Making Pens Personal

[lance]

A friend of mine bought a bed and breakfast in Waynesville NC recently. When we went to visit him, I noticed they were using a cheap Bic pen for their guests to use to write in the guest register and comment book. In the front yard of the property was a cherry tree, so I broke off a dying branch and took it home with me. The pens I made from the branch I sent to them as a thank you for their hospitality along with an explaination of where the wood came from. They were very pleased to say the least. Their only concern, of course, is that the pens will get legs and depart with the guests. <s>

Since then I have looked for opportunities to pick up pen stock that might have some special meaning to the recipient. I am amazed at the reaction of folks to this simple craft.

[Admin]

I think this is a splendid idea. It creates a story behind the pen that will be recounted every time a guest comments on it. And of course a few of your business cards near the guest registry can't hurt either....

[centurion]

I have a Music Minister at a local church that requested a pen made of part maple, walnut, purpleheart and redheart. His instructions were to do the lower half in maple and walnut, the top in redheart and purpleheart with maple mixed in. When I turned this blank on the bench he asked that I make the maple slightly dirty. The second pen in the set was to be maple keep perfectly clean.
He calls this his Gospel Pen and has a story of salvation to go with this pen set. Since I made the first one for him I have had fifty sets made and sold, very hard to keep once the word got out. ;)

[tipusnr]

Congratulations! It sounds like it would be a fun pen to make with the combination of woods. Did you use a secular pen clip to go with the theme?

[centurion]

I offer different ones found in the catelog, about 50 50 on a straight standard clip and then a cross clip.