The delicate art of pencil carving has recently gained traction with youths in Japan and Vietnam. The trend first began in 2008, and has boomed in recent years. Students in universities and high schools in particular have taken up the trade, using special knives, scalpels, and even homemade equipment to carve intricate figures into pencils. […]
You’ve probably heard of using a Ouija board to contact spirits, but I bet you haven’t heard of using pencils to have your questions answered by supernatural beings! The Pencil Game, also called “Charlie, Charlie,” is a traditional Mexican ritual wherein players (usually children) are said to contact the spirit of a child named Charlie. […]
The pencil pregnancy test comes from an old wives’ tale that claims it can predict the gender of an unborn baby. It is also said that this test can reveal the birth history of a woman who already has children, and can even predict the gender of future children for a woman who is not pregnant. […]
There aren’t too many things I write out by hand these days. I email my coworkers and text my friends, I take notes in Word or an app on my phone. When I finally do write something by hand, I find that my hand writing is a lot worse than I remember, and holding a […]
I’m a California transplant living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the most part, I love my new home – the accessible public transportation, the history, and of course the cheesesteaks. Still, every once in a while I get homesick. I made myself a California playlist comprised of songs about my warm, sunny home state to listen […]
‘Tis the season to send handwritten holiday cards! In an age when so many have become disenchanted with the half-sincere Facebook wall birthday greeting, a tangible, hand-written card that arrives in the mail is the perfect way to spread holiday cheer no matter what you celebrate. The following tips will ensure that your holiday cards […]
Winter is coming, and with it, weather that makes you want to stay indoors. Very soon you’re going to need a way to combat the boredom and keep the kids occupied. One of my favorite foul-weather pastimes is doing craft projects. These five Instructables for pencils will keep you entertained and give you some really […]
A recent Wall Street Journal article quoted Count Anton-Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, chief executive of Faber-Castell, as referring to paperless, entirely digital classrooms and offices as “wishful thinking.” This quote has been sticking with me, and it has made me wonder: is that really what is being wished for? And by whom? Are there people out there […]
Admit it, you’ve wondered – does anyone over Scantron age still buy pencils? It’s okay, we’re not offended. It’s a fair question. I’m happy to report that the answer is yes! According to the Wall Street Journal, pencil and pen sales are up and will continue to rise. The article states that “both the retail […]
I’m sure we can all recall this scenario: You’re sitting in school, taking a standardized test. You know the answer is B, but for some reason you just filled in the bubble for C with your trusty No. 2 pencil, nice and dark, just like the proctor told you to. Fortunately, your pencil has an […]
