Hello! I’m on holiday break this week (but still working… sheesh!) and so I wanted to share a quick post about what’s new to my EDC/travel carry! Two fun new pens have entered the collection.
The first is the TWSBI Eco Plum + Onyx ($55.99 at Lemur Ink). This is one area where Ana and I agree to disagree – she doesn’t care much for TWSBIs but I LOVE them. And this one was made for me as it’s one of my favorite colors! This week I have it matched with Colorverse’s Lights on Ceres and I’m loving it. Color makes me happy.
The second is one of the new limited edition Retro 51s Tornado Rollerball – Patchwork ($69.50 at Dromgooles). I know I’ve written a lot about my knitting here, but in the last few years I’ve started quilting. I couldn’t resist this sweet edition (and the matching Rickshaw Pen Sleeve). And look at how well it matches my travel notebook!
In general, I’m not purchasing as much as I once was, in terms of pen, ink or notebooks. But every so often a few things catch my eye and fall into my cart.
Speaking of which, it’s almost prime shopping season and while I’m trying to avoid big retailers this year, I’m ever so happy to support all my maker friends! Are you shopping the Black Friday sales for gifts? Or for a few new fun items for yourself?
I had planned to share a video of my process but technology is not on my side today so in an effort to get this post up today, I’m hoping you all will be okay with photos this time since very little has changed from October or November.
If I can pull the video footage, I’ll add it to this post tomorrow. Sorry for the less-than-detailed planner set-up this month. Sometimes, life just does not go according to plan.
My planner set-up has not really changed in the last few months. I’ve been using a Paperblanks blank midi-sized journal with a printable calendar from my Patreon subscription. And I’m loving the new Cora Crea Creates Journal Clip! The Paperblanks book had enough pages to see me through three months with some extra space in the back for lists, notes, pen tests and such. As a result it created a way to be able to start a new journal/planner in January for that fresh start for the new year.
I get excited about starting a new planner or journal but I am also a little verklempt to have to put aside the book I had spent the better part of a year filling with memories, thoughts and ideas. Where do you land on finishing a journal or planner? Love it or hate it?
The theme this month is Pink Christmas and I even made matching sticker sheets which should be available next week (I’m waiting for them to arrive from the printer!) I wanted a sparkly, happy vibe for December this year and I thought pink poinsettias, glittery baubles and candles would be just the thing to brighten the dark days of December.
I chose a selection of pens from my collection that were green or pink and filled them with coordinating inks. I try to choose 2-3 fountain pens in distinct but usable colors for writing and then some markers, brush pens, felt tip and gel pens to add color, and zhoosh up my planner/journal.
I selected an assortment of stickers from my stash as well as a small assortment of washi tape. My goal this month, as most months, is to use what I have wherever possible and only add in where absolutely needed like my monthly Date Dots and Typewriter Days sticker sheets. I wrap my washi around old hotel key cards. This creates a nice portable amount of washi and provides a curated selection so I am not struck with indecision or overwhelm.
I spend about 45 minutes to an hour to do my whole set-up process from printing the calendar insert to choosing sticker and washi and pens. I then spend another 30 minutes to an hour “decorating” my pages with the day and date and some pretty little extras. I often do my set-up and decorating while listening to an audiobook or podcast or even while sitting on the couch watching a movie.
By pre-planning my theme and adding these embellishments, I escape the fear of the blank page and hopefully sets me up for success each month.
I think of it as a clean start each month, no matter how much or how little I completed the previous month. Just start again. There is no journal police that will tell you you didn’t do it right or that it should be a certain way. Do it your way. Make it a space you like to visit and that will help you take the time to write, draw, archive and remember.
I’ve been noticing teal, deep blue-greens everywhere and is a great color for winter. It’s a deep and moody color but also bright and happy to help get through the dark, cold days and long nights of the winter. There are so many beautiful stationery options in this colorway. I really think I want a whole teal backpack full of teal notebooks, pens and ink. Too much?
I confess I bought Ink institute Mexican Hens because of the name. I have this same problem with nail polish. As lovely as it is, the color is not very saturated and is unlikely to get much use in my super fine pens.
Yachingstyle Bellflower was a limited edition color that was on sale at the SF Pen Show so I got caught up in the whole FOMO of the show. Its a deep indigo violet color so I’m hoping it will be more saturated in writing than Mexican Hens.
Finally, Diamine Potpourri is a reddish plummy purple which is a color that I do tend to be attracted to as you’ll see below.
