Workshops

If you’re attending this year’s SF Pen Show, there are a variety of classes, seminars, and meetups to round out your experience. I highly recommend checking them out because they give you a break from the overwhelm of shopping while also providing a space to hang out with other stationery people and practice art.

I’m always blown away at the creativity and openness that people bring to my workshops. The way that people take simple tips and encouragement and make the art uniquely theirs is something I look forward to seeing. Here are the classes I’m leading:

Workshop 1: Abstract Florals - Painting With Fountain Pen Inks

This class is dear to me because it lets me share seven years of drawing flowers and the techniques I’ve practiced over time. It’s a fun and unique style of abstract floral art through painting with fountain pen inks on watercolour paper. I’ll demonstrate step-by-step how to paint freehand floral outlines and then draw flower details on top using my favourite fine liner, the Tombow MONO Drawing Pen (kindly provided by TombowUSA).

I’m super excited that my friend Erick from Amarillo Stationery (who’s a vendor at the show) will provide samples of his new “Paradise Vibes” line of fountain pen inks so we can have fun painting with bright and vibrant standard inks!

For session times and registration: https://liliandbella.com/workshops/

Workshop 2: Currently Inked - A Creative Spread with Fountain Pens

This is a new class I’m leading this year, based on my monthly “currently inked”fountain pens spreads. In this easy-to-follow demonstration, I’ll walk through my unique process of drawing flowers and documenting inked pens while exploring various types of paper. Bring your fountain pens and learn ways to log each pen, nib, and ink in an organized and aesthetically pleasing way. If you’re new to custom ground nibs, see how some of my favourites write and draw!

For session times and registration: https://liliandbella.com/workshops/

As I start to pack for the SF Pen Show, I’m thinking about stationery supplies that I’ll bring with me and trying to be intentional about each item. After all, I’ll be bringing a haul back with me and I’ll need space in my luggage! I’ll share more about what I decide to take with me, so stay tuned. As always, thanks for being here.

Here is what I was up to last month, stationery-wise…

CURRENTLY INKED

For the past few months, I’ve noticed that I only ink up a handful of pens. Normally, I would average about 15 inked, but since I like writing my pens dry, I’ve been more intentional with the pens in my lineup. So here’s what I used in May:

1. Pilot Custom 823 (Signature) + Robert Oster x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo “Murky Pond Water” - still one of my fave greys

2. Leonardo Momento Zero (Reverse Architect nib by Gena from Custom Nib Studio) + Colorverse “Coffee Break” - a sample I’ve finally finished

3. Zodiac Pen Co (B-SIG by Audrey at Franklin-Christoph) + Callifolio “Havane” - I think this ink may be too dry for my taste…I’ve had a few too many hard starts in this pen

4. Esterbrook Estie (B-Journaler by Gena) + Nagasawa Kobe “Akashi Museum Gold” - one of my fave olive green inks

5. Esterbrook Estie (Techo by CY from Kyuseido) + Colorverse “Windy City Blue”

6. Schon DSGN x Custom Nib Studio “Sashiko” (Perspective by Gena) + Sailor Manyo “Sakura”

7. Pilot e95s (m) + Pennonia x Scriven 2026 “Silent Old Beam” - the official Montreal pen show ink

8. Kaweco Liliput (m) + J. Herbin “Poussière De Lune”

I chose 4 of the inks that I have in my pens to explore further by painting with them, which is always such a fun practice.

The inks I painted with:

• Sailor Manyo “Sakura”

• Pennonia x Scriven 2026 “Silent Old Beam”

• Robert Oster x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo “Murky Pond Water”

• Nagasawa Kobe “Akashi Museum Gold”

ART MAIL

I decided to submit a postcard to the Winsor & Newton “Art Mail Global Gallery” for fun. It’s a campaign where you pick up a free postcard pack at a participating retailer and paint on the entry postcard to mail back to Winsor & Newton in the UK (postage prepaid.) The postcard is added to a digital gallery, with a selection showcased in London and New York exhibitions.

I painted my postcard on a live Twitch stream using Beam Paints watercolour paints and Tom’s Studio paintbrushes and mailed it off. I can’t wait to see it as part of a gallery!

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here is stationery related content that I shared last month:

An update on my planners and journals:

I was curious about the new ORI refillable highlighters from Tom’s Studio, so I picked up a set of two highlighters and corresponding inks…and tested them on top of various pens and pencil. (I’m an ambassador for Tom’s Studio, so if you’re interested in their products, feel free to use my affiliate link and code FROMCAROLA to save!)

WRAP UP

If you want to hang out with me virtually, I host a pretty regular stationery livestream on Twitch every Mon and Wed morning - it’s a chill place to chat and practice art. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too (if you have been, I appreciate that so much!)

Until next time, thanks for being here!

Currently Inked Fountain Pens in April

1. Leonardo Momento Zero (Reverse Architect nib by Gena from Custom Nib Studio) + J. Herbin “Lie de Thé”

2. Kaweco Liliput (Med) + J. Herbin “Poussière de Lune”

3. Schon DSGN x Custom Nib Studio “Sashiko” (Perspective by Gena) + Sailor Manyo “Sakura”

4. Esterbrook Estie (B-Journaler by Gena) + Nagasawa Kobe “Akashi Museum Gold”

5. Franklin-Christoph 03 (Monoline, Reverse Cursive Italic by Kirk from Pen Realm) + Hachimonjiya “Jellyfish Aquarium”

6. Pilot Custom 74 (Broad) + Oblation “Pacific Fog”

7. Pilot Custom 823 (Signature) + Edelstein “Tanzanite”

8. Opus 88 Mini Pocket (Broad) + Robert Oster x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo “Murky Pond Water”

I added 2 new inks to my collection that I acquired at the San Francisco Stationery Fest and couldn’t wait to use: Oblation “Pacific Fog” and Hachimonjiya “Jellyfish Aquarium”.

I also snagged the newly released Robert Oster x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo ink called “Murky Pond Water”, which is easily one of my favourite grey inks based on how interesting it is on paper.

Painting with Fountain Pen Inks

Something new I’ve started incorporating in my Currently Inked routine is painting with some of the fountain pen inks that I have in my pens. This way, I can explore the inks I’ve writing with but on a broader scale with space to allow ink properties really shine through.

These are the inks that I painted with:

• Sailor Manyo “Sakura”

• Hachimonjiya “Jellyfish Aquarium” (shimmer)

• Oblation “Pacific Fog”

• Robert Oster x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo “Murky Pond Water”

• Nagasawa Kobe “Akashi Museum Gold”

Paper I used:

- “The Everyday Book” (from Galen Leather) with Tomoe River Paper

- Hahnemühle A6 watercolour book, cold pressed

What are you enjoying writing with this month?

Related: Chatting about my currently inked fountain pens and writing with them on stream -

Here are the notebooks and systems I’m using for planning and journaling:

1. PLOTTER A5 rings (project manager)

2. PLOTTER Mini 5 rings (everyday carry, planner)

3. Travelers Notebook, passport (daily to-do’s and rapid log journaling)

4. Travelers Notebook, standard (daily journal)

5. Hemlock & Oak weekly and daily undated planner (memory keeping and drawing)

6. PLOTTER Mini 5 Square rings (hobbies)

7. Hobonichi 5 year (archive of events)

8. Midori A5 notebook (stream-of-consciousness writing)

I added the PLOTTER Mini 5 into my lineup in February after playing around with it and finding it to be the ideal everyday carry (EDC), especially when traveling. In March, I flew to San Francisco for the SF Stationery Fest and having the Mini 5 with me was so handy.

How I’m Using My Planners

The PLOTTER A5 ring binder is just the right size for managing my projects. I have monthly and weekly PLOTTER diary refills to organize various creative projects and deadlines. I also like to brainstorm and list out tasks related to content planning. I don’t carry the A5 around, so it’s perfect as a desk planner.

The PLOTTER Mini 5 has definitely surprised me with its functionality. While I initially didn’t think it would allow me enough space to plan in, I found that rotating the monthly calendar view to the side gave me more room to write out appointments. Weekly planner inserts from Filofax are great because the one-week-per-two-pages is more than enough to add in weekly events. For daily pages, I used leftover paper from old notebooks that I tore out, cut down to size and hole punched. Every morning I use a date stamp to indicate the start of the day under the last noted task, and continue logging.

The Travelers Notebook in passport size has been a daily companion for 8 months now. I started the year off by using it for daily task logging as well as rapid log journaling (jotting down daily events after they happen in point form). At the end of March when I transitioned my everyday planning solely into my PLOTTER Mini 5, I continued using my TN for journaling.

How I’m Using My Journals

For daily journaling, I used a standard Travelers Notebook cover that has a Love & Trip insert as well as an insert I put together for ephemera and happy mail. In the journal insert, I used a Sora desktop tearaway calendar to date the entries, decorated with washi tape and stickers.

I also have a TN dedicated to travel journaling and I brought this out after my SF trip in March. I love creating spreads filled with photos, ephemera, stickers, and fun memories.

The Hemlock & Oak Weekly and Daily undated planner went through a few changes in the way I was using it. It started out as a memory keeper, but my layout style shifted after two weeks in the book. I tried out a minimal ‘memory planning’ look in the weekly spreads using Tombow Dual Brush Pens for time blocking and one of my favourite fountain pens (a Leonardo Momento Zero) to write in details. I quite liked the minimal aesthetic and continued that for the rest of Q1. In the daily undated pages, I practiced drawing flowers from reference photos in “The Flower Colour Guide” by Taylor and Michael Putnam, with a bit of journaling, using prompts from “The Pivot Year” by Brianna Wiest.

The PLOTTER Mini 5 square is a system I’ve been using to track my hobbies and swatch fountain pens and inks. I’ve taken it with me to meetups and the SF Stationery Fest - similar to the Mini 5, I love the portability of it while the square size allows for slightly more creative space.

This is my third year in the Hobonichi 5-Year Techo and I’ve written in it everyday so far. I use it as an “archive of events” as it pertains to my family. My hope is to pass it on to my kids when they’re older as a memento.

I enjoy stream-of-consciousness writing, especially in the morning with a cup of coffee. It feels relaxing to write with my favourite fountain pens while getting random thoughts out of my mind and into a Midori A5 lined notebook. As a constant worrier, I find this practice to be effective in grounding and it helps to put my worries down on paper (not to be looked at again!)

Changes in April

At the San Francisco Stationery Fest in March, I picked up a few accessories for my PLOTTER Mini 5 - seeing as I now use it all the time, everywhere. I also bought a new Travelers Notebook (the Love & Trip passport cover) which incidentally matches the Mini 5 red-brown cover. I set up my new TN for April and look forward to watching it patina in the coming months.

I hit pause on daily journaling in a standard size TN as of April. I was able to fill up my Love & Trip insert in standard size, which I’m pleased with. However, I don’t feel the desire to continue daily journaling when I don’t always have something to reflect on, so instead, I’ll be using my passport sized Love & Trip insert for occasional journaling, only I feel like it. The freedom to jump in and out of notebooks and inserts for journaling is what keeps it engaging for me (and less like a chore).

With Q1 done, I’ve been thinking more about the second half of the year and what changes may be in store. For now, I’m happy with my lineup and will continue leaning into what works and tweaking what doesn’t.

Related: A chat and flip through of my planners and journals at the end of Q1 and set up of a new Travelers Notebook for April -

I flew in from Vancouver, Canada on Thursday afternoon and ran into friends as soon as I entered the Westin hotel lobby. Any nervousness on my part about what to expect from this trip eased at seeing familiar, smiling faces.

On Thursday night, there were a couple of free events hosted by the PLOTTER and Travelers Company team. While I didn’t make it in time for the PLOTTER Lounge, I did attend the TRC USA Gallery and meetup. It was cool because they showcased Travelers Notebooks from community members so you could see how they were being used in creative ways. There was also a pop-up shop if you were interested in picking up select TN items (but the lineup was consistently long, so I held off.)

A common occurrence at SFSF (and in my experience, at pen shows in general) was people handing out stickers that they had designed and I traded with some of my own. It’s a fun free perk and ice breaker at these live events.

SF Stationery Fest Highlights: Friday - Sunday

Friday: I attended the Stationery Fest as a workshop instructor and my first class was at 9:15 am. In “Abstract Floral Art & Lettering”, I demonstrated how to paint abstract flowers by using Tombow Dual Brush Pens to get a watercolour effect. The class worked on a watercolour postcard, complete with flowers and a hand lettered affirmation. It was fun and a creative start to the weekend.

After my class, I was able to walk around the show floor and pick up a few things that I had on my wish list. The only lineup I waited in for more than 5 minutes was for a limited journaling set by LCN Design Studio. It was worth it though because all the designs and wax seals created by Lin Chia Ning are gorgeous, and I was able to get what I wanted.

I also made sure to visit the Travelers and PLOTTER tables, as they tend to be one of the busiest at the pen show. This time, I was pleasantly surprised to be able to browse the tables and not feel rushed or overwhelmed by a crowd of people behind me. I picked up a passport TN cover (Love & Trip) that I had resisted in the past year but finally had a reason to buy it as I’ve been using the passport size on a daily basis (see my latest planner lineup update, hah). I also picked up a few refills from PLOTTER that are only available in their Tokyo flagship store.

In the afternoon, I attended two journaling meetups - one hosted by the Cozy Stationery Friends Club and another by the Bay Area Planners, They had destash tables (where you could contribute items from your collection that you’re no longer using as well as pick up free goodies that you want to use) as well as raffles. There was a steady stream of people at these meetups, which made it engaging and fun.

In the evening, I attended an On The Paper Trail Podcast live recording with my friend Erick (from Amarillo Stationery). It was fun to watch Joe (from The Gentleman Stationer) and Lisa (from Vanness1938) chat about their experience as retailers at this event.

Saturday: I was able to do a bit more shopping in the morning before teaching my second workshop mid-day. I spent most of the day walking around the show floor and taking video footage, photos with vendor-friends, and generally chatting with people.

In the evening, I attended the SakuraDragon journaling meetup (again, with Erick, who ended up manifesting and winning a raffle prize!)

At night, there was an After Dark hangout in the ALOFT hotel lounge area, along with karaoke (which I did not partake in because I wanted to save my voice) and journaling. It’s always nice to hang out with people who you just met along with friends in a casual setting away from the hustle of the show.

Sunday: I headed home after spending an hour chatting with friends at the show. I also picked up a few last-minute goodies such as the special ink Oblation Papers created for the Fest, called “Pacific Fog”.

My Haul

I wish that I could have supported all the vendors because they were friendly and awesome, but I had to be mindful of space in my carry-on suitcase. Budget-wise, I stayed within my intended range and I was able to spread that out among various shops.

The shops I was able to get something from: @ilootpaperie @tokubetsumemorishop @fountainpendulum @studio.aquamarina @thousandskies @hachimonjiya @danaateoatmeal @kissandpunch @mydocumentedlife @2jingis2jing @rickshawbags @oblationpapers @linchianing @pineberrypaper @amarillostationery @_stationery.universe @fogcats_yanchako @mdproduct.official @plotter_usa @travelers_company

I was drawn to the booth where Yippee Design featured products with Duke, their tuxedo cat. He reminds me so much of my senior tuxedo cat named Bayliss (RIP, 2025) so I had to get a few things that put a smile on my face.

I got a lovely handmade paint palette from my friend Marina (studio.aquamarina) which I’ll use in my painting practice. From my friend Gailyn (Fountain Pendulum), I bought a hand blown ink swatching spoon made by a local artist, as well as a passport size notebook with cover design by Aijing (Aijing Ink Trail), a Canadian artist and co-organizer of Scriven, the Montreal pen show. I also got a pretty bookmark made by Gailyn’s mom.

One of the busier booths at the show was the Hachimonjiya table and I was happy to score an interesting ink called “Jellyfish Aquarium” (blue with white and purple shimmer). The Oblation show ink called “Pacific Fog” is easily one of my favourite shades - a blue-grey with tones of lavender and pink.

How the Stationery Fest and Pen Show Differ

This is probably what most people are curious about. In my experience at both the SF Pen Show and now the SF Stationery Fest, they differ in a few standout ways:

1. Vendors - while the Pen Show features primarily fountain pen vendors (modern, vintage, and makers), the Stationery Fest did a great job of shifting focus onto shops that provided accessories (and pen-adjacent products such as notebooks and pouches.) While I saw a few vendors offer fountain pens and inks, the pens were geared more toward beginners and there were no nib specialists present for custom grinds.

2. Classes - I found there to be a wider selection of paid workshops as well as free seminars and meetups, organized by pen clubs and journaling groups. The biggest difference as a workshop instructor was where the classes took place. While at the Pen Show, the workshops were held in various boardrooms around the Westin and ALOFT hotels, at the Stationery Fest, they were held mostly in the rooms on the show floor (where vendors occupied space at the Pen Show.) This made the show feel more intimate and accessible.

3. Vibe - this is my personal feeling, that at the Pen Show, the vibe for me was very much focused on pens (fountain, glass, dip) and inks. People I met were either using pens or collecting and loved sharing their favourite pens so conversations revolved around that. I also felt the crowd skewed a bit older (college and up).

   At the Stationery Fest, the vibe was whimsical - there was a large blow up character in one of the booths (RiN! Studio) and quite a number of people dressed up. People I met were either into journaling or planning (or both) and were sharing stickers and washi tape. The crowd also skewed a bit younger (families with young kids as well as high schoolers). There were lots of fun activities including stamps at most tables to add to your journal.

These differences, in my mind, separate the Pen Show and Stationery Fest as unique events and I would attend both with different expectations. I can imagine that trying to combine both events just doesn’t work logistically because a much larger space would be needed as it would attract all types of stationery people and vendors.

One of the cutest ideas at SFSF was a “shaker charm rally” hosted by Pineberry, where you bought a shaker and then visited your favourite vendors to buy their exclusive charms to add in. I hope they continue to do something like this at future stationery events!

Final Thoughts

I only heard of one hiccup at the show from vendors and fellow workshop instructors, which was that due to a scheduled hotel engagement, vendors weren’t able to set up their booths until the morning of the show nor could workshop instructors test the equipment prior to Friday. Aside from this unavoidable inconvenience, I didn’t experience anything that would make me pause on attending a future SFSF (if they decide to go ahead in 2027). The crowds may be something to consider as there were times where it got really busy. I personally think that the organizers did a fantastic job to mitigate traffic by reorganizing booths (compared to the Pen Show) and allowing for more flow in the ballroom.

I plan on attending the SF Pen Show in August as a workshop instructor, so look out for more on that. If you’re also attending, let me know or feel free to say hi if you run into me!

Related: A walkthrough of the SF Stationery Fest -

CURRENTLY INKED

Every month, I choose a number of pens based on model, nib, and matching inks specifically to explore and have fun with while journaling. These are the ones I swatch for a monthly “notably inked” spread. Here are the fountain pens I was excited to use last month:

1. Esterbrook Estie (Waverly nib ground by Kirk at Pen Realm) + Kyo No Oto “Adzukiiro”

2. Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo Estie (Katana by Kirk at Pen Realm) + Sailor Shikiori “Kamoshika”

3. Sailor PGS (Med) + Pilot Iroshizuku “Ama Iro”

4. Parker Maxima (Left Oblique) + Waterman “Serenity Blue”

5. Pilot Custom 74 (Broad) + Hachimonjiya “Ginzan Snow Gray”

6. Schon DSGN x Custom Nib Studio “Sashiko” (Cursive-Italic by Anabelle at Opus Cineris) + Kobe “Alice’s Dream”

7. Pilot Custom 823 (Signature) + Edelstein “Tanzanite”

8. Kaweco AL Sport (BB) + Diamine “Earl Grey”

GUEST APPEARANCES

Here are “other places I showed up” last month:

I led a virtual workshop that was hosted by Plaza Art and TombowUSA, demonstrating basic lettering and drawing techniques to create a whimsical floral card. If you missed it, you can catch the replay here (on the Plaza Art YouTube channel): https://youtu.be/q70qQ_KBQNQ?si=F8JdrC_TAm4PYFZg

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

I enjoy sharing my creative process to encourage others to make art and I’d love to see you there!

Abstract Floral Art and Lettering at the San Francisco Stationery Fest (in-person)

• Friday March 27th (Fri info here) and Saturday March 28th (Sat info here)

Weekly: if you want to hang out with me virtually, I host a pretty regular stationery livestream on Twitch every Mon and Wed morning - it’s a chill place to chat and practice art. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too (if you have been, I appreciate that so much!)

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here is stationery related content that I shared last month:

I unboxed and painted abstract floral art with a selection of paint brushes, watercolour paints, and accessories that I received from Tom’s Studio as part of their latest Artist’s Series release. (I’m an ambassador for Tom’s Studio, so if you’re interested in their products, feel free to use my affiliate link and code FROMCAROLA to save!)

If you want to follow my planner updates (I’m aiming to one per month), here’s the Feb recap:

A new ink is coming soon from TheCoffeeMonsterzCo + Robert Oster called “Murky Pond Water”. I had a chance to try a sample (thanks, Helen!) and painted with it in a recent Twitch stream. If you’re curious, check out the replay:

COMING UP

I’m really excited to attend the San Francisco Stationery Fest at the end of the month and teach a couple of workshop sessions. If you’re attending, feel free to say hi! I’ll share my show haul and experience after, so make sure you’re subscribed to my Substack to get updates.

Until next time, thanks for being here!

1. PLOTTER A5 (project manager)

2. Travelers Notebook, passport (daily planner)

3. Travelers Notebook, standard (daily journal)

4. Hemlock & Oak weekly and daily undated planner (memory keeping and drawing)

5. PLOTTER mini 5 square (hobbies)

6. Hobonichi 5 year (archive)

7. Midori A5 notebook (stream-of-consciousness writing)

To the above, I added a PLOTTER Mini 5 that was gifted to me - but since I hadn’t planned on having this in my lineup, I’m currently testing it as an EDC (everyday carry). It’s so portable that I can throw it into my purse when I leave the house or even carry it around in my pocket and whip it out when I want to jot something down. So far, I’m loving that something so small can also be functional.

How it’s going…

January is always an interesting transition. The excitement of brand new notebooks and of new systems starts to settle into finding routine and a comfortable flow. To make the transition smoother, I started using a few of my systems in December (and for the PLOTTER, it was a simple matter of swapping out refills.)

