Favorite Things

For a fairly affordable line, Diamine produces inks in a wide array of colors and properties: standard, sheening, shimmer, and so forth.

J. Herbin makes some classy but colorful inks. Vert De Gris, Lie de Thé, and Corail des Tropiques are a couple of my favorites.

Iroshizuku inks are vibrant with a wet flow, so they work especially well in fountain pens with finer nibs. I like how easy these are to clean out of fountain pens.

This is my favorite waterproof dark ink. I like to use it inside of a Pilot Explorer Matte Black pen (F) for spot illustrations in my journal.

Sailor’s inks are a bit drier than Pilot Iroshizuku or Diamine, but I love how complex these colors are. You really need to look at swatches in person to appreciate the different tones and shading in a single ink colorway.

I stumbled upon Taccia Inks at the inaugural PNW Pen Show, and haven’t seen them much elsewhere. My favorite is Ainezu, which is a complex green / grey / blue color—the color of petrichor, perhaps.

This pen is just so pretty! I have a couple Nahvalur pens and I have to say I prefer piston fillers over some of the other models; I can never get a satisfying amount of ink with a vacuum filler.

I hadn’t heard much about this pen and decided to give it a try. I ended up loving the size and weight of both the barrel and the nib, and (as with any Pilot) it writes so smoothly. I have the F nib in Pearl White.

These pens are the GOAT for blackletter calligraphy. The one I use most often in my Sterling Ink journals for “headlines” is the 2.4mm.

I thought I would like the Decimo model more than the OG Vanishing Point (and I do tend to like their look more), but it turns out I like a thicker pen given there’s a clip near the section. The black matte is the only VP I have, as it’s the aesthetic in that range I like best.

Platinum Preppy is my favorite cheap fountain pen. It travels well because it’s lightweight and the cap snaps on tight. I actually bought a black Preppy with an 02 nib and swapped it into my Crystal 03 nib pen.

I collect TWSBI Eco and Eco-T—with opaque cap colors—in the F nib size. I use these for secondary / special text in my main journal. I absolutely do match the ink color to the cap color.

I purchased this glass dip pen from Kakimori and it has become my go-to for swatching inks. The little ball on the end is useful for making a broad swatch of ink, and the tip (with grooves in it to hold ink) can be used for writing and drawing.

I bought this on a whim at Push/Pull in Seattle, WA because it was pretty. I love using it to make thick, dramatic letters in the inkiest black on my journal pages.

In fine liners, Microns will always reign supreme. It goes over pretty much anything without a fuss or feathering, it is highly available. Don’t fix what ain’t broken. An honorable mention goes out to the PN nib.

I use both the hard and soft nibs in my journal, for different lettering effects. These are allegedly waterproof but I think need a bit more time to dry than, say, a Micron pen.

Lynda Barry and Mike Lowery both like these pens, and it’s easy to see why. They’re affordable, easy to find (in the U.S., anyway), and create smooth, water-resistant lines for spot illustrations.

The brush pens are like watercolor in marker form. They’re really nice to pair with black pen for spot illustrations, or to add color behind some larger lettering.

I slowly collected quite the collection of Posca pens over the years. These acrylic markers are awesome for creating graphic, vibrant blocks of color. I use them for spot illustrations or monthly masthead decorations.

I prefer the softness and juiciness of Ecoline brush pens more, but Tombow is also great and has some more subtle colors. I especially prefer their range of greens.

I buy a lot of larger stickers one-off from various different artists whose work I like. Aut (AKA artchiu) does a sticker club as part of her Patreon in her more casual and loose style. Often she draws upon (heh) different fandoms.

This small business is what got me into clear stamps! There are so many fun sets to choose from, each which give you journaling prompts on particular topics. I use the 29 Prompts set and a couple others in my monthly wrap-ups.

If adulthood doesn’t entitle you to spend $12/mo on stickers, I don’t want it. I have the “Cute” subscription from STICKII and it’s always fun to see what theme they’ll send; you do get quite a bit for the money. I also got their sticker advent calendar in 2024, so fun!

If you love corgis and cute stationery, Kiwihen Design’s selection of tapes and stickers are irresistable, not gonna lie!

There are so many washi tapes out there, and the OG (MT Tape) is still a great choice.

I bought this in a Tokyu Hands forever ago on my friend’s recommendation, and I love it above all other glues! You can make a nice precise line with the glue tape. It makes a fun clicky noise, which may be mildly annoying for others if you use it in a coffee shop (ask me how I know).

The product image is uninspiring, but these acrylic drawers get the job done. This sits on top of my desk and holds all my fountain pens when not in use.

Moterm offers well-made, classy-looking planner covers in a range of sizes. “Classy” being said, I tend to choose fun, funky colors.

I think these were originally meant for trade shows, but these slotted pen trays are easy to cut and place inside whichever organizer. As you may notice from customer photos, quite a lot of us use them in acrylic organizers like the BINO drawers I have.

I checked out Rickshaw Bags’ pen cases at a pen show and had no idea how much I would enjoy a case with such a ridiculously plush lining. It seemed a bit excessive at the time, but wow, these things are well made. A great way to protect expensive pens.

This little hunk of wood has given me more joy than I would’ve expected. I use it all the time when I’m journaling and actively switching back and forth between pens (and therefore, ink colors).

Not sure why this ruler is so expensive on Amazon. The angled edge on one side is relevant to a trick I learned from James Chapman: you can put rulers face-side down, so that the angled side is next to the edge you’re drawing.You can thenpull the ruler away from your line and not smear wet ink or paint.

If you follow any journaling girlies online, you’ve seen this clamp. It’s good and cheap and lightweight, great for home or urban sketching.