What’s in the Bag for Stationery Park?

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Coming off the heels of the Chicago Pen Show less than two weeks ago, I knew I had to unpack my suitcase, clean my clothes, get somewhat organized, and then pack again for this weekend’s Stationery Park event down in Santa Monica, CA. Stationery Park (or SP) is organized by Michelle MaliZaki who put on Pen Paper Palooza last May (which I had to miss due to ankle surgery). Anyhoo, I am going to be working at the Flax Pen to Paper tables like I did at the 2026 SF Stationery Fest.

I haven’t been to many stationery fests (this one will be my second), so I’m still trying to figure out what I should bring. I know I wanted to lighten my load for this trip since Stationery Park is not held at a hotel where there is an after-hours scene where folks can gather. Aside from the usual clothes, toiletries, and what-not, I tried to keep my stationery-related items to a minimum by only bringing what I could fit in a Rickshaw Banzai bag.

Just added a new “Hello My Name is” button to this Rickshaw Banzai bag. (Love my “Remove before flight” tag that a friend gave me and my mix tape clicker from Kaleidocraft!)

Shameless plug - if you find me at a meetup, pen show, or other event, I will likely have these pins available. The big red Hello ones are $1 each and yes, that purple daisy pen is a Sharpie for you to write your name. The rainbow Proud Pen Addict pins are free for those in the LGBTQIA+ community, and a minimum $2/pin suggested donation for allies. Hoping to make a nice donation in June, which will be matched by at least two other people, besides me!

Even though this is a stationery event, I still gotta have my fountain pens handy, right? I usually have my 48-pen binder full of inked pens but since I won’t have much opportunity for after-hours pen fun, I decided to be a little more reasonable and bring a smaller assortment of inked pens instead. I picked them primarily for the nibs, but also for the variety of colors.

Denim Girologio 12-pen case (left) and Sugar Turtle Studio x Rickshaw Fillmore pen case (with my SFSF shaker in the front pocket). The Fillmore is empty in case I happen to find some pens that need to come home with me. 🙂

L to R: Pilot Custom Heritage 912, Bokumondoh urushi/raden, SFM nib; Pilot Murex, M; Newton Prospector (medium) with Regalia Writing Labs Sequel; Leonardo x Stilo e Stile Momento Zero, Kintsugi Blue, Fine; Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Cold Brew, Steel Flex; Pilot x MARKSTYLE Smoke Green and Black, Medium.

L to R: Platinum 3776, Kasumi, Medium; Schon Dsgn Full Size, Mondrian, Cursive Monoc; Benu Haute Movie Star, Fine; Zodiac Pen Co Virgo, Stylosuite X-Wing Harpoon flex; Pilot Myu, Black Stripe, Fine; TWSBI Obsidian, Fine.

I never know if I will end up with any down time, but in case I do, I like to have something to write in that doesn’t take up too much space or time. I decided to bring my Traveler’s Company book journal (right), some book-themed stickers in the sticker release insert (left), and an undated weekly insert (back) for documenting daily health & fitness stuff. And yes, the Penco clamp also gets packed.

The above inserts, as well as a zippered “wallet” fit inside my Traveler’s Diner edition.

I use this A6 Hobonichi when trying out other people’s pens at shows/meetups, or when I’m shopping and can try out vendor’s tester pens. I also try to write the name of the person whose pen(s) I’m trying so I can bother them later if a friend wanted to buy the pen (it’s me, I’m the friend, lol).

I always have my Bible-size PLOTTER in my backpack when I travel. It’s my go-to for remembering what I wanted to research, try, shop - not just for pens/stationery, but places to eat or visit. It’s also another place for me to store ephemera, receipts, if my TN isn’t handy. I also jot down random ideas for TPA articles, stuff for the house, etc.

Look it all fits, with plenty of room to zip it up!

There you have it, all the pens and stationery I’m bringing to Stationery Park. I’m sure I’ll come back with more though! I’m looking forward to SP this weekend and will report back if I end up using any of the stuff I brought! If you’re going to be there, come find me and say hi!

(Disclaimer: All products shown are my own and paid for at regular price.)

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The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 716 - Good Times

The most important product discussed this episode.

I’m joined this week by April Wu from Designphil to discuss all things TRAVELER’S COMPANY USA, PLOTTER USA, MD PRODUCT USA, and of course her own writing over at The Penguin Post. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, so get comfy, grab a beverage, and take notes!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

St Louis Pen Show: Join us June 25-28. Tickets on sale now!

Enigma Stationery: Unique items, top brands and hard-to-find imports. Get $10 off.

Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code PENADDICT.

Platinum Classic Lavender Black Ink Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Platinum Classic Lavender Black Ink is like writing with black cherry juice. It goes down bright magenta, dries to a rich purple, and it has some permanence to it. It's a gorgeous ink and it's a pleasure to write with.

The black base of this ink is a water-resistant modern form of iron gall ink, so it remains when the magenta-lavender dye washes away. You can see the base color stay put in chromatography, and where I dropped water on the grid and wiped it away. While the pigment washes off, the ink's base stays visible. I love that quality in an ink, as I'm always a little worried about my notebook surviving a sweating water bottle, sudden rain, or tippy cup of tea. Often, permanent inks are dull colors, so I was very excited to try this bright one. It does not disappoint.

It's common for inks to only have one rad feature: sheen or shimmer or shading or permanence, etc. But this ink has two--permanence and shading. The pale earthy pink to deep cherry color is gorgeous, and watching the ink dry into its ombre shades is hypnotic. Sometimes I forget to keep writing because I'm watching the ink dry. It's also a good color for readability and would pass the professional test, I think. It has some whimsy and character, but looks serious enough.

This ink does have a longer dry time, which surprised me, because it's a fairly dry-feeling ink. It isn't scratchy, but it doesn't feel slick. It does take between 20 and thirty seconds to dry, depending on how much ink is laid down.

The ink comes in a sturdy blown glass bottle with a black plastic lid. The bottle is a rounded, smooshed cube shape, so there's no danger of tipping. And though the squat shape isn't ideal for filling, it comes with an inkwell insert that provides the perfect nib-shaped well to fill from. The bottle is 60 ml, and it sells for $32 at Vanness Pen Shop, which is a good deal. That much ink will last a long time, which is great, because I can see myself using this one often.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!