Back to my usual fountain pens & craft discussion. I’ve had so many difficulties with BSKY, photos not posting, not seeing responses that I’ve about given up on it. I started making a Christmas calendar for my son so he can have a better sense of time passing. It’s taking longer than anticipated.

These are the options to verify my age on BlueSky. I will not be versioning manage via any of these methods, because firstly. I don’t want my facial data collected. Secondly I don’t use Stripe and thirdly, I won’t be giving my license ID to an American company. That’s ridiculous in this Trump era.

These are the Esterbrook prototypes from the #fountainpen Day sale. There were a tonne of issues with the website crashing and the warehouse sending incorrect pens to people. I received my pen just fine, but the resin is not as dark as it’s preserved in the promotional material, it’s still lovely.

Moments after I cleaned an old Parker vacuumatic, disaster. The vacuum stuck, I must have over depressed it. Bugger. I’m hoping my usual guy can save me. #fountainpens

#fountainpen friends, have you ever been put off by the artwork on an ink? I really don’t like this art and I love the ink based on the marketing swatches, but the bottle label gives me the ick. 😫

I really love these little toolboxes from Japanese company Toyo. I recently found the bonded leather inserts for them and I’m a very happy pen hoarder now.

When I used to be a part of the events team running shows 20 years ago I didn’t completely appreciate the event management by the spaces we hired. Now that I’ve run a show in a space with no events director; never again. I am exhausted, I’ll see three doctors this week alone to help me walk again.

Muze Pens from Hong Kong exhibited at the Melbourne Pen and Stationery Show this year. Sadly I didn’t get a chance to photograph their stand of #fountainpens earlier in the day but this is what remained by 2pm. Absolutely gorgeous. At least three pens in there I’d love to own.

I’m still having a lot of trouble uploading multiple photos or any photos at all, I attended #pelikanhub in Melbourne and was blessed with this marvellous ink. I’m a fan of the ink colour but not the pen. My favourite limited edition is still Moonstone. #fountainpens

Pen show over, kind of glad. It was exhausting and some things can be a victim of their own success.

State of the pen, ten months on with daily use #fountainpen

When you have a friend who has invented the most appealing swatch technique you’ve ever seen, of course you copy it and name the technique after him. I present… The Ernesto Swatch Style. #fountainpen #fpn

When I joined the Melbourne Pen Show committee, I had no idea how much work it would be. Even though the show had run for 24 years there was little data, scant logs and we realised we had a huge job on our hands. It’s 25 days to go! Here’s some promo shots of the journal class I’m running. #fpn

I’ve been having no luck with photo uploads and BlueSky lately. So I’ve been absent for a few days as nothing would post. Here’s a glimpse at my “finished” ink box that started out as a $4 dirty white thrift find. #fountainpen #fpn

I found a dirty white crate at the op shop about 5 months ago and finally had some time over the past few weeks to slowly up cycle it into ink storage. I’m still working on refining its design, but enjoy the progress pics. #fountainpen #fpn

Some Melbourne Pen Show news. I’ve organised great prizes for our charity raffle with our exhibitors and I’ve collaborated with a pen maker to create a fountain pen for the door prize. The picture below shows the first five layers on the pen body. It’s off being turned into a pen now. #fountainpen

Found this white crate at the thrift shop months ago. It was dirty but had charm. I removed all the metal bits and what not and started with black paint. No idea if it’s going to stay flat black, or if I’ll add more colour. I have plans to line the inside with fabric. New ink storage perhaps?

When I’m bored I mix my own #fountainpen ink colours. I really like this fox orange shimmer, it was meant to be cherry, but this is a nice combo. In my collection it’s unique and the shimmer shows up in an EF nib which is great. These Wancai pens are exceptional for handling shimmer in an EF nib.

Friendly reminder that I actively look for people to belong to this starter pack. You can create a dedicated feed for it to enjoy fountain pen and stationery related info. Please let me know if you have an account that primarily focuses on stationery and pens to be added.

Okay, so back to my usual programming… Robert Oster has designed for us the most marvellous ink for the Melbourne Pen & Stationery Show. The committee has just agreed on a name for it. I have to wait a month before I can show anyone though!!! #mpss #fountainpens #fpink

Off my usual programming, whilst I was looking to see if Meta had wound back its Jan 7 TOS changes, I found Tech Crunch (1) and Seeking Alpha (2) reported increased user time spent in Meta apps due to AI. That’s right, the AI being pushed into us is designed to keep us in Meta platforms. Not only

I don’t know why people didn’t quit Meta (particularly Threads) on January 7. Every now and again someone likes an old post I’ve made and I see that people who stand for LGBTIQ+ and women’s rights have not left the platform despite the TOS changes remaining. I hate hollow people.

