Sunday Reads: Edison, Italics And A Crush

Confession: I can’t use a BIC without feeling like I’m slumming. Am I a snob?

• Why I Swapped Out my BIC for a Fountain Pen
• Why I Keep an Idea Journal and Thomas Edison journal
• UK Fountain Pens: 11 phenomenal stubs and italics for any budget
• Mountain of Ink: Ink Review #785: Robert Oster Velvet Crush

Favorite traveling companions…

Sunday Reads: Pens, Inks And A Monster-Fighting Kitten

Life Imitates Doodles has had problems with WordPress. Disappointing to see but no surprise given my experiences. For your amusement, an intrepid kitten battles a mechanical monster but does it win?

• Michael’s Essay: The Lost Art of Writing Letters
• Gourmet Pens: Just the Basics: Using a Flex Nib Fountain Pen
• Handwriting: An Elegy
• The Writing Desk: How To Choose A Fountain Pen
• Inked Happiness: Indian Fountain pens – Ebonitus Extinctus?
• 5 Types of Mobile Apps You Should Stop Installing
• Mountain of Ink: 2 years and 700 inks
• The Well-Appointed Desk: Ink Review: ColorVerse Pen Chalet Special Edition
• Leigh Reyes: How to Test a Fountain Pen Before Buying It And Other Life Skills
• Ed Jelley: JACQUES HERBIN 1798: KYANITE DU NEPAL INK REVIEW
• Life Imitates Doodles: THE LAST SATURDAY LINKS TO TANGLES, TUTORIALS AND GIVEAWAYS

Best cat toy ever!

Sunday Reads: Pens, Ink And Happy Hour

So what do pens have to do with happy hour? Read on.

• Pen Chalet: Conklin Duraflex Limited Edition Fountain Pens (If I were in the market for a new pen, this one looks just right.)
• Quick Fountain Pen Review: Nemosine Fission Gunmetal Quick Fountain Pen Review
• Teoh: IndiGraph – This fountain pen can use India ink
• Mountain of Ink: Ink Review #639: Jacques Herbin Ambre de Baltique
• The Pen Addict: Faber-Castell NEO Slim Fountain Pen Review
• Fontana Penna Furore Collection (I like the Arancio but I am always a sucker for that color.)
• Plooms Fountain Pens in the U.K. (Check out the blotters.)
• Forbes: Is Writing With A Pen Better Than Happy Hour?

From the archives, my kit from five years ago. Only one pen has remained a constant in my rotation. Can you guess which one?

Pens: Platinum #3776, Noodler’s Standard Flex, the Pilot Prera Italic and the Sheaffer Taranis Medium. Inks: Diamine Sepia, Noodler’s Black Swan in Australian Roses, Noodler’s Black and Diamine Steel Blue. Autopoint Mechanical Pencil, a daily user that has never failed me.

Midweek Links: Pen, Paper And Ink

The first link about slowing down handwriting speed is good advice though it isn’t always practical. However, this action does improve legibility and suits any writing that others must read. The last link is to an article about one of my favorite journal creators and includes several pages as well as a few of the fountain pens he uses. Enjoy!

• Life Hacker: Improve Your Handwriting by Slowing Down
• Why Havanese dogs should come in pairs. (My Havanese, Macy, approved this video.)
• Cheap Joe’s 2 Minute Art Tips – Noodler’s Ink
• Goldspot Pens: Why the Pilot Custom 823 fountain pen is a quintessential writer’s pen
• Poor thing. Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed.
• This $1.7 Million Motorhome That Will Blow Your Mind
• The art of the travel diary – in pictures

From the archives, my Autumn 2012 rotation:

Sunday Reads: A New Ink Plus A Calligraphy Video

Nick Stewart, known for his artistic creations using ink and bleach, has a new ink product for fountain pen lovers and artists alike.

• Jersey artisan makes pens for popes, presidents and posterity
• Nick Stewart: A New Future for Fountain Pen Inks
• Kataish has the blues (Robert Oster Ink)
• Lori McNee: How To Start an Art Blog or Website in Minutes

 

Sunday Reads: Handwritten Letters, Photos, And Critters

A few links and then videos of critters who are total opposites in size, but comparable in heart. Nothing more need be said.

• 36 Incredible Photos You Won’t Believe Are Not Photoshopped
• New Museum Exhibition Shows Off Rare Handwritten Letters
• RiteWhileYouCan: Unwritten snail mail etiquette
• The Mind Circle: What Happens When Architectural Designer Tries Baking Desserts
• Library of Congress: Echoes of the Great War
• The Pen Habit is calling it quits
• The Well-Appointed Desk: Ink Review: L’Artisan Pastellier Encre Classique Carmine (This ink really appeals to me.)

When a whale swam up to this woman and wouldn't leave her alone, she was freaked out — until she realized he was saving her life 🐳 (via @caters_news) pic.twitter.com/wz8aXtc4of

— The Dodo (@dodo) May 10, 2018

And Norbert wins the day.

 

Sunday Reads: Handwriting, Ink, And A Chrome Warning

A diverse group of links…

• Ballsy Frenchie
• Yes, A Donut-Shaped Planet Is Technically Possible
• The Pen Company Blog: Why Handwriting Is So Important
• 12 Tips From a Rare Books Expert to Keep Your Books Looking
• 15 Of The World’s Most Magical Streets
• The Well-Appointed Desk: Diamine Shimmering Frosted Orchid Fountain Pen Ink
• Scam hijacks Google Chrome browser, tries to get your personal data

This is the best thing I've seen today! pic.twitter.com/bCO8O4bzvt

— Nature is Amazing 🌿 (@AMAZlNGNATURE) February 15, 2018