I sigh with anticipation when I open my post office box. I love to peer in and see all the pretty mail and postcards that people send. I finger them and absorb both sides with my eyes rapidly moving from left to right. Then I spy tragedy
A gel pen that has encountered moisture in transit!
My dear friends, gel pens bleed with any moisture and can smear on most glossy papers. I love them as much as the next gal, but I try to use the pretty pens on the interior only. A lesson learned the hard way.
So remember, friends do not let friends use gel pens on postcards and address labels.
This public service announcement brought to you by B.
A gel pen that has encountered moisture in transit!
My dear friends, gel pens bleed with any moisture and can smear on most glossy papers. I love them as much as the next gal, but I try to use the pretty pens on the interior only. A lesson learned the hard way.
So remember, friends do not let friends use gel pens on postcards and address labels.
This public service announcement brought to you by B.
Funny! I love my fountain pen but I don't use it on envelopes for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteI use Pilot Gel Ink Envelope Address Writing for postcards and envelopes. I don't think I've ever had any trouble with it smearing. I have picked up other pens and used them for addresses, and then realize what I've done after the fact. It always ends in tears.
ReplyDeleteAs for fountain pens, I have one pen that I keep filled with Noodler's Heart of Darkness black ink and that ink is very water resistant. It is only bad on the very slipperiest postcards.
Good comments on this somewhat serious topic! I got a postcrossing the other day from Taiwan and the back was a smear because of the pen. Now that was truly sad!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Public Service Announcement! Too funny
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the gel pen. Usually archival/fraud-proof pens won't bleed or run if they get water on them but I suppose some kinds of paper may make them less fraud-proof. ~ Jan
ReplyDeleteHi Becks!
ReplyDeleteGel pens and fineliners are such great, dependable pens to write with that I think people just plain forget how undependable they are when they come in contact with water.
P.S. I've had a some post not arriving of late, and I was wondering if this letter:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juanita_therecanbeonlyjuan/6080040886/in/set-72157627059851761/
I sent to you on 22 August ever arrived?
Fineliners are even worse I think. Once there were heavy rains and the water got into my mailbox. A letter that my friend wrote with fineliner got totally blurred. She had to rewrite it because I couldn't read a single letter of it:(
ReplyDelete