Archive for August, 2010
Square paper is great for a round mandala
I teach a personal growth workshop entitled, Mandala:: An Artful Meditation, where I share my process for mandala creation. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “whole” but my personal interpretation of the word is as a round design consisting of repeated concentric patterns that radiate from the center outward. I have many examples which can be found here. In the workshop, we create using simple art supplies such as crayons, markers & colored pencils and my favorite paper to use in the class are the square watercolor pads from Clairefontaine. They are a 300g cold pressed paper with a slight texture that works well with dry as well as wet media. Round mandalas just seem to fit so well into the square format.
Enter Now to Win one of 25 Rhodia Academic Weekly Notebooks!
Would you like to win one of 25 Rhodia Weekly Notebooks in academic form? (Academic planners run August 10 to July 11) Winners get their choice of small or large, orange or black. Simply fill out the form below for your chance to win – one entry per person please. The contest will remain open until Tuesday, September 7th (midnight EST) and the winners will be announced here on the blog on Thursday, September 9th. Continue Readering »
Matthew Adams on Transformative Writing: Part 1
On my recent trek to Loretto, PA for the Summer Rhythm Renewal retreat, I took one of Matthew Adams’s Transformative Writing workshops. Typically a 12 hour program that he teaches in and around Pittsburgh, we were given a 90 minute sampling at the Renewal of what the full course has to offer. I found Matt immediately likable and what impressed me the most in his class & speaking with him afterward, was that his style of teaching encourages you to open up to new possibilities with your writing through your own self discoveries.
I asked Matt if he would write a post for us on Transformative Writing- this being the first of two parts:
Transformative Writing : Part 1
“Every day, every moment we’re alive, is something of a rebirth in which we are, before our very eyes, being made. And in that delicate, turbulent space between our essential, shape-able selves and the world we encounter lies everyone we’ve ever been and are, even in that moment, in the process of becoming. Maybe this is why something in me revolts with certain forms of art that present the conceit of a “finished” product—published writing, photography, drawing—or at least, certain forms of art that I, in my limited understanding of what I’ve traditionally called “finished” art, engage in. Continue Readering »
Ink Contest Winners!
Congratulations to the winners of August Herbin ink giveaway! The following 10 people will receive 1 full bottle each of Eclat de Saphir – a sapphire blue, Orange Indien – a rusty orange, and Poussiere de Lune – a dark grayish purple.
And the winners are…….. (drumroll please…) Continue Readering »
Origin of the Webbie
Earlier this year we were approached by TED to donate Rhodia notebooks for their famous gift bag. At our request, Clairefontaine Rhodia, our parent company in France, arranged for 800 Webbies to be shipped to TEDGlobal 2010 at Oxford University. Since then, we’ve heard from a number of participants on how much they enjoy using their Webbie. 
TED began in 1984 as a gathering place for innovators and leaders in the fields of Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED encompasses a global community of individuals who believe in the “power of Ideas Worth Spreading.” Webnotebooks are certainly a good repository for bright ideas from creative minds.
With each Webbie was a note from Mr. Guillaume Nusse, president of Clairefontaine Rhodia. It read: “I hope you will enjoy using your Rhodia Webbie (Webnotebook). You might wonder where we came up with the Webnotebook name? My son was bugging me for a computer ‘notebook’ and so I told him: You want a notebook! I’ll give you a webnotebook! I put our best Clairefontaine paper, a 90g smooth ivory, inside the famous Rhodia covers. And the rest is history.”
Add to that the two other snippets behind the name we’re aware of: the “Web” in “Webnotebook” means the interconnectedness of ideas that can be found from surfing the Web, as well as infinity of those connections.
The name “Webbie” originated from Stephanie, who manages Rhodia Drive and its Facebook page. We were pleased to see France is now following her example and calling them, “Webbies,” too.
Thanks to ConferenceBasics.com for the photo.
Can you go home again?
The other day, I took a walk through my old neighborhood. I grew up living in a small apartment with my parents and haven’t visited the house in probably over a decade. Both parents are remarried and live elsewhere, so I no longer have any current connections to who might be living in that space. I looked long and hard at it from every available angle. Looking at the things that were different as well as those that had stayed the same. I was flooded with emotions and did a fair amount of journal spilling when I got home again. Continue Readering »
Write a letter?
When the last time you sent someone a handwritten letter?
