I write. Mostly by computer these days. But when the occasion demands it, I put fountain pen to paper and invariably to my finger tips, stray tissues …. whatever is lying around. Smudges are less than easy and elegant.

So I researched deskpads and blotter paper. I have a brass desk set from my grandmother that includes brass corners for a blotter pad, but that set up takes up a lot of real estate. Desk sets don’t take into account desktop computers. Leather bound desk pads sure are pretty … expensive.

I didn’t realize that an affordable alternative was right there in front of me. I’ve begun to use a wire-bound large sketch pad picked up on sale at A.C. Moore or Barnes and Noble. The paper absorbs ink nicely and is wonderful to doodle on, test out nibs on or check out ink flow before unleashing a torrent of wisdom on my stationery.

When I’m finished, I close up the pad, replace it in the stack and move my wireless keyboard back to center stage. Quick, easy and efficient. An elegant solution.