Inks for the TWSBI ECO Plum with Onyx Fountain Pen

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

To no one’s surprise, I had to get the latest TWSBI Eco, the Plum with Onyx. It was difficult to tell what the color of the pen would be, since there were Eco photos with different tones of red, pink, purple, and magenta. So I thought it would be fun to walk you through my ink selection process so you can get a sense of the real color (no, I don’t do this for every pen, just some of them). Also spoiler: this pen really is difficult to photograph!

TWSBI Eco Plum with Onyx on Cognac Girologio writing mat.

Purple writing mat.

Grey writing mat.

Turquoise writing mat.

The best I can describe the color of the Eco Plum is that it is a magenta-ish color with a bit of pink and purple. The solo pictures make the Eco look more red than it is in real life, regardless of background (and yes, this is with some post-processing already - definitely not my strong suit). And despite using custom white balance with a grey card, the writing mat colors aren’t truly accurate either. This is one reason why ink and pen color photography can be difficult for us amateurs. Of the four photos, I think the closest is the one on the purple mat.

Next, I pulled a bunch of Col-O-Ring swatch cards from my collection and rather than compare the pen to the swatch card, I opted to swatch the inks in a 68 gsm Tomoe River notebook by Odyssey Notebooks. This way I could make sure the ink looks like it would on paper that I use quite often. As with my ink reviews, the swatches were made with a stainless steel Kakimori dip nib in a Kaweco clutch pencil holder.

Inks from the top: TWSBI Grape, Diamine Amaranth, Vinta Vineyard La Union, KWZ Raspberry, Robert Oster Napa, Monteverde Sweet Life Blueberry Muffin, Colorverse Andromeda, Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo, Scribo Rosso Chianti, Diamine Raspberry Rose, De Atramentis Thomas Alva Edison (Black Red), Diamine x Cult Pens Robert, Robert Oster x EndlessPens New Year New Hue!

After I swatched all the inks and set the pen on top, it was pretty easy to see which ones were close but not close enough. Keep in mind that the closeup photos make the pen cap look darker than it does in real life.

TWSBI Grape, Diamine Amaranth, Vinta Vineyard La Union, KWZ Raspberry, Robert Oster Napa, Monteverde Sweet Life Blueberry Muffin, Colorverse Andromeda.

As much as I would’ve liked TWSBI Grape to be a match, it was too light and a bit too pink. KWZ Raspberry was more of a hot pink, while Robert Oster Napa and Monteverde Blueberry Muffin had some brown tones that didn’t work with the pen. The other three were possibilities.

Iroshizuku Yama-budo, Scribo Rosso Chianti, De Atramentis Thomas Alva Edison, Diamine x Cult Pens Robert, Robert Oster x EndlessPens New Year New Hue!

The Yama-budo was a touch too purple (thank goodness since I already have a pen inked with it), Raspberry Rose a wee bit too brown, De Atramentis was too dark and too purple (reminder that DA’s inks have a “line/theme name” like “Thomas Alva Edison” and a“base ink name” like Black Red). I liked the sheen of Robert and also the shimmer of New Year New Hue! How’s a girl to choose?! Reswatch for the next round!

Since I picked the 1.1 nib for the Eco Plum, I decided to use the Sailor Hocoro 1.0 stub dip nib to see if the ink looks better/different from a stub.

Diamine Amaranth, Vinta Vineyard La Union, Colorverse Andromeda, Iroshizuku Yama-budo, Scribo Rosso Chianti.

I already said Yama-budo was too purple but I must have really wanted to give it a second chance and yes, it’s still too purple for me. Diamine Amaranth was nice but it felt dry from both the Kakimori and Sailor Hocoro dip nibs. I really liked the Vinta, Colorverse, and Scribo from this batch.

Another look at Iroshizuku Yama-budo and Scribo Rosso Chianti, as well as Diamine x Cult Pens Robert, and Robert Oster x EndlessPens New Year New Hue!

The Diamine Robert was a really good match, but just a bit darker. The green sheen would’ve been fun though! The shimmer in the Robert Oster New Year New Hue! Was also really tempting but the base ink was a bit too light and too pink.

