This month is the first annual InCoWriMo or International Correspondence Writing Month and it kicked off 4 days ago. If you've heard of NaNoWriMo and notice the similarity just know that it is the inspiration. Check out the website to learn more about this.
But why do I mention it, because I've decided to indulge in the madness! While I should have enough stamps, at least for the domestic letters, I had to go out and purchase some envelopes today. My goal is to handwrite a letter to everyone, but I picked up some blank notecards just incase.
So far so good, several other participants on the FPG board have admitted to writing ahead (but will mail them on the correct dates), so I may do that knowing that certain days I'm a lot busier than others.
I finally managed to use my chop (Chinese seal) although I still have a long way to go in terms of not making it look like a royal mess.
Since the last time I updated I've been brainstorming ideas about the growing number of ink samples I have and how to store them. I think I finally have something that I'm happy with. Photos to follow on another post.
Recent Acquisitions:
Tomoe River Paper (cream and white) - I haven't used it yet.
Around the web:
Fragrances Influenced by the Scent of Ink by ejjelley
Tomoe River Paper review by Gourmet Pens
Edison Beaumont Pneumatic giveaway by FPGeeks
Currently Inked:
Pilot Prera with Noodlers Turquoise Eel
Levenger True Writer with Sheaffer Skrip Brown
Retro 51 with Akkerman Treves Turquoise
Pilot Petit1 with stock Orange
Lamy Safari with Pelikan Edelstein Topaz
Pilot 78G with Noodlers Ottoman Azure
Sheaffer F Italic with Akkerman Treves Turquoise *
Sheaffer F Calligraphy with Akkerman Parkpop Purper *
Noodles Ahab with Akkerman Parkpop Purper *
* Only because I'm playing/practising writing with these pensCurrently Reading:
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
Monday, February 04, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Pen Review - Levenger True Writer Obsidian with F nib
The first time I heard about this pen was when a pen-pal mentioned in one of her letters that she was using that pen to write with. Since the other pens she'd mentioned were a bit on the pricier side it didn't even occur to me to do any research on this pen and I promptly forgot about it.
When I had to provide a Christmas/Birthday wishlist I went into research mode. I knew I wanted several pens and some ink for the giftor to choose from but I also didn't want to break the bank. Knowing that there was a chance the giftor was going to buy everything on my wishlist I decided that I wanted pens that was $100 or less and that a lot of people had good things to say about. It took me 2 days and between listening to FPGeeks podcasts, browsing around on their forums and reading Fountain Pen Network's forums I had a few pens that made the short list and this was one of them. The other criteria about the pens on this list were not only pens I was curious about but since they were going to be a gift, I wanted to ensure it wasn't just mere curiosity and that I would just give away or sell the pen later. One of the things that surprised me the most about this pen was that it wasn't anywhere near as pricey as I was expecting.
Had I not known better, when the box arrived in the mail, I would have sworn there was more in the box than just one pen. While the pen was well wrapped and padded, I thought they included some complimentary goodies to justify the size of the box (12 or more pens could easily have fit into this box with room to spare), alas that wasn't the case.
The leather looking case the pen arrived in would be a great way to store this pen if I didn't already have a number of pens and no desk to put it on. I will be keeping the case but until I get a proper desk the pen won't be hanging out in it.
I'm not really partial to pen caps and clips so I never think them worthy a mention but I will say that this pen is simply elegant and quite understated.
Despite how I hold the pen, the threads are barely noticeable and I've written quite a bit with my forefinger on the threads.
With this pen having a solid colour barrel, I love the fact that it is a cartridge/convertor so I can see exactly how much ink is left. I have heard that people prefer different filling systems and that's mainly due to ink capacity and while I completely understand about wanting to hold more ink there is nothing I hate more than writing only to discover that my pen has run dry right in the middle of a word. This happens more than I'd care to admit.
Everyone's recommendations about this pen is warranted. This pen writes really smoothly (yes, I did flush the pen with water and have it dried before first use, just as the literature it came with suggests) from the get go. This may seem like a little thing, but the first fountain pen I bought didn't write smoothly initially and I was so disappointed with that pen for many reasons that I regretted buying that pen. I still have that pen and my initial assessment may have been a tad hasty but a review of that pen will follow in the near future. Even with writing fairly quickly this pen keeps up well and with a little bit of pressure you can flex a little and get some line variation. If you're curious, it also lays down a even patch of ink and thankfully not a dry writer.
This is my second F nib and so far so good. I am quiet enjoying this pen and happy that I added this to my wishlist.
Price:
Levenger - $59 and up, plus S&H
When I had to provide a Christmas/Birthday wishlist I went into research mode. I knew I wanted several pens and some ink for the giftor to choose from but I also didn't want to break the bank. Knowing that there was a chance the giftor was going to buy everything on my wishlist I decided that I wanted pens that was $100 or less and that a lot of people had good things to say about. It took me 2 days and between listening to FPGeeks podcasts, browsing around on their forums and reading Fountain Pen Network's forums I had a few pens that made the short list and this was one of them. The other criteria about the pens on this list were not only pens I was curious about but since they were going to be a gift, I wanted to ensure it wasn't just mere curiosity and that I would just give away or sell the pen later. One of the things that surprised me the most about this pen was that it wasn't anywhere near as pricey as I was expecting.
Had I not known better, when the box arrived in the mail, I would have sworn there was more in the box than just one pen. While the pen was well wrapped and padded, I thought they included some complimentary goodies to justify the size of the box (12 or more pens could easily have fit into this box with room to spare), alas that wasn't the case.
The leather looking case the pen arrived in would be a great way to store this pen if I didn't already have a number of pens and no desk to put it on. I will be keeping the case but until I get a proper desk the pen won't be hanging out in it.
I'm not really partial to pen caps and clips so I never think them worthy a mention but I will say that this pen is simply elegant and quite understated.
Despite how I hold the pen, the threads are barely noticeable and I've written quite a bit with my forefinger on the threads.
With this pen having a solid colour barrel, I love the fact that it is a cartridge/convertor so I can see exactly how much ink is left. I have heard that people prefer different filling systems and that's mainly due to ink capacity and while I completely understand about wanting to hold more ink there is nothing I hate more than writing only to discover that my pen has run dry right in the middle of a word. This happens more than I'd care to admit.
