The Raspberry Honey Limited Edition Confidant by Baron Fig

What do you get when you combine this…

with this…

and this?

The answer is THIS!

Baron Fig’s latest Limited Edition Confidant, Raspberry Honey, is one sweet package. Packed inside a whimsically illustrated box (they had me right there), you’ll find the raspberry burgundy hued Confidant, along with an inspiring story that’s part fable, part fairy tale, written and illustrated by artist Geoff Gouveia.

I was immediately enchanted by the color, the artwork, and the tale of hope, friendship, and perseverance.

Oh, and the debossed cover.

Yes, those are bees, which you may have guessed, figure heavily into this Confidant’s origin story.

What a cool detail.

Here’s where I make a confession. Well, two confessions, actually.

Confession #1: I own a few limited edition Confidants (Three-Legged Juggler, Work-Play, etc.) but have never written in one. They’re in my journal backlog, awaiting just the right purpose.

Confession #2: I couldn’t bring myself to write in this Raspberry Honey edition without having a plan. It’s too special to start marking up willy-nilly. (I’m aware that I have issues in this regard. Working on it.)

What to do, what to do?!

Then it dawned on me to do some writing samples in my standard edition Confidant (also unused) since the paper is the same as in this limited edition version.

So I tamped down my perfectionism and started trying out pencils…

and liquid inks…

and fountain pens…

and a few gel inks and ballpoints.

I was expecting some feathering or bleed-through with some of the wetter inks, but the performance of the paper thrilled me, and made me realize that I’ve got to start working through my Baron Fig stash. Perfectionism be damned.

The Raspberry Honey Confidant is the perfect place to record my own inspirational stories. A vow. I will do that.

Ink testing in the original Confidant. Because I have issues.

I love the dot-grid pages and the lack of feathering with my widest (1.1 mm stub) nibs. I was even able to see a bit of sheen with the Robert Oster Fire & Ice ink in my Edison Pearlette. There was no show-through at all with the inks and nibs I used for testing.

This Raspberry Honey limited edition comes with the same set of features you’ve come to expect from other Baron Fig Confidants.

Love the paper.

Love the cover.

Love the story.

I’m completely and utterly charmed.

This Raspberry Honey Limited Edition Confidant is available directly from Baron Fig ($20.00 for one; You save a few bucks by buying two or three). The notebook reviewed here was sent to me, by Baron Fig, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated and there are no affiliate links in this post. This post reflects my personal experiences with this latest Baron Fig offering.

On Fire: The Delta Unica Red LE Fountain Pen (via Anderson Pens)

I rarely come away from watching the Anderson Pens video podcast without jotting yet another pen onto my wish list. Case in point— just before the DC Supershow, Brian and Lisa announced their Delta Unica Limited Edition Fountain Pen, in a gorgeous red acrylic that’s an Anderson Pens exclusive. Wowza.

[Oh, that acrylic!]

With just fifty pens in this color, I was intrigued. And when I heard the price— just $85 (a small premium over the regular Delta Unica colors)— I knew I wanted this pen. BUT, I was getting to the pen show for Sunday only, so I spent a lot of my road trip from New York to Virginia worrying that they’d be gone by the time I was able to shop. PEN ANXIETY!

They were gone. I didn’t get one. The End.

KIDDING.

I hit the Anderson Pens table(s) pretty quickly on Sunday morning and was relieved to find that there were still some left. I chose #34/50 (medium nib), got one of Lisa’s famous hugs, talked to Brian, and ran off to pinball my way around the rest of the show. (Why I can’t seem to do a pen show in an orderly fashion is beyond me. I think it’s adrenaline.)

[Limited Edition, Anderson Pens, 34/50]

Once home, the first pen I inked and spent time with was my Wahl-Eversharp Skyline Technik fountain pen (LOVE that thing), so I didn’t get around to inking the Delta until a couple of weeks ago. And that’s when I found a bit of a glitch. The pen would write, then stop, then write again. Sometimes it flooded the paper with ink, while other times it ran completely dry. Well, shoot.

Once I took a close look at the nib, the problem was obvious— the nib tines were simply too far apart. I contacted the Andersons by email, included a couple of photos to illustrate the problem, and had a speedy reply from Brian. At his recommendation, I mailed the pen to him, he fixed the nib, and returned it to me asap. Great service after the sale.

[All better.]

NOW it writes as good as it looks.

It truly is a stunning pen. The red marble acrylic has amazing depth and sheen and looks like it’s on fire from within. Branding is VERY subdued. (You can just make out the “DELTA/ITALY” engraving at the bottom edge of the cap in the picture above.) The clip features a little roller that makes sliding the pen in and out of a pocket or case snag-free. I love the shape of the cap— how it subtly flares out— giving the pen a really clean and simple, but interesting, profile.

[Size comparison: Delta Unica vs. Lamy AL-Star]

The size is perfect for me (4-3/4″ unposted, 6″ posted). The cap posts securely and doesn’t throw off the balance of the pen. The 0.46″ grip feels great in hand, and the threads and oh-so slight step-down do not interfere with my grip at all. It’s a joy to hold and use. The pen weighs 22g (15g body, 7g cap)— light enough for even an extended writing session.

The nib is steel in a matte finish, and features branding that I find to be a little busy. The writing experience is a smooth and juicy one, with just a bit of feedback. The Unica is cartridge/converter pen, and a converter is included. I’ve filled mine with Sailor Jentle Grenade, a color that was MADE FOR this acrylic.

[On fire!]

I’m very pleased with my Delta Unica LE fountain pen— my Anderson Pens Delta Unica. It’s hot looking, writes great, and feels terrific. Brian’s speedy response and quick nib fix proved why it’s important to deal with people you trust. Sometimes things aren’t exactly perfect— with pens as with life— and it’s great to know that there’s someone there should you need help.

Or a hug. (Right, Lisa?!)

————–

Click HERE to watch Brian’s video overview of this pen.