It was tough but I whittled it down to these two inks - Colorverse Andromeda and Scribo Rosso Chianti.

I could have gone either way with these two inks, but in the end, the Scribo Rosso Chianti won out because it was the right color and tone, and the Andromeda was just a teensy bit brighter. It also helps that I have a 90ml bottle of the Rosso Chianti and only a sample of the Andromeda.

Really happy with this combo - TWSBI Eco Plum with Onyx and Scribo Rosso Chianti!

(Disclaimer: I purchased the TWSBI at Flax Pen to Paper during Fountain Pen Day, all inks are my own, as well as the dip pens. The Odyssey Notebook was bought by the Bossman at a past pen show at regular price.)

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Helen’s Creations NJ A5 Japanese Fabric Notebook Cover Review

In addition to being a pen addict and an inkophile, I am also an avid notebook lover/hoarder. I rarely use notebooks without a cover - even hardbound notebooks are often covered. Just before the DC Pen Show, Helen of Helen’s Creations NJ released A5 notebook covers using some of the same Japanese fabrics that she uses for her pen cases. So, I asked/begged the Bossman to pick up an A5 notebook cover from Helen when he was at the DC show. I also bought one from her at the Empire State Pen Show. Brad got me a green/orange/brown one (which is really difficult to get the colors right in photos) and I bought a blue/white/black/gold one.

Helen and her son Dominic at the Empire State Pen Show.

A one-of-a-kind A5 notebook cover made from green/orange/brown fabric that Helen bought when she visited Japan and a blue/black/white cover that I bought last month.

The flap on the right isn’t sewn shut to accommodate thicker notebooks as well as notebook growth (from stickers, ink, washi, etc.). The strip holds the right side of the notebook in place.

The notebook cover is meant to fit A5 soft cover notebooks like Midori, Leuchtturm, LIFE, etc. It does not fit the hardbound Passepied Paper Notebook that I tested recently or other hardcover A5 notebooks as its hard cover is too tall to fit in the fabric cover.

These are the notebooks I used to test the covers. Left to right: FreeField Vertical from Luddite (more of an insert as opposed to notebook), LIFE Noble, Midori A5, Leuchtturm A5 softcover.

When I first put the cover of the notebook next to the cover pocket, it looks like it won’t fit, but all it takes is a bit of gentle bending to get the cover inside and then you can gently slide/push the cover all the way. It is a snug fit heightwise. Widthwise, it can fit slim inserts to thicker notebooks because the right cover flap isn’t sewn shut. This allows the cover to fit thicker notebooks, or multiple notebooks.

Will the notebook fit?

Gently bending the notebook in the middle will allow it to fit. Then you can close the notebook flat and slide the rest in place.

Same thing for the back - you can see the curve of the notebook’s cover for the initial fit.

Nice and flat with the flap tucked in under the strap.

There is also a ribbon bookmark that’s sewn into the top of the fabric cover. Depending on how thick/thin your notebook is, the bookmark might not be at the center of the spine. This is a minor nitpick for me as I don’t really use the ribbon bookmarks (from either the notebook itself or the cover).

The bookmark is on the backside of the notebook because this insert is very thin.

You can fit more than one notebook, if you like, by inserting one notebook in the front flap and one in the back.

An A5 Paper Source notebook (left) and a Midori A5 (right). You can also see that the green bookmark is in the middle of the two notebooks.

Both notebooks fit nicely when the cover is closed.

The fabric provides a little bit of structure to softbound notebooks, but it is not rigid. Both the fabric cover and the notebook cover can bend if you’re not careful, or if you cram it in a backpack hard enough. You don’t need to baby it, just something to be aware of.

The notebook cover has a double layer of fabric that is folded over itself on the front and the back, so you may notice the “bump” during writing. Placing an A5 pencil board a few sheets below your page could help even things out.

You can see the slight bump from the left/front cover fabric.

The back fabric bump is more pronounced because of the added strap in the back.

