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For The Love Of Pens, Please Stop Doing This.

7/28/2021

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(This post contains affiliate links meaning I could make a commission if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!)

This needs to be addressed.

And I guess I’m here to address it. But let’s get something straight first.

I’m a lover. I’m not a fighter. I’m not here to call anyone out. 

I’m just here to share. That’s all any of us should be here to do anyway.

So, now that we’ve got that all cleared up...

For the love of pens, please stop doing this.
If you’re part of our little SPF fam, aka Sweet Pen Friend community here on my channel then you may know that I used to have this terrible, like truly atrocious habit of death-gripping my fountain pen.

You might be wondering to yourself what in the world am I talking about and if that’s the case, well, that’s good because it probably means you never gripped your pen the way I did. Essentially, I would nest the grip of the pen on my ring finger (I’ve formed a bit of a permanent callous because of this) and I would wrap my middle and index finger around the top like this, entrapping the pen and myself in this ridiculous makeshift torture chamber.

This is how I held my pen for most of my life. I just didn’t know any better. No one ever corrected me in school or in any other setting, so I went on with this lobster-claw like massacre straining ever single muscle and ligament in my right arm anytime I wanted to write which was pretty much all the freaking time.

It wasn’t until I found the faithful, curative, and fantastical fountain pen and this community of the most kind-hearted folk that I realized that all this pain and strain I was setting upon myself through this super constricting pen grip was 100% unnecessary and entirely avoidable. Specifically, I came upon the Lamy LX and Lamy Safari fountain pens and while I know that their triangular grips can be incredibly polarizing within the fountain pen community, I am REALLY grateful for it. With the forced grip and the importance of keeping a fountain pen’s nib facing up, I re-learned how to hold my pen and write. It wasn’t pretty and it took a long while for me to get used it, but it was worth it.

Look, I really want to sympathize with those of you who like me, just didn’t know any better. I wrote with that horrific pen grip up until about 2-3 years ago. But when I see others suffering from the same mistake, I have to admit it really grinds my gears and makes me so sad. Writing, in my opinion, should feel wonderful! It should feel freeing and cathartic! How can you enter that beautiful state of flow when you’re clutching onto that pen for dear life?

So, if you are one of the unfortunate few like myself who acquired this awful habit of a death pen grip and you want to relieve yourself of the needless suffering, some things I would encourage you to do is:

  • Explore other grip options. It’s all gonna feel freaking weird and uncomfortable at first. You might think to yourself it’s easier to just keep chugging along as you always have, but trust me, for the health of your arm, hand, and mind - it’s a necessary discomfort that will yield dividends of relief.

    In the book, The Lost Art of Handwriting, Brenna Jordan covers a variety of pen grasps that you may find suitable for your writing style. Additionally, you can check out The Art Of Cursive by Michael R. Sull.

  • I’d also recommend, getting a fountain pen. I mean, if you’re watching this video and you don’t have a fountain pen, why are you even here? I’m just kidding! Haha, but I really do think having a fountain pen is beneficial in helping you change your pen grip. You can opt for something like the Lamy Safari or Kaweco Perkeo with its pronounced triangular grip as I mentioned earlier or something more fun like the Pilot Kakuno with it’s smiley face nib can be a friendly reminder to always write with the nib facing up.

  • I think it’s also worth it to mention a quick little hand and arm massage can go a long way. This is a tip I recommend to everyone, not just those of us who are recovering death pen grippers. We can carry so much tension through our arms throughout the day whether we’re writing, typing, or scrolling. We ask so much of our limbs, so just remember to give yourself a break every now and then. Squeeze a bit of gratitude back into your arms and hands with a little massage. (:

Just know that this probably isn’t going to change overnight, but actively working on and re-learning a healthier and more comfortable approach to holding your pen will allow you to keep enjoying stationery for many years to come. 

Did you ever suffer from your pen grip or have you always handled your writing instruments with ease and comfort? Let us know in the comments below!

xo,
Dev
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Friday Faves: Zebra Sarasa Grand & Sarasa Dry Ink

3/12/2021

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(This post contains affiliate links meaning I could make a commission if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!)

Hi my sweet pen friends!

How was your week? My week has been filled with my brother's birthday shenanigans, and of course, some pen and paper goodness! :)
@devnnluu

Happy Friday friends! A fast dry gel ink? □ IMO, not crazy fast, but still a fave! Links and more details on my blog - devnnluu.com/links ##pens ##pen

♬ original sound - LYN
I feel like it's been a while since I've gushed about anything other writing implements aside from fountain pens, so I'm pretty stoked to share this week's Friday Fave!

The Zebra Sarasa Grand with the Sarasa Dry Black Gel Ink has been the unsung hero for a good portion of writing I do, whether it be directly in my bullet journal or for when I'm writing on any glossier surfaces.

