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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

We're currently in the middle of summer vacation season, and Turquoise from Graf von Faber-Castell has me thinking of Indonesian beach scenes due to it's calming light turquoise color. While not my favorite turquoise ink, the one does offer a different, lighter take on the hue that is refreshing.

Like any turquoise ink, there's a delicious mixture of blue and green that reminds me of an idyllic tropical paradise. In some light, I see more blue coming through predominately, while other lights bring out the green. This changing nature is something that I always enjoy in an ink (as long as it matches up with the name and base color).

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What gives this ink a unique feel is the precise lack of saturation compared to other teal and turquoise inks on the market. The ink looks thinner and less saturated than others I've used, but that's an illusion. There's plenty of color in the ink, but the light saturation doesn't lower the vibrancy at all. It's still gorgeous, which is something I can't say about other inks that seem watered-down or semi-transparent.

One of my favorite features of any blue or green ink is the shading property. In Turquoise, I'm delighted to report that there's plenty of moderate shading to be found. Obviously, this will be more dramatic with wider nibbed pens, but it even shows up well with fine nibs.

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This is my first exposure to a Faber-Castell ink, so I wasn't sure what to expect as far as feathering, dry time, lubrication, and cleaning. Well, this ink is incredibly well-behaved. I haven't detected any feathering or bleeding, and due to the light color, there's almost zero show-through on most papers. The ink lubricates the nib very well, which makes writing smooth and effortless.

Dry time is something that surprised me the most. In most cases, the ink is smudge-resistant after ten seconds, and completely dry by 15. Very fast!

After running the ink through a couple of pens, I was also happy to find that cleaning this ink out from my pens was incredibly easy. It didn't require several passes.

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Overall, this is a fantastic ink that I've enjoyed using over the past few weeks. It has a cheery color, great properties, and a great price as well. I'm using cartridges, which can be had for under $4 for a box of six. If you want a bottle, you're stuck with the gigantic 75ml bottle that runs about $30. To me, a "normal" bottle size is about 50ml, so you get quite a lot for the price. Just make sure you like the color before you commit to such a large amount!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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Myke is back, and he is pretty happy about it it seems! I am too, as we got to catch up on his world travels, including a visit to Haleakala without his Haleakala. Way to go!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

Parker is undoubtedly one of the great legacy penmakers, so it makes sense that they should have their own entry-level fountain pen. The Vector has been around for a long time, and some fresh new colors have brought it back into the spotlight. It's fun and inexpensive and functional--but I don't think it stands up very well against its competitors. There are a lot of good quality affordable fountain pens, now. We're in a golden age of pens and it's easy to be spoiled for choice.

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The Vector is a slim, lightweight fountain pen with a plastic body and metal accents. The grip section and bottom cap where the pen posts are a brushed gunmetal color, and the clip is chrome in the shape of the classic Parker arrow. The grip section is long and slim. The nib is plain stainless steel over a smooth feed.

My first thought, when I lifted the pen from its box, was, "Is this a disposable fountain pen?" That's not a good sign, probably, because, no--it's not. But the plastic it's made of feels like it is. Maybe it's the snap cap with a lack of cap band, but it reminds me a bit of a Crayola marker. It feels like it's not meant to last. For a $12 pen I'm not expecting an heirloom, of course, but it wasn't a good first impression.

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The $12 price tag is a little misleading, as well, because the pen doesn't come with a converter. That's a separate $9.25. So, $21.25 is closer to the real cost. When compared with other beginner pens that come with converters, this feels like it's priced a bit high for this quality.

The writing experience hasn't been very impressive, either. It does write, and the Parker blue ink it comes with is beautiful and well behaved, but I'd want to buy a bottle and put it in a different pen. The nib isn't too scratchy, but I had some drying issues and the feed seemed to struggle to keep the flow going when writing for longer periods. The grip section is also uncomfortable. It isn't shaped at all and it's slick, so I was constantly having to readjust my grip. The plastic edge where the body meets the section is also quite sharp. There's no smoothing or band there, so it's just raw plastic.