For planning, my main books are the PLOTTER A5 and passport TN, with spillover in the PLOTTER Mini 5. Scheduling, priority tasks, and rapid log journaling happens in the TN, while projects and related deadlines are in my PLOTTER A5. The A5 ring binder sits on my desk, which is ideal to have open while I’m working on projects.

Something I found interesting in January is that I reached for my smaller books such as the TN passport and Mini 5 ring over the larger A5.

Do you ever go through phases where you crave more space and upgrade to an A5, and then later decide that you don’t want all that blank space and downgrade to a smaller size? I think that’s what’s happening with my lineup year over year. Only time will tell for sure.

The Hemlock & Oak Weekly and Daily undated planner started out as a memory keeper, but my layout style changed after two weeks in the book. I’m trying out a minimal “back planning” style in the weekly spreads using Tombow Dual Brush Pens for time blocking and one of my favourite fountain pens (a Leonardo Momento Zero) to write in details. In the daily undated pages, I practice drawing flowers from reference photos in “The Flower Colour Guide” by Taylor and Michael Putnam, with a bit of journaling, using prompts from “The Pivot Year” by Brianna Wiest.

For daily journaling, I use a standard TN that houses a ‘Love & Trip’ insert as well as an insert I put together for sticking in ephemera. In the journal insert, I use a Sora desktop tearaway calendar to date the entries, decorated with washi tape and stickers.

The PLOTTER Mini 5 square is a cover I fell in love with last year at the California Pen Show, and I’ve been using it to track my hobbies and swatch fountain pens and inks. I love how portable the square size is while it provides a bit more space to write and draw in.

Fave accessory…

Shoutout to a planner adjacent accessory that I’m finding really useful: Midori Chiratto brass index clips. The small size (1.5mm wide) is perfect for the smaller notebooks, such as a TN passport insert or Mini 5.

Now that we’re in February, I’m testing out Filofax weekly inserts in my PLOTTER Mini 5 - I can see that this ring binder is going to be hard for me to put down. I’ll give an update on this in my Feb post. Until then, happy planning and journaling!

Related: A chat and flip through of my planners and journals after one month in -

So far this year, I feel solid about my lineup and I’m not tempted to change it just yet. My everyday carry is a Travelers Notebook in passport size accompanied by a PLOTTER Mini 5 (I was gifted this ring binder by the PLOTTER team and I’m trying it out as a general notebook/tracker.) I’ve been taking these two systems with me on café trips and love their portability.

GUEST APPEARANCES

The word “appearances” makes me sound famous but anyway, here are “other places I showed up” last month:

I was really excited to join Job and April on the Creative Refills podcast to chat about PLOTTER, the use of analogue tools to keep us motivated, and being creative in our planners and journals. If you haven’t listened to the conversation, you can check it out here: https://magazine.plotterusa.com/creative-refills-s2e2-techo-kaigi-and-creativity-with-carola/

Desk Chatter (a YouTube live stream with Alexandra, Marina, and Kari) - we chatted about pen shows, stationery trends, and more:

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

I enjoy sharing my creative process to encourage others to make art and I’d love to see you there! These workshops were just announced:

Abstract Floral Art and Lettering at the San Francisco Stationery Fest (in-person)

• Friday March 27th (Fri info here) and Saturday March 28th (Sat info here)

Creating Illustrative Floral Designs & Lettering Using Tombow Pens (virtual) - hosted by Plaza Art and TombowUSA

• Thursday February 12th 10-11:30am More info here

Weekly: if you want to hang out with me virtually, I host a pretty regular stationery livestream on Twitch every Mon and Wed morning - it’s a chill place to chat and practice art. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too (if you have been, I appreciate that so much!)

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here is stationery related content that I shared last month:

This is a replay of the live stream where I painted abstract flowers with fountain pen inks. I tested a new (to me) paper called Takegami Natural in a Musubi notebook. I also compared it to another Musubi notebook I have with Rasa paper:

COMING UP

Look out for an update from me on how my planners and journals fared in the first month soon. I’ll include a flip through of the Hemlock & Oak weekly + daily planner I’ve been using for creative journaling - here’s a peak:

Until next time, thanks for being here!

This year, I was able to attend three pen shows…which just means that I got to hang out with some cool stationery people.

SUMMER PEN SHOWS

After going to the California Pen Show (in Los Angeles) in February, I was planning on only attending the San Francisco Pen Show, happening in August. But coincidentally, a family road trip in July to Seattle and Portland happened to fall on the weekend when the PNW pen show was on, so I was able to attend part of the show (with my twin daughters!)

If you haven’t been to a pen show before, I would recommend a smaller show such as the PNW Pen Show to get a feel for the show without being overwhelmed by crowds. The PNW Pen Show was small, intimate and enjoyable because the vendors and attendees were fun and friendly.

The San Francisco Pen Show is definitely the FUN pen show, and this year was no exception. I got to host three workshop sessions at the show and had a blast meeting creative and artsy people. Teaching classes is always the highlight for me, though after-hours hangouts with friends are a close second. The vendors were amazing this year, and while the show floor did get very crowded and overwhelming for me, I still walked away with a great stationery haul.

Here’s an exclusive inside look at the sights and sounds from the PNW Pen Show and SF Pen Show - I didn’t publish this to YouTube because I didn’t have enough footage, but you may like to see snippets of my experience (ad-free!):

PODCAST GUEST

I was so excited to join Job and April on the Creative Refills podcast to chat about PLOTTER, the use of analogue tools to keep us motivated, and being creative in our planners and journals. If you haven’t listened to the conversation, you can check it out here: https://magazine.plotterusa.com/creative-refills-s2e2-techo-kaigi-and-creativity-with-carola/

PELIKAN HUBS

Every year, Pelikan (the pen brand) hosts a worldwide Pelikan Hubs event where local cities organize and host a pen meetup. This year was my first time attending a local hub within Vancouver, BC. There were about fifteen of us who mostly sampled inks and chatted about our favourite pens. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to attend again next year. I also walked away with a bunch of free ink samples and gift from Pelikan: A bottle of Edelstein “Tanzanite” and a paper pad. Pen people are some of the most generous people I’ve known.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here is some stationery related content that I’m excited about:

Derek and I had a fun chat about stationery and what we like to use - have a watch:

Intrigued by pocket fountain pens? Here are the ones I have:

The smallest pen I’ve used to date:

COMING UP

This Friday, November 7th marks the annual Fountain Pen Day! Typically, pen shops will host events online and offline to celebrate the pen community and you may even find some great deals on pens you’ve been eyeing… (Check out my Affiliate Discount page if you are shopping - I appreciate the support!)

Before you know it, it’ll be January and time to crack open the new planners (unless you’re using a Hobonichi Weeks, in which case you could start in December). Transition will be easy for me because I’ll simply be putting new diary refills in my PLOTTER, for planning anyway. I’ll share my complete lineup of planners and journals soon.

If you want to hang out with me virtually, I host a pretty regular stationery livestream on Twitch every Wed morning - it’s a chill place to chat and practice art. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too (if you have been, I appreciate that so much!)

Until next time, thanks for being here!

Current Planner and Journal Stack

I’m currently using 7 systems to keep me organized, productive, present, and creative. Two of these systems are for planning, while the rest are for journaling and writing.

Planners

I’m loving the flexibility of the PLOTTER system and the A5 is a great size for acting as a catch-all. The A5 PLOTTER mostly sits on my desk and is a place for me to jot down detailed task lists and do rapid journaling throughout the day (writing down events and highlights as they happen.)

The Hobonichi Weeks serves as a bird’s-eye-view of what my week looks like: high level projects as well as my schedule. Sometimes I include reminders that pertain to my kids because I always glance at my Weeks before we head off to school. The Weeks is the book that I carry around with me; while appointments are in both my Weeks and PLOTTER, the details are more likely to be listed in my PLOTTER.

Journals

The Hobonichi Weeks acts as my memory keeper, where I jot down daily highlights in the weekly spreads. It’s a fun practice for me because I use stickers and washi tape to make it aesthetically pleasing. As an overflow, I use a Lightweight Travelers Notebook insert to stick postcards and happy mail ephemera in.

I’m using a Sterling Ink N2 as a hobbies journal and I’m still enjoying it. The monthly spread is useful for documenting and tracking the fountain pens that I’m inking up, as well as any pen and ink acquistions. I also track books that I’m reading, podcasts I’m listening to, and shows I’m watching. It’s fun to look back at the media I consumed!

The Hobonichi A6 5-year journal is my space to practice gratitude (“Today’s Little Joys”, an idea from Morgan Harper Nichols) and to do floral line drawings using a glass dip pen or dip nib. I like seeing my progress every year!

The Hobonichi A5 5-year journal is a record of life events (aka “Archive”). I use my PLOTTER as a reference to write down everything that happened in my day in the 5-year journal (including my kids.) I usually update this book every few days or on the weekend, when I have some time to reflect.

The Sterling Ink B6 notebook is my stream-of-consciousness book where I write my unfiltered thoughts down every morning (or when I feel overwhelmed). It’s a practice that I started a couple of years ago after reading “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, and it’s still one of the most helpful practices for me. I often internalize all my worries, which then leads to anxiety, but writing it down feels like a weight is lifted. I don’t read back what I write, so I often write in messy cursive without focusing on grammar or spelling.

Q3-4 Plan:

So here are the notebooks that I ended June with:

1. PLOTTER A5 (catch-all planner and rapid log journal)

2. Hobonichi Weeks (on-the-go planner)

3. Hobonichi Weeks with a TN standard insert for overflow (memory keeper)

4. Hobonichi A5 5-Year (archive)

5. Hobonichi A6 5-Year ("little joys" and drawing practice)

6. Sterling Ink N2 (hobbies journal)

7. Sterling Ink B6 notebook (stream-of-consciousness writing)

Since my lineup has been working really well for me, I won’t be making any changes moving into the second half of the year - with one minor stipulation. In July and August, my kids are home for Summer Break and it tends to be a busy time where we’re usually out and about.

For that reason, I’ll be pausing my A5 PLOTTER and Hobonichi Weeks. In their place, I’ll be using a Travelers Notebook (passport size) with three inserts: a horizontal weekly book, a grid book for daily tasks, and a blank book for notes. Having a TN passport setup will be easy for me to keep up with and also carry around.

Do you have seasons where you need to adjust your lineup for a deviation in routine? Let me know in the comments!

Thoughts on 2026 lineup

I know it’s only June…but it’s also already June! A few planner companies have already opened up pre-orders for 2026 and Hobonichi will be teasing their lineup in August. So, what am I thinking?

For now, I’ve decided to lean into the systems that are working for me because of their flexibility: PLOTTER (for planning) and Travelers Notebooks (for journaling and memory keeping). This also makes my wallet happy because I only need to purchase inserts (which won’t cost as much as full planners). And I have plenty of grid notebooks in my stash already that I’ll tap into for stream-of-consciousness writing or general note taking.

One planner company whose new proprietary paper intrigues me is Hemlock & Oak. They’re launching planners and notebooks with 70gsm “Archivist” paper that is meant to be fountain pen friendly and sustainably made in Canada. They’re graciously sending me a free planner to test out the new paper later this year, so I’ll share my thoughts then.

Are you eyeing any new planner offerings for 2026? Let me know below!

Check out my YouTube video if you’d like to see me chat about my books:

June Workshop

The Adventurous Artist Summit (June 25-26th): a free 2-day online art summit for the multi-passionate artist. Sign up HERE

INTUITIVE FLORAL ART: Drawing With Creative Flow

In my workshop, I demonstrate step-by-step how to use line drawing techniques to sketch a floral bouquet using a fountain pen.

You will:

• Discover your unique style while practicing line art techniques to draw flowers

• Learn how to use a fountain pen as a fun tool for drawing

• Tap into your intuition by letting your inner creativity guide your self-expression

August Workshops:

San Francisco Pen Show (August 29th-31st): an in-person fountain pen and stationery show. For times and to register, you can find all the details here: SF Pen Show Class Schedule

Workshop 1: “Abstract Floral Art” - ink painting and intuitive line drawing (Fri/Sat)

In this workshop, I demonstrate how to paint abstract floral outlines with fountain pen ink and then draw intuitively with a fine liner.

• Have you ever wanted to paint with fountain pen inks but don’t know how to start?

• Think you can’t draw abstract flowers intuitively?

• Want to learn a fun way to swatch inks?

This class will cover all that!

Workshop 2: “Create a Floral Sketchbook with Carola and Cheryl” (Sat)

This is going to be a really fun 3-hour session (we’re only doing one) and I’m so excited to team up with Cheryl Ball. In this workshop, we’ll learn how to create an art sketchbook and use it for floral line drawings.

I hope to see you in one of my workshops!

I was a guest on Marina’s YouTube livestream, where we chatted about watercolour paints, painting, and (of course) using fountain pens to create art.

While we were chatting, I painted with fountain pen inks - a process I find relaxing and a way to keep my hands busy so I can focus. Check it out if that interests you:

PLANNER & JOURNAL UPDATE

As we roll into Q2, I made slight changes to my planner and journal lineup, which I feel confident about. Overall, the A5 PLOTTER is still my catch-all system with the Hobonichi Weeks assisting with a monthly and weekly overview that I can take with me on-the-go.

Alongside my 2 planners, I have 6 journals that I update various times throughout the week/month. My favourite journal at the moment is the Sterling Ink N2 compact planner, which I use to track and document my interests and hobbies.

Is anyone else already thinking about their planner system for 2026? Because I’ve been mulling things over…

ACQUISITION

I’m so excited to have acquired the Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo Estie fountain pen, matching ink called “Forgotten Iced Coffee” and blotter paper set. The Journaler nib in the pen writes so smoothly, I’ve just been having a blast writing with it.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here is some stationery related content that I shared last month:

April Substack Posts:

Over on YouTube:

A Q1 update on how my planner and journal lineup is going:

A closer look at the Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo Estie, along with a writing sample using the Journaler nib:

COMING UP

I’m currently working on a special workshop project for TombowUSA, which I think will be helpful for anyone wanting to practice creativity and art. It will launch mid-May and I’m super excited to share more soon.

If you want to hang out with me virtually, I host regular stationery livestreams on Twitch (Wed and Fri mornings) - it’s a chill place to chat and practice art. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too (if you have been, I appreciate that so much!)

Until next time, thanks for being here!

I pick out these pens based on model, nib, and matching inks specifically to explore and have fun with while journaling. They’re notable because this lineup may change the next month, while my core lineup of pens stays consistently the same month-over-month. Of the thirteen fountain pens that I used regularly in April, eight of them were notably inked (and one is new!)

