Watches, Pens, and the Craft of Analog Living
Ellen Ashford · July 26, 2026
Right now, on the desk in front of me, sits a Parker 51 I handed over $340 for at an estate sale — the seller’s word was “bargain,” my husband’s word for it was considerably less flattering. Uncap it, ink it, and set the hooded nib against a sheet of Rhodia, and you’ll feel exactly … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 16, 2026
Turn a sheet of ecru stock up to the window and you can see it — that faint grid of fibers catching the light, the slight give when you press a nib against it. That’s what I’m doing right now, testing a stack of paper samples one at a time instead of writing the post … Read more
Ellen Ashford · July 13, 2026
What actually happens the very first time you try this? In my case: a scalded thumb, a cracked impression, and the wrong wax stick entirely — a genuinely clumsy start that was, somehow, still thrilling. If wax seals for beginners is the search that brought you here, I’d like to spare you the singed fingertips … Read more