Revisiting a classic, shaken (top) and stirred (bottom).

Sunday Reading for January 18, 2026

January 18, 2026

The Cookie Monster of Pens (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A great article reflecting on a lot of the “end of the hobby” discussions surrounding recent price increases. My personal observation so far has been that people are indeed still buying pens, but they are being more intentional about what they buy.
Newly Inked for 2026 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). 48 pens is a bit much for me to keep track of, but I’m up there at the moment and am in the process of reworking my current rotation, as well as the lineup of shop testers.
25 Memorable Inks in 2025 (via Olive Octopus). As always, Lisa picks the uncommon and unusual ink colors that force you to break out your wallet. Some of these are really hard to find.
Live from the Philly Pen Show 2026 (via Inkdependence). Mike does his first pen show walkthrough of the 2026 pen show calendar! Philly comes early every year but it’s good to see the show in progress.
Top 10 Underrated Pens (via Figboot on Pens). I can get behind a lot of the pens on this list, especially the Lamy Dialog CC. The standard Dialog3 is a touch big for me.
Visit to Zenrido Shintoshin in Okinawa, Japan (via Inkredible Colours). I love how event the small office supply-style stationery stores have their own exclusive shop inks.
mnmlscholar Has Migrated to Le Substack (via mnmlscholar). Be sure to catch up at the new location!
2026 Nolty Gold Planner Differences (via Notebook Stories). Nolty is a brand that I’ve been learning more about, and so far I’ve been impressed. They have a lot of undated formats that can also be used as notebooks, in addition to the dated varieties.
Digital Declutter Step 4: The Music (via Well-Appointed Desk). As a collector of analog music in various formats, should we add the iPod to the list?

On the Paper Trail Episode 1 Cover Image

In Case You Missed It… We Released a Podcast!

This week’s big content release wasn’t on the website, at least not directly. Lisa Vanness and I released our first episode of On the Paper Trail - a podcast that we expect to release twice monthly, discussing our collective experience in stationery both as enthusiasts and shop owners. In this first episode, we discuss our 2026 notebook setups and how we plan to use them. I did a follow-up video for the T.G.S. YouTube Channel that took a more detailed overhead look at my own choices. Finally, since we are hosting a joint T.G.S./Vanness event at the T.G.S. Shop next weekend (January 23-24) with Matthew Chen, I wrote a post discussing things to consider when preparing to get a nib tuned or ground.

Roterfaden-A5-Raw-White — We’ve added a couple of new Roterfadens to the Roterfaden Shop page, including this Cognac leather cover with “Raw White” felt interior. (Model LTD_036)

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop - Toyo Boxes, Kakimori Ink, and Pilot Specialty Nibs

This was a big week for restocks in the shop, with Pilot Kakunos and Explorers, Toyo Steel Boxes, and Kakimori Pigmented Inks all arriving earlier in the week. We also received our initial shipment of the Colorverse “Red Horse” 2026 series, which includes four different variations on a dark red ink (one standard, three different shimmers). Finally, we’ve added the Pilot Custom 743 in the Verdigris Green (with the FA nib), as well as the Custom 912 with three additional 14k specialty Japanese nibs. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday drops post for a full list of new arrivals.

Pilot Pens

Colorverse

Herbin Inks

Tono & Lims

This coming week we will be open from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, as well as from 10am-6pm on Saturday. As I mentioned, Lisa Vanness and Matthew Chen will be on site Friday and Saturday during normal business hours, and both the current front shop (Suite 107 showroom) and the office/warehouse space (Suite 113) will be open. If you would like to reserve at time for nib work with Matthew, you can use this reservation link, but walk-ins will also be taken on an as-available basis.

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. As of this morning, ALL Patreon supporters (including non-paying free members) have access to one or more initial “practice” episodes of “On the Paper Trail”.

Kakimori Frost Fountain and InkBall Pens

Sunday Reading for January 11, 2026

January 11, 2026

How to Use Your Notebooks in 2026 To Improve Your Life (via Writing at Large). Another excellent post with great suggestions on how to put your journals and notebooks to use.
Writing on for 2026 (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). Despite her protests at being disorganized, Kimberly is much more organized with her notebooks/hobbies/projects than I will ever be. My biggest takeaway from this post, however, is that I REALLY need a rotary cutter for perforating pages.
Talking About 2026 Plans for Pen Shows, Conventions and More (via dwrdnet). It’s that time again, when we plan our pen show schedule for the upcoming year. We will be posting the T.G.S. Pen Show attendance schedule in the coming days.
My Full 2026 Techo Kaigi (SO EMBARRASSING!) (via Well-Appointed Desk). Only five notebooks? Embarrassing? Please.
A Spoon?! Yes. And Paper and Inks from Vanness Pens. (via Inkdependence). I don’t know what Skipidi is either, but orange shimmer sounds fun.
Diplomat Viper (via Figboot on Pens). For me, the only problem with this pen is that it keeps selling out….
ReMarkable Wish List (via Stationery Pizza). As someone who has used a ReMarkable2 for years now, yes, there is a laundry list of features I wish it had, but sometimes I appreciate the fact that they keep it relatively simple.
10 Years of Pens (via Rachel’s Reflections). Congratulations on a decade in the hobby! Especially when people seem to jump between interests so frequently.
Fresh Thoughts on the Pilot Prera (via Pen Addict). The Prera fountain pen was a new discovery for me this year, with the release of four solid colors that held more appeal than the clear pens. You might pay a premium for some Pilot pens, but the experience is predictably rock-solid.

In Case You Missed It….

This week on the blog I discussed my 2026 Notebook Setup, which I’ll be discussing more with Lisa on the upcoming inaugural episode of the Paper Trails Podcast (production is in progress!). I have a relatively practical/boring setup this year, which builds on things I’ve used in the past and is more of a “greatest hits” than anything else. Go with what works for me, even if it’s not the prettiest or most efficient. I also answered a reader question that I found particularly timely for the first of the year, which focuses on choosing and buying a first fountain pen, and pairing it with a suitable ink and paper.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

Soooo much stuff arrived this week, with the 2026 “January restock” in full effect. The biggest new arrival that I was personally the most excited about was our collaboration with Rickshaw Bagworks and Nick Dominguez on a series of exclusive pen cases, which feature a “Clouds” design hand-drawn by Nick with multi-shading fountain pen inks. We’ve also added workhorse stationery brand Leuchtturm1917 to the shop, including their ubiquitous notebooks as well as the colorful Drehgriffel ballpoints and gel pens. Finally, we have a dwindling number of Kakimori notebooks and also the Kakimori Frost fountain pens and “ink-ball” rollerballs. Be sure to check out each week’s Thursday Drops post for the full list of new arrivals and restocks.

Tono & Lims

Leuchtturm1917

Kakimori

Musgrave

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Tono and Lims Writing Samples on Midori MD Cotton Paper

Sunday Reading for January 4, 2026

January 4, 2026

2025 Pