I mailed out a check for $64.00 to Pens For Kids yesterday and wanted to say thank you to everyone who visits this site and helps to make these donations possible. If you want to learn more about Pens For Kids, please visit their website and their donation page. If you want to know why Pens For Kids is The Pen Addicts charity of choice, you can check my original post right here. Thanks again!
Review: Piccadilly Small Notebook
Another review a long time coming. I have had this Piccadilly Small Notebook ever since I won it in a contest at the excellent (but now infrequently updated) Black Cover almost six months ago. At first glance, it is very similar in size and shape to the hard cover Moleskine Pocket notebook, and the similarities do not end there. Here are the full specs:
Pages: 192
Line Spacing: Approx. 1/4" college ruled
Cover Style: Hard Cover
Paper Color: Off White
Paper Quality: 100 GSM Acid-free paper
Binding: Book Bound
The quality is very nice on the Piccadilly. The cover seems strong and durable, the binding is solid, and the paper is nice to write on. All of my pens performed well, although I preferred using 0.4mm and larger pens for the best writing feel. Anything smaller was a bit scratchy for frequent use. There was no feathering or bleed with any of the pens tested. Overall, this is a very quality notebook, especially at nearly 50% less than the same sized Moleskine. I could only tell a few slight quality differences between the two (lesser quality outer band and bookmark, overall finish), but if the Moleskine in an 8 on the feel and finish scale, then the Piccadilly is probably a 7. Certainly not enough difference to make up for such large cost savings.
Be sure to check out the extensive review at Black Cover.
I look forward to trying additional Piccadilly products, and as luck would have it, I have two other notebooks from them to review. The company was nice enough to send some samples my way, so look for reviews on those products soon.
Which witch is which?
Calling All Artists - Reader Mail Edition
I had two requests yesterday, one from an emailer and another via Twitter, about art/drawing/sketching pen related issues. Since I am not really proficient in any of those things, I though I would post them for everyone to see and respond.
1. @amandasunshine on Twitter asked about sketching pads for her Copic Markers. She is getting a ton of bleed through with her Moleskine sketchbook, and it looking for a better alternative. Any ideas? I emailed Marianne the Copic guru to see what she says as well.
2. I also received and email from another reader looking for some specific pen recommendations that will suit her needs. I'll let her explain:
I'm hoping you can help me. I'm a mixed media artist who has had issues finding the right pen for years.
I would like to find a pen that can:
- Write on acrylic (paint and various mediums). Some pens don't
- "Stick" to a glossy surface.
- Stay put when I brush on acrylic (paint and various mediums).
(I almost always go over my paintings with a brush varnish or a watery glaze.)
- Writes smoothly (not like a fine-tip Sharpie - which writes smoothly)
I would like to be able to write on a variety of surfaces - and doesn't skip, blob, peel/scratch off, etc.
I appreciate all of the mail and Tweets recently. Maybe I should set aside Sunday for a mailbag post? Email me at the address posted on the sidebar if you have any questions you would like answered.