Notably Inked Fountain Pens in April

1. TWSBI eco (f) + Kobe “lampwork museum maroon”

2. Leonardo MZ x Stilo & Stile (reverse architect) + Sailor Manyo “Ume”

3. Esterbrook Estie (Techo) + Sailor “afternoon tea”

4. Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo Estie (journaler) + TCMC “Forgotten Iced Coffee”

5. Pilot Custom 823 (signature) + Diamine “twilight”

6. Esterbrook Estie (broad journaler) + Dominant Industry x Wonder Pens “tuna and olives”

7. Franklin-Christoph 46 (medium Cursive Italic) + Dominant Industry x WP “chicken in the sky with diamonds”

8. Esterbrook Estie (broad SIG) + Bungabox “tears of alice”

My Fave Fountain Pen in March

Sometimes a pen, nib, and ink come together to give me a perfectly enjoyable writing experience. In April, I had to give it to my new Esterbrook x TheCoffeeMonsterzCo Estie along with the matching ink called “Forgotten Iced Coffee”. The neutral ink shade is so pleasant and the Journaler nib (custom ground by Gena from Custom Nib Studio for Esterbrook) is so smooth and comfortable to write with.

If you want to take a closer look at the TCMC Estie, check out my video here:

I like to have fun with my books - if I’m not enjoying the process, I’ll probably struggle to fill the pages and that would take away from the usefulness of my analogue tools. It helps me to reflect on my books and change it up if something doesn’t quite work for me or if I’m intrigued by a new system. I’m always up for experimenting!

So what’s happening with my lineup?

How this year began:

I think I was pretty ambitious about using nine different books for functional planning and creative journaling… or maybe not?

This was my planner and journal lineup in January:

1. Sterling Ink N2/Weeks size - hobby journal, to track and document my fountain pens & inks, books read, podcasts listened to, shows watched, etc.

2. Hobonichi A6 5-year diary - daily “little joys” and drawing with a glass dip pen using fountain pen inks

3. Travelers Notebook standard - inserts for creative journaling and travel

4. Hobonichi Weeks - creative memory keeping and daily highlights

5. Sterling Ink B6 notebook - stream of consciousness journaling

6. PLOTTER A5 rings - catch-all planner

7. Hobonichi A5 5-year diary - daily archive of events

8. Take A Note A5 - personal thoughts and goals

9. Hobonichi A6 Hon - daily planner/task list

How it’s going and changes I’ve made:

I was consistent in using my books in January and February but in March, I decided to make a few adjustments. One such change was setting aside the Hobonichi Hon because I didn’t need it on a daily basis anymore. I can always jump into it if I need to and because it’s dated for 2024, I can either re-date it or just use it as a notebook (as I love the paper.)

The other change I made (and this may surprise you), is that I took apart the Take A Note planner and hole punched the pages to put into my PLOTTER A5. Instead of reaching for a whole other notebook, now I can just flip the page of my PLOTTER weekly and write on the TAN pages. I only include one week’s worth of pages at a time so it doesn’t bulk up my binder.

I also experimented with the Hobonichi Weeks as my daily planner. Part of the reason for this is that I had wanted to use it as a family planner but it turns out that it wasn’t needed. So instead of retiring the book, I tried it out as my main planner (as I’ve done in past years). Turns out that I still love the portability of it and the weekly view, so I think it’ll stay in my lineup. Plus, the “Through the Purple Night” cover is so cool!

What I’ve really enjoyed in Q1 is using my Travelers Notebook to showcase happy mail as well as stickers and ephemera - things that would bulk up my Weeks memory keeper. I also really liked using the Sterling Ink N2 as a dedicated book for documenting hobby-related things such as fountain pen inks and books I’m reading.

New additions:

In February, I attended the California Pen Show in Los Angeles and acquired a PLOTTER ring binder in Mini5 Square size. I wasn’t sure at the time what I would use it for and I’m still playing around with it to decide. It may feature more in my daily lineup as we move into Q2, but for now, it’s something I’m having fun with.

My planner and journal stack going into Q2:

1. Sterling Ink N2/Weeks size - hobby journal, to track and document my fountain pens & inks, books read, podcasts listened to, shows watched, etc.

2. Hobonichi A6, 5-year diary - daily “little joys” and drawing with a glass dip pen using fountain pen inks

3. Travelers Notebook standard - inserts for creative journaling and travel

4. Hobonichi Weeks - creative memory keeping and daily highlights

5. Sterling Ink B6 notebook - stream of consciousness journaling

6. Hobonichi Weeks - catch-all planner

7. PLOTTER A5 rings - daily planner

   • incorporating Take A Note A5 pages

8. Hobonichi A5, 5-year diary - daily archive of events

How’s your lineup going? Have you made changes in Q2? Let me know in the comments!

Also check out: “2025 Planner and Journal Lineup Q1 Update” on YouTube

I launched a Ko-Fi shop to offer four vinyl stickers with my abstract floral designs. I’m not sure if how often I’ll create new designs, but if you’re interested, you can follow my shop or stay tuned to updates with social. If you want to directly support my art, take a look: https://ko-fi.com/fromcarola

I was interviewed by Alexandra (@Alexandra’sArtInsanity) on her Fountain Pen 20 Questions YT series) - it was so fun talking about pens, nibs, and inks! Check it out below:

I was a guest on the Pen Addict podcast - I’m still reeling from how cool it was to chat with Brad on-air, after seeing him at the California Pen Show in February. We talked about my art, workshops, live streaming, and how creativity brings us joy. Also, which is better: TN or PLOTTER??

Listen to the episode here: https://www.relay.fm/penaddict/658

ACQUISITION:

New ink bottles! I got the Robert Oster x Pen Addict “Fire on Fire on Fire” (shimmer) ink as well as Dominant Industry x Wonder Pens “Chicken In The Sky With Diamonds” and “Tuna and Olives”.

I’m also excited to try out the Dominant Industry “ink muddler” for swatching, and continue painting in the Dominant Industry Ink Archiving Book, “A Log of Elixir”.

ICYMI:

In case you missed it, here is some stationery related content that I shared last month:

Over on Twitch -

A few stationery livestreams where I unboxed stationery, painted with fountain pen inks, and chatted. Replays are available on Twitch as well as YouTube.

Over on YouTube -

Unboxing, inking, and writing with the Ferris Wheel Press Joule fountain pen (and matching ink called “Blue Revelry”):

Travelers Notebooks and PLOTTER ring binder systems compared - which one fits your style and need?

March “notably inked” fountain pens:

COMING UP

In April, I’ll be sharing my Q1 planner & journal update - I’ve been experimenting with new systems and I may have made some changes to my lineup…

Regular stationery livestreams on Twitch (Wed and Fri mornings) so if you can join that would be awesome. Replays are uploaded to YouTube so you can catch it later too.

Until next time, thanks for being here!

Notably Inked Fountain Pens in March:

1. Esterbrook Estie (b) + Diamine “writer’s blood”

I love this combination of ink and pen! It’s a wet ink that flows smoothly and matches the pen amazingly. I don’t know if I’ll ever change up this duo.

2. Esterbrook Estie (Techo) + Sailor “afternoon tea”

This pen and nib combination is perfect for me. I used a sample ink that a friend shared with me at the California Pen Show, which I think is a great match.

3. Esterbrook JR (Stub) + Dominant Industry x Wonder Pens “tuna and olives”

What a cute pen! The stub nib elevates writing so simply - if you’re not a huge fan of your penmanship, my recommendation is to grab a stub nib. It might just give your writing a bit of fun flair.

4. Skogsy Cholla (Sankakusen) + Amarillo Stationery “toasty joggers”

I never thought that I would enjoy a chunky pen as much as I do this one. I snagged this pen (made by Zach from Skogsy Pens) at the California Pen Show and I love how it supports my hand to ease my pen grip. The ink is also lovely, from my friend Erick at Amarillo Stationery.

5. Franklin-Christoph 46 (medium Cursive Italic) + Dominant Industry x Wonder Pens “chicken in the sky with diamonds”

Teal is one of my favourite colour shades, and this pen and ink combo are right up my alley. Franklin-Christoph has custom ground nibs available for purchase and this medium Cursive Italic is customized by the Japanese nib master Yukio Nagahara. Take your time when writing with this type of nib.

6. Ferris Wheel Press Joule (m) + FWP “blue revelry”

I don’t ink up a lot of pens with shimmer inks (and when I do, I usually choose a broad or stub nib). But in this case, I had to match the 15th anniversary “Blue Revelry” ink and pen combo from Ferris Wheel Press (both of which were kindly gifted to me by FWP.) The blue is a lovely shade of cobalt with a slight shimmer in the light.

My Fave Fountain Pen in March

Sometimes a pen, nib, and ink come together to give me a perfectly enjoyable writing experience. For March, this pen was the Franklin-Christoph 46 with a medium Cursive Italic nib and inked with Dominant Industry x Wonder Pens “Chicken in the Sky with Diamonds”. While the nib can be a bit sharp if you don’t hold it at just the right angle, writing with it reminded me of using a calligraphy dip nib and for that, I was quite enamoured.

Want to see each pen with a drawing and writing sample? Check out my video here:

I’ve been using Travelers Notebooks since 2016, when I picked up my first passport size cover in Tokyo, Japan. It was more out of curiosity because I had seen a lot about TNs and wanted to try it out - little did I know it was just the beginning of a love affair with leather covers. Since then, I’ve “collected” five standard size covers and another passport. How I use each one has changed over the years, but the core functionality of carrying multiple inserts within a leather cover remains the same.

The “OG”, Midori-TN passport cover:

I found out about PLOTTER ring binders in 2022 and again, curiosity got the better of me so I bought a Mini6 (aka pocket) size in blue shrink leather. (The corner hardware was added later at a popup event.) Since then, I’ve added three more covers in different sizes to my lineup.

In case you’re wondering whether or not the TN or PLOTTER system would work for you, here is a comparison between the two:

Comparing the TN and PLOTTER

Travelers Company (who makes Travelers Notebooks) and PLOTTER both fall under parent company Designphil Inc. They are both a leather cover design and they provide flexibility in what you can put inside. Aside from that, they differ in a few ways.

Travelers Notebooks:

• Covers: stock leather colours (blue, black, olive, camel brown, and dark brown) along with collectable and limited edition designs

• Two sizes: standard and passport

• Inserts are held together with elastics

  • You can get creative in how you keep inserts together (I like to use an inverted folder to tuck two inserts in the front and back.)

• Fun accessories include cute charms, canvas pouches, clear zip folders, and a repair kit with additional elastic choices

• For planning, there are monthly or weekly dated and undated inserts

  • Independent planner shops offer inserts in TN standard and passport sizes

• For creative uses, there are various types and styles of paper inserts available, ranging from lightweight paper to heavy watercolor paper.

PLOTTER:

• Five main sizes: mini5, mini, bible, narrow, and A5 (as well as limited edition square, etc)

• Inserts comes in loose leaf paper pad form, which can be used outside of the binders and added in as needed

  • proprietary DP paper is actually fountain pen friendly and can withstand light watercolour paint

• Accessories include a zip folder, pen holder, lifter band, and a leather binder case

• For planning, there are monthly and weekly dated PLOTTER inserts

  • there are planner inserts available from other brands that can potentially fit the PLOTTER ring binders (just double check the sizing)

• The number of inserts available from PLOTTER directly are limited, with special papers and pads available at special events.

Travelers Notebook - the PROS and CONS

Pros:

• They’re portable (especially the passport size)

  • you can carry multiple inserts, including pouches and wallets

• Covers are available worldwide through various retailers

• Inserts are easily accessible and come in various paper styles and function

Cons:

• The covers don’t always lay flat and require a bit of time and effort to do so

  • you can use brass clips to weigh down pages that won’t stay down

• Limited to two sizes

• The system uses inserts in booklet form and unless you find other options, you’re limited to a set number of pages

• Limited edition covers can sell out fast, which can be frustrating

  • and once you start collecting covers, it’s hard to resist getting more for fun!

PLOTTER - the PROS and CONS

Pros:

• The rings are really small and cause minimal obstruction to writing

• The system is meant to be minimal and manageable, so the binder is slim (great for the minimalist)

• As any ring binder, you can create dividers for your projects and inserts

  • when you’re done, easily remove the paper

• At special event pop-ups, you can find limited edition paper pads and covers

Cons:

• Limited availability: for now, PLOTTER ring binders can be purchased online in Japan or North American (US/Canada). Otherwise, you can get one in person at a Pen Show or Popup event.

• If you’re not a ring person, the rings may still feel uncomfortable when writing on the left hand side (if you’re right handed and vice versa if you’re left handed)

  • I don’t notice the rings anymore but if I do, I just reach for a blotter sheet to cover the rings as I write

• The binder can’t be overstuffed

  • recommended 80 pages maximum (depending on the paper)

• If you want to use your own paper, you’ll need to find a hole puncher that lines up

  • I use an adjustable We R Memory Keepers hole punch

• Each ring binder is an investment and costs more than a TN cover

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!

Leave a comment

How I use my TNs and PLOTTERs

For me, the Travelers Notebook system taps into my creative side, while the PLOTTER system taps into my productive and functional side. For other people though, the TN can be functional (such as a planner system) while the PLOTTER can be used as a creative outlet (especially for on-the-go sketching, etc.)

While I have quite a few TN covers, for me, they each have their own purpose. I like that I can switch covers easily and whenever the mood strikes, just to keep things interesting.

Standard covers that I own:

1. Traveler’s Airline - travel inserts for journaling on my trips

2. Traveler’s Factory Kyoto - travel inserts for family trips

3. Olive 1 - collage journaling + happy mail ephemera

4. Olive 2 (I won this in a giveaway) - wine log

5. Camel brown - book reviews

Passport covers that I own:

1. Dark brown - personal journal

2. Traveler’s Train - commonplace notebook

PLOTTER binders that I own:

1. Mini size “blue Shrink” - retired

2. Bible size “Pueblo brown” (I got this with shop credit) - fountain pens and ink directory

3. A5 size “Horse Hair 2 brown” - monthly and weekly planner

4. Square size “purple” leather - notes, lists, and weekly priorities

Considerations for which system is right for you:

If you’re trying to decide between using the TN or PLOTTER system, here are some things to consider:

• Do you prefer the ease of rings or booklet inserts?

• Do you like a minimal aesthetic or enjoy cover designs?

• Does size matter?

• Do you want to use the system for functionality or creativity? (ie planning versus journaling)

• Do you have a specific budget?

Related:

Check out my YT video with a flip through of each TN and PLOTTER I’m using:

External Links:

PLOTTER, USA

Travelers Company, USA

Atlas Stationers, Chicago (affiliate link) to purchase PLOTTER and TNs

I started live streaming about stationery on Twitch - I’ve been sharing my process of painting with fountain pen inks, currently inked fountain pens, and more. If you can join live (or want to watch replays either on Twitch or YouTube), check it out. I’m enjoying the live hangouts; if you’ve been able to join - thank you! If you want to join a future stream, check my Substack NOTES section for updates:

A few things we’ve been doing live:

Painting with fountain pen inks (abstract florals and ink ponies)

If you want to download and colour this ink pony illustration from Lisa (OliveOctopus), check out the Ink Pony Club.

CALIFORNIA PEN SHOW:

The highlight of the month was definitely attending the California Pen Show (Feb 13th - 16th in Los Angeles). If you missed my recap post, make sure to take a look:

I also posted the video footage that I captured at the show on my YouTube channel:

ACQUISITION:

Newly acquired in February, thanks to the Pen Show -

Three new fountain pens and a couple of custom nib grinds:

1. Skogsy Pens 16mm Cholla in black Nikko Ebonite with a Stormwinds Blanks grip section (nib is a Broad Cursive Italic ground by Anabelle from Opus Cineris)

2. Sailor “soda pop” Pro Gear + 21kt gold Music nib

3. vintage Parker Maxima + 14kt gold Left Oblique nib

4. nib grind: Reverse Architect by Gena from Custom Nib Studio on my Leonardo x Stilo&Stile Momento Zero

I couldn’t say no to this gorgeous purple square PLOTTER and have found a way to incorporate it into my planner & journal lineup - more on this soon!

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here are some stationery related content that I shared last month:

On YouTube -

Answering 8 More Pen Questions, about fountain pens that were voted on in @Seemownay Discord. This was fun, and kind of tough!

The questions:

1. Do you have different uses for different pens?

2. How do you choose the inks and pens you will use next?

3. Which pen do you prefer for longer writing sessions?

4. What is your all-time favorite pen?

5. If you have to choose one nib size, which would it be?

6. What is your favorite nib grind?

7. If you could only use one ink for the rest of your life what would it be?

8. What is an absolute deal breaker for you? For a pen? For ink?

BONUS: What is one pen everyone should have?

February currently and notably inked fountain pens - chatting about nibs, inks, and swatching:

COMING UP

In March, I’ll be live streaming, going on a small road trip here in British Columbia, and switching a few things up in my planner lineup. Nothing drastic, just a little experiment.

Until next time, thanks for being here!

I flew in from British Columbia, Canada on Thursday afternoon. It was in the middle of a rainstorm and quite a turbulent descent. Thankfully the weather cheered up over the weekend! After checking into the Westin hotel (where the show was taking place), I walked across the street to the mall and grabbed dinner. For me, having accessible food options (as well as coffee!) is very important and I appreciate that this show hotel has amenities that are walking distance.

Pen Show Highlights: Friday - Saturday

I hit the pen show early and hard on Friday. By mid-morning, I had already acquired most of the things on my wish list, which left the rest of the time to socializing and exploring the many tables. This year, I saw more stationery vendors, which I think is a reflection of pen shows moving towards a balance between fountain pens and adjacent hobbies. As a planner and journal enthusiast, I appreciate being able to shop from a variety of stationery vendors. I also loved that many of the vendors brought branded stamps that I could use in my journal!

I had a blast meeting and chatting with independent pen makers - their passion and enthusiasm for fountain pens and evolving the hobby is refreshing to me. Bart, from Zodiac Pen Co had a great lineup of pen models based on astrological signs. Zach and Amy from Skogsy Pens brought an array of large to mini sized pens (I bought one - more on that later.) Mikayla from White Bear Pens brought gorgeous sparkly pens (now on my wish list.) Jonathon Brooks from Carolina Pen Company, as usual, had a spread of lovely pens to choose from.

I was really excited to meet people who I have chatted with online to exchange stickers, treats, and stories. Included in this group was Brad, the infamous penfluencer aka The Pen Addict. He’s actually one of the most down-to-earth people I know and we hung out a few times throughout the weekend. Meeting stationery people is always a highlight, and vibing with them right off the bat is just awesome.

After spending most of Friday shopping and exploring, Saturday was a low-key day for me. I got a custom nib grind, attended a workshop, and socialized some more.

The after-hours meetups are quite fun at pen shows. I hung out at the hotel lounge/bar on Friday and Saturday night, getting to know people and chatting about pens and ink. So fun!

Custom Nib Grinds and Workshops

I love getting custom nib grinds at events - there’s nothing better than watching a nib specialist grind a nib to your liking and then perfecting it based on your personal writing style. Prior to this show, I had signed up for an appointment online with Gena from Custom Nib Studio because I already had an idea of what I wanted to get done. I got my Leonardo MZ ground to a Reverse Architect, which I find really interesting. On the right side on the nib, writing with it gives a fine line while on the reverse, you get an architect style (wide horizontal lines and fine vertical lines). I also got a Pilot Custom 74 nib tuned for a friend because it was a bit scratchy. If you have a fountain pen that doesn’t write the way you want it to, it’s worth bringing it to a nib specialist to see if they can smooth it out for you - enjoying your writing experience is worth it!

On Saturday, I attended a “Sigils: Making Magic with Pens & Ink Workshop” class that was hosted by Ana Reinert of The Well Appointed Desk. In the class, Ana guided us through the process of creating Sigils from intentions. Playing with letters and symbols to create a final sigil to represent the an intentional phrase was really interesting and fun to explore.

My Haul

The fun part - what did I buy? While I stayed within the budget I had set out for myself, I did end up purchasing something that I hadn’t initially intended on…but that’s how these things go.

The PLOTTER ring binder in square (a size not offered online and only at certain events) was just too gorgeous to pass up. The purple leather is a nice dark hue:

A few things from Travelers Company including a navy blue shoulder bag that I used to carry essentials at the show.

Fountain pens:

• Skogsy Pens 16mm Cholla in black ebonite with a surprising grip section by Stormwinds Blanks - it’s like lava!

• Sailor Pro Gear “soda pop”, with a 21kt gold Music nib from Itoya of America

• vintage Parker Maxima (made in England), with a 14kt gold Left Oblique nib from Mad Mercantile

• Custom Reverse Architect nib grind from Gena on my Leonardo MZ

• A few items from Kuboandlucy, including a collaboration tin by Kelsey Doodles (sardines anyone?!)

• A two-pen sleeve by Rickshaw Bagworks for Pen Realm (a tester, with floral art I designed for Kirk!)

• A Perspective nib from Gena (pre-ground)

• Ink vial stabilizer from Fountain PENdulum

• Stamps from Everyday Explorers

• A notebook and ink swatch cards from Kinokuniya Bookstore

Final Thoughts

The 2025 California Pen Show was a blast and I walked away with so many highlights. I can’t wait to see everyone again throughout the year at other pen shows and events. If you’re considering attending a pen show and can get to Los Angeles, I definitely recommend this show!

Related posts:

If you missed my last Substack post, I shared that I added two more notebooks (one for planning and one for journaling) to my planner and journal stack, bringing the total up to nine. Anyway, here is my stack as it stands in Feb (it’s quite heavy!):

ACQUISITION:

No new pens in January, but a fellow fountain pen friend sent me a 10ml ink bottle of “Prune” by L’Ecritoire (from Paris) which is a pretty plum shade. Naturally, I had to do a drawing and writing sample (this is a quote from “The Pivot Year” by Brianna Wiest.)

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here are some stationery related content that I shared last month:

On YouTube -

I was so excited to be a part of the Amarillo Stationery ink launch. My friend Erick released four inks in an inaugural ink lineup that I hope keeps expanding:

January update on my planner and journal lineup, including how I ended 2024 with my notebooks:

A review of the Ferris Wheel Press “Dabbler” pen and ink set:

Currently Inked fountain pens with writing and drawing samples in real-time, plus a chat about the nibs I’m using:

As part of the TombowUSA Creator Crew, I got to film a video on how to create the watercolor effect by using Dual Brush Pens, which is now up on their channel (give them a follow, and like/comment on the video if you have the time):

On Substack -

My currently inked fountain pens, along with my fave pen, ink, and nib:

My full 2025 planner and journal lineup, updated:

COMING UP

This month, I’m looking forward to attending the California Pen Show in mid-February (it’ll be my second time) and meet up with fountain pen friends. Stay tuned for a vlog-style video and post afterwards about my experience and haul!

Thanks for being here!