I made it out to Hoffman Estates, in to the Chicago Pen Show, and then back around to Grand Jury Duty at home in the span of four days. Myke and I recap it all here. Worth it.
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(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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
I wish I could go to all the pen shows, but one advantage of only going to one a year is that it's always a standout highlight of the year. And this year? The best ever. This year was the first where the event felt back to what it was before all the shutdowns. There were still people I missed (Ana! I miss you!) but I got to meet so many folks who I've only ever known online before.
The highlight, by far, was getting to hang out with Kimberly and Brad. I got to spend some time with Kimberly last year, but it's been six years since I last got to see Brad. WAY overdue. We made up for lost time with a fun dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings, a few rounds of beers, a very silly podcast recording (where I received a scathing employee performance review--I will be taking this to HR), and the traditional evening bar hangout.
I tried something else new this year, too. I left my phone put away the entire time. Readers, I have almost no pictures. You see, I knew Kimberly was going to give you all an extensive, detailed, thorough recap. I love reading her pen show reviews, and I can't wait to relive this one through her post.
I did take two photos. One, a bigfoot sighting at a construction site as we drove into the hotel complex. Two, a pic of my, Kimberly's, and Brad's wee baby plotters with googly eyes, which I carry with me everywhere (it's a librarian thing).
And of course I took the obligatory photos of my haul on a hotel bedspread backdrop, as one does.
The haul is what you're really here for, right? I've got you. And I'll review most of these over the next few months, but here's the overview.
The first thing I did upon arrival was make a beeline for the Plotter table. I knew, thanks to ToastyTreats' Twitch stream, that they were running low of the itty bitty wee baby Plotters that they were giving away with a pen show purchase, and I HAD to have one. I didn't know, going in, that you had to spend a certain amount to get it, though, so I ended up with quite a kit. I got a Mini in the blue leather with a full set of accessories, and it's quite fabulous. I also grabbed one of their new leather pen rolls that I'm very excited to try. And, of course, I got the itty bitty wee tiny Plotter, which already lives in my pocket at all times, filled with wee bits of scrap paper that I use to write call numbers on at work. It's perfect and I love it.
My next purchase, which was actually a gift from Brad, was a gorgeous pen from Hardy Penwrights. It's my first pen from this talented maker, and it immediately captivated me. The material has swirls of pastel and jewel-toned sparkles interspersed with black, so that it looks like melting stained-glass graffiti. The silver clip has chevron cutouts, and it has a fantastic medium nib. This pen is totally urban fae, and I can't stop staring at it.
Top to bottom: Sailor 4 a.m., Hardy Penwrights, Carolina Pen Co.
The next splurge was planned, a pen from Jonathon Brooks of Carolina Pen Company. It's a matte pastel version of his Primary Manipulation material. It called to me from his pile of chaotically splayed pens, and I had him put a stub nib in it.
Then I needed to stop by the InkyConverters table, because I needed a sticker (and pin and lanyard) restock. Angela and I commiserated over our library school adventures, always doing finals at the Chicago show, and we squeaked over her adorable wares, which kept piling up in my hands.
I thought I was done, then. I'd certainly hit my budget, between Brooks and Plotter. I'd already left the show for a bit, to grab lunch and chill. But then Brad texted me, "You were looking for a Sailor 4am, right?" Sigh. Yeah, I WAS, but... Well, I came back to the showroom just to check, you know? And sure enough, a used 4am with a custom ground John Mottishaw M/F italic nib at Brandon's, aka Rocky Top Pen Co. table. For a very fair price. I did what any reasonable Pen Addict would do.
I really wanted to try that nib, after I bought it. Which means? Yep, I needed some ink. So off to Papier Plume, where I exerted superb self-control by only buying three bottles. I got the gorgeous show ink, Lake Michigan Sunrise, which is stunning. And I grabbed Iron Lace and Garden District Azalea to ink up my new purchases.
Then I ran away out of self-preservation, and took the hotel bedspread photos you see here. After that, the agenda was all socializing and we had the awesome evening I described above. I was asleep before 1:30am, which was later than planned, but not my worst Pen Show bedtime.
The next morning I went to the Good Made Better table, where Dan Keller and I (and his kids) had the most wonderful conversation about books and reading and writing and libraries, and before you know it, I realized I'd been there over an hour. I had lots of questions about his products as well, and how he uses them, and all the different ways they can be customized. I covet one of the new storage Writewells. It will be at the top of my purchase list next year, if they're still available. To hold me over, I got one of the leather-bound portable book weights. And then I hurriedly said my goodbyes to all the friends I could find and made my exit before my budget hemorrhaged even more.
All told, I was there for less than 30 hours, but I have no doubt it will be among the best 30 hours of 2023. Thank you to all my awesome pen friends who came and said hi, or hung out at the bar, or chatted in the lobby, or let me block half their table for an hour talking about Charles Dickens' funny character names. You're all treasures, and I'll think of you every time I use the treasures I brought home from the show.
And a special extra big hug for Brad--thanks, Best Boss!
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(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
In most parts of North America, plants are blooming and there's plenty of rich green and other vibrant colors popping up everywhere (along with the not so desirable pollen). With the latest Colorverse ink that I'm trying out, its name pays tribute to a hiking trail in Vermont. Perfect forest green color to pair with a long hike in rural Vermont.
Colorverse Long Trail is named after the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US. Located (and spanning) Vermont, this trail winds 273 miles through the longest part of the state. Tackling the trail in one go often takes weeks, and there are countless awe-inspiring vistas along the way. All that to say, this ink has quite a heritage to live up to in its namesake.
I have several Colorverse inks in my collection, and I've always had really good experiences with them. I love how specific and intentional their ink names are — I always learn something new when researching where the name came from. Long Trail is a deeply saturated forest green ink that fits the landscape of lush forest and dewy undergrowth perfectly. Upon first inking and trying this ink out, I was really happy with the deep green lines that came out of the pen.
As far as forest green goes, this is a dark one. It's so dark that you could definitely use this in an office setting where they frown on bright or non-standard ink colors. There's just enough enough color in the depths to quickly let you know that this isn't a black ink. The rich color also gives way to some shading that adds a little character to the lines.
The ink also behaves well. It's well-lubricated and flows easily. With the Monteverde Omniflex nib I used in the photos, the ink has no trouble keeping up with the wet nib even when the tines are spread to the max. The lines are also crisp and sharp — no feathering or bleeding in sight. Dry time is a little slow — somewhere between 15 and 30 seconds in this wet medium-ish nib, but your results will vary between different nibs and paper types. Despite whatever pen and paper combinations you try, this likely won't be a good pick for lefties.
The saturation in this ink is so rich and deep — it's really beautiful (especially when using a paint brush to swatch the ink), but it can be a little annoying to clean out of pens. It washes out easily, but it takes several rounds of flushing to get it all. Definitely plan on taking the pen apart to really clear out the feed if you can. If you can't, it's really not a big deal — just means you'll spend an extra minute or two flushing it out. I have zero concerns with putting this ink in any pen I own.
Long Trail comes in a 15ml bottle for around $13.50, which is right on target for Colorverse inks. Their inks are high quality, so the price is great. And I love that the bottle is so small because I really have no need for large amounts of ink when I already have so many bottles.
I have a handful of dark green inks, and I enjoy using them from time to time. Out of all of them in my collection, I think Long Trail is my new favorite. It really is a beautiful forest green with lots of murky character.
(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
