I discovered pen kits at a local woodshop and was immediately inspired to try pen turning. I had never turned anything so small before, and the zebrawood pen was my first attempt — which, surprisingly, turned out quite well. I followed a tutorial to learn how to drill the blanks and install the pen hardware. While that first pen was a success, I had a few failed attempts afterward as I figured out the process. Since then, I’ve made over a dozen pens, many of which I’ve given as gifts or sold. The purpleheart pen was the third one I made, and it remains one of my favorites. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of all of them.