Libelle Siena Fountain Pen

As many of you know by now, we here at The Poor Connoisseurs are all about getting the most for our money. As part of a closeout sale, I was able to snag this Libelle fountain pen for about 60% off.

Since it was such a bargain, the Libelle Siena feels like it is worth much more than I paid for it. It is “expensive feeling” in the hand; the parts are all machined and fitted together very well. I chose the “Palio” pattern, and Nick calls it my “Cosby Sweater Pen”, but I love it. I get a kick out of coordinating my ink and pen colors, and the colors in the Palio give me many options all in the same pen! The chrome-accented pen has a black base with flecks of orange, blue, and magenta. There are some pretty pearlescent parts which give a vintage depth to the finish of the pen. It comes with an extra cap that is all black, just in case you desire a more reserved look. This is a very thoughtful bonus! Also included are a standard international cartridge and a converter for filling from a bottle of ink.

As far as the important part goes (ie: how it writes)- very smooth and just a tad on the dry side. This one was kind of difficult to get going, but once I matched it with the right ink, it was smooth sailing. I decided to take mine to a nail buffer just a few times to eliminate the possibility of the “baby’s bottom” one finds on so many modern nibs. It took a small amount of tinkering, but the nib is very smooth, and certainly worth the $45 I paid at www.isellpens.com. I would definitely recommend this pen to a friend with the same level of FP experience as myself (which is not much, but enough to jump a few very low hurdles).

And now for the most important part: THE PICTURES!!!

Size comparison (L to R: Jinhao X750, Lamy Safari, Libelle Siena, Esterbrook J)

And finally, a writing sample and comparison to other nibs:

What We’ve Been Up to Lately- A Photo Experience

 

I haven’t updated in a bit, mainly due to the fact that we’ve been crazy busy. I’m back in school for Fall Semester, and Nick is working AND going to school. We have been more social lately as well. Instead of not update at all, I figured I’d share some highlights with our dear readers via pictures.

First, the culinary creations, courtesy of Nick:

Now for the writing and stationery goodies, which are my doing of course:

And lastly, we’ve just been hanging with our super awesome dogs!

I hope y’all will stick with us until we get a bit more free time! Meanwhile, keep it classy. Remember, any closet is a walk-in closet if you try hard enough!!!

-Shay.

J. Herbin Poussiere de Lune Fountain Pen Ink

This ink is the reason I wanted my first real fountain pen about a year ago. The color is a dusty purple, something you would maybe see in a gorgeous painted sky as the sun sets. Yeah, that sounds cheesy, but this color really is that great.

Poussiere de Lune is an almost pastel purple that leans more toward the blue side of the spectrum than the red. Think diluted Grape Kool-Aid, and you’ve pretty much got a spot-on idea of the color. PdL would be related to Private Reserve Ebony Purple and Sailor Jentle Chu-shu, perhaps their younger sibling. It is very unique and obviously from a fountain pen. This color is subdued and I believe you could use it in a professional setting- given you were not restricted to blue or black ink only.

To speak of the technicalities- it is an average to slightly dry and less saturated ink, but it is very nice. There is a decent amount of shading. This Herbin offering could stand to be a little bit more lubricating, but it is pleasant to use. Many people have commented how surprising the water-resistance is, and I have to concur. I have a feeling that as school approaches, I will be using this ink with a nice smooth medium nib to take notes. This is definitely an ink that I will buy again.

Here is a comparison shot with some other purples:

Beauty on the Cheap

I am a thrifty girl, how else would I be able to waste money on pens and inks?!? So over the past year or so, I have discovered several great products that will keep you looking put together for very little money!

First we’ll do skin care. I am not particularly fussy about these kinds of things, but I do suffer from dinner-plate sized pores, especially on my sniffer. This is the ONLY facial cleanser I have ever used that doesn’t make me break out.  (Catch-22 anyone?) Anyhoo, this cleanser actually DOES make your pores smaller, and it can be used as a daily cleaner, or put on dry skin as a mask. I’m not sure how much I paid for it, but I’d say it was in the neighborhood of $5-6 at Kroger. It also lasts a very long time if you are just using a small amount in problem areas.  This is good stuff, and I just hope I can find it again when I run out.

Next, a mani-pedi! I LOVE nail polish, but I HATE spending the time on my nails and having the paint chip off the very next day. This Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear nail polish is just the ticket. It applies easily, dries quickly, and lasts a good 5 days without any significant chipping. This is my current beauty obsession. It also helps that the stuff $2-3 a bottle and widely available. The color offerings are great (way more than what is pictured above), and it simply spanks much more expensive polishes in terms of lasting once applied. *cough* OPI *cough*

Finally, let’s address our hair! I have RUINED my hair many a time because I can’t leave it alone. Having done so, I know all too well the value of a great shampoo and conditioning routine. I’ve begrudgingly spent $22 on one container of Biolage Conditioning Balm before because it WORKS. Lucky for me, Suave’s new “Professionals” line really does the trick, and for much, much, much less money! I am very adamant about taking good care of my hair because I am trying to let it grow out. I can honestly say that this moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is comparable to Biolage in how soft, shiny, and sleek they make my hair look. For the big bottles, you’ll only have to drop $2 and change at Wal-Mart.

I hope these tips can help you, my dear readers, save some pennies where you can. I haven’t been reimbursed in any way, shape, or form for these reviews, though I wish I had! Also, the pictures are just results of Google image searches, and are not my own.

Stay Nifty and Thrifty,

Shay.

Noodler’s Russian Eternal Rachmaninov Fountain Pen Ink

Ok, since I am playing ketchup- yuk yuk yuk… catch-up, here is post number 2 for today.

This is an ink I lusted after in my search for the perfect pink ink. It is glam and fab and all that other good stuff. I’m still not sure if this one wins out over Diamine Hope Pink, but they are my top two contenders.

What is important to note about this ink is that it is NOT translucent in the bottle… it looks more like paint than ink for a fountain pen. It is rumored to have flow issues, but I never experienced any. I do need to try it out in another pen in the future. Rachmaninov is not a particularly lubricating ink, but it IS very waterproof, and absolutely unique. This color is not currently available for purchase anywhere that I know of, but I believe that the Goulet Pen Company is supposed to be getting the entire Russian Eternal line of Noodler’s in stock sometime in the future.

To keep it short and sweet here are more pictures:

P.S.- I am not affiliated with Goulet Pens, or any other company. (Though they are amazing, and I highly recommend buying from them.) I do this because I like pens, and I have no life.

J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil Fountain Pen Ink

I'm making this quick, because I am uploading at least two reviews today. It's about time, huh? I've just been so lazy this summer, I'm sorry.

So here we have J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil. This is technically, I suppose, a "brown" ink, which- if you know me at all- is NOT my thing. I like this ink though, I really do. It is grey enough to not be fecal-looking, and it behaves very well. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking for me.

P.S.- I take pictures with several different cameras (well, 2- my real camera and my phone camera), then, I try to pick the shots that showcase the ink color and its properties the best. This is why the colors of the PAPER will look different. I recommend that you average it all out and research other shots of this ink before you decide if it is worth your money.

Sailor Jentle Sky High Fountain Pen Ink

I received this ink as a sample from my Goulet Pen Company Inkdrop for June. At first, I must admit that I wasn’t too impressed. It reminded me a great deal of Diamine’s Mediterranean Blue, of which I already own a bottle. Then something glorious happened… I saw the sheen.

First things first, this is indeed a pretty medium blue with lots of shading. I like Mediterranean Blue, so there is no fault in the hue. Where Sky High improves upon it is in the beautiful red sheen that can be seen where the ink pools up a bit. The sheen is some sort of metallic micropigment or something, that when added to the blue color gives an almost purple-ish look that is so attractive. I’ve used (and own) several other inks with this element, but this is one of the prettiest that I’ve seen. When going for this effect, one must use a pen that puts down a lot of ink and paper that is not super absorbent. I’ve gotten good results on both Rhodia and Staples Bagasse. Here is a macro shot where you can really pick it up:

 

I have grown to really love Sailor inks because they have such an awesome flow in my more finicky pens. Sky High is no exception and where lesser inks will skip in my Jinhao X750, this offering from Sailor performs admirably. The dry time is on par with other inks I’ve used, not very quick (especially on Rhodia with a broad nib), but not too bad either. It is NOT waterproof, and you certainly cannot read the “smeared w/ a wet q-tip” that I wrote to test that aspect.

Overall, this is an excellent ink, and I have already added it to my birthday wishlist!

To read more about the Goulet Inkdrop Program, click here.

Lastly, I must thank my Sister-in-law, Leilani, who gifted me with my Inkdrop membership as a Christmas gift!

A few more shots: