I have been obsessed with stationery since I was young. Think early 1990s, excitable but introverted me, an only child in the rural UK with a veritable wellspring of diaries, including classics of that era such as Brambly Hedge, Lesley Anne Ivory’s cats, and (who can forget) Funfax.
These days, as a grown woman (apparently), the whole art of stationery collection feels just as enticing, plus rather more…seductive. Each new notebook holds such potential; the hint of tempting promise, of romancing yourself, of future stolen kisses within its pages. The tactile nature of your pen, tantalisingly snaking across paper, creating magic, oozing power. Oof.
I've been an avid member of Journal Love Club 💜 with
since 2022 and indulge in my guilty pleasure of stationery purchasing with somewhat wild abandon. I have now gathered quite the inventory and thought you may enjoy a quick peek?
My current tools of this writerly trade are (and this is absolutely not an ad, let's face it I wouldn't know where to begin):
Jaald Handmade Large 10" Embossed Leather Journal - I use this as my ‘journal journal’ to spill my dreams and worries. It holds fountain pen well with its thick paper stock too. Favourite journal prompt right now? “ I feel…I need…I will…”
Any big cheap hardback, plain paper A4, to plan out my Substack posts
It's my songwriting books, I have a lot reaching back over the years -
Before then, I used just foolscap lined paper, but then I ended up with boxes of them in the garage that eventually I had to get rid of!
It's always exciting when you reach the end of a book, to start a new one! Which I have now...one page to go...and I've a new pale pink soft sexy one A4 lined of course, with an elastic to hold the whole book!
I bought it about a year ago...been waiting all that time!
i can't help but laugh that you described stationary as seductive and then brought out the chocolate! brilliant. the artwork on your tarot deck is gorgeous. i always write out my posts by hand in pencil first, so it was nice to see pencils listed here! ideas...:)
*Takes notes* 🤓 now THIS is my kind of (dopamine hitting) content.
Fav month of the year, September. Not only is it my birthday month 🎂 it’s when my mum would let us go to Smiths and buy a new pencil case, stationary, notepads…I was in heaven! When I started my first “proper job” I gleefully headed straight to Paperchase. Now I’m all about a recommendation, and I’m forever asking people, what notebook do you use? What fountain pen is that? Do you have any suggestions for meeeee. I can’t get enough of this delightful addiction (or the best type) and one of my children already has the bug. At Christmas it was the shiny pencil case and pencils that smelt of fruit that had her hooked! I’ve given myself an idea, I’m going to buy more things that 5 year old me would love!! 🧡
And…I have THE BEST* pen recommendations, but with gather my notes and purchase history first!
Oh the love of stationery (and chocolate!) ☀️ At the moment, it's a rugged spiral notebook, blue cover, with thick pages, all blank, and a 2H pencil. Perfect for poems on the go, freeing since I play around a lot with formatting, less pressure than the eternity of pen (even though I never actually erase anything I write in it, even when it's really bad). It's coming to an end though, so there will be some mourning to do, since it has been on many adventures with me now !
You’re speaking my language!! I have so many notebooks that I’ve left untouched for years (years!!!) that I got as gifts or bought because I loved something about them. Now they just wait for the perfect idea to occupy them. I’m a total stationary hoarder!
Oh Luisa, I would love to write some beautiful words here about my lifelong love of all-things-paper but alas, we are suffering from the effects of Daylight Savings beginning and I fear my exhaustion from the loss of a single hour of sleep is rendering me: boring.
Here's the thing. I own A LOT of journals. Most of which I fear writing in. I am addicted to steno pads. And anything Moleskine. I am currently nursing a ridiculously embarrassing fascination with, "Happy Planners," and I also love the humble black and white marbled composition book. The pretty little Peter Pauper journals make me happy, too. And most every journal by Congnitve Surplus.
As for my writing instrument of choice -- ain't nothin' fancy: Pentel EnerGize mechanical pencils loaded with .5 mm lead. The pencils and their gel ink mistresses, the EnerGels (a .7mm metal tip pen) are found on literally every surface in our home.
Now. Shall we discuss stickers? I do SO love stickers. And, my tiny Winnie-the-Pooh Classic rubber stamps...the bees are my favorite. Oooh...and wax seals. ♡
The comments here are glorious! Fellow lover of notebooks and Susannah Conway here (I actually started writing on Substack thanks to her Share Your Heart course module) I’ve got a gorgeous Scribbles That Matter notebook for bullet journalling. And have recently started using a nice little weekly diary & stickers from Boxclever Press. I’m pretty sure I still have some old Brambly Hedge writing paper & envelopes in a drawer somewhere too 😄
So glad we can dip back in to this thread when we need suggestions! What a gift!
I've just started a (gentle) book club here on Substack, which I'm hoping to sprinkle some journalling into, over the next twelve months. What a great space to create whatever we like 😍🖤
I've adored stationery since I was a little girl too. I miss the feel of Silvine hard-backed exercise books with blue marbled covers, just the right width of lines and paper that was just the right texture to hold ballpoint pen ink well. They did some nice grey ballpoints with blue caps, too, medium-size nibs that helped writing to flow beautifully. All unavailable now. I love Moleskine and Leuchtterm (can't be bother looking up the spelling) in their gorgeous colours and sizes, and I'm also lamenting the demise of Paperchase as they were a great, cheaper alternative. I don't like decorative covers to be too fussy - rich colours, flamboyant patterns and gold-edged pages are not for me. I like delicate pastel patterns - have just discovered the Cambridge Imprint paperback notebooks and Papier A5 hardbacks. The possibilities are dizzying ... and I like new notebooks for different projects. Can't bear to throw them away, even when they're full and the projects long completed!
Okay so, I have a list of the various replies I wanna send you, but let’s start from this new posts cause, we have been waiting for this magic to come back. And I have loads to say about this topic. (Plus typing this, makes me think about proposing something you. Probably in the soon future! Sensing visioning due to sharing so much with you… especially for some ideas I have been drafting or really considering until choosing).
I can only use the term obsessed for the topic cause… I MEAN, if I hadn’t made it obvious already, you are one of my people.
Stationary, from journals (not the simple one but the ones made for us you know?), notebooks, stickers, to anything that is art like prints big/small, from all of these from artists I have been following for long, found on Instagram across time or even most recently, who I connect on more deeper themes and level to… cause of supporting us in our journey, being human, honest… knowing what we are all sharing by growing through in our lives. Gifting love and embrace, a smile and some peace out through their own creations thanks to their incredible unique talents.
Basically anything that is creation. YES to the tarot and oracle decks. Anything being esoteric practices brining us messages from the Universe, energy in all of its forms moving it inside and through us. In stillness, or even within the chaos. Stilling us, having faith in us when we happen to fail in it. Making us reflect, contemplate, bring us to creation from pure free flow energetic spur. Speaking for what our intuition has been telling us, or about how we have been feeling, about life.
Since I was a little girl, I was hoarding stationary, notebooks, stickers (oh my, memories!!!). Obviously, they were bought by others at those times. But idk about you, are you in our boats of being young and never using them, still needing them into that instinctual moment?!
Little did I know, it wasn’t hoarding. It was my being a Gemini placements moon included, their rulers and other major energies in my chart, which means being a writer, someone who needs to use their hands in everything they create, writing in general, craving learning/studying about any interest, BIG NERDS on every single subject, colorful, witty, eclectic, needing connection, to talk, not being concise, having so much to share, a multitude, scattered going on mental trips, I mean, I used to write letters to people as gifts or attachments to gestures. I only have the long forms, a powerful voice (as you know, I lost for years and now it has being my biggest source of strength, power, my whole heart).
These days being still limited in my material resources, since you know I have just started to materialize each day step by step my life. Being myself the more (still limited in these moments due to environments and being such a crumb) I can, in this world. Plus, for almost a couple of month I have been searching for a job in the creative fields, using my natural resources within of being a creative.
This translates, putting myself onto strict monthly budgets for every single thing. Including my stationary and journals (plus, literally classes)… still, I must confess the next two weeks expenses include a new A5 journal, a smaller notebook from an artist I love with also stickers and prints and a workshop of one writer I adore. (I won’t add Books- capital letter. Cause they literally act as moving the thoughts, intellect, the diving into words, the inspirations, etc.)
You have put a stamp of approval on my idea I finally chose to go for, thought for a little bit, to buy a A4 notebook (to decorate) for my Substack drafts and pieces of reflection and things I have been living/realizing/feeling. In general, the kind of home I desire to build, the monthly stuff like, tbh a book club cause I‘ve been craving one. I have placed many more these past weeks on sheets of papers, thanks confidence in my words, what’s writing for me and the way I’ve been feeling comfortable in sharing myself across the weeks.
I am someone who has a need first to write down on paper. No matter if through typing, proof reading multiple times, I change it/edit it/sift or enrich… I need that.
My day isn’t complete, nor actually starting, if I don’t have them near.
I’m obsessed with the fact you write in colors (who doesn’t love mangos???) I used to do it as well and one day I’d love to do it again. (I have been knowing this fountain pen ink of all colors I need to show you! Even just the visuals online/reels are satisfying).
Let’s just face this, you are able to write about literally anything and make it a sensual/ seductive/ enticing kind of topic, like even the last Running piece, I so truly adore! How can you speak about you running but filling it with everything our experience of it, our reflecting, too much thinking, contemplating, magical and dreamy stream of thoughts bring us to? The sweat, the human connection, the night, the metaphors…
This one doesn’t fail and in this case, I get it cause I live the embodied emotions and feels about it. That spring well of pure excitement, the falling in love and for how much you hold off, you and up thinking back to it like “I knewwww! I need that tool!!!
It’s literally a push toward creating, expresses the love towards what it means everything to us. our sources of well being and mental sanity, that ease us into being. Sources of joys we weren’t taught in the environments/societies we grow up as essential needs. We come to learn and constantly forget about them when growing up.
Through this comment and my restack, I think you understand how much I loved this small little nugget of joy. Cannot wait to hear what you have to say about my ramblings above!!!
plus, anytime you wish I'm ready to give you anytime you wish or are seeking/craving for some of these joys, to send you my faves, trusted, enchating loving artists suggestions. Maybe through private message cause otherwise it seems like I'm spamming. SWEAR IT'S MORE THAN WORTH THE PAMPERING TIME CAUSE OF ALL OF THE MAGIC INSTILLED AND LOVE THEY MAKES YOU FEEL
I love ALL of this Alessandra. You speak so beautifully and wisely. I'm so glad that we can all invest our time and whatever money we can spare into things that spark joy. That used to spark joy when we were little, but now in a new, grown woman iteration. Some people I guess are never lucky enough to rediscover those joys? So absolutely, cheers to all of us, doing all that wonderful work! 🥂💚
You have no idea, how much I have been wanting to come back to each reply, I received across the week from you magical being. (Seriously tho, don’t get scare but you are on my notes with exact replies to certain message).
That’s how much I care about human connections… specially, the ones staying, keeping constant and that -in ways that I would get too long to explain- are changing me and have changed me since they entered, making a huge dream come to life of connecting, sharing my love and myself… these have added huge steps in the growth of me inside.
It’s life energy for my Soul. They literally are feeding essential parts of me, of my new roots and their depth/width. The love and faith in who I am.
And they are hands touching this shape of the life of mine.
While carving out with me each day my path, out of nothing like we all do to create our own. Growing all of what it’s fullness is gonna soon be but finally more (and thanks to them as well), than just the first phase or birth. Accompanying me into this 2nd phase we are about to access. So yes, thanks to you as well. You magical fairy.
I can only just mention the joy of coming back to this and the first line… those simple words, yet immense to me. As much as the first time reading it, cause truly they meant more than what you can comprehend, like each time around you send them through.
You dedicate your own person to me on a personal level, focus on my own writing to you, sharing not simply thoughts, if not true emotions, feelings I made you experience.
Every moment we wave words between each other, I truly mean every syllable of what I’m about to say, you consciously choose to share love with me, your own unique way.
To me, it’s a person gifting themselves, when showing up with another human through the simple nature of the heart.
The fact you choose me for it and do it every time, with words that grow me…it’s a whole world of weight and depth to me.
-This I needed to say before going back to our chat about the topic, cause of this deep feeling toward you and the fact you are about to receive loads of words. Use them to take a nap-
It is sad, demotivating to the Spirit, unfair towards life itself, that patriarchy, Christianity and history, man, have built societies rooted in systems of greed, material resources, labels/categories/levels, money, etc., for literally anything. From the things, items once only made for either their purpose and use, or simple sake and pleasure they caused, for passion out of creations made from minds eyes.
They literally limit humans possibilities of ways of living, their desires, even the most simple one. To not mention access to experiences now with a price on them, rights and needs, which are not simply life ones, mostly they are about the heart.
The ones the societies we live in are taking away, not teaching us about them… cause it’s more about “what they tell you you need and mostly don’t need” in all senses, also the way of being.
Us creatives, voices out of the crowd, weird and nerds bother cause we don’t fucking care about the guilt and judgments of others, trying to hint us the way they carve out.
Homologation.
They tell us they are whims, while they are needs and desires. Essential elements for our mental, spiritual, emotional sanity, well being. It makes us thrive and gives us life.
All of it are these joys… simple human rights. Yet, those societies and how much this is engraved in environments in general, even personal. Don’t want for us to know. And it’s so hard to come to learn about them for us on our own path… let’s not talk about once we “allow” ourselves to give it to ourselves.
It’s crazy to say, but that is what it’s the hardest part most of the times… cause of how much we are taught in our generations, we don’t deserve them… without doing something before. Like a rewards
And for what you said about our brown version. Yes.
Cause our child self knows already. Our purpose, about who we are truly… a child knows unconsciously and not for so long. They make us forget….
But from the Dahrma, Past lives, the Soul, etc….. we come here knowing. And then sometimes we happen to be blessed enough to refind it out.
LOVE Notebooks!!! 🩷 One of my favourites are a French brand called Innocence - they are so feminine and cosy. 🌸 Thanks for sharing this post and I too love those Lindt chocolate balls 🤎 hahaha
Crappy composition book. Very easy to write in and fill up. There's no sense of preciousness. Nice journals tend to get abandoned rather than filled out for me!
Pilot Prera fountain pen, Med nib; Travelers Company Brass fountain pen, fine nib; and Muji 0.5 gel rollerballs. I have a Sailor 1911 Pen of the Year and several other nicer fountain pens, but the Pilot Prera is my favorite to use.
A moleskin journal, a single candle in a brass holder filled with old drippings of used candles, a black pilot pen, and a piping hot mug of coffee. My tools for meditating, reflecting, writing, processing, and dreaming. xo
*gasp* A thread all about stationery! I'm in heaven! My 2 favourite fountain pens are TWSBI and my favourite ink company is Ferris Wheel Press. I use Leuchtturm notebooks for bullet journaling and decorate with washi and stamp sets from Notebook Therapy.
I can totally relate to your passion for journals, I started keeping mine before I even knew how to write (it was a secret diary with a lock where I drew different versions of a random princess). I also took Susannah Conway's course Journal Your Life last year!
Very sad that Journal Love Club is coming to an end soon, not to be reopened. But hopeful that Susannah will come up with something else wonderful for us xo
I don't have a specific brand I consistently use but one consistent thing is the sense of something big happening when I put my pen to the first page. No matter how many times I start a new journal I have that sense that I want it to be good!
Yes Donna! Do you have a ritual to start a new one? I have a friend who does a lovely big scribble all over the first page, to get rid of the need for it to stay pristine and perfect - genius! x
though coincidentally I've just switched over to a much smaller Amazon Basics journal that was rattling around on a bookshelf. I'm not loving it, but it's better than wasting it. I haven't used anthing this size ever.
Pens: gel types (EnerGel by Pentel is a particular fave)
Chocolate: Premium grade. High-test. (Are you too young to remember that as a grade of petrol/gas?) Lindt 90% dark. If I drop even to 85%, it feels like I'm missing something wonderful.
