Popular Pens for Particular Purpose (Plus Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks ) - Photo Playback inc: new note & new pics

Dear Scribblers

I thought I would post all the photos from my Popular Pens for Particular Purpose (Plus Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks) series in one place so you can see all my favourite pens in one place. There's a new note and an extra picture along the way. As an extra treat, if you read all the way to the bottom, there's a further new photo I didn't post about my other pens. 

My older Balmain set, and my everyday Uni-ball gel pen for use in my Filofax. 

My other Filofax pen, Ted Baker stylus pen.

The Stylus Pen in use. 

Smythson wafer diary and  matching ladies pen.

Smythson jotter and silver pen. Additional note, that I didn't mention in my previous post: This leather jotter was a special release for Concorde! I remembered the pen did come with the cover, and has Concorde logo engraved on it. 

My favourite journal pens, which are also my oldest (black and white) and newest (Balmain - duck egg blue.)

My Chanel pencil case, general pens and stationery, plus the digital pen wallet. 

IRISNotes2 Executive digital pen. 

Bargain Asda supermarket notebook and file organiser, with colour ink and gel pens. 

New mini 'Passport' notebook with hotel freebies, promotional, memorable and sci-fi fantasy pens. 

Close-up of my Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Star Trek pens. 

Here's the photo I haven't posted before, in my previous post, I wrote: I have further pens and pencils in my collection which are important and I use regularly in crafting, such as: charcoal drawing pencils, a variety of Sakura gelly roll pens, Whispers Strokes and Permanents coloured double ended felt tips, and various coloured drawing and watercolour pencils. I thought you might like to see some of them. 

I hope you've enjoyed this series. I'll be back soon to show you some of my favourite stationery extras, along with those technology ephemera that's used along side my photo, iPad and computer. 

Enjoy writing and crafting wherever you are!

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my 'Popular Pens' Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

Popular Pens for Particular Purpose - 3 of 4 Hidden in my Pencil Case - the Expected and Digital Unexpected

Dear Scribblers

This is my companion series to the 'Notable Notebooks' series. Here's day three of four! Popular Pens for Particular Purpose (Plus Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks ) focusing on the pens I use, and the tasks they perform.

1. My Old Favourites and Regularly Used

2. My Smythson Pens

3. Hidden in my Pencil Case - the Expected and Digital Unexpected

4. Useful Others, Fond Memories, Colour and Beyond!

My older every day pens and other stationery pieces live in here:

It's a Chanel cosmetic case that came with a set of makeup brushes, and it works perfectly as pencil case. The brush slots are used for some of the pens I want for quick reach, including my Balmain set, some coloured gel pens, a multicoloured ball point, a propelling pencil and a feather!*   (*See below!)                               

The pocket holds my fountain pen cartridges, a ruler, Doctor Who eraser and pencil sharper and an old Smythson diary from 2009 which holds some story ideas and other notes I may need, along with some blank pages which I want to write on. There's often washi tape or stickers or mini ink pads and stamps in here, but it's pared back at the moment as I'm reorganising. I'll post again once I've finalised my Filofax and case. 

Lying in the centre of the case is the little black 'glasses case style' pouch  which holds a secret weapon. My IRISNotes 2 Executive digital pen:

This simple ball point pen hides a great function. When you link it to the tiny receiver, which you clip to the top of any paper and write, it captures your hand-writing, which you can then upload to your PC or Mac. You can either keep your writing as it looks, or process it to computer font which you can then transfer into your normal word processing app. I use it with my MacBook Air using OS X Mavericks pasting my writing into Pages and Scrivener and it works seemlessly. I've also used it with OS X Lion and it worked just as well. It's incredible! 

