I don’t know if you like changing your desktop wallpaper regularly but I do. Unfortunately, finding pleasing but not disruptive wallpapers can be quite challenging. So I was pleased to find that Oh, Hello Friend offers a free desktop wallpaper for your computer, cellphone or iPad each month. Most months the wallpaper is a lovely calendar but for January of this year, as if she knew I would be too far behind to get it to you in time, is an inspirational message.
Today is National Handwriting Day, at least here in the US, though I don’t think too many people celebrate it with as much fanfare and enthusiasm as I do.
The date of January 23 was selected because it is also the birthday of John Hancock, best known for his legible-but-large signature on the US Declaration of Independence. So, in spite of continued cutbacks in funding for teaching handwriting in schools in the US, I still want to recognize the day with much fanfare and ballyhoo.
I went in search of handwritten examples of Handwriting Day enthusiasm and found some fun examples from friends old and new. I also enlisted the help of some of my more talented co-workers.
According to WTVY in Dothan, AL it is also Pie Day (according to the Pie Council — who knew we even had one) and Measure Your Feet Day. Now you know.
Last week, I got a tip about the Visconti Bakelite-like ink cartridge holders available on Choosing Keeping. Each sells for £4 and holds seven short European standard ink cartridge refills in a coordinating color to the case. Upon further research my friends found a US vendor selling the same item for $6.90 via Amazon.The prices are pretty comparable whether you order domestically or abroad.
I have a decent collection of fountain pens that use these short cartridges so I am always looking for a good option to carry a few extra cartridges with me for those “just in case” moments. The Kaweco cartridge dispenser is super cool and I load mine randomly with various ink colors for a little ink roulette but I love the vintage classic look of these Visconti cases that would coordinate perfectly with my Kaweco Guilloch 1930 fountain pen.
Can you tell I like the green one?
Lloyd Reynold’s recorded twenty 30-minute instructional videos in 1968 and again eight years later in color to demonstrate and instruct on italic calligraphy and handwriting. At the 5-minute mark of the first episode, the demonstrations begin. Its a little slow but its over 8.5 hours of free calligraphy lessons, if its something you are interested in learning.
(via Reed College)
This is what happens when I don’t do a Link Love for over two weeks: it becomes epic! Sorry its so long but I didn’t want anything to get overlooked or skipped.
Handwriting Month:
Pens:
Paper:
Digital:
Miscellaneous:
As many of you know, I love to write letters. I am a card-carrying member of the Letter Writers Alliance and have accumulated a couple dozen pen pals over the past couple years. If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to “write more” or “write more letters” or “improve your penmanship”, letter writing may be a great way to accomplish these goals. February is the Second Annual Month of Letters, a project started by author Mary Robinette Kowal and is a great jumping-off point if you’d like to write more letters this year.
There are several places online to find new pen pals and letter-writing resources:
This is just a small assortment of the resources and options for writing letters. If you explore these sites, lots more possibilities will turn up. You could write to a soldier, your grandmother or an old friend – or finally write those thank you notes you’ve been promising to do. And put that new fountain pen to good use!
Binth is a shop and studio created by my friend Suzanna Bierwirth. Binth is best known for its timeless prints and poster designs for children, she is expanding her range to include stationery and home and office decor items in her Forest Park, IL shop.
The video is a 3-minute piece about what inspires her to create her shop and some sneak peeks of the interior of the shop.