Quality of writing and quality of stationery are probably entirely unrelated, in fact, I can procrastinate over particular stationery for so long (when I should be actually doing the actual writing) that perhaps it even has a negative effect?! Regardless, we all love it, we all have our own little gorgeous quirks and preferences. Isn't it wonderful! (Also, isn't Lindt 90% wonderful. I literally buy nothing else, so now we are even more Substack BFFS ;))) )
It is wonderful. This is a bit of a tangent, but for years I was part of a natural/organic food-buying club that was meant to introduce community and reduce packaging and carbon footprint. One of the best rewards was in being able to see what kinds of products other members were using. I adopted quite a few of them as my own over the years. So, yay to shared information! And double yay to Lindt 90%. Om nom noms! :)
I love Hobonichi planners and midori notebooks! I usually buy them on a6 size! Easy to carry everywhere! But I also use some moleskins (specially for travel watercolors), and any new pretty notebook that pass me by 😅
I have been using Lamy ball pens lately, since I took on writing more (before was any ball pen and fine liners: Faber castel, Sakura or stabilo)
But I’m adding this lamy fountain pen to my must have list 😉
The Lamy in mango is gorgeous, really light to hold, feels good. I would say go for a medium or broad nib though? (I ordered a 'fine', just because I didn't have one yet, but now I know why! (I don't like it ;) )
LOVED THIS, Luisa! I couldn't limit myself to one, so here's a list of my top three:
1. Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal Edition Notebook - the original (no longer available apart from sometimes - rarely - on eBay, where I hunt for it relentlessly), *not* Edition 2.
2. Passport-sized travellers' notebook from Traveler's Company - mine is bent, bruised, battered but still my bestie.
3. Eight coloured pencils - orange, dark blue, turquoise, yellow, pink, red, green and purple.
I really love the stone paper pocket notebooks from agood company for random lists and notes. I just bought another set of 3. If anyone wants 30% off, they gave me a referral link:
Just last night I was fighting with my husband over my uni-ball jet stream pens. He was like “this is a nice pen” and hid it from me when I went to get a less desirable pen to swap with him. Wrestling ensued. I came out on top (and I ordered him his own set) 😂
Oh my yes, you opened a box of memories for me about my first fountain pen, a gift, a Parker 51. It was from my Dad because he had one and loved it, thought I would too, and I did. For many years and then I started collecting old pens and passed the interest and collection on to one of my sons. We had fun sharing sources and different types of pens, many different brands from the high end Montblanc Meisterstick to the Shaeffer with a plunger for filling ink from the bottle. I have regressed badly over the years with pens and just bought two inexpensive Frixon ball clickers 07. It says "remove by friction" and sure enough, there's an eraser on the top that does exactly that. So maybe I have discovered a combo pen pencil and for now, this is good enough. As for stationery, another story for another time. embossed and not.
Would love a whole post on your history of pens Gary, I feel like there's some lovely storytelling there, would be fascinating :) Thank you for being here again!
Thanks, Luisa. My older son has a collection of 60 pens and writes with 4 of them. His favorite is one from the 1940's, a Shaeffer pen shaped like a rocket. We collected some of them years ago from flea markets. For a history and for those who want to know more and see more regarding vintage pens, my son recommended this web site:
Luisa, you inspired and tempted me ,as I also love good stationary . I have bought the Whole Woman Oracle cards you suggest…held back on a new journal as I have so many. It is all part f the love ow writing and living, thank you 🙏🏻
Oh wonderful Susan, I hope you love them as much as I do! Different from any others I have, they always give me some great inspiration. And yes, it's very much all part of the package of this life that we have both chosen. Joyful.
I’m obsessed with those antique looking journals with the ragged pages and the string that wraps around to keep it closed. I had one several years ago that felt like it came from the captain’s cabin on an 18th century pirate ship. I wasn’t ever very good at journaling (at least not regularly) but I loved pulling it out to scribble notes and story ideas.
Luisa - My notebook of choice is the Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Ruled. For writing I use a Tul needlepoint medium. For jotting down rough notes I use a yellow lined notepad. For tabbing I use a Post-It tab that has a clear adhesive section and a colored tab.
I could go on (and on) about my own evolution of stationery use and assortment of loves! It’s real!!
Just this week I cracked the spine of a new journal and bought my very first fountain pens! A Platinum Preppy, medium nib in black, which is mostly for all five sets of hands to learn the feel of a fountain pen, since not one of us has ever used one before. I also got myself a Lamy Al-Star Petrol with fine nib and a smoky teal ink to match. BLISS.
I find, that when it comes to paper, I’m not exactly brand loyal and still finding my way. I spent the majority of my 20s and early 30s writing in Moleskines after using whatever paper I could find for my first two decades.
At present I use a Leuchtturm A5 grid for daily journaling, a bargain bin B5 lined for morning pages (when I do them), an XL Moleskine hardcover grid for logging writing work sessions, and a pocket sized moleskin sketchbook for my purse — for doodles, ideas, etc. I also have stenopads stashed in drawers around the house for list-making.
I am a paper junkie. Thanks for all of this. I recently attended a gift show and Leuchtturm1917 was embossing their amazing notebooks. I got one with my name in silver. For free. I nearly passed out. They also shared a matching mechanical pencil and a sticker for the back of the book that holds your writing tool of choice in place. The pencil and notebook and sticker are all matching pink! Swoon.
Also a shop in Ojai I just visited, called Noted was amazing!
Oh, and tarot decks!!! I love The Lightseer’s too, though I’m currently in love with The Everyday Witch tarot, and I’m waiting impatiently for The Abyss Tarot to arrive later this month. I have tons of oracle decks too — current faves include The Urban Crow oracle, Woodland Wardens and my own oracle deck (which is available on Printer’s Studio) The Daily Pause.
Yes, I have The Everyday Witch too! And The Modern Witch deck AND ACCOMPANYING JOURNAL!!!! Oh my days... ;) Susannah C uses the Woodland Wardens each month for our Zoom journal, gorgeous pairing of animals and herbs/plants I think? May have to be my next. Plus yours Shinjini, wow!
Also a stationery addict. I LOVED the Danielle Laporte journal which she discontinued so have been using the HelloDay this year. Much as I loved the Leuchturm diary I found it was just becoming a to-do-list and didn't have the space for intention setting/ reflections. My sister got me a big Moleskin notebook for my bday which is dreamy xo
Always meant to get the Danielle Laporte journal, so that's a shame - I did have a couple of the Daily Greatness journals, which were a little similar perhaps? They were good, though a bit pricey?
I’m also hopelessly addicted to stationery! I went on a notebook buying spree recently, purchasing fountain pen friendly journals — 2 notebooks with Tomoe River paper (52gsm and 64gsm; LOVE the feel of the 52gsm) and a Regalia paper notebook. I’m also a sucker for leather journal covers. My favourites are from an Indian brand called The Black Canvas, and I’m planning to make my own leather journal cover later this month (wish me luck!) I also have a sticker subscription from Crazy Planner Lady and I LOVE the washi tape shop’s washi tapes. I’m currently rotating between the Safari Lamy and Pelican fountain pens — one with turquoise ink by Lamy, the other with Diamine’s Ruby ink.
One of my friends is dabbling in book-binding, which could come in very handy! She says leather is really hard though...she made me a beautiful little tiny fabric wrapped book with watercolour paper in, after I'd shared some of my recent attempts at getting back into art.
I really want/need/am going to get regardless some new stickers, so these ideas are great, thank you x
It is! Luckily I have a husband on hand to help with the cutting 😉 I’m planning to make a traveler’s notebook style cover, so not much binding, thank heavens!
Also a stationery addict here. I have dedicated journals for every purpose. My favorite at the moment are from good juju ink- I use this one for my daily writing practice: https://www.goodjujuink.com/collections/notebooks/products/le-grand-livre-clover - I also have a smaller journal with blank 160gsm paper which I use as my everyday bullet journal/painting sketchbook (it is unfortunately discontinued, but I stocked up and bought about 25 when they went on final sale)!
My favourite part about getting a new idea is knowing that I get to dedicate a whole notebook to it and so I get to go shopping for one. My most recent one is a grey A5 notebook that I bought in a Waterstones because it called to me the most and I already have the outline for my next story scribbled onto the pages! Also, now that it is Easter food season my snack of choice is either a toasted hot cross bun or some mini eggs!
Mini Eggs are my favourite chocolate and as such I milk them for all they're worth the moment they appear on shelf because the love affair never lasts long enough!
I felt the ripple of pleasure through my fingertips just by reading the title! I’ve just got a reMarkable. And then my husband said he’d like a remarkable. So now I have a Kindle Scribe!
Oh wonderful, I am incredibly jealous! Love to know which you like best? I really need to spend some of my hard-earned pennies on some digital stationery ;)
It is impossible NOT to comment on a thread like this, stationery is such a lifelong pleasure and, at times, addiction of mine!