Overall, the covers are well made and I love the variety of fabrics that were offered (I wish I took a better closeup of her offerings). Since they are made from delicate fabrics, gentle handwashing is recommended if you need to clean the cover.

A cropped picture of Helen’s table at the Empire State Pen Show. The cover on the front right is the one that I couldn’t resist.

Helen plans to put the covers on her Etsy site in the coming weeks. The notebook covers are $44 for cotton and $70 for silk when purchased online (slight discount for in-person purchases). Helen also makes custom notebook covers (and pen cases) in varying sizes, shapes, and fabrics. For more information, you can reach out to her via DM on Instagram or by contacting her on Etsy.

(Disclaimer: The Bossman purchased the green cover at the DC show and I purchased the blue one at the Empire State Pen Show. All other products are my own.)

Paper Mind Passepied Cream Paper Notebook Review

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

It’s been a while since I’ve done a notebook review (not including the Yamamoto Bullet Jotter Notebook), so I dug through the review bin to pick out the Paper Mind Passepied Cream Paper Notebook.

The Passepied Cream Paper Notebook is a Japan-made, hardbound A5 notebook with a Japanese linen cover. I am reviewing the navy lined version, but blank is also available in a light grey linen cover.

The back of the notebook is minimally branded with “paper mind” and “made in japan” in silver.

A closeup look at the linen cover.

The insides have grey end papers. Also included is a sheet of pink blotter paper.

Per their website, Passepied Cream is made by the hundred-year-old Hokuetsu-Kishu Paper Company, and was designed as a book paper with high opacity. The paper weight is 84.3 gsm; for comparison, Leuchtturm is 80gsm. As the name implies, Passepied Cream is a cream-colored paper and not bright white.

Both the Leuchtturm 80 gsm (left) and Passepied are similar in color.

The notebook opens fairly flat, but I don’t consider it truly “lay flat” if I have to press it down.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, when I review notebooks, I do my writing samples in the back of the notebook. This way, I can still use the rest of the notebook starting at the front.

The paper is very smooth, but I never felt like my nibs were sliding uncontrolled. I picked a wide range of nibs so that (1) I could see if there was any feathering, (2) if the paper felt equally good to write on with different nibs, and (3) to see how it handled different ink qualities, like shimmer, shading, etc.

Writing samples starting with a Masuyama needlepoint to Medium.

Writing samples with Broad nibs. I also included flex and ground nibs, as well as a stub.

Passepied handled the shimmer from Wearingeul I am a Cat with no problems.

A side by side comparison with writing on just the front (left) and with writing on the back (right). There is hardly any ghosting.

You can barely see the writing on the other side, where broader nibs were used.

Zoomed in view of the minimal show-through.

Happy Fountain Pen Day! The first Friday of November is FPD and this is the 14th one! This is also the broadest, wettest pen I have inked up, making it the perfect pen to do another writing sample!

Once again, there really isn’t any ghosting or show-through, even with that Sharpie of a stacked nib!

Swatches of Robert Oster x Empire State Pen Show Central Park Twilight (shimmer), KWZ Sheen Machine (sheen), Pennonia x Amarillo Stationery Amarillo Antiguo (brightness), Hosia Ink Studio Mung Shing (chromashading) and Sailor Ink Studio 150 (shading/chromashading).

You can easily see the turquoise shimmer of Central Park Twilight, as well as the purple-red sheen of KWZ Sheen Machine.

Amarillo Antiguo is easily visible (its bright yellow tones weren’t affected by the cream-colored paper). Both Mung Shing and Sailor 150 shaded beautifully on the swatch, and you can still see all the colors in the Mung Shing writing sample.

Even with the heavy swatches of ink on the other side, the ghosting is minimal. You can see that the paper has wrinkled a touch, but it really handled all that ink!

I really enjoyed testing out the paper and look forward to using it for my next writing project. The Passepied Cream Paper Notebook sells for $29, which is close to what a Leuchtturm1917 A5 sells for in the US at around $26.

(Disclaimer: The Paper Mind Passepied Cream Paper Notebook was provided to The Pen Addict by The Paper Mind at no charge. All pens and inks used are my own.)