Compared to the original Zebra Sarasa Gel Pens, the Zebra Sarasa Grand's pen body has a heavier, more "luxe" and sophisticated feel. Like the standard Zebra Sarasa Gel Pen, it has the nice spring-loaded clip, just in a metal finish. I believe the Zebra Sarasa Grand comes with a 0.7mm black gel refill, but can be easily swapped with other size-tip Sarasa refills just as I've done with the Sarasa Dry Black Gel Ink in 0.4mm. (You can check out some other easy ink refill swaps in this video - https://youtu.be/8tqsEuQXsr0)

​In general, I've been a fan of the Zebra Sarasa line and have featured the Vintage colors in my Friday Faves previously which you can read here. While the Zebra Sarasa Dry Gel Pen may not be as "flashy" or "fun" as those, I still think it's been a star in my pen collection. 
It still features that nice, smooth ink flow formulation, but is said to dry 85% faster which can be great if you're left-handed! As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy using this ink when I'm writing on glossier surfaces or when I use mixed mediums in my bullet journal (like when I'm collaging). In my own experience, I still have to wait for this ink to dry on glossier surfaces, but I am more confident in a smear-proof finish than I would be when using regular gel pens or my fountain pens.

What stationery are you enjoying this week? Let me know in the comments below!

xo,
Dev
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Practice Cursive Handwriting With Me ASMR (Sort Of...Haha)

4/16/2020

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(This post contains affiliate links meaning I could make a commission if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!)

Hi pen friends!

How are you this week? I hope you're all doing great and feeling healthy. Today's video is a little different...I'm not sure if it's the quarantine that's getting to me, but I was feeling in a bit of a creative rut so the original video I filmed fell through. Instead, I decided to set some time aside to decompress and start one of the handwriting workbooks I received earlier this year. I've had requests to do a "Tips To Improve Your Handwriting" video and while I'm really flattered, my cursive could certainly use a bit of work. Perhaps I'll be able to do that in the future, but for now, please enjoy this "Practice Cursive Handwriting With Me" / ASMR video! 
What have you been doing/ enjoying during quarantine? Let me know in the comments below!

[ S T A T I O N E R Y / S U P P L I E S ] 
  • The Lost Art Of Handwriting by Brenna Jordan
  • Lamy Vista Fountain Pen - Couldn't find the Miniso one that I used, but here is the OG!
  • Rohrer & Klinger Alt. Bordeaux Fountain Pen Ink
  • Greenroom Lined Journal - Couldn't find the exact note pad, but here is the brand of paper I used

[ W A T C H  M O R E ]
  • My 5 Biggest Fountain Pen Mistakes (Beginner Tips & Advice)
  • Starting My First Bullet Journal! (April Plan With Me) 

[ F A Q ]
  • Camera I use to film my videos
  • My favorite nails - Enjoy 20% off when you use this link! 

xo,
Dev 
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Bored In The House - Lettering Practice

4/6/2020

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(This post contains affiliate links meaning I could make a commission if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!)

Hey pen friends,
@devnnluu

Not gonna lie, this was a lot of fun to do □□✨ ##oddlysatisfying ##stationery ##stationeryaddict ##stationerychallenge ##pen ##lettering ##handlettering

♬ BORED IN THE HOUSE - Curtis Roach
I, thankfully, haven't been totally bored out of my mind at home. It definitely has taken some getting used to, but this whole stay-at-home thing really speaks to the introvert in me. Haha.

I took a quick break from working to practice some more lettering using the lyrics from TikTok's trending song, Bored In The House by Curtis roach. I love the result! This pen and paper combo seems perfect for lettering practice!

S T A T I O N E R Y :
  • Pentel Fude Sign Touch Brush Pens
  • Rhodia Top Wirebound A5 Dot Grid Notepad

N A I L S :
  • My favorite nails (Enjoy 20% off when you use this link!)

What have you guys been doing to keep busy lately?

xo,
Dev
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Lettering To Lyrics - Part 1?

4/2/2020

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(This post contains affiliate links meaning I could make a commission if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!)

Hey pen friends,
@devnnluu

Lettering practice □□ ✍□ ##smallgestures ##stationery ##stationerychallenge ##handlettering ##brushpen ##brushlettering ##handwriting ##pen ##stationeryhaul

♬ Ayy Ladies - Travis Porter
I believe this is Day 12(?) of the stay-at-home order...I hope you're all doing well and taking care.

Today, I had some fun lettering these lyrics with my new, favorite brush pens. Here's how it turned out!

S T A T I O N E RY :
  • Pentel Fude Touch Sign Brush Pens
  • Rhodia Top Wirebound A5 Dot Grid Notepad

How are you using this stay-at-home time? Let me know in the comments below!

xo,
Dev
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