If I had to pick one single item, it would be the Osmiroid Italic fountain pen I received as a seven year old, one which I have used ever since, although the nib is nearly worn down to the point it cannot be used. When I was younger, I paired this with green or purple ink but, now, it's usually a blue. That said, I haven't used it for my journals in recent years, following the ultimate of horrors for the writer, with the loss of a journal due to a flood in our home at the time in Chiang Mai, whilst we were in Europe. All the ink ran, and the tropical air enabled all manner of mould blooms. I came to terms with it, eventually, but ever since I've used archival fineliners or pencil (love Pigma Micron, Faber Castell broadpens, Rotring Tikky graphic, and Rotring Tikky mechanical pencils [2B]).
As for notebooks and journals, my day-to-day one at the moment is an Ottergami, which has just the right weight of paper, and doesn't bleed through.
Okay, I could go on here, but lunch beckons and I should also do some more work!
Looking forward to reading other replies too.
(Oh! Tarot cards, I have my Dad's set he picked up in Switzerland 60+ years ago, and also recently got The Literary Tarot, which I love. Add to this my handcarved runes, made from an old mountain ash walking staff I harvested, and I'm happy.)
Thanks for this post, it really is impossible to ignore!!
Honestly my eyes light up at this topic. Little 12 year old me would be bursting with pride that we can still stir conversations about it 30 years later! And I get to share my joy of stationery with my daughter, who is (thankfully) equally inquisitive.
I have a hope and feeling that my own daughter will also be likewise inquisitive when it comes to stationery! She's certainly rather creative, although she's only wee.
When I think back to how I would head to different stationery shops (usually WH Smiths or Woolworths, in those days), and wish I could buy all the things, I think 12 year old me would likewise be thrilled I'm still having these conversations all these years later! Oh! The stationery shops in SE Asia are amazing temples to the pencil and churches for journals, all neatly wrapped in washi tape galore.
Over lunch, I remembered I had actually shared a bit about the journal I mention above, some years ago. I've removed the paywall, in case anyone wants to see a photo of what happens to non-archival, non-permanent ink in a journal, following flooding and jungle humidity...! (The theme of stationery actually ran through that post, discussion of the colours of pencils in the first paragraph, for example. There are also several journal photos throughout!):
Thank you! I really miss those journals (all in storage at my long-suffering sister's house [she's now also just moved house with them too, along with my entire library...]). It's good to have some photos of them, at least!
There IS something awfully seductive about stationery, isn't there? Is it the smell of paper fibre, of binding glue, the texture of random covers, the white and empty pages? The need to pick up a pen and write the first word and then another?
My daughter gave me a beautiful dove grey journal for my birthday last year - she knows me well.
I love Moleskine too - the redder the better. And Il Papiro. I also have a soft shell-pink Collins notebook - its plain and not at all expensive, so I embroidered a little felt heart and glued it to the cover. In addition, there are others I've collected or bound. All waiting...
Thank you for the link to Susannah Conway's website as well. One to bookmark along with the others mentioned by your followers. Cheers.
For some reason, I nearly always write thoughts/ ideas/notes on loose-leaf paper which I keep in a burgeoning (?!) collection of lever-arch files. Feels easier to find stuff like that. I do draw/paint in sketchbooks though. And I’m v choosey about sketchbooks. Drawing/painting on good quality paper makes such a difference.
Wow that is brave. I take my hat off to you James! And might well play with loose-leaf now...(I am a bit of a rebel, that sounds nicely rebellious)
I have a friend who has recently started book-binding. She made me a beautiful little fabric-bound, hand stitched watercolour book, as I've just rediscovered watercolours and like tiny ones best. What a friend to have! Totally agree on good paper quality making such a difference.
Thank you so much for mentioning the oracle deck Luisa, I really am so glad that you're loving it! Strangely enough I actually purchased a beautiful new notebook, along with a gold crescent moon charm, just yesterday (link below). It's been a long time since I treated myself to a new one and I'm hoping that when it arrives it might coax me back into writing more regularly. I opted for the cappuccino cream but the other colours look so gorgeous too ✨
Oooh this post makes me happy ❤️ I adore my notebooks! Mostly from my travels with musings and doodles mixed in...but stacks and stacks - all different and I quite possibly am still in search of that 'perfect' one! And just discovered pens with colored inks (a light teal blue being my current favorite)...swoon! 🌟
I SO love this Luisa, and Susannah Conway. I have taken a couple of her courses although not the ones you mention here and have received her beautiful newsletter for years.
I’m not a writer (maybe one day) apart from an occasional blog but I love the craft of writing and I’m a sucker for a beautiful journal. I have had some from chroniclebooks.com in the past and the artist jillbliss.com has some spiral bound beauties too. Shipping costs make these occasional special purchases for me but I have found some in the UK. Permission to eat chocolate to improve my creative process accepted - in fact I already started this morning on a gorgeous bar from Arthouse Unlimited. https://arthouseunlimited.org/
Thank you for starting what will be a wonderful thread. 🙏🌿✍️
I had a sneaky mid morning choc today too! Must be something in the air! (though jolly good for us, I say).
So much to explore in the comments here already. I need a pay rise ;)
Susannah is a wonderful being. Journal Love Club is sadly running for its final year, finishing in May, but I have a clue that Susannah will be creating something else fabulous in its place. Here's hoping.
I used to spend hours in WHSmith and Woolworths just looking at stationary and any money I had would find someway to purchasing stationary. I definitely have to reign myself in as an adult and my ADHD has definitely got the better of me. I probably still have the ultimate pencil case that had hidden compartments and alike from back in the day somewhere 😂
Long live Woolworths! (though, bit late for that. I miss it!)
I do tend to go 'all in' and rapidly deplete my bank account... and then forget about it for a while and get cross with myself for spending. But it's never wasted money when spent on beautiful paper and pens.
Also Brambly Hedge... Such nostalgia seeing that. We also had (I still have) Beatrix potter collection box and they both take me back to then in an instant! Thank you for the memory. (Hope you are enjoying the pens?)
It's my songwriting books, I have a lot reaching back over the years -
Before then, I used just foolscap lined paper, but then I ended up with boxes of them in the garage that eventually I had to get rid of!
It's always exciting when you reach the end of a book, to start a new one! Which I have now...one page to go...and I've a new pale pink soft sexy one A4 lined of course, with an elastic to hold the whole book!
I bought it about a year ago...been waiting all that time!
Very excited for your new notebook Sally! Worth the effort of filling just to get that thrill ;)))
i can't help but laugh that you described stationary as seductive and then brought out the chocolate! brilliant. the artwork on your tarot deck is gorgeous. i always write out my posts by hand in pencil first, so it was nice to see pencils listed here! ideas...:)
*Takes notes* 🤓 now THIS is my kind of (dopamine hitting) content.
Fav month of the year, September. Not only is it my birthday month 🎂 it’s when my mum would let us go to Smiths and buy a new pencil case, stationary, notepads…I was in heaven! When I started my first “proper job” I gleefully headed straight to Paperchase. Now I’m all about a recommendation, and I’m forever asking people, what notebook do you use? What fountain pen is that? Do you have any suggestions for meeeee. I can’t get enough of this delightful addiction (or the best type) and one of my children already has the bug. At Christmas it was the shiny pencil case and pencils that smelt of fruit that had her hooked! I’ve given myself an idea, I’m going to buy more things that 5 year old me would love!! 🧡
And…I have THE BEST* pen recommendations, but with gather my notes and purchase history first!
*I can be fickle and change my mind.
What is actually wrong with us?! ;)))) (nothing. absolutely nothing).
Will let you gather and return with even more wisdom x
Oh the love of stationery (and chocolate!) ☀️ At the moment, it's a rugged spiral notebook, blue cover, with thick pages, all blank, and a 2H pencil. Perfect for poems on the go, freeing since I play around a lot with formatting, less pressure than the eternity of pen (even though I never actually erase anything I write in it, even when it's really bad). It's coming to an end though, so there will be some mourning to do, since it has been on many adventures with me now !
Oh yes! A ceremonial putting away perhaps, and starting of the next 🖤📒
Yes I like that ! It can join the ever-growing ranks of full notebooks 📖
You’re speaking my language!! I have so many notebooks that I’ve left untouched for years (years!!!) that I got as gifts or bought because I loved something about them. Now they just wait for the perfect idea to occupy them. I’m a total stationary hoarder!
I feel your pain Angela 🤣🖤
My current favorite planners and notebooks are Erin Condren, especially the EttaVee designs. I love all these suggestions though!