There's also features which allow you to use the pen as a mouse (you change the standard ink refill for a special tip which is included.) Plus there's a 30-pin connector lead which allows you to use the pen with an older iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch via a free app. I'm not sure if you connected the lead to an adapter whether it would work on a newer device. I don't know as my iPad is an older 30-pin version. If you have the pen and tried it on a newer device, please let me know if it still works, I'd love to know. I have an iPhone 5, but never use the pen with it as I think it works better on a larger screen. I hope I've explained this okay, however if you want to learn more about the pen, here's the website: 

http://www.irislink.com/c2-2353-188/IRISNotes-2---Digital-Pen.aspx

I hope you'll return tomorrow for the last part, to see those Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks in 4: Useful Others, Fond Memories, Colour... and Beyond!

Happy Scribing!

*By the way, the feather in my pencil case... One day, I was writing in the garden. I had my head down, then all of a waft, this white feather drifted down and landed on my page. I think it was a gift from the angels, so I keep it in my pencil case for good luck, inspiration and positivity. Well, that's what I think anyway! ;-)

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my 'Popular Pens' Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!k

Popular Pens for Particular Purpose - 2 of 4 My Smythson Pens

Dear Scribblers

Here's the follow up to my 'Notable Notebooks' series. Day two of four: Popular Pens for Particular Purpose (Plus Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks) focusing on the pens I use, and the tasks they perform.

1. My Old Favourites and Regularly Used

2. My Smythson Pens

3. Hidden in my Pencil Case - the Expected and Digital Unexpected

4. Useful Others, Fond Memories, Colour and Beyond!

Onto my Smythson handbag wafer diary and notebook, I use matching Smythson pens with them both. The first is official called a 'lady's pen' as it fits into the dainty hand of a 'laydee', and also into any of her petite purses she may be carrying. An old-fashioned term which may make us laugh, or cringe, or roll our eyes now, but still an extremely useful pen. A tiny gold blue ball point with the diary, you pop the lid into the end which extends the length making it easier to hold, then when not in use, it clips into the spine of the diary keeping it safe. I've had both this and the next pen for over six years, I think.  

You can tell the silver pen is older and been given some use as it is quite scuffed now. I can't remember if it came with the leather jotter, I think it did. I've only recently pulled it out from my notebook pile where it's been sitting unused (but never unloved) for a while. It's going straight into my bag for easy access when I need to scribble down that idea, note or list. 

Unfortunately, Smythson no longer offer these pens in their online store. There is a similar shape to my silver pen available in a pencil, and in  a choice of silver or gold: http://www.smythson.com/silver-wafer-pencil.html

Please return tomorrow for Part 3, to discover what's hidden in my Pencil Case... the Expected and the Digital Unexpected!

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my 'Popular Pens' Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

Notable Notebooks Part 2 of 5 - The Organiser... Filofax style (plus another plea to Smythson!)

Dear Scribblers

Welcome to my new short series 'Notable Notebooks' (Two of Five):

This five day series includes:

1: My Ultimate Quality Favourites 

2: The Organiser

3: My Newest Arrivals

4: When a Notebook isn't a Notebook

5: Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away

Please read the important note at the bottom of the page. 

Onto my Filofax, it's a red chilli coloured Cuban, which is, as I said yesterday, A5 size. It was bought last October at an amazing discount from TK Maxx, with the full 2014 inserts pack! I've used Filofax and other similar organisers in the past, in both A5 and Personal sizes, and decided to try again with it this year, as I wanted to have everything in one place, including my to-do's, writing ideas and journalling.(This was why I wanted the blue Smythson pages, I planned to journal the whole of 2014 and then bind them together with homemade covers at the end of the year.) To be honest, it hasn't worked out this way. I'm still finding it difficult to find a file system which works for me, at the moment, and I keep changing my mind! It's coming together, but still not perfect. 

For the past 8 years, I've used Smythson diaries in their Soho, Premier or Bijou Portobello sizes (Smythson, can you also bring all three sizes back for 2015, please? ;-) Please?) So going back to such a large organiser has been strange, although I also have a small Smythson red wafer diary to carry in my handbag for this year, then at home, it slips conveniently into the little pocket inside the cover. 

(Please see note at the bottom.)

