Enjoy Collection 2026: Q1
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I have been feeling abstract lately. Pondering a lot of things that don’t have answers. Trying to turn anger into something productive and/or beautiful. I’m also trying to slow down in a world that constantly wants us to run faster. It’s rebellion in a quiet way. Writing on paper certainly is a rebellion against the rush of technology (even though it was once its own technology that transformed the world).
There’s lots of conversations out there about connecting to the person we were before we were told who we ought to be. And the more I try to remember my child self, I reconnect to how much stationery has meant to me as soon as I was capable of grasping a pencil. Paper has always been my safe place whether it was journaling, reading books, or scribbling down stories. Even just coloring or doing paper puzzles slowed my rather speedy brain down. Ultimately, I’ve always felt most myself with a writing instrument in my hand.
I joke with my friends that I was probably a second-son in the Victorian era, a spare that had access to money and a penchant for running away from responsibility. Off to salons and clubs to inflict moody poetry and serial novel installments on associates that were probably too drunk to tell me I was being an ostentatious know-it-all. I know for sure that this fictional past self of mine would certainly be carrying around a large hand-bound notebook that I had special ordered. I can just see my 1880’s top of the line fountain pen (probably a Waterman or some other long-lost American pen maker, or if I was being really snooty I would have ordered a European one just to be different). I just know I would constantly have ink on my hands or shirt sleeves from my haste to write things down. My fictional past self is absolutely a dilettante (and to be fair, I can be one today about certain subjects).
A hand-bound book that I made while taking a class on bookbinding I took in February/March. I completely miscounted the signatures so no idea how many pages there are, haha. Seen here on my desk chair ith a fuzzy orange cat backdrop.
It’s with this fanciful vision of mine that drove a lot of my stationery hobby activity for the first part of 2026 (I have been in desperate need of whimsy). I’m pretty comfortable with my collection and the only additions have been some notebooks (from Sterling Ink and Wonderland222), a new BB nib for my Kaweco liliput fireblue, and a few inks for review or just because I wanted them. I haven’t had as much discretionary income due to life chaos - opening a shop location, my kitten needing surgery, and just trying to be frugal in the face of a lot of uncertainty in the world at large. I’m being very appreciative of well-made things that were built to last, to actually be used, and used a lot.
My TN & Notebooks
The core of my stationery life hasn’t changed much from previous years. My hand-tooled Chic Sparrow A6 journal cover is still a central piece for me. It has recently gotten a new sticker pocket in the back because the Traveler’s Company one wore out (they usually last about 1-2 years of use in my experience). This new one from Wonderland222 is pretty fancy.
I swapped out the elastics for a wheat yellow that had been sitting around in a package of colored elastics I bought forever ago so that I would have variety when I wanted it. During this switch I also swapped out some of my charms. On the spine elastics I have a raven charm a friend gave to me when I moved to Minnesota and two character charms from different artists. The cruise ship is still hanging out on the belly band of the notebook joined with a resin willow bark charm that I got from an art show around Christmas and some silly sticker beads from Sticki Bands.
Inside I did some rearranging. I’ve moved my Tools to Liveby ruler (which has long since lost its numbers and logos) to the front rather than the back and the previous items in the front pocket (blotting paper and scrap paper to the new back pocket). My line guide is now tucked into one of the pockets on my Lauren Phelps A6 acrylic folder. I refreshed some of the stickers in there for journaling and also just to enjoy some of my larger stickers that haven’t found a home on a notebook cover yet.
Paper wise I’m currently in an A6 Sterling Ink Compact Planner that organizes life, a Midori Commonplace notebook that I am trying out and using for drafting/other various notes, and a Sterling Ink A6 Koji notebook. The koji paper is interesting and I’m enjoying it so far.
I have been trying to remember who the local artist is that created the cute salmon in a snow globe that I got at a winter market here in Duluth. He is just too precious!
The Pens
My core fountain pens have been primarily Kawecos, my trusty liliputs, my red Galen Leather Sport, and a rotation of others in my collection (especially the Collection Sport Deep Olive with BB nib). I was all over the place as far as nibs that were in use the past three months. I’ve had italics, standards, 14K gold, steel, F to BB. It’s been a vibes thing for me. If I’m not enjoying a writing experience for whatever reason I will swap out the nib, pen, or ink. My wet nib pens have been integral in writing out fills that I decided I didn’t love all that much.
I’ve also been having a lot of fun playing with Zebra Clickart pens, something I’ve been curious about for a while. I only have a few colors, but they’ve been delightful to use for doodling in combination with my fountain pens. I’m not convinced that they “won’t dry out” as Zebra claims, but only time will tell.