Will be lovely to keep coming back to this thread when we need inspiration for new purchases!
Oh Luisa, I would love to write some beautiful words here about my lifelong love of all-things-paper but alas, we are suffering from the effects of Daylight Savings beginning and I fear my exhaustion from the loss of a single hour of sleep is rendering me: boring.
Here's the thing. I own A LOT of journals. Most of which I fear writing in. I am addicted to steno pads. And anything Moleskine. I am currently nursing a ridiculously embarrassing fascination with, "Happy Planners," and I also love the humble black and white marbled composition book. The pretty little Peter Pauper journals make me happy, too. And most every journal by Congnitve Surplus.
As for my writing instrument of choice -- ain't nothin' fancy: Pentel EnerGize mechanical pencils loaded with .5 mm lead. The pencils and their gel ink mistresses, the EnerGels (a .7mm metal tip pen) are found on literally every surface in our home.
Now. Shall we discuss stickers? I do SO love stickers. And, my tiny Winnie-the-Pooh Classic rubber stamps...the bees are my favorite. Oooh...and wax seals. ♡
Stickers. Yes! Anything Japanese-inspired for me. Delicately flowered washi tapes. Cute cartoons. Household items, in a sticker. Yes yes yes! 💚
Flame Tree Sketchbooks - brilliant for writing, doodles, no lines and all the colours to choose from 🥰🥰
Gorgeous! 🖤
The comments here are glorious! Fellow lover of notebooks and Susannah Conway here (I actually started writing on Substack thanks to her Share Your Heart course module) I’ve got a gorgeous Scribbles That Matter notebook for bullet journalling. And have recently started using a nice little weekly diary & stickers from Boxclever Press. I’m pretty sure I still have some old Brambly Hedge writing paper & envelopes in a drawer somewhere too 😄
So glad we can dip back in to this thread when we need suggestions! What a gift!
I've just started a (gentle) book club here on Substack, which I'm hoping to sprinkle some journalling into, over the next twelve months. What a great space to create whatever we like 😍🖤
I've adored stationery since I was a little girl too. I miss the feel of Silvine hard-backed exercise books with blue marbled covers, just the right width of lines and paper that was just the right texture to hold ballpoint pen ink well. They did some nice grey ballpoints with blue caps, too, medium-size nibs that helped writing to flow beautifully. All unavailable now. I love Moleskine and Leuchtterm (can't be bother looking up the spelling) in their gorgeous colours and sizes, and I'm also lamenting the demise of Paperchase as they were a great, cheaper alternative. I don't like decorative covers to be too fussy - rich colours, flamboyant patterns and gold-edged pages are not for me. I like delicate pastel patterns - have just discovered the Cambridge Imprint paperback notebooks and Papier A5 hardbacks. The possibilities are dizzying ... and I like new notebooks for different projects. Can't bear to throw them away, even when they're full and the projects long completed!
I wish I'd stockpiled some Paperchase too 😪
I am so sad since Paperchase closed all their stores 😭
So sad!
Okay so, I have a list of the various replies I wanna send you, but let’s start from this new posts cause, we have been waiting for this magic to come back. And I have loads to say about this topic. (Plus typing this, makes me think about proposing something you. Probably in the soon future! Sensing visioning due to sharing so much with you… especially for some ideas I have been drafting or really considering until choosing).
I can only use the term obsessed for the topic cause… I MEAN, if I hadn’t made it obvious already, you are one of my people.
Stationary, from journals (not the simple one but the ones made for us you know?), notebooks, stickers, to anything that is art like prints big/small, from all of these from artists I have been following for long, found on Instagram across time or even most recently, who I connect on more deeper themes and level to… cause of supporting us in our journey, being human, honest… knowing what we are all sharing by growing through in our lives. Gifting love and embrace, a smile and some peace out through their own creations thanks to their incredible unique talents.
Basically anything that is creation. YES to the tarot and oracle decks. Anything being esoteric practices brining us messages from the Universe, energy in all of its forms moving it inside and through us. In stillness, or even within the chaos. Stilling us, having faith in us when we happen to fail in it. Making us reflect, contemplate, bring us to creation from pure free flow energetic spur. Speaking for what our intuition has been telling us, or about how we have been feeling, about life.
Since I was a little girl, I was hoarding stationary, notebooks, stickers (oh my, memories!!!). Obviously, they were bought by others at those times. But idk about you, are you in our boats of being young and never using them, still needing them into that instinctual moment?!
Little did I know, it wasn’t hoarding. It was my being a Gemini placements moon included, their rulers and other major energies in my chart, which means being a writer, someone who needs to use their hands in everything they create, writing in general, craving learning/studying about any interest, BIG NERDS on every single subject, colorful, witty, eclectic, needing connection, to talk, not being concise, having so much to share, a multitude, scattered going on mental trips, I mean, I used to write letters to people as gifts or attachments to gestures. I only have the long forms, a powerful voice (as you know, I lost for years and now it has being my biggest source of strength, power, my whole heart).
These days being still limited in my material resources, since you know I have just started to materialize each day step by step my life. Being myself the more (still limited in these moments due to environments and being such a crumb) I can, in this world. Plus, for almost a couple of month I have been searching for a job in the creative fields, using my natural resources within of being a creative.
This translates, putting myself onto strict monthly budgets for every single thing. Including my stationary and journals (plus, literally classes)… still, I must confess the next two weeks expenses include a new A5 journal, a smaller notebook from an artist I love with also stickers and prints and a workshop of one writer I adore. (I won’t add Books- capital letter. Cause they literally act as moving the thoughts, intellect, the diving into words, the inspirations, etc.)
You have put a stamp of approval on my idea I finally chose to go for, thought for a little bit, to buy a A4 notebook (to decorate) for my Substack drafts and pieces of reflection and things I have been living/realizing/feeling. In general, the kind of home I desire to build, the monthly stuff like, tbh a book club cause I‘ve been craving one. I have placed many more these past weeks on sheets of papers, thanks confidence in my words, what’s writing for me and the way I’ve been feeling comfortable in sharing myself across the weeks.
I am someone who has a need first to write down on paper. No matter if through typing, proof reading multiple times, I change it/edit it/sift or enrich… I need that.
My day isn’t complete, nor actually starting, if I don’t have them near.
I’m obsessed with the fact you write in colors (who doesn’t love mangos???) I used to do it as well and one day I’d love to do it again. (I have been knowing this fountain pen ink of all colors I need to show you! Even just the visuals online/reels are satisfying).
Let’s just face this, you are able to write about literally anything and make it a sensual/ seductive/ enticing kind of topic, like even the last Running piece, I so truly adore! How can you speak about you running but filling it with everything our experience of it, our reflecting, too much thinking, contemplating, magical and dreamy stream of thoughts bring us to? The sweat, the human connection, the night, the metaphors…
This one doesn’t fail and in this case, I get it cause I live the embodied emotions and feels about it. That spring well of pure excitement, the falling in love and for how much you hold off, you and up thinking back to it like “I knewwww! I need that tool!!!
It’s literally a push toward creating, expresses the love towards what it means everything to us. our sources of well being and mental sanity, that ease us into being. Sources of joys we weren’t taught in the environments/societies we grow up as essential needs. We come to learn and constantly forget about them when growing up.
Through this comment and my restack, I think you understand how much I loved this small little nugget of joy. Cannot wait to hear what you have to say about my ramblings above!!!
plus, anytime you wish I'm ready to give you anytime you wish or are seeking/craving for some of these joys, to send you my faves, trusted, enchating loving artists suggestions. Maybe through private message cause otherwise it seems like I'm spamming. SWEAR IT'S MORE THAN WORTH THE PAMPERING TIME CAUSE OF ALL OF THE MAGIC INSTILLED AND LOVE THEY MAKES YOU FEEL
I love ALL of this Alessandra. You speak so beautifully and wisely. I'm so glad that we can all invest our time and whatever money we can spare into things that spark joy. That used to spark joy when we were little, but now in a new, grown woman iteration. Some people I guess are never lucky enough to rediscover those joys? So absolutely, cheers to all of us, doing all that wonderful work! 🥂💚
Dear Luisa,
You have no idea, how much I have been wanting to come back to each reply, I received across the week from you magical being. (Seriously tho, don’t get scare but you are on my notes with exact replies to certain message).
That’s how much I care about human connections… specially, the ones staying, keeping constant and that -in ways that I would get too long to explain- are changing me and have changed me since they entered, making a huge dream come to life of connecting, sharing my love and myself… these have added huge steps in the growth of me inside.
