Pelikan Hubs Are Back! (via Pen Addict). Pelikan Hubs are this week! I’m the Nashville-area Hubmaster, so if anyone is interested in joining and you haven’t signed up, just let me know.
Fountain Pen Myths (via Rachel’s Reflections). I didn’t even know that some of these were “myths” about fountain pens! An interesting read, especially if you’re new to pens.
What Makes a Stationery Purchase “Good”? (via mnmlscholar). I think I lean more towards a “staying power over time” standard, personally.
Monteverde Sweet Life Blue Velvet Cake (via Dapprman). Blue Velvet Cake was one of the most popular “Sweet Life” inks back when this series was first released a few years ago.
Montblanc Patron of the Arts Moctezuma Fountain Pen (via SBRE Brown). Why not include a review of a crazy high-end, completely out-of-reach pen this week?
November Foliage Ink Palettes (via Mountain of Ink). So here in Tennessee we’ve gone from November feeling like September to November feeling like, well, January, but we did get a short glimpse of fall foliage last month!
Vintage EF Blackwing 602 (via Well-Appointed Desk). Believe it or not, I’ve never used an original EF Blackwing. I do use a lot of pencils, but I guess the hype and the current cost for an original just got to me.
In Case You Missed It…
This week on the blog I turned my attention away from Fountain Pen Day (which was all-consuming, yet insanely successful - thanks y’all!). I wrote my annual paen for the ballpoint pen, which is my No. 2 writing instrument of choice, as well as a post comparing five of my current favorite ballpoint refills.
New This Week In the T.G.S. Curated Shop!
2023 Planners from Traveler’s Company have dropped, as well as 2023 limited and special addition accessories including the pencil board. Yesterday, I added a huge batch of Field Notes, including some of the best-looking editions I’ve seen in quite some time. In addition to the Hatch Show Print collaboration - which of course I’m going to stock because, well, Nashville - the covers on the “Underland” and “Signs of Spring” editions might be among my favorites. The Reporter-style “Front Page” and “Heavy Duty” editions also make a return to the regular non-limited edition lineup. Finally, be sure to keep an eye on the “Gently Used” section, as I’ve been regularly cycling pens, paper, and more that I’m clearing out of both my personal stash and the store review sample stash.
Consider T.G.S. Patreon - New “Gently Used” Items in the Patreon Shop!
For those who want to support T.G.S. without necessarily adding to their accumulation via shop purchases, the Patreon Program offers two options for tiers of support: $3 and $5 (with a discounted annual option) and plan on making monthly meetups, pen show events, and periodic exclusive content the primary benefits. Of course, Patreon members will continue to get first access to periodic sample sales, with right of first refusal on gently used pens. For Fountain Pen Day I added a handful of pens, as well as the last of my pocket notebook stash, to the Patreon store, which backers will want to check. (Reminder that those items which made it through Patreon become available to the general readership!) Many thanks to all of you who already decided to back via Patreon. Your support means the world to me!