D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

Long time no see, friends :) I’ve been a bit silent and I have a lot of stuff in the works, but first I wanted to share a mini haul from the DC Pen Show! Ana’s post reminded me to post this recap, so here we go.

This was my first DC Pen Show! Previously I’ve been to the San Francisco Pen Show , but DC is a whole different monster of a show. Spanning multiple days, two ballrooms, and some packed hallways, it was slightly overwhelming but in the best way possible.

Of course the pens are a huge part of the show, but the most meaningful part to me was the community. I met many internet friends that I only knew by their screen names, and caught up with some long-time blog friends. Conversations spanned everything from “what got you into pens & stationery” to “show me the most unique item in your collection”, and went into the wee hours of the night.

I am more into calligraphy & art supplies so I didn’t go to the show with the intention of buying many things. I do have a humble haul to share though.

 


 

First off– I  bought this SUPER CUTE vintage Parker Jotter Ballpoint from one of the numerous vintage dealers. True to the stereotype of my generation, I was drawn to this pleasant millennial pink color (“sort of a grapefruit shade of apricotty salmon“). I spotted it on Day 1 of the show– it was $20, so I didn’t feel like pulling the trigger just yet. I told myself if it was still there on Day 2, I’d buy it.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

It was still there :D

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

In addition to my pink Himalayan salt rock, it also matches this no-name gel pen I bought at an Asian street fair a few years ago.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

Along with a few other stationery items I own…

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

I also picked up some pocket notebooks! In exchange for a small donation, I picked up the Galaxy Word Notebook from the Pay it Forward booth. I’ve been eyeing the print for a while but just hadn’t picked up the 3-pack. I also got a pack of Sakura Edition notebooks from Write Notepads.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

More matching…

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

Now for some pics of the show itself! There were so many vintage dealers. My favorite were the ones that even came with their original vintage packaging.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

There were just piles and piles of old stuff too.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

So much ink! This was at the Vanness booth. Of course, Vanness had all the unusual/hard-to-find inks.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

And so much paper! All of our favorite fountain pen friendly brands.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

The Pen Addict himself, Brad of Nock Co. showing off their new wares.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

Aaand I just HAD to take a photo of this. A gentleman (I’m so sorry I didn’t get your name) was sharing his pen collection with us one evening. His collection wasn’t expensive or ostentatious, but he definitely wins the superlative for “Most Unique Collection”. In addition to some truly bizarre vintage Rotring items and random drafting pencils, he had these two delightfully chubby pens!

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

On my way out of DC I also stopped by to see a friend and visit the iconic Capitol Hill Books. Built out of an old home, the interior is stacked to the brim with old and new books of all sorts. What really makes this place a gem are the helpful and snarky little paper cards taped all over. Some are pretty standard for a bookstore — “Mysteries”, “World War II History”, etc.

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

But then there was stuff like…

(please excuse poor quality photo, it was very dim inside)

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

 

Overall I really enjoyed my time in DC and hope to be back next year!

 

D.C. Pen Show Mini Haul & Recap

Owl Ink Review: Penwell by Good Made Better

 

I’m back with another product review! This review has been a long time coming, so I feel like I’ve really gotten to know this product. This is the Penwell by Good Made Better, a relatively new shop on the stationery scene. Based in South Dakota, it’s owned and run by Dan Keller.

The concept behind the Penwell is the ability to turn any pen into a desk pen. Desk pens, like the Platinum Desk Pen or YStudio Desk Pen, are designed to be used with a stand. This allows you to simply grab the pen with one hand and start writing immediately– no unscrewing or unsnapping of caps needed! Dan has a short video that explains this very well.

Dan reached out to me and asked if I’d like to review one of his Penwells. I had seen other reviews by Clickypost and The Gentleman Stationer, so I was definitely intrigued.

A small package arrived shortly after. The packaging is very attractive– Dan did a great job on the branding and presentation of his product. It was a joy to unbox.

