7/09/2022

Lindt Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Squares

Lindt chocolates are my fav chocolates and I have tried other varieties of dark chocolate and salted caramel so I was expecting this to be as good. Unfortunately, this one doesn't have the balance of textures and flavors that I love from the brand. Chocolate is definitely good quality but there is too much caramel and it's too gooey. This being the case, it overwhelms the dark chocolate flavor. I'd rather have the caramel crystallized and less of it because, as it is, it's too sweet for me and I won't buy it again. On the other hand, the pieces are individually wrapped and have the perfect size for a coffee/tea snack and to carry them in my launch bag.

Liquitex Matte Gel Medium Clear 8 oz (237 ml)

I have used many gel mediums brands and textures and this one is probably the best. It has a light Greek yogurt creamy texture, but, once I spread it, it's light and dissolves and spreads beautifully. A bit of product goes a long way, too.

I use it mostly as adhesive and it works greatly with both light papers (rice, tissue, vellum) and with harder papers like printing or average visual diary paper, so it's perfect for my mixed media collage pieces. Unlike other adhesives, it doesn't ruing the paper and it works especially well with tissue paper.

I like the fact that it is in a jar and not a tube, as I can use it to the last drop. On the other hand, I think a wider shorter jar would be better, as use a short brush with my mediums and, now that the jar is getting low in product it's a bit difficult to to put in and out. I will buy again.

Yisan Set of 12 Fineliner Ink Pens Black

This is an affordable equivalent of the pitt markers. Most of them have a bullet nib, but the three larger markers have brush, square and chisel nibs. I use them for everything, for writing on paper, in my collages and paintings; also, to highlight, mark, shadow or draw. They are as good as other waterproof markers that I own. The square nib is good for calligraphy and headings, but it took me a while to get used to it.

The cap is labelled with the nib size, which is really convenient as I have tons of markers in my pen holder and it helps me to identify the markers easily.

I have had these for months, and they haven't dried off.

They are good quality regarding the ink, but the cheap side shows mostly on the three largest nibs, which deform rapidly. This is especially the case with the brush nib. The other downside is in the fact that there are too many extra fine nibs and not as much medium or larger ones.

Overall, a terrific set and great value for money.

6/30/2022

6/26/2022

Heaven Dragon Pu Er Tea, 125 g

This is large box of loose leave Pu er tea. Pu er is a very strong tea, stronger than any strong black breakfast tea, so I use half of the quantity I'd use to prepare my normal tea. In fact, I can reuse the leaves twice and still get flavorsome tea. This tea not only has a strong smoky flavor but also a noticeable strong smoky smell. I take this tea with milk due to its strength; personally, I'd not have it on its own. This isn't the first time I use this variety of tea, so I can compared it against other brands I've used in the past, and the brew is as good as more expensive brands. This is an amazing value for money package as Pu er is a rare tea variety and it's usually quite expensive.

MIND = There aren't brewing instructions on the package.

Crayola 24 Pack Regular Crayons

This is a decent set of permanent (not water-soluble) crayons. I use them for mark making in my mixed media projects. The pigments are decent and noticeable. I'd say they are a cheap alternative to good quality permanent crayons if you are on a tight budget and if you want them for non-professional use, needless to say. Amazing value for money.

DOWNSIDES
> The sticks snap half easily if you exert a little bit of pressure.
> The paper labels covering each stick aren't the color of the stick but the family color they belong to.
> The choice of color isn't the best. There are too many oranges and not enough greens and not even a brown.