Thought it was high time to look at some lovely workspaces. Does this inspire you to clean up your existing space or revamp it?
(images via LivetHemma and Solid Frog)
Limited Edition Kaweco Eyedropper 1910
Normally, I don’t get all googly about fountain pens that cost over $100 but, of course, there is always an exception to the rule and leave it to Kaweco to tap all my damn buttons at once. JetPens are currently offering limited edition Kaweco 1910 Guilloch Eyedropper pen. I’ve already waxed poetic about the standard Kaweco Student and my not-so-limited-edition Guilloch 1930. This is a Guilloch-engraved body (swoon!) with a 14K gold nib. But its not actually an eyedropper filler. Rather, it utilizes the standard Kaweco (European short) cartridges or a converter. JetPens specifically states in the description not to convert the pen into an eyedropper.
The pen is engraved with its limited edition number (numbers go to 850 but only 800 pens were made available for sale). It was available in fine, medium and broad nibs but JetPens is already sold out of the broad.
The box set includes one box of each color of the available ink cartridges and the leather carrying case which are all available elsewhere in a limited edition book-shaped box with vintage pen graphics all over it.
The really un-swoony-y part? The pen costs $487. Despite how much I like the look of this pen, I don’t like it that much. Maybe they’ll do a similar design with their gold-tone standard nib in an open edition I can actually afford?
Field Notes: America the Beautiful Edition
The newest edition of the Field Notes Colors series is called “America The Beautiful” and features three different 4-color, big dot, slightly misregistered covers. Each cover was named: “Spacious Skies”, “Amber Waves” and “Mountain Majesty” respectively.
Inside is white Finch paper with loose-leaf blue lines which are classic nostalgia for me. I didn’t do any pen tests yet but I love this series so much, I’m hesitant to write in it. I don’t want to sully my set. I had two sets but my husband stole the “spare.”
The bonus item is a classic water-slide decal that reminds me of all the VW bus windows spotted while touring America’s National Parks.
Sets sell for $9.95 for a 3-pack or a 1-year Colors subscription can be purchased for $97 and will include 2 sets of the America The Beautiful (and the next three Colors Editions) plus 2 packs of Kraft Field Notes.
This is a limited edition series, when they sell out, they’re gone! I think I better order a couple more sets!
Finding a Google Reader Substitute
After whining and moaning and crying a little, I went ahead and tried just about every Google Reader substitute I could find. While there is no perfect solution yet that bridges across mobile and web options that all syncs together, I have found my temporary workaround. I do most of my RSS reading on my computer these days so I needed to solve for that first and I’ve found The Old Reader to be the most Google-Reader-esque experience. It did take about a week for my content to be uploaded to their site as they were flooded with new users after the Google announcement but it was kind of worth the wait.
Its currently only available in a web browser version but I can access the content on any machine with a web browser so its a decent solution at the present. I did like that so many other apps were integrating Google’s Reader feeds into their interface like Flipboard, Reeder and others so what will really determine the best replacement is which service becomes the de facto in other apps and services.
Its interface is simple and totally utilitarian and most like Google Reader. As a result, it had the least learning curve and shortest path to just getting back to reading. Have you found a good substitute for Google Reader yet?
Read more:
Link Love: Vintage Pens and Pen Addict Love
The big news this week is that Moleskine launched their IPO. Several of the links below are as a result of all the attention Moleskine is getting this week.
There is an assortment of goodies from Brad Dowdy over at Pen Addict including his Tools and Toys Guide to Fountain Pens which I’m willing to debate with him. There’s also a mix of new and vintage fountain pen reviews. Finishing up the Link Love this week are a couple ink reviews, some digital goodies and tips on writing a good thank you note. Enjoy!
Pens and Ink
- Pentel Fude Touch Sign Pen Review (via Pen Addict)
- Pilot Juice 0.5 Black Review (via Pen Addict)
- Vintage Parker 51 Review (via Pen Addict)
- Vintage Waterman 32A Pen (via Everyday Correspondence)
- When a Pilot meets a Falcon (via Inkophile)
- Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrün Ink Review (via Pen Addict)
- Noodler’s Rome Burning Ink Review (via Pen Addict)
- Sailor Lecoule (via East West Everywhere)
- Tools & Toys Guide to Fountain Pens (via Tools & Toys)
Paper
- How to Write a Thank You Note (via Lifehack)
- Word Notebook Review (via Pencil Revolution)
- Moleskine in the Digital Age (via NPR, tip from Notebookism)
- Kevin Barry on Keeping Notebooks (via Notebook Stories)
Digital
- Moleskine is shaping virtual notebooks (via Japan Times)
- Mailbox for iOS (via Lifehack)
- How to register a disposable email account (via Lifehack)
Paperclip Hooks
I never know where I’m going to find some little bit of office-y inspiration. Today, it came – from all places – the children’s home decor shop, Land of Nod in the form of metal paper-clip-shaped hooks. What a perfect place to hang up your laptop tote or your Mr. Roger’s cardigan — doesn’t everyone have one of those?
(Available in red, pink, silver and yellow for $8.95 each from Land of Nod)
The Dainty Squid’s Closet/Office
Over the years, I’ve seen some unique workspaces but this is one of the best yet. The well-known blogger The Dainty Squid shares her home office/workspace with her closet. You read that correctly. Not to say that she works in a closet but that her office is also her wardrobe. If I had a rainbow of dresses, shoes and handbags, I might want to stare at them while working as well.
(via The Dainty Squid)