The Well-Appointed Desk

Thanks to Olive Octopus for this great tag to share and learn a bit more about the pen community.  If you would like to play along, feel free to leave your answers or a link to your answers in the comments (which work now!).

If you consider the different ways you can engage with pens and stationery—as a user, a collector, a hobbyist, a creator, a maker, a vendor—which roles fit best and what percentage of 100% would you assign to each? Are you happy with the balance?

• • 60% creator
  • 15% vendor
  • 10% collector
  • 25% user

I spend most of my time writing reviews, making products for the shop, recording and editing videos and audio and creating extras for the Patrons. I spend some time packing orders, updating the online shop, and working for other shops as a vendor. So, the smallest amount of time using my stationery products and collecting new or secondhand products.

What is something you want to understand better or develop more informed opinions about?

I never expected to need to know so much about taxes, tariffs and import fees but here we are in 2025. I want to understand how the changes to the US import taxes will affect the stationery industry here and the small makers that are at the heart of it.

In the pen community, what’s something someone has said or done that stuck with you?

Thankfully, many of the folks who took my workshops in SF this year came to tall me that they enjoyed the classes and were enthusiastic, positive and kind. It made me so glad that I crawled out of my cat-filled cave and spent time with real people. Sharing my knowledge with others and learning from others is such a great experience and why I continue to go to pen shows.

There are now 25 hours in a day, a bonus hour is available to use however you like as long as pens or stationery are involved—how do you spend your hour?

I need at least an extra hour in each day to swatch my ink collection and I might have it all swatched before I drift off this mortal coil.

In the pen community yearbook, what would your superlative be? (i.e. “Best ______”, “Most _______” “Most likely to _______”)

I think the picture above speaks for itself.

How do you feel about your handwriting?

I am left-handed and learned to write overhanded so I’m more self-conscious about people seeing me write than I am about my actual handwriting. I have learned to write from below the baseline but it makes my handwriting look different and that bothers me too. But it does sort of give me different styles to use but sometimes they don’t match. So… I’m embarrased to be a full-time pen nerd with crappy, inconsistent handwriting.

What is something you are proud of doing, achieving, or overcoming?

A little over a year ago, I quit my jobby-job and started doing THIS full time. I make stickers, washi tape, original surface design patterns, as well as recording a podcast (and editing it myself!), making the occasional video, writing posts and reviews, attempting to do promotion and social media and petting a lot of cats. I’m proud that I’ve attempted to make a go of being a pen person full-time. Everyday is scary but I keep going.

You’re going on a writing retreat anywhere in the world—where would you go, what would you write, and what would you write with?

I’d prefer to go on a drawing retreat. I’ve always wanted to go to Australia and take one of Jane Davenport’s workshops in Australia. To sit on the beach and drawing and paint mermaids would be fun and inspiring.

What’s a current or favorite creative outlet?

Lately, I’ve been enjoying creative writing through solo RPG games. Just building characters and little stories has been creatively fulfilling and not something I ever imagined I would do.

What’s something that causes you benign envy—the kind of admiration and desire that leads to inspiration or motivation?

The rate at which other creators produce and publish new sticker designs. I feel like the amount of creativity, concentration and organization is next level. Do they have whole teams of creative talent, production managers and printers??!?!?! My goal is to reach that level of production.

What’s a comfort item, material, or color?

My well-worn leather B6 journal cover with a bursting Stalogy is my emotional support notebook. If I add my favorite Sailor pen filled with Monteverde Birthday Cake purple ink… I feel like I can handle anything. I might need an old Platinum Carbon Desk Pen for some drawing too. Just in case.

What would be a dream collaboration, project, or partnership?

I could tell you my dream collaboration but its in process right now so I guess you’ll just have to wait and see! There are dozens of other people and companies I’d like to work with in the future but this one was always at the top of my list. Can you guess what it is?

Please feel free to leave your own answers in the comments below or include a link to your own answers. Can’t wait to see how other pen people respond to the #12PenPersonQuestions.