Pilot – Writer's Bloc Blog

January 31, 2017January 31, 2017

Greenery: 2017 Pantone Color of the Year Gift Guide

Greenery - Pantone Color of the Year 2017 — Greenery – Pantone Color of the Year 2017

Pantone recently announced that the color of the year for 2017 is a shade called Greenery. Their website calls the Greenery “nature’s neutral” and provides this description of the color:

A refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings.

Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.

I’m crazy about anything in the color yellow-green! We’ve put together a gift guide to help you shop for pens, ink and journals that are similar to this shade of green.

Green LAMY Safari with a Calligraphy Nib

LAMY Safari Fountain Pen

The first fountain pen that came to my mind when I saw Greenery was this LAMY Safari fountain pen in green. If you haven’t already collected a Safari in this color this is a good year to do it! We replaced the regular nib on the pen in this photo with a calligraphy nib.

Pilot Prera Demonstrator Fountain Pen

The Pilot Prera Demonstrator Fountain Pen in Light Green has a clear body with a pop of green on the end of the barrel and cap. The nibs on Prera fountain pens are great if you have small handwriting or like to write with a very fine pen.

Pelikan M205 Duo Highlighter Fountain Pen

This Pelikan M205 Duo Highlighter Fountain Pen in Shiny Green is a special edition, so if this pen strikes your fancy don’t wait too long to add this to your desk. It comes equipped with a Broad BB nib and since it’s a fountain pen it can be refilled over and over again with highlighter ink. Our choice of ink? Why, of course matching Pelikan M205 Duo Highlighter Ink, also in Shiny Green.

ilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Chiku-Rin - Bamboo Forest — Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Chiku-Rin – Bamboo Forest

Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink in Bamboo Forest Green (Chiku-Rin)

Chiku-Rin or Bamboo Forest fountain pen ink is a yellow green shade similar to the color of new growth on plants in the spring, which also happens to be the same color in nature that inspired the shade Greenery. Truly a beautiful and refreshing color!

J. Herbin Vert Pre Fountain Pen Ink

J. Herbin’s Vert Pre is another one of our favorite yellow-green fountain pen inks. The top of the glass bottle has a handy built-in place to rest your pen. J. Herbin uses all natural dyes in their inks, which makes them non-toxic and pH neutral.

Rhodiarama Pad Holder - Anise Green — Rhodiarama Pad Holder – Anise Green

Rhodiarama Pad Holder No. 12 with Notepad – Anise Green

Carry your favorite Rhodia paper in this pocket-size refillable Rhodia notepad holder. It has a pen holder and pocket to stash receipts and business cards.

Rhodiarama Soft Cover Notebook - Anise Green Cover — Rhodiarama Soft Cover Notebook – Anise Green Cover

Rhodiarama Soft Cover Notebook with an Anise Green Cover

Your fountain pen will write like a dream on the high quality paper inside Rhodiarama soft cover notebooks. Your choice of lined or dot grid paper – just what those of you who are crazy about bullet journals have been waiting for!

Pentel Tradio Mechanical Pencil – Apple Green

The cap of the Apple Green Pentel Tradio mechanical pencil protects the tip from damage and breakage. It’s got a button on the side near the grip that you can click to advance the lead for uninterrupted writing.

Other ideas for a Greenery themed desk top include: the Quo Vadis Habana Journal in Anise Green, Quo Vadis Planner with a Bamboo Green Texas Cover, a Platinum Preppy Green Highlighter with Green Highlighting Ink, and the Staedtler Textsurfer Classic Green Highlighter. Several Clairefontaine notepads are available with yellow-green covers: you can request a yellow-green cover during order check out and if we’ve got that color in stock we will send it to you.

What yellow-green stationery items do you have on your desk?

November 10, 2015January 25, 2016

10 Fountain Pens to Buy For Your Boyfriend

Fountain pens make great gifts! They are sophisticated and retro, reduce writing fatigue, can be refilled over and over again and when taken care of can become a family heirloom. So what fountain pen will you buy for the man in your life? In general, when considering what nib size to buy for someone who has never used a fountain pen, If he has small handwriting buy a fine nib, medium or large handwriting buy a medium nib. If he already collects fountain pens it’s up to you to find out what kind of nib size he wants next. Here are 10 of our favorite fountain pens (in no particular order) that would make great gifts:

Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen - Black, Fine Nib — Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen – Black, Fine Nib

1. Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen. The smart design of the Kaweco Sport allows the pen to be a compact pocket-size when capped and when uncapped it posts at the perfect length for writing. The AL Sport is made of metal so it is as durable and rugged as your man needs it to be.

Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen - Gun Metal Gray, Black Matte Accents — Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen – Gun Metal Gray, Black Matte Accents

2. Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen, Gun Metal Gray with Black Matte Accents. The Pilot Vanishing Point capless retractable fountain pen is well-known for its clever design that allows you to extend or retract the nib with just one click. When clipped to a shirt pocket the nib points up to reduce the chance of any leaks. Available in several colors and nib sizes.

3. LAMY Dialog 3 Fountain Pen has a revolutionary twist mechanism that allows the nib to advance and retract smoothly into the barrel. When the nib is advanced the clip recesses slightly into the body, creating an ergonomic writing experience. Once retracted a protective ball valve closes over the nib and the clip can be lifted and secured to a bag or pocket. Its modern Bauhaus appearance and intelligent design would make this the perfect pen for an engineer. Nibs tend to run one size large on this pen, so choose one nib size down. It’s also available in matte black.

Delta Vintage Stylus Fountain Pen - Lava Stone, Fine Nib — Delta Vintage Stylus Fountain Pen – Lava Stone, Fine Nib

4. Delta Vintage Stylus Fountain Pen – Lava Stone. For your techie guy who likes to use a stylus with his tablet or smart phone; one end of this fountain pen has a premium capacitive rubber stylus specifically designed for modern touch screen devices, the other end has a traditional platinum-masked fountain pen nib.

Pelikan Souveran M800 Fountain Pen Black

5. Pelikan Souveran M800 Fountain Pen in Black. For the traditionalist, the elegant, classic Pelikan M800 fountain pen is produced by one of the most renowned pen manufacturers in the world. This large pen has a piston filling system and a masterfully handcrafted two-tone 18k gold nib.

6. Platinum 3776 Series Music Nib Fountain Pen – Koi. Perfect for an artist or calligrapher, this beautiful red celluloid “Koi” fountain pen is reminiscent of the glistening multi-color scales of a koi fish and is popular with those who pursue unusual antique designs. The most extraordinary feature of Platinum’s 14K gold music nib is that is has two slits, making it a three tined nib which allows for a good ink flow. “Smooth as silk” is how the writing experience with this nib has been described. Also available in black/rhodium or black/gold.

Stipula Tuscany Dreams Peposo Fountain Pen - Brown Tortoiseshell — Stipula Tuscany Dreams Peposo Fountain Pen – Brown Tortoiseshell

7. Stipula Tuscany Dreams Peposo Fountain Pen. This is a very large “man-size” ornate Italian-made fountain pen. According to Stipula, this eye-catching pen is “adorned with a magnificent bronze clip in which there are two masterpieces of Florence: the dome of Florence’s Cathedral and Michelangelo’s David. The band on the cap in the foreground depicts the coat of arms of the Medici. Adorning the rest of the ring the portraits of three genes born in Tuscany: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and Dante Alighieri.”

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen - Dots, Medium Nib — Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen – Dots, Medium Nib

8. Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen. The Metropolitan provides everything you need for an economical price – it even includes a gift box and an ink converter for bottled ink. It’s a durable daily writer that you’re not afraid to take to work.

Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen - Gunmetal — Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen – Gunmetal

9. Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen. The Plaisir is the perfect fountain pen for a no-fuss low- maintenance kind of guy since it has a specially designed cap that allows it to write smoothly even after it hasn’t been used for up to a year. This makes it suitable both for writing every day or for only occasional use. The cap also reduces ink loss due to evaporation. The durable anodized aluminum body has a beautiful pearlized finish.

10. LAMY AL-Star Fountain Pen – Black. If Darth Vader used fountain pens, this stealthy all-black Al-Star might just be the one he would use. Are any of your boyfriends going to see the new Star Wars movie next month? I thought so.