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All told, there isn't much about this pen that would move me to recommend it, even for a beginner. The Pilot Metropolitan is ultimately less expensive and much better quality. Parker makes some really fantastic fountain pens, but this one doesn't seem to fit the brand. Perhaps my expectations are playing a role in my disappointment here, but I don't see myself reaching for this pen.

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Rhodia Goalbook is a soft, leatherette-covered notebook designed primarily for bullet journaling. The book has two ribbon bookmarks and a built in envelope pocket on the back cover.

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It has six table of contents pages, which is quite ample. I really love this feature whether you use the book for goal planning, journaling, or general writing.

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A vertical calendar (perpetual) follows the table of contents pages with six months on two facing pages and the other six months on the next two facing pages.

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Next are monthly pages divided horizontally into three months per page.

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The remainder of the notebook is comprised of 224 dot-grid pages with page numbers printed in the bottom corner.

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Since I don’t use the bullet journal method, I decided to use my Rhodia Goalbook as a Commonplace Book. A Commonplace Book is simply a notebook used to compile notes, quotations, and other information you want to keep. I’m primarily using mine to keep track of what I’m reading along with quotations and other snippets of information I find relevant or interesting.

I’m using the vertical calendar to keep track of when I start and finish reading a book.

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In the monthly section, I list all the books (or short stories) I’ve read that month along with my rating for most of them.

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I set aside the first few pages of the notebook to test different inks and nib sizes to see how well the paper holds up. There’s a bit of show through, but no bleed through.

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In the remainder of the book, I’ve been writing out selections from the books I’ve been reading along with some quotations and other material, such as the theme song to one of my favorite television series, The Expanse. Cool fact: did you know that the title song is in Norwegian (apparently not grammatically correct Norwegian, but still)?

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You can see that next to the book quotations I’ve identified major themes. I plan to index these at the end of my notebook.

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I also wrote a summary paragraph describing what I thought of the book.

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I think the Rhodia Goalbook works well as a Commonplace Book since it already has a table of contents and enumerated pages. Obviously, it would also be perfect for bullet journaling.

Rhodia’s cream-colored Premium "R" 90 g paper paper is smooth and very fountain pen friendly. The dot-grid pattern makes it easy to write either vertically or horizontally, and of course you can use the dots to make check boxes if you’re bullet journaling. The two ribbons are handy so that you can bookmark two sections of the journal for easy reference.

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You can purchase the Rhodia Goalbook from JetPens for $24.95. The Goalbooks come in a wide array of colors: sapphire, iris, purple, black, chocolate, turquoise, yellow, anise, silver, tangerine, orange, taupe, beige, lilac, poppy, and raspberry. I think it’s another terrific offering from Rhodia.

(Exaclair provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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There is no shortage of awesome carry goods on the market, and Mark’s Togakure Multi Organizers look like another great option for carrying SO MANY THINGS! Just look at all the pockets it has. I’m giving one of these away this week, so read the rules below and get to entering!

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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

If there's one thing I always wish there were more of, it's high-quality sticky notes. The brand that made sticky notes famous doesn't use the highest quality paper, which is a bummer. There are a few other companies that strive to make sticky notes that work with more than just standard ballpoints and gel pens, but they are few and far between.

I recently discovered the Kyokuto F.O.B. COOP To Do List Sticky Notes (what a name, right? I'll refer to them as Kyokuto sticky notes from now on.), which has renewed my interest in this category. The Kyokuto sticky notes come in three variations: To Do List, Daily, and Weekly. Each sticky pad has 30 one-sided sheets and measures in at 2 x 5.5 inches. This is a perfect size for attaching these small notes to the margin of another notebook, planner, or calendar.

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The to do list variant has 15 lines with check boxes included. The Daily version has hourly markers starting at 9 and ending at 22. Finally, the weekly version includes all seven days of the week along with three small check boxes for each day next to the date section.

Each sticky note pad has a translucent protective cover that looks really cool. Yeah, it has some branding and example scribbles on the cover, but I like the frosty translucent look.

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In use, I've found it easier to remove a sticky note and apply it to another surface before I start jotting down notes, but it works fine while still in the pad. Your mileage may vary.

On the surface, these sticky pads seem to do a great job of filling their utilitarian purpose. In practice, I think it will come down to personal preference and how small you can write. In every variation, I don't have a comfortable amount of room to write out my tasks, agenda, or events. I don't enjoy writing small, but I also don't think I write that large in the first place. 2x5.5" is a convenient size, but I'd love to see a 2.5x7" or something similar so I have a little extra room to breathe.

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The quality of these little pads is top notch. The printing is sharp, the shading on different rows in the daily planner is great, and the idea is fantastic. The paper quality is great, but not resilient against certain fountain pen/ink combinations. In my practice, fine nibs with inks that have anti-bleed tendencies are best with these sticky pads. That said, these pads are only meant to be written on the top side, which makes bleed-through irrelevant as long as the bleed doesn't soak into the next page. I haven't had that happen, but I'm sure some inks are up to the challenge.

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Gel pens, rollerballs, and ballpoints work great with this paper. It's a smooth, glossy texture that's pleasant to use. The top inch of the paper has an adhesive backing, so sticking these notes onto other surfaces is easy and secure. I haven't had any issues with corners pulling up or notes falling out of notebooks, so that's a good sign that Kyokuto have used a good adhesive in these pads. That said, the notes are still easy to remove or move around without any degraded adhesive performance.

I think my favorite of the three is the generic to do list variant. It's the most versatile of the bunch, but I like all three. They're a perfect companion to your favorite notebook, planner, or paper calendar.

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The Kyokuto F.O.B COOP to do list sticky notes are $5.50 a piece, which means you'll spent over $15 for all three. At 30 sheets, this seems like a premium price, but they are well made. If these were closer to the three-dollar mark, it would be an easier sell, but the price still feels fair if you plan on using these every now and then instead of one or two per day.

You'll probably know from looking at the pictures here or on JetPens whether or not these will be something that you splurge on. If you pick some up, you certainly won't be disappointed by the quality! These cute planner assistants are a lot of fun and do the job well.

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

Who can resist the allure of a pack of brightly colored fineliner pens? Not me. Probably not a lot of you. Honestly, why try? Especially when they're from Zebra.

This pack of 12 fineliners is part of the Zebra Zensations line--art and coloring tools perfect for zentangles or other relaxing ink crafts. I've played with a lot of fineliners and have a decent stash of them already, so I'd planned to pass this pack off to the kids after the review. But I like them so much they snuck right back into my pen cup. They're now among my favorites.

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The pen body is sturdy black plastic with a colorful wrap that shows the color of the ink. The clip is also the ink color, so it's easy to tell what you're reaching for. The clip is fantastic. It's strong but flexible and has enough room that it can clip to a book cover or a nice chunk of pages. The grip section is also in coordinated colored plastic. It's slim and tapers a bit, so there may be some slipping if you're using the pen for longer periods. I found it very comfortable to hold, though.

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The tip is a .8 mm "needle point" felt tip. I've been a bit spoiled by insanely fine tips, so calling this a fine/needle point seems off to me. I'd consider this to be a fairly broad fineliner, but its lines are very crisp and precise.

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The ink is water resistant, acid free, and archival quality. The colors are very rich and vibrant, and the tip provides excellent coverage. I think they're fantastic for coloring and journaling and I suspect artists would get good use from them as well.

Despite all this awesomeness, they're at the low end of the price range for fineliners. It's $1.75 apiece for open stock, or this pack of 12 costs $19.

If you need to get some colorful zen into your life, I'd snap these up.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

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(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Leonardo Officina Italiana is a new brand of fountain pen, but the company who produces it has been around for a long time. The Casa della Stilografica shop was founded in 1944 by Antonio Sacchetti. Today, Marco Moricci, Antonio’s grandson, along with his father, Vittorio, and mother, Patrizia, run the shop.

Leonardo pens are hand turned by solid bar in either resin or celluloid. The name “Momento Zero” means “a new beginning,” and refers to the shop’s own brand of pens (although they carry a variety of other brands).

When I saw photographs of the new Leonardo Officina Italiana fountain pens, I was impressed. I read a review in which the writer had purchased one of the celluloid models and one of the resin models. The celluloid models come with 14k gold nibs whereas the resin ones have steel nibs. The reviewer said he couldn’t tell the difference between the 14k nib and the steel one—that’s how good the steel nibs are.

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The Leonardo Momento Zero comes in a classic black box with the company’s logo on the top. Inside, you’ll find the pen, a pamphlet, and a card certifying that the pen was made in Italy.

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Although initially I was tempted to buy one of the Abyss Celluloid pens, I decided to try a resin model first. I chose the Momento Zero Positano turquoise. Positano is a town on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and I assume the color is meant to mimic the beautiful sea coast near the town. Although the color is called “Turquoise,” in person it’s more of a cerulean blue. I matched it with Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku ink and they complement one another perfectly. The resin is absolutely beautiful with swirls of white and blue variations that really do look like ocean water.

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The pen honestly doesn’t feel like resin—it has more heft to it since the resin is impressively thick. This is no cheap plastic pen; it exudes quality. It’s a large pen: 5.6 inches/142mm closed, 5.08 inches/129mm uncapped, and 6.7 inches/170mm posted, but it is not as thick in diameter as, say, a Montblanc 149.

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Beautiful details set this pen apart. Both the cap finial and the barrel bottom are conically shaped rather than flat.

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The clip looks very Omas-like, with a roller ball that aids in slipping the clip onto a pocket or a stack of papers.

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The cap is adorned with two thin gold bands. The barrel also sports a gold band where the barrel meets the cap and near the bottom of the barrel. These details make the pen look super classy.

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The company’s name is inscribed subtly on the pen’s barrel along with the number of the pen. Mine is number 217.

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The pen comes with a custom Leonardo converter that is especially nice. It screws in to the grip unit and is very well made.

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The nib is gold-colored steel. I chose a stub nib and had to wait a little longer for it, but it was worth it. The nib is engraved with “Leonardo Officina Italiana” the Leonardo logo (outspread wings), and the nib size.

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The stub nib offers really nice line variation and is smooth and trouble free. It writes better than some of my solid gold nibs, although occasionally I’ll hear a little scratchy sound as though there’s an errant piece of metal hitting the paper. I’ve checked the nib thoroughly and can’t find any abnormalities in the nib, so it may just be the angle I’m holding the pen. Regardless, I love how this pen writes.

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I am thoroughly in love with my Leonardo Momento Zero pen. It is extremely well made and it feels like it will last forever. You can purchase the resin models in a variety of colors: turquoise, red, blue, brown-gold, red-gold, matte black, blue-gold, deep blue-gold, and brown vintage. The base price if you purchase directly from the Stilografica shop is €121.31 excluding VAT.

Pros

• The Leonardo Momento Zero pen is immaculate. The resin is beautiful and the trim makes for a classic look.
• I really like the quality of the custom convertor that comes with the pen.
• The steel stub nib on this pen is simply fantastic. It offers excellent line variation and smooth writing.
• Depending on the exchange rate, €121.31 translates to about $140.00 (plus shipping). I think this is an excellent price for such a well made pen.

Cons

• I usually find some factor that detracts from fountain pens I review, but in all honesty, I am completely satisfied with my Leonardo. I highly recommend this company and the pens they make in house.

(I purchased this pen with my own funds and received no compensation from Casa della Stilografica for this review.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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I’m back from the D.C. Pen Show and recap the madness. Fortunately this year, it was a good type of madness. I also bought a pen!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Harry's : New customers get $5 off with the code PENADDICT.

Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code PENADDICT at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

I should have rigged this one so I could win because I’m really liking the looks of the Mark’s Togakure Multi Organizers. I’ll just have to go order one myself, because this one is going to:

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Congrats Patrick - I’ve sent you an email to collect your info. Stay tuned for what I can come up with next week!