Everyone's recommendations about this pen is warranted. This pen writes really smoothly (yes, I did flush the pen with water and have it dried before first use, just as the literature it came with suggests) from the get go. This may seem like a little thing, but the first fountain pen I bought didn't write smoothly initially and I was so disappointed with that pen for many reasons that I regretted buying that pen. I still have that pen and my initial assessment may have been a tad hasty but a review of that pen will follow in the near future. Even with writing fairly quickly this pen keeps up well and with a little bit of pressure you can flex a little and get some line variation. If you're curious, it also lays down a even patch of ink and thankfully not a dry writer.
This is my second F nib and so far so good. I am quiet enjoying this pen and happy that I added this to my wishlist.
Price:
Levenger - $59 and up, plus S&H
Pen Review - TWSBI Diamond 540 Sapphire with F nib
The running joke in the fountain pen world is that if you have more than 1 pen you're a collector, so I officially started collecting fountain pens in early 2012 although I have been using fountain pens for most of my life (I don't count calligraphy pens as part of my collection as I am not adept, anymore, with using them, nor do I count 'school pens').
After I returned from the fountain pen show in Atlanta I started reading and getting more involved in actively researching fountain pens, at least vintage ones and especially filling systems. After being exposed to a number of filling systems while at the pen show and after having listened to FPGeeks and hearing people's preferences for filling systems I figured it was time a Runaway Bride moment, only with pens and filling systems. In the back of one of my notebooks is a list of the filling systems I was curious about and written next to them were the list of pens I had that currently filled those requirements.
Then the news about TWSBI Vac 700 came out and since I had heard such wonderful things about TWSBI I figured that I could "kill two pens with one order". I was all set to buy the Vac 700 until I heard a podcast on FPGeeks and it was mentioned by one of the hosts that if they had to choose, they'd pick the 540 over the 700. With that in mind, I planned to wait until I had some disposable money so I could purchase one only to hear that they were being discontinued so on the Christmas/Birthday wishlist they went. Originally I wanted the clear (since I don't have any clear pens) but those were all gone so I went back my to favourite colour, blue.
The pen arrived without fanfare in a nondescript padded envelope and the only clue to the contents was the address label saying TWSBI. This isn't to say that the pen wasn't securely shipped, it was, but I appreciated the economic use of packaging.
From everything I had heard about the pen case, their praises were not without merit. The case showcases the pen beautifully not only from when one first opens the box but worthy of just leaving on one's desk if one so chooses. Thankfully their praises extended to mentioning the tool at the bottom of the case as I not only found that but spare o-rings and detailed instructions on how to dis-assemble and re-assemble the pen (which came in handy quite by accident). The case is certainly worth keeping, it is elegant and simple and enhances the look of the pen instead of take attention away from it.
My tendency is to hold the pen close to the nib and thankfully it is smooth and not awkward to hold, even though my forefinger tends to rest where the threading is. Due to holding my pen this way, I tend not to post my pens as it tends to make them feel top heavy. This is certainly the case with this pen, of course having the piston knob there could prove interesting if you're having issues removing the cap once the pen is posted and having ink leakage. :D
I love demonstrator pens: I enjoy knowing how things work and watching the different mechanisms, not to mention being able to see how much ink remains in my pen. The coolest thing about this particular demonstrator is being able to watch the ink in the feed section.
Upon initial inking (although I did flush the pen out with water and let it dry first) the pen writes smoothly and beautifully. No matter how fast I write with this pen, it keeps up beautifully. If you press down gently you do get a little bit of flex in it so there is some line variation that way. While I haven't used any of my pens to draw with or colour yet, this one lays down a consistently even patch of ink so it should do quite well.
This is my first F nib pen and I must say that if all F nibs are like this I will happily switch from M to F nibs. I will note also that this F isn't as fine as I was expecting, which is probably a good thing.
Serious kudos to TWSBI. I may have to buy another one before the all disappear along with some nibs of different sizes and I can't wait for the 580 as I may buy one of those sooner rather than later.
After I returned from the fountain pen show in Atlanta I started reading and getting more involved in actively researching fountain pens, at least vintage ones and especially filling systems. After being exposed to a number of filling systems while at the pen show and after having listened to FPGeeks and hearing people's preferences for filling systems I figured it was time a Runaway Bride moment, only with pens and filling systems. In the back of one of my notebooks is a list of the filling systems I was curious about and written next to them were the list of pens I had that currently filled those requirements.
Then the news about TWSBI Vac 700 came out and since I had heard such wonderful things about TWSBI I figured that I could "kill two pens with one order". I was all set to buy the Vac 700 until I heard a podcast on FPGeeks and it was mentioned by one of the hosts that if they had to choose, they'd pick the 540 over the 700. With that in mind, I planned to wait until I had some disposable money so I could purchase one only to hear that they were being discontinued so on the Christmas/Birthday wishlist they went. Originally I wanted the clear (since I don't have any clear pens) but those were all gone so I went back my to favourite colour, blue.
The pen arrived without fanfare in a nondescript padded envelope and the only clue to the contents was the address label saying TWSBI. This isn't to say that the pen wasn't securely shipped, it was, but I appreciated the economic use of packaging.
From everything I had heard about the pen case, their praises were not without merit. The case showcases the pen beautifully not only from when one first opens the box but worthy of just leaving on one's desk if one so chooses. Thankfully their praises extended to mentioning the tool at the bottom of the case as I not only found that but spare o-rings and detailed instructions on how to dis-assemble and re-assemble the pen (which came in handy quite by accident). The case is certainly worth keeping, it is elegant and simple and enhances the look of the pen instead of take attention away from it.
My tendency is to hold the pen close to the nib and thankfully it is smooth and not awkward to hold, even though my forefinger tends to rest where the threading is. Due to holding my pen this way, I tend not to post my pens as it tends to make them feel top heavy. This is certainly the case with this pen, of course having the piston knob there could prove interesting if you're having issues removing the cap once the pen is posted and having ink leakage. :D
I love demonstrator pens: I enjoy knowing how things work and watching the different mechanisms, not to mention being able to see how much ink remains in my pen. The coolest thing about this particular demonstrator is being able to watch the ink in the feed section.
Upon initial inking (although I did flush the pen out with water and let it dry first) the pen writes smoothly and beautifully. No matter how fast I write with this pen, it keeps up beautifully. If you press down gently you do get a little bit of flex in it so there is some line variation that way. While I haven't used any of my pens to draw with or colour yet, this one lays down a consistently even patch of ink so it should do quite well.
