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Author: Rachel

25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Week 3

Posted in Ink

Welcome to the third post of 25 Days of Dupes 2025. Below you’ll find the inks for days 12-18. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

View Reminders
  • You can click the images to view them larger.
  • I swatched each ink with a small (#2) paintbrush and wrote with a F Sailor Compass Hocoro Dip Pen.
  • The dilution pages show the sheening inks diluted with water in single-part steps. I started with just the ink, then 1:1 ink to water, then 1:2, etc.
  • While I try to edit the images so they look as close to real life as possible, I can’t guarantee that the color you see on your screen will be true to life. However, with all the dupes on the same page, you’ll see how the colors look in relation to each other, which is the main point of these posts.
  • I can’t fairly call any ink a perfect color match, as I’m not comparing them scientifically, I’m just using my eyes. Therefore, I won’t be going any further than calling an ink a “near-perfect color match.”
  • I’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks — sheen, shimmer, scent — only the base color.

Enjoy, and happy inking!

My 2025 Favorites

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink

As I do each year, I’m sharing my current top tens. *screech* Except I’m not. I’ve decided to rename this entry to my favorites of the year. It has nothing to do with my inability to stick to just 10… Really.

My inks list started the departure from my “top 10” format. As you’ll read later, I could either have a top 5 or a top 15. Then I tried to do nibs, and I have so many amazing nibs, I simply couldn’t rank them normally, so I provided my top nib(s) for several categories. And, then, when finishing the pen section, Stanford Pen Studio was 90% of the list, so I decided to give those pens their own list so that other pens would have a chance to shine.

You can also check out my top tens (AKA favorites) from previous years: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021

Now, without further preamble, enjoy my top tens favorites of 2025.

2025 New Pen Releases, The Tag

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Ink

Time for another addition to this yearly tradition. If you’re curious, you can check out the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 entries. This idea was originally based on the “New Makeup Releases | THE TAG” video from Angelica Nyqvist.

This tag is about evaluating the releases — in this case, pens and inks — from the past year. Unfortunately, I was significantly more out of touch with pen releases this year — I blame it on crochet and an absolutely crazy year — and had to do quite a bit of research to answer some of these questions. Let me know if you agree or disagree with me.

25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Week 2

Posted in Ink

Welcome to the second post of 25 Days of Dupes 2025. Below you’ll find the inks for days 5-11. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

HEAD’S UP: An ink sample arrived a couple of days after posting week 1 that better matches Energy. Check out the update.

View Reminders
  • You can click the images to view them larger.
  • I swatched each ink with a small (#2) paintbrush and wrote with a F Sailor Compass Hocoro Dip Pen.
  • The dilution pages show the sheening inks diluted with water in single-part steps. I started with just the ink, then 1:1 ink to water, then 1:2, etc.
  • While I try to edit the images so they look as close to real life as possible, I can’t guarantee that the color you see on your screen will be true to life. However, with all the dupes on the same page, you’ll see how the colors look in relation to each other, which is the main point of these posts.
  • I can’t fairly call any ink a perfect color match, as I’m not comparing them scientifically, I’m just using my eyes. Therefore, I won’t be going any further than calling an ink a “near-perfect color match.”
  • I’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks — sheen, shimmer, scent — only the base color.

Enjoy, and happy inking!

My 2025 Brand “Discoveries”

Posted in Fountain Pens

Another year almost gone! How? Regardless, it’s time to start my end of year retrospective posts.

Gentle reminder, this isn’t a list of brands I didn’t know about before this year. It’s a list of pens I purchased this year from brands I’ve never purchased from before.

For the first time since I started the brand discoveries post in 2021, I actually purchased from more new brands this year than last year. I purchased pens from 4 new-to-my-collection brands, and added pens from three new Stanford Pen Studio artists.

Planning my Binder Changes

Posted in Paper

As I mentioned in my binder system post from late October, after about a year with my current binder setup, I’ve realized I need some additional changes. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just stuck with a single notebook, but I do so prefer being able to add, remove, and rearrange pages.

I’ve done a lot of research since my October post, and I’ve pretty much narrowed down what I’m going to try to have ready for the start of the year, with some additional things to incorporate as get comfortable with the new system, maybe quarterly.

What I have now

Since it’s been a while, let me remind you about my current binder setup:

25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Week 1

Posted in Ink

Welcome to the first post of 25 Days of Dupes 2025. Below you’ll find the inks for days 1-4. If you have a suggestion for a possible dupe for any of these inks, let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it to the wrap up post.