 

 

As someone with an interest in calligraphy and lettering, the modern-style script logo really spoke to me.

 

 

On the reverse, there are simple instructions for using your new Penwell.

 

 

Let’s take a closer look at the Penwell itself! I selected the Walnut model, which nicely matches my desk.

The Penwell itself is made of wood, with the logo engraved on the rim. Inside, there is a ring of very firm foam that is mean to cushion and protect your pen caps.

 

 

Underneath, you can see the inner mechanism. A metal clip keeps the foam in place, and an microsuction ring keeps the entire unit firmly attached to your desk.

At first, I thought it was adhesive– but after checking out the Penwell’s Use and Care page, I found out that microsuction is entirely different! Instead of using adhesives like glue, the ring is made up of microscopic suction cups. I imagine it’s something like the tiny little sucker feet on a starfish, but thousands of them.

The advantage of microsuction is that, unlike adhesives, it can be moved and re-stuck. It also won’t leave any sticky residue on your desk surface.

 

 

Sticking my new Penwell!

 

 

I don’t have many fountain pens, but I chose my trusty Lamy Safari. I figure it’s a pretty standard pen– many people own one, so hopefully this will give you an accurate idea of the Penwell’s size and function.

Stick the entire pen, capped, into the Penwell. As the cap is inserted further into the foam, it should feel very secure.

 

 

Now when I pull the pen body out, the cap stays firmly stuck inside the Penwell. I can use my pen, jot down something quick, and then stick it right back inside.

The Lamy Safari has a snap cap, and it worked just fine. According to other reviews, pens with twist caps work great as well.

 

 

Now I admit I don’t use fountain pens nearly as much as others in the stationery community. I simply do most of my job-related work with gel pens or pencils. When I do calligraphy or art, I use my calligraphy pens and watercolor supplies. This got me thinking… are there other uses for the Penwell?? Well it turns out…

One slight inconvenience I have experienced while doing calligraphy is not having a great solution for holding inked calligraphy pens. If I need to put my pen down briefly to take a phone call or something, I don’t want to just set the inked pen on my desk– it could roll around. Calligraphy nibs also don’t come with caps.

I’ve seen people use chopstick holders or small metal trays as pen rests.Usually I just end up resting the inked nib on an ink bottle lid, and this sometimes gets messy.

But, behold! :D

 

 

Since it’s designed to hold chubbier fountain pens, you can even fit two nib holders!

 

 

Or you can use it to hold paintbrushes* while you run off to answer the phone, get a snack, or keep your cat from destroying things!

*Note: do NOT let your brushes dry completely like this. This is only a temporary holder. Drying your brushes tip side up with result in water dripping into the metal part and rusting. Trust me on this one.

 

 

So there you have it. Two alternative uses for the Penwell. I’ve had mine for almost two months now, and I find that I go back and forth between uses.

It performs great at its intended use– an elegant way to display your fountain pen while also letting you use your pen with only one hand. But if you’re trying out other creative pursuits, you could also adapt it to different uses. If you find that you need it to hold thinner pens, Dan has a helpful video on that too!

You can find the Penwell at the Good Made Better Website. The Walnut model is $49.00. It’s not cheap, but the craftsmanship more than justifies the price, and I imagine any pen enthusiast would be thrilled to get one as a gift. Thanks to Dan for sending one over!

 

 

Bonus pic– the microsuction base also means that naughty kitties can’t knock it off my desk with a swipe of a paw.

 

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather Zippered Case

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

I’m back! I had to take a Owl Ink hiatus due to my life catching up to me– friends getting married, graduations, and travels. If you have any travels on the horizon, then this is a must-read review.

This is the Galen Leather Zippered Case, and it’s one of many quality wares offered by Galen Leather. Based out of Istanbul, Galen Leather is a brother-sister duo founded on their love for natural materials like leather, wood, and metal. Zeynep and Yusuf create every single article by hand in their workshop, and their small business story is truly inspiring!

