tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447893896128223812024-03-05T13:40:20.565-05:00The Pen ChroniclesIntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-4203284218033392102011-08-28T21:35:00.018-04:002011-08-28T23:19:31.995-04:00Phew! Where does the time go!<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>First, we'd like to apologize for the lack of updates recently. We had some major events in our life recently (a PhD thesis written, a marriage knotted, a new state moved into), and we haven't had a chance to fill our faithful followers in on what kind of office supplies have been making us happy. (Did you know Jetpens.com is now selling Aurora FPs and Stabilo 88 Fineliners? We know, awesome, right? =P )</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Melissa has been focusing on her artwork and creating jewelry that we wanted to share with you. We've created an <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MLBnLMC">Etsy shop</a> as a portal to sell some of the really cool pieces. She designed pendants from some of her drawings:</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_68Yqm93p1chHd-AtNLrKIlmxr95EB2Pb5mSUQy_Mb_-YNqQl01rhPeh6-pDND3YborE3VDoyCiCBtulJrY4bzMgFG_ac3R4ypkVm69UwU9D_ioquUlwegu3ha2L30eEqY_JsQ1hikg/s320/Etsy_Pendants_21.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646092260119663890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/78196648/hand-drawn-pendant-with-intricate-design">Hand drawn Pendant with Intricate Design</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div><div>Some really cool beaded bracelets, too!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">
<br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWwkAgnjq03x8uq9XgaY8xb3koWEmMeqiSV93UGlVygRvspCQ_qz6-2L1WqlcOaxnxZuIG0ZOzgCMf2pADbK5UJjlpcrIj_gTyFtmvdFXfnKmAKhRdTAlsQZcyskYxLQFx0tP9Ob8ra0/s320/Etsy_Pendants_62.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646092948032206194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 291px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/78199143/beaded-peyote-stitch-bracelet">Beaded Peyote Stitch Bracelet</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Beaded flower rings to accessorize...</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQno3XI46_ws7N21CgpzF8zqoic08BblJZ1G4tnhxg3-oozYch9CFZFyAMLnWDT74q4CpShraHV1OyaqBt20ZNwVlNx0Jv-QcH6MD_FB1BDI1nLsZ_sWF53dIRVh-qANcp27fGsDwv_U/s320/EtsyRings_090.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646093761046773634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/75355251/beaded-flower-ring-with-swarovski">Beaded Flower Ring with Swarovski Crystals</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And some scarves for when it gets chilly out...</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDO6RMfRlNSBAJ6pPHXYPhlaWNpFG9KIVzxS4V7i5lqANRLqzd5O3CInjYDAQO52jU9Oks0fGghO_JX2VQT6h0ciJj3Wsu0KLfAVXmpBuLjU4FN8d0crTl7gQ5RYoAo0QEF6MPgR8kcs/s320/2_Etsy_Scarves_48.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646094250410873154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/79990668/shades-of-lavender-and-mint-green-scarf">Shades of Lavender and Mint Green Scarf</a></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Visit <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/MLBnLMC">our Etsy shop</a> for these and more to come soon! Melissa also takes custom orders and requests. If you see something you like, but it's not your size, or you'd like a different color, let us know and she'll do her best to create something just for you!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Visit us <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Intricate-Expressions/245278955505409">on facebook</a>, we'll have updates on new items that are available as well as items from other shops that we like and we think you'll enjoy, too!</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?href=www.facebook.com%2Fpages%2FIntricate-Expressions%2F245278955505409&width=292&colorscheme=dark&show_faces=true&border_color=black&stream=true&header=true&height=427" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:292px; height:427px;" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-39290170804255245522010-01-10T10:06:00.012-05:002010-01-10T20:33:35.463-05:00Review: DAKS Simpson Slim Blue Fountain Pen<div>To our wonderful, faithful readers: we apologize for the lack of updates lately. Things got quite hectic with working and then the holidays. We'll work on getting more awesome info to you in the near future. :) </div><div><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-U8B6qCfDhLizn4DdYrUPW4ZSaI3h9X1rCJXmr4BX6LT1WGxR_vLnv0M1DKaQzku6gasM5N_QqAX32OiKAm1dsCioWVknXk_eKJa80R3aDq5m683PitcnOKSr5S9eCxKc5jL3_2Z4As/s1600-h/P1070221a.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-U8B6qCfDhLizn4DdYrUPW4ZSaI3h9X1rCJXmr4BX6LT1WGxR_vLnv0M1DKaQzku6gasM5N_QqAX32OiKAm1dsCioWVknXk_eKJa80R3aDq5m683PitcnOKSr5S9eCxKc5jL3_2Z4As/s400/P1070221a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425131661510708594" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-U8B6qCfDhLizn4DdYrUPW4ZSaI3h9X1rCJXmr4BX6LT1WGxR_vLnv0M1DKaQzku6gasM5N_QqAX32OiKAm1dsCioWVknXk_eKJa80R3aDq5m683PitcnOKSr5S9eCxKc5jL3_2Z4As/s1600-h/P1070221a.jpg"></a><br />During our last trip to NYC, we made our usual trip to Kinokuniya. There I found the DAKS Simpson Slim blue fountain pen. They also had a red pen and a camel-colored pen, but I picked blue since it is one of my favorite colors. :) I was really impressed with the look of the pen (very sleek!) and the size of the nib (so small - the smallest nib I've ever seen).<div><br /></div><div><b>Introduction</b></div><div><br /></div><div>DAKS Simpson Slim Fountain Pens are made by Sailor, who has been licensed to make writing instruments for DAKS (UK). These slim pens are similar to the Sailor Chalana series in terms of the slim body and small nib.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Appearance</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As I stated previously, this pen is slim. It fits in my hand perfectly. However, I have small hands and prefer smaller, lighter pens. If you have larger hands and prefer heftier pens, the DAKS Simpson probably isn't right for you. It seems as though this pen may be marketed towards women, as Sailor states on its website that the DAKS series is "... the stylish series for women." http://www.sailor.co.jp/BUNGU/SP_daks_slim/index.html</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Writing</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The pen has a XF nib, so the line is very thin. It reminds me of a 0.38 mm gel pen, like the Uni-ball Signo DX UM-151 gel pens. However, I think the pen writes more smoothly than a traditional gel pen.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Particular Features</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Body: barrel is metal and painted with a textured finish, cap is polished metal adorned (engraved) with plaid design that is DAKS trademark.</div><div>Nib: 18-karat rhodium-plated gold nib. The website the nib is fine, but I think it more closely resembles a XF nib. It lays down a really thin line, whereas a fountain pen with a fine nib, such as the Pilot Cavalier or Pilot Petit, lays down a slightly thicker line (as you can see below).</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZtshQK8u7GbeiYO3kUg3jo7OQ8RjdMmElVi4KizsAf4OSrkP1wk8NETGNlrN6gBLBp56jPvxn1wHhiCFX7To4q5Dth2y1GOez3UlM_USgcbJ2njPp4YWDXjvbf7xnnwMVOInej6mLRo/s1600-h/P1070221croppped.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZtshQK8u7GbeiYO3kUg3jo7OQ8RjdMmElVi4KizsAf4OSrkP1wk8NETGNlrN6gBLBp56jPvxn1wHhiCFX7To4q5Dth2y1GOez3UlM_USgcbJ2njPp4YWDXjvbf7xnnwMVOInej6mLRo/s400/P1070221croppped.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425276112169310802" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 211px; " /></a></div><div>DAKS Simpson Slim FP</div><div>Pilot Cavalier FP</div><div>Pilot Petit</div><div><br /></div><div>The pen comes with a converter, which is definitely more cost effective than using the cartridges. The cartridges are tiny and don't hold much ink.</div><div><br /></div><div>The pen comes with a converter, which is definitely more cost effective than using the cartridges. The cartridges are tiny and don't hold much ink.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKM_w0i1Uf4kOTwNiqjeWig2tvItO-g7PXm6yDLmcQwd5p8aMH8C11j4Fo4ONMUz8tPnw1Ea0kxJKhJBC5onEkYGBvszUNIPqI0RWEo94GUNNZymfKmmsF_qTalsS9CL-I7FbZACGVOY/s1600-h/P1070226.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKM_w0i1Uf4kOTwNiqjeWig2tvItO-g7PXm6yDLmcQwd5p8aMH8C11j4Fo4ONMUz8tPnw1Ea0kxJKhJBC5onEkYGBvszUNIPqI0RWEo94GUNNZymfKmmsF_qTalsS9CL-I7FbZACGVOY/s400/P1070226.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425269225639102226" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cost and Where to Purchase</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I paid $120 for my DAKS Slim Pen, which isn't cheap but well worth the money. This pen is definitely higher quality than most of my other fountain pens, and it is sleek and unique. It costs less than the Sailor Chalana, which typically costs $160+, unless you're lucky enough to find a good deal on ebay. I've only seen this pen at Kinokuniya. I guess you can probably purchase this pen in Japan as well if you ever happen to take a trip there.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Final Thoughts</b></div><div><br /></div><div>If you like small, sleek, unique-looking fountain pens that write smoothly and lay down a fine line, then this pen is for you. It is an awesome pen!