Hello friends,
My goodness, what kind little kittens you all are to help me clean out my “junk”. I loved reading all about your favorite pens, and I’m sure others did too–I even received a kind little package from Richard of My Ink Pen, with the result that I had an extra goodie to give away (six cartridges of very fine Private Reserve Ink–there were seven, but I nabbed one to try for myself, and can report that it’s smooth and dense)!
I, too, find it difficult to name my favorite writing implement. There are so many, and no one pen is the perfect pen for every situation.
These are but a few examples of my current and past favorites. I still love my Daiso disposable (especially as Carroll has sent me a re-filled one!) and I know that on any given day I will choose one over the other. But these are my current favorites, for now:
From left to right: The adorable and compact Kaweco Sport (I bought the white one because I misplaced the black one–but I found the black one when I cleaned out my desk!!). A nice solid writer, almost like a gel pen. Has the sad tendency to skip on the downstroke (something that happens to me with fountain pens a lot, and I don’t know why).
Next to that is the tried-and-true Bic Clic. I got this one at a beer tasting. I also stole my companion’s. You just never know when you’ll need to write on a carbon, or something shiny.
Then, the Hero 616s. Powerful little workhorse of a pen, and cheap on the eBays. The black one has a tendency to throw ink when I uncap it, but hey, what do you expect for $1.50? The burgundy one is superfine and I keep it filled with Noodler’s Red Rattler.
Next, a double-headed ZIG writer that I found in the garage when my neighbors moved out and left a TON of junk behind. Yes, I dig through other people’s cast-offs. That may be why I have so much junk. Water-proof, fade-proof, acid-free non-bleeding pigment ink. Lots of hyphens means I like it for addressing shiny labels.
Oh, Pelikan Future. I bought this one in Tokyo, which is funny, because it’s German. RED! Filled with Rattler Red. It’s tried and true and even though it’s plastic, I love it to pieces. Probably the best inexpensive fountain pen I’ve ever purchased. Firm but springy nib and almost never gets dried out. I have three, now….
Next, the Pelikan M215 (o Pelikan, how I love you). I got this one for myself when Good Mail Day was released. It was expensive and you know what? Even though I tried it out a lot in the shop before I bought it, it’s not my favorite pen. It skips a little. I have it filled with Noodler’s Black, which is a nice juicy black, but…something is lacking, for me. Oh well.
And then, another perennial favorite, the Pilot V-Ball (extra fine). I prefer the shape of this one (I don’t need my pens to look like rockets, or have lots of colors, or funny facets…I like this lozenge-shape and basic appearance) over the other Pilot iterations, and these never fail me. I recently bought them in every color for my art buddy M. Wertz.
So there you go, a little pen-voyeurism to start off the holiday weekend. That’s all I have for you…oh, wait, was there something else I was going to do today?
…oh YES! THE GIVEAWAY!!
This was very scientific. I wrote everyone’s name on a scrap of paper and then I wrote all the goodies on other scraps of paper and drew them successively out of two very special paper bags. And the winners are….
Origami Stationery Box Set: Tricia! Tricia likes colored ball point pens and would love to try a fountain pen sometime. Anyone have a recommendation?
Scribble Scribble Stationery Set: Nicky! Nicky loves her Papermate Liquid Expresso pen.
Bunny Jotter Set: GirlonaGlide! Juli finds that sometimes a pencil can be the perfect implement (and I couldn’t agree more).
Gnome Jotter Set: Kiyasu! Kiyasu’s writing-love is complex and multifaceted, from the Pilot 2020 pencil to the Feeder G101 to funky, felt-y, Marvy markers. Now she has a crow-quill pen to add to the mix!
Tag/Seal set 1: Niku! Niku used to be on my Pilot V team until a friend converted her to Pitt pens. More Pilot V-balls for me!
Quarry/1984 Jotter Set 1: Mia! Mia told a charming tale of a Florentine fountain pen that encourages one to Write for Glory. Mia, can we have a picture?
Tag/Seal set 2: Mina! Mina, too, has varied writing tastes. Everything from the Lamy ballpoint to the Stabilo rollerball to a nice soft lead pencil makes her happy.
Glue Brush Notecards: Almah! Almah’s preferred sepia brush pen will really look special on these notecards.
Private Reserve Ink from My Ink Pen: Meg! Meg likes coloured markers, but perhaps she does not have a fountain pen to use with these lovely Private Reserve cartridges…which is why I am going to send her that extra Pelikan Future I had sitting around. Special bonus extra special pen love! Paying it forward, so to speak!
Little Labels Set 1: Elissa! Elissa has a thing for Muji gel pens. I think I know the ones she means; I bought a couple at a 7-11 in Tokyo and used them until they dried up like the desert.
Quarry/1984 Jotter Set 2: Faiza! Faiza did not share her favorite pen with us, but she does like her “please deliver with kindness” stamp, which is good enough for me!
Tag/Seal Set 3: Debbie (favphotos)! Debbie loves fountain pens and typewriters, and I can say the same.
Little Labels Set 2: Debbie Igram! Debbie loves the Pigma Microns that are beloved by artists and writers all over the globe.
Tag/Seal Set 4: Stephanie! Stephanie does not discriminate between fine Sharpies and fat markers, so long as there is color involved.
Tag/Seal Set 5: Cecelia! Cecelia told a touching tale of her Waterman fountain pen: My favorite is a Waterman fountain pen that my sister gave me as a graduation gift in the 80′s. I don’t know the model, but it’s thin, black, and heavy. I fill it with blue-black ink because it looks old fashioned and reminds me of the ink our mother used. It’s a simple pleasure, and connects me to my sister and to a different time.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to everyone for writing! I’ll be sending out emails later today to get snail mail addresses (from anyone who did not also post on the Call-For-Pen Friends, that is) from the winners.
And for those of you who didn’t win, Anna Catwrangler has a very generous gift for you! She wrote me when I first posted the giveaway and offered to send out some stationery-type goodies to those who didn’t win this time. Here’s what she has to say:
For those of you who will not win these lovely items – I have 3 shoe boxes of crap. Whoops I mean long cherished stationery items such as a million envelopes of all sizes and random postcards/cards. It is nowhere as near as beautiful as the above items but will provide you with lots of items to rework and make into something better. Besides – it is free. Some of the stuff – you will say ‘Ugh who in their right mind bought this?’ and some of the stuff will make you say ‘This is amazing! I can’t believe she is giving this away!’ So if you don’t win the above item then email me at annamlincoln@gmail.com and I will have my pug randomly select a name on JULY 6. Not kidding, I will take pictures and post on my blog.
There you go! Happy scribbling, each and every one of you!
–Carolee
**EDIT: ANNA HAS EXTENDED THE DEADLINE UNTIL JULY 6!**