Zeynep kindly reached out to me and asked if I’d like to try one of their cases. After browsing through their impressive selection, I decided to go for the Zippered Case. A few weeks later, a small box arrived at my door!

 


Details and Specs

  • Price: $49.00
  • Dimensions: 6.69″ x 5.03″ x 0.82″
  • 5 Pen Loops and 1 Notebook Pocket
  • Notebook Size: A6 Slim

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

The packaging is impressive– before you even open the box, you just know that it houses a high-quality item. It’s made of durable cardboard and can definitely be repurposed as a box for stamps, stickers, or used Field Notes.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

In addition to the case itself, the box also includes an information card, a coupon towards a future purchase, and an Evil Eye charm for luck! According to my card, my case was made by Yusuf. Thank you Yusuf!

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

Let’s take a look at the case! In addition to a rich genuine leather smell, it also has a lightly pleasant smell of wax or oils. I assume this is from the burnishing process, which seals the leather edges and leaves the entire piece luxuriously smooth.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

The zipper feels sturdy and zips smoothly without catching. The little zipper pull is also made of leather, which I thought was a small but nice touch.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

Upon opening the case, you see that there are five pen loops on the left and a deep pocket on the right. The interior of the case is a soft felt-like material, which should be sufficiently soft if you are holding expensive fountain pens.

I thought about how I wanted to use my new case, and I decided to turn it into a portable lettering/sketching kit!

 

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

This particular model is designed to fit pocket notebooks like Field Notes or Word Notebooks. I inserted one of my Field Notes Shelterwood books and it fit snugly.

Next up: pens! The case is designed to fit fountain pens, but since I’m more of an artist/letterer/calligrapher than a fountain pen collector, I decided to add some of my favorite lettering pens.

  • Pentel Fude Touch Brush Pen
  • Kuretake CocoIro Lettering Pen (review here!)
  • Pilot Hi-Tec-C Gel Pen
  • Zebra Brush Pen (review here!)
  • Kuretake Fudegokochi Brush Pen

Even though the elastic loops are designed to accommodate larger-barreled fountain pens, they still held my slimmest gel pen.

 

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

Now I have a portable note-taking/brainstorming/lettering kit! I can bring it with me on travels, or simply do some sketching or lettering while away from my desk.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

I realized that I could also put some small memorabilia, like tickets, receipts, or business cards, into the notebook pocket.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

Zipping up the case with no difficulty. You could probably stuff quite a lot into this case, the zipper feels durable and should be able to handle heavier use.

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

The compact size fits easily into a small purse!

 

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

Many thanks to Zeynep and Yusuf of Galen Leather for letting me review your work!

You can find this specific model here, and similar zippered models here. Be sure to check out their other case offerings! They create covers for all your favorite notebooks– Hobonichi, Traveler’s, Leuchtturm, and more.

 

Owl Ink Review: Galen Leather

 

DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

This is a quick and easy tutorial that will teach you how to make DIY envelopes out of scrapbook paper! InCoWriMo is almost over, and this is a fun way to add some color and pattern to your last few letters.

For those unfamiliar with the event, InCoWriMo (International Correspondence Writing Month) is an annual creative challenge. According to the official website:

“InCoWriMo challenges you to hand-write and mail/deliver one letter, card, note or postcard every day during the month of February.”

It’s definitely a chance for pen and paper lovers to put their favorite tools to use! I’ve participated in InCoWriMo’s daily letter challenge in the past, and I enjoyed connecting with friends the old-fashioned way.