I’m embarrassed to say that I can’t remember the last time I’ve written one- and I’ve got gorgeous pens, wonderful color inks and fancy writing papers from G Lalo and Clairefontaine. Why don’t I do it? crazy as it sounds, (and as much as I enjoy receiving mail) I think things are so much easier via e-mail (though much less personal) because you can see the entire conversation. (If you don’t delete it) I remember receiving letters and having no clue what the person was referring to that I supposedly said in a previous letter…. So I guess I’m a little afraid of feeling foolish when I can’t remember something. Maybe if I write a letter I could scan it first, or does that sound silly?
Can you maybe offer me some tips to help me because I think I really would enjoy writing some letters and receiving some personal correspondence in my mailbox.
Artists- ever try Clairefontaine Fine Art Papers?
If you are following this blog, chances are that you are aware of how glorious Clairefontaine/Rhodia paper is for writing. But were you aware that Clairefontaine also makes many different simply AMAZING art papers as well? Watercolor papers, sketch pads, pastel papers, paper for use with acrylic paint – all made by Clairefontaine. Check out pages 47-48 of the online catalog then check here for links to retailers who carry these fine art products.
Be artfully amazing!
Enter now to win the August J. Herbin Ink Giveaway! 10 winners, 3 bottles each!
Time now for our August giveaway of some J Herbin inks!
Do you own a fountain pen and want to try a few new colors? Now is the time! A short while back I asked people to name the three J Herbin ink colors they would most like to win and though your responses spanned all 30 colors of the Jewel of the Inks line, the three most requested inks were: Continue Readering »
Did you know…
Did you know that you can get a new Webbie at Levenger with the Italian leatherette cover monogrammed with your initials? If you don’t want to use your initials, (I always found my own to be rather uninspiring) you could always try something like; HIP, WOW, YEA, or FUN. (I would smile every time I picked it up if I had “FUN” monogrammed on the cover of my journal.) Not liking any of those? Here’s a list of 3-letter words that are fair use in he game of Scrabble. I’m feeling partial to ZIG, ZAG, ZOO, YUK, YAK & GNU. (Did I just accidentally write a poem?)
If you were to get a three letter monogram other than your initials, what would it be?
Expanding the dotPad
It seems as though the new Rhodia dotPad is making a big impression. We have heard from writers, calligraphers and artists that simply LOVE the dot grid format on the Rhodia paper. For me, it’s my favorite non-blank page. I love the pale dots and found them to be great for practicing lettering with a dip pen or calligraphy pen.
And you must be loving it too because we are constantly hearing people ask if it will be available in formats other than the top-stapled pads. If yes, which would you want most? Spiral bound or hard bound? Would you like a dotWebbie?
Remember, Rhodia listens to our Rhodies! We love your feedback!
Where you buy your Rhodia: Office Supplies & More, Chapel Hill, NC
Wilson Hines, author of the blog A Journey thru Academia wrote to tell us about Office Supplies and More in Chapel Hill, NC Wilson says the store is flat out amazing. “To boil it down, if you turn too quick you will knock something over! I love it! He had three different displays which had Rhodia and he also had an equally impressive Clairfontaine selection.” Continue Readering »
Ink Sample Book
Start writing with a fountain pen and you will discover about a billion different colors and flavors of available inks and if you are like me, you will want to try as many as possible to find the perfect shade with the best flow for your favorite pen. Continue Readering »
The DC Supershow
I am looking forward to the DC pen show this coming weekend. It is the biggest fountain pen show in the world. If you love pens, pen memorabilia and inks, this is heaven on earth. 
The first two days of the show are for weekend traders and retailers; but August 14-15 – Saturday and Sunday, are open to consumers. The show is held at the Sheraton Tysons Corner in Vienna, Virginia. More information here.
I collect antique inkwells, so I’m hoping to add one or two to my collection, plus a fountain pen or two, and some ink, and whatever I see that grabs my imagination. I will brave the sighs I’m going to get when I get home…but pen people understand.
A bottle of the new 1670 Herbin ink will be at the Pendemonium booth if you would like to stop by and test it. Bob Johnson, who runs the show, asked me to bring some Herbin inks and Clairefontaine paper for the testing table and various other places. I have packed some Rhodia and some Triomphe pads.
I’ll also bring along some pens I feel don’t work properly or I’m afraid to use. I know I can get some friendly, expert advice on what to do.
Hope to see you there or bump into you at one of the tables!
Win More Webbies!
Yes, yes… I know. We just gave away a pile of Webbies.
But what you might not know is that we also sent out a bunch to some awesome bloggers to be given away on their own blogs. How can you find out about these giveaways and discover some cool new blogs in the process? Continue Readering »