</div><div><br /></div><div>07 January 2010</div><div>MLB</div><div>Review written with J. Herbin Perle Noire Ink</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd9ijnDNuBP81ZXfbckva5mIngfjrRqqsAJAz-G3ebtxdnanfZsnrVucgCRwLstiTuptcdjHVMKU73eMRazr93IjKlR4oKm7OS23bIgx4L7CSQa5HXOI8Mi7XhobEMS7M6M8xYhnfwzE/s1600-h/P1070220a.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd9ijnDNuBP81ZXfbckva5mIngfjrRqqsAJAz-G3ebtxdnanfZsnrVucgCRwLstiTuptcdjHVMKU73eMRazr93IjKlR4oKm7OS23bIgx4L7CSQa5HXOI8Mi7XhobEMS7M6M8xYhnfwzE/s400/P1070220a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425133720367613746" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>DAKS Simpson Slim Blue Fountain Pen</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOW6IrZYz_ILi4EDZW4EkA9hU7wMwb2ttZ1A9WKW2THXzgArv74_7tfHOoO_7QoK40KgaZrrDmKfJ3fO0t7JzJD4yntCSQyvj5pDj2aOCY0AjOjqxahebyBCvHk7nV9rhSJV4T62TeRQ/s1600-h/P1070214.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOW6IrZYz_ILi4EDZW4EkA9hU7wMwb2ttZ1A9WKW2THXzgArv74_7tfHOoO_7QoK40KgaZrrDmKfJ3fO0t7JzJD4yntCSQyvj5pDj2aOCY0AjOjqxahebyBCvHk7nV9rhSJV4T62TeRQ/s400/P1070214.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425132361735012674" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Nib comparison: DAKS Simpson nib on the left and the Pilot Cavalier Fine Point Nib on the right</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX0lSmRHFZRZpLKDcd0Zv7-hbhHMVeat4rVosDl-mCUZiJKh6DcWq8snol-DEneBCx-69YM7P_1-WtTOixFiBe141MLlgJS3OMqcMTrwdVgRKruGP3s41BJLXWt11l-A69pFv3n3Zlxg/s1600-h/P1070216a.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX0lSmRHFZRZpLKDcd0Zv7-hbhHMVeat4rVosDl-mCUZiJKh6DcWq8snol-DEneBCx-69YM7P_1-WtTOixFiBe141MLlgJS3OMqcMTrwdVgRKruGP3s41BJLXWt11l-A69pFv3n3Zlxg/s400/P1070216a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425265783225590514" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Size comparison: from left to right: DAKS Simpson, Pilot Hi-Tec-C Couleur Mini Gel Ink Pen, Pilot Hi-Tec-C Slim Knock Gel Ink Pen</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNkTJM7Fw_T3KwcK5U1yoYK_EBZzECUQmsx9T4vWv4-XJsgA7Z6kM0SgEFLZBQn6VdiHqv433D-ex21oafE9vtCj-haMsdUkvkd-UCmMdpBGcMy7JENLPJVNjMDytMCXwTGlxAfzaHUA/s1600-h/P1070211a.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNkTJM7Fw_T3KwcK5U1yoYK_EBZzECUQmsx9T4vWv4-XJsgA7Z6kM0SgEFLZBQn6VdiHqv433D-ex21oafE9vtCj-haMsdUkvkd-UCmMdpBGcMy7JENLPJVNjMDytMCXwTGlxAfzaHUA/s400/P1070211a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425134116146384018" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>Size comparison: from left to right: Pilot M90, Pilot Cavalier FP, DAKS Simpson</div></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-58550114083032315362009-09-09T19:15:00.009-04:002009-09-09T19:30:01.943-04:00Custom-made, Totally Unique T-Shirt Designs!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I guess you could say we were tired of our same old t-shirts so we wanted to do something a little bit more unique. I've always been amazed at Melissa's awe-inspring designs</span></span></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(</span><a href="http://penchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/06/pics.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">PICS!</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for a sample), so what we wanted to do was to find a way to get one of her designs onto a t-shirt. </span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThkDcL-IjgtIqr5_y0ADYdtr74WHaNGpB_25bKAWQW3kQ0GHv3TaGWBdwfjIYnClVVXTG5k2wxUZv27HRQIiIzPA6WLClHtxI2ogl7yeA_npT8-nw6YfTKi6ZZWbcD7hyLQLkkR7fQSk/s1600-h/P9090351.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjThkDcL-IjgtIqr5_y0ADYdtr74WHaNGpB_25bKAWQW3kQ0GHv3TaGWBdwfjIYnClVVXTG5k2wxUZv27HRQIiIzPA6WLClHtxI2ogl7yeA_npT8-nw6YfTKi6ZZWbcD7hyLQLkkR7fQSk/s400/P9090351.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379610935400440306" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The drawing we wanted to use.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, -webkit-fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The best way to do this, we thought, would be to iron them on. First, we had to find the right printer paper to use. I have an HP inkjet printer so we checked out the usual office supply suspects for printer paper. We found some Avery Ink Jet T-Shirt Transfers</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Products/Crafts-&-Scrapbooking/Fabric-Transfers/T_Shirt-Transfer_08938.htm</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">at Staples that seemed to be what we were looking for. Next, we picked up some blank t-shirts from Michael's. We scanned the desired t-shirt design and then printed it out in a way that would best preserve the quality of the drawing as well as the detail. I'm not completely dialed-in to my HP scanner+printer so it took some fiddling to get it right. (Side note: if you're thinking of trying this, don't actually print on the expensive Avery Transfer paper until you've found the right set of conditions for the best print-out on regular printer at low-quality. Once you've found what works, print at a high-quality on the transfer paper.)</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">What proved to be the tricky part was the actual ironing-on of the print-out to the t-shirt. For the first attempt, we placed the print-out face down on the t-shirt and ironed for about 2 minutes directly on the back-side of the paper. This might have resulted in too much heat being applied because the shirt started to brown. We placed a pillowcase over the paper and ironed for the recommended 90 seconds. However, when we attempted to pull back the paper from the shirt, the design itself wasn't completely affixed to the shirt so part of the design started to peel off as well.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Finally, we tried ironing over the pillowcase but for about 3 minutes making sure the transfer was fully applied. This proved to be the best case as it came out beautifully.</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycb_r_DehG0rybA-LU60uLTAV5JCkTrSNUnlfFJ1OgbbRFRZY9dbP4czEaT0YXjy4L0iBWtreukrclT6Ht_GKCYGtr0yV9mqyWECFcmhwyy6aGCKBquTyy5fp9CmNx7NB_ELX31lRizM/s1600-h/P8280321.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycb_r_DehG0rybA-LU60uLTAV5JCkTrSNUnlfFJ1OgbbRFRZY9dbP4czEaT0YXjy4L0iBWtreukrclT6Ht_GKCYGtr0yV9mqyWECFcmhwyy6aGCKBquTyy5fp9CmNx7NB_ELX31lRizM/s400/P8280321.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377943148355078338" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We'd like to eventually do a more professionally looking application. We just wanted to try this out. and see how it would work.</span></p></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-3713793501776859632009-09-07T13:34:00.002-04:002009-09-07T13:41:53.687-04:00One of the winners never responded to claim their prize =( so we decided to pick another winner for prize pack #3. The winning comment for prize pack #3 is... (drum roll, please)... <b>MzMonster</b>!<div>Email us as soon as you can so we can ship out your winnings! If we don't hear from you by Sunday, September 13th at 7 pm Eastern time we will have to pick another winner. Congratulations to BoutiqueStitches and Passion, we'll send out your prize packs tomorrow! Thanks again to everyone for participating!</div><div><br /></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-60189198546590744512009-08-31T12:47:00.008-04:002011-11-07T11:09:54.782-05:00Back to School Giveaway Winners!The official drawing for the Back to School Giveaway was ran with the Random Integer Generator at Random.org.<div>Here are the results:</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-5yuS0h1gsSaFxFsOMrbA6F7bl5cnTU576ifPNpqsvMqEVWGcFv_XzOvkAhjg1wT2FLeWxK9KrGDziM_s2krlM2I3ueWAL2GPCeoPbmQ8djUaEPA_uOLQJ71fEirauhrR_menrXjubs/s1600-h/Picture+3.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-5yuS0h1gsSaFxFsOMrbA6F7bl5cnTU576ifPNpqsvMqEVWGcFv_XzOvkAhjg1wT2FLeWxK9KrGDziM_s2krlM2I3ueWAL2GPCeoPbmQ8djUaEPA_uOLQJ71fEirauhrR_menrXjubs/s320/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376171333019397074" style="cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 209px; " /></a></div><div>So congratulations to #5 Simon, #1 BoutiqueStitches, and #3 Passion! You each have until 7pm (Eastern Time) on Sunday, September 6th to write with your shipment info. Simon, since you're post number came up first, you'll get first pick out of the 3 prize packs. Once I've heard from Simon, then I'll let BoutiqueStitches know which two are left. Then we'll send the remaining prize pack to Passion. We'll ship the prizes as soon as possible.</div><div>Thank you all again for reading! Congrats to the winners and to those that didn't win, we'll certainly have more giveaways in the future so check back soon!</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-7915858540640791622009-08-23T20:19:00.002-04:002009-08-23T21:07:46.277-04:00Back to school giveaway!<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Back to School Giveaway!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">To help east the transition from the care-free, laid-back summer to the grind of the school year, we decided to have our very first giveaway. We're giving away 3 different packs filled with goodies:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Prize pack #1:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Pilot Varsity Disposable Foutain Pen - Purple</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Uniball Fusion - Black</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Uniball Fusion - Blue</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Wide ruled Marble Composition Book</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Y2BoM-SrRhDcY7O1PJyAVOrbpME4MQSKYC1z1ytTX_xUFzkTMOS667QZIuN5XGPsVZYnSCezda0ILsC59Hn1QRqcVCX9UdVqk32CrCSZyBc18-Ls5x71m0SlZgsH2swkOHASwmTzrk/s1600-h/P8230315.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Y2BoM-SrRhDcY7O1PJyAVOrbpME4MQSKYC1z1ytTX_xUFzkTMOS667QZIuN5XGPsVZYnSCezda0ILsC59Hn1QRqcVCX9UdVqk32CrCSZyBc18-Ls5x71m0SlZgsH2swkOHASwmTzrk/s400/P8230315.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373319555573437298" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Prize pack #2:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Pilot Varsity Disposable Foutain Pen - Black</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Ink Pen - 0.5 mm - Black</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Ink Pen - 0.5 mm - Pink</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Ink Pen - 0.5 mm - Blue</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Zebra Sarasa Push Clip Gel Ink Pen - 0.5 mm - Orange </p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60Vngm41Wdy_XfUJuzTJXgoK7BtnONUPHW9LYxka6Q9QflaV3Qx0kbFnuM24SWshY5j3S6k0ZabosX2R0G0Yw7FOd6bLEvXpIOjtt8hAP723BC0FdSM_bGETzzc-h4RuTTHp9BmjBeZs/s1600-h/P8230313.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60Vngm41Wdy_XfUJuzTJXgoK7BtnONUPHW9LYxka6Q9QflaV3Qx0kbFnuM24SWshY5j3S6k0ZabosX2R0G0Yw7FOd6bLEvXpIOjtt8hAP723BC0FdSM_bGETzzc-h4RuTTHp9BmjBeZs/s400/P8230313.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373319438160024258" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Prize pack #3:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Pentel Slicci Gel Ink Pen - 0.25 mm - Black</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Pentel Slicci Gel Ink Pen - 0.3 mm - Blue Black</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">3 gel ink pens (Black, blue, and green) from Morning Glory, a Japanese stationary store located in New Jersey</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFjZ4sxpVRUgw7Jk4vx3ApOCC1BismFsNKcu5RvaUYIdzSGzIW-Ki5t5xdmldLjY3Su1Q6ctJyhlP6fUVby5lnJGMYIL5qlzcCdKxp2f9c3lovcNaBOB4Q47wsPZaIIIvz3f8GD2IHms/s1600-h/P8230319.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFjZ4sxpVRUgw7Jk4vx3ApOCC1BismFsNKcu5RvaUYIdzSGzIW-Ki5t5xdmldLjY3Su1Q6ctJyhlP6fUVby5lnJGMYIL5qlzcCdKxp2f9c3lovcNaBOB4Q47wsPZaIIIvz3f8GD2IHms/s400/P8230319.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373319683716771074" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">How do you get in on all this goodness? Just drop us a comment on this post sometime before 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Sunday, August 30th. One entry per person, please! We'll use that gnarly Random Integer Generator at random.org (if only that would help us pick better Powerball numbers!) to pick 3 winners. The order the winning comments are generated by the "RIG" will determine the order that you get to pick which prize pack you'd like to win. For instance, if the generator comes up with your comment number first, you'll get to pick one prize pack from all three. If your comment number comes up second, you'll get your pick of the remaining two. And if your number comes up last on the generator, you'll get the remaining prize pack. Don't worry, though, there's good stuff in each one! We'll post the winners at some point on Monday, August 31st, so be sure you check back to see if you're among the lucky and if you are, then you have until 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) Sunday, September 6th to email us at the addy to the left with your info. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Thanks for participating!</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Good luck!</p>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-71119029029200648872009-08-09T08:35:00.000-04:002009-08-16T14:50:38.488-04:00Review: The Pilot M90<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXo1MKcctknxYZ2SC4CNke1n43J85DFRY0S82oFGTU4TpgY92kOjLaXAog1NaHIAbjb8F5CNmUphN6XwTtadx9hMR_9CooF8EUzXEM1a_tbdX0sv43ABu9quFu_vpkuq3PDJpMIKJAAE/s1600-h/P8100228.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXo1MKcctknxYZ2SC4CNke1n43J85DFRY0S82oFGTU4TpgY92kOjLaXAog1NaHIAbjb8F5CNmUphN6XwTtadx9hMR_9CooF8EUzXEM1a_tbdX0sv43ABu9quFu_vpkuq3PDJpMIKJAAE/s400/P8100228.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368504373404098722" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ever since Jetpens posted the </span><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/214_850"><span style="text-decoration: underline ; letter-spacing: 0.0px color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Limited Edition Pilot M90 Stainless Steel Fountain Pens</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> on their website, I was extremely tempted to click "buy". I'm a sucker for ultra-sleek, elegant pens; among my favorites are the Ohto Fine Ceramic Rollerball and Pilot Duo Color Cavalier, to give you an idea. But the hefty $180 price tag was enough to make me shy away. I know I can have pretty expensive taste, but I wasn't sure if I should take the plunge with the M90. However, my girlfriend knew how much I was into that pen (probably because every time she saw me on the Jetpens website, it was open to the M90) and, before I could do anything about it, she went and bought me the M90 with a medium point nib.</span></span></p><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It arrived promptly (Jetpens is always fast and reliable!) and in a large box instead of the usual Jetpens package. Inside was a sleek black box that contained the pen. However, upon opening the box, the cutout of foam where the pen was supposed to be was empty! Minor panic attack! No wait, it seems the pen had slightly shifted during transit and was just nestled under the foam. Phew - crisis averted! </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydz73Dr9uqvmfVn6Qf9p2wm6SF5S_3YCYepOztKvmYBJYUdoqixnCf8V4NKtk8kTHLze4BixmTOnGjMqYTjX0WaATivz6LQih9bc7EimTTSO-ctxmn-JM3sZH3u8r5fGtBAV6dLWv140/s1600-h/P8100238.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydz73Dr9uqvmfVn6Qf9p2wm6SF5S_3YCYepOztKvmYBJYUdoqixnCf8V4NKtk8kTHLze4BixmTOnGjMqYTjX0WaATivz6LQih9bc7EimTTSO-ctxmn-JM3sZH3u8r5fGtBAV6dLWv140/s400/P8100238.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368504535105595858" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In hand, the pen surely is stunning. The design is ultra sleek. The no-frills approach is enhanced by the tiny "M90" inscribed on the top of the cap. The entire pen is brushed stainless steel. The coolest feature, I think, is the way the body flows seamlessly into the nib; a design so unique, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Adorned atop the cap is a blue gem that accents the pen and it gives the pen the perfect amount of flare. </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS58yFLzTkhytB8mOrQyJRz4ovrQ4ZyPlZaFeAvaa4IME-n3Pcf2EC1lHA0YP-yobA3PXt6QTRnl20Ix2pjTEqRMrYNXMBQJFG4FBn0GHKXVfZBBeP8m_5R4KjddqgCFPWoLAEalOY6s/s1600-h/P8100239.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS58yFLzTkhytB8mOrQyJRz4ovrQ4ZyPlZaFeAvaa4IME-n3Pcf2EC1lHA0YP-yobA3PXt6QTRnl20Ix2pjTEqRMrYNXMBQJFG4FBn0GHKXVfZBBeP8m_5R4KjddqgCFPWoLAEalOY6s/s400/P8100239.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368504967383191554" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFT1xc97XSvwNcMnMrQdtwG0XpbvmOE17YtRm9UB6q6rT8A7rQnVzNpXnrqqMndfLcJJTJTzqIuZ0f41a_1juJKi0F5-18sFMOlEA15ysqi2p4VbOm441ikl5MKLvwHNUBwG4lWBNUBA/s1600-h/P8120273.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFT1xc97XSvwNcMnMrQdtwG0XpbvmOE17YtRm9UB6q6rT8A7rQnVzNpXnrqqMndfLcJJTJTzqIuZ0f41a_1juJKi0F5-18sFMOlEA15ysqi2p4VbOm441ikl5MKLvwHNUBwG4lWBNUBA/s400/P8120273.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369226431000221874" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Of course, I have yet to touch on perhaps the most important aspect of a fountain pen. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">How does it write?</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> Albeit with my limited experience, I can say it is the smoothest fountain pen I’ve used. (The Libelle Seabreeze a close second, followed by the Lamy Al-star/Vista) The nib literally glides across my Clairefontaine notepad as if on a cushion of clouds. I should say that, like any fountain pen, I think the ink really can make a difference in your writing experience. Initially, I used the stock black ink cartridge that came with the M90, but I think the pen’s true potential was realized when I swapped it for the J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiSkNAE8MnNoaXXxGQj9k25iyc_T4wy9k9enE1asFO8IpirI78G8LDzmb4m87iBVTrAAq9AZzsr5y7wdEhkQIO0A_AGY2seG_F2MmabJqoFe0sPdtDwyndlNRspCbcxyX1TT0ZgXojks/s1600-h/P8120280.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiSkNAE8MnNoaXXxGQj9k25iyc_T4wy9k9enE1asFO8IpirI78G8LDzmb4m87iBVTrAAq9AZzsr5y7wdEhkQIO0A_AGY2seG_F2MmabJqoFe0sPdtDwyndlNRspCbcxyX1TT0ZgXojks/s400/P8120280.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369229676845466770" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The consistency of the line makes the M90 a great notetaking/writing fountain pen. As a lefty, fountain pens (such as the Ohto Tasche) can give me trouble as often times I’m “pushing” the nib rather than “pulling”. The M90 hasn’t given this lefty any problems. Smearing or bleed-through on Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks aren't issues at all, although this probably has a lot to do with the ink as well.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I prefer a slightly broader nib and the medium point the pen produces is the perfect size for me. It’s a nice and thick wet line. As such, I’m not sure if the medium point would be ideal for users requiring finer detail.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">If you can get past the premium price-tag, the M90 is certainly worth the money. It has sharp looks and it's certainly a great writer.</span></p></div></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-15040756026953404592009-08-04T20:01:00.000-04:002009-08-05T10:29:44.725-04:00Tattoo Art<div>We apologize for the lack of updates recently, this summer has been slightly busy to say the least. Melissa and I wanted to post some pictures of tattoo ideas that she had designed for her and her mom.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfdwLy47-IY6SYW0T6f2Lm9YGTgpsbEQAdAW78Mdhn00NRYDS53TcQYTpdKYV8tnLogdkeyTgSAgP0kpuTncIwuK6sO_jd-4aJv01nFMKFXLIgaFTJrp1qtbK3Giq9cnb73hE7CNbpIo/s1600-h/P6290144.JPG" style="text-decoration: none; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfdwLy47-IY6SYW0T6f2Lm9YGTgpsbEQAdAW78Mdhn00NRYDS53TcQYTpdKYV8tnLogdkeyTgSAgP0kpuTncIwuK6sO_jd-4aJv01nFMKFXLIgaFTJrp1qtbK3Giq9cnb73hE7CNbpIo/s400/P6290144.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366264175471203058" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br />Tattoo ideas.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfdwLy47-IY6SYW0T6f2Lm9YGTgpsbEQAdAW78Mdhn00NRYDS53TcQYTpdKYV8tnLogdkeyTgSAgP0kpuTncIwuK6sO_jd-4aJv01nFMKFXLIgaFTJrp1qtbK3Giq9cnb73hE7CNbpIo/s1600-h/P6290144.JPG"></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi156Q9-6G0ASayFPLBBRNNeyLNq_d1tMJPuhHm_hTMsUkevxQoFWePIDV4qZVNFbPE1RKkmgHq4EwmMmMKNVvb1IoYBdZeuudTmKKdbRdQNuIHJFfMUjOYVVVXps-R5F5yyMZpdyDDdck/s1600-h/P4290056.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi156Q9-6G0ASayFPLBBRNNeyLNq_d1tMJPuhHm_hTMsUkevxQoFWePIDV4qZVNFbPE1RKkmgHq4EwmMmMKNVvb1IoYBdZeuudTmKKdbRdQNuIHJFfMUjOYVVVXps-R5F5yyMZpdyDDdck/s400/P4290056.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366264526048062770" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJwqq3-FGZWXUulOWWc7SQsg_fVXcc5crG6v3MDlfW40woayzTQr8TV-1VMBMUTsOeKKVS4-SptXINN4kKAGWWmlfF0vVrWIAN1zZKjLH6t4VbxyupysEvIMBioLt7opQGB8ZNIDkCJ4/s1600-h/P8040227.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJwqq3-FGZWXUulOWWc7SQsg_fVXcc5crG6v3MDlfW40woayzTQr8TV-1VMBMUTsOeKKVS4-SptXINN4kKAGWWmlfF0vVrWIAN1zZKjLH6t4VbxyupysEvIMBioLt7opQGB8ZNIDkCJ4/s400/P8040227.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366271085381933634" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Melissa's tattoos.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfuH-lwtL8E92ysIk-TVqblFIIMNR5HmfswYdmdO1SkeKe2ZpYYwVB9JAE-b7RgEUTrKtRkZBQTvfQJ5yS4BVJNUVHnlokx9mm_ttY1Ixz7UKBgVZClEb3xSZDd4mHhHGuMLQfRBiOBeQ/s1600-h/Tattoo.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfuH-lwtL8E92ysIk-TVqblFIIMNR5HmfswYdmdO1SkeKe2ZpYYwVB9JAE-b7RgEUTrKtRkZBQTvfQJ5yS4BVJNUVHnlokx9mm_ttY1Ixz7UKBgVZClEb3xSZDd4mHhHGuMLQfRBiOBeQ/s400/Tattoo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366265777805766898" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div></div><div>Melissa's mom's tattoo. She previously had the vine on her arm, but Melissa designed the flower.</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-68741937434350805272009-06-23T14:04:00.000-04:002009-06-30T21:18:47.317-04:00Inks!<div>We recently purchased a few <a href="http://www.PearTreePens.com/Fountain-Pen-Ink-Samples-p/samp.htm">Fountain Pen Ink Samples</a> from the <a href="http://www.peartreepens.com/">Pear Tree Pen Company</a>. We touched on how much we like the idea of the ink samples (and the practicality of the glass pen in this regard) in <a href="http://penchronicles.blogspot.com/2009/06/reviews-lamy-al-star-sheaffer.html">this post</a>. But, boy, the ability to survey all kinds of colors and brands of inks in the matter of minutes is invaluable. Testing inks in different brands of fountain pens introduces too many variables to give you a true comparison of the inks, including both color and flow character of the inks. The glass pen gives you the ability to compare inks side-by-side with the same set of variables for each. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a quick rundown of the samples we recieved. (Of course, I think we have to include a disclaimer here; the colors that you see in the picture may or may not be at all like they are actually. As much as we try to portray the true colors of the inks, there's too many other variables such as lighting, photo quality loss from digital camera transfer, and monitor settings).</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-ZDlsGmxgnYRW8ZGk9Wr7vmwlOfmER5SAtDTQS-H5Fpvff1Yb7-Nwgh3lv1BoIybtk5_KymdDGt1nz-C1GUyYYhDYIS5uk7yOgWsr_nexV7py8aHpgsGUnA_VNFBUiVNKTvTL0dhTa0/s1600-h/P6290147.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-ZDlsGmxgnYRW8ZGk9Wr7vmwlOfmER5SAtDTQS-H5Fpvff1Yb7-Nwgh3lv1BoIybtk5_KymdDGt1nz-C1GUyYYhDYIS5uk7yOgWsr_nexV7py8aHpgsGUnA_VNFBUiVNKTvTL0dhTa0/s400/P6290147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353140292621980290" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Grey - reviewed below</div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Bulletproof Black - A classic black. Although it takes a little longer to dry, so there may be issues with smearing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Quartz Black - Initially, we were hoping for it to be more on the grayer side than the blacker side. But, overall, it's a nice saturated black.</div><div><br /></div><div>Private Reserve Midnight Blue (Fast dry) - reviewed below</div><div><br /></div><div>Private Reserve Black Cherry - Purple and brown hues combined at just the right ratio to produce this really pretty ink. </div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Maroon - No surprise here, nice maroon color so it's pretty true as advertised. </div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Kiowa Pecan - A lighter brown than the Grand Canyon Brown. It has yellow hues that might not be apparent based on this picture.</div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Nightshade - Based on the <a href="http://www.shopwritersbloc.com/noodlers-bottle-ink--yelloworangebrowns.html">sample swatch from Writer's Bloc</a>, we were hoping to see more shades of red on this ink. In reality, it just looks black.</div><div><br /></div><div>Caran D'Ache Grand Canyon Brown - A really nice true brown. Maybe a cooler brown, but a very true brown (as compared to the Kiowa Pecan, which has tinges of yellow). We liked this one so much w purchased a bottle. </div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Apache Sunset - A really nice orange and a unique color. There are faint hints of yellow, so it's not just a monotone orange. Might not be a good one to write with, but a great drawing ink. You can also achieve great homemade colors by mixing it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Waterman Purple - A purple ink. Not much else to say here. If you like purple ink, this is one to get. (This picture does not do the Purple justice. You can't really see the saturation.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Squetegue - A nice dark turquose green black. A great color to write with. It's pretty true to the swatches you see online.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine China Blue - We were a little disappointed with this one at first as we were hoping for a paler blue. It's a little more saturated than we expected, but, nonetheless, it's a nice blue.</div><div><br /></div><div>J. Herbin Bleu Nuit - A denim blue. Again the samples you see online can be deceptive to an ink's true color. Still a nice color. Case in point, trying out an ink you're not sure about is key. Getting a sampler is a great idea so you won't have to purchase a full bottle only to find it wasn't exactly what you were expecting.</div><div><br /></div><div>J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir - A really pretty blue with purplish hue. Very saturated color. Suitable for art and writing. We liked it so much we bought a bottle. In our honest opinions, it's one of J. Herbin's finer inks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Mediterrenean Blue - Makes you think of an ocean near a tropical island.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our Homemade Seafoam Green - Your basic turquoise. The picture might not do it justice. I dropped the ball and forgot to write down the recipe for this one, but I can promise you it's a nice color.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Woodland Green - Your basic forest green. It's a nice green. I think the samples for this color are as advertised.</div><div><br /></div><div>Noodler's Firefly (Highlighter) - I almost forgot to include a write-up for this one because I didn't see it. It's great for highlighting important notes, but, as you can see, it might not be the best writing ink. It's a great ink to mix with as we used it in our Seafoam Green. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqORd8jyta8bQ8T8S81sqGvUCEg_CGlnNW_X-qcYUta2iND95YV-ZMstdsori_Y2E-yKQ4mnqjTOCOdP5mQ7O3GQjW-TCc8pLhT1ZpDz_uL5EIobc_xaKvk5oqTVET8wg1n-MTc6zmzOA/s1600-h/P6300161.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqORd8jyta8bQ8T8S81sqGvUCEg_CGlnNW_X-qcYUta2iND95YV-ZMstdsori_Y2E-yKQ4mnqjTOCOdP5mQ7O3GQjW-TCc8pLhT1ZpDz_uL5EIobc_xaKvk5oqTVET8wg1n-MTc6zmzOA/s400/P6300161.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353220170347435410" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Melissa's take on two of the inks:</div><div><br /></div><div>Diamine Grey</div><div>- nice, saturated grey</div><div>- dark enough to be suitable for writing purposes</div><div>- appears as a cooler-toned grey to me</div><div>- my favorite grey so far = a keeper!</div><div><br /></div><div>Private Reserve Midnight Blue</div><div>- nice, saturated dark blue</div><div>- line way too thick even with minimal pressure</div><div> - bleed-through and feathering a major problem on all paper types/brands</div><div> - not good for people with small handwriting like me</div><div> - fast dry (Dries instantly)</div><div><br /></div><div>It should be noted that the ink name was written with a Pilot Preppy as an eye-dropper FP, but the notes under the ink name were written with a Pilot Preppy that did <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">not</span> have the Midnight Blue ink in it, it had the stock Pilot Preppy blue black cartridge. The line that was produced using the Midnight Blue ink came out <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">extremely</span> thick. It makes you wonder, could it be the pen or the ink? But looking at the samples written with the glass pen it yielded the same results. Curious.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2EBSSb2IG_EW_YQvnMDTYwCk3syBlx1sT7iFHIe3gUipjP323YnVAAYnOa1NmhCnSNgj_1TnFdsTT_PiRzDp04ZvXg07GzpCYF8jq7gz2_NYztn2T6vxwQgxFfsx5KsiFMtSDpHB6Mg/s1600-h/P6290155.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2EBSSb2IG_EW_YQvnMDTYwCk3syBlx1sT7iFHIe3gUipjP323YnVAAYnOa1NmhCnSNgj_1TnFdsTT_PiRzDp04ZvXg07GzpCYF8jq7gz2_NYztn2T6vxwQgxFfsx5KsiFMtSDpHB6Mg/s400/P6290155.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353140572549898994" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div>The ink samples. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V-so4FVjyS0CtMj8ZqifJKhZ_i9j6lHKRohUuy7h7oxsR-8hm0ygiSYkP-2OykgLIkeTvxZJNSKAsDkZu-LH_6XWrCvsQBIfDotS1l45PLDyL4J8tu-xaMnnKnVnD4ZQPFKzaTpcr7M/s1600-h/P6300162.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2V-so4FVjyS0CtMj8ZqifJKhZ_i9j6lHKRohUuy7h7oxsR-8hm0ygiSYkP-2OykgLIkeTvxZJNSKAsDkZu-LH_6XWrCvsQBIfDotS1l45PLDyL4J8tu-xaMnnKnVnD4ZQPFKzaTpcr7M/s400/P6300162.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353221890846350386" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px; " /></a></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDbKyqLATbQlaUIPq9kuODK1UUJSm-L9BTtyyT8TQep0fz1HBrZcHjCkPYiHCRm0y8L_aHsWjcoPTqYFHdDrGMLT22SB_TL22IOMhOHSmr0O5sZ3YgqsPzuHB1ttw1g74hY9h6nMOhrY/s1600-h/P6290149.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDbKyqLATbQlaUIPq9kuODK1UUJSm-L9BTtyyT8TQep0fz1HBrZcHjCkPYiHCRm0y8L_aHsWjcoPTqYFHdDrGMLT22SB_TL22IOMhOHSmr0O5sZ3YgqsPzuHB1ttw1g74hY9h6nMOhrY/s400/P6290149.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353140370659436194" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Melissa put a few of the inks in her fountain pens. Here's some calligraphy that she's done (above) and a sketch she did (below) using the following inks:</div><div>Noodler's Apache Sunset</div><div>Diamine Maroon</div><div>Diamine Jade Green</div><div>Homemade Seafoam Green</div><div><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAcqbX7WR-0Wt4UrCHFeZIRpkw1VS0Zq0wRrWuudsY4FzH5Cj9RLk4keiAmzwwAgj-dpq16q7BvUCTQ0lWBL3bu5sxPBnyhXmL2D1pYkExcGONnYNLvD1ckiS0Dj1cHrWmbbRiLORyA4/s1600-h/P6290146.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAcqbX7WR-0Wt4UrCHFeZIRpkw1VS0Zq0wRrWuudsY4FzH5Cj9RLk4keiAmzwwAgj-dpq16q7BvUCTQ0lWBL3bu5sxPBnyhXmL2D1pYkExcGONnYNLvD1ckiS0Dj1cHrWmbbRiLORyA4/s400/P6290146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353218389938042338" style="cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-15405740854155777722009-06-22T10:12:00.000-04:002009-06-23T13:50:11.034-04:00Review: Stabilo Point 88 Mini Pens - 18 Color SetReview by Melissa of the Stabilo Point 88 Mini Pens available from <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/stabilo-point-88-mini-pens/">Dick Blick</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbnRl4nW8msCspUFvbqYQJSBI7z-lvCXKB89npZvzpr2iNLJpHIU4Ka4L4hnxenmWvFKizSsqDYhU7pw52gQE7vC3j6uawoTh7_Mjw-IzZiJhpvncweY7LTIKlAHdxOFlJTmmYZrrqCA/s1600-h/P6210140.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbnRl4nW8msCspUFvbqYQJSBI7z-lvCXKB89npZvzpr2iNLJpHIU4Ka4L4hnxenmWvFKizSsqDYhU7pw52gQE7vC3j6uawoTh7_Mjw-IzZiJhpvncweY7LTIKlAHdxOFlJTmmYZrrqCA/s400/P6210140.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350154993874742626" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jC2PCh3lQmPaAqDHhWvUNTkRP6PSyGKxFwDPJssiSMyRRo7vSwMTV-_feMt0beH-Dm3GwGJavWrblx2NppeVSIK6jU9btd2aZGzcgnm4pJp1K11d0svqKOk_T5Yytl4Ksx7H-wzRHG4/s1600-h/P6210142.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7jC2PCh3lQmPaAqDHhWvUNTkRP6PSyGKxFwDPJssiSMyRRo7vSwMTV-_feMt0beH-Dm3GwGJavWrblx2NppeVSIK6jU9btd2aZGzcgnm4pJp1K11d0svqKOk_T5Yytl4Ksx7H-wzRHG4/s400/P6210142.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350165114546809634" style="cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz8M4CVKRe795YP6XDrWtsbeZWr5gk6gLoTRbqx9aaqr8vaT-PtCM6ASpPcgyTyxbYa44ExaoNtNWLlhKD4BE7muqbFaZasBbSubX2lXAbOiKWsrdICghqn7EXir39tLLsN5txHDrgOc/s1600-h/P6210141.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYz8M4CVKRe795YP6XDrWtsbeZWr5gk6gLoTRbqx9aaqr8vaT-PtCM6ASpPcgyTyxbYa44ExaoNtNWLlhKD4BE7muqbFaZasBbSubX2lXAbOiKWsrdICghqn7EXir39tLLsN5txHDrgOc/s400/P6210141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350165024540756322" style="cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div>These pens are great for drawing because there are so many nice colors available in the 18-color set. The set is not that expensive and even if you don't want to purchase that many pens, there are smaller sets available for even less money. These pens are 0.4 mm so the line is thin enough to be suitable for writing purposes. However, I tend to use these primarily for my artwork. I find that these pens are very good for shading and coloring-in. I also like underlining notes with these pens - they are a great substitute for highlighters. I also like their compact size, as they are easy to travel with and can fit in the back pocket of my jeans. I always try to carry one pen with me when I'm on-the-go at work, and this pen is perfect for that purpose. These pens are available in a larger size (check out <a href="http://www.dickblick.com/products/stabilo-point-88-fineliner-pens/">dickblick.com</a>), but I find them to be too long and they don't fit in most of my pencil cases. Overall, I love these pens. I really like their compact size and how they can serve as both an artistic tool and a writing tool. Also, there are so many cool colors available, even more colors than I've shown here (though they may only be available in the larger size). </div><div>-MLB</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYsztGBKkFOH_PPPVvkfc9IC7RWJa_Wue5anY7PpnofCIqawaFDnRUW3sUFqQg-JxS-S0ExI7lkjpusdd_9fnpUDZ9Vfob8acQY_LO1dfIzNJ8Z50RISiXioFUQn1VWb3laE-LZICeWI/s1600-h/3235488898_a065845bb4.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYsztGBKkFOH_PPPVvkfc9IC7RWJa_Wue5anY7PpnofCIqawaFDnRUW3sUFqQg-JxS-S0ExI7lkjpusdd_9fnpUDZ9Vfob8acQY_LO1dfIzNJ8Z50RISiXioFUQn1VWb3laE-LZICeWI/s400/3235488898_a065845bb4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350164282016777346" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div>A small amount of coloring in this picture was done with the Stabilo pens. As you can see, you can achieve nice, even colors using these pens.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNdz_4_ffBKGHZlh3NhN-1LPl56CVZQK3Ku-zTGCu7MiiWyZvhNmoswJUgTDtWMQ_2-JwnlbrfrBHEOcblkVRdVQm4E_BCTm2jbOuBuNi5qlpLLxolJzW0cjqkC0BU_8PCAQ5PUd8Mvs/s1600-h/P6230143.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNdz_4_ffBKGHZlh3NhN-1LPl56CVZQK3Ku-zTGCu7MiiWyZvhNmoswJUgTDtWMQ_2-JwnlbrfrBHEOcblkVRdVQm4E_BCTm2jbOuBuNi5qlpLLxolJzW0cjqkC0BU_8PCAQ5PUd8Mvs/s400/P6230143.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350580661431166434" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Pic taken on a stool in lab (Yeah, we play with our pens when we have a little downtime in the lab =0)</div></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-65624316545668342222009-06-11T15:21:00.001-04:002009-06-14T20:18:12.077-04:00Review: The Zebra SarasaReview by Melissa:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjT9DvRJhyhtALJcp7bxmfHUbVCJtgwevgBZC4_iGzPU68NlabLfG02aU_N7hKYUbp7MOmSFjyVEhj_frsDxicmDgIb07fcIZ9CARt0WvlIB_WPUhoUcLydD3mSM-_TCJ6KQxjTM3zBc/s1600-h/P6100115.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjT9DvRJhyhtALJcp7bxmfHUbVCJtgwevgBZC4_iGzPU68NlabLfG02aU_N7hKYUbp7MOmSFjyVEhj_frsDxicmDgIb07fcIZ9CARt0WvlIB_WPUhoUcLydD3mSM-_TCJ6KQxjTM3zBc/s400/P6100115.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346152498812940514" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1wXacBR2xuq_LHxvPvrl93TFWXodfg1CPTneMPE469zQHmWnC_d984hHD017dL4tbUgIFzejFKPFkcKUf4BZt7YgxILK3DkP-JjPM27EafJ1Lcbhee-M2C1ZtYW_D2NY9fXhvUtZFng/s1600-h/P6100111.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1wXacBR2xuq_LHxvPvrl93TFWXodfg1CPTneMPE469zQHmWnC_d984hHD017dL4tbUgIFzejFKPFkcKUf4BZt7YgxILK3DkP-JjPM27EafJ1Lcbhee-M2C1ZtYW_D2NY9fXhvUtZFng/s400/P6100111.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346152603044394802" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5j_29G7bzq9RgdDp-b4FyemapgEOoONrlXYcK0HiB3RLGYP6ICZXLrz24RcM8dy9i18AjVmqw0doIjHUShDipYQIGU1RlbPgLhPDoJgm-AAtYoUcIMUJkXG2-hZYfklXRu1xMVMcpqE/s1600-h/P6100112.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5j_29G7bzq9RgdDp-b4FyemapgEOoONrlXYcK0HiB3RLGYP6ICZXLrz24RcM8dy9i18AjVmqw0doIjHUShDipYQIGU1RlbPgLhPDoJgm-AAtYoUcIMUJkXG2-hZYfklXRu1xMVMcpqE/s400/P6100112.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346152782901295602" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFajBAEuvZgyhJGyj-dYO1NtWWsuOQgzWyAkm2GmA0v3thdneCZ-A9Z-ofQcbf3o09H7PM3OuKreXed3VZZM-YnhmzZ7xa6YMP9HcWlDiRMPovJTjxVrOejsHaUSJ8Q5n5qZ4pp3qLgLU/s1600-h/P6100113.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFajBAEuvZgyhJGyj-dYO1NtWWsuOQgzWyAkm2GmA0v3thdneCZ-A9Z-ofQcbf3o09H7PM3OuKreXed3VZZM-YnhmzZ7xa6YMP9HcWlDiRMPovJTjxVrOejsHaUSJ8Q5n5qZ4pp3qLgLU/s400/P6100113.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346152944600701714" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div>Zebra Sarasa pens are great gel pens. I prefer the 0.7 mm tip because it gives a smoother, more consistent line than the thinner tips. I'm not really fond of the scratchiness of the 0.4 mm pens I own. My current favorite color of this collection is Mahogany. I really like brown inks, and the reddish tint adds to the uniqueness of the color. I think it's cool that 10 pack includes colors not commonly found or seen as pen (ink) colors, such as cobalt, frost, and mahogany. The only flaw - these 0.7 pens don't dry fast enough - at least on Clairefontaine paper - so beware of smearing! Luckily, I didn't observe this problem with other paper, such as my Mead Cambridge notebook. </div><div>-MLB</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-8912427271191538522009-06-10T22:10:00.001-04:002009-06-11T15:07:49.239-04:00PICS!<div>This was drawn by Melissa using:</div><div><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/447_686/products_id/3386">Copic Multiliner SP Black Ink 0.2 mm</a></div><div><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/263_274/products_id/1823">Uni-ball Noble Metallic Gel Ink Pen 0.8 mm</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Without a flash:</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0liRYdJOJupdda3DwmG4ui5-3awaHjMM8ZpWn3CaYjUcgnnriokyGZekqCHcyOu_OuXaTzP_sBwp7gneqB01RzR-0W2wRR6eZ77BayRDKG8kQcSu4Ft5cdM8yR8OGEaYQkM27FW8Mbg/s1600-h/P6100096.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0liRYdJOJupdda3DwmG4ui5-3awaHjMM8ZpWn3CaYjUcgnnriokyGZekqCHcyOu_OuXaTzP_sBwp7gneqB01RzR-0W2wRR6eZ77BayRDKG8kQcSu4Ft5cdM8yR8OGEaYQkM27FW8Mbg/s400/P6100096.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345886822458215458" /></a><div>With a flash:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionBgGbGYkp16ENgxgheTWVAefOPjHDzqIMuExx9AqvUpEgQZhaARRV0s2Pa6JpEwKPTCWAFUpBEsWVEd-mzsBGhwR9zys_PGWa1UHSpx4tsahMlNt4B01hoIXNFxHw2MRHhrIvAWo31U/s1600-h/P6100097.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionBgGbGYkp16ENgxgheTWVAefOPjHDzqIMuExx9AqvUpEgQZhaARRV0s2Pa6JpEwKPTCWAFUpBEsWVEd-mzsBGhwR9zys_PGWa1UHSpx4tsahMlNt4B01hoIXNFxHw2MRHhrIvAWo31U/s400/P6100097.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346148468011317122" style="cursor: pointer; width: 381px; height: 400px; " /></a></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-47091653079827804022009-06-10T21:41:00.000-04:002009-06-12T06:42:23.397-04:00Reviews: Lamy Al-star, Sheaffer Calligraphy Pen, Diamine Jade Green Ink<div>Reviews written by Melissa:</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMq9yQKYEJeq4FF6z832T0UrktFu3xjk72_Fz9rdIjPJv65h-8PdVp6mfU7GXuxtRXk7N4BDcfZPtHS1iPQ4AXoUjsKg3l1QkVmdUb2yTBvjpod2vYNnS4EJmf9DgjNv4SeGEMaMZbmw/s1600-h/P6100101.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMq9yQKYEJeq4FF6z832T0UrktFu3xjk72_Fz9rdIjPJv65h-8PdVp6mfU7GXuxtRXk7N4BDcfZPtHS1iPQ4AXoUjsKg3l1QkVmdUb2yTBvjpod2vYNnS4EJmf9DgjNv4SeGEMaMZbmw/s400/P6100101.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345882579555858466" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>26 April 2009<div><br /></div><div>I wrote the date with the medium Sheaffer nib. Way too thick. Even the extra fine nib is a little thick and the ink bleeds through the paper. So I switched to my Lamy FP with a 1.1 nib. It writes nicer and the bleed-through is minor. The Lamy FP is becoming a fast favorite of mine, right up there with the Pilot Plumix. I switched the EF nib to the slightly thicker 1.1 mm nib, and that has made all the difference in the world. For a thicker barrel pen, the thicker nib is key. It makes my writing experience better, and it provides a smoother line. For thinner barrel pens, like the Pilot Cavalier Pen, the EF nib works better. It just makes more sense to me.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZQKC-4riIjXxSAfYkwpnBHUiEIbSvfhtWXrYl4EbHYU5ExAmRxTSl2QjQjuyXAxg6UKlvFfB6R1s9wzPHdOlHU5vEGlq9DQ1iOwIzA_LQuT-xdnLuWE0mCRzsx5XeabAIASMdLduG34/s1600-h/P6100102.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZQKC-4riIjXxSAfYkwpnBHUiEIbSvfhtWXrYl4EbHYU5ExAmRxTSl2QjQjuyXAxg6UKlvFfB6R1s9wzPHdOlHU5vEGlq9DQ1iOwIzA_LQuT-xdnLuWE0mCRzsx5XeabAIASMdLduG34/s400/P6100102.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346073351450618354" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /></div><div>23 May 2009</div><div><br /></div><div>Jade Green (Diamine) written with a Kaweco Sport FP. Nice, light green. Reminds me of a sunny, spring day. Good saturation. Consisten, smooth lines. Would definitely consider using this more often and purchasing a bottle. On this Clairefontaine paper there is minor bleed-through. On other paper, such as my Clairefontaine GraficFlow Hard cover Journal, there is no bleed-through. I love this color. It makes me happy. =)</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hwHw1XE5sZaSS4-D0TCH8c3KFZNcNiQ1iEUNLl0ae0na98rXSEzzXqc4axL_Mz32qvFsbSXvJIWonuAyqwXFi6Hw6jtDPoymu_dSX2xQlPI1v4zcOTCsiVVaoalC0L3q1PBIF0f4m28/s1600-h/P6100106cropped.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hwHw1XE5sZaSS4-D0TCH8c3KFZNcNiQ1iEUNLl0ae0na98rXSEzzXqc4axL_Mz32qvFsbSXvJIWonuAyqwXFi6Hw6jtDPoymu_dSX2xQlPI1v4zcOTCsiVVaoalC0L3q1PBIF0f4m28/s400/P6100106cropped.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346149414844726210" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 297px; " /></a><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">This last picture was written with a</span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; color:#4e2188;"><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_727/products_id/3801"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></a><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_727/products_id/3801"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Kaweco Sport fountain pen</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> with Diamine Jade Green ink. We had gotten the Jade Green in a sample pack of a few different kinds of inks from </span><span style="text-decoration: underline ; color:#4e2188;"><a href="http://www.PearTreePens.com/Fountain-Pen-Ink-Samples-p/samp.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pear Tree Pen Company</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. The sample packs are really a great (and cheap!) way to sample different brands and colors of inks. It's so tough to get an accurate picture of the color of an ink on your monitor. There's so many different variables as to the "true" color of an ink like how the picture was scanned in, your monitor color settings, things like that. So it's definitely a great way to get just enough to try out on your own. (This is where that glass pen comes in handy! Just dip it into the sample, try it out on your Clairefontaine, and wash the color off to try the next color. Works great!)</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">She used a Kaweco pen that was converted into an eye-dropper fountain pen. For those that don't know this pretty cool technique, you basically eliminate the need for any kind of cartridge or converter. You can fill up and use any ink in your pen relatively quickly without the hassle of a converter. Writer's Bloc has a great write-up of how this is done here:</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color:#4e2188;"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><a href="http://blog.shopwritersbloc.com/fountain_pens/pen_modification_convert_into_1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://blog.shopwritersbloc.com/fountain_pens/pen_modification_convert_into_1.html</span></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Most of your fountain pens can be converted into an eye-dropper pen, but, unfortunately, pens that have holes in the barrels, like my Lamy Al-star, can't be made into an eye-dropper pen.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Good Pens also has a great post about converting his Pilot Preppy FP into an eye-dropper:</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color:#4e2188;"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><a href="http://goodpens.blogspot.com/2009/06/preppy-cartridge-fountain-pen-converted.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://goodpens.blogspot.com/2009/06/preppy-cartridge-fountain-pen-converted.html</span></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And here's one from nrepose about using Noodler's Blue Ghost in a converted Preppy:</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a href="http://unpostednrepose.blogspot.com/2009/05/blue-ghost.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://unpostednrepose.blogspot.com/2009/05/blue-ghost.html</span></a><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAoIEJzoXpARjuam5VuFJOGNzSjrCs5NI90Lf7T5lOOFXHue7GCf3gyUagjMJDNFiVcRabzRQN_G51sDQFtmbacvSa3UHple08hc3Kd-kR17w99lhXeMh57xIpjRkDOdAulMv-fehrOM/s1600-h/P6100109.