In feature

What I did today and what’s in my bag

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

What's in my bag: iphone 6

Today didn’t really go according to plan. I had planned to spend all day working on the blog, prepping for the Thanksgiving week. However, a couple errands took us out of the house, which lead to the AT&T store, and we  finally upgraded our phones and VOILA! I am now the proud owner of a new iPhone 6. In gold, if you can believe it. Surprisingly, the gold color is quite pale and not nearly as bling-y as I thought it would be.

iphone 6 and Pentel i+ pen

I picked out a ridiculously girly, floral hardshell case for my new treasure, a Lenntek Sonix Inlay case with a Rifle Paper Co. floral design which just happens to match the new Pentel i+ 3 multi-pen I got. It all matched nicely with my EDC bag, a pink Coach leather clutch, my Pantone lime business card case and my Miro pocket notebook with pink edge painting.

iphone 6 and Pentel i+ pen

Lots of people have reviewed and re-reviewed the new iPhone 6 so I’ll spare you suffering any additional commentary. Suffice it to say, its not uncomfortably large, even with my munchkin hands, and its nice to have a bigger drive, faster service, better camera and better battery life. So its all good. And damned girly.

In Fashionable Friday

Fashionable Friday: Colors of the Season

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment

Fashionable Friday colors-of-autumn
Inspired by the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, and the last fleeting glimpses of the fall foliage, I thought I’d focus this week’s Fashionable Friday on the colors of Autumn. Gold, orange, russets and browns that make me excited for pumpkin pie and hot cocoa.

  • Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pen – Amber  $44 (via Goulet Pens)
  • J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Fountain Pen Ink – 50 ml Bottle – Rouge Hematite $27 (via Jet Pens)
  • Kaweco Classic Sport Fountain Pen Dark Brown Special Edition £19.99 (via Cult Pens)
  • Gold Dots Washi Tape by Masté £2.30 (via Fox & Star Stationery)
  • Gold Ideas Gilded Journal £11.99 (via Fox & Star Stationery)
  • Aurora Style Fountain Pens in Paprika $60 (via Pen Chalet)
  • RETRAKT in Copper $95 (via Karas Kustoms)
  • Fancy Fronds Wall Decor Set $14.99 (via ModCloth)
  • Rhodia N°12 Pad (via Rhodia)
  • Noodler’s Habanero (3oz) $12.50 (via Goulet Pens)
  • The Display $65 (via Clicky Post)
  • Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Hard Cover Ruled Notebook (3.5 x 6) $12.30 (via European Papers)
  • Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils $2.90 per dozen (via Dick Blick)
  • Mobius & Ruppert Brass Pencil Sharpeners $4.46 (via Dick Blick)
  • Midori Brass Template Bookmark Alphabet $18 (via JetPens)
  • Midori Brass Bullet Pencil Holder – Gold $21 (via Jet Pens)
In news

Kickstarter: Spark Notebook

Author AnaPosted on 13 Comments

Just launched today is the Spark Notebook Kickstarter project. The idea behind this notebook is to provide one place for all your planning, ideas and projects in a sophisticated package. The book seems to embody a desire to help get you organized and focused on your project and goals above everything else. And in a really clean, appealing package in the process.

Between the simple black covers are 200 pages that feature:

  • Yearly Goals & Mission pages
  • Yearly Theme page
  • Monthly Overview (6 months)
  • Monthly Goals (one for each month)
  • 30 Day Challenge (one for each month)
  • Weekly Inspiration
  • Weekly Goals to prioritze goals
  • Weekly Overview
  • Project Planner
  • Meeting Notes
  • Lined pages for notes
  • 20-Blank, perforated pages
  • Two-page markers
  • Date-free calendars

Spark Notebook page view

The books are 5.75×8.25″ (145 x 210 mm) in size, comparable to a standard Moleskine Large notebook or a Leuchtturm1917 large notebook. The paper inside is 70# white, enough to keep most pens from showing through or bleeding to the reverse side.

Anyone who backs the project will receive access to downloadable PDFs of the page layouts to start using the moment the funding campaign ends, so you can start using the system right away.

For a  $25 pledge, you can reserve one notebook. Its a little pricier than the average lined or grid notebook but a lot of additional content is provided within the covers. A pledge of $79 will get you four notebooks to stockpile or share with co-workers, family or friends and reduces the per unit price to be quite competitive with the average Moleskine or Leuchtturm1917 notebook.

Spark Notebook Info

I was just thinking it was time to pull all my note taking and project management between two covers. Maybe this is THE solution for me.

Will you back this project?

In Link Love

Link Love: All Caught Up

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

Link Love Link MascotPosts of the Week:
I just received my Field Notes Colors Edition: Ambition and was looking forward to writing and photographing my own review until I saw these two. So, kudos to Josh and Andy for setting the bar REALLY high for reviewing the latest edition.

Pens:

Inks and Refills:

Notebooks and Paper:

Other cool stuff:

In Book Review

Book Review: Kind Regards: The Lost Art of Letter-Writing

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment

Kind Regards: The Lost Art of Letter-Writing

While I’ve been under the weather, I’ve been catching up on my back log of reading, including Kind Regards: The Lost Art of Letter-Writing by Liz Williams. Its a pretty book with short pieces about the history of letter writing as well as common references, quotes, books and movies where letters feature prominently and other tidbits about our favorite paper missives.

“Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company.” – Lord Byron

This book is definitely for the letter enthusiast though it will not probing new information on the subject. As a gift to a young person, it might spur them to start writing but does not necessarily provide compelling analysis or deep investigation about the topic. Kind Regards is written in short blubs, often less than a page, which makes it easy to thumb through or read an entry or two over coffee in the morning.

Williams clearly loves the written word and provides enough interesting facts to inspire me to tackle that pile of incoming correspondence again. If you’re looking for a little something to nudge you back on to your letter-writing path, then Kind Regards: The Lost Art of Letter-Writing might be the ticket.

In Ask The Desk

Ask The Desk: Pocket Telephone Books

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

rp_askthedesk_hdr2.png

Looking for 2 7/8  x 4 1/8 pocket address book [ little black book]
Where can I get some ??
Sincerely, Howard

At-A-Glance Pocket Telephone Address Book

The closest I could find is from Mead or At-A-Glance. The At-A-Glance Pocket Telephone Address Book pages measure 2 1/8″ x 3 1/4″ and retail for $4.09 each. There is a larger At-A-Glance Small Designer Telephone/Address Book that’s page size measures 2 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ and retails for $8.69 each. This book also has tabbed pages with alphabetical tabs for quick look-up.

The Mead Telephone/Address book has pages that measure 2 3/8″ x 3 1/4″ and retail for $2.19 each. Mead also has a slightly larger 3×4″ version of the Mead Telephone Address Book which might be closer to your specifications for $2.49 each.

You might also check with your local office supply store or big box retailer to see if they stock these products. Best of luck on your search.

Mead Telelphone Address Book

In Link Love

Link Love: Better Late Than Never

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

Link Love Link MascotSorry for the delay in this week’s Link Love. I came down with a nasty cold this week and missed a couple of prime blogging days as a result. I hope to get all caught up as soon as the NyQuil hangover wears off.

This week’s pen reviews run the gamut from office supply cabinet staples, ballpoints and some higher end fountain pens so there’s something for every price point.  Enjoy!

Pens:

Inks:

Pencils:

Paper & Notebooks:

Other Interesting Stuff: