La Plume Etoile

Thanks to Karen at Exaclair, I recently had the opportunity to try some very fun and fancy inks.  J. Herbin’s Encres Acidulees Effet Scintillant  are Herbin’s group of Pearlescent Inks.  These inks are NOT for fountain pens, they are for dip nibs only.  There are several colors, all of which have a shiny/glittery/pearlescent sheen.  I discuss each ink in the group below.

The Colors (listed in the same order as the sample photo): 

Pink:  A lovely bubblegum pink color.  When the ink is thinning on the nib, it can be sheer.  Frequent dipping to have a lot of ink on your quill/nib is best.

Peach (Peach):  A lighter, less pink color with more orange to it.  Same properties as the pink.

Blue:   A dark royal blue color.  It was really nice and quite a surprise as I expected a sky blue color since the rest in the group are more pastel.  As you can see, it doesn’t show up well on the darker paper.  I suspect it would do fabulously on a lighter paper.

Yellow:  Bright!  Despite it’s brightness, the hue is more of a softer yellow rather than obviously neon.

Green:  Also quite bright.   Maybe a prime creamy avocado?

Consistency/On Paper:  This ink takes a little trial and error to get it right.  I had to try a few nibs, but then found it worked well with some of the very small Brause nibs (again from Karen and distributed through Exaclair) because the smaller nibs held the ink and allowed it to flow onto the paper best.  The bigger nibs didn’t let the ink flow down well enough to complete a line.  Even with the small nibs, I had to dip often to keep enough ink on the nib so that the ink stayed thick and didn’t thin out like you can see in part of the writing sample.  I also had to take care in my pressure on the nib to avoid the ink transferring too quickly to the paper and creating blobs, as is a concern with wet ink.  However, I found working with care and patience avoided this problem.  This is definitely an ink to play with when you have some relaxing time to devote your attention without rushing.

Paper choice was also an issue.  I’ll save you some time — you can avoid reaching for the cheap paper.  This ink needs sturdy, thicker, high quality paper to support the thickness and composition of these inks.  The brown paper in the photo is a sample of G.Lalo (again, distributed by Exaclair  - this paper is great and a review is forthcoming).   The inks were very happy to be paired with G. Lalo paper and you shouldn’t have a problem if you use G. Lalo or a similar high quality paper.

An additional note is to take care in handling your writing even after the ink has dried.  As you can see in the photo, the pearlescence tends to smear a bit.

Overall:   There have been some other blogs in the pen and ink world that have given these inks poor reviews.  However, I really enjoyed testing these inks and plan to use them for special occasion items such as when writing someone a special card.  I already used the yellow color to make an artistic name card for someone special (on grey G. Lalo paper in case you are interested – it was a lively combination!).  I will be using these in the future.  If you are interested in them , I would recommend giving them a chance and playing with the right nib and paper combinations.  I have not tried other calligraphy inks that may be similar to these, so I cannot compare them to other brands.  I also just learned there are a few colors (like coral red!) that I did not get to try.  I must have that coral red!

Purchasing and Pricing: A pack of 5 assorted 10ml will run you around $20, depending on the retailer.

First, I want to wish all my readers a Happy New Year.  Thank you for reading La Plume Etoile and sharing your comments and experiences with me.  I hope 2013 is a great year for you!

Now, onto today’s post topic:   I’ve been thinking about making changes to my pen maintenance routine for a while now, but didn’t necessarily think it was a post topic.  However, when I saw the Inkophile’s post about her 2013 pen resolutions, I decided to post my own as well.  (I didn’t think she would mind that I used her post as inspiration.)   Besides, announcing one’s resolutions makes one more accountable to follow through with them, right?

1.  Like the Inkophile, I resolve to be better about keeping my pens clean.  I went through a MAJOR overhaul of my pens recently and took weeks flushing and draining and soaking and draining them.  I followed that with more flushing and draining and soaking and draining.  I had groups of pens in about 10 plastic cups stuffed with tissues at one time all strewn on my counter.    Some cups even had more than one pen in them.  It thought this process would last forever, but eventually most pens were clean enough to refill or store.  Rather than go through that ordeal again, I will be more regular in cleaning them.

