Tsubame Fools Cream B5 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.)

Have you got something fancy to write, or something boring to write that needs a little spice? Definitely check out the Tsubame notebooks. These flew under my radar for a while, and now the oversight seems scandalous. These are great notebooks.

The cover is sturdy cardstock, and the single signature is secured with sewn binding. With a bit of training, it lays open flat. The spine is protected with a lovely, rustic bit of gauze tape that adds strength and texture.

Inside, there are 32 sheets of cream-colored, acid-free, 7mm lined, 83.5 gsm paper. This paper shouts "luxury" and "workhorse" at the same time--a rare but noteworthy feat. The paper is crisp with great tooth, but feels smooth. There is a subtle watermark to it that is most apparent when it is held up to the light. There are also grid dots along the bottom, to assist with any vertical alignment you might need with your text, if you're using it for notes or outlines.

This paper handles ink like a boss. I threw all kinds of things at it, and the only thing I could get to bleed at all was sharpie. Nothing, not even my dribbly flex nib, feathered. The back side of the page shows hardly any ghosting. It's a bit more absorbent than more heavily-coated papers, so it doesn't show quite as much sheen, but there is still some. And, due to that cushy paper, it dries more quickly, too.

Overall, I really like this notebook. The 32 sheets leave me wanting more, though, and I wish there were other sizes. It does come in graph and plain varieties as well, which is very nice. Each notebook is $8.50, a bit steep for something I could fill in one sitting. Because of that, I won't be collecting these, but I will be enjoying the one I have.

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

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Posted on January 31, 2019 by Sarah Read and filed under Tsubame Fools, Notebook Reviews.

January Sponsor Spotlight

*Team Tangerine, or Team Fresca? (Image via* *Anderson Pens*)

Sponsor support is very important to me here at The Pen Addict. My sidebar advertisers put their faith in me to deliver good value for them month in and month out, and I want to shine the light on the best of the best for you. If you are shopping for pens, paper, inks, and more, please check out these great companies and see what they have to offer. Some recent highlights:

Goldspot received new colors of the popular Opus 88 Demonstrator in Grey, Red, and Orange, and in nib sizes from Fine to 1.5 mm Stub.

Anderson Pens has the two new North American Exclusive Sailor King of Pen models in Fresca and Tangerine ready for order. What a pleasant surprise this was.

JetPens has the most fun pen I’ve seen in a while in the Zebra Sarasa Clip Marble Color Gel Pen. The ink colors swirl!

Pen Chalet opened up pre-orders for the Lamy Special Edition AL-Star Bronze Fountain Pen if you want to lock in this year’s limited edition.

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Sponsors.

Colorverse Extra Dimension & Warped Passages Ink Review

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

It seems like it's only been a couple of years since the Colorverse ink brand exploded onto the stationery scene, along with their break-neck pace for releasing gorgeous space-themed inks. I've always wanted to collect all the various ink colors they sell for all the reasons Colorverse make them: They're beautiful colors and they are all based on real scientific concepts and space exploration. It's a dream come true.

Alas, there are far too many inks in the line to purchase them all. But one of the latest batches I've tried out is the Extra Dimension & Warped Passages set. This set contains a large bottle (65 ml) of Extra Dimension and a small bottle (15 ml) of Warped Passages. These colors are both beautiful blues at different ends of the spectrum. Extra Dimension is a dark, almost black, blue, while Warped Passages is a light, dusty denim. The multiverse series are based on concepts of harmony and symmetry, so it only makes sense that these two colors compliment each other so well.

Before going into the behavior and individual characteristics of these inks, I'll start by saying that they both behave very well. The flow is just right, I haven't had any issues with nibs drying out or flow problems after a while of non-use. Cleaning out pens is easy, and I haven't noticed any adverse effects. Like Colorverse claim, these inks are gentle on your pens, and I can attest to that fact.

Starting with Extra Dimension, there are depths to this color that unfold with the right nib. It's largely a blue-black ink with a fair amount of shading, but you can also detect some red sheen in certain light if you put down enough ink. I absolutely love red sheen in blue inks, and the subtle change in color is splendid after the ink dries.

Along with the blue-black qualities, you can also pick out some green/teal if the ink is spread out enough. Personally, I wish more of this hue was visible under normal writing conditions. You can really only see it clearly when swapping lots of ink. Perhaps with the right nib, this color would shine.

Dry time is a bit lengthy with this ink, but it isn't excessive. Somewhere between 18 and 24 seconds seems to be the magic time. Don't let the dry time deter you from picking up this ink unless that's a hard requirement for you.

Warped Passages is a color that made me unsure for the first few minutes of use. It's pale, dusty, and unassuming. But when you really look at the depth of the color and (especially) compare it alongside Extra Dimension, this color takes on a whole new quality. Under normal writing circumstances, this feels like a medium blue with great shading qualities. In the bits of shade, you can pick out hints of green, just like the Extra Dimension ink. These hints of green in both inks really delight me, and I'm not sure I'll ever use one of these inks without the other. They beg to be used together.

While this dusty blue is lighter than its larger sibling, it's still a medium blue that suits office environments well. It shades nicely, giving it a lot of visual interest on the page. I see this ink easily becoming one of my favorites. It's just a shame the bottle is so small!

These, again, are two different inks. Extra Dimension is the larger of the two, coming in at 65 ml. Warped Passages is only 15 ml, which is similar to a few sample vials. Unfortunately, you can't purchase these inks individually. They're meant to be a complimentary set, and I can't agree more. I just wish the two bottles were the same size!

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

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