Darling Clementine Letterpressed Notebook Review

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

When you love paper and ink, you love letterpresses. It just comes with the territory. I've never had the good fortune to play with one myself, but I've seen a number of them in action, and they never fail to enchant me. And it has (of course) led to a fondness for letterpressed notebooks and stationery. When I saw the Darling Clementine Letterpressed Notebooks pop up at JetPens, and saw they had one that had a feather quill, inkwell, notebook, books, knitting, and tea ALL ON THE SAME COVER, I was pretty much sold. Honestly, the paper inside could have been made out of cocktail napkins and I'd still have wanted it.

The notebooks come in two-packs, and this set features some of the best and coziest things in the world. They are staple-bound with 64 pages of blank, kraft, 40# paper. The price seemed a bit high to me until I read more about the company and printing process, then my geek brain took over and all was well with the world again.

The covers are handprinted with a Heidelberg press (go ahead and take a moment to fall down a YouTube wormhole of letterpress videos; I'll wait). They're a nice, tactile cardstock, and the printing process leaves them with a neat debossed texture. This is the sort of cover that I plan on cutting off the notebook and putting on the wall when it's purpose is served.

The paper is fairly fibrous and absorbs liquids, so I didn't have much luck with fountain pen ink, paints, or markers. Bolder tips caused slight bleed-through, though it wasn't as dire as I'd expected. Very fine, firm-tipped pens tended to snag on the paper fibers. Graphic liners, rollerballs, gel pens, and colored pencils all worked very well.

I think these would make great journals, scrapbooks, commonplace books, or sketchbooks. The A5 size is perfect for travel, and they're thin enough that they could even be used as inserts for an A5 traveler's notebook cover--though then you wouldn't get to see the lovely pressed covers. Overall, I'm pleased, and I'm glad the paper is more useful than I'd worried it might be. I often avoid kraft paper, but this paper seems more resilient than what I've encountered in past experiences. I'm glad the charming cover seduced me, and now I've got my eye on their other products.

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

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The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 245 - The Entire Thing is Orange

Not only do I cover my entire trip to Los Angeles - and what a trip it was - the new Field Notes dropped during the show. We also have a couple of Kickstarter updates, an amazing listener-created coloring sheet, and the final word on the Lamy Safari vs. Al-Star debate.

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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

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

Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu Ink Review

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

I've tried out several different purple/violet inks over the years, and I'm always surprised by how much variation an ink can achieve in the purple hue. Dark purple, light purple, blue and gray notes, etc. I've always enjoyed using Waterman Tender Purple, but it's a bit bright and has some blue notes. Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-shikibu is a purple ink that I think hits a perfect balance of "purple" that works well when you want a standard purple ink to use in your pen.

Most of my previous experience with purple and violet inks is darker than what Murasaki-shikibu offers, and that's part of the delight I enjoy when using it. It's not so bright that it calls unnecessary attention, but it stands out enough to be fun. KWC Gummiberry is a fun ink, but it's also quite a bit darker than this Pilot. Sometimes, a solid standard purple is in the cards, and this is now one of my go-to inks for that purpose.

There is some noticeable shading in this ink, but it's not dramatic. In some cases, you have to search for it on the page. Obviously, the shading effect is more pronounced with a large or stub/italic nib, but it's fairly minor in a medium and smaller. Still, you'll notice shading in some spots, and it's pleasant. When using a larger stub or italic nib, the shading comes out easier, but it's still not dramatic compared to other inks in the Iroshizuku line.

The flow and performance of the ink is fantastic. Easy starts, no skipping, and very forgiving when you forget to cap the pen for a few minutes. The Monteverde I used for this review can sometimes lay down too much ink, but that wasn't a problem with the Murasaki-shikibu. I also used this in a notoriously dry EF Kaweco and had no issues with it. This ink produces very good flow.

Like the Chiku-rin I reviewed, I was really impressed (shocked) by the dry time of this ink. I tried several times and always came back to the 10-second mark consistently. That's an incredibly fast dry time for any fountain pen ink. This is definitely something you should consider if fast dry times are high on your list.

Feathering and bleeding are almost non-existent with this ink, although it does tend to show-through to the back of the page quite easily. This is to be expected for any medium or dark ink, so it's just another point of consideration. Probably not Field Notes friendly, but perfectly fine for thicker, more absorbent papers.

Purple inks aren't always in my rotation, but they continue to fascinate me. Everyone's brain is wired differently when it comes to color, and mine is naturally drawn to bright blues, rich blue greens, fiery oranges, and deep pinks. This purple hits the mark for me when it comes to the definition of purple in my head. It lays down a smooth, clean line and the color is light enough to pop, but still dark enough to produce rich pools of purple goodness. It's definitely worth a try if you're in the market for a solid purple.

Murasaki-shikibu is available in a standard 50ml bottle as well as a smaller 15ml bottle.

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

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

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