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Category: Stationery

Pen Show Prep, DifferentlyPen Show Prep Differently
July 31, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Show Prep, Differently

Posted in Ink, and Pen Shows

While social media abounds with tantalizing Stationery Fest details, I’m diligently preparing for the DC Pen Show. I’ve signed up for the classes I’m taking, I’ve book my nibmeister appointments, I’ve started my shopping list, and I’m making progress on the presentations for the classes I’m teaching. But this year, my pen show prep started in June with a push to finally use more ink samples and make some sellables.

Since my June 7 pen rotation, I’ve only filled pens with ink samples — rather than bottles — my long-fill pens excluded. My goal has been to test samples I’ve had for a while to decide if I want to pick up a full bottle at the DC show.

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Ink Battle: Wearingeul and AnderilliumInk Battle
July 24, 2026
Rachel
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Ink Battle: Wearingeul and Anderillium

Posted in Ink

This ink battle is between Wearingeul Pinocchio and Anderillium Luna Moth Green. Both inks are in a Pilot Kakuno fitted with a medium nib. The paper is Maruman Giuris with grid ruling.

Today’s ink battle was another bout of bottle versus sample. It determined if my sample of Pinocchio got to stay in use, or got relegated to the “for dupes” baskets. Were I to keep it in use and go through the whole sample, then I’d likely buy a bottle.

For those unfamiliar with these inks, Pinocchio contains gold shimmer. While Wearingeul shimmers typically settle completely, I shook the sample before inking my pen.

Ink Battles Explained

Between myself and Jim buying inks, we own far too many. This means I have some inks that are incredibly similar in color. And, because of that, I need to figure out which inks to keep and which to dispose of. Sometimes, I have samples of two or more similar inks that I’m trying to decide which to buy, or if I should buy one ink when I already own a bottle of a similar one.

Enter ink battles. I put the similar inks into pens with the same nibs (two Jowo #6 M, two TWSBI F, etc.) — or I create ink splats and doodles — to test them out to see which I like better. Or, I may find out that they’re sufficiently different to keep or buy a bottle of the sample.

You can assume I have no problems with any ink that appears in an ink battle. I may find, when using the inks side-by-side, that there are performance differences, but the point of the battle is to choose a favorite ink, a “winner,” based on the color properties, not the way the ink functions. These choices are often subjective, and you may disagree with me.

An ink battle — unlike ink dupes — is between inks I like. I enjoy using them enough to have them in my “for use” ink collection — as opposed to my repository of inks for testing dupes. If an ink performed poorly or caused problems, I wouldn’t keep it. And, if that were the case, an ink battle would be unnecessary.

Reminder: You can find all of the ink battle posts on the tag page, and I have a page dedicated to my ink comparisons.

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If I Could Only Keep TenIf I could only keep ten
July 10, 2026
Rachel
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If I Could Only Keep Ten

Posted in Fountain Pens

When I saw Inky Imaginings’ post in my email, I knew I wanted to come up with my list before reading anyone else’s. So, I waited until I’d determined my ten pens to read Laura’s list or Ana’s or Laura C’s on The Well-Appointed Desk.

I tried to track down an “original” post for this challenge, but I didn’t have any luck. I found random, semi-related posts and videos shared in the past 5 years, but no clear thread like is developing from Laura’s. So, without any parameters to guide me in this, I’ve come up with my own.

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30 Inks, 30 Days, 15 Comparisons30 Inks, 30 Days, 15 Comparisons
July 1, 2026
Rachel
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30 Inks, 30 Days, 15 Comparisons

Posted in Ink

In an effort to continue reducing my ink collection and to better “learn” the inks I have, I decided to tackle Ink Journal’s 30 Inks 30 Days challenge as ink comparisons. And, in a happy nod to Pride Month, I went for a rainbow of inks. I made an effort to create doodles that have both standard lines (to show how writing might look) and larger, filled-in areas.

Like any human, I made mistakes as I worked through the 15 skirmishes. Since I want the focus to be on the inks, I’ve edited out the mistakes using Photoshop for the “final” image. However, for transparency, I’ve also included the “original” version without those edits. I’ve done my best to edit the ink colors to be true-to-life, but some of them were exceptionally difficult.

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Soolla: Not Quite What We NeedSoolla not quite what we need
June 26, 2026
Rachel
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Soolla: Not Quite What We Need

Posted in Storage

Unpopular opinion incoming: The Soolla bag and pouch aren’t well-suited to the fountain pen world.

Now, set aside your pitchforks and torches. I do like Soolla products. I own the 80’s Windbreaker version of both the studio bag and studio pouch, and they’re fabulous. Both are sturdy and well-made, and the range of colors, already large, keeps expanding. I also 100% acknowledge that the Soolla bags weren’t created for the pen world, so I don’t hold it against the creators or the bags that they aren’t perfect for us.