What fountain pens would you recommend as gift for your boyfriend?

September 29, 2015January 25, 2016

Your Fall Stationery Style Guide

Do you like to change your stationery supplies with the change of the season? I do! Now that autumn is here the ink in my fountain pens changes to warm, rich fall colors such as orange, gold, maroon and brown. Of course, it is necessary to select a harmonizing pen and notebook to complete the ensemble. Here are some of our fall stationery favorites:

Yellow & Gold: One of my favorite everyday writing tools is the LAMY Safari fountain pen which is available in a cheery bright yellow that reminds me of the autumn color of some maple or birch tree leaves. Yellow ink is not practical for regular handwriting writing, so I like to use a golden amber shade such as J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie fountain pen ink. If you’re new to fountain pens, and you’re going to use bottled ink in your LAMY Safari or Al-Star pen, you’ll need to get a LAMY Z24 ink converter.

J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie Fountain Pen Ink

Orange: I love seeing all of the colorful autumn squash in the supermarket this time of year. The star of this fall’s orange fountain pens is the limited edition copper-orange LAMY Al-Star pen. This relative of the LAMY Safari fountain pen is made from light-weight aluminum with a metallic finish. LAMY created special copper-orange ink cartridges just to match this fountain pen. A couple of my favorite orange bottled inks with nice shading are Noodler’s Apache Sunset and Noodler’s Habanero ink. Want a paper notebook with an orange cover? Go no further than Rhodia‘s famous orange notepads available in all sorts of styles and sizes with fountain pen friendly paper.

R by Rhodia Notepad, Medium Size, Orange Cover and a Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen — R by Rhodia Notepad with an orange cover and a Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen

Noodler's Ink Apache Sunset — Noodler’s Ink Apache Sunset

Red & Maroon: Doesn’t this orange Rhodia notepad look stylish next to these red Japanese maple leaves? The color of these leaves makes me think of the deep burgundy red color of the clear resin Bourgogne Platinum 3776 Century Fountain Pen. Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink in Momiji or Autumn Leaves is a red shade emulating the bright red leaves that are iconic of a Japanese autumn landscape. The ivory paper inside the red Quo Vadis Habana Journal complements the warm, autumn shades of ink that I use this time of year.

Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Momiji - Autumn Leaves — Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Momiji – Autumn Leaves

Platinum 3776 Century Fountain Pen - Bourgogne — Platinum 3776 Century Fountain Pen – Bourgogne

Quo Vadis Habana Journal with a Red Cover & Ivory Paper

Brown: I absolutely adore anything in tortoiseshell, and the Stipula Tuscany Dreams Peposo Fountain Pen in Brown Tortoiseshell is no exception! It’s a pity that this manly pen is too large for my small hands. This pen pairs well with J. Herbin Lie de The Ink Cartridges or Pilot Iroshizuku Wild Chestnut ink which is a brown color similar to the shade of a ripe, fallen chestnut shell during autumn. Aston Leather’s pen cases in golden caramel Tan or dark Brown are going to look great with and provide protection for any of your fall writing instruments.

Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Yama-guri - Wild Chestnut — Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink Yama-guri – Wild Chestnut

Aston Leather Double Pen Hard Case in Brown

What are your favorite stationery items for fall?

May 19, 2015January 25, 2016

Congratulations 2015 Graduates!

All the years of hard work have finally paid off: a new round of students are about to experience the victory of graduation! If you’d like to share in the celebration by presenting your favorite graduate with a gift, we would heartily recommend the timeless writing instrument the fountain pen. Many modern students have never used a fountain pen but once they experience it, it becomes a writing tool that they treasure for a lifetime. As your graduate begins their career a fountain pen can add a touch of style and sophistication to their professional or creative image.

LAMY Safari Fountain Pen, Charcoal with a Black Nib

Popular & Fun-Loving: The LAMY Safari fountain pen is a best friend of writers the world over. It’s easy to use, has a good variety of nib options and is made of rugged ABS plastic so it’s light weight yet durable.

LAMY T10 Fountain Pen Refills 5 Pack - Turquoise — LAMY T10 Fountain Pen Refills – Turquoise

Accessorize with: LAMY T10 Fountain Pen Refills and an Aston Leather Single Pen Slip Case.

