Pen To Paper: Caroline Weaver, CW Enterprise

What was behind your decision to open a business dedicated to pencils?
Pencils are an object that I’ve always collected, appreciated and used extensively. The idea for the pencil shop came out of frustration when trying to find quality pencils in the U.S. In the beginning it was really just an insane fantasy but the more I thought it through the more I realized it could actually be a thing.

How has your shop and brand evolved since you launched?
I designed and started the shop with a certain aesthetic in mind already — basically my ultimate dream shop. Since then we’ve had a lot of exposure online and on social media, so having the opportunity to get to know our customer base has really helped mold what our brand is now. It’s a constant evolution but we still try to stick to what the ideals were in the beginning.

To your mind, what makes a really fabulous pencil? Which do you prefer?
The most important thing is the quality. A well-centered core, easily sharpen-able wood and a nice finish are all very important. From there it really depends on what I’m doing. Sometimes I need something that won’t smudge, but sometimes I want something really dark. Generally I prefer pencils that are darker and smoother than a #2 but not as messy as a typical soft pencil. I really like Japanese pencils for this reason — they run soft but without the annoying side effects.

What do you think goes into a quality paper, and what types of papers do you gravitate to?
For me, of course, it has to be super pencil-friendly. Not too smooth (read: smudgy!) and not too toothy (eats up the pencil!). I really like paper with a little bit of cotton in it.

What you source accessories from notebooks to writing papers, what qualities do you look for?
I look for things that are different than what’s around at every other nice stationery shop, and always things that I would personally buy. The most important things are quality and function. After that the aesthetic appeal and the story are the things I look for. There are so many stories behind these objects — the more we can share, the more interesting they become.

What was the last letter you wrote? What paper and pencil did you use?
The last letter I wrote was to a dear friend who is moving to Paris. I used a pink limited edition Mitsubishi 9852 HB pencil that I bought in Japan a couple of years ago and wrote on vintage 1960s letterhead with roller skating flamingoes that I found I on eBay. The paper is a really nice cool grey with a perfect finish for a pencil.