an assortment of standard Parker-style and European rollerball/Pilot G2 refills. So, if you’re looking for something new and different from the Render K, TechLiner, Pen Type-A or Ti pen, than maybe you’ll be interested in this.

From the product description, it sounds like the pen will be created in the designer’s Portuguese city of Vale do Ave so be aware that “international shipping” theoretically means anyone not living in Portugal.

I really want to like this product but it feels a little gimmicky to me. Rather than having two functional pens in two barrel colors, I could end up with one functional pen and a change of clothes for it that I’ll need to store and keep track of. Also, the video included does not show how assembly and re-assembly occurs. Its a very opaque video that doesn’t really show the pen in action. Sadly, with a new product developer, I need to see the product in more detail, the creators and generally speaking more technical information rather than a flashy “magic” video.

Is this a project you might back?

In Pen Review

Review: Uni Power Tank 0.7 Smart Series Pen Review

AnaDecember 27, 20141 Comment

Uni Power Tank pen 0.7

The Uni Power Tank Smart Series 0.7 ($3.30) is another in the growing pressurized ballpoint market. The pressurized ink cartridges are designed to allow the pen to be used in severe weather, upside and in zero gravity though I’ve not had a lot of call to test the validity of these claims. The Fisher Space Pen is the original pressurized ballpoint. I don’t own one but my husband has one that he loves and uses regularly. The Fisher Space Pen is a small compact design with a standard Parker-style refill but the refill is pressurized to be used in extreme circumstances. I have a Rite in the Rain metal refillable pen that a reader sent to me as well.

Uni Power Tank pen 0.7 comparison

The Uni Power Tank is a “disposable” pen so the entry to use is a little lower. Since its a standard plastic barrel pen, it doesn’t feel like a commitment to a pen lifestyle. I’ve previously reviewed the Tombow Airpress ballpoint pen which is a similar idea to the Uni Power Tank.

Compared to the Tombow Airpress which has a very wide, stout appearance, the Uni Power Tank Smart Series is a more streamlined pen design. The width for the Uni Power Tank Smart Series is similar to a Sharpie marker — wider than a hex pencil but not as chunky as the Airpress. The grip area is textured with some horizontal ridges but its not a particularly cushy bit.

In writing, there is no discernible difference between the Airpress and the Power Tank. If you like the funky Stormtrooper vibe of the Airpress, go for it. For me, though, I’m not a huge lover of ballpoints but sometimes I need one and sometimes I need a writing tool that is going to work after months of neglect. When I need that, I’m going to reach for the Power Tank.

I think of the Uni Power Tank Smart Series as being a very no-nonsense pen. It works in severe conditions, you can leave this pen in your car from Key West to Fargo without worrying about it exploding or leaking or ceasing to function. At less the $4, you can leave the Power Tank on the diner table on that epic road trip and not be heart broken over the loss.

Uni Power Tank pen 0.7 writing sample

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

In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Pantone Color of the Year 2015 – Marsala

AnaDecember 26, 2014December 26, 20142 Comments

FF--Marsala-2015

Every year, for the past few years, color experts Pantone chooses what it thinks will be the color of the year. This year, they selected a deep wine-y red they call Marsala. I immediately thought of all the inky possibilities available in the burgundy, red-black and deep berry range. There were so many to choose from but I chose Private Reserve as the closest match to Marsala. Which inky color do you think is most “marsala”?

Rifle Paper Co Blank Card – Burgundy Vintage Blossoms $6.45 (via Notemaker)
Pilot G-2 Gel Ink Pen – 0.7 mm – Burgundy Red $1.50 (via Jet Pens)
Kokuyo Enpitsu Mechanical Pencil – 0.9 mm – Wine Red Body $2.95 (via Jet Pens)
Edison Pearlette Fountain Pen – Violet Flake $149 (via Goulet Pens)
Raymay Davinci System Leather Binder in Pocket Size – Wine $50 (via Jet Pens)
A Low Hill Double Pocket Pouch v2 ~~$30.95~~ $23.21 (via MochiThings)
Pentel Sharp Drafting Pencil – 0.5 mm – Burgundy Body $4.80 (via Jet Pens)
Kaweco Sport Classic Fountain Pen in Bordeaux 16,95 € (via Fontoplumo)
Noodler’s Burgundy Ink $12.50 (via Goulet Pens)
Private Reserve Black Cherry $11 (via Goulet Pens)
Field Notes Arts & Sciences Edition $9.95 for a set of two (via Field Notes)
Antique Silver Ruby Red Glass Inkwell Desk Ink Well $12.99 (via Amazon)

(Fashion inspiration from Pinterest: man’s tie, office space and woman in skirt, respectively. The central photo of the desk came from an article on Apartment Therapy about marsala burgundy used in home decor, if you’re interested.)

In news

Winner: Jet Pens Gift Certificate

AnaDecember 26, 2014December 25, 20141 Comment

Screen Shot 2014-12-25 at 9.08.25 PM Screen Shot 2014-12-25 at 9.09.17 PM

Congrats to Jen, the winner of the Jet Pens $25 Gift Certificate giveaway. You have your own little “green” now! I’ll be emailing you directly today.

Happy Holidays to all my wonderful readers. I wish I could give everyone of you a gift certificate. Maybe if these scratchy lotto tickets amount to anything… (scritch, scritch, scritch)… nope, nada. Better luck next year!