A Pen a Day

Goulet Pens Ink Drop

I received my first Ink Drop mailing last week, just in time for Valentine’s Day. I’m so impressed that they were able to ship internationally in time for the holiday! I’mpleased with the variety they offer within the Valentine’s Day theme–Noodler’s “Puple Heart” and “Black Swan in Australian Roses”, Diamine “Hope Pink”, Private Reserve “Chocolat” (which looks frighteningly chunky) and Waterman “Red”. I may review the colors themselves in the future, as I’ve already got my Prera loaded with the Black Swan in Australian Roses. 

★★★★★ (5/5)

Pilot Petit3 (Fude Pen)

The Pilot Petit comes in three varieties–fude pen, sign pen, fountain pen–and I was naturally drawn to the sign pen. Unfortunately, the tip is far too spongy for my tastes and the range of colors felt rather limiting. The body is a nice size and shape, but I just can’t get on board with this tip!

★★ (2/5)

ZIG Cocoiro Letter Pen

I’ve had my eyes on these small pens for a while and I’m so glad I caved! These sign/letter pens are extremely fine-tipped–even finer than the Gokuboso!–and come in a variety of colors. Most are muted and natural tones, but the presence of the Mint Green shade caught my eye. The color is vivid and the body, despite its thickness, feels good in my hand. Bodies can be mixed and matched. Love at first use.

★★★★★ (5/5)

Tombow MONO® One Plastic Eraser

A portable eraser with a loop to connect a strap. My favorite aspect is that it stays clean inside its case and there’s no annoying wrapper. Unfortunately, it sometimes spins while I use it, which advances the eraser. Annoying! The quality of the eraser is not as good as other plastics I’ve owned.

★★★ (3/5)

wellappointeddesk:

As I’ve been getting more interested in fountain pens this year, I have also discovered fountain pen inks. While some would not be surprised by this revelation, I’ve been blown away by the huge variety of colors available in fountain pen inks from companies like J. Herbin, Noodlers and so many more. But how does one choose which colors or brands to buy as one bottle of ink can sell for $10 to $25 per bottle? That’s where the Goulet Pen Company’s Ink Drop comes in handy. For a fee of $10 per month members receive five small sample vials of inks along with access to special promotions and a special club page on their site. The vials provide enough ink for several fillings of your fountain pen and gives you a chance to try out a brand or color before committing to a whole bottle.

Ink Drop club seem like too great a commitment? Goulet also offers individual samples of most of their stocked brands and colors in prices ranging from $1.25 to $2 each. There are also Ink Sample Packages that are organized by theme, color, property or brand and ink samples from previous Ink Drop subscriptions. Prices for sample packages range from about $7 up to about $18 depending on the number of individual vials.

I wonder what colors would be in a Well-Appointed Desk sampler package?

(via Goulet Pens)

Pentel FrenchPoP Cream Limited Edition Correction Tape, 3mm

This correction tape is typically available in a different set of body colors, but I picked up my beloved aqua as soon as I saw it at my local bookstore. The regular edition tape is available in multiple widths. I like this product because the shape is much easier for me to hold than the long, thin types. Works just as you’d expect.

★★★★★ (5/5)

Kuru Toga Rilakkuma® Pencil (Ko Rilakkuma Design)

My favorite pencil and my favorite character met in heaven, and this was the result of their night of passion. The kuru toga action is flawless and the design is so cute! I also have the regular Rilakkuma version in my flute case. A number of other designs were released as part of this series, as well.

★★★★★ (5/5)