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

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— Chronodex visual scheduler and task management on MD Paper (Scription)

— WaterField Designs Tech Folio (Tools and Toys)

— The Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso Ballpoint Pen (Write eXperience)

— Why I Use Paper Notebooks in 2018 (512px on YouTube)

— Spoke Art Brings The Moleskine Project to New York City For the First Time (Juxtapoz Magazine)

— Palette. (Present&Correct)

— The Digital Wheel: Mab Graves Shares Insight on Balancing Social Media and Creating Art (Juxtapoz Magazine)

— Review: Pelikan Classic M200 Brown Marble Fountain Pen (The Pencilcase Blog)

— The Surprising Contents of Leonardo Da Vinci’s To-Do List (My Modern Met)

— A 4-Week Journaling Workshop: On Keeping a Notebook (Wonder Pens)

— PaperMate InkJoy Capped Gel Pen - 0.7 (The Clicky Post)

— Ink Shot Review: KWZI Raspberry (Gourmet Pens)

— Review: Composition Notebooks at Staples 2018 (Comfortable Shoes Studio)

— D.C Pen Show Experience and Japan! (Notebook Joy)

— Schmidt Easyflow 9000 Review (Irv’s Stationery)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!

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Out of the vast rainbow of fountain pen ink colors available, there are two shades I generally don’t care for: Red and Green. Red does nothing for me - bright, brick, blood - none of it registers. Green was there at one time too, especially traditional greens and dark greens. I think it is time I moved green off the list, because I found a new one I am enjoying immensely.

Graf von Faber-Castell Viper Green is one of the newest GvFC inks, which I picked up from Vanness Pens at the D.C. Pen Show. I was looking for a new ink to match my recently purchased Nakaya Piccolo Heki-Tamenuri and its brown-green finish, and Viper Green has turned out to be a great match.

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For me, Akkerman #28 Hofkwartier Groen is the only green that sees regular use. It’s bright with yellow undertones and has fantastic shading. It looks great in all nibs, but shines in wide ones. Viper Green shares some of the same brightness I enjoy from Hofkwartier Groen, but with less yellow. It’s like a bright apple green hard candy on the page.

Traditional, standard production line greens (think Lamy, Waterman, Sheaffer) are some of my least favorite inks around. They tend to look washed out and weak, with no character at all. Viper Green has great character, with a deepness and saturation that makes it pop off the page. There is not a huge shading range, but enough to where you can see the variance. It dries reasonably well too, at least on the few pages I’ve tried it on.

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While I’ve enjoyed several of the darker green inks I’ve reviewed, they never stick in the rotation. I’m not sure why. They are nice, and loved my many. Maybe it’s not my aesthetic. That’s ok, I have bright greens to fall back on, and Viper Green fits the bill perfectly.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

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I’m a big fan of all things Story Supply Co., so of course I said yes at the D.C. Pen Show when they asked me if I wanted some of their new SMR Edition notebooks to give away. I have two three-packs on hand, so two winners will be picked this weekend. Read the rules below and enter away!

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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

To this day, gel pens continue to be one of the most accessible categories for exposing people to the wonders of pens. With so many options, it's difficult to imagine what else can be done in this space to innovate and provide something new and worthy of existence. In most cases, the easiest route of expansion is in offering more colors or more tip sizes. But, it's more rare to see offerings that focus on providing the same great gel pen experience with a dry time that's 85% faster than standard gel pens.

That's right — 85% faster. The Zebra Sarasa SE line of pens is similar to the regular Sarasa line in every way, except these things dry incredibly fast.

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If you've never used a Zebra Sarasa pen before, you're missing out on one of the top five gel refills available today. They're available in several different sizes and configurations, but they all deliver vibrant colors, crisp lines, and a smooth feel. Add on super fast dry time, and you've got a seriously impressive pen refill.

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I picked up several of these pens to try out, and in that batch I picked black, blue, red, green, and violet to test. Each of these colors is beautiful and vivid. Even the black is incredibly rich and dark — similar in richness and depth as the popular Pentel EnerGel series.

The body and grip of the SE pens are also similar to the other Sarasa lines, which is just fine. They're comfortable to use, the clips are nice and strong, and they perform great in that respect.

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When I started writing, I was impressed by the crisp lines and bright colors. It wasn't until I moved my palm across the page to write somewhere else that I noticed that it didn't create any smudges. I was pleasantly surprised, so I started testing the dry times to see just how fast it was. In most cases, the ink was smudge-proof within 2 seconds. In every case, 3 seconds did the trick. This is incredible! Especially considering how wet these 0.7mm tips are. These aren't ultra-fine tips — there's a good amount of ink coming out when writing.

