I came across an idea of exquisite brilliance at the DC Pen Show that I want to share with you.
Surprise Brilliance
Posted in Paper
Category: Paper
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.
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.
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:
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.
Paper Systems and their Uses
Posted in Paper
I’m sure most of you have experienced either being known as, or knowing someone as, the “[insert item here]” person at work. I’m the pen person to many who have worked with me. Some of my closer colleagues have thought of me more as the stationery person.
Because of that, I’ve recently had several conversations with my colleagues about paper systems. Perhaps because the world is so crazy right now, there seems to be a greater desire to “get organized,” to have better control over your own little corner of the world.
Pen Resolutions Tag 2025
Posted in Fountain Pens, Ink, Paper, and Stationery
This is the fourth time I’m posting under this tag. You can see the previous years’ answers on the “start of year” tag page. This idea was originally adapted from Theresa is Dead’s video: OH 2021… | BEAUTY RESOLUTIONS TAG video. The Beauty Resolutions Tag originated with Mel Thompson.
With each year I’ve answered these questions, I’ve found some of them harder to answer. While I originally tried to stick as close to the original makeup version as possible, I need to make some drastic changes to some of these questions. I tried to choose questions that will work for many years moving forward so I don’t have to keep changing them.
1. What is something you do regularly in your pen routine that you will try to stop?
Answer from 2024: I’m pretty happy with my pen routine for now, especially after the changes I made in November. I think I need to come up with a new question for next year. Clearly, there’s nothing to comment on from last year’s answer. Funnily enough, though, I made some major changes this November, too. I’ll try to post about it soon.
Paper System Changes, Update #2
Posted in Paper
I meant to write this post a couple of months ago, around the beginning of October. But, hey, better late than never, right?
I’ve divided this post into four major sections, so if you’re only interested in some of them, feel free to jump directly to them. Each section has a short update to my previous paper system changes post, followed by the new information.
Topics: Sizes & Uses | Paper | Layouts | Accessories
The short version of this post — the TLDR, if you will — is that things are going significantly better, but I still have a few issues to work out.
As a short aside, I’ve gotten used to bringing multiple binders when I go to work. It no longer bothers me. But, I rarely bring more than my blog binder with me elsewhere. I need to get back into the habit of bringing my Mini 5 (M5) binder with me more often.
Binder Paper Chase
Posted in Paper
As I mentioned a few posts back, in purchasing paper for my A5 binder, I found some surprising duds. Jim and I have both used Kokuyo notebooks without encountering any issues. Apparently, however, their loose leaf paper is not the same quality.
I don’t feel the need to babble on about each type of paper I’ve tested so far. Instead, I’ll let my ratings — I’ve included scales this time — and the papers themselves do the speaking for me.
Paper System Changes
Posted in Paper
Last year, I wrote about how I was changing how I manage my pen rotation and my notebook/paper system. While the former is going very well, the latter, well, it’s a work in progress. It’s been about five and a half months since I switched to binders from my previous notebook system. And, unfortunately, it’s been rather rocky.
The short version is that I still don’t have a definitive system figured out. The long version is significantly more complicated. I don’t want to bore anyone, but I do want to share the issues I’ve faced so that anyone trying this switch can plan ahead. I’m tackling this by issue.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 0
Posted in Paper
Some New Information
No, this isn’t a mistake. Melz, a fantastic reader, submitted a comment with so much wonderful information, I asked their permission to post it as an addendum to my Plotter alternatives series. You can find even more information about “system techos” on Melz’s blog.
I have only slightly edited the content below to make it flow well (like adding headers). Where I have edited the text (as opposed to just rearranging something), I’ve placed it [in brackets]. Please don’t grant me credit for this knowledge, it comes from the fantastic brain of Melz.
While Plotter markets itself as a leather binder, it is completely categorized as a “system techo” (システム手帳) in Japan. If you throw that into your preferred search engine, you will start to see more relevant results in terms of matching binder sizes and refills.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 6
Posted in Paper
Bonus Options
Welcome back for the sixth and final part of this series. If you haven’t read part 1, I’m sharing alternatives to the Plotter system. If you want the full explanation, I suggest you read that post. You can also review the A5, Bible and Narrow, Mini, and Mini 5 alternatives.
Welcome to the sixth and final installment of my Plotter alternatives series. While I researched the various binder sizes, I found several interesting binders that didn’t fit in as alternatives. These binders are too interesting not to share. I hope you find these interesting — and in some cases, unique — binders useful.
Some of these are more along the lines of categories, as there are multiple options for the type of binder. I can’t link to all of them, but I’ve added some links to various binders of that type.
PLEASE NOTE: The images included in the post have been taken from the listings I link to. They are not my images. You can click on them to view larger.
That said, let’s get into the bonus options.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 5
Posted in Paper
Mini 5 Alternatives
Welcome back for part 5 of this series. If you haven’t read part 1, I’m sharing alternatives to the Plotter system. If you want the full explanation, I suggest you read that post. You can also review the A5, Bible and Narrow, and Mini alternatives.
This post was harder than expected. I thought it would be easy to find other Mini 5 sized binders. However, the majority of binders around Mini 5 size are 3-ring, not 5 ring. I was, though, able to find some alternatives.
