Pentel Gel Pens & Mechanical Pencil Review

I always jump at the chance to review any type of writing instrument.   It is an addiction that I don’t have any desire to overcome.   This past week I was lucky enough to receive a couple of Twist-Erase Pencil and and several Office Pens to review for Pentel and Shoplet.com.

Pentel Twist-Erase Mechanical Pencil

I have to be honest and tell you that I am not a big fan of any mechanical pencils.  The lead breaks so easily and I usually get irritated and throw them away.  I'm not sure why, but for some reason, I have not broken a lead yet with either of the pencils I received.  The jury is out on whether I'm going to replace my old pencils with these mechanical pencils or not though.   I was happy to see that they sent to different lead sizes,  0.5mm and a 0.7mm.  The lead is easy to dispense because of the sliding sleeve, which is VERY easy to push.   Griping the pencil is also very comfortable.  The area that you hold the pencil is covered with a soft, latex-free grip, which is pretty comfy.   This mechanical pencil has some other very nice features.  For example, I love the eraser.  When you have the need to erase something all you do is twist it up.  Easy peasy!  The eraser is on this pencil is the longest I have ever seen on a mechanical pencil, it is over an inch long!  I think this eraser is going to last me for quite some time.  If you are like me, you will also like the metal clip.  I use it to attach to a paper I’m working on, and it is a snug fit.  The pencil is available in blue, black and red. 

Pentel EnerGel Pearl Roller BallRetractable Gel Pen

I LOVE gel pens!  The Pentel EnerGel Pearl Roller BallRetractable Gel Pen was a tremendous hit with me.  The design of the pen itself is very stylish.   It reminds me of other pens that I have and  I only use for them for special occasions!   The ink available for this pen is in black, blue, pen and violet!  Each one of these colors looked very vibrant on my paper!  I would love it if they would make it in other colors such as orange, green and silver!  Pentel has combined the best qualities of liquid and gel ink to create a pen that writes super-smooth.  My hand just seemed to glide across the paper as I was writing.  Another plus is that you don’t have to worry about the ink smearing because it dries very quickly.  This pen would be perfect for scrapbooking because it is also acid-free! A few other features of this pen is the latex-free cushion grip & metal clip. 

Whenever I find myself in the market Office Supplies and Office Stationary then Shoptlet.com is the first place I  look.  If you are in market yourself for Promotional Products such as  Promotional Shirts head on over to shoplet and see their huge selection.   If you own your own business, you might want to check them out and have them personalized for your business.

Disclosure:  Yes, I received the products for free from Shopletcom.  No, I was not told what to write.  Yes, the opinions expressed here are my own.

There's a Mouse Hiding In This Book! by Benjamin Bird

     As a child growing up I loved to watch the cartoon Tom & Jerry.  I knew I had to read this book to see if the characters were everything I remembered them to be.  I was not disappointed.  However, I must admit it was not the typical comic book writing that I was expecting it to be.  It was much better!

     As a teacher, I quickly found myself thinking that this book would be a wonderful book to read to my first graders at the beginning of the year.  There were so many things that could be discussed with my students such as how to treat a book, conversations, learning about the parts of a book, reading for enjoyment, etc. 

     The reader is given instructions throughout the book which take them through which seems to be a magical journey through this book.  It is a very unique picture book and children and adults alike will enjoy reading this interactive books that opens up their imagination. 

      It is an adorable, interactive pictures book that I found myself smiling after each turn of the page. 

    

Counting Together App

Until recently, I didn’t know what subitizing was.  When I finally understood, I realized that I JUST simply didn’t know that it had a special name.  For those of you that have not heard of the term, subitizing is being able to instantly see how many objects there are in front of you without actually counting them.    

     A few weeks ago I was asked to write a review about an app that was available to help my students subitize.  Up on that time, I had not heard of the app entitled  Counting Together.  It is an app (free or the full version for $1.99) that will definitely be a helpful asset in the classroom of young students.   

     One of the first things that I quickly noticed after downloading the app was the theme.  Dinosaurs!   I have several students in my first grade classroom that find dinosaurs to be quite exciting! Therefore, the colorful 3-D screen of this prehistoric world of dinosaurs and cavemen will definitely help engage the students in their learning.

     

     As you can see from the picture above, there are 3 levels of difficulty.  Up to to 4 players are also able to be engaged on one iPad at the same time!   As students are playing the game they will see dinosaurs and other strange creatures in the middle of the screen.  Their goal is to quickly recognize the number of objects and press the number that matches the picture they see (and of course try to  beat the person(s) they are playing with.)

     To see a video that explains this game in more detail, click the on the picture below.

It looks like it is going to be a great resources for my first graders, especially at the beginning.

Please go check it out for yourself! 

Tide and Tempest Review

   
     Tillie is a young woman who wants to have a better life. She decides to leave Ireland and take a voyage to America with her fiancé. They both dreamed of the life that was going to await them there. Unfortunately, her fiancé dies unexpectedly during this long voyage to America.

     Upon her arrival in America, Tillie moves into a boarding house and starts her new dream which is to open a home for orphaned children.

     Captain Keondric Morgan was the captain of the ship she traveled to America on. He mysteriously shows up at her boarding house two years after her arrival to America. She discovers that her fiancé died under circumstances that continue to unravel throughout the story. Unbeknownst to Tillie, she has something in her possession that could be used to expose some very dangerous men.

    Tide and Tempest is the 3rd book in the Edge of Freedom trilogy. If you are looking for a book filled with romance and suspense...then you have found one.

Sharpies Review

Have you used the Sharpie Premium Pen yet? Since I am pretty much a pencil/pen/marker addict, I almost let out a squeal when I received one in the mail. When I removed the cap, I had to use a little more strength than I was expecting. Which is a good thing because I knew it would not be coming off when I didn’t want it too! As I continued to look over the pen, I quickly discovered that it had a very tiny tip. I must admit that I can be quite a skeptic and I immediately began to think about how other Sharpies have always bled through the paper. I decided to give it a quick test with an assortment of paper types. Surprisingly, there was no seepage on any them and NO smearing. I enjoyed writing with my black Sharpie Premium Pen because it flowed onto the paper with such ease. It is also refillable by unscrewing at the grip and then replacing the entire section with a new one. Yes, I think I have a new favorite pen! If only there were more colors available.

I  also received a package of Sharpie Neon Permanent Markers. Look at those beautiful colors!  They have a fine point and they came in 5 awesomely BRIGHT NEON colors ~ Neon Yellow, Neon Blue, Neon Green, Neon Orange, and Neon Pink. They also will fluoresce under a black light. Where would I get a black light at? These markers will also write on glass, metal, paper and wood. I’m pretty sure I will be using these for various crafts and art projects with my first grade students. I used these bright colors to decorate my sunglasses. I’m sure you are totally jealous!!

Are you ready to become even more jealous? Take a look at these Metallic Permanent Markers. Raise your hand if you ever used those pens that had to be shaken to make the paint able to flow easily. Well, these are much easier to use! You don’t have to shake them, they don’t stink, and they don’t make a mess. These markers can be used on many different shades of paper. The metallic has a sheen that you will love! I have already tried them on glasses, a few photographs and scrapbook paper! Since they have a fine point, they are very easy to use. No bleeding through on my scrapbook paper. These are going to come in handy for some many fun things in the near future.

If you are interested in any of these products or other office supplies you might want to check out Shoplet.com They have a ton of stuff at if you are interested in promotional products such as promotional shirts and of course a variety of office stationary. 

Disclosure: I received the above referenced products for free in exchange for a review of these products. All opinions expressed are my own.