Jennifer is ready to return to the site of her first Fountain Pen Show, the Chicago Pen Show. Find out how to prepare, plan, and experience the show. See you May 3rd through the 5th! Fountain Pen Show Season Is Nearly Upon Us There are many pen shows all over the country, but my favorite will probably always be the Chicago Pen Show. It is, after all, my first pen show experience. And if you have never been, let me give you some handy tips. Timing. Pen shows will ebb and flow in volume of people. Saturday is generally a rush, so be sure to allow plenty of time to work your way through the room ..read more

The largest sidewalk sale in Chicago will be hitting the streets August 17th and 18th. Let your inner pen geek mingle, safely, outside of the Atlas Stationers store front from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CT) both days. The Event What will you find at the event? Well, for starters, dozens of vendors, thousands of products, and special promotions. If you have been following us on social media (@atlasstationers) you know the promotions and giveaways we’ve done in the past. I’m sure Brendan has been working on some surprises that you’ll hear more about as the event date nears.  The first thing everyone ..read more

Lesson #2: What calls to us has a purpose and a meaning that belongs only to us. What draws you to a specific pen? Is it color, design, hype? Mama T and I discussed this very topic at the Pen Show. Be sure to ask her about her research on colors the next time you pop into the store. For me, though, I tend to ascribe meaning to the objects I gather into my collection. See if these scenarios ring true to your preferences.  A woman and her friend arrived at the Atlas table on Sunday and immediately eyed the Nahvalur pen. It was a stunning pen that many, many people picked up over the weekend ..read more

Lesson #1: Your community will support and love you in ways that you never anticipated. I’ve never considered myself memorable. Being part of a team or group always felt like the most comfortable option. When I rolled into Chicago for the 2023 Fountain Pen Show I was exhausted from too many work projects and personal endeavors to feel the energy levels I was accustomed to. With my first stop at the Atlas storefront, I remembered why I loved the fountain pen community so much. The store staff updated me on the latest events and I had the good fortune to see the latest product, Plotter, be demoe ..read more

You cannot tell me that spring has returned until I see the Chicago Pen Show website is live with hotel and weekend pass information. And, folks, it is back. I’ve already cleared the dates and made sure to let all my friends know. So, pop over to their website (https://www.chicagopenshow.com) and make sure to purchase your pass and book a room if you need one. Atlas will be a sponsor and slinging pens all weekend. Will you be there May 5th-7th? Fountain pen enthusiasts are a lot like runners. We don’t care if you are brand new to the hobby and at your first pen show. We are just glad you are j ..read more

“Jennifer, just slow down!”   The number of times I’ve heard that in my lifetime need not be discussed. But National Handwriting Day is a reminder to take that advice to heart. I can still hear my mom telling me how she could tell that I had taken my time writing her a letter years ago. “Your handwriting was so beautiful and precise,” she explained. She was making a point about how a little focus and mindfulness on the task at hand could change the end result of any project. One of the ways that I force myself to slow down is by using my K’arst Stone Paper Notebook. Because the paper is e ..read more

By Jennifer Houghton Having set some ambitious goals for my fountain pen lifestyle in 2023, I sat down to tackle the most important part: making a plan. As a wise man once told me: “Make a plan. Work the plan.” So let’s get to it. Ink. I mentioned that I wanted to branch out from the shimmers and into the sheens. So, I’m going to go through the extensive list of inks that Atlas sells and pick one ink from each brand to sample. And I’m going to make sure that I branch out from the standard blues and purples that I’ve accumulated. By the end of the year I want to own one ink from each line and ..read more

By Jennifer Houghton I’m going to tell you something that is a little embarrassing to admit. True to form, let me be entirely straightforward. I have a teeny crush on Dante Del Vecchio. Why am I telling you this?  Because Dante will be in the Atlas storefront during Takeover Season. All the way from Italy to highlight his latest work with Pineider. But before my heart palpitations overtake me, let’s get down to it.  The Holiday Takeover Season starts November 29th and runs through December 21st. That’s nearly a month of deals and discounts and Dante. (What? A girl can’t crush on a fa ..read more

By Jennifer Houghton There’s magic in small numbers. Limited edition items are always coveted. Add to that a unique artistry and you’ll understand why viewing David Oscarson’s pens in person is a must-have experience. On October 27th, Atlas Stationers will host the dapper gentleman at their storefront. Specifically, Oscarson will be highlighting his latest release: Deus Regit (God Rules), which will be featured in Pen World Magazine.  Deus Regit is the 37th limited edition collection from Oscarson, which will come in 5 color variations with a total of 88 pieces. According to his mate ..read more

By Jennifer Houghton Every year Fountain Pen Day seems to get a little bit bigger. This year is no exception and you had better be prepared to celebrate on November 4th!  Atlas will be welcoming Mr. Fountain Pen Day himself, Cary Yeager of Kenro, to the storefront. You can stop by or participate online because there will be all kinds of specials happening. Get ready for giveaways, swag, games, and all of the Atlas promotions you’ve come to love and look forward to.  If you want a little history behind the day, head on over to last year’s blog on the origin of the holiday (https://www ..read more