I found that, despite Mini 5 binders and paper not being close to A8 size, , binders labeled A8 are the correct size. So, it’s likely that if you find a 5-ring A8 binder, it will be the right size. I’m including the paper size comparison again, even though we’ve learned by now that “international standard” sizes mean next to nothing in the binder world.
| Paper | B7 | A7 | Mini 5 | A8 Refill | A8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 125mm | 105mm | 105mm | 105mm | 74mm |
| Width | 88mm | 74mm | 62mm | 67mm | 52mm |
That said, let’s get into the Mini 5 alternatives.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 4
Posted in Paper
Mini Alternatives
Welcome back for part 4 of this series. If you haven’t read part 1, I’m sharing alternatives to the Plotter system. If you want the full explanation, I suggest you read that post. You can also review the A5 and Bible and Narrow alternatives.
While, once again, Plotter Mini size paper doesn’t match any international size papers, it’s closest to B7 paper. And, at 12mm narrower than the Mini binder, B7 paper should fit into it without any problems.
Unfortunately, this is where it gets weird again. Don’t search for B7 refill paper, because it’s virtually impossible to find. However, like I found with A6 refills, A7 refill paper is not A7; it’s much closer to B7.
What is the point of having internationally standard sizes if they aren’t actually used? If a company doesn’t want to make paper in a standard size, fine, don’t; but don’t label it as a standard size!!
Plotter Alternatives, Part 3
Posted in Paper
Bible and Narrow Alternatives
Welcome back for part 3 of this series. If you haven’t read part 1, I’m sharing alternatives to the Plotter system. If you want the full explanation, I suggest you read that post. You can also review the A5 alternatives.
For this post, I’m addressing both Plotter’s Bible and Narrow sized binders because they are so similar in size. There is a 3mm difference in height between them, and an 11mm (0.43in) difference in width. The paper is similarly close in size, with no difference in height, and 15mm (0.59in) difference in width. You can easily use either size’s paper in the other size’s binder without any problems.
To make things even more confusing, the Bible and Narrow sized binders are smaller (both in height and width) than average A6 binders. However, the same sized Plotter papers are significantly taller than A6 — more in line with B6 paper — while narrower than both A6 and B6.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 2
Posted in Paper
A5 Alternatives
Welcome back for part 2 of this series. If you haven’t read part 1, I’m sharing alternatives to the Plotter system. If you want the full explanation, I suggest you read the previous post.
Unlike what I’ve found with other Japanese binder systems, Plotter only goes up to A5 size, rather than B5 or A4. Perhaps because it’s the largest size, the A5 binder size has the most accessories and refills.
There are, of course, MANY A5 binders available — including some well-known brands like Levenger Circa (OK, maybe not quite a binder) and Filofax — so I chose some top picks based on binder depth and compatibility with Plotter paper. That said, let’s get into the A5 alternatives.
Plotter Alternatives, Part 1
Posted in Paper
About Plotter
EDIT: This is part one of a seven-part series. Access the other parts here: Part 2 – A5 | Part 3 – Bible and Narrow | Part 4 – Mini | Part 5 – Mini 5 | Part 6 – Bonus | Part 0 – Additional Info
A few years back when everyone was going nuts for the Traveler’s Notebook, I fell for the hype and got one. Since then, I used it maybe three-four times and ended up selling it. Now, I’ve been hearing more and more about Plotter and their binder system. It’s highly reminiscent of the hype for Traveler’s Notebook.
However, where there weren’t any alternatives — that I knew about — for the Traveler’s Notebooks. There are many alternatives to Plotter, most of which are significantly less expensive. Traveler’s Notebook seemed to be a fairly unique system at the time; Plotter isn’t.
Do you like the idea of Plotter, but object to the price? Are you curious about the Plotter binders but don’t want leather? This series of posts will provide you with some of the alternatives available for each size of Plotter binder.
Time for a Change
Posted in Fountain Pens, and Paper
Welcome to a post no one asked for. I always feel odd writing and posting these “how I do things” posts. But, they have good metrics, and generate some good conversation, so you must enjoy them.
For the first time in years, my pen rotation and notebook ended together. This seemed like an excellent time to shake things up a bit.
I’ve previously written about my pen rotation and notebook system, including actual notebook, layout, and cover. Well, I’ve changed all of it.
I suggest you go back and at least skim the posts about my pen rotation and notebook layout, but you don’t have to.
With that intro out of the way, allow me to share what’s changing.
St. Louis Pen Show Haul
Posted in Fountain Pens, Non-Fountain Pens, Paper, and Pen Shows
I typically share my pen show haul after each show I attend. I see no reason to diverge from that for this show. However, be prepared, because my haul is not pen heavy this time. Shocking, I know.
Let’s start with the pens, shall we?
Fountain Pen Series + Updates
Posted in Fountain Pens, Ink, Paper, Pen Shows, Storage, and Stores
Since I finished my last Fountain Pen 301 post in October of 2018, I’ve written several updates to the different installments. To make life easier for those looking for a “one-stop-shop” I’m collecting all of the posts here. I’m also including some informational posts I’ve since written that aren’t updates to the original series. I hope it serves as a good resource for many.
I plan to keep this page updated if/when I write future updates or related posts. You can also access this page from the Fountain Pen Series link on my Tags by Category page.
My blog is not monetized, nor do I currently have any intention of monetizing it. So, point people here for information. To make it easier for you, I’ve shortened the page link for better sharing: https://bit.ly/fp-series-update. In the various installments, I link to resources from all over, including Goulet Pen Co, Jet Pens, Pentorium, Nibs.com, Vintage Pen, and quite a few more.
Now, enough preamble, time for the round up.