News

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving, for many of us, is the quietest of the holidays. No fireworks or parades, no wrapped presents or champagne toasts. It arrives with little fanfare, nestled in the golden hush of mid-Oc...

Introducing Wingback at Laywine’s: Pens, Pencils, and More

We’re proud to introduce Wingback, a London design house making writing tools that balance tradition with modern engineering. Their fountain pens, mechanical pens, and pencils are CNC-machined in B...

La Rentrée, and the September Reset

September has always felt like a beginning. In France, they call it la rentrée, the great return to life after summer. For me, it also marks the Jewish New Year, and the anniversary of opening Layw...

Design, Craft, and Italian Elegance: A Visit to Pinetti

Founded by architects in Bergamo, Italy, Pinetti blends timeless design with refined utility. Their refillable journals, notepad holders, and desk accessories are handcrafted in durable Italian lea...

Canada Day: Reflections from a Small Shop on Shifting Ground

This year, Canada Day feels different. In his latest blog post, Peter reflects on what the day means for a small independent shop—celebrating new Canadian makers we’ve discovered, while acknowledgi...

The Enduring Appeal of Yard-O-Led

Falling for Yard-O-Led is less a choice than a charming inevitability. Handcrafted in sterling silver, these timeless writing instruments aren’t just tools—they’re companions. At Laywine’s, we love...

Pelikan Toledo: A Masterpiece of Craftsmanship and Tradition

Among connoisseurs of fine writing instruments, Pelikan holds a reputation for excellence, blending precision German engineering with elegant design. But within their collection, one series stands...

Sustainable Stationery

I used to like summers in Toronto.  The timeless evenings when dusk seemed to linger for hours, and the nights were balmy and made for ice cream.  Somebody once said to me – the great thing about s...

Taking A Hike

My getaway for the past few summers has been a ‘camp’ in the Adirondack Mountains.  It is a series of rustic cabins scattered around an old farmhouse, with a raging little river running adjacent.  ...

Pencils, Pencils, Pencils

Depending on your sense of nostalgia, writing with a pencil can be a “Madeleine moment’. For me, the smell of wood shavings and sharpened graphite can recall the slow walk from the wall-mounted pen...