It’s life energy for my Soul. They literally are feeding essential parts of me, of my new roots and their depth/width. The love and faith in who I am.
And they are hands touching this shape of the life of mine.
While carving out with me each day my path, out of nothing like we all do to create our own. Growing all of what it’s fullness is gonna soon be but finally more (and thanks to them as well), than just the first phase or birth. Accompanying me into this 2nd phase we are about to access. So yes, thanks to you as well. You magical fairy.
I can only just mention the joy of coming back to this and the first line… those simple words, yet immense to me. As much as the first time reading it, cause truly they meant more than what you can comprehend, like each time around you send them through.
You dedicate your own person to me on a personal level, focus on my own writing to you, sharing not simply thoughts, if not true emotions, feelings I made you experience.
Every moment we wave words between each other, I truly mean every syllable of what I’m about to say, you consciously choose to share love with me, your own unique way.
To me, it’s a person gifting themselves, when showing up with another human through the simple nature of the heart.
The fact you choose me for it and do it every time, with words that grow me…it’s a whole world of weight and depth to me.
-This I needed to say before going back to our chat about the topic, cause of this deep feeling toward you and the fact you are about to receive loads of words. Use them to take a nap-
It is sad, demotivating to the Spirit, unfair towards life itself, that patriarchy, Christianity and history, man, have built societies rooted in systems of greed, material resources, labels/categories/levels, money, etc., for literally anything. From the things, items once only made for either their purpose and use, or simple sake and pleasure they caused, for passion out of creations made from minds eyes.
They literally limit humans possibilities of ways of living, their desires, even the most simple one. To not mention access to experiences now with a price on them, rights and needs, which are not simply life ones, mostly they are about the heart.
The ones the societies we live in are taking away, not teaching us about them… cause it’s more about “what they tell you you need and mostly don’t need” in all senses, also the way of being.
Us creatives, voices out of the crowd, weird and nerds bother cause we don’t fucking care about the guilt and judgments of others, trying to hint us the way they carve out.
Homologation.
They tell us they are whims, while they are needs and desires. Essential elements for our mental, spiritual, emotional sanity, well being. It makes us thrive and gives us life.
All of it are these joys… simple human rights. Yet, those societies and how much this is engraved in environments in general, even personal. Don’t want for us to know. And it’s so hard to come to learn about them for us on our own path… let’s not talk about once we “allow” ourselves to give it to ourselves.
It’s crazy to say, but that is what it’s the hardest part most of the times… cause of how much we are taught in our generations, we don’t deserve them… without doing something before. Like a rewards
And for what you said about our brown version. Yes.
Cause our child self knows already. Our purpose, about who we are truly… a child knows unconsciously and not for so long. They make us forget….
But from the Dahrma, Past lives, the Soul, etc….. we come here knowing. And then sometimes we happen to be blessed enough to refind it out.
LOVE Notebooks!!! 🩷 One of my favourites are a French brand called Innocence - they are so feminine and cosy. 🌸 Thanks for sharing this post and I too love those Lindt chocolate balls 🤎 hahaha
https://www.innocence-paris.com/en/les-carnets/carnet-chants-d-oiseaux
🍫🖤
Those are lovely!
Crappy composition book. Very easy to write in and fill up. There's no sense of preciousness. Nice journals tend to get abandoned rather than filled out for me!
🖤
B5 Mnemosyne dot grid, A5 Rhodia dot grid, or B5 Muji ruled.
Pilot Prera fountain pen, Med nib; Travelers Company Brass fountain pen, fine nib; and Muji 0.5 gel rollerballs. I have a Sailor 1911 Pen of the Year and several other nicer fountain pens, but the Pilot Prera is my favorite to use.
🖤
Greetings from another avid member of Susannah´s Journal Love Club <3
Hi Carina, so good to see you outside of the Zoom screen! Sad that JLC will finish soon 😪
yes, I will miss it!!
LOVE this, Luisa!
A moleskin journal, a single candle in a brass holder filled with old drippings of used candles, a black pilot pen, and a piping hot mug of coffee. My tools for meditating, reflecting, writing, processing, and dreaming. xo
What a topic. Already daydreaming about how I can make talking about stationery *all the time* a part of my future life, pa ha!
Classic, timeless accessories Liz. Gorgeous! x
*gasp* A thread all about stationery! I'm in heaven! My 2 favourite fountain pens are TWSBI and my favourite ink company is Ferris Wheel Press. I use Leuchtturm notebooks for bullet journaling and decorate with washi and stamp sets from Notebook Therapy.
*clutches at pearls* YES! So glad you love as much as I do!
Oh boy, a TWSBI has been on my list for a year or so. Why do I need a special occasion to validate buying one? (I really don't, do I ;) )
My vote is no, you don't need a special occasion! 😉
I can totally relate to your passion for journals, I started keeping mine before I even knew how to write (it was a secret diary with a lock where I drew different versions of a random princess). I also took Susannah Conway's course Journal Your Life last year!
My current tools are:
- Personal journal: Legami journal with the cute bee at the front (hope the link works outside Italy) https://www.legami.com/it_it/taccuino-a-righe-medium-photo-notebook-bee-VNOTP0108.html
- Reading journal: a handmade one I bought from Choosing Keeping when I visited London last year.
- Fountain pen: Lamy Safari petrol, 2017 special edition with black ink.
- Gel pen: Pilot G2, black
Oooh there are some good materials here Alice!
Very sad that Journal Love Club is coming to an end soon, not to be reopened. But hopeful that Susannah will come up with something else wonderful for us xo
I didn't know that the Journal Love Club was closing :( I was still hoping to be able to afford it one day. Hopefully there will be other things.
I still love Brambly Hedge.
Oh, me too, me too!
I don't have a specific brand I consistently use but one consistent thing is the sense of something big happening when I put my pen to the first page. No matter how many times I start a new journal I have that sense that I want it to be good!
Yes Donna! Do you have a ritual to start a new one? I have a friend who does a lovely big scribble all over the first page, to get rid of the need for it to stay pristine and perfect - genius! x
Well, gosh. Maybe if I upgrade my accessories I'll finally get that big break I've been hoping for? (🤣...!!)
These are my notebooks of choice, https://rspaperproducts.com/products/77272/
though coincidentally I've just switched over to a much smaller Amazon Basics journal that was rattling around on a bookshelf. I'm not loving it, but it's better than wasting it. I haven't used anthing this size ever.
Pens: gel types (EnerGel by Pentel is a particular fave)
Chocolate: Premium grade. High-test. (Are you too young to remember that as a grade of petrol/gas?) Lindt 90% dark. If I drop even to 85%, it feels like I'm missing something wonderful.
Quality of writing and quality of stationery are probably entirely unrelated, in fact, I can procrastinate over particular stationery for so long (when I should be actually doing the actual writing) that perhaps it even has a negative effect?! Regardless, we all love it, we all have our own little gorgeous quirks and preferences. Isn't it wonderful! (Also, isn't Lindt 90% wonderful. I literally buy nothing else, so now we are even more Substack BFFS ;))) )
It is wonderful. This is a bit of a tangent, but for years I was part of a natural/organic food-buying club that was meant to introduce community and reduce packaging and carbon footprint. One of the best rewards was in being able to see what kinds of products other members were using. I adopted quite a few of them as my own over the years. So, yay to shared information! And double yay to Lindt 90%. Om nom noms! :)
Energel by Pentel is my fave pen too!
They're yummy, Donna!
I love Hobonichi planners and midori notebooks! I usually buy them on a6 size! Easy to carry everywhere! But I also use some moleskins (specially for travel watercolors), and any new pretty notebook that pass me by 😅
I have been using Lamy ball pens lately, since I took on writing more (before was any ball pen and fine liners: Faber castel, Sakura or stabilo)
But I’m adding this lamy fountain pen to my must have list 😉
The Lamy in mango is gorgeous, really light to hold, feels good. I would say go for a medium or broad nib though? (I ordered a 'fine', just because I didn't have one yet, but now I know why! (I don't like it ;) )
Lately I’m loving the Essential Wire-bound Sketchbook from Opus.
*adds to list ;)
LOVED THIS, Luisa! I couldn't limit myself to one, so here's a list of my top three:
1. Leuchtturm 1917 Bullet Journal Edition Notebook - the original (no longer available apart from sometimes - rarely - on eBay, where I hunt for it relentlessly), *not* Edition 2.