It's the best of both worlds... for now, who knows what I'd do next year. As I've also found out about this company which seems very enticing:

http://www.personal-planner.co.uk/EN/

from YouTube's MsGoldgirl -  

http://youtu.be/DcfqTWfhPrQ

The only thing that bothers me is - you guessed it - paper quality, it's difficult to tell without being able to touch it. If it was just a notebook to use for a short time, it would not be an issue (well, more of a grumble really, it's not 'end of the world' stuff. LOL! We just like things a certain way, don't we?) but this is a diary which will be your companion for a year or more, so we want it to feel nice and be the right texture to write on, which takes the ink well, without smudging or seeping. That perfect 'Goldilocks' page. If you are using one of their personal planners at the moment, I would love to hear what you think of it. 

Of course, these are musings for next year, for now I'm playing around with my Filofax, along with a little helper, which I'll tell you all about in a couple of days in part four of the series. I've got you wondering now, haven't I? 

Please come back tomorrow and see the next instalment of 'Notable Notebooks' - My Newest Arrivals. 

Happy Scribing!

Note from the Filofax Photo 

In case you are interested, the pen in the photo is a Ted Baker Stylus pen - with the touch screen tip on one end, and a ball point pen on the other. You can find them on-line at Amazon, John Lewis, Selfridges, eBay and many other places. 

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see how I presently set up my Filofax, or anything else in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my Notable Notebooks Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

Notable Notebooks Part 1 of 5 - My Ultimate Quality Favourites (and a plea to Smythson!)

Dear Scribblers

I think I've said this to you before, nothing really changes, does it?

In my last post, I mentioned the importance of keeping a good notebook beside you. Then I looked to a post way back on 30 June 2011, as part of my 'Favourite Things' series, I discussed my love of Smythson notebooks and stationery - 

http://thecraftyscribe.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/my-favourite-things-part-3-project-of.html

I still feel the same now. Please, welcome to my new short series 'Notable Notebooks' (One of Five):

Over the next five days, the series will include:

1: My Ultimate Quality Favourites 

2: The Organiser

3: My Newest Arrivals

4: When a Notebook isn't a Notebook

5: Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away

Please read the important note at the bottom of the post. 

There's nothing like the sensation of a great quality notebook, and I find, for me, that no-one comes close to Smythson -  http://www.smythson.com/

These leather bound books, with the smooth pages that let your pen glide with ease, makes writing a pleasure. I especially adore the feather-weight pale blue papers. They may be a little pricey, but you can start with a wafer notebook for £35 (even for less, if you can find an outlet price, such as their store at Bicester Village, or their on-line New Year sale), but be warned, once you have one, they become addictive! 

Over the years, I've used two lockable journals (please bring back the red version with the flat gold lock, Smythson. Please? Please?!), Runway 11.5x13.5cm tuck fastening black notebook (yet to fill), a number of Panama 9x14cm and Wafer 7x10.5cm notebooks (I always write my poetry in the wafer books, I don't know why, it just feels 'right' http://555poet.blogspot.co.uk/), a featherweight replaceable pad in leather cover and little silver pen (which makes me feel like a Film Noir Detective!), along with my yearly diary, A4 pads (white lined pages) and something of a find, this year, the blue featherweight lined notepapers in Duke size which fit my A5 Filofax. 

For those who love their organisers, this may be your way in to try Smythson stationery. You get 25 sheets for £10, which I think is quite reasonable for the quality - an affordable luxury. As I said, I've found that their Dukes size fits the A5 rings (paper size 15x21cm). So, I'm thinking that their Bond Street refills may fit the Personal size (paper size 9.5x17cm), there's also a smaller size (paper size 8x12.5cm - I've checked on the UK in-line store, diary refills are in stock, but the notepaper isn't at the present time) called the Bijou, which I think may be the Pocket size, but please don't quite me on that as I haven't tried them. 

Most of these have been birthday/Christmas/special presents from my hubby - he knows me well!

Please come back tomorrow and see the next instalment of 'Notable Notebooks' - The Organiser. 

