Pen and Ink–A photo diary

So I have been away, getting educated… and neglected this.

I’m going to do one of those sloppy, full of pictures updates, just to catch up. I may or may not review anything pictured.

Diamine Apple Glory, Diamine Meadow, and Rohrer + Klinger Alt-Goldgrun:

Lamy Safari love (including the 2012 Apple Green LE):

Diamine Amazing Amethyst:

My 10th Anniversary gift from Nick, a Waterman 52 1/2 Fountain pen and pencil set in Red Ripple!:

Best notebook find ever:

Pilot Iroshizuku Kosumosu:

The search for the perfect Tiffany “Little Blue Box” color. (Diamine Soft Mint, my own 1:1-ish mix of J. Herbin Vert Reseda and Private Reserve Daphne Blue, De Atramentis Pigeon Blue, and Diamine Steel Blue.):

 

Battle of the light greens. (Herbin Vert Pre, R+K Alt-Goldgrun, Iroshi Chiku-rin, Diamine Light Green, Kelly Green, and Meadow.):

That about sums it up for now… Stay tuned. The summer break might just cause me to do some updating!

Many inky returns,

Shay.

Illusione Epernay L'Alpiniste

Cigar: Illusione Epernay L'Alpiniste

Size: 6 3/4 x 56 box press Torpedo

Wrapper: Cafe Rosado

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Price: $7.00

I have only smoked one other Illusione brand cigar and I was not overly impressed, so I was somewhat hesitant about purchasing another one of their products. That being said, the fact that the Epernay placed in the top 25 cigars of 2011 as rated by Cigar Aficionado, along with the suggestion that I should give their brand another shot, led me to try the Epernay L'Alpiniste. I must also say that I am a huge fan of the torpedo and box pressed styles, so the fact that the L'Alpiniste was of that configuration may have played a role in my selection. In any case I am extremely happy that I gave this brand a second chance. The Epernay is a fairly hefty cigar measuring in at six and three quarters inches with a ring gauge of 56. The construction was impeccable, with a very nice even color and no large veins or any other blemishes that I could see. The burn was fairly even throughout the entire smoke, with the ash being a darker gray and firm, yet easily tapped off. The smoke was of normal color and consistency. This was an extremely delicious cigar. It was spicy upon lighting, but quickly mellowed out into very nice black tea and leather flavors. Floral notes crept in near the middle of the cigar. The thing that really put this cigar over the top for me was the lusciousness of it. It was extremely velvety and creamy throughout the entire smoking session, a factor that made the Epernay a joy to smoke. I smoked this cigar down to the nub, and I wished there was more of it. I would highly recommend the Illusione Epernay to anyone who enjoys a good medium bodied cigar, and it would be a wonderful cigar for a novice to experiment with when moving up from the milder sticks. I am rating the Illusione Epernay L'Alpiniste as follows:

Appearance: 10/10

Aroma: 9/10

Construction: 10/10

Flavor: 10/10

Burn: 8/10

Final score: 94

Fondest Regards,
N

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.