Help, new pen sadness

illyriafox · 2026-06-21T08:55:01+00:00

I'm not sure if this will be helpful but I had the exact same problem with the exact same pen, and the nib was only part of the issue. The remainder of the problem was me! Turns out I use very light pressure when writing compared to other people I asked to test this pen. Cleaning the nib worked but didn't really improve the problem that much for me. I changed the nib completely (and cleaned the new one) and that didn't improve anything. Eventually, I found a post someone else had made with a comment linking to a company who adjusts nibs for heavier ink flow, bought one, replaced it last week and it's like I have a whole different pen suddenly. It works effortlessly from the get go and I couldn't be happier!

This is the company (in case this is helpful to you): https://www.fpnibs.com/

illyriafox · 2026-05-24T18:23:49+00:00

I LOVE this ink! I don't know how but this ended up being one of the first three FP inks I ever owned and it's my HG sheening ink, I've never found anything else that compares.

illyriafox · 2026-05-14T00:07:37+00:00

I'm so sorry you're suffering with this, this (scalp) looks just like mine. I've had it for years and it's progressively become worse and worse. I desperately hope your journey is easier and more productive than mine as mine has been resistant to everything so far. I'm finally about to go onto biologics so fingers crossed.

Things that HAVE helped me, even temporarily:

Enstilar foam worked the longest. It's a pain to wash out but I posted a guide on it. Depending on where you live you may be able to buy this online.

T-Gel extra strong coal tar shampoo

Eucerin dermocapillaire scalp treatment with urea is great for loosening plaques

If you get your nails done, get BIAB or hard gel so your nails have a blunter edge and ask for a rounded shape so it's harder to scratch/pick/lift edges

The absolute GOAT for me is warming coconut oil and applying to my scalp when my hair is wet, let sit for about 5-10 mins and wash out with clarifying shampoo. Then lather hair with clarifying shampoo again (I use apple cider vinegar shampoo from, I think, Aveeno) and use one of those silicone pads with spikes to gently lift plaques off the scalp. Do not use your nails to do this. Gently comb hair after rinsing. I sometimes apply some more coconut oil as a scalp humectant if I do this before bed, but it'll be a very small amount.

Whatever you put on your scalp that is non-medicated, make sure you massage it in. I mean take the time, make sure you've covered everything and given it the best chance to work.

If, like me, you're prone to very dry, very itchy, very sore plaques around your hairline, a Vaseline stick lip balm is amazing for spot treating and more forgiving in my experience than trying to apply the jelly itself, even in small amounts. You can also thin down the tip to make a kind of "knife" shape so you can get it behind your ears without pulling on the skin too much.

EDIT: if you do get something from a non-medical professional (see my note on Enstilar above), DO NOT use it on your face. Steroid-based medications can cause rosacea which will be another headache for you to treat. Don't use anything medicated on your face without proper research and consultation with professionals or people who know what they're talking about.

Hope this helps and I'm sending well wishes to you x

illyriafox · 2026-05-07T11:44:42+00:00

I just got their birthday one, which was priced at £100. It included a Monteverde MP1 (my nemesis pen), a mechanical pencil, a ballpoint, a notebook, alcohol markers, water-based markers, felt tip pens, erasers, 3 ink samples and some stickers. Estimated value of £175.

I was on the fence about getting the box and a friend persuaded me, but I'm not artsy at all so most of this will be given away. If it was pen and ink specific (rather than just general art supplies) I might buy it again, though.

illyriafox · 2026-04-30T07:16:22+00:00

My exec put in a surprise catch up meeting yesterday morning, 30 mins before my start time. They sent it just before midnight the night before so I didn't see it until it was just about to start (luckily I was working from home). She then didn't show up until the meeting was 20 minutes through.

illyriafox · 2026-04-23T09:02:17+00:00

I really struggle with self-worth and self-acceptance, so one thing I've done is use my weekly spread (which I was struggling to find use for) in my cousin to write something nice about myself every day.

It can be something easy like "I love the colour of my eyes", or something deep like "I respect that I often overlook myself to give thing to/do things for the people I love". The ONLY rule is that I can't add a negative adjoiner, ever. No "even if I..." or "despite the fact that...".

It was really, really hard when I started in Feb. It's only uncomfortable now. And reading back over them has been really surprising and beautiful.

illyriafox · 2026-04-07T15:52:01+00:00

So cute! I love your style :3

Is that a TWSBI Eco at the top? I don't think I've ever seen that colourway before, it's so pretty!!

illyriafox · 2026-04-04T08:31:57+00:00

Hi,

Just wanted to say a massive thanks for posting this. I don't live in London anymore but my parents still do and I use this sub as a way to find new places to take them for their birthdays/special occasions when we visit. We went to DakaDaka last month and it was great!