2. Passport-sized travellers' notebook from Traveler's Company - mine is bent, bruised, battered but still my bestie.
3. Eight coloured pencils - orange, dark blue, turquoise, yellow, pink, red, green and purple.
Did think you would love this conversation Rebecca!
Gosh it just brings so much joy, right?
Lovely to get a sneak into your pencil case x
I'm an addict: there, I've said it!
Also: just corrected my typo of '2017' to '1917'! Ooopsie!
I really love the stone paper pocket notebooks from agood company for random lists and notes. I just bought another set of 3. If anyone wants 30% off, they gave me a referral link:
https://judge.me/ref/JM-XZKKW56
Amazing! Thank you thank you :)
Just last night I was fighting with my husband over my uni-ball jet stream pens. He was like “this is a nice pen” and hid it from me when I went to get a less desirable pen to swap with him. Wrestling ensued. I came out on top (and I ordered him his own set) 😂
You are VERY lucky that you have a husband who understands the value in a great pen ;))))))) Match made! x
Oh my yes, you opened a box of memories for me about my first fountain pen, a gift, a Parker 51. It was from my Dad because he had one and loved it, thought I would too, and I did. For many years and then I started collecting old pens and passed the interest and collection on to one of my sons. We had fun sharing sources and different types of pens, many different brands from the high end Montblanc Meisterstick to the Shaeffer with a plunger for filling ink from the bottle. I have regressed badly over the years with pens and just bought two inexpensive Frixon ball clickers 07. It says "remove by friction" and sure enough, there's an eraser on the top that does exactly that. So maybe I have discovered a combo pen pencil and for now, this is good enough. As for stationery, another story for another time. embossed and not.
Would love a whole post on your history of pens Gary, I feel like there's some lovely storytelling there, would be fascinating :) Thank you for being here again!
Thanks, Luisa. My older son has a collection of 60 pens and writes with 4 of them. His favorite is one from the 1940's, a Shaeffer pen shaped like a rocket. We collected some of them years ago from flea markets. For a history and for those who want to know more and see more regarding vintage pens, my son recommended this web site:
https://vintagepens.com/
Luisa, you inspired and tempted me ,as I also love good stationary . I have bought the Whole Woman Oracle cards you suggest…held back on a new journal as I have so many. It is all part f the love ow writing and living, thank you 🙏🏻
Oh wonderful Susan, I hope you love them as much as I do! Different from any others I have, they always give me some great inspiration. And yes, it's very much all part of the package of this life that we have both chosen. Joyful.
I am looking forward to the arrival of the cards and I will let you know . 💗
I’m obsessed with those antique looking journals with the ragged pages and the string that wraps around to keep it closed. I had one several years ago that felt like it came from the captain’s cabin on an 18th century pirate ship. I wasn’t ever very good at journaling (at least not regularly) but I loved pulling it out to scribble notes and story ideas.
...which is the perfect way to use it!
I love my leather bound one, with the thin tie around. Lovely thick paper stock. Feels like a magical grimoire!
Luisa - My notebook of choice is the Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Ruled. For writing I use a Tul needlepoint medium. For jotting down rough notes I use a yellow lined notepad. For tabbing I use a Post-It tab that has a clear adhesive section and a colored tab.
I'm sensing an enviable amount of beautiful organisation, Matthew! I bet you have great handwriting too? (Mine is like a drunk spider...)
You, my dear, have opened Pandora’s Box!
I could go on (and on) about my own evolution of stationery use and assortment of loves! It’s real!!
Just this week I cracked the spine of a new journal and bought my very first fountain pens! A Platinum Preppy, medium nib in black, which is mostly for all five sets of hands to learn the feel of a fountain pen, since not one of us has ever used one before. I also got myself a Lamy Al-Star Petrol with fine nib and a smoky teal ink to match. BLISS.
I find, that when it comes to paper, I’m not exactly brand loyal and still finding my way. I spent the majority of my 20s and early 30s writing in Moleskines after using whatever paper I could find for my first two decades.
At present I use a Leuchtturm A5 grid for daily journaling, a bargain bin B5 lined for morning pages (when I do them), an XL Moleskine hardcover grid for logging writing work sessions, and a pocket sized moleskin sketchbook for my purse — for doodles, ideas, etc. I also have stenopads stashed in drawers around the house for list-making.
And don’t get me started on planners!
I think we've had a planner conversation before Kristine. Dangerous territory, yes ;)
Oh we are funny!
I've dribbled over all of these you mention. May pop them on my wish list and take it as a sign! x
Yes we have had that convo!
I am a paper junkie. Thanks for all of this. I recently attended a gift show and Leuchtturm1917 was embossing their amazing notebooks. I got one with my name in silver. For free. I nearly passed out. They also shared a matching mechanical pencil and a sticker for the back of the book that holds your writing tool of choice in place. The pencil and notebook and sticker are all matching pink! Swoon.
Also a shop in Ojai I just visited, called Noted was amazing!
I WOULD HAVE DIED! What a gift! ;) Thank you for making me smile Barri x
I feel like I just found my people. Thank you. And oh my goodness FUNFAX! Be still my beating heart.
We are so your people ;)
Just googled Funfax and YOU CAN STILL GET THEM. On Ebay, but...tempting?!
Oh, and tarot decks!!! I love The Lightseer’s too, though I’m currently in love with The Everyday Witch tarot, and I’m waiting impatiently for The Abyss Tarot to arrive later this month. I have tons of oracle decks too — current faves include The Urban Crow oracle, Woodland Wardens and my own oracle deck (which is available on Printer’s Studio) The Daily Pause.
Yes, I have The Everyday Witch too! And The Modern Witch deck AND ACCOMPANYING JOURNAL!!!! Oh my days... ;) Susannah C uses the Woodland Wardens each month for our Zoom journal, gorgeous pairing of animals and herbs/plants I think? May have to be my next. Plus yours Shinjini, wow!
Yes, Woodland Wardens has the most gorgeous paintings!!
Also a stationery addict. I LOVED the Danielle Laporte journal which she discontinued so have been using the HelloDay this year. Much as I loved the Leuchturm diary I found it was just becoming a to-do-list and didn't have the space for intention setting/ reflections. My sister got me a big Moleskin notebook for my bday which is dreamy xo
Always meant to get the Danielle Laporte journal, so that's a shame - I did have a couple of the Daily Greatness journals, which were a little similar perhaps? They were good, though a bit pricey?
Moleskine IS dreamy. xx
I’m also hopelessly addicted to stationery! I went on a notebook buying spree recently, purchasing fountain pen friendly journals — 2 notebooks with Tomoe River paper (52gsm and 64gsm; LOVE the feel of the 52gsm) and a Regalia paper notebook. I’m also a sucker for leather journal covers. My favourites are from an Indian brand called The Black Canvas, and I’m planning to make my own leather journal cover later this month (wish me luck!) I also have a sticker subscription from Crazy Planner Lady and I LOVE the washi tape shop’s washi tapes. I’m currently rotating between the Safari Lamy and Pelican fountain pens — one with turquoise ink by Lamy, the other with Diamine’s Ruby ink.
One of my friends is dabbling in book-binding, which could come in very handy! She says leather is really hard though...she made me a beautiful little tiny fabric wrapped book with watercolour paper in, after I'd shared some of my recent attempts at getting back into art.
I really want/need/am going to get regardless some new stickers, so these ideas are great, thank you x
It is! Luckily I have a husband on hand to help with the cutting 😉 I’m planning to make a traveler’s notebook style cover, so not much binding, thank heavens!
Also a stationery addict here. I have dedicated journals for every purpose. My favorite at the moment are from good juju ink- I use this one for my daily writing practice: https://www.goodjujuink.com/collections/notebooks/products/le-grand-livre-clover - I also have a smaller journal with blank 160gsm paper which I use as my everyday bullet journal/painting sketchbook (it is unfortunately discontinued, but I stocked up and bought about 25 when they went on final sale)!
Loved it. Bought 25 of them. Oh we could be great friends! ;))))))
My favourite part about getting a new idea is knowing that I get to dedicate a whole notebook to it and so I get to go shopping for one. My most recent one is a grey A5 notebook that I bought in a Waterstones because it called to me the most and I already have the outline for my next story scribbled onto the pages! Also, now that it is Easter food season my snack of choice is either a toasted hot cross bun or some mini eggs!