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAoIEJzoXpARjuam5VuFJOGNzSjrCs5NI90Lf7T5lOOFXHue7GCf3gyUagjMJDNFiVcRabzRQN_G51sDQFtmbacvSa3UHple08hc3Kd-kR17w99lhXeMh57xIpjRkDOdAulMv-fehrOM/s400/P6100109.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346150101250624946" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here's an example of the glass pen in use. We received the ink sampler from Pear Tree Pens which included Noodler's Apache Sunset, Diamine Woodland Green, Diamine Maroon, and Diamine Quartz Black. Sampling the inks with the glass pen took a matter of minutes. Instead of worrying if your fountain pen is dry enough to put in your next ink, you can easily wash the color off the glass pen and use the next color. </span></p><p></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color:#4e2188;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-37339306602567977272009-06-10T20:56:00.001-04:002009-06-11T15:15:26.775-04:00Fun with Calligraphy<div>I thought I'd post some pics of some pretty cool calligraphy. The handwriting and calligraphy was done by my super-talented girlfriend, Melissa. She used a <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/625_165/products_id/893">Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen</a> with a 1.5 mm nib.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtYXVtvCd72VmcpDUujMcmTljH1uzOMKbtY7ei1h7NbL7Con3h8pOHyB6cVhd2h0b7Ku5lMNP_3NbAJXwPeOmURo2sc7X_9_348MpKTr9icDKfnBcdbUgdlCtt5UiQc49RZoO6N_zEno/s1600-h/P6100104.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtYXVtvCd72VmcpDUujMcmTljH1uzOMKbtY7ei1h7NbL7Con3h8pOHyB6cVhd2h0b7Ku5lMNP_3NbAJXwPeOmURo2sc7X_9_348MpKTr9icDKfnBcdbUgdlCtt5UiQc49RZoO6N_zEno/s400/P6100104.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345877089861891810" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 332px; " /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKy2xAjIietF2DtE_jRN3tIibQ_BctEZh8V4kU7dA3abx7zPEIXa68xvF4GGNOfqM6vBIt-NFyefihkjiu_rOgPlAzmdLhSvTSaObFNTYFk4U_4FIJvihjaON66INLPlxIVe44erJOFs/s1600-h/P6100107.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKy2xAjIietF2DtE_jRN3tIibQ_BctEZh8V4kU7dA3abx7zPEIXa68xvF4GGNOfqM6vBIt-NFyefihkjiu_rOgPlAzmdLhSvTSaObFNTYFk4U_4FIJvihjaON66INLPlxIVe44erJOFs/s400/P6100107.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345869572010111570" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOgleozBpyTjc0TiIFKnJoIh-rfxFSxBYlVfLBHCI7zXAGZD92D3G9jS4fRN59fhrkaNjlpfN2jdB3LWurrI-9Nb0wpuCdpiiDNqgSer8lLBF_Ivo9mAjH09UK04tNVpta6BC1RRudRI/s1600-h/P6100108cropped.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOgleozBpyTjc0TiIFKnJoIh-rfxFSxBYlVfLBHCI7zXAGZD92D3G9jS4fRN59fhrkaNjlpfN2jdB3LWurrI-9Nb0wpuCdpiiDNqgSer8lLBF_Ivo9mAjH09UK04tNVpta6BC1RRudRI/s400/P6100108cropped.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345870349460155346" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div></div></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-16783518671076997852009-05-19T09:05:00.001-04:002009-05-19T09:39:41.242-04:00A Few Pics...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6to6-_9EDsekll2gf5T5D9cVjMxdeUSDmyprEnkPOFa3PNXuL2ukRJsEhWXNooiR2XS5e6EQ3VPsMwlk0nKYCYyoOFfJvch4pwvVWdp0_ghBxX_9hHw8U2FAFSYmcBLG6wn3KMeTfKE/s1600-h/P5180076.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6to6-_9EDsekll2gf5T5D9cVjMxdeUSDmyprEnkPOFa3PNXuL2ukRJsEhWXNooiR2XS5e6EQ3VPsMwlk0nKYCYyoOFfJvch4pwvVWdp0_ghBxX_9hHw8U2FAFSYmcBLG6wn3KMeTfKE/s400/P5180076.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337528579997574434" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Just a few of my favorite pens =).</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGtaI-wpVQQOW_7dgR7Fltsov7nKHI0qWT3tTOGqYDXWmgxHgBRqFfUnQpneYkiNqc2lAZaD-0_6saLErtgn68TrKe1pF0Nn7L1qffhUyJCor1Fc-exHOTAUp74RQjksKpzCqXJqqV6k/s400/P5180068.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337528703272218418" /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a close up of the Pilot Ageless Ballpoint (top) and the Pilot Timeline Gel ink (bottom).</div></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-55898941903704417252009-04-13T14:30:00.000-04:002009-05-19T09:48:50.758-04:00J. Herbin Glass Pen<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> recently got a black tinted </span><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/214_724/products_id/3778"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">J. Herbin Straight Body Frosted Glass Pen</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> from Jetpens.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Upon first dip, the ink is applied rather heavy. However, after writing a few sentences, the pen finds its groove. Being a lefty, I've always had issues with smudging and smearing. Because so much ink is applied at once, it takes a while to dry. If you are a lefty and prone to smearing your inks, I'd recommend a quick drying ink to minimize smudging.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Certainly not a fine tip. Produces a thick line. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere in the 0.5-0.7mm range, but probably closer to 0.7mm. This might be remedied by writing faster as it gives less time for the ink to flow to one spot.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The idea of a pen made solely out of glass is a little foreign to me. We're brought up to believe (that is, ingrained in our heads) that a pen is made from plastic and contains a cartridge of ink within its body.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The style of writing harkens back to simpler times; simpler in many respects and perhaps pens are symbolic of that. We live in a time where the more complex the devices and the more technology it has, the better. We assume it will perform because of the complexity and amount of technology. If it doesn't have more than 10 moving parts, it must not perform well, because, heck, where is the technology? We want something to brush our hair, order shoes online, drive our cars, all while cooking our breakfast. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The glass pen is a refreshing reprieve from this madness. It's really as simple as you can get. No moving parts, no flashing lights, no fancy touch screens. Just pen and ink.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Where the pen really shines is in showcasing the idiosyncracies of the ink itself, instead of the pen's characteristics overshadowing the writing experience. To really get the full effect, I think it would be best to use multiple inks with the glass pen. Ink can be washed off very easily from the tip of the glass pen. This allows use of multiple types of inks and allows for direct comparisons of the inks side-by-side. For instance, my girlfriend and I have been experimenting with the </span><a href="http://www.shopwritersbloc.com/noodler39s-ink-starter-k39.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Noodler's Ink Mixing Kit</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> and trying to come up with some cool, homemade colors. (I'll most definitely have a post about that sometime soon.) We've definitely noticed that when the ink is in the vial, it can look drastically different than when the ink meets the paper. The glass pen is the perfect tool in seeing how the ink flows and how it looks on paper. If we want to add a few drops of a certain color, the ink on the glass pen is easily rinsed off and the newly mixed ink freshly applied.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In short, the glass pen is the most intimate interaction between writer, pen, ink, and pad. In my opinion, writing in its purest, original form.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Of course, it's not the most ideal pen for quick note taking in class, for example. But, nonetheless, even if you don't use it that often, it's a great piece of artwork.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The box that the pen comes in, however, hardly does the workmanship justice. I received a pen stand that was custom made for the glass pens courtesy of Zero_dgz</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">from the Jetpens.com forums. This pen stand is the absolute perfect way to showcase the glass pen. The stand is displayed on my workspace and I've certainly gotten a few interesting looks and inquiries about the glass pen from passersby. Zero_dgz does great work, thank you!!</span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiED7ias-ocniqZaPaEA6tfJA_Yl-32Ptjgl3r2QmnCw7tghBmPMCrmYTO9vMUHHlv4-3vtcwyLU87t7fOPb4Dq8g6AP8IDVUCuwbqEdqWXKkMSUMCTdoI0QRhF0FWbkGa76RRauUanbcg/s320/P5180074.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337520160722298850" /></div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-31086077419928401522009-02-02T15:31:00.000-05:002009-04-13T14:41:35.733-04:00Ageless vs. TimelineToday I wanted to talk about the ballpoint <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/240_507/products_id/2334">Pilot Ageless Medium Point</a> and the gel ink <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/239_532/products_id/2477">Pilot Timeline 0.5 mm</a>. These two pens available from Jetpens have quite a unique tip-extending mechanism and are two of the coolest looking pens I own. One twist of the translucent end extends the nose and another twist extends the point from the nose. Definitely a line of pens that turns pen tips as well as heads.<div><br /></div><div>Both pens are certainly a pleasure to use. However, they each have their own qualities and it really comes down to a personal preference as to which one you'll enjoy more. There aren't any fancy gel comfort grips on these pens, but the shape of the tinted part of the barrel is ergonomic enough to feel quite comfortable in your hand.</div><div><br /></div><div>The difference between the two becomes apparent with the first few words you write. The Ageless line is thick and muddled while the Timeline's line is crisp and clean. Surprisingly, the Ageless is remarkably smooth for a ballpoint. I rarely pick up ballpoints anymore - I just prefer a smoother write - but for some reason the Ageless is something entirely different than what I've come to expect from ballpoints. Now, don't get me wrong, certainly I'm not saying the gel ink Timeline pens aren't smooth. I'd say the smoothness of the gel ink Timeline is comparable, if not slightly better than, the liquid ink Ohto Fine Ceramic Rollerball 0.5 mm pen - and that's one of my favorites. All I'm saying is that the Ageless might change your opinions of ballpoints.</div><div><br /></div><div>From a purely aesthetic perspective both these pens look absolutely cool. From the innovative twist mechanism to the sleek, futuristic design, these pens will surely turn some heads when you use it.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you had to get just one, which one would you get? It's an excellent question and it really comes down to personal preference, in my opinion. Does your work require more precision in your lines? Can you sacrifice a little precision in your lines to get a super smooth flow? Do you detest ballpoints no matter what? It's hard to argue for the Timeline with a $45 price tag - you might be inclined to say there are slightly better gel ink pens for a cheaper price - but, boy, if you like gel ink pens, I think these are some of the coolest out there. (My advice? Get both... =P)</div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned for pictures =) ....</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-10443341593944534782009-01-19T14:20:00.000-05:002009-01-30T21:41:41.258-05:00The CutenessI recently received a Hello Kitty Pilot Hi-Tec C pen courtesy of Jetpens (once again, you rock, Lily!). The Pilot Hi-Tec C line is great for those pen users requiring that extra little bit of precision. <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/239_284">Jetpens</a> offers a few different tip sizes: 0.25, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mm depending on your preferences and demands. I received a black 0.3 mm Hi-Tec-C pen affording a level of precision I wasn't quite used to as I've tended to be drawn to 0.5 mm and larger tips. Perhaps due to my own lack of confidence in my handwriting I figured a larger tip, and thus a thicker line, would hide any imperfections in my handwriting. (I blame the fact that I'm a lefty on my poor handwriting, but I digress.) As such, it took a few words to get used to a thinner tip, but I must say I soon found myself using the Hi-Tec-C over a few of my 0.7 mm "ol' trusties." The precision I was afforded was welcomed as my work sometimes requires me to write out structures of chemical compounds in small areas. Instead of the usual blob that vaguely resembles the shape of an "O" (indicating an oxygen atom), I now had clearly defined atoms that were readable by fellow colleagues. (In scientific research, reproducibility is key and if you can't read what your colleague wrote, it might as well be irreproducible!) <div><br /></div><div>The Pilot Hi-Tec-C pen is remarkably smooth, which surprised me because I had been used to the mantra that thicker tips write smoother. As I understand, there's a tradeoff that as you go to a thinner tip, you have to sacrifice smoothness. Poorly made pens with thinner tips can sometimes be pretty scratchy, so much so that I'd gotten turned off to thin-tipped pens. The Hi-Tec-C, however, defies the laws of pen physics as the tip flows across the paper with ease.</div><div><br /></div><div>My girlfriend has the <a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/cPath/239_72/products_id/2138">0.4mm Pilot Hi-Tec-C Putimo</a>. She offered it to me to try it out as I had initially complained about the 0.3mm tip of the Hi-Tec-C. For me, the 0.4 is a nice compromise between precision and thickness. Perhaps if I get another Hi-Tec-C it'll be a 0.4, but my mind isn't as closed as it once was on 0.4 mm and thinner pens.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, I haven't yet mentioned what makes this pen "the cuteness." Well, the pen came with a Hello Kitty figurine adorned on the top of the cap. (<a href="http://www.jetpens.com/product_info.php/products_id/3163">The Limited Edition Hello Kitty Hi-Tec-C</a>). The figurine is removable and transferable to other Hi-Tec-C's so if you're not the Hello Kitty type but know someone who is, you can always give it to them. Speaking of gifting, these pens would be a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">perfect</span> gift for your niece/daughter/girlfriend with a special liking for anything Hello Kitty; they're super cute and, as an awesome added bonus, they write excellently!</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-49906423141564541122008-12-31T18:41:00.001-05:002009-01-15T08:28:08.831-05:00Great products win games but...... Great customer service wins championships. <div><br /></div><div>I'd just like to say that Jetpens.com has TOP NOTCH customer service, bar none. For a recent purchase from their website, the warehouse missed an item in my shipment. I contacted customer service and promptly received a response. Due to the holiday crush, the shipment with the missing item took a little longer than I expected, so I sent an inquiring email as to the whereabouts and, again, received a prompt response. The item arrived shortly thereafter which was followed-up by an email from customer service asking if it had gotten to me. To me, it's not just that they rectified the problem by shipping the missing piece and being done with it, it's that personal touch you get when their customer service follows through with such thoroughness.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks Lily and the rest of the Jetpens customer service crew! You guys are top notch!</div>IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-9475569269117192122008-12-24T14:14:00.000-05:002009-01-14T16:50:19.696-05:00Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pen<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have never written a pen review, but this pen is absolutely the bombdiggityfoshizzy so I felt I had to write one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First of all, the pen has a flair for the elegant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>At first, I was a little unsure as to the gold accents on the silver body, but it’s the right touch of class for a very sophisticated looking pen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’ll feel like a million bucks when you cradle the pen in your fingers.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The pen writes like a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Granted, I have limited experience writing with fountain pens, the smoothness rivals that of non-fountain pens like the A.G. Spalding BRA157 Rollerball, Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier gel ink and the Pilot G-2 Pro, to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would also say that it doesn’t “hang” as much as an A.G. Spalding blue-barreled fountain pen I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In other words, the nib flows right along the paper with little, if any, skipping.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">My only (tiny) gripe is the fact that it’s a little light for my taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I like a pen to have some weight when I hold it and I don’t do enough extensive writing so I’m not overly concerned about hand fatigue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Coming in at 0.5 oz, the Cavalier Fountain Pen is slightly lighter (~0.3 oz lighter) than the Hi-Tec-C Cavalier gel ink and the Ohto Fine Ceramic Roller Ball pens (which are both among my favorites).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course, this is a fountain and the other two aren’t, it’s like comparing apples to oranges, but I want to get around to trying the A.G. Spalding BRFT220 Fountain pens that clock in at 1.20 oz.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><a href="http://www.jetpens.com/index.php/cPath/214_363">Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pens available at Jetpens.com</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Jetpens, get more of the silver, they're HOT!</p><!--EndFragment-->IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244789389612822381.post-87304337220626934892008-12-24T13:47:00.000-05:002008-12-24T14:28:53.757-05:00Welcome to The Pen ChroniclesThanks for stopping by, World. I've recently gotten hooked by the enjoyment of Pens. All this time I had no idea how much better a "real" pen can feel in your hands compared to one of inferior quality. So I decided to give writing about my pen experiences a shot. I do have to give a big shout out to <a href="http://www.jetpens.com">Jetpens</a> (um, did I just use the phrase "shout out?" Who does that?). They've got an enormous selection of pens and they've helped to quench (read: deepened) my newfound addiction to pens. A lot of the pens I'll probably write about are available on their website. Hope you enjoy my musings! Stay classy.IntricateExpressionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345060178557040712noreply@blogger.com0