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see a more in depth look into the individual Smythson notebooks, or the diaries and books I've used in the past, or anything else in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my Notable Notebooks Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

On Holiday, but still creating!

Dear Scribblers

September is turning out to be busier than I thought.

Actually, I'm on holiday at the moment on the spectacular Mediterranean island of Malta, but there's no rest for the writer/crafter. Using my favourite Smythson notebooks to write and jot down ideas for the two wonderful courses I'm doing on my return.

Yes, I did say two. Once again I'm doing Shimelle's Learn Something New Everyday scrapbooking/journalling corse, along with the brand new UnEarth Your Creative Nature by Jani Franck. Both began on 1 September and last the month, and I feel they both give a creative boost whilst complimenting each other. Even though I haven't been able to start in earnest, I have been making notes and taking photos. I'll tell you more about how I'm coming along with full links both courses when I can. (I'm writing this using Blogger on my iPad and can't dd links.)

I'll be back in a few days with more info, plus the start of my 'Scrapbooking Your Holidays' series.

Happy Scribing!

My Favourite Things Part 3, Project of the Day and The Way of The Prompt!

Dear Scribblers

One of my first entries on The Crafty Scribe blog was about my favourite stationers - Smythson of Bond Street. I'm sure it's no surprise that their products are showing up again in My Favourite Things series.  Click here if you want to read the original entry.

When you enjoy writing by hand, you begin to appreciate the feel of a free-flowing ink pen and the smooth paper that will become the depository of your thoughts and ideas.

The name Smythson is linked to history, style, elegance and quality. Using their products evokes the feeling that you are part of that.

One of my special presents each year is a new diary. I'm also lucky to own their  journals, notebooks, writing pads and correspondence cards. Each one has a different use, although a couple of them I can't bring myself to use yet, I just love to stroke and look at them! Even on days when writers' block encroaches, putting one of the notebooks in front of me brushes the negativity away and lets inspiration spring forth.

Note: If you ever find yourself in Bond Street, London, drop into Smythson. Not only to see all their lovely products, but to visit their mini-museum which explains their history and also displays famously-owned diaries and notebooks from the past, such as royalty and movie stars.

Project of the Day: Do you have favourite products that you like to craft, write or draw with? Do you have them at hand to use or even just to look at to give you inspiration? Make up an area, maybe in a basket, box or file and put all your best bits and bobs together where they are easy for you to get hold of, that way when you are in need of a boost, or when an idea hits, you are ready to go.

Happy Scribing!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter to get regular Prompts for Journalling and Scrapbooking. Take each one and jot down ideas which you can turn into a layout, mini-book, journal entry, story or art page. Have fun with them. Who knows where your imagination and memory will take you.

The Crafty Scribe Communique - Smythson Diaries

Communiqué - News Flash - Communiqué 

Dear Scribblers

It’s that time again, when you begin to think about Christmas (or the Winter festival you celebrate) and of course, New Year.

2010 - A brand new decade!

Why not treat yourself to a new diary? In my opinion, the top purveyor of fine leather diaries is: Smythson of Bond Street

I have been lucky enough to own their exquisite notebooks, stationery items and of course, for a couple of years, their diaries. There are many sizes, page formats and colours available. Even diaries for specialist subjects such as; travel, art and sports, or organiser pages for the methodical amongst you.

My favourite diaries are the Bijou Soho, Bijou Portobello and Fashion varieties - they all contain sizeable notes sections which are perfect for the out-and-about scribbler. I also love the personalisation - there’s nothing like a bound leather diary with your name on.

Try the Smythson Diary Selector which will match you to your perfect diary.

For further information, check them out! Their diaries range from £25 to £250+, but the quality is outstanding. Once you have a Smythson diary, you'll never want anything else.  I know that the red Bijou Soho diary with slide closure will, once again, be on the top of my Santa’s wish list this year.

Happy Scribing!

Communique Ends - Communique Ends

Coming Soon - Part Three of Harnessing Your Alternative Computer Programmes for use in Journalling and Scrapbooking - Using Your Regular Word Processing Software in New Ways.