These pens are perfect for jotting notes when you're out. You don't have to worry about immediately closing your notebook because there won't be any excess ink on the opposite page. For left-handed users, this ink is fabulous. I'm mostly right-handed, but I'm working on training my left hand to write as well. When I was using these pens in my left hand, I never had any smudges on the page and there wasn't any ink on my palm when I was done.

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I'm not sure how Zebra did this. There's normally a trade off if you market a pen as having an ultra-fast drying ink. In this case, the Sarasa SE line has smooth feel, vibrant colors, and incredibly fast dry times.

The Zebra Sarasa SE is fairly new, but there's already a nice selection of colorful inks. You're also limited to the 0.7mm tip size, so hopefully we see additional options soon. Pick some up the next time you make an order with JetPens! At under two bucks a pop, they're low risk experiments, and I'm willing to bet that you'll love them after writing with them.

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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

The Teranishi Magic Glow Slim Black Note Markers are a bit of a marker-paint pen hybrid. They operate like markers in that they have felt bullet tips that don't require any priming, but the pigment ink behaves more like a paint. It's a pretty happy medium, if that's what your craft requires.

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The build of the marker is excellent. They're sturdy and well labeled, the snap caps snap with enough satisfaction that you know they'll protect the felt tip. I was underwhelmed with the felt tips, though. They seemed a bit rough and the quality was inconsistent. Some of the markers seemed to have dried out a little in the package, so the lines were not as opaque as the wetter ones. When I applied some pressure--not a lot!--to try and squeeze out a little bit of pigment, I completely broke it. Oops! My favorite color, too! So be careful with the tips. When they say they don't require priming, they mean "don't press on this at all".

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The pigment is very rich on white paper and shows up nice and bright. On black paper, it goes on dark, then give it a few seconds, then it pales to a vibrant opaque color. It looks a lot like the liquid chalk on the menus at coffee shops. It's a nice effect and it does its job well.

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These could be really fun for card making or scrapbooking--but it would have to be a project you want to invest in. At $3.55 apiece or $42 for a 12-color set, these are pricey. In my opinion, too pricey. But if it's exactly the tool you need for a special project, it may be worth it. Just be careful with those tips!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

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(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Yenderings is a Toronto-based company that creates custom cases and pen and journal wraps based on menswear designs with colors and themes from the city of Toronto. The designer uses one principle: “fanciful functionality.” According to the website,

Every design contains functional features such as zip pockets to hold all various sundries, strategically placed external pockets for easy access to notebooks and pens and ultrasuede linings to provide soft and cozy protection for your tools. Fanciful elements are then incorporated to add flair and a bit of > je ne sais quoi> to your every day carry.

The pen roll I’m reviewing is called the Toronto AM02 Sugar Beach. It is designed after an urban water park in the Distillery District.

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"Sugar Beach", By Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine [CC0], from Wikimedia Commons

For this case,

We drew the colours from Sugar Beach's iconic flamingo pink umbrellas popping against the sand and a crystal blue sky. Mix in some orange Creamsicles with whimsical polka dots to feel that everywhere you go with this roll. We even threw in some cork for that summertime feeling!

The outside of the pen case is made of a linen blend and a cork panel. It features a pocket that can hold two Field Notes-sized notebooks. Of course, I put a Nock Notebook in, because . . . well, you know.

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The inside of the case is lined with aqua ultrasuede and has six pen slots. The slots are large enough to hold oversized pens, such as the Montblanc 149. Obviously, smaller pens will fit nicely as well.

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The fabric on the inside is a super fun orange polkadot that makes for a sweet contrast with the aqua ultrasuede. The flap folds over to keep the pens from scratching one another.

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The case is lined in flamingo pink and has a matching fabric tie. The stitching is aqua.

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I wouldn’t really call this a pen roll, since you actually just fold it over (unless you want your notebooks to develop a pen-roll curve). Still, it is small enough to slip in a briefcase, backpack pocket, or a large purse.

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Because all Yenderings cases are custom made, you might not be able to purchase this exact model, though it’s currently still for sale for $70.00 CAD (= $53.20 USD) plus shipping. Go to the catalog page to see what’s currently available. If you don’t fancy this design there are others from which to choose. And, even better, you can have a pen case custom designed specifically for you (prices vary).

