#295

Purple Spirit Stained and Chrome Ballpoint Twist Pen

Lesley's Pen 

It looks a couple of shades more purple in real life!

Tasmanian Myrtle - Nothofagus cunninghamii

Tasmanian Myrtle is not closely related to the lumber that’s considered Myrtle in the United States (Umbellularia californica)—technically, neither species is considered a true myrtle, which is restricted to the Myrtus genus. Tasmanian Myrtle is actually closer in relation to beech (Fagus genus), and is sometimes referred to as Myrtle Beech or Silver Beech. Heartwood is a pink or light reddish brown. Narrow sapwood is paler, and is ambiguously demarcated by a zone of intermediate coloration. Can have a wavy or curly grain which has a very satiny appearance. Much more uncommon, Tasmanian Myrtle can also have dark black streaks in the wood, sometimes referred to as “tiger myrtle.”

#295 was commissioned by Lesley and Ray, fellow boaters and traders. It was a fancy turned red pen that caught Lesley's eye on my display but she wasn't sure about the colour. I must admit I wasn't sure about making a pen this shape but moments later the fancy red pen caught someone else's eye and was snapped up as an "I've never seen anything like that before". Lesley's pen is pink Tasmanian myrtle with layers of purple spirit stain and a dye carrier to lighten the shade a touch, all finished with ten light coats of acrylic lacquer for protection.

The pen was turned on the 3rd of June 2015 in Stone Staffs, the weather was mainly flippin' gorgeous and I spent the whole day outside catching up on my pen turning. Again not wanting to waste any time I left the pen assembling to the following day. Not that it was bad weather, on the contrary it was fantastic again but we were on our way towards the five towns of Stoke on Trent and whilst Deb was in charge of steering the boat I was inside finishing the pen off and setting up the photo studio.