The CWPE Sampler Set Giveaway

I’m a fan of awesome pencils and awesome people, and CW Pencil Enterprises combines those two things perfectly. So, it’s no wonder that some of their store exclusive collaborations are some of my favorites. These favorites are also available in The CWPE Sampler Set, which I’m giving away today.

CWPE is currently closed for ordering and shipping due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but their website is open for browsing. I implore you to check out what they have, make a list, and be ready to order once the doors open again. And in the meantime, enter this giveaway!

Posted on April 14, 2020 and filed under Giveaways.

Kamiterior Memoterior Colors Memo Pad Review

You know I’m a Japanese stationery junkie right? Ok, if this is your first time here, maybe not, but for those that have been around a while, you know that I love seeing products like the Kamiterior Memoterior Colors Memo Pad.

I unboxed the Sakura Momo pad on stream recently, and the first words out of my mouth were along the lines of “Oh yeah, this is awesome!” I genuinely do care about simple, unique stationery products like this one, and am happy to test them out whenever I can.

I first learned of the concept of “Paper Tasting” from Yamamoto Paper. In a nutshell, a maker will supply you with a sampling of various paper types in a single package, with the package having an overall theme. It could be color, paper texture, suggested ink usage, and more. Yamamoto goes as far as providing a fully-translated product sheet with each set, and the preferred media use for the paper included.

The Kamiterior Memoterior Colors Memo Pad doesn’t take things quite that far, but they do provide a fun take on the whole idea of paper tasting. Each pad consists of ten 3.6” x 5.0” sheets of ten different types of paper. The theme is color, as I chose the pink Sakura Momo, and there are three other sets featuring blue, brown, and black sheets.

What you will find between the cover of each memo pad is a range of styles, from light textures to heavy, light shades to bright, and absorbent to not so much. I was able to remove the first sheet of each paper type from the pad, which is lightly glue bound to hold the entire group together. It held together nicely, so don’t worry too much if you want to hop around from color to color.

The ten paper styles are listed on a sheet packaged with the memo pad, and I think I’ve found the proper translation of each sheet from the Kameterior product page (matched to my numbers):

1 - Libero (pink)

2 - Sagan GA (rose)

3 - Polka Reid (peach)

4 - Tanto (L-50)

5 - Minute GA (Airy Pink)

6 - Cotton Life S (Cherry)

7 - Eco Japan R (Sakuragi)

8 - Mofuru (Peché)

9 - New Atmos (Botan)

10 - OK Muse Cotton (Sakuragai)

None of that means much to me other than Eco or Cotton, but it is still a way to tell the different papers apart, especially if there is one you like more than the rest.

Numbers 1, 6, and 10 are definitely Cotton-type paper from the texture alone. 10 is hugely absorbent and one of my least favorites. In the notes I wrote as I tested these out I likened it to blotter paper. My notes also included “Ishime” next to numbers 2 and 4, meaning the paper has a texture similar to the bumpy nature of the Ishime fountain pen finish. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable outside of pencils.

I wish I knew what Minute GA is, or if the translation was correct, so I could avoid it in the future. It’s essentially like writing on textured vinyl, which is not the best experience. That said, all of the ink types stuck to this page shockingly well.

The standout paper for me was number three, Polka Reid (peach). I don’t know what that means, but I would take an entire pad of it. That’s what makes a set like this fun. Getting to play with different paper types, and deciding how they work for you.

And a lot of them won’t, as you can see from my notes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like the product. In fact, I love it and would recommend it. It’s a relatively inexpensive way ($11 for 100 sheets) to test a wide range of paper types, and who knows what you will find when you test them out for yourself.

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


Posted on April 13, 2020 and filed under Kamiterior, Notebook Reviews.

Misfill, Postcards From the Edge 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:

Postcards From the Edge (From the Pen Cup)

Pen Review: Pilot V-Pen (Macchiato Man)

Workhorse Pens: The Case for the TWSBI 580 and the TWSBI 580AL/ALR (The Gentleman Stationer)

Lamy Persona Comparison (dapprman)

Diamine Inkvent Blue Edition (Writing at Large)

Fountain Pen Review: ystudio Weight of Words Resin Fountain Pen in Red (The Well-Appointed Desk)

The 68th Japan Tourism Poster Contest Results Announced (Kankou Poster)

Draw (Present & Correct)

Weirdo Patches (Comfortable Shoes Studio)

My Lamy 2000 fountain pen and I (Fountain pen blog)

Reminiscing About Fountain Pen Reviews (SBREBrown)

Springtime for Van Gogh: Visconti Van Gogh Orchard in Blossom Fountain Pen and Rollerball (Penquisition)

Archaeological Notebooks from Athenian Agora (Notebook Stories)

Montblanc Elixir Calligraphy Inks - Black & Yellow Gold (Gourmet Pens)

This Just In: Sailor 1911 Full Size Realo (Fountain Pen Quest)

Plague Notes 9apr20 (Warren Ellis LTD)

Lessons of Lockdown: What creative freelancers will be doing differently when things return to normal (Creative Boom)

Geometric Insects Navigate Sparse Flora in Pastel Illustrations by Hoàng Hoàng (Colossal)

10 best virtual museum tours — The Americas (Christie’s)

Micro but Many: an unofficial Micro Machines collection for those of us who love toy cars (Creative Boom)

Novelists pick books to inspire, uplift, and offer escape (The Guardian)

Nippon Colors (Nippon Colors)

Why Martha McPhee Carries a Notebook Everywhere (Wirecutter)

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 April 12, 2020 and filed under Misfill.