This is my first F nib pen and I must say that if all F nibs are like this I will happily switch from M to F nibs. I will note also that this F isn't as fine as I was expecting, which is probably a good thing.
Serious kudos to TWSBI. I may have to buy another one before the all disappear along with some nibs of different sizes and I can't wait for the 580 as I may buy one of those sooner rather than later.
Week in review - January 13th, 2013
This past week was an awesome week for package delivery, a quite unusual occurrence at my house. Apart from items already mentioned I also received A Pilot Petit1 in orange, a (used) Parker 21 and a Pilot 78G in the mail. The Parker 21 and Pilot 78G have both been cleaned out but I think the Parker needs to be sent in to be re-sacked as it it is heavily stained with a dark ink. I can certainly see why this filling system isn't as popular anymore as attempting to clean out the ink until the water runs clear is a time consuming endeavour.
As promised, here is a photo of my new pen storage courtesy of BamaPen, it is the Perdomo Reserve Petit Corona Multi Pen storage:
When I ordered this last year I mistakenly hadn't planned for new acquisitions. This pen arrived before any of my Christmas/Birthday presents were ordered so now I'm in a quandry as I've added 7 new pens to my collection and they all need homes.
I did pick up some cigar boxes with the hopes of using those to store ink samples and bottled ink but I'm not sure what to do about the other pens I have. Another order may be in the works, just need to save up some money.
I have been playing with my new babies which is why I have an unusually high number of them inked. After a long time being suspended I finally got my Goulet Ink Drop membership restarted and it makes me eagerly anticipate the start of a new month:
January's Theme is Aurora Borealis:
De Atramentis Moss Green
Noodlers Rome Burning
Diamine Eau de Nil
Diamine Majestic Purple
Noodlers Borealis Black
Since it may be difficult to tell, the Moss Green on the Staples paper came across very light, almost pastel and not moss-like. However on the Rhodia paper it presented as a deeper/richer shade and certainly more moss-looking.
Owing to the paper, I noticed that Rome Burning looked quite a bit different between the different papers. On the Staples paper it not only feathered but has almost a metallic look to it (it is supposed to look brown) however on the Rhodia paper it looks like it should.
The rest of the colours didn't present a noticeable difference between the paper types.
Pen reviews to follow.
Currently Inked:
Pilot Prera with De Atramentis Moss Green
Monteverde Artista with Noodlers Rome Burning
Levenger True Writer with Diamine Eau de Nil
TWSBI 540 with Diamine Majestic Purple
Retro 51 with Noodlers Borealis Black
Pilot Petit1 with stock Orange
Lamy Safari with Pelikan Edelstein Topaz
Pilot 78G with Noodlers Ottoman Azure
Currently Reading:
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Haunting Embrace by Erin Quinn
As promised, here is a photo of my new pen storage courtesy of BamaPen, it is the Perdomo Reserve Petit Corona Multi Pen storage:
When I ordered this last year I mistakenly hadn't planned for new acquisitions. This pen arrived before any of my Christmas/Birthday presents were ordered so now I'm in a quandry as I've added 7 new pens to my collection and they all need homes.
I did pick up some cigar boxes with the hopes of using those to store ink samples and bottled ink but I'm not sure what to do about the other pens I have. Another order may be in the works, just need to save up some money.
I have been playing with my new babies which is why I have an unusually high number of them inked. After a long time being suspended I finally got my Goulet Ink Drop membership restarted and it makes me eagerly anticipate the start of a new month:
January's Theme is Aurora Borealis:
De Atramentis Moss Green
Noodlers Rome Burning
Diamine Eau de Nil
Diamine Majestic Purple
Noodlers Borealis Black
On Staples' Sustainable Earth Sugarcane-Based Notebook
On Rhodia dotpad paper
I wrote on both papers and photographed them to show the difference between Moss Green and Rome Burning. Usually I write my ink samples on the Staples' paper since that it what I use most of the time to write on. It fulfill's my need as it is not only eco-friendly but can be attained locally at the last minute.
Since it may be difficult to tell, the Moss Green on the Staples paper came across very light, almost pastel and not moss-like. However on the Rhodia paper it presented as a deeper/richer shade and certainly more moss-looking.
Owing to the paper, I noticed that Rome Burning looked quite a bit different between the different papers. On the Staples paper it not only feathered but has almost a metallic look to it (it is supposed to look brown) however on the Rhodia paper it looks like it should.
The rest of the colours didn't present a noticeable difference between the paper types.
Pen reviews to follow.
Currently Inked:
Pilot Prera with De Atramentis Moss Green
Monteverde Artista with Noodlers Rome Burning
Levenger True Writer with Diamine Eau de Nil
TWSBI 540 with Diamine Majestic Purple
Retro 51 with Noodlers Borealis Black
Pilot Petit1 with stock Orange
Lamy Safari with Pelikan Edelstein Topaz
Pilot 78G with Noodlers Ottoman Azure
Currently Reading:
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Haunting Embrace by Erin Quinn
Monday, January 07, 2013
Pens (ahem, more pens) and ink... oh and a cigar case
In my haste on Saturday I neglected to mention that I'd received a (converted) cigar case in the mail to house my new babies.
Yesterday was busy so I didn't get a chance to photograph anything but I did receive more mail today which is the last of my xmas/birthday presents. Today's loot included a bottle of Noodlers Ottoman Azure, Pelican Edelstein Topaz, Retro 51 fountain pen and Rohrer and Klinger Glass Dip pen.
Reviews, photos and details forthcoming. Thankfully I picked up a few (4) cigar boxes (they need to be aired out) and I'll see what I can use these for as I have more pens than places to store them. I may need to buy another cigar case.
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Presents and January Drop
Upon my arrival home this afternoon I was pleasantly surprised to not only receive the January Ink Drop colours courtesy of Goulet Pens but my TWSBI Diamond 540 Sapphire with a F nib and my Levenger True Writer Obsidian, also with a F nib.
Right now my pens have been cleaned and are currently drying and they will be played with tomorrow so hopefully I should have time write up my initial thoughts of these pens that I've heard nothing but wonderful things about.
Right now my pens have been cleaned and are currently drying and they will be played with tomorrow so hopefully I should have time write up my initial thoughts of these pens that I've heard nothing but wonderful things about.