This video is supposed to have sound, but I can’t hear it in the preview. This is a Noodler’s Konrad Flex in Ivory Darkness. It’s a good pen, but for whatever reason it really hangs onto ink, so it’s time consuming to clean. #fountainpens

A little journal planning. #fountainpens

Magpie grind on an Asvine writing on thick cardstock designed for mixed media. The paper is not fountain pen friendly in the slightest. #fountainpens

The pen that inspired students to try fountain pens is my workhorse. A second hand well abused Ferris Wheel Press Bijou <M> is not something that usually inspires people. Yet, they call it my “fancy” pen and love the basic bitch ink I pair it with. No shade to Waterman, it’s very reliable. #fpn

I don’t often comment on politics these days. But the way Labor is held up to high standards that don’t exist for the LNP annoys me greatly. It’s another Murdoch dog whistle and “lefty’s” fall for it because they have a perfectionist streak. It’s how we end up with the LNP every time. #auspol

I am used to my child quietly sitting, chatting and eating when we go to a cafe that I forget neurotypical children are loud, OTT and annoying. There’s something to be said about the gentle soul I’m raising. I know he’d be quietly judging the toy throwers and requesting to leave because of the noise

There is no greater joy as a teacher than when your influence leads to direct behaviour change. In this instance, a student admired my fountain pens so much over the course of this year that she went out and bought her own Parker pen. Pure delight knowing that a new lover of fine stationery was born

Some shots from the Melbourne Fountain Pen group. I now have a Drewnem Pisano Orion Pen on my buy list after snapping this photo of a member holding it. In love with Birmingham Inks, they’re not available in Australia, special order by a member who let me do a photo shoot. Lovely day all around.

I think we can all agree that Trump’s decision to end De Minimis only punishes the American consumer. What he could not have expected is countries deciding to give him the isolationist policy he dearly wants. I invited several American makers the Melbourne Pen Show this October and only Esterbrook

Posted a review of Esterbrook Niblet vs Fine Writing International Pencket recently. In summary, both are great pens. The Niblet is similar to the Pencket. It’s obvious that Esterbrook use FWI to manufacture their pens. Ultimately, $$ difference is due to quality control and a slight redesign.

It feels like spring in my part of Australia. When is it “too early in the morning” for a mimosa?

Today 10/10 awful, because it’s a summary of my life. Why bother giving my opinion or providing a solution to an issue when no one is going to use it? I am cursed with no one ever following my lead and having to watch others catch up after making mistakes easily avoided if my advice was followed.

I’ve been busy with work and commitments to the team putting on the Melbourne Pen Show. Not much of a chance to really do much. I did get the nib on my pilot finally restored, wonderful vintage nib that’s wet with a slight flex. Love it. A grail pen finally writing well. #fountainpen

Keeping social media minimal to avoid negativity means I often forget to post. Although that’s half the story, my son has had a difficult patch and most of my time has been caring for him. Our Aussie #fountainpen group has an #ink challenge running and it’s inspired me to swatch.

#Esterbrook Coffeemonster drop finally arrived on my doorstop. Then my child had a rough night so I didn’t get a chance to play with it yet. I ordered the #fountainpen through Desk Bandit here in Australia and they always send a Tim Tam with every order.

The committee is steadily working on building out this years show. All my free time is going to it lately. We have huge #fountainpen news and it will be announced soon through the official channels.

Finally bought a Galen Leather A5 zippered folio and it’s become my entire personality, I take it everywhere with me when I’m not at work. #fpn #fountainpens

A moment of appreciation for my Travellers’ Notebook set up as my work diary this year. #galenleather #travellerscompany #fountainpen #fpn

Making journaling tags is a hobby that goes alongside journaling. This tag has #fountainpen friendly paper adhered to the back and I’ll use it in one of my journals. Scrapbook journaling plays an important role in maintaining memories.

Some of the ink at the meetup in Melbourne yesterday. I shared out vials of Robert Oster Gummy Shark which was the 2024 Ink of the Melbourne Pen Show. #fountainpen #fpn

My fountain pen collection is in competition with my Galen Leather collection. I know everyone has their preferences and I’ve bought from other leather crafters, but I keep coming back to GL’s pen cases because I love the style #fpn #fountainpennetwork

Yesterday @jonszanto.bsky.social shared a photo of his collection of Sheaffer’s, it seems timely to have found Paula’s post which talks about the Sheaffer patent. #fpn #fountainpen #fountainpennetwork

I’ve officially joined the MPSS committee in 2025 and we’re busy organising this years pen show. In 2024 we trialled stationery vendors in our traditional fountain pen show. It was a smash hit and inspired us to change the show name. If you’re thinking of travelling to Australia in October, join us🖋️

I’ve always admired vintage pens, Sheaffer pens from last century have a beautiful aesthetic. Seeing so many in one place gives you an appreciation of how ubiquitous the fountain pen once was. #fpn #fountainpennetwork

Curating this feed for accounts that post fountain pen content. It will be added to the starter pack when Bsky server wakes up! Useable tags 🏷️ Copypasta #ꜰᴘɴ #ꜰᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴᴘᴇɴɴᴇᴛᴡᴏʀᴋ Typed #fountainpennetwork #fpn

Starter pack for fountain pen collectors, ink enthusiasts and journaling. If you want to connect with people who love fountain pens as much as you do, click the link to find active content creators. DM to be added to the list. go.bsky.app/JF2vDWu

An Australian seller of fine stationery is having a sale. I tried to resist, but I couldn’t. The Endless journal has been on my wishlist for a year. #fountainpennetwork #fountainpenink

I created a starter pack for fountain pen enthusiasts, lovers of journaling, cursive script and calligraphy to connect with other accounts. DM to be added onto the list. 🖋️