2.  Resolution #2 is to only fill the pens I am currently using.  I had a habit of keeping ALL pens in my rotation inked at all times.  I did this because all pens and inks were ready to use at my whim.  However, I found this to be less than ideal because ink dried inside the nib.  I couldn’t see it, but the extended flushing procedure told me it was there.  To avoid this in the future, I am going to only ink the pens I regularly use.  I will ink other pens as the mood strikes me, but will have to use that pen until all the ink is used before I fill another.  I will allow myself 2-3 “extra” inked pens outside of the few every day staples.

3.  Lately, I have been defaulting to some of the cheap plastic fountain pens on a regular basis.  So I will continue to make an effort to use the pretty pens more often.

What are your 2013 Pen/Ink/Paper Resolutions?

I am breaking a bit from the normal review items to review a few Westcott items sent to me by Shoplet.com.  Please don’t think I am straying from this blog’s purpose.  I will still continue to review the pens, inks, paper, etc. that are integral to this blog.  However, since these items were sent to me, I have an obligation to post a review.  (For anyone that is still waiting for your product to be reviewed, they are coming!)  Click on image thumbnails for full views.

First Item:  Westcott Titanium Bonded Non-Stick 8″ Straight Handle Scissors

The scissors look like scissors.  They have grey and yellow handles with silver colored blades.  The inside of the blades has a textured coating, which probably is the “non-stick” element.  The yellow part of the handles are a slightly softer rubber.  Despite the softer rubber, I find these scissors to be less comfortable than my cheaper no-name plastic handled scissors.  The blades kind-of stick to each other when you first open the scissors.  They cut fine, but nothing about it’s abilities blew my mind.  I haven’t cut tape with them, but apparently the blades won’t stick on tape or glue.  That could come in handy when packing things with tape.  Overall, they are well made and are very nice scissors.   They are $13.14 at Shoplet.com.

Second Item:  Westcott Scissors Mouse

I had high hopes for this item, but unfortunately I was disappointed.  This item looks like a computer mouse, but is really a scissors and you cut the paper by gliding the mouse across the paper.  The good thing is that it will not damage the surface under your paper because the blade is not exposed and the paper has to go in a little catch on the underside of the mouse before it can be cut.  This item also comes in a variety of nice colors, and a zebra pattern.  There is also a little rule on the front on the mouse so you can line up where you want to cut.  I thought that was a very handy feature.

I first tried this with an index card, but I had to use quite a bit of force to push the mouse all the way through the card and it bent the card while I was pushing it.  It is supposed to handle up to 20 pages at once, so I didn’t think one index card would have been a problem.  I then tried it on 2 pieces of paper together and it performed much better.  This item may be good for those with arthritic fingers who can’t use regular scissors, and some customer reviews on Shoplet.com say that it works great for coupons, scrapbooks, and gift-wrapping.  I will continue to give it a chance, although so far I prefer my regular scissors.  The Scissors Mouse retails for $10.75 at Shoplet.com.

Third Item:  Westcott Kids Scissors with Microban Protection

These are kids scissors for ages 4 and up with a blunt tip.   I didn’t try them because I don’t needs kids scissors, but I would imagine they work like the adult scissors reviewed above.  These scissors have Microban protection, which, according to the package, “contains an antimicrobial ingredient to prevent microorganisms from degrading the product.”

The best thing about these scissors that they sent me is the color — they are pink.  The worst thing about these is the Microban.  If you are into safe and healthy products for your kids, check out these two sites regarding using products with Mircroban:  SafeMama.com and The Daily Green.   If it were for me or my kid, I would look for something without Microban, as I don’t know what harmful effects it could have.

These scissors retail for $2.06 on Shoplet.com.

I have to say I am sorry I didn’t give better reviews to these products.   I do appreciate Westcott and Shoplet providing the products to me, but I have to be honest in my reviews.  I have reviewed these products with my honest opinion.  If you do purchase these products, I hope you enjoy them.

This product was sent to me for review by the kind people at House of Doolittle and Shoplet.com.

I don’t really use these types of calendars (and didn’t know this was being sent to me), so I am going to refer to you to my review on the House of Doolittle Weekly/Monthly Planner for comments on the quality of product and paper.  It is my guess that this desk pad calendar lives up to the same quality as the planner.  For someone that does use this type of desk pad calendar, I think it would be a great choice!

You can purchase this product (for $5.91 + shipping!) from Shoplet.com by clicking here.

I am trying a different kind of planner this time – a wirebound, weekly, large-sized planner made from recycled materials.  Specifically, the 2013 Weekly/Monthly Appointment Planner by House of Doolittle.  This product was sent to me for review by the kind people at House of Doolittle and Shoplet.com.

Cover:  The cover is made from “embossed simulated leather” composed of 50% recycled material.  To be honest, it feels more like a flexible plastic, and one can see texture added.  The cover color of mine is black, although I do not know if it comes in other colors.  If you are a person that likes colors and patterns – fear not!  I am about to give you an opportunity to express your creativity.  What did I do with my plain, all-black cover?  I took out my metallic Sharpie markers and drew a design on the cover.  Now, not only does it look quite spiffy – it is also completely unique!  You can do the same with paints, fabrics, decopage, glitter, etc. to create something completely your own.  (The photos below were taken before I decorated my cover.)

Size: It’s quite large for a planner, 8.5 x 11″ to be exact.  While I normally don’t use planners this large, it’s size actually has a more executive attitude.  I feel like I have more space to write and see my week all at once.

Layout: Each month begins with a month-view calendar, similar to the box format you would find in a wall calendar.  There is a column for notes on the right side.  I used these monthly pages to write birthdays and other important dates so that I can check them at the beginning of each month, as well as transfer the information to the appropriate weekly page.  The rest of the pages are a weekly layout with one full column for each day of the week.  Some smaller planners have shorter spaces for the weekend, but I like that Saturday and Sunday get equal spacing and scheduling time.  The week starts on Monday, and each day has and 8:00 AM – 8:30 PM schedule.  Each hour has two lines, so you can write in something at the half-hour mark if needed.  There is also a “Memos” section at the bottom of each column, and a column for notes off to the side.  Each page is tabbed by month so you can easily flip to the desired month, however, you may need a clip or bookmark for the pages within the current month.  There are a few blank lined pages at the back, and an owner information page at the front.

Paper: The paper is made from 100% Post-Consumer Paper and printed with soy ink.  Let’s be clear, this is not Clairefontaine paper.  For recycled paper, it is fairly smooth.  It is a nice bright white, and printed with blue text and grey lines.  The paper is on the thinner side, but sturdy.  There is definite show-through, both from the page printing and from fountain pen ink.  I have not experienced bleed-through, although Private Reserve’s DC Supershow Blue did have more significant show-through.  Most fountain pen inks do feather slightly on this paper, but it’s not glaringly obvious – you have to look more closely to really see the feathering (although more saturated inks like DCSSB do have slightly more pronounced feathering).

Improvements: It would be nice if the daily schedule starting earlier than 8 AM and ending later than 8:30 PM, although the memo section could be used to compensate for the later hours.  Also, tear-off tabs like the Exaclair-distributed planners would be helpful to easily find the current week within the current month.  I would also like it if there was no feathering and less show-through.  The planner is also non-refillable, which may be a bother to some people.

Other notes: I really like that this planner is made from 100% recycled products, 100% post-consumer paper, 100% made in the USA, 50% recycled cover  material, 90% recycled wire, and printed with soy ink.  I am actually surprised at the high quality of this planner due to it’s mostly recycled content.  It makes me feel more responsible to be using something environmentally friendly, and I like that the company is supporting the US economy by making products at home.  Another cool thing is that the company has been making dated products since 1919 and all of their products are made from recycled materials.  I also really like that the large format and layout lets me see my whole week and each day in it at once, with enough writing room to see actually what I am doing throughout the day.

Overall: I haven’t gotten to use this planner extensively yet because the dates don’t begin until January 1, 2013.  However, I am looking forward to using this and seeing how it goes throughout the year.

Purchase:   If you would like to purchase this planner from Shoplet.com for $14.15 + shipping, click here for the product page.

The first annual Fountain Pen Day will be November 2, 2012!  The holiday will occur the first Friday of November for each year to follow.

There is a website for Fountain Pen Day where you can learn more about it.  The site lists some suggestions to celebrate Fountain Pen Day (FPD), and the organizers are also holding a contest to win a handmade journal by TMLee.  Click here to see how to enter the contest.

As an extra special treat for me, the organizers of FPD have listed La Plume Etoile as one of their resources under “Blogs and Websites.”  Click here to check it out!

I am really excited about Fountain Pen Day and plan to celebrate by using my pens and writing with them for the day.  How will you celebrate?

Ambre De Birmanie means Amber in Burma according to Google Translator.  Is this what Amber looks like in Burma?  I have no idea.  However, I do know that this ink is awesome!

The Color: It reminds me of a goldenrod marker I had as a kid.  It’s a little darker and more orange than a gold color.  However, when I write with it I sort-of feel like I’m writing with liquid gold.

Consistency/On Paper: It’s very wet and has amazing shading.  So far, I have been using it exclusively with a 1.1mm italic nib because I’m obsessed with the shading!

Overall:  I love it!!!  The color is great and shows up well on paper.  The shading also gives it a very elegant character.  The only thing to watch out for is that because the ink is so wet, it will feather or look not as crisp on some cheaper papers.

Purchasing and Pricing: A 30mL bottle runs between $7-12 depending on the retailer and is available at most online retailers catering to fountain pen and ink users.

A Note on the Photos:  I started with some box and bottle photos.  On the doodle photos, the doodles inside the picture frame shape are on Rhodia graph paper (the good paper).  The frame and surrounding doodles are on cheaper notebook paper, for comparison.  Towards the end of the photos, I have included some close-up photos of Ambre on the cheaper paper so you can see some slight feathering.  However, even this cheaper paper handled the ink fairly well.

Here was my issue:

I had a Platinum Preppy pen with an empty cartridge.  I didn’t want to turn the pen itself into an eyedropper because I like the clean, clear barrel.  I tried to rinse the empty cartridge, but the water got trapped inside due to the cartridge’s little floating ball designed to hold ink inside the cartridge.

Here was my solution:

I exchanged a few emails with Margana the Inkophile, and she suggested the genius idea of inserting a toothpick into the cartridge to prevent the ball from blocking the neck of the cartridge, thus allowing the ink to flow out.  I tried it, and I had an empty cartridge in about 15 seconds.  Brilliant!  I was able to refill the cartridge giving my Noodler’s “The Heart of Darkness” (and my Preppy) some attention in the rotation.  Yay!

Lesson:

When you can’t get ink of of a cartridge because of the little floating ball, insert a toothpick, and rest the cartridge (opening down) into a cup with some well crumpled tissues.  You’ll have an empty cartridge in a jiffy!  (Yes, I just said jiffy…)

This post is both a review and a correction.  Back in this post, I said that Rouge Opera and Larmes de Cassis looked like almost the same color.  Well, the reason is that I think I somehow got a weird bottle of Rouge Opera!  The color is actually a lovely deep red and not like Larmes de Cassis.

The Color: It’s a lovely deep cranberry red.  It’s a great match for a vintage carmine Sheaffer Balance.

Consistency/On Paper: It’s of average wetness and consistency, not too wet or too dry.  The pen I’m using has a tiny amount of flex, so that allows for a little more wetness and some nice shading.  No feathering that I noticed.

Overall: A very pretty color and a reliable ink.  I was looking hard to find a match for a carmine-colored pen, and Rouge Opera fills that role more effectively than any of the other inks I was considering.  I’m very happy with it and it has earned a place in my regular rotation.

Purchasing and Pricing: A 30mL bottle runs between $7-12 depending on the retailer and is available at most online retailers catering to fountain pen and ink users.

The first photo below if from my previous review of the outlier Rouge Opera bottle.  The second photo is of the new and TRUE Rouge Opera, along with some box and bottle shots.  Click on the thumbnails for larger versions.

Read this article from the Telegraph in the UK to see why more people are using fountain pens.  Yay!