Zebra Sarasa Clip Marble Color Gel Pen Giveaway

The moment I saw the Zebra Sarasa Clip Marble Color Gel Pen arrive at JetPens I jumped through the screen to grab them. This is everything I want in a fun stationery product, and apparently I’m not the only one, because the initial stock sold out quickly.

I was planning on reviewing this set, but they are just too cool to hang on to right now, so I’m giving this set away and will get another review set when they are back in stock. I got you fam! Read the rules below and enter away.

Posted on February 5, 2019 and filed under Zebra, Sarasa, Giveaways.

Diamine Starlit Sea Shimmering Ink Review

Well, it looks like shimmer ink happened to me. And I have Diamine Starlit Sea to thank for that.

I didn’t think it would happen in all honesty. While I always appreciated the look of a good shimmer ink, I had no desire to use one for more than a test run, much less keep it in the rotation. I was scared of them, rightfully or wrongfully. If you don’t have good fountain pen hygiene and maintenance, any fountain pen ink can cause problems in your pen. Why would anyone in their right mind risk adding sparkles into what is often a finely-tuned writing machine?

Because they are awesome.

I began seeing swatches of Diamine Shimmer inks in 2015, and like other popular shimmer inks - J. Herbin for example - I loved how they looked. Still, I had zero desire to use them. But as the lineup expanded, and the color selection exploded, I could no longer contain myself.

Starlit Sea had two things going for it when I chose to use it: An interesting base color, and silver sparkles. The second part is almost mandatory for me personally. Just like with fountain pen hardware, gold is a much higher bar to clear and has do be done just right for me to choose it. Silver sparkles and rhodium trim are my jam.

The first part, the underlying blue black ink color, was kind of a chicken move on my part. I could have gone more experimental, like with Neon Lime or Citrus Ice, but I played it safe this time around. It was the right call too, because this shade is more than interesting enough. There is a bright, turquoise-like tone under the dark blue when the ink first goes down and prior to the sparkle taking over. It’s really fun to watch go down on the page, and the color does peek out from time to time in the finished product.

And that finished product is full of sparkles! Like, a lot of sparkles. I think by coming in at this juncture of the shimmer ink product cycle I’m getting the best version of this style of ink. The particles are super-fine, don’t clog any part of the pen, and have a very high dispersal rate throughout the ink on the page. The more I think about it, the more impressed I become.

So count me in. I’m on the sparkle ink bandwagon. Better late than never, right? I see a future where I have at least one shimmering ink inked up at all times, just for the fun and fascination it provides on the page. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

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


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Posted on February 4, 2019 and filed under Diamine, Shimmer Ink, Ink Reviews.

Misfill, PPS Edition

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

Ink Review #562: Parker Penman Sapphire (Mountain of Ink)

A Review of the Bellroy Work Folio A4 (The Sweet Setup)

Playgrounds, Paths, Ribbons & Patches (Daisy Yellow Art)

A Color Picker for Designers & Illustrators. (Color Supplyyy)

Bullet journal creator offers advice for the best to-do list (Fast Company)

Rich strokes: A love affair that never dries out (ABS-CBN News)

Pen Review: Pilot Grance (The Well-Appointed Desk)

A Writing Shed of One’s Own (Kottke)

Bijutsukai v. 1 (Smithsonian Libraries)

James Siena Changes His Approach (Hyperallergic)

Montblanc Heritage Spider Web Grey Ink Review (Gourmet Pens)

Nick Cave Answers the Hotly Debated Question: Will Artificial Intelligence Ever Be Able to Write a Great Song? (Open Culture)

Araki Koman on being a minimalist, living in eight different countries and finding her creative passion (Creative Boom)

Notebooks from Europe (Notebook Stories)

Japanese Manhole Cover Festival Coming to Tokyo (Spoon & Tamago)

Oldwin? Beautiful pens, frustrating experience (UK fountain pens)

More on Ancient Scripts and the History of Writing (Kottke)

Conklin 120th Anniversary Duraflex Fountain Pen (Write eXperience)

The Philly Pen Show 2019: Reflections On Maximizing Your Pen Show Experience (Inkpothesis)

Notebook Review: Clairefontaine A6 Graf'book (The Well-Appointed Desk)

Rhodia Pocket Size Side-Stapled Notebook Review (Ken Crooker)

Review: Robert Oster Fire and Ice (Comfortable Shoes Studio)

Capless in 1966 (Crónicas Estilográficas)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!

Posted on February 3, 2019 and filed under Misfill.