Even though I’ve only been able to send a few letters this year, I still wanted to make them a bit more fun :)


For this project, you will need some sheets of scrapbook paper! If you’re like me, you already have a stash of these pretty patterned papers. If not, you can always find some at Michaels or your local craft store. I’ve consistently found great deals on scrapbook paper at Tuesday Morning as well.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

In addition to paper, you’ll also need the following supplies:

  • Paper trimmer (or plain scissors will do)
  • Ruler
  • Pencil for marking measurements
  • Glue pen or glue stick
  • Pens and markers for writing addresses
  • Stamps
  • Greeting card

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

I made this simple stamped greeting using a 4″ x 5.5″ blank card, but this trick should work for any card dimension.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

First, measure the diagonal of the card. My 4″ x 5.5″ card measures 6.75″ from corner to corner.

Round this up to the nearest whole number– in my case, 7″– and then add 1 inch.

Now we have a measurement of 8″.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Measure and lightly mark an 8″ x 8″ square on your sheet of scrapbook paper.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Using a paper trimmer (or scissors), cut out your 8″ x 8″ square.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

You should have plenty of space around your card!

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Next, rotate the square so it’s oriented like a diamond. Fold the two corners in until the points touch.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Flatten the paper into sharp creases.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Fold the bottom corner up until the point is almost aligned with what will become the top of your envelope.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Using a glue pen (I’m using a Kuretake glue pen) or glue stick, attach the bottom fold to the first two folds. Be careful not to glue the entire envelope shut!

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Fold the pointy corner towards the inside of the envelope and secure it with some more glue.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Once the glue is dry, slide your card into the envelope. It should fit snugly!

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Since these are DIY envelopes, there’s no sticky strip to lick. You can use some washi tape to seal the envelope, or glue the edges shut for added security.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Affix a matching stamp. I’m a big fan of the USPS Botanical Art Stamps (I even stood in line for them on the first day they were released).

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Since scrapbook paper is usually patterned, you may have trouble writing the address lines clearly and legibly. Blank labels or address stickers can help!

You could also write the address on a small piece of blank paper and glue it to the front of the envelope.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Dress up your envelope with additional touches! You can add stickers, tapes, or use a corner punch to create rounded flaps.

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Warning: making these is so simple and fun, you might get carried away and make a bunch!

 

Owl Ink | DIY Scrapbook Paper Envelopes

 

Happy InCoWriMo!

Hello 2017!

Owl Ink | Hello 2017

 

Hope you’ve all had a wonderful New Year holiday :)

I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate and sipped a lot of tea, and now we’re back to busy days at work. While we’re still in the first week of the New Year, I thought I’d share a few of my stationery-related resolutions.

1. JUST. WRITE. IT.

I think one of my greatest struggles in blogging is spending too much time pondering whether a post is worth writing. There’s a lot of content out there, and a lot of material has already been covered… so a lot of ideas end up in blog post purgatory, where I somehow talk myself out of them (“but EVERYONE has reviewed Lamy Dark Lilac already, and it’s not even available anymore…”).

This year, I’ll try to get my posts out the door before that happens!

 

Owl Ink | Hello 2017

2. Send more mail

I’ve been in a long-distance relationship with my owlfriend for a while now, and at the beginning I would write to him frequently. As we’ve had more opportunities to visit each other, and he’s spent more time at home, my mailing frequency has decreased.

I have quite a stash of envelopes, including a box of colorful ones my friend left when she moved away, so I’m hoping to mail more joy this year. If you’d like to do a letter exchange, please let me know :)

3.  Don’t leave nibs in nib holders

They get rusty. And sad. Just don’t do it :(

 

Owl Ink | Hello 2017
Cute date stamp by Amy Tangerine 

4. Document the small things

I love scrapbooking, but I only document major events– mostly travels. After reading planner posts by The Gentleman Stationer, The London Parchment, and The Finer Point, I’m inspired to be more mindful about recording the minutiae of my days.

I don’t know how I’ll do this yet– the Hobonichi Techo is a tempting (yet intimidating) choice, but so is a blank sketchbook. I’m sure it will take some experimentation.

 

Owl Ink | Hello 2017
My new datebook and a vintage Parker Jotter ballpoint pen

 

Here’s to an amazing 2017!