Guest post by Mrs Brimbles

Let me introduce myself, my name is Anna but I am very often known in the Filofax and Journal world as Mrs Brimbles which is a nickname that kind of stuck when I married my husband. My husband and I were friends in school, high school sweethearts, and we ended up going to the same University in Cambridge although we read different subjects. I wasn't all that much into staionery back then, I just bought whatever note pads and pens were on offer in the student union shop!

We graduated in 2002 and on doing so, Jon's (Mr B) Dad presented us each with a present. Jon received a writing set with a Cross ball point pen and matching pencil and I received a matching ladies version of the same. I thought it a nice gift and was grateful but not one that particularly resonated with me back then. Jon's Dad told me that it is always good to have a nice pen to write with for special things or in a business meeting. I was kind of like 'yeah ok thanks' because at 21 I couldn't see it. That wasn't me back then.

Looking back now I can so totally see what he meant! I don't know if that is a sign of me getting older or just that my life has changed and now I love stationery and things like pen quality do matter to me now. My own Dad has a Mont Blanc pen and I didn't pay it much notice, I just always knew he had it in his briefcase and it made an appearance every now and then. Jon's Dad has lovely handwriting and writes calligraphy. I can see how much pride they have in the things that they write when they are using 'their' pen. That pen signified importance, pride, pleasure, sadness, happy times all the trials and tribulations that we go through in life. Their pens signed on dotted lines for houses, weddings, cars and then funerals. All walks of their life have seen them use their trusted pen.

I kind of got it but still not really. The Cross pen that I received was tucked away somewhere and sad to say I am afraid, forgotten. But then in the Summer of 2013 we moved house and in the unpacking of stuff I found our pens. Unfortunately we have seen many an elderly relative pass and I am always saddened by the little treasures they have kept, table wear and crockery etc that they have kept for 'one day' or 'for best' and sadly for them that day hasn't always come. I vowed when I opened that box that I would use my Cross pen and use it proudly.

Well here is a revelation that you are probably not surprised to hear. I love that pen. I love everything about it, everything it symbolises. It is sleek, elegant, comfortable to write with and is weighted so beautifully in the hand and above all else it writes so very smoothly, like butter. My pen sits so proudly in the pen loop of my A5 Apex Filofax, my daily go to, the keeper and organiser of my life. I hope one day that it is a Malden that it sits in but we can only hope!

That pen hasn't yet seen the highs and lows of my life (hopefully not too many of the lows though please, Universe!) but I know it is there, by my side just waiting to share what ever adventures are in store for me.



~ Thank you so much for writing this guest post for me Anna, I really enjoyed reading it! ~

Mrs Brimbles also has a YouTube channel, I watched a great video this morning on how to make a cute plushie bunny paper clip that I am definitely going to have a go at.  I know I have shared her Etsy shop link before but here it is again because it is full of planning and planner goodies that are very, very cute!  Keep an eye out for my review of the Filofax inserts she designs which I will be posting soon.

Thanks!