Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Papier Plume Red Beans and Rice Ink

Red Beans and Rice is a very notable Creole dish from New Orleans and is most commonly associated with being eaten on Mondays, as that was washday and women would put the beans in a pot to simmer all day as chores were being done. Papier Plume is a New Orleans based business and ink maker and they have a line of ink that takes inspiration from New Orleans in many different facets. Red Beans and Rice is the latest ink color offering so let’s have a look, shall we?



The bottle is well presented. I love the wax dip on the cap and the Fleur-de-lis stamped within on the top. This is an interesting ink and what I really found fascinating is how different paper makes the color slightly different.
So what color is it? It is a pinkish red with some soft brown undertones. The best way I have found to look at it is this. If I take a red kidney bean and try to write with it, this is the color I envision it making on the page. It definitely comes across more pink than solid red but it is growing on me.



Clairefontaine paper is smooth and I do love it but this ink color really looks washed out on it. The saturation is sucked out of the color on this paper. 




Tomoe River paper really brings out the saturation and crispness the ink has as well as the shading. Red does appear here but in person, it is more pink.



Leuchtturm paper is a middle of the road phenomenon between Tomoe River and Clairefontaine




Mnemosyne seems to bring out more of the red in the color, which is very strange. 

Overall, the Tomoe River paper is my favorite paper for this ink color. I am not much of a pink colored ink lover but this is a muted pink and it is growing on me. The only ink I have in my overflowing collection of ink that is anywhere close to Red Beans and Rice here is KWZ Brown Pink.




Brown Pink is much more pronounced and has more brown inside but I really enjoy both colors. 

This is based solely off of my opinions and experience. I do not represent Papier Plume nor am I being compensated in any way.

Monday, July 17, 2017

InkJournal Ink Flight #6

I must admit, I really love the InkJournal Ink Flight boxes every month. I love the mystery and surprise that each box contains. Last month I finally was able to try P.W. Akkerman inks and this month, Papier Plume which I have been wanting to try as well. What all did July have in store?



Papier Plume is a well-known retailer in New Orleans, Louisiana and has a reputation for the inks that they make and bottle. Their bottles are distinct and are usually wax dipped around the cap, much like Maker’s Mark whiskey bottles. I love that personal touch to the ink bottles and I was eager to try the ink. Here are the inks included this month:



  • ·         Mardi Gras Indian Purple
  • ·         Forget Me Not Blue
  • ·         Forest Green
  • ·         Peacock
  • ·         Caramel
  • ·         Sazerac
  • ·         Red Beans and Rice






These inks are very saturated and have some wet properties. I like how they are all influenced with New Orleans and Louisiana culture. Whether it be influenced by Mardi Gras, flower retailer, alcoholic drinks or cuisine, the ink has plenty of inspiration. The Red Beans and Rice ink color is brand new and was just unveiled at the Miami Pen Show. It is a red-brown ink that lends itself more pinkish much like KWZ Brown Pink.



Also in this month’s box was a small Rhodia pad with a Rhodia travel case.
The pad is pocket sized and has lined ivory paper rated at 41lb (90 GSM). The leather case is a nice touch and has a built-in pen loop for smaller sized pens. The pad is nice for notes on the go and I will make use of it at work.




It was a smaller box this month but I am pleased with it, per normal. I still believe it is a nice value at $25 and the hours I get from playing with the new inks is so much fun. Yup, I am a pen and ink geek.


This review is based off my opinions and experience. I do not represent InkJournal in any way nor am I being compensated. 

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Gypsy Road Pen - A Handcrafted Treasure

I cannot recall how I came across Gypsy Road and the lovely lady behind the scenes but I am very glad I did. Janelle Tyler is the Artisan behind Gypsy Road and is most notably known for her work with glass, in this case, pens. The package arrived with a pen, some care info and a small bottle of black India Ink.



I reached out to Janelle through Instagram and then email as I had looked at her site (Gypsy Road.Ca)and still had questions about all of the custom options I could choose from with a glass dip pen. We decided Skype may be in order and I got to spend some time talking to this talented Artisan. Janelle is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada but is currently preparing to move across the continent. Janelle was very inviting, personable and very passionate about what she is able to create.

Her glass dip pens have a multitude of customization options or you can purchase pre-made pens off of her Etsy shop. She also has different nib width options from Ultra Fine, Fine, Medium Fine, Medium Bold, Bold and Variable. I chose the medium width nib based off of our discussion and it is very close to what a German Medium would be in a fountain pen.

The Variable nib is very interesting and quite special. I am sworn to secrecy as to how the variable is achieved but what I can say is that it is intended for artist based use. The nib is rather like the Sailor Zoom nib as that depending on how you choose to hold it. Fine, Bold and Medium are all possible in one nib. Incredible.

Ok, so I ordered a pen that had 3 colors and I wished to theme it off of the colors in the German flag. Janelle knocked it out of the park here with red as the main core with black swirls and the yellow is actual bronze. It is stunning.



Due to our Skype call, Janelle saw the size of my hands and tailored the pen to be a bit larger to accommodate. She also mentioned she also got to see my personality which also helped her make the pen more suited to me. I could not be happier.



This pen has a triangular grip, much like a Lamy Safari or Al-Star but this one is much more established and is cozy in my grip. The nib writes super smooth and the need to re-dip into ink is not needed as often as you might think. The reservoirs here hold a ton of ink and distribute it very uniformly.


I have also found out that there was a video done that showcases Janelle Tyler and how she makes these wonderful pens. Please visit that YouTube video.

Bob also was very interested in this.



This review is based off of my opinions and experiences. I do not represent Gypsy Road nor am I being compensated in any way.