What a great feeling you describe ! I sometimes wonder if we write in the notebooks or for the notebooks 😂
I think it might be a little bit of both!
Wonderful work spilling your outline into your fresh pages. Totally agree on the excitement of new project = new notebook.
Managing to steer away from the mini eggs so far...but it is only 8th March, pa ha (they're so good!)
Adding hot cross buns to my comfort food writerly life list. Delicious! x
Mini Eggs are my favourite chocolate and as such I milk them for all they're worth the moment they appear on shelf because the love affair never lasts long enough!
Maybe we can eat SO MANY that we make ourselves sick, and don't want them anymore.
(not sure that will work though!)
That is simply not possible haha!
I felt the ripple of pleasure through my fingertips just by reading the title! I’ve just got a reMarkable. And then my husband said he’d like a remarkable. So now I have a Kindle Scribe!
Oh wonderful, I am incredibly jealous! Love to know which you like best? I really need to spend some of my hard-earned pennies on some digital stationery ;)
Horses for courses I think!
reMarkable if you just want to write, but if you read eBook and like annotating, then Kindle Scribe. But I'm still new to the Scribe!
It is impossible NOT to comment on a thread like this, stationery is such a lifelong pleasure and, at times, addiction of mine!
If I had to pick one single item, it would be the Osmiroid Italic fountain pen I received as a seven year old, one which I have used ever since, although the nib is nearly worn down to the point it cannot be used. When I was younger, I paired this with green or purple ink but, now, it's usually a blue. That said, I haven't used it for my journals in recent years, following the ultimate of horrors for the writer, with the loss of a journal due to a flood in our home at the time in Chiang Mai, whilst we were in Europe. All the ink ran, and the tropical air enabled all manner of mould blooms. I came to terms with it, eventually, but ever since I've used archival fineliners or pencil (love Pigma Micron, Faber Castell broadpens, Rotring Tikky graphic, and Rotring Tikky mechanical pencils [2B]).
As for notebooks and journals, my day-to-day one at the moment is an Ottergami, which has just the right weight of paper, and doesn't bleed through.
Okay, I could go on here, but lunch beckons and I should also do some more work!
Looking forward to reading other replies too.
(Oh! Tarot cards, I have my Dad's set he picked up in Switzerland 60+ years ago, and also recently got The Literary Tarot, which I love. Add to this my handcarved runes, made from an old mountain ash walking staff I harvested, and I'm happy.)
Thanks for this post, it really is impossible to ignore!!
Honestly my eyes light up at this topic. Little 12 year old me would be bursting with pride that we can still stir conversations about it 30 years later! And I get to share my joy of stationery with my daughter, who is (thankfully) equally inquisitive.
A pleasure Alexander, thank you.
I have a hope and feeling that my own daughter will also be likewise inquisitive when it comes to stationery! She's certainly rather creative, although she's only wee.
When I think back to how I would head to different stationery shops (usually WH Smiths or Woolworths, in those days), and wish I could buy all the things, I think 12 year old me would likewise be thrilled I'm still having these conversations all these years later! Oh! The stationery shops in SE Asia are amazing temples to the pencil and churches for journals, all neatly wrapped in washi tape galore.
Over lunch, I remembered I had actually shared a bit about the journal I mention above, some years ago. I've removed the paywall, in case anyone wants to see a photo of what happens to non-archival, non-permanent ink in a journal, following flooding and jungle humidity...! (The theme of stationery actually ran through that post, discussion of the colours of pencils in the first paragraph, for example. There are also several journal photos throughout!):
https://alexandermcrow.substack.com/i/18135442/on-keeping-notes
Well that post is an absolute gem. Those photos of journals, honestly I could weep with joy! Thank you thank you.
Thank you! I really miss those journals (all in storage at my long-suffering sister's house [she's now also just moved house with them too, along with my entire library...]). It's good to have some photos of them, at least!
There IS something awfully seductive about stationery, isn't there? Is it the smell of paper fibre, of binding glue, the texture of random covers, the white and empty pages? The need to pick up a pen and write the first word and then another?
My daughter gave me a beautiful dove grey journal for my birthday last year - she knows me well.
I love Moleskine too - the redder the better. And Il Papiro. I also have a soft shell-pink Collins notebook - its plain and not at all expensive, so I embroidered a little felt heart and glued it to the cover. In addition, there are others I've collected or bound. All waiting...
Thank you for the link to Susannah Conway's website as well. One to bookmark along with the others mentioned by your followers. Cheers.
All waiting. And therein lies the mystery, and magic.
Prue, you're so welcome. Thank you for being here. And I get a feeling you will love Susannah, too, she's a gem.
For some reason, I nearly always write thoughts/ ideas/notes on loose-leaf paper which I keep in a burgeoning (?!) collection of lever-arch files. Feels easier to find stuff like that. I do draw/paint in sketchbooks though. And I’m v choosey about sketchbooks. Drawing/painting on good quality paper makes such a difference.
Wow that is brave. I take my hat off to you James! And might well play with loose-leaf now...(I am a bit of a rebel, that sounds nicely rebellious)
I have a friend who has recently started book-binding. She made me a beautiful little fabric-bound, hand stitched watercolour book, as I've just rediscovered watercolours and like tiny ones best. What a friend to have! Totally agree on good paper quality making such a difference.
Love the sound of that watercolour sketchbook! Special. ✨️
Thank you so much for mentioning the oracle deck Luisa, I really am so glad that you're loving it! Strangely enough I actually purchased a beautiful new notebook, along with a gold crescent moon charm, just yesterday (link below). It's been a long time since I treated myself to a new one and I'm hoping that when it arrives it might coax me back into writing more regularly. I opted for the cappuccino cream but the other colours look so gorgeous too ✨
https://www.prophsee.com/products/vegan-leather-journal
I do love the deck Laura. Beautifully accurate, as well as beautiful to look at.
Hope your writing begins flowing again soon. That new notebook is a beaut of a reason to get your pen out! x
Oooh this post makes me happy ❤️ I adore my notebooks! Mostly from my travels with musings and doodles mixed in...but stacks and stacks - all different and I quite possibly am still in search of that 'perfect' one! And just discovered pens with colored inks (a light teal blue being my current favorite)...swoon! 🌟
Love my green fountain ink, but also plain old gel pens in pink or purple or light blue. Anything other than black! Such rebels ;) x
Rebels indeed 😊 xx
I SO love this Luisa, and Susannah Conway. I have taken a couple of her courses although not the ones you mention here and have received her beautiful newsletter for years.
I’m not a writer (maybe one day) apart from an occasional blog but I love the craft of writing and I’m a sucker for a beautiful journal. I have had some from chroniclebooks.com in the past and the artist jillbliss.com has some spiral bound beauties too. Shipping costs make these occasional special purchases for me but I have found some in the UK. Permission to eat chocolate to improve my creative process accepted - in fact I already started this morning on a gorgeous bar from Arthouse Unlimited. https://arthouseunlimited.org/
Thank you for starting what will be a wonderful thread. 🙏🌿✍️
I had a sneaky mid morning choc today too! Must be something in the air! (though jolly good for us, I say).
So much to explore in the comments here already. I need a pay rise ;)
Susannah is a wonderful being. Journal Love Club is sadly running for its final year, finishing in May, but I have a clue that Susannah will be creating something else fabulous in its place. Here's hoping.
Thank you so much for being here.
I used to spend hours in WHSmith and Woolworths just looking at stationary and any money I had would find someway to purchasing stationary. I definitely have to reign myself in as an adult and my ADHD has definitely got the better of me. I probably still have the ultimate pencil case that had hidden compartments and alike from back in the day somewhere 😂
These pens are aesthetically lovely and write lovely too https://amzn.eu/d/h9oqtTk
Long live Woolworths! (though, bit late for that. I miss it!)
I do tend to go 'all in' and rapidly deplete my bank account... and then forget about it for a while and get cross with myself for spending. But it's never wasted money when spent on beautiful paper and pens.
Thank you so much for being here Casper!x
Also literally *HAVE* to buy those pens. My daughter will love them too. I'm doing it.
Thank you!
Also Brambly Hedge... Such nostalgia seeing that. We also had (I still have) Beatrix potter collection box and they both take me back to then in an instant! Thank you for the memory. (Hope you are enjoying the pens?)
On my Amazon wishlist for March payday! 😍 Thank you Casper x