Monday, December 31, 2012
2012, a year in review
2012 was bittersweet in a number of respects. In March I flew to Central Texas to see my best friend who I hadn't seen in 10.5 years, drove to Houston to see a childhood friend who I hadn't seen in probably 12 years and met up with an online couple I have known for almost 20 years but hadn't had an opportunity to meet yet. On that trip to Texas I was supposed to see my college roommate but something unexpected came up on her end so that didn't happen. Also in March I did find a local pen and ink shop in Atlanta where I purchased my first non-school fountain pen and bottle of ink and I even attended my first Military Ball.
April was the Atlanta Fountain pen show where I was fortunate to attend my first show (but it won't be my last) but also where I met some wonderful people and even purchased 4 more pens and a bottle of ink, returned home and ordered a 5th pen and a bottle of ink. My collection started off this year with 1 modern and 4 calligraphy pens and 1 bottle of ink now stands at 2 vintage, 8 modern, 1 modern flex, 4 calligraphy pens and 5 bottles of ink (with another vintage pen on its way).
May/June went by in a blur and saw not only the end of a 14 year relationship but almost my moving to another state. The blur continued on through the summer and well into mid October where I went to my first Comic-Con. During the summer I did manage to acquire 4 reasonably inexpensive Chinese fountain pens and another bottle of ink (reviews to come in the new year).
November was busy towards the end with not only a trip to Disneyland with my college roommate and her son the weekend before Thanksgiving but also an unexpected trip to San Antonio for the weekend of Thanksgiving to attend my first Magic The Gathering (MTG) Grand Prix event.
By the time December rolled around I was excited for a neighbour from Germany to move into town as it had been 4 year or so since I had last seen her and her family. Unlike the past years, this Christmas and my birthday were quiet and leisurely which was a much welcomed and needed change.
The challenge for this year was to read 100 fiction books however I only managed to read 90 of them (George R R Martin's books 1 and 2 of A Game of Thrones series took longer to read than anticipated). We shall attempt this challenge again next year with probably the same stipulations.
This was the first year that I not only made resolutions but wrote them down. I am a firm believer than if you want something to change or do something differently, then why wait. This was the year to de-clutter my life and in some respects I achieved this and in other respects I didn't. Any achievement were the un-anticipated sort but nevertheless it needed to happen.
There are other things I'm working on this year which aren't really resolutions but just in general:
The ones with the strike-through were accomplished without much of an issue. Sadly the others didn't fair so well.
April was the Atlanta Fountain pen show where I was fortunate to attend my first show (but it won't be my last) but also where I met some wonderful people and even purchased 4 more pens and a bottle of ink, returned home and ordered a 5th pen and a bottle of ink. My collection started off this year with 1 modern and 4 calligraphy pens and 1 bottle of ink now stands at 2 vintage, 8 modern, 1 modern flex, 4 calligraphy pens and 5 bottles of ink (with another vintage pen on its way).
May/June went by in a blur and saw not only the end of a 14 year relationship but almost my moving to another state. The blur continued on through the summer and well into mid October where I went to my first Comic-Con. During the summer I did manage to acquire 4 reasonably inexpensive Chinese fountain pens and another bottle of ink (reviews to come in the new year).
November was busy towards the end with not only a trip to Disneyland with my college roommate and her son the weekend before Thanksgiving but also an unexpected trip to San Antonio for the weekend of Thanksgiving to attend my first Magic The Gathering (MTG) Grand Prix event.
By the time December rolled around I was excited for a neighbour from Germany to move into town as it had been 4 year or so since I had last seen her and her family. Unlike the past years, this Christmas and my birthday were quiet and leisurely which was a much welcomed and needed change.
The challenge for this year was to read 100 fiction books however I only managed to read 90 of them (George R R Martin's books 1 and 2 of A Game of Thrones series took longer to read than anticipated). We shall attempt this challenge again next year with probably the same stipulations.
This was the first year that I not only made resolutions but wrote them down. I am a firm believer than if you want something to change or do something differently, then why wait. This was the year to de-clutter my life and in some respects I achieved this and in other respects I didn't. Any achievement were the un-anticipated sort but nevertheless it needed to happen.
From earlier this year this is the list:
- Clear out my inbox (currently 2931 mails)
- read at least 6 classics this year
read not more than one book from the library a month in addition to the book club reads*read more of the books I ownMake and send out Chinese New Year cards- Make and send out birthday cards
There are other things I'm working on this year which aren't really resolutions but just in general:
- Back-up and delete files off the laptop
- unless it's a special occasion, no more than 2 hours of TV a night, not to extend past 9pm
Considering the ups and down the changes and challenges of this year, I think I did rather well. While it didn't end up how I anticipated it would, it certainly means that 2013 will start off with a much better foundation. Now that I've reached the end of the year I can say I've met some wonderful people, got a better idea of who my true friends are and had some experiences I will treasure forever. Here's hoping that 2013 will be just as good.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Birthday month
My birthday is this month and a few weeks ago I received a card from Vera Bradley, not only wishing me happy birthday but also giving me $20 off towards a purchase of $20 or more during this month.
After having spent way more money this month than I have been comfortable with it was with great anxiety that I started to browse their site. It has been more than a year since I bought anything from them and I noticed that some of the designs I was looking for have either been renamed or discontinued in favour of similar but different lines. After spending several hours there I finally decided what to buy and how to use it.
This will be my new pen holder for my various fountain pens and inks that I always seem to want to carry with me but have yet to as it seems a shame to carry them in a ziplock bag.
Thanks Vera Bradley!
After having spent way more money this month than I have been comfortable with it was with great anxiety that I started to browse their site. It has been more than a year since I bought anything from them and I noticed that some of the designs I was looking for have either been renamed or discontinued in favour of similar but different lines. After spending several hours there I finally decided what to buy and how to use it.
Thanks Vera Bradley!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Movie Review - Jack Reacher
Jack Reacher is not only the title of this movie but the name of the main character from Lee Child's novels. At the start of the movie you learn that it is based off One Shot which interestingly is not the first book in the series but book nine.
There has been some speculation whether Tom Cruise should play Jack Reacher as those who are familiar with the character know that Mr. Cruise's stats are nowhere close to the fictional character (Reacher is noted to be 6'5", between 210 and 250 lbs, ice blue eyes with blonde hair). There are two things that one should note, firstly I am not Tom Cruise fan and while I usually read the books before watching the movies/seeing the television series I haven't read this book/series before.
From everything I've read about Jack Reacher, it seems that Cruise did a good job capturing the essence of the character. Surprisingly there were some very funny parts in the movie, thankfully they go hand in hand with Reacher's character as Cruise doesn't seem to have a natural affinity for comedic timing. Due to the size difference between the character and the actor, it was fairly well handled in the first "action" scene.
The movie was easy to follow which was surprising as I find most movie adaptations a little on the awkward side. However, I reserve further judgement until after I've read the book. All in all, I do not think Cruise did a terrible job and I found myself quite surprised that I saw the movie.
Final verdict: Wait until it comes out on DVD to watch it.
There has been some speculation whether Tom Cruise should play Jack Reacher as those who are familiar with the character know that Mr. Cruise's stats are nowhere close to the fictional character (Reacher is noted to be 6'5", between 210 and 250 lbs, ice blue eyes with blonde hair). There are two things that one should note, firstly I am not Tom Cruise fan and while I usually read the books before watching the movies/seeing the television series I haven't read this book/series before.
From everything I've read about Jack Reacher, it seems that Cruise did a good job capturing the essence of the character. Surprisingly there were some very funny parts in the movie, thankfully they go hand in hand with Reacher's character as Cruise doesn't seem to have a natural affinity for comedic timing. Due to the size difference between the character and the actor, it was fairly well handled in the first "action" scene.
The movie was easy to follow which was surprising as I find most movie adaptations a little on the awkward side. However, I reserve further judgement until after I've read the book. All in all, I do not think Cruise did a terrible job and I found myself quite surprised that I saw the movie.
Final verdict: Wait until it comes out on DVD to watch it.
I must do better
While I cannot believe that it's been April since I last posted, it doesn't surprise me.
A load of things have happened since then which has derailed any posting I may have done.
I must do better. I will endeavour to do better once Christmas is over. While I'm not a firm believer in starting things in the New Year as part of a resolution, I am hoping to get some FP "loot" for Christmas and my birthday plus I'm hoping to re-start my ink drop come Jan 1.
A load of things have happened since then which has derailed any posting I may have done.
I must do better. I will endeavour to do better once Christmas is over. While I'm not a firm believer in starting things in the New Year as part of a resolution, I am hoping to get some FP "loot" for Christmas and my birthday plus I'm hoping to re-start my ink drop come Jan 1.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Playing with my new pens
So here I am with my pens ready to play and guess what, I've forgotten how they've told me to refill the pens.
One thing that's been suggested is to flush your new (brand new or just new to you) with water just to get out any residual ink that you may have been used to test it and it's also a good way to make sure that there's good flow through your nib.
Today my Noodlers Lapis Inferno flex pen arrived in and someone got the last laugh at me as this pen is a piston filler. So now I have in addition to this one, I now have a vacumatic and lever-filler pens.
So when in doubt, head to YouTube for videos. :) After all, there's nothing like being able to watch how these are done.
Vacumatic Pen
Lever Pen
For Piston Filler
Now I'm off to play.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Geek weekend aka Atlanta Pen Show
One of the things I've learned about myself is that I love anything with colour and medium. Whether that's stained glass, batik, knitting, photography, card making, pottery or fountain pens.
Towards the end of last year my friend Lisa sent me a card and it was addressed in calligraphy of course reigniting my love for all things fountain pen and most of all calligraphy. Calligraphy takes me back to my middle school days when my mom would always fill out certificates in calligraphy (Gothic Old English). While I was fairly okay at it I preferred a much simpler style, nowadays it seems with the age of computers and free fonts, this is practically a lost art. Again, I digress... So when Lisa's card came in I immediately went looking for my fountain pen and calligraphy pens only to realise that I had misplaced, between several moves, my bottle of ink (I still have yet to locate this). Once again, I'm back to the internet and searching for fountain pen ink as my trip to the local art stores proved disappointing. What I discovered is what led to this weekend's trip to Atlanta. Not only was I able to find stores online to buy fountain pens and ink, but paper, nibs and best of all, a community of people who also love fountain pens as much as I do. As an excuse to write and use my fountain pens (for more than the occasional note) I even signed up for pen pals and it was thanks to these ladies that I discovered such things as fountain pen conventions.
The ladies that I correspond with live in cities that have hosted such conventions and like myself, hadn't ever been to a show. By now we've all been and have been sharing our experiences and impressions (well I still have to write them, but their letter will probably go out in the mail within a few days) and love of ink, pens and anything related. After the first letter came in about their experiences at their local shows I decided to see where the closest one would be held. Not only was it in Atlanta but it was in April, and back in December it seemed as though April would never get here. Thankfully it was several months off as I was able to research what to look out for, what I wanted to see, what I wanted to possibly buy and yes, I made a list. I was also lucky enough to benefit from everyone else's "first" experience with what not to do (ie leave your credit/debit card, cheque book at home). Like most hobbies, nothing is ever cheap so I started saving up some money and thankfully I had a lovely little nest egg.
This is what my research list looked like:
Pens
Pelikan – M205, M200, M215 *to try out/test
Pilot – Prera *test and possibly buy
Vanishing Point, Custom 74, Custom 823 *to test/try out
Noodles – Ahab Flex, Flex *test and possibly buy
TWSBI – 540 *test and possibly buy
VAC 700 *Test/try out
Paper
Notebooks ** to buy one of these
Rhodia #18 top staplebound 8.5 x 11.75 (A4) lined 80s
Hero 329
Clairefontaine top wirebound A4 lined 80s
Clairefontaine side wirebound A4 lined 50s
Clairefontaine staplebound 6.5 x 8.25 FR 48s
Stationary **possibly buy
CF Triomphe A4 lined 50s
G. Lalo A4 Ivory 50s
O Crown Mill 5.75 x 8.25 (A5) 50s
Accessories **buy if they had any
Brass Seals, Old English lettering
Sealing wax
Ink **seeing what colours they had available
Caran d'ache 30ml
J. Herbin 30ml, 100ml
De Atramentis 35ml
Noodlers 3oz/88ml 4.5oz/133oz
Omas 62ml
Pelikan 50ml
Pilot Iroshizuku 50ml
PR 50ml
R&K 50ml
Most of the ones that I wanted to try out/test were pens I'd been hearing about and because they're out of my price range, I wanted to see what the hubbub was about.