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Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026
June 1, 2026
Rachel
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Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026

Posted in Fountain Pens

Happy Pride Month! I love creating my yearly pen rainbow. This year, I chose the progress flag designed by Daniel Quasar to match. I didn’t choose the newer, intersex pride flag because I couldn’t figure out how to represent the purple circle on a yellow background with a pen. This also means I get to choose some additional pens for the colors in the arrow.

You can also check out my 2024 rainbow, 2025 rainbow, and 2025 bi flag matches.

Proud pen addict button/pin

Matching the progress flag means I have two “sections” to match. Following the left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading order, let’s start with the “progress arrow.”

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Pen Porn: Den’s Pens Baetylus “Twister”Pen Porn: Den's Pens Baetylus "Twister"
May 29, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Den’s Pens Baetylus “Twister”

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. 😉

I’m WAY behind on my pen porn posts. I picked up this Baetylus at the San Francisco pen show last August. Den had sent a selection of their pens with nibmeister Thomas Ang, and this beauty caught my eye almost immediately.

Den is a wizard when it comes to pen shapes, and this one is no exception. If you’re looking for pens with unique shapes, Den is top of my list. Their pens are fully done by hand and inspired by mythology. It doesn’t hurt that Den is a lovely human. Seriously, go take a look at their website and/or Instagram, then come back. Think of it as a pen porn side quest.

Den's Pens Baetylus "Twister"
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Would I Buy Them Again? Take 2Would I buy them again? Take 2
May 8, 2026
Rachel
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Would I Buy Them Again? Take 2

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Non-Fountain Pens

I first did this post almost exactly four years ago — the timing is just a coincidence — and decided to give it another go. The idea behind this post is pretty straightforward: if the below pens were first announced/released today, would I buy them? Suspend disbelief for the duration of this post. Imagine that none of these pens have existed in this world before today. And I’ll tell you if I would buy them.

Instead of Jim choosing the pens this time, I used a random number generator. Every pen in my Airtable database has a unique number based on its purchase order. I’ve also included the year I purchased or received each pen, just for funsies.

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My Paper System: Coming Full CircleMy Paper System: Coming Full Circle
May 1, 2026
Rachel
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My Paper System: Coming Full Circle

Posted in Paper

Two and a half years ago, I abandoned my one-notebook system and have been struggling to perfect my paper system ever since. While I’ve had success with my work and blog binders, figuring out my personal planning continues to evade me.

I can’t say I regret moving away from a single notebook. I enjoy the freedom I have with binders, and it’s been helpful to have my work stuff isolated. But I will freely admit to some serious annoyance with how much trouble I’ve had working out my personal planning.

I eventually managed to accomplish all of my plans from my last paper system post. My work binder is perfectly set up now. My blog binder is functioning well. The cat binder is a great resource for me and our vets. The health binder is useful. My digital tracker is working well as a temporary data holder. The book binder? It’s a reading journal (notebook) now. A decorated reading journal. And the personal binder? Well, it’s a notebook now, too, and it’s been a mess and a half.

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Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio CatstellationsPen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Catstellations
April 24, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Catstellations

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. 😉

Once again, I have a pen painted by Yulia Glas to share with you. This beautiful Catstellations (cat constellations) pen intrigued me when Yulia shared a sneak peek. It only got better as she continued to work on it. I got greedy and asked if I could reserve it, and Di was kind enough to allow me to do so.

Stanford Pen Studio Jabulani Catstellations
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The Unanswerable QuestionThe Unanswerable Question
April 10, 2026
Rachel
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The Unanswerable Question

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Random Reflections

I have a fairly short post for you today.

With pen show season well and truly underway, I’ve seen a plethora of posts and videos about pen show hauls — I’ve shared my own, too. And it’s great.

It makes me happy to see people keeping the pen world afloat. Even better when posts/hauls feature indie-made pens. The world is tough right now, and every pen purchased helps keep an indie maker afloat. And that leads to my — currently — unanswerable question.

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Pen Porn: Fountain Telling WillowPen Porn: Fountain Telling Willow
April 3, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Fountain Telling Willow

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. 😉

This time, I have a somewhat different pen porn post for you. The focus here is the unique shape of the pen, rather than artwork on it.

This is the Willow model from Fountain Telling, which Kristen debuted at BWIPS this year. According to Jonathon Brooks of Carolina Pen Co — and Kristen’s dad — who had Kristen’s pens on his table at BWIPS, I was lucky enough to be the first purchaser of this model.

Fountain Telling Willow
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The Stub-Italic Grind FamilyThe Stub-Italic Grind Family
March 27, 2026
Rachel
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The Stub-Italic Grind Family

Posted in Fountain Pens

Stub. Italic. Smooth italic. Cursive italic. Smooth cursive italic. Formal italic. Sharp italic. Daily italic. Crisp italic.

