Whiskers & Paws: January 2014 Edition

Review: @OrganicsStudio Arsenic Grey Ink @AndersonPens

Shout out to Tyler of Organics Studio for sending this grey ink over!

ABOUT

Color: Grey
Bottle: 30 ml
Price: $12.00
Price/ml: $0.22/ml
Where to buy: Anderson Pens

 PROS

• Inexpensive.
• Nice grey without green undertones.
• Shades well.
• Flows nicely in flex pens.

CONS

• None.

OVERALL

Organics Studio Arsenic Grey shades well and is quite well-behaved, without any outstanding characteristics (such as a sheen - imagine a green sheen on this...). It's a solid, standard grey that is sure to fill that "grey ink" need in your collection. At this price, it's hard to argue with. Someone suggested I should stop reporting the taste of the ink because it might encourage others to taste their ink and that might be seen as a negative influence to some readers...

Follow Organics Studio! 
Organics Studio 
Facebook 
Twitter 

This ink was provided free of charge for review purposes. Wasn't paid for my opinion, y'all. I'm completely honest, so all opinions you read here are my own.

Mind Boggling @InCoWriMo Giveaway From @JetPens @Exaclair

JetPens is celebrating InCoWriMo - International Correspondence Writing Month, that is - too! They're not only putting out their mailing address so you can send snail mail, they're also offering up an awesome prize! This giveaway is for US residents only, of at least 18 years of age. Entries will be accepted from now until March 1st, 2014. JetPens will select their favourite letter - it will not be a random drawing. Click here for details!

Pelikan M205 Traditional Fountain Pen - Piston Filler - Extra Fine Nib

Pelikan 4001 Fountain Pen Ink - Brilliant Black

Rhodia DotPad Notepad - 5.75" X 8.25" - 5 mm Dot Grid

I LOVE the Rhodia DotPad so much - check out my review!

Wordless Wednesday

Giveaway at @Pen_Addict @JetPens @PilotPenUSA @PentelOfAmerica @dowdyism

JetPens and The Pen Addict are giving away one Pentel Kiriari in the Fuji Purple barrel and one Pilot New Brush Pen with a fine tip. These goodies will go to one winner. Giveaway is open to US AND international readers! Closes Thursday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Click here for details!

Instagram Giveaway from @KarasKustoms

Karas Kustoms is giving away a delectable RETRAKT machined pen (super sexy). Giveaway closes on Sunday, so hurry up yo. You'll need an Instagram account for this one. Click here for details.

Pen, Ink & Paper P0rn @AndersonPens @JetPens @Kaweco @Montblanc_World @PilotPenUSA

Well, sort of swatchin'. More so doing pen reviews and testing nib width and line variation, and then just enjoying the nib and ink combinations. I gotta say, I really like doing this. It's a fantastic way to see an ink's shading capacity, as well as a nib's awesomeness. Here are some of the ones I shared on Instagram this week.

Montblanc Lavender Purple
Want some? Anderson Pens

Montblanc Irish Green
Want some? Anderson Pens

Montblanc Toffee Brown
Want some? Anderson Pens

Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo
Want some? JetPens
Anderson Pens

 

Giveaway Round Up @Kaweco @edjelley @PenChalet @WeThePPIL @FahrneysPens @Plannerisms @PaperPastries @Exaclair

Ed Jelley is giving away a Kaweco All Rounder fountain pen and a Write Notepads & Co notebook via his Instagram account! Giveaway closes February 1st, 2014. Click here for details.

---

Ron at the Pen Chalet is having another gift certificate giveaway! Enter to win either a $50 gift card or a $25 gift card! Giveaway closes February 18th, 2014. Click here for details.

---

Pen Paper Ink Letter is giving away a Hobonichi Techo 2014 planner! Deadline to enter is February 7th, 2014 at 12 am CST. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Click here for details!

---

Okay, this is less of a giveaway and more of a contest, but it's also really fun to enter anyway. Fahrney's Pens is holding an Annual Handwriting Contest to celebrate National Handwriting Day (January 23rd, 2014). Handwritten entries can be dropped off at Fahrney´s downtown DC store or submitted by mail, fax or email by  January 31, 2014. Winner will be drawn randomly on Monday, February 3, 2014. The prize? A limited edition green Stipula Etruria Rainbow fountain pen. Click here for details!

---

Plannerisms is giving away a new and unused 2014 Gallery Leather monthly planner, and an academic-year 2013-2014 Textagenda daily planner. Entries will close at 6pm UK time Sunday February 2, 2014. Giveaway is open worldwide. Click here for details.

---

Paper Pastries is celebrating National Handwriting Day with a super cute giveaway - you could win an original paper pastries hand lettered stamp! This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway closes January 31st, 2014. Click here for details!

