Diamine, diaries and devilishly good ink

The

We can't decide which is more appealing - the bottle that Endless's comes in, or the ink itself. But a bottle's a bottle, isn't it? No. Not where Endless is concerned, anyway. bottles are beaker-shaped, to start with, and will not sit pretty (or otherwise!) on a desk. Instead they wobble around, and only behave themselves when placed on their specially-designed cork mat. So what's the point of an recalcitrant bottle? Well it makes it easier to extract every last drop of ink. And it's fun.

Oh, and the ink? Well it shimmers, shades or sheens (depending on the colour), so that's nice too, and there are 2 new colours to explore - Golden Sunburst and Raven Blue -  with Molten Bronze expected soon.

We love Tom's Studio. Not only do they make a superb collection of calligraphy tools that reflect the majesty of beautiful lettering, they also offer a range of pens for art and everyday writing, and they're just as wonderfully constructed as the calligraphy collection.

 

The Wren is a case in point. As its name suggests, it's small! Modelled on the Studio Pocket Fountain Pen, the oversize cap ensures that when it's posted onto the end of the barrel, the pen transforms to a normal size for those who prefer that. It's fitted with a Japanese writing tip, and it's refillable with fountain pen ink. Sweet.

Monteverde's Ritma range draws inspiration from the stylish and swinging 60s. Think black polo neck jumpers and drainpipe trousers. That's the Ritma: minimalist and unfancy.

 

But their 3+2 sets make them a bit fancy! Inside a stylish (but unfussy) gift box you'll find a matching fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint, a gel refill to convert the ballpoint to a capless rollerball (should you so wish) and a bottle of Monteverde ink. Groovy!

It's very difficult to get away from Black Friday. So we haven't even tried. We're keeping calm (sort of) and carrying on with up to 40% off quite a lot of pens, pencils, markers and ink. Like what? You may ask. Well...

fountain pen from Kaweco that's only £20. And a 20-piece set of POSCA markers ballpoint for £35? Or a grand set of 40 Emott fineliners for a modest £30?

 

See? Something for everybody!

December's waiting in the wings, and if you haven't yet got your Inkvent Calendar from Diamine, then you'd better get a move on. Or you'll find yourself well into the last month of the year and having to open several windows all at once, just to catch up. Which isn't as much fun as a daily inky surprise, is it?

 

It's the sort of calendar that'll last for more than just the Christmas countdown, as a little bit of ink goes a long way!

Not so long ago, 2025 seemed a loooonnnggg way off. But not any more. It's a sobering 6 weeks away. OMG.

 

So... it's time to get organised. You don't want 2025 to creep up on you, do you? Oh no. You need to meet it head-on, pens in hand and diary at the ready.

 

And we've plenty of those. Diaries, that is. Well, we've lots of pens too, but you should know that by now.

Graf von Faber-Castell elevates the humble pencil to hitherto unknown heights. Practically into space in the case of the

 

Beautifully made, as is everything from Faber-Castell's luxury branch, and featuring a pale silvery-coloured spaceship-inspired cap mounted with an intense blue sodalite gemstone, it even has its own launch pad. Or stand, if that's what you want to call it. We're expecting it later this month, but you can pre-order now.

Sometimes we leave the warehouse and we go out. This is us (well, some of us) having a night out at the Steak House in Tiverton and indulging in ribeye or rump (or - in one case - a vegetable curry).

 

A grand time was had by one and all and no (in case you were wondering), we are not banned from going there again.