I've discovered the fascinating world of fountain pens! In a previous life (or so it seems... it's been a while) I did quite a bit of calligraphy, and really enjoyed it. In the process of researching some pen-turning stuff, some fountain pen information came up, and I followed it to a few interesting websites, like this one, and this one. Didja know that pen afficionados also have their own magazine? (And that some of those pens can cost more than my mortgage payment?) On Saturday, we took a trip to a mall that has a pen specialty store (market research, you understand) and I picked up an [ahem] inexpensive commercial model fountain pen. I love it! Now I'm looking for things to write, reasons to use my fountain pen! I also picked up some bottled ink, in purple, of course.

Today I had to make a trip to Woodcraft for a few things, and I picked up a couple of fountain pen kits to make up. I made the first one this afternoon, in bocote, and it's lovely... and all mine. And it has purple ink in it, of course. I don't know how much of a market there would be for turned fountain pens (the lady at the pen store was astonished that my violet-dyed boxelder burl ballpoint was actually made of wood), but I think they're fun!.