The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 387 - Costs Me Money Every Time - Holiday Gift Guide 2019

Schon DSGN Pocket Six

Do you need an escape from your family today? A little break from a hectic holiday? Well, myself, Myke, and Ana are here for your with our annual gift guide episode. We had a blast recording this episode, as we always do. Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

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

Moo: Custom business printing and design. Save 15%.

Hullo: A simple, natural pillow designed for comfort. Try it for 60 days.

November Sponsor Spotlight

Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight, Via Pen Chalet.

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:

JetPens has their Black Friday sale live on the site, with 10% off some of their most popular items. And don’t forget to check out their 2019 Holiday Gift Guide.

Pen Chalet has the recently refreshed and updated Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight, which adds an ink window to the previously solid barrel. Be sure to sign up for their Black Friday giveaway while you browse.

Goldspot launched the shop-exclusive Sailor 1911 Royal Amethyst in both Standard and Large sizes. They also have a big Black Friday giveaway that you will want to get in on.

Vanness Pens received the new Esterbrook Estie in Lilac in both standard and oversized models, and with your choice of gold or chrome trim.

Vinta Azure Fountain Pen Ink Review

Vinta Inks have been one of the more popular inky releases this year, with an interesting product lineup of pastel colors, shimmer, and sheen - all in beautiful packaging.

While I could hav gone with one of the wilder colors for my review, I stayed in my wheelhouse with Vinta Azure. Experimentation, right? Mostly, I’m a chicken, and a little stuck in my ways when it comes to ink colors. There aren’t many shades I prefer over a beautiful blue, especially with the shading and sheen this one offers.

And sheen is king with this one. The base ink is a blue that is deep, but retains some brightness where it goes down thinner on the page. Once it dries, Azure is a sheen machine, with 80-90% of the line covered in a bright red/pink sheen. It looks fantastic.

For this review, I used an Aurora Optima with a fine flex nib on a Yoseka Notebook. The combination of heavy ink flow from the nib and this paper made this ink look darker than it will on other pages with other nibs. You can see more of the base ink color on the Rhodia and Tomoe River samples. It gives off a very Bungubox Sapphire vibe, with a hint of Sailor Sky High, albeit it with a lot more sheen.

At $12.50 for a 30 ml bottle, Vinta Inks are good quality and fairly priced. Plus, for each bottle they sell, Vinta donates to educational initiatives in their home country of the Philippines. That is something I can definitely get behind.

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

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