The Yenderings Toronto Sugar Beach Pen Roll is a whimsical, beautifully-made pen roll. I love the color combinations on this case and the soft ultrasuede. The only thing I’m not too keen on is the cork, but that’s just a matter of personal taste. If you’re looking for a pen roll or case that is unique and handmade, I highly recommend Yenderings.

(The Yenderings Pen Roll was purchased at full price by The Pen Addict for review.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

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Is there a pen that changed how you think about all other pens? It doesn’t have to be the best pen, or your favorite pen, but a pen, as a listener put it, that was a game-changer. Myke and I talk about our game-changing pens, dig into the lack of orange in the new Lamy Crystal ink release, and discuss writing letters … with an app.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Pen Chalet: Click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password ‘penaddict’ for this week’s special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.

Mack Weldon: Smart underwear for smart guys. Get 20% off your first order with the code PENADDICT.

One of these days I’ll be smart enough to pick up extras of great products like the Story Supply SMR Edition notebooks for me to use. Until then, I’m giving away the two packs provided to me in D.C. by Vito and Gabe, the boys behind the brand. And the winners are:

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Congrats Matthew and Jennifer! Check your email and send me your shipping address when you get the chance.

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

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— Fountain Pen Ink Properties (Mountain of Ink)

— It takes a Pencil to create a Fountain Pen (Bleistift)

— Doodling with a set of Staedtler Triplus XB Ballpoint 1.0 mm pens (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

— Montblanc Red Fox (Petit Prince LE series) (Wondernaut)

— Inventery Pen Pocket Fountain Pen Review (The Finer Point)

— Paper Review: Composition Notebooks (The Well-Appointed Desk)

— No White After Labor Day: How The M6xx Makes That A Hard Rule To Abide (The Pelikan’s Perch)

— Pen Review: Faber-Castell Ondoro (Orange, F Nib) (Hand Over That Pen)

— Esmie Paperback Notebook Review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

— Montblanc Le Petit Prince Fountain Pen Collection Overview (Gourmet Pens)

— News: M805 Raden Royal Platinum (The Pelikan’s Perch)

— Ink Review: ColorVerse #45 Strelka, #46 JFK’s Dog Pushinka (The Well-Appointed Desk)

— Kinokuniya Book Store’s Grand Opening Events in Austin August 18 (Broadway World Books)

— Miniature Mascots - Stationery Toy Capsule Fun (Bleistift)

— Review: Scribes’ Ink Macallan Scottish Whisky (Alt. Haven)

— “I Want to Paint Every Color in the World” (Hyperallergic)

— The Mehlville: A Super Designey Dual-Compartment Carabiner (Core77)

— Ice Cube Celebrates The Eames (Dwell)

— Ailsa Johnson’s illustrations draw on the everyday magic of Japanese culture (It’s Nice That)

— ‘On the Origin: The Unofficial Guide to Pokémon Design’ by Noah Shepherd (Tools and Toys)

— Signs of Change? (Ink Market) (Crónicas Estilográficas)

— The London Fog has taught me that it’s OK to meet your heroes (UK fountain pens)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!

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The people are the best part of any pen show.

I talk about this all the time, and it is the truth. There were shining examples of amazing people in Washington D.C. from the moment I arrived until the moment I left.

Meeting Diane was a highlight for me, and what she has done here for all of us is nothing short of amazing. She showed me how she tracks her pen collection using a product called Aeon Timeline, and the results knocked my socks off. I asked if she would be interested in writing a guest post about her setup for The Pen Addict. Little did I know what would arrive in my inbox only days later.

Diane describes herself as "a renegade physicist, engineer, photographer and writer," and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram. I describe her as amazing, and generous. So much so, that I am posting her article in it's full glory as a downloadable .pdf. The time and effort she put into this is unmatched, and I would hate to butcher it when reformatting for the blog.

Download Currently Inked with Aeon Timeline (4.4 MB .pdf)

I'm out of superlatives for what Diane has created here and shared with us all, so thank you Diane! If you find this useful, or end up creating your own Currently Inked database please let me know, and let Diane know how fantastic this information is.