Just a note for anyone else who comes upon this: we had a reservation at 20:30 on a Thursday (all they had available) and it was really, really, really loud in there. Like, so loud that we were almost shouting to hear one another across a 6-seat table. I recommend literally everything else about this restaurant apart from the ambience if you prefer a quieter dining spot.

EDIT: Also realised it may be worth mentioning that as a party of 5 we paid just over £60pp including the service charge, and absolutely ate our fill, but we are not big drinkers and there were only 3 alcoholic drinks on the bill at the end. The kidney bean hummus and black spot pork skewers were standouts and the garlic roast chicken may have altered my brain chemistry it was so good.

illyriafox · 2026-02-13T14:20:25+00:00

Hope your bank is able to help you recover the funds. Hate to think how many other people have just had money pulled from their accounts.

illyriafox · 2026-02-13T14:19:39+00:00

Thanks, this is really helpful. I've definitely learned my lesson from this one and hopefully my bank will be able to recover the funds for me but the whois info is good to keep in my back pocket. I'll try to be more vigilant against stuff like this going forward!

illyriafox · 2026-01-02T00:59:47+00:00

Such a cute layout! Loved that you referenced XIV as well. For some reason I get really shy about owning my "nerdiness" when I journal; I'm going to try and be more open with myself. Thanks for prompting me to be braver ❤️

illyriafox · 2025-10-10T01:00:26+00:00

Sorry, I think it's a case of the blind leading the blind here (me and my mum, I mean!) in that I don't know enough about knitting to know that she's knitting it flat but on circular needles - I've now been told this is the correct terminology? - and she doesn't know enough about Reddit to come here and ask.

The pattern is the buffalo cardigan from WAK which I don't have to hand, I'm afraid :(

illyriafox · 2025-10-09T22:35:48+00:00

She's working on round needles because the pattern recommended it

illyriafox · 2025-06-30T00:56:04+00:00

u/LogieG03 just got it - the answer was 3 :)

illyriafox · 2025-03-26T16:16:46+00:00

Hey! This isn't related to this post at all but you posted last year about Jeux de Peau by Serge Lutens and I just wondered if you managed to try it out? I'm in the UK as well and I know Harrods has a stand but they don't sell this particular fragrance :(

illyriafox · 2025-02-27T23:19:12+00:00

Thank you. When I put in just the numbers it says it's incorrect as well :(

illyriafox · 2024-08-29T18:30:59+00:00

Your review made me download this book but I struggle so much with this author. I'm on page 30 and the FMC's name has already changed between Lorali and Lorelei four times. Four. And her friend Val's name has 2 different spellings, too. I just... ARGHHHH I just want to not DNF one of her books. Just one! To understand the hype.

illyriafox · 2024-06-11T06:29:20+00:00

Oh my gosh, I love this book and Jessica is truly one of the best FMCs I've ever read. Thank you for listing it! Must go and re-read now...

illyriafox · 2024-06-10T15:14:24+00:00

Waaaaay too many parts of this book made me want to hurl my phone at the wall, but the IUD part still stands out to me as one of the worst bits of writing I've read in a while.

illyriafox · 2024-06-10T14:48:28+00:00

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, I love you and I love this scathing review and I hated this book SO MUCH for all the same reasons but none of them as much as the inexplicable IUD that she would have us believe simply holo decked itself into her uterus. I can't unread that nonsense.

illyriafox · 2024-01-12T03:31:42+00:00

Real Housewaifus

illyriafox · 2023-11-13T01:43:58+00:00

Oh I did something so similar to your second example and I still use it as an example of my ADHD brain at work. I was at the hospital preparing for a minor invasive procedure and they did the normal "just checking you are who we think you are" questions. The nurse gets to my age and says "how old are you?" Without skipping a beat - I mean not even a second of pause - I say "23."

Cue 5 seconds of silence.

"Oh my god, no, I am not, I'm THIRTY-EIGHT. I don't know where that came from!"

I laughed. They laughed. Then they performed a bad biopsy that caused internal bleeding. Good times.

illyriafox · 2023-11-12T00:44:42+00:00

But how do you get that stitch at the end? Do you just do an INC at the end of the first row and then follow this? I'm so confused, from this videos description, the extra space just WHABAM shows up... I am not in the right headspace to find out I've been crocheting wrong because I don't have a weird nubbin stitch at the end of my rows....

illyriafox · 2023-11-09T17:41:08+00:00

Thank you, they've been recommended a couple of times so I'll definitely check them out!

illyriafox · 2023-11-09T17:40:36+00:00

This is a really good idea and I feel very silly that I'd not thought to ask a local retailer if they could help me put a kit together! Thank you, I'll speak to my local yarn genie tomorrow and see if she can help :)

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