Armed with this list, I set out on Friday morning after having driven up to Atlanta after work on Thursday night. So there I was, getting my weekend pass which cost a bit more than paying for entrance every day, however it did allow me to come and go as I please, get in an hour earlier than those who chose not to go this route plus, it means that I didn't have to worry about having to put cash aside for entrance daily.
The first set of tables I stopped at also happened to be where I would spend most of my time either just have general discussions or learning all sorts of interesting things about the different pens and filling mechanisms. Sam and Reenie Marshall, Martin Ferguson and Alan Cohen I am forever in your debt for taking the time out to explain and show me not only Vanishing Point pens and Visconti portable ink wells but also explaining the difference between Vacumatic, Aeromatic, Lever, snorkel and piston filling mechanisms. That was more than I honestly ever hoped to learn and much less in one day.
I also met Michael Masuyama who was more than happy to explain how he was repairing and adjusting nibs. He has such a funny sense of humour which easily puts one at ease. I was fortunate that on Friday things the convention wasn't overly busy so he took the time out as he was doing some adjustment to explain what he was doing and to show with the use of dare I say props how he's accomplishing it. Now I know the difference between an italic and a cursive italic, such a big difference just a small adjustment makes.
I also spent a lot of time at Susan Wirth's table testing pens with John Martinson and found quite a number of pens that I wish I had the money to buy, namely the Parker 180 and a Pilot Elite (semi flex).
At the end of the first day I bought a Sheaffer Imperial Vacumatic pen in black with a F nib, an Esterbrook "dollar" lever pen in blue, however I had the nib changed from F to M and a Pilot Prera cartridge/converter pen in blue with a M nib.
There were quite a number of tables that weren't set up on Friday so I had high hopes for Saturday.
While Saturday was still good, I was disappointed that some of the tables weren't selling things that I was hoping to find, namely brass seals in the Old English style, some wax samples and a few other accessory type things, of course more of a selection of inks would have been great also although I didn't really have plans to buy any ink. The only thing I bought on Saturday was a Rhodia No. 19 dot pad.
The idea for Sunday was to get there early, attend the 11am seminar and then head back out of town. The only table I hadn't stopped at was Pendleton Brown's table, which funnily enough was the table where I was able to meet up with some of the people from FPN. Also due to stopping at Pendleton's table I was able to acquire a bottle of PW Akkerman's inkwell with Partypop Purper ink and one of the FPNers talked me into buying the Monteverde Artiste cartridge/converter pen in blue with a M nib.
Until this show I just considered myself a "user" instead of a "collector". In my mind, a collector is not only someone who buys limited editions or high end pens, but also doesn't use all of their pens. While that is certainly true, apparently within the community if you own more than 6 pens you're considered a collector. Even before setting foot out of the door I was considered a collector, who knew!
Convention Summary: I did manage to test out the Pilot Custom 74 and TWSBI Vac 700 and a Vanishing Point pen which made a slight dent in my list. I did manage to find one of the pens I wanted to buy (Pilot Prera) and was able to test out several that weren't on my list (mostly vintage flex pens and of course the Parker 180).
My curiosity for vintage pens has been momentarily sated with the purchase of the Esterbrook "dollar" and Sheaffer Imperial pens.
Due to not finding the one ink I was hoping to find Mont Blanc Oyster Grey and the Noodles Flex pen, I decided that I would just buy those when I returned home as I still had money left over.
One of the awesome things about having attended the show, not only was I able to see those pens and talk to the dealers/distributors/collectors but to also learn and share with those who were there. None of the people I met were anything but helpful and more than willing to help in any way they could.
I met some really wonderful people who were not only generous with their time bit with their knowledge, and most importantly their pens. There is nothing like being able to write and test out a pen that you may not have ever seen before but quite possibly never heard of.
I returned home quite happy and thrilled with my finds. Now it's time to play with them.
Purchases: Rhodia writing pad, 4 pens and ink-well.
From L to R, Sheaffer Imperial, Esterbrook "dollar" (war) dates back from between 1939 and 1942, Pilot Prera, Monteverde Artista.
Awesome ink well from The Netherlands containing purple ink
These are all of my fountain pens (didn't include my calligraphy pens). The four new ones are on the left and the two on the right are Lamy Safari and Parker Duofold International (this is the pen mentioned earlier that my father bought me).
These are pen wraps that one of my pen pals made and sent to me. I did have loads of slots in there before the pen show, now I only have 1 empty slot.
Close up shot of the pen wrap with money print
This is the second one she sent me, not realising that she'd already sent me another. I told her that she couldn't have picked a better design of fabric had she tried.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
2012 - The year to de-clutter my life
Well it's a new year and with a new year comes new resolutions.
Usually I don't make resolutions much less put them in writing, but since these are all fairly doable, I figure why not.
There are other things I'm working on this year which aren't really resolutions but just in general:
Usually I don't make resolutions much less put them in writing, but since these are all fairly doable, I figure why not.
- Clear out my inbox (currently 2931 mails)
- read at least 6 classics this year
- read not more than one book from the library a month in addition to the book club reads*
- read more of the books I own
- Make and send out Chinese New Year cards
- Make and send out birthday cards
There are other things I'm working on this year which aren't really resolutions but just in general:
- Back-up and delete files off the laptop
- unless it's a special occasion, no more than 2 hours of TV a night, not to extend past 9pm
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Time Flies
I just noticed that it's been almost a year since I last posted here. Sometimes it feels like that and other times it doesn't.
An old friend reminded me about this blog when I had to log in to place a comment on his. I really should blog more, but I just don't.
It's 4:20am and I'm still awake. After having gone to bed early after having iced my left knee and taken an anti-inflammatory I was wide awake by 2am. Thankfully I was able to finish the book I need to read for Thursdays book club and yet there's another I need to finish also, but that wasn't the assigned reading. I think it's poor form to run a book club (even if it was just pass onto me) for work and not having read the book. At least I've read the one for Thursday, yay me. Now it's to get sleep so I can attend the knitting and crocheting group tomorrow morning (if I can wake up).
I would like to write more but I think it's past time to get some sleep, or at least make an attempt that way.
An old friend reminded me about this blog when I had to log in to place a comment on his. I really should blog more, but I just don't.