Pilot Metropolitan Violet Leopard Fountain Pen

Budget: The Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen comes with everything you need to get started at a low price, with a quality comparable to that of a more expensive pen.

Aston Leather Single Pen Slip Case - Black — Aston Leather Single Pen Slip Case – Black

Accessorize with: Pilot Namiki Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges and an Aston Leather Single Pen Slip Case.

Writing Enthusiast: If know your Grad will be writing profusely on a daily basis, a Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen is definitely worth the investment. Its 14k rhodium nib will keep their hand gliding effortlessly across each page.

Aston Leather Triple Pen Case - Tan — Aston Leather Triple Pen Case – Tan

Accessorize with: A bottle of Noodler’s Ink and an Aston Leather Triple Pen Case (after all, if they write frequently they’ll definitely carry more than one pen!).

Modern: The Bauhaus design of the LAMY 2000 fountain pen has a modern and stylish simplicity. It is made of a fiberglass resin called Makrolon that is resistant to impact and weathering.

Accessorize with: A bottle of LAMY fountain pen ink and an Aston Leather Single Pen Hard Case.

Kaweco CLASSIC Sport Fountain Pen - Bordeaux, Medium Nib — Kaweco CLASSIC Sport Fountain Pen – Bordeaux, Medium Nib

Pocket-Size: A compact Kaweco Sport ICE or Classic fountain pen fits in your pocket or purse when capped, and posts at the perfect length for writing.

J. Herbin Universal Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges - Vert Olive — J. Herbin Universal Fountain Pen Ink Cartridges – Vert Olive

Accessorize with: J. Herbin standard international ink cartridges, a Kaweco Pen Clip and a Kaweco Pen Case.

What kind of fountain pen would you like to give to your graduate?

April 21, 2015January 25, 2016

Appreciate Our Teachers!

Our school teachers face many challenges and work very hard to educate our young people, so they certainly deserve much appreciation and thanks. Why not show your appreciation with a gift of quality pens and paper? One of my elementary school teacher friends shared what her picks would be:

1) Highlighters. Highlighters are part of a teacher’s daily arsenal. The skinny ones with a fine tip on the other end are my friend’s favorite, such as Zebra Optex Highlighters or Tombow Twin Tip Highlighters.

2) Colorful Pens. Smooth writing colorful pens are good for grading papers. We like the STAEDTLER Triplus Roller pens – they have an ergonomic triangular barrel and the dry-safe feature enables these pens to be left uncapped for days at a time without drying up.

3) Pencil Pouch. A leather pen & pencil pouch is just what a teacher needs to corral a bunch of these colorful pens and highlighters. The Clairefontaine Basics Trapezoid Leather Pencil Case is just what your child’s geometry teacher needs, or the Aston Leather Pencil Pouch is another classy choice.

4) Fountain Pen. This old fashioned writing tool is making a comeback! It reduces writing fatigue because compared to a ballpoint pen less pressure is required when writing. This might just be the special gift that your teacher takes home to treasure for themselves! The Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen is a great deal for the price, or the LAMY Safari is noteworthy for its worldwide popularity. Remember to get some extra ink refills to go along with it!

5) Book Darts. Book Darts are metal line-markers that easily slip onto a page to mark important points so that you can find them later on. They can be reused over and over again in teacher books.

6) Organizing Notebook. A teacher needs a good notebook for taking notes during teacher training and meetings. We recommend the Clairefontaine Multiple Subject Notebook or the Rhodia Meeting Book with its Cornell note-taking page format.

Rhodia Classic Meeting Book - Large, Orange Cover — Rhodia Classic Meeting Book

7) Academic Planner. Help your teacher stay organized and on top of all of their meetings, activities and classroom events with a planner designed with teachers and students in mind. The Quo Vadis Minister Academic Weekly Planner provides your teacher with a detailed 8am to 9pm weekly schedule. The Minister and other academic planners are due to arrive in our shop towards the end of May or in June.

Quo Vadis Minister Planner - Black Soho Cover — Quo Vadis Minister Planner – Black Soho Cover

How do you like to show your appreciation for your favorite teacher?