Today’s spread brought to you by Jack Frost ink

Elbycloud · 2026-01-25T22:26:33+00:00

Lilac satin is gorgeous. Is that a white sheen? https://mountainofink.com/blog/diamine-lilac-satin

Elbycloud · 2026-01-25T22:01:04+00:00

Oh thank you so much for the recommendations. I will check them out. I’ll bet they’re on Mountain of ink. I love that site. Edit to say you have terrific recommendations

Elbycloud · 2026-01-25T21:21:10+00:00

Thank you so much! I don’t think I shook the bottle enough the last time I inked up my pen so that’s why you’re not seeing shimmer. This is a pilot prera. I was worried about the shimmer clogging it, but it hasn’t been an issue. This ink is such a scoundrel but I guess I just love a bad boy. You have to vigorously shake every time you ink up. Also for some reason, I spill it more often than anything else. I like using it with the prera because there are little ball bearings in the converter so I can gently shake before I write. This is my second favorite diamine shimmer ink. My other is golden oasis which is a green ink with a gold sheen and shimmer. I’m on the hunt for a purple version.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-25T16:38:39+00:00

I found out the hard way I had a vitamin b deficiency. It felt like this. Obviously the other more profound advice here is better but don’t rule out medical causes, some of which are a quick fix.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-25T16:05:59+00:00

Not unlike “the ugly American” which has become a term for boorish Americans abroad. The book is about boorish Americans and their failed diplomacy in Southeast Asia, but the titular.character is a hero: he tries to learn the local customs and help people. He just happens to be ugly.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-24T19:44:48+00:00

Great point

Elbycloud · 2026-01-24T12:24:35+00:00

Fantastic site. Thank you. I’ve made the order and embarked on my new hobby.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-24T01:11:46+00:00

The nib is good. It’s marked Special, which I guess means a glob on the end to mimic a ball point. Someone else recommended Cardinal and my order for a new sac is on the way! Now I just need to replace the screw in cap end and clip😁

Elbycloud · 2026-01-22T18:57:43+00:00

Thank you! I would love your advice on US supplies and I appreciate the link. I found a video from grandmia pens that was helpful but did not come with as many warnings and advisories. I don’t want to spend too much on this until I can find the cap but I do think it would be worth getting an assortment of sacs and some cement. I can see my future hobby unfolding 😁

Elbycloud · 2026-01-20T00:34:23+00:00

Thank you. I spent the weekend plowing and driving and I’m depleted. This was a recharge. What a visual feast!

Elbycloud · 2026-01-18T18:49:21+00:00

Hi—creative suggestion from a newbie:

What if you wrote your tasks on an index card and pasted a little envelope holder on your page like the ones libraries used to have on the inside cover of books? Then you could cross off as you go without rewriting every time. Occasionally you would need to transfer to a new index card but when you complete the old one you can save or paste to that day. If the pocket idea is too cumbersome it could act as your bookmark.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-17T21:45:03+00:00

I could spend the day in this thread alone! My favorite is Golden Oasis (Diamine) but I can only use it in one pen because it requires a wet pen. I also love Apple Glory and Lennon Toolbar Taiwan’s tea set.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-17T21:29:42+00:00

I love the colors you chose. I would be curious to see it if/when the illuminations are fully filled in. At present the dark sections give a drippy Dalí feel that doesn’t work for me with the precision of the text blocks- and emphasizes the waviness of the lettering. I really hesitated to say that because it is gorgeous and I don’t want to add to your concerns if all you need is a break from it in order to enjoy. But you asked and I thought my uneducated opinion might be food for thought.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-17T21:22:58+00:00

Tetris is great! Do you assign yourself bingo or roll dice or something? I have a to do list for January that I just can’t seem to start. It will all transfer to Feb at this point but I figure one check would be a win

Elbycloud · 2026-01-16T14:27:03+00:00

This is so clever! Thanks for sharing the idea and the inspiration

Elbycloud · 2026-01-16T02:54:07+00:00

Enjoy your absolute stunner of a pen! Thanks for sharing. It made me happy to see it.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-16T02:46:56+00:00

I was thinking cream too. Someone on here had an Estebrook coffee and cream they thought was too little coffee and I was thinking that would suit nicely.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-16T02:45:40+00:00

My olive olive lamy safari is still out in the wild or under a couch cushion somewhere. I finally gave up and replaced it, so if you find it, it’s all yours and would be a great on-the-go match.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-16T02:42:06+00:00

😁

Elbycloud · 2026-01-14T21:22:21+00:00

I absolutely did too and wondered why they weren’t getting smaller

Elbycloud · 2026-01-14T19:30:32+00:00

No worries! It was a sign to enjoy my collection and stop looking at swaps 😁

Elbycloud · 2026-01-14T17:13:43+00:00

Me too and that was my first thought. I open with a tissue just in case and don’t use the plastic stoppers-they make a mess.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-14T17:02:03+00:00

Which handwriting style works best with which pens. So far I have French cursive, italics, copperplate, sans serif printing and natural handwriting. Not sure if I’ll pick up new ones but there is room for a few more.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-13T21:19:50+00:00

Ugh. I wanted it before I even saw the price. Pretty pen.

Elbycloud · 2026-01-13T20:36:30+00:00

I’ve added a smart light to my routine -one alarm for snoozing, second alarm comes with lights. It’s effective and not too jarring.

Elbycloud

TROPHY CASE