It's 4:20am and I'm still awake. After having gone to bed early after having iced my left knee and taken an anti-inflammatory I was wide awake by 2am. Thankfully I was able to finish the book I need to read for Thursdays book club and yet there's another I need to finish also, but that wasn't the assigned reading. I think it's poor form to run a book club (even if it was just pass onto me) for work and not having read the book. At least I've read the one for Thursday, yay me. Now it's to get sleep so I can attend the knitting and crocheting group tomorrow morning (if I can wake up).
I would like to write more but I think it's past time to get some sleep, or at least make an attempt that way.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Day 4
Well this morning didn't start off as smoothly as other mornings but I did manage to get everything done and out of the door by 6am and was running at 6:01. My morning companion was even waiting for me and he hung around until the first half mile mark. He was soon distracted by another runner who took another route. However that lasted until the end of the first mile where he was waiting on me and did the other two miles with me. I am happy to report even though I started running a minute late, I managed to get my 3.3 miles done in under 45 minutes which was a marked improvement over Day 2. What else is good to report is that I don't feel as "mashed up" as I did on Tuesday.
Day 3
I woke with every intention of doing my morning run, even ate my morning snack. However I didn't get my schedule but remembered that in the running magazine it did have a half-marathon schedule (although it's for those who want to improve their time) and it listed today as another rest day (or rest and cross training) so I will do be doing yoga later.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Half marathon training day 2
Yes, you read that right, half marathon training day 2. Incase you're wondering why we started off with 2, well it's because day 1 was a rest day. Gotta love when training starts with a rest day. So far so good.
My cousin seems to think (because she did her first marathon towards the end of last year) that *I* can do a half-marathon in November. Thankfully it's more about finishing it and saying you did it than anything because I'm told you can run/walk it, and that is the only motivation I have right now. I probably should be more positive, but right now I'm sitting at the end of the dining table tired and sweaty and it's not even 8am. Despite the tired and lovely sweaty feeling, I'm feeling pretty good.
Sunday morning I ran (a little, walked most of it... dratted anemia and low blood sugar) and we (mostly my cousin, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt as she knows more about this than I do) determined that I should learn to snack before I run that it would help with my energy level but also help with the gas (more on this in a bit). With that in mind, I set my alarm for 4:45am before I went to bed at 10pm (way early for me, but one needs to ensure that one gets enough sleep ya know).
I wasn't happy when the alarm went off but I did manage to get up and stumble about. By 5am I had a slice of potato bread (PSA: unlike most loaves of bread that can be frozen and thawed and consumed with subtle difference in texture, potato bread isn't one of those. Usually it is fairly light almost spongy in texture, well I can assure you it was anything but that this morning) with a thin layer of apple jelly and a small glass of some juice. In order to not pass back out (it was tempting) I watched a little television and got dressed and was out of the door by 6am.
The morning was thankfully cool, dark enough so people couldn't see the grimace on my face but light enough for any passing traffic to be able to see me. I considered wearing a reflecting belt however since it was a last minute thought I didn't have time to and look for it, but in retrospect since there wasn't a lot of traffic and it lightened up fairly quickly, I didn't need to worry about not having one.
One of my neighbours dogs (she looks to be a cross between a lab and a dalmation, picture a dalamation just brown instead of the white background) was out and about gave me heart failure, but she was sweet enough to accompany me on my laps this morning so that took my mind off of how crazy this is. From my mailbox, around the large block in the neighbourhood and back is 1.1 miles and since I had to do 3 miles today, I decided to run from my mailbox around a mile to my neighbours mailbox and then walked the .1 mile back to my mailbox. The first leg was really good and I made it back in under 15 minutes so that's pretty good for me. Towards the end of the first mile I started having a little bit of gas but it wasn't too bad and didn't last that long which I was happy about. I don't know what the problem is when I run, but it seems that within the first ten minutes, no matter whether I've eaten or not or just been to the bathroom, I always feel the urge to not only go and pee but also to start burping like I've just consumed 3 2-litres of soda. Well this morning thankfully I didn't feel the urge to talk to mother nature but as I mentioned, there was a little burping episode.
About halfway into the second mile it started to lighten up a little which was nice. It's funny to see how many people in my neighbourhood go to bed with all sorts of lights on in their respective houses. I half expected that the animals in the neighbourhood to be going crazy with my running but the only time they went a little nutty was when my company kept running by their fences.
Towards the end of the 3rd lap and I was ever so happy to see the mile marker (aka neighbours mailbox) as it was rather bright and all of the bugs decided to wake up and greet me. I could have done without that this morning I can assure you.
The only thought that crossed my mind in the 45 minutes I was running was not only to remember to breathe but where the heck am I going to run when I have longer distances to run. I could continue to run in my neighbourhood but I can only remember so many laps, 3 is good and I'm sure 5 is doable, but after a while I'll start forgetting which lap I'm on. One of the thoughts I had was to open my mailbox and put pennies inside and everytime I start another lap to toss a penny inside that way I know how many I have left to do. We shall see, but I gotta tell you, if I do that later on when the mileage goes up, I'll have to start running even earlier because it gets unreasonably hot here when the sun comes out.
My company wasn't happy when I said good morning and thanks but I was going home. I just hope she's out tomorrow morning. The neighbourhood I live in is a very sleepy one and one can feel reasonably safe but it's always a good thing to have company, even if it's in the form of a goofy playful dog. I don't think she would attack anyone but she would definitely let me know someone is around and that is probably more important.
I got back home this morning at 7:45, toasted 2 pieces of waffles added a little apple jelly, grabbed some water and made myself some tea. I thought I had my training schedule on this machine but I can't seem to find it, hopefully my cousin will send it to me again, otherwise I'm going to do 3 miles tomorrow morning and hope that's correct.
Off I go to consume some more water and see if I can't re-hydrate myself properly. There's also some powerade in the refrigerator so I may have 1/2 glass of that as I really don't care for those things. Something I discovered the other day, coconut water has more anti-oxidents than those sports drinks. I bought some coconut water (unfortunately it has all sorts of *other* ingredients in it) but I may save that for tomorrow.
My cousin seems to think (because she did her first marathon towards the end of last year) that *I* can do a half-marathon in November. Thankfully it's more about finishing it and saying you did it than anything because I'm told you can run/walk it, and that is the only motivation I have right now. I probably should be more positive, but right now I'm sitting at the end of the dining table tired and sweaty and it's not even 8am. Despite the tired and lovely sweaty feeling, I'm feeling pretty good.
Sunday morning I ran (a little, walked most of it... dratted anemia and low blood sugar) and we (mostly my cousin, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt as she knows more about this than I do) determined that I should learn to snack before I run that it would help with my energy level but also help with the gas (more on this in a bit). With that in mind, I set my alarm for 4:45am before I went to bed at 10pm (way early for me, but one needs to ensure that one gets enough sleep ya know).
I wasn't happy when the alarm went off but I did manage to get up and stumble about. By 5am I had a slice of potato bread (PSA: unlike most loaves of bread that can be frozen and thawed and consumed with subtle difference in texture, potato bread isn't one of those. Usually it is fairly light almost spongy in texture, well I can assure you it was anything but that this morning) with a thin layer of apple jelly and a small glass of some juice. In order to not pass back out (it was tempting) I watched a little television and got dressed and was out of the door by 6am.
The morning was thankfully cool, dark enough so people couldn't see the grimace on my face but light enough for any passing traffic to be able to see me. I considered wearing a reflecting belt however since it was a last minute thought I didn't have time to and look for it, but in retrospect since there wasn't a lot of traffic and it lightened up fairly quickly, I didn't need to worry about not having one.
One of my neighbours dogs (she looks to be a cross between a lab and a dalmation, picture a dalamation just brown instead of the white background) was out and about gave me heart failure, but she was sweet enough to accompany me on my laps this morning so that took my mind off of how crazy this is. From my mailbox, around the large block in the neighbourhood and back is 1.1 miles and since I had to do 3 miles today, I decided to run from my mailbox around a mile to my neighbours mailbox and then walked the .1 mile back to my mailbox. The first leg was really good and I made it back in under 15 minutes so that's pretty good for me. Towards the end of the first mile I started having a little bit of gas but it wasn't too bad and didn't last that long which I was happy about. I don't know what the problem is when I run, but it seems that within the first ten minutes, no matter whether I've eaten or not or just been to the bathroom, I always feel the urge to not only go and pee but also to start burping like I've just consumed 3 2-litres of soda. Well this morning thankfully I didn't feel the urge to talk to mother nature but as I mentioned, there was a little burping episode.
About halfway into the second mile it started to lighten up a little which was nice. It's funny to see how many people in my neighbourhood go to bed with all sorts of lights on in their respective houses. I half expected that the animals in the neighbourhood to be going crazy with my running but the only time they went a little nutty was when my company kept running by their fences.
Towards the end of the 3rd lap and I was ever so happy to see the mile marker (aka neighbours mailbox) as it was rather bright and all of the bugs decided to wake up and greet me. I could have done without that this morning I can assure you.
The only thought that crossed my mind in the 45 minutes I was running was not only to remember to breathe but where the heck am I going to run when I have longer distances to run. I could continue to run in my neighbourhood but I can only remember so many laps, 3 is good and I'm sure 5 is doable, but after a while I'll start forgetting which lap I'm on. One of the thoughts I had was to open my mailbox and put pennies inside and everytime I start another lap to toss a penny inside that way I know how many I have left to do. We shall see, but I gotta tell you, if I do that later on when the mileage goes up, I'll have to start running even earlier because it gets unreasonably hot here when the sun comes out.
My company wasn't happy when I said good morning and thanks but I was going home. I just hope she's out tomorrow morning. The neighbourhood I live in is a very sleepy one and one can feel reasonably safe but it's always a good thing to have company, even if it's in the form of a goofy playful dog. I don't think she would attack anyone but she would definitely let me know someone is around and that is probably more important.
I got back home this morning at 7:45, toasted 2 pieces of waffles added a little apple jelly, grabbed some water and made myself some tea. I thought I had my training schedule on this machine but I can't seem to find it, hopefully my cousin will send it to me again, otherwise I'm going to do 3 miles tomorrow morning and hope that's correct.
Off I go to consume some more water and see if I can't re-hydrate myself properly. There's also some powerade in the refrigerator so I may have 1/2 glass of that as I really don't care for those things. Something I discovered the other day, coconut water has more anti-oxidents than those sports drinks. I bought some coconut water (unfortunately it has all sorts of *other* ingredients in it) but I may save that for tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wilton Course 2 - Flowers and Borders
Yes I realise that this says Course 2 and you didn't see any from course 1. Well, there's a reason for it. It didn't occur to me to take any photos until well after and by the time I had taken any photos I was just practising on the cake so it looks a bit overdone.
These are my birds and birdhouse done in Color Flow. It took me several tries to get this done. Mainly it was because the icing was too thick and it felt like trying to squeeze a softball. There is a slight white/snowy sheen on everything and it may be due to getting some (indirect) sunlight.
This is after I had done the basketweave around the side of the cake. I probably should have taken a photo before I started this but no one really wants to see the"dirty icing".
This is the top of the cake after the basketweave was completed. Thankfully it's not finished at this point as it doesn't look very good does it?
Basketweave and the rope. See how it hides the little imperfections?
Here I added some flowers that were made with Royal Icing. These things take 2 days to dry. The little ones on the left are violets, then a daisy, primrose and the yellow and purple one is the pansy.
There's a better look at the violet and pansy and to the left is a pink daffodil.
There's a better look at the daffodil and pansy.
And a yellow daffodil.
This time I added on one of the birds.
There's the other bird.
A moderately decorated top of the cake
Another angle of the cake
Yet another angle of the cake.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Valentines day and ...
Today is the 11th of February and I had planned (maybe hopefully optimistic would have been a better description) to have these done weeks ago. As you can tell, that didn't happen.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Valentines Cards 1 / Pregnancy Cards
Well these are the cards that I did today. The first two aren't exactly Valentines cards, but since I wanted to get these out to the momma's to be, they were made and posted today.
This one is for Kelly (Drew's wife) and as I understand, they're having a boy. I wanted to get this card out ASAP as I know they're due anytime soon. While I liked both pregnancy cards, I think the darker colour and the embossing stood out on this one best.
This is my first real attempt at using the postage type stamp. I'm not sure whether the bunny and love postage stamps are just a hair bit too big or what. Can you tell I like that word folder.
I just love this bunny. I tried to use the same colours that I used to colour the bunny for the rest of the card. Not too shabby if you ask me however pink is really not my colour.
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