View Reminders
  • You can click the images to view them larger.
  • I swatched each ink with a small (#2) paintbrush and wrote with a F Sailor Compass Hocoro Dip Pen.
  • The dilution pages show the sheening inks diluted with water in single-part steps. I started with just the ink, then 1:1 ink to water, then 1:2, etc.
  • While I try to edit the images so they look as close to real life as possible, I can’t guarantee that the color you see on your screen will be true to life. However, with all the dupes on the same page, you’ll see how the colors look in relation to each other, which is the main point of these posts.
  • I can’t fairly call any ink a perfect color match, as I’m not comparing them scientifically, I’m just using my eyes. Therefore, I won’t be going any further than calling an ink a “near-perfect color match.”
  • I’m not attempting to dupe the special properties of the inks — sheen, shimmer, scent — only the base color.

Enjoy, and happy inking!

25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Intro

Posted in Ink

We’re back to the Diamine Inkvent calendar for this year’s 25 Days of Dupes. While I love Colorverse inks, the Colorvent calendar just didn’t do it for me last year. The biggest letdown was how dark and muted many of the colors were, especially given how bright regular Colorverse inks often are. The bottle shape was also a consideration. The Colorverse bottles are easily double the size of the Inkvent bottles, but only contain 3ml more ink. I just don’t have space for them. Last year’s Colorvent is still in its box. And, finally, the price difference matters to me. If anyone reading this is in the Washington, DC area and would be willing to let me borrow their 2025 Colorvent, I can dupe it around February next year. Just let me know in the comments.

What’s the Plan?

Per usual, I’ll be posting once a week with all of the inks from that week, with the day based on Christmas. Since Christmas is on Thursday, my posts will be on Friday this year. My first dupe post will be on the 5th, with the inks from December 1-4. My final dupe post will be on the 26th, with inks from December 19-25. And I’ll have a wrap-up/reference post on the 29th linking to the 4 dupe posts and listing the best dupe for each ink.

I’m also sticking with the Sailor Compass Hocoro Dip Pen. I used the F nib this year, since the finer nib seemed to be appreciated in my Inktober posts.

I enjoyed the Muji A5 loose leaf paper I used last year — it really is fantastic paper — but I’m trying to use up my stock of Kokuyo loose leaf paper, so this year I used that instead.

Pen Porn: Drewnem Pisane Orion

Posted in Fountain Pens

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for pen envy or impulse purchases resulting from viewing this post.

Per usual, you can click on the images to view them larger. I do my best to provide you with high-quality pen porn. 😉

Well, after about three years of eyeing Drewnem Pisane‘s pens, I finally bought one. Luckily for me, they were at this year’s DC Pen Show and I was able to snag one of their floral pens. It’s absolutely stunning, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another one or two in my future.

Drewnem Pisane Orion

Even More Indie Makers

Posted in Fountain Pens

First of all, happy Fountain Pen Day!

I’m well behind in my annual update of my Indie Pen Makers reference page, and, what better day to share this post than on Fountain Pen Day? Of course, being behind means there’s a good chance you already know about the makers listed below, and there are more than usual for one of these updates.

As I scroll through Instagram, I bookmark new-to-me makers to share here. This is my fourth update. These update posts are meant to let new-to-me pen makers have their time in the spotlight, and allow you to know who is new to the reference page without having to scroll through the entire list.

Every time I publish a new post about indie makers, I update the reference page, adding new makers, and removing any who no longer meet the qualifications listed below. Keep in mind, I have not purchased a pen from most of these makers, so consider this an informational list, not an endorsement.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Wrap Up

Posted in Ink

This is my final installment of my Inktober Skirmishes series. If you want to see the photos of the skirmishes, check out my other Inktober 2025 posts.

My initial goal was to use Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. I’d hoped to get rid of one ink from each skirmish, but that’s not quite how things worked out. Although a bit time-consuming with needing to clean out the pens each day, I enjoyed these skirmishes. They were a great way to clear out some inks, and more fun — for me — than Ink Battles.

I’ve got a favor to ask of you at the end of this post, so even if you aren’t interested in reading through, please scroll down. Thanks in advance!

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, The Chaos

Posted in Ink

Welcome back to Inktober Skirmishes. As a reminder, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

Skirmishes are similar to Ink Battles, but without scoring, just final judgment. I am writing out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through the 31 days of Inktober.

This is my last set of skirmishes for Inktober. I chose one of my favorite poems, The Chaos, by Gerard Nolst Trenité. The version I copied from is quite a bit longer than what I’ve included below, but I got to Halloween and decided to jump to the last two lines. Side note: this poem is written for British English pronunciation, not American English.

NOTE: For some reason, the images look different on my computer upon upload than they did during editing. I’m not sure how true-to-life they’ll look on anyone’s screen. The close-up images seem to look more true-to-life than the full page images.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Posted in Ink

Welcome back to Inktober Skirmishes. As a reminder, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

Skirmishes are similar to Ink Battles, but without scoring, just final judgment. I am writing out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through the 31 days of Inktober.

This time I’ve copied out the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.

NOTE: I still had a lot of trouble with photographing and editing these colors, so most of them aren’t quite true-to-life. I’ve done the best I can, but I wouldn’t advise making a purchasing decision based on this post. Look at some other swatches, too. The close-up photos are more correct than the full-page photos.

What Have I Done?

Posted in Paper

A few days ago, I received my “rewards” for Cute Stickers Only‘s Enchanting Pens Kickstarter campaign. I hadn’t realized how much washi tape I’d purchased, and as I stared at all the rolls, I realized I didn’t know how I’d use them. That’s when it finally hit me that I don’t decorate my notebook anymore. OK, yes, I use binders now, but you know what I mean.

I don’t know how I’ve managed to not process that I only decorate 2 items across my binders. Now that I’m thinking about it, though, I have to add another item to my “biggest differences between binders and notebooks” mental list. It’s not just the ability to move, add, and remove pages that differentiates them.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Indian Captive

Posted in Ink

Welcome back to Inktober Skirmishes. As a reminder, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

Skirmishes are similar to Ink Battles, but without scoring, just final judgment. I am writing out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through the 31 days of Inktober.

I’ve caught up with my skirmishes, but fell a wee bit behind with posting. But, here is the next set of skirmishes featuring Indian Captive by Lois Lenski.

NOTE: I had a lot of trouble with photographing and editing these colors, so most of them aren’t quite true-to-life. I’ve done the best I can, but I wouldn’t advise making a purchasing decision based on this post. Look at some other swatches, too.

Hyperfixation Hobby

Posted in Personal

I’ve written about my ADHD a few times now. Today you get another update.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely seen my crochet posts. Crochet is my new hyperfixation hobby. For those unfamiliar with the term, hyperfixation is when someone becomes intensely passionate and involved in an activity or hobby for extended periods of time — often at the expense of other responsibilities and daily tasks.

I’ve always had a tendency to return to fiber art hobbies, irrespective of the amount of time it’s been since I last engaged in them. Whether cross-stitch, knitting, embroidery, or sewing, I always find my way back to them.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Little Women

Posted in Ink

Welcome back to Inktober Skirmishes. As a reminder, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

Skirmishes are similar to Ink Battles, but without scoring, just final judgment. I am writing out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through the 31 days of Inktober.

I’m running a bit behind with these as I’m working on them around a lot of Halloween crochet projects. I should be fully caught up by the end of today and back to doing one a day, like I planned. Still, here is the next set of skirmishes featuring Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Pride & Prejudice

Posted in Ink

Welcome back to Inktober Skirmishes. As a reminder, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

Skirmishes are similar to Ink Battles, but without scoring, just final judgment. I am writing out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through the 31 days of Inktober.

I’ve decided that I’m going to post the skirmishes as I finish a book’s chapter. This post has the rest of the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Inktober 2025 Skirmishes, Week 1

Posted in Ink

I always want to participate in Inktober, but I often find it difficult to do so. Last year, if my memory serves me correctly, I took part in Inktober Tangles. However, I really had to push myself, and often found I didn’t have enough time to really relax and have fun.

So, this year, I’m using Inktober to work on my resolution to get rid of some inks. I haven’t done anywhere near as well with it as I’d like to. The result: Inktober Skirmishes! The goal is to remove one ink from my collection for each skirmish, but if the two inks are different enough, I’m open to keeping them both.

These will be similar to Ink Battles, but faster. No scoring, just final judgment. I haven’t even included a scribble section. My plan is to write out the first chapter, one skirmish at a time, of as many of my favorite books as necessary to get through 31 days. The first book pick is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

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