Better Than Chocolate!

Is the Valentines box of Ticonderoga pencils! (Thank-you Ms. Ball!) These are the best colored pencils ever- they are smooth and creamy, hard to break, easy to sharpen and have lovely, lovely colors. This is the 'big box' of 48....

What makes this so special is that they are very, very hard to find. Many years ago I acquired a box of 12 as a sample at an art conference (back when they used to give away more than hard candy and catalogues). I fell instantly, madly, in love with them. Not being a colored pencil person, this opened a whole new media to me- no more struggling with the 'crapola' or spending the house payment to buy prismacolors that break instantly.... oh the joy!

The next year, I treated myself to the box of 24. Bliss! I was happy coloring away.... they began to wear out, get shorter, the box was appropriated by the monster for a school project.... time to replace them. THEY WERE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND! Sure, they were *listed* in the art supply catalogues, but that was just a cruel tease.... they were 'out of stock', 'discontinued', 'no longer available'....and other words of doom. I was forced to conserve the nubby remains of my original 24. Saving them for 'special' projects. Growling whenever a student glanced their way. Hiding them from the monster. (Can I take them to SCAD with me? NO! It's prismacolor for you! bahahaha) .... for years we searched the internet and shady art supply stores in the bad sections of town (seriously) for any remaining packs. They where no where to be found.

Then JOY! HAPPINESS! Ms. Ball found them at a 'secret source' (some things we *don't* share with the world. Where to acquire these limited sticks of magic is privileged information) and surprised me with the 48! Of course, right now I simply admire them all neat in their box....keep them put up, 'saving' them until later. (I still have a few nubbs left). Remember when we cleaned out Auntie Lou's stuff and there were zillions of slips still in boxes, brand new, saved for later? That will be me, except my closets will be full of colored pencils.....