The DWRDNET Stationery Feed

Episode 13 Ana from The Well Appointed Desk

The DWRDNET Stationery Feed

Show Notes

In this episode, Derek Deweese interviews Ana from The Well-Appointed Desk, exploring her journey in the stationery world, her passion for fountain pens, inks, and papers, and the evolution of her blog into a thriving business. They discuss the importance of pen shows, the impact of tariffs on stationery products, and the vibrant community surrounding stationery enthusiasts. Ana shares insights into her ink collection, favorite stationery items, and the creative projects she undertakes, including her Patreon community and podcast.Show Linkshttps://www.wellappointeddesk.comhttps://www.wellappointeddesk.com/pen-show-schedule/https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/06/epic-refill-guide-rollerball-gel-and-ballpoints/https://wellappointeddesk.bigcartel.com/https://www.patreon.com/c/wellappointeddeskhttps://www.wellappointeddesk.com/?s=ink+destashhttps://youtu.be/R4NG5XDcCXQ?si=W8YnWji6ybekm_nKTakeawaysAna has a passion for fountain pens and stationery.She has streamlined her ink collection from 600 to 100 bottles.The Well-Appointed Desk started as a Tumblr blog.Ana's favorite paper is B6 Stalogy.She emphasizes the importance of supporting Tomoe River paper.Ana's Col-O-Ring project has become a staple in the stationery community.Pen shows are crucial for networking and product launches.The Patreon community offers exclusive content and a book club.Ana's podcast discusses new releases and stationery trends.Future plans include expanding product offerings despite tariff challenges.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ana and The Well-Appointed Desk02:53 Ink and Pen Preferences05:58 The Journey of Ink Collection09:06 Exploring Ink Archiving and Art12:01 The Importance of Paper14:53 Stationery Adjacent Items17:49 The Birth of The Well-Appointed Desk21:01 The Col-O-Ring Revolution23:53 The Evolution of Ink Swatching27:07 The Col-O-Dex and Its Creation32:46 The Birth of Rolodex Cards36:28 The Evolution of Product Offerings41:10 Curating a Unique Product Line47:39 The Role of Pen Shows in Business55:34 Comparing Pen Shows and Stationery Events01:03:30 Engaging the Community through Patreon01:08:31 Future Plans for Well-Appointed Desk

More from The DWRDNET Stationery Feed

Sep 17, 2026

In episode 14, I get to welcome Jonathon Brooks of Carolina Pen Company to talk about how he has become one of the most well known names when it comes to pen materials in addition to the pens that he makes as part of the Carolina Pen Company. We talk about how he got started, and the path that followed in terms of teaching himself to make pens which quickly led to pouring his own blanks, and things just kept growing over time.

Sep 3, 2026

In this episode I am joined by pen maker and artist Matthew Martin who talks about how he got into making his machined pens. Matthew talks about how a side project of helping his dad with some knife making ended up becoming his full time job of making bespoke metal pens. Matthew talks about how he explored different anodization techniques, and how that moved into using anodized titanium as a form of artistic expression.

Jun 4, 2026

In this episode, Derek interviews Diana from Moth and Maple who shares her journey into leather and stationery accessories, discusses her custom offerings, and explores her process of creating unique leather products and blanks for pens. Discover how her passion for leatherwork and stationery converges into a thriving small business, with insights into the latest trends and her upcoming projects.

May 14, 2026

On this episode I get to welcome writer Michelle Geffken to talk about her work in the analog space. She is the creator of the paperblogging.com website, and is a big proponent of embracing the analog tools and mindset when it comes to writing and creativity. Be it sketching, typewriters, or fountain pens, Michelle talks about how all of these come into play in her work.

May 7, 2026

In this Episode, I get to talk to Rich of River City Pen Company. We get to talk about how he got started, how he approaches his various pen models, when he decided to start creating some inks, his show schedule and more.

See all episodes →