---

Paper Pastries is also giving away a stationery pack on Instagram! Check out the Instagram giveaway.

---

Sunday Reads - January 26. 2014

• The incredible underwater art of competitive aquascaping. 
• Oatmeal peanut butter cookie bars. I have a thing for oatmeal. And peanut butter.  
• IKEA cats: Part One, Part Two. Make sure you watch them in order! All cat owners will laugh at part two, nod, and say "yup, that sounds like a cat". 
• Super soft sugar cookies, anyone?
• Peter from Pen Envy writes an excellent post about InCoWriMo and letter writing in general. (To my pen pals that might be reading this, I still have your letters. For lack of better word, I'm not well. When I'm well, I will resume writing. I'm sorry. I feel like a tremendous pile of elephant poo.)
• The Clicky Post reviews the rOtring Lava multipen. ... Yet another rOtring to add to my list of wants. Thanks, Mike. Thanks.
• Interested in participating in The Great Pen Exchange? Maybelline from On Fountain Pens has all the details!
• A Maldives beach awash in bioluminescent phytoplankton, at Colossal. 
• The Pen Addict reviews the Retro51 Tornado black acrylic fountain pen. 

Review: @ZebraPen nuSpiral 0.7mm Ballpoint Pen - Teal @JetPens

This beauty arrived in my mailbox not too long ago, after many months of my coveting one. I never could find the teal in my local Staples so I kept leaving it out of my cart when I went. But alas! The gorgeous teal is in my possession! MUAHAHA!

The whole pen is color matched, aside from the ink, which is black. The clip and body is a beautiful translucent teal, the grip is a more opaque teal, and the trim is chrome. I love being able to see the insides of the barrel because the clicker mechanism is really neat. The "spiral" is at the top of the pen, above the grip. It doesn't get in the way of holding the pen and it looks really awesome. I don't know how Zebra came up with the idea to put pretty colored spirals on the pen, but it's a great idea and it is very pretty. The grip is smooth and rubbery with just enough texture to provide grip. It's a moderately firm grip but is very comfortable to hold. The whole pen is evenly weighted and centered just right for my grip. 

Depending where you get your Spiral from, there are different colors available - black, blue, green, pink, orange, yellow... basically, any color to make your heart happy. Or, you can get all and make your heart really happy! Because I love the teal but now I'm eyeing some of the other colors already.

As for "it's just a ballpoint" - well, yes, it is a ballpoint. But the tip is fine and precise, although it's a 0.7mm, it seems a bit finer to me. It's refillable with the Zebra F refill - although I wish there were more colors of ink available, I'm thrilled that this pretty pen is refillable at all!  The pen writes very well - smooth, crisp, and consistent. It also does not blob or skip. That's right, no blobs which means no smudges and smears, and safe for left-handed writers! And another great thing - it starts writing instantly. 

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite ballpoint pens. This also may be one of my favorite Zebra pens ever.

Check out another review!
Tiger Pens

Price
JetPens - $10.00
Zebra - $6.44 (only black, blue, green, teal)
Refills - $3.24 for three

Overall
Skip the boring Zebra stainless steel pen (ok... relatively boring) and get the Spiral instead! It's way more comfortable and way prettier to look at! It's refillable and writes wonderfully, even for a ballpoint. I am going to keep my Spiral in my purse where I can show it off regularly. Plus, refills are a great price which makes this pen even more worth it. I highly recommend you add this pen to your collection, in at least one color!

Wordless Wednesday

Pen, Ink & Paper P0rn: Akkerman Hofkwartier Groen @Vanness1938

Ah... the gorgeous shading of Akkerman's  Hofkwartier Groen... (you may have seen this on my Instagram, where I post a lot of pen p0rn and cats).

Giveaway at @Shoplet @PentelofAmerica

In celebration of National Handwriting Awareness Day on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014, Pentel is sponsoring this week’s Shoplet giveaway. Shoplet is giving away three heaping Pentel prize packs! Giveaway closes Monday, January 27th, 2014. Click here for details!

---

Shoplet UK is giving away a GLO UK notebook! There will be four winners, and this giveaway is for UK residents only. Click here for details!

---

Giveaway Round Up @Omiyage_ca @QuinnCreative

Omiyage is giving away washi tape on their Instagram! ... Don't lie. You love washi tape. I see you already looking for the link. Here it is. Winner will be selected on Friday, January 24th, 2014, so make sure you get your entries in before then!

---

Quinn from Quinn Creative (a very enjoyable blog, even though I have zero artistic skills) is giving away a 2-3/4-inch ceramic dish of Yasutomo pale gold sumi-e paint! The winner will be announced January 27th, 2014. Click here for details!

