(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!.)
I spend a lot of time using my pens, swatching inks so I can pick the perfect match, and writing on different papers, so it’s no surprise that a bulk of my articles would be about pens, inks, and paper. In recent weeks, as I’ve been putting more effort into various projects, like working on my 2024 book journal (oof, I wish that was a typo, but I’m a little behind), I started noticing the non-pen/ink/paper things that have been sparking joy for one reason or another, so that’s what I’ll be writing about today.
Pen Rests
My inked pens are always in a pen binder, ready to be used at my desk, at a meetup, or pen show. But I often have pens that don’t leave the house because I don’t need or want them with me. Some of these pens, like my trusty Pilot Metropolitan and Tombow brush marker, are used every day in my bullet journal, but only to draw and write a date box. Others are used for projects, like my Kaweco/Kakimori for ink swatching, or the hand painted Winnie-the-Pooh Kaweco that stays at home because I don’t want to damage the artwork (scroll towards the end to see the pen). I will also put out pens that I want to ink up next. It’s also handy to have a pen rest in case you need to put your pen down, but don’t want it to roll off the table.
Pen rests by Galen Leather and Toyooka Craft, pen tray by Toyooka Craft.
Standing Pen Pouch
I did not think I needed a standing pen pouch until I saw this adorable boba pen pouch while shopping at bobo design studio. As soon as I got it, I rescued some of my favorite standard pens (which were jammed into cups on my desk) and put them in the pouch. I never take my standard pens with me (except my trusty Parker Jotter which lives in my pen show lanyard), but now I have a place for them when I am out and about!
How cute is this boba pen pouch? The pink “straw” is the tab you pull up when you’re ready to close the pouch.
Unzip the pouch and pull down on the two side tabs to reveal the contents - a variety of Legami, G-2, Frixion, Sarasa, Uni pens! (No Spokes here, they’re too precious to leave the house!)
Washi Accessories
When I first started using washi tape, I would either rip it by hand or use a pair of scissors. Both methods are fine but I found that my rips often would result in a very crooked tear and using scissors was just annoying. At some point, I realized plastic cards, like hotel key cards which I sometimes forget to return, work great as cutters. You can also get inexpensive clips that have a serrated edge that you tear the washi against.
Hotel key card (left) and a washi cutter (right).
But what I am really digging right now are two cassette style washi holders/cutters! As someone born in the 1900s (wow, that’s really painful to type), I especially love the retro aspect of the cassette tape. I really noticed how awesome this was when I put my “day” washi in it - it’s now so much easier to get just the right amount of washi for “Friday” when it’s in a dispenser like this!
Clear cassette from Kuboandlucy Stationery and black cassette from Kaleidocraft.
I’m also very fond of washi tape stands where I can have a few favorite washi on my desk, instead of having to dig through the stash. Right now, the washi tape in this stand is book-themed so I can bring it out when I want to work on my book journal. I’ve also put the whole stand in my bag if I plan to journal away from my desk.
Love this Trash Penda washi stand that I bought from InkyConverters a couple years ago. I don’t see them in her shop right now but I’m hoping they’ll make a comeback!
3D-printed Clickers/Fidgets
I will 100% blame Jaclyn Myers of Kaleidocraft because I’ve never been much for clickers until I saw her table at last year’s Chicago Pen Show. They are fun, silly, cute, and give my hands something to do when I’m feeling anxious or taking a break. They’re just the right amount of whimsy when I need it.
I love my PENS clicker that I bought as part of the St Jude Fundraiser as well as my fountain pen clicker. Both are from Kaleidocraft, yes, there are more, no, I’m not addicted to them, well, maybe I am, and no, this is not an ad, lol.
Ink Vial Holders
I am often swatching samples or making samples, and having a stable vial holder really helps prevent inky accidents. I first started by using an Ink Miser enclosed by LEGO I “borrowed” from the kid (I can use the Ink Miser for filling OR as a vial holder too). Thanks to 3D-printing, there are a lot more products for holding ink vials!
My dog (front left) and Inktopus vial holders from Ink-a-Pet (hat and hook sold separately). Ink Miser in a LEGO holder. I love the cup vial holder from RandomThinks - there are inserts for “coffee” or “green tea”!
Clips
Remember the book journal I keep alluding to? My book journal is currently in a Traveler’s Notebook which does not lay flat. Ditto the TN sticker release insert, as well as my other sticker release book which a friend gave me a few years ago. Clips to the rescue! Whether you use a Chip Clip™ , or other kind of clip, having something that holds your thin books open makes it so much more pleasant to use/write in!
Penco clip holding my sticker release book open, while the Traveler’s Company clip keeps my book journal open.
I’m sure if I looked around some more, I could find more things to talk about, but these were the ones that I’ve been using a lot lately. They’ve been making my life a little bit easier and sparking a little bit of joy. And isn’t that what we could all use a little more of?
(Disclaimer: All products are my own and were bought at regular price.)