Zebra mildliners have also been pleasant to use as decorative colors in my journal and planner. I love the muted earthy colors. The olive green mildliner is a huge winner in my book.
Some notes about a collage I’d done on a previous page and a plaid artsy scribble with random song lyrics (This is Me from the Greatest Showman).
The Inks
My ink usage was interesting for the first quarter of 2026. I used 31 different inks.
Red (1): Colorverse (CV) Golden Gate Bridge
Pink (1): FWP Rose at Dawn
Orange (1): FWP Pumpkin Patch (x2)
Yellow (1): CV Sunbeam
Green (5): CV Tau, Diamine Bittersweet, FWP Citadel Dust, Sailor 280 (x3), Teranishi Gentle Green (x3)
Blue (9): CV Supernova, CV Erebus Crater, CV Apollo 11 (x2), CV Bow Shock, CV Pale Blue Dot, CV Kuiper Belt, FWP Cobalt Estates, FWP Mechanics of the Stars, FWP Porcelain Past
Purple (8): CV Polar Night, CV Conjecture, CV Pillars of Creation (x2), Diamine Jacaranda, FWP Mulberry Majesty (x3), Robert Oster Muddy Wine (x2), Wearingeul The Raven
Black/Gray (2): FWP Embers of Time, FWP Highland Smoke
Brown (5): Anderillium Cuttlefish Brown, Diamine Smoky Tobacco, FWP Citrine Mirage, FWP Steeped Umber, FWP Curious Woods
I was leaning towards darker colors overall and steering away from super loud colors (other than FWP Mechanics of the Stars and Diamine Jacaranda. Sailor 280 and Teranishi Gentle Green got so many fills because I used them for several of my workshops because I think they show off shading properties of fountain pen ink really well. CV Bow Shock was tapped to show off sheen.
FWP Pumpkin Patch followed me across all three months seeing use in a FWP Roundabout Rollerball. This combo is just cozy for me. Overall, I really like the color pallettes that I came up with for the small rotation of pens I was using. I used a mix of inks I’ve had for a long time and some that were much more recent acquisitions.
Overall Thoughts
I went back to my Stationery Resolutions post from January and so far, I’ve been on track with where I thought I would be. I’m finding old things in my collection and putting them to use. I’ve only added things that are increasing my enjoyment of the things I already have. And I’m using it. Writing and playing with my pens, papers, stickers, stationery odds and ends… have really been keeping me sane in what is a rather insane world right now.
My journal is beautiful chaos and I look forward to continuing to explore within it. It’s a world that is mine and mine alone unless I choose to share it here and there.
Currently Inked
Anderillium Luna Moth - Kaweco x Galen Leather Sport Carmine 14K BB ‘journaler’ - I had put this ink in a tester pen in my shop and I knew I was going to need to ink it up for myself soon. This was a huge daily driver for me last summer. It’s such a delightful green. I don’t think I’ve used it in such a big nib before and it’s been fun to see how it shades when more ink can be laid on the page.
Colorverse Lunar Black - Kaweco liliput fireblue BB - This ink is from the 2025 Colorvent calendar and is a pretty middle of the road black. I’m enjoying it for its simplicity, but it’s definitely the plainest of the Colorverse black inks. That being said, it has pretty decent shading.
FWP Cobalt Estates - Kaweco liliput copper B - This ink has made a reappearance after being used for the first time in January. This is such a nice dusty navy with pretty decent shading. I had left the bottle sitting on top of my desk because I liked the artwork and it inspired me to reach for it again.
Colorverse Milky Way - Kaweco Collection Sport Deep Olive BB - I recently got some bottles of this for my shop and realized I hadn’t used them since I opened the 2024 Colorvent. This ink is so pretty, royal purple with a blue shimmer. I’m feeling like this might be more of a summer color for me as it’s not quite jiving with the rest of my inked lineup.
Ferris Wheel Press Pumpkin Patch - FWP Roundabout Rollerball Little Miss Jubilee - This pen/ink combo has been my go-to “I don’t know what I want to write and I’m having decision fatigue so I just want something easy” writing implement. My rollerballs that take fountain pen ink have saved me so much money since I no longer compulsively buy rollerballs when I’m in a “I need a non-fussy pen” kind of mood.
Ferris Wheel Press Grape Ice Pop - FWP Roundabout Rollerball Tides of Midas - Since my other rollerball was working so well for me I decided to pull out my second one that I’ve only used a few times. I was torn between inking a blue or purple. I ultimately decided on FWP Grape Ice Pop because I haven’t used it in a while. I love the shade of this purple. It’s unlike the other purple inks in my collection and it’s been fun to use. This rollerball doesn’t vibe with me the same way my other one does, but I think when I find the right combo it’s going to be used a lot more often.