---

Sunday Reads - January 19. 2014

• Ed Jelley presents the Tactile Turn “Mover” and “Shaker” review and Kickstarter launch. 
• These images remind me how lucky I am to be safe. Le sigh... so sad. 
• My Pen Needs Ink reviews the Quiver pen holder.
• InCoWriMo is back for 2014! Are you in?
• Ed Jelley talks about pocket notebooks and what fountain pen friendly really means.
• Ecclectitbits reviews the candy-looking Campo Marzio Design USB fountain pen. Also, the Australian ink Toucan Bright Blue. From a pouch. wantwantwantwant.
• Pens! Paper! Pencils! does another adorable ink review - this time, of Diamine Sunset.
• Good Writers Pens reviews the Parsons Italix Originalis. I'm a fan of this pen myself. 
• Want your name written in Japanese calligraphy? You can have it done for $5!
• Homemade pretzels. God I'm hungry. 
• From The Pen Cup shows us a wickedly gorgeous white Delta Fusion 82. mustnotlookforonemustnotlookforone...

@InCoWriMo and Giveaway at @WeThePPIL

This year for InCoWriMo, Pen Paper Ink Letter is giving you a unique opportunity! Not only do you have a recipient - PPIL - you also will get a prize, in addition to a reply! Your entry must be received by February 28th, 2014. That's pretty awesome. Check it out!

@HathawayStudios Giveaway for @InCoWriMo

Ah... InCoWriMo.. that sweet time of the year where we all go nuts and write letters like crazy and smear ink all over our bodies and mouths... what? Oh right, we do that year round. Nevermind.

InCoWriMo 2014 begins on February 1st, 2014! The very kind Hathaway Studios has generously decided to give away a fountain pen in honour of InCoWriMo! You can enter to win this fountain pen by sending a handwritten letter, postcard, or note during the month of February and it must be received by February 28th, 2014. The winner of the drawing will be announced on March 3rd.  No purchase necessary to enter.

Click here for details and the address!

Watch the pen being made here:

Giveaway at @JetPens

JetPens is giving away some goodies! Giveaway is for US residents only, and is open until January 22nd, 2014. Click here for details!

• Pentel Slicci Gel Ink Pen - 0.25 mm
• Kokuyo Design Paracuruno Slanted Page Notebook - A6 Size Graph

Review: @UniBall_USA Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.7mm @JetPens

I was finally able to procure the colors I wanted of the Uni-ball Jetstream color series from JetPens! Hurray! These bad boys came out as new arrivals at JetPens awhile ago but they kept selling out of one of the colors I wanted and I hate not ordering complete sets of things so I had to wait until they were all in stock. I'm very complicated.

These pens have a great design. The whole body, grip, clip, and clicker is color matched to the barrel of ink that is visible through a portion of translucent barrel. There is a very small amount of white trim at the clip and the writing on the clip is in white as well. The grip is quite nice - it's soft, has a few ridges for texture, and it joins nicely with the barrel. My favorite part of the design is on the side of the pen, there is a little space in the barrel and underneath is written "Jetstream" in white letters. It's a little touch that adds some pizzazz to the design. Yes. I may be nuts.

The design of the pen makes them really comfortable to hold and they're definitely pieces of eye candy. No complaints from me here. The colors are all fairly light, but with the 0.7mm tip, I think they come out dark and inky enough that they are easily visible. I have read this may not be the case with the 0.5mm tips, so if you are worried about that, stick with 0.7mm.

The Jetstream is supposed to be a really smooth writer and it sure doesn't disappoint. I barely had to touch the tip to the page for the pen to start writing and the lines were always smooth, consistent, and clean. Although these are not advertised as ergonomic pens, a pen that writes with such ease will alleviate hand fatigue and thus, in my books, falls into the category of ergonomic. Unless you are crazy and still have a death grip and carve into the paper no matter what you're writing with. In that case, perhaps it will not be ergonomic in your hands. But that's okay because you'll probably still like it.

Being a ballpoint pen, the ink is fast drying and good for all writers out there - both right- and left-handed. No smudges, no smears. I have heard that sometimes the Jetstream pens skip a little. I'm guessing this is related to writing angle because I didn't have this problem. I actually had a few spots that blobbed ever so slightly. Not REAL blobs like the PaperMate InkJoys or anything, just small little ones, and they still dried so fast that they didn't smudge or smear, which is usually the main concern with blobs.

Jet Around For More Reviews
The Pen Addict - Orange
The Pen Addict - Purple

Price
JetPens - $2.50

Overall
These pens are great looking, really smooth, super easy to write with, and come in an array of very pretty colors. While they are not cheap, they certainly are a pleasure to write with and having a whole set of colors of these will tickle your heart. Unless you hate ballpoints, you best pick up one.