Comparing Inks:
Ink Institute Mexican Hens is a smoky blue purple with low saturation. I don’t have a lot of other colors that are similar but that’s probably because its soon light. I think Kala Abstraction Pigment Ink in Mongolian Sandstorm is the closest but I think Diamine Inkvent Black Edition Marley has a lovely blackberry color that looks quite light with a fine nib size.
Diamine Potpourri is probably pretty similar to Troublemaker Inks Moon River but it much more readily available. For me, Robert Oster Australian Opal Mauve is a tiny bit more purply and a little more saturated but its pretty close.
Yanchingstyle Bellflower is more blue than many of the deeper violet purples in my collection. Vinta Maskara is probably the closest though it is a more vibrant violet with more red in the color. I love Maskara and its almost empty so I think Bellflower will make a good replacement for now.
I know a lot of ink colors feel like they are limited edition or only available for a short time so I think finding a close dupe is a great way to feel like you have the fancy color. Dupes also help to avoid the possibility of buying a similar color to something you might already have.
In the case of Mexican Hens, I don’t have anything similar but it is really light so I think it might be better for drawing, painting or more artistic uses. Both Potpourri and Bellflower may be more useful and I’m planning to you use them more frequently.
Do you find yourself getting into a specific color family and buying a lot of different inks in that color family?
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by Dromgoole’s, Vanness Pen Shop and JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
For some reason, the end of minting the US penny hits hard for me. While I do believe they will remain in circulation for many years to come, it just feels weird even if I haven’t paid cash for anything in months. Dig around in those change jars, couch cushions and under the seat in your car and drop all your pennies off at your bank so they stay in circulation for as long as possible.
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Have you always wanted to try the famed Hobonichi paper, but don’t want to commit to a full planner? Now you can!
Ana recently sent me a Hobonichi Graph Notebook, A6 ($20 at JetPens), featuring a pretty cover designed by Hiroko Kubota called Another Night of Falling Star Sparklers. The slim notebook features 144 sheets (288 pages) of the same paper as is in the Techo planners. Each page is printed with a 3.7mm grid in red, blue, green and purple. The notebook is A6 size which translates to 4 1/8″ x 5 7/8″ (10.5 cm x 15 cm), and is also available in A5 size as well.
The paper is truly lovely. It’s smooth and the pen just glides over it. There’s no bleeding or feathering, even though I’m using a medium nib that’s putting down a decent amount of ink. I tried to write lightly on this page, so you can see there is a bit of show through and indentation on the other side. Normally this would be more pronounced if I were the one using it.
In general, I prefer slightly thicker paper given my heavy writing, but this is the perfect notebook for my purse. And if you’re eager to try Hobonichi paper without springing for a full planner or ordering from overseas, give this little notebook a look over at JetPens!
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
One of my lovely readers sent me a sample of the new paper that Aura Estelle will be using in their planners for 2026. My plan was to review this new Tomoe River Paper 52gsm white (New Sanzen) paper on its own but it quickly became clear that a comparison was needed between not just the Aura Estelle but the papers being used in some of the other planners currently available.
I have pulled together the following planners/paper:
Sterling Ink 2026 (Tomoe river paper 52 gsm – New Sanzen – white) N1-H Compact
Aura Estelle (Tomoe River Paper 52gsm -New Sanzen- white) SAMPLE A6
The Paper:
Based on this list, the assumption would be that the Aura Estelle paper is the same as the Sterling Ink and Owl Paper — it is NOT. The Aura Estelle paper is much smoother and slicker than any of the other Tomoe River papers on this list. That’s not a good or bad thing but it is definitely different. All three other TR papers had a slight tooth and texture to them.
Aura Estelle paper sample for 2026 planners, front viewAura Estelle writing sample, reverse view
I am pretty confident that Owl Paper and Sterling Ink are using the same version of Tomoe River 52 gsm paper. Sterling Ink paper looks slightly creamier but the difference is minimal so I can’t decide if my eye are playing tricks. Sterling Ink has a darker printed grid and informational data compared to the Owl Paper. Most notably, both the Owl and Sterling planners use the white TR paper while Hobonichi uses the cream/ivory color paper.
Aura Estelle, Hobonich Weeks, Sterling Ink and Owl Paper side-by-side comparison.Hobonichi Weeks vs. Aura Estelle paper and writing samplesSterling Ink paper compared to Aura EstelleOwl Paper vs. Aura Estelle writing sample
I’d say if you were looking for a Hobonichi alternative with brighter white paper, Sterling Ink or Owl Paper are good options.
Hobonich Weeks writing sample, back view. Some show through but not terrible.Sterling Ink writing sample from the reverse. No bleed through, but some acceptable show through.Owl Paper writing sample from the reverse. Show through but no bleed through.
Sizes and Layouts:
Designwise, the Sterling Ink planners have clean, minimal design style. Owl Paper has a visual style that feels more utilitarian. The printed details in the Owl Paper are as light as the printed grid. Alternately, Hobonichi uses a darker grey for dates and informational text. I don’t have a printed Aura Estelle planner in hand but looking at their website, it looks like the printed information is darker than the grid lines as well.
Size comparison: Owl Paper Planner B6, Sterling Ink N1-H Common Planner and Hobonichi Weeks
In terms of pre-printed layouts, each system adds to or removes elements in an effort to make the most functional planner. Its so hard to quantify which system is better or will work best for you. While I do like some sort of weekly layout with Monday through Sunday listed for big tasks, meetings, appointments and travel, I don’t need an hourly breakdown but you might need that for time management. All the planner books I am showing here today feature blank pages that can be used for daily journaling or record keeping.
Sterling Ink Common Planner: Goal Planning pagesSterling Ink Common Planner: Year at a glance viewSterling Ink Common Planner: Quarterly goal plannerSterling Ink Common Planner: Month on two pagesSterling Ink Common Planner: Week on one page with notes pageSterling Ink Common Planner: black grid pages with page numbers
The Sterling Ink Common Planer adds in yearly overviews, quarterly goal setting and habit tracking pages as well as the more expected month on two pages and weekly (horizontal on one page with a page for notes) pages.
Owl Planner: year at a glance viewsOwl Planner: month on two pages viewOwl Paper Planner: vertical week on two pagesOwl Paper Planner: blank gird pages with page numbers
The Owl Paper Planner does not add as many pre-printed pages, just a few yearly overview pages, monthly calendar on two pages and then weekly (vertical format) on two pages.
Aura Estelle offers yearly overview, monthly tracker pages, month on two pages and then dated daily pages (similar to the traditional Hobonichi Techo but without extraneous quotes). Of the planners shown here today, the Aura Estelle is the only one that offers dated daily pages besides a Hobonichi Techo (not shown).
Comparing the Sterling Ink N1-H Common Planner to a Traveler’s Notebook (standard size)
I won’t belabor the Hobonichi Weeks layouts as I assume most people have seen the interior layouts (monthly calendar pages followed by horizontal week on a page with a page for notes).
If you like the aesthetics and layouts of the Sterling Ink, they have many other sizes. The N1 H Compact that I got is the size of a standard Traveler’s Notebook insert. The N2 size is more comparable to the Hobonichi Weeks size so be aware of that if you decide to purchase one. Sterling Ink has an array of size options so if you are looking for more unique sizes like A5 Slim, passport or even B5, they may have what you are looking for. To be honest, I was almost overwhelmed by all the options. Books could also feature foil edges or not.
Aura Estelle offers just A5 and B6. Those are pretty popular common sizes so if you like the formats it may be easier to make a selection.
Owl Paper only offers an A5 undated and a B6 dated for 2026.
I didn’t deep dive into the cover colors or materials. Hobonichi, particularly for the Weeks, offers dozens of color options. Aura Estelle, Owl Paper and Sterling Ink offer a small palette of colors for their covers. I feel like if you don’t like the cover colors, its easy enough to either make a wrap for the cover or put the planner into a fabric or leather cover since these are all fairly common size options.
My final opinions:
I am not a fan of the paper Aura Estelle chose to use for their 2026 planners. I a so grateful to Marcia for sending it to me to try. It is too slick for me personally but I know a lot of people will be thrilled with a smoother, thin paper option in a planner.
I love the size of the Hobonichi Weeks but I definitely think I will prefer the brighter white paper in the Sterling Ink Common Planner (I just wish I hadn’t gotten the larger TN-sized N1).
Sterling Ink Planner
I really like the floppy feel of both the Owl Paper and Sterling Ink covers. They have lovely textured covers and while they might not be sturdy enough to be carried without a protective exterior cover, I appreciate that there is not a lot of added bulk with these covers. I wish I liked the vertical weekly layout more because I would be 100% in on the Owl Paper planner if I was.
Owl PaperPlanner
So, in my dream world, I would have the Sterling Ink design aesthetic with foil edging and austere grey cover, with the lighter grid from the Owl Paper in a Hobonichi Weeks size. I guess the closest I would get would be to purchase a N2 version but the gird lines are still a little darker than I prefer. Since the version of the Owl Paper Planner only takes me to the end of 2025, I can play with it over the next few weeks and see if I can learn a way to use the vertical weekly layout. I still have the Sterling Ink N1 Common Planner as a fallback. (Did I just suggest I had a “fallback planner”?!?! What have I become?)
Do you have make or break elements in a planner/journal?
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