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MARIMO MOSS BALL POINT PEN
$20.00
handmade
community voted (251 votes)
Full of Life
Bring your writing to life with glass artist Melissa Boyle's charming handmade pen that suspends a tiny plant at its cork-topped base. The Marimo is a living moss (or algae) ball found growing in lakes in Iceland, Scotland, Japan, and Estonia exclusively. Each lake's current swirls the little plant around and around so it grows naturally into a petite pom-pom shape. This curious creature's name is a portmanteau of two Japanese words, "mari" meaning "bouncy ball," and "mo" a term for plants that grow underwater. The sweet, sphere-shaped Marimo is adored around the globe: the Japanese believe that it will bring good luck, and in Iceland it is believed that if you take good care of Marimo ball, it will "make your wishes come true."
Melissa lets you take this tiny good-luck charm with you wherever creativity strikes. Functioning like a miniature fish bowl, an elegant borosilicate sphere cradles a tiny Marimo that will grow slowly over time as you sign, scribble, and sketch. To care for your Marimo, simply change its water ever one to two weeks (more frequently during the summer) and use and store your pen in daylight to encourage photosynthesis. Made in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Exclusively at UncommonGoods.
- Item ID: 30365
- Materials: cork, borosilicate glass, ink, marimo moss ball
- Pen: 6.75" L; Aquarium: 1" dia.
- Care instructions: The marimo moss ball is a living plant. It does need some indirect sunlight. The water needs to be changed out every 2-3 weeks. Removal of the moss ball from the mini aquarium is not necessary, just remove the cork, run room temperature tap water into the opening of the pen until the water has been changed out and put the cork back in the aquarium to seal it.
The moss ball grows very slowly. . . about 1 cm per year. It can be removed from the aquarium any time by emptying the water out of the pen, hold the pen upside down so the ball lies over the opening and remove it with your fingers or tweezers. It can be reshaped by rolling it around with your fingertips or in the palm of your hands.
The ink cartridge of the pen can be replaced any time with a standard ball point pen insert
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Q and A
When our community voted on this product, some also shared comments - read them below:
251 votes * 42 comments
Cassie, UncommonGoods Community Moderator
This clever pen is a new take on keeping a plant in your office. Check out the product story to learn more about Marimo Moss, then let us know whether you love Melissa Boyle's pen and terrarium in one.
Kelly
Vote: Thumbs up!
This is adorable and very creative! I created an account just so I could vote for your pen. My only hope is that this beautiful pen isn't too pricey.
Melissa
Vote: Thumbs up!
How CUTE!
Jessica
Vote: Thumbs up!
Eee! I love this!
Carol
Vote: Thumbs up!
Fabulous!
Arlena
I love it! I am a moss lover though.
Kimberlee
Vote: Thumbs up!
I like moss, I find the green so comforting, but even though I like it, I worry this would just be a novelty item I would soon forget about in a drawer somewhere...
Suzanne
Vote: Thumbs up!
Love it, but hope the pen would be refillable...
Cassie, UncommonGoods Community Moderator
That's part of the beauty, Kimberlee! The moss does better when it's exposed to light, so you won't want to stick it in a drawer. It's better left in an open pen holder or out on your desk.
Cassie, UncommonGoods Community Moderator
Great feedback, Suzanne! The pen uses a standard pen refill.
Linda
Vote: Thumbs up!
Like the idea of this. It is unique. Would buy. Should be able to get a repacment it something happens and it dies
Kathleen
Vote: Thumbs up!
It needs to come with ink refills!!!!
ellen
Vote: Thumbs up!
Would buy one for each person in my office if price reasonable enough.
Jessica
Vote: Thumbs up!
Looooove this!
Juel
Vote: Thumbs up!
Seems neat, I probably wouldn't buy it, though.
Jessica
Vote: Thumbs up!
love this! I hope it's not too expensive.
Eileen
Vote: Thumbs up!
Very clever, beautiful and unique!
Laura
Vote: Thumbs down!
Too much care for a pen. Sad that plant has to die because of neglect or pen runs out. It make leak from both sides, too.
Judith
Vote: Thumbs up!
My only problem would be remembering to change the water . . .
Betty
Vote: Thumbs down!
Don't want to care for a plant!
lucy
Vote: Thumbs down!
looks like it's very easy to break!! i don't want to hold a pen like this if it would break easily.
mary
Vote: Thumbs down!
too quirky
SUSAN
Vote: Thumbs up!
I like the story. The concept is unique. I just hope the glass is not as fragile as it looks.
diane
Vote: Thumbs down!
I like the idea. . . But it would be trash the first time I knocked it off my desk.
christina
Vote: Thumbs down!
if i accidentally knock it off my desk at work, it would be completely broken! the glass looks way too fragile and i just don't think it's a good idea to have a glass pen as i do drop my pen A LOT!
patti
Vote: Thumbs down!
It looks very fragile , other than a conversation piece, it would not work for me
rachel
Vote: Thumbs up!
very pretty
Anita
Vote: Thumbs down!
Would break too easily. I don't want to be cleaning up glass if it rolls off the desk.
Cheryl
Vote: Thumbs up!
Interesting, not sure I would buy it, however, as it looks rather fragile
Alex
Vote: Thumbs down!
I like the concept but I don't want a breakable pen.
Linda
Vote: Thumbs up!
CLEVER enough to be interesting.
Pamela
Vote: Thumbs up!
Strange but interesting.
Catherine
Vote: Thumbs down!
The reason for my thumbs down was not an option above. I find this to be a very beautiful pen, but would be terrified of it dropping and busting before the ink ever dried. Too bad, as this is a very lovely item in all respects.
Emily
Vote: Thumbs up!
I do worry about the glass being fragile, but this is a cool idea.
Patricia
Vote: Thumbs up!
So crazy it's appealing
Morgann
Vote: Thumbs up!
I love unique pens. I would buy it as long as the ink is refillable.
Susan
Vote: Thumbs up!
REally different and natural. I love it!
pam
Vote: Thumbs up!
This is seriously unique! I hope there are refills for this pen that are easy to find? If so, I would buy in a heartbeat!!
Christine
Vote: Thumbs down!
Does not seem very practical.
Lindsay
Vote: Thumbs up!
How cool! I must have one.
Amanda
Vote: Thumbs up!
I think this would make an excellent gift.
Elisa
Vote: Thumbs down!
I love the idea of this, but a GLASS PEN?! I drop things waaaaay too much to even THINK about getting this. Just not practical.