These are all variations of the nib modification that reduces the top-to-bottom width of the nib tipping to produce narrower cross strokes. There are probably even more names for grinds in this spectrum of nib modification that I’ve either forgotten or have never heard of. You need to ensure you are writing with the nib properly positioned against the paper — how forgiving the nib is depends on the properties you request.

Note: This post focuses on the standard stub-italic grind spectrum, purposely omitting the oblique variations.

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Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Bi PridePen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Bi Pride
March 20, 2026
Rachel
2 Comments

Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Bi Pride

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. 😉

After a longer break from my pen porn posts than I’d intended, I’m back with another special commission. I’ve wanted one of Lana le Roux’s “layered” pens since Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) posted one for the first time. But, I could never quite figure out exactly what I wanted. Then it hit me. While I have my “Stacked Pride” rainbow pen, I didn’t have a bisexual pride pen.

I reached out to SPS and asked if Lana would be willing to take on this commission, and, happily, the answer was yes. I left the motif, design, etc. up to Lana, only asking that she use the bi flag colors.

What I didn’t mention was that I was commissioning this as my 300th fountain pen. So, Lana, and Di and Dave, thank you for making my 300th pen so special!

Now, time for the pen porn.

Stanford Pen Studio x Lana La Roux Jabulani
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Indie Maker Origin StoriesIndie Maker Origin Stories
March 13, 2026
Rachel
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Indie Maker Origin Stories

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Uncategorized

For the past 7 shows — with one exception — I’ve shared one or more posts about my BWIPS experience. This year, I decided to do something different. On Sunday, when the show was quiet, I talked to every small, independent pen maker I could, and followed up with the rest via Instagram.

I asked each maker, “Would you mind sharing how you got into pen making?” The stories I was told were, of course, as unique as the makers themselves. And so, I present to you Indie Maker Origin Stories.

To the wonderful makers: if I missed or messed up part of your story, I’m sorry. Drop a comment below or send me a message on Instagram and I’ll fix it ASAP.

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25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Bonus25 Days of Dupes 2025
February 13, 2026
Rachel
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25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Bonus

Posted in Ink

In my 25 Days of Dupes wrap-up post, I asked if you would like to see writing comparisons for each best match as “bonus content.” 95% of respondents said yes. So, here are the — possibly — anxiously awaited writing samples.

I went with a style similar to my Inktober Skirmishes, since you all seemed to like that style. This time, though, I chose winter poems. Given the recent East Coast snowstorm — and how much ice we still have — it seemed appropriate.

For each comparison set, the first and third lines are the Inkvent ink, and the second and fourth lines are the dupe ink.

As always, you can click an image to view it at full size.

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My Current Pen Wish List – Jan. 2026My current pen wish list jan 2026
January 21, 2026
Rachel
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My Current Pen Wish List – Jan. 2026

Posted in Fountain Pens

NOTE: This post closes out my 2025 end-of-year and 2026 start-of-year series, and I’m looking forward to a break. I will likely post once a week at most through the end of February.

To start, allow me to review last year’s wish list — you can also check out my earlier wish lists: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021.

I received my commission from Stanford Pen Studio — pen porn post coming soon — and my two Intwana models — Chameleon and Seahorse. I also got my Tailored Pen Co. commission. And, as you almost certainly know, I finally got a Drewnem Pisane pen.

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Pen Resolutions Tag 2026Pen Resolutions Tag 2026
January 16, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Resolutions Tag 2026

Posted in Fountain Pens, Ink, Paper, and Stationery

Wow, this is the 5th anniversary of this post! You’re welcome to check out my previous years’ answers: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022

I’ve changed the questions quite a bit since I first started, mainly to make this series last longer, because I enjoy it. I was originally inspired by a YouTube video from one of my favorite beauty YouTubers.

1. What is your plan for pen and ink purchases this year?

Answer from 2025: I’d like to keep to under 30 pen acquisitions this year. With ink, I’d like to not buy any bottles without trying a sample first, or at least seeing a swatch in person when it’s not possible to get a sample. Well… you already know I didn’t succeed with the first goal. I didn’t do much better with inks. But, I did better than in previous years, so that’s a plus.

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Stanford Pen Studio The Royal TributeStanford Pen Studio The Royal Tribute
January 14, 2026
Rachel
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Stanford Pen Studio The Royal Tribute

Posted in Fountain Pens

A year ago, to the day, Jim and I said goodbye to my familiar, Bumbledore. He was the best cat and most amazing familiar anyone could have ever asked for. You can learn more about him — including his backstory and our relationship — in the posts I shared about him.

I still miss him terribly and have several different tributes to him. However, this new pen from Stanford Pen Studio (SPS) is definitely the most impressive, and tied for most important.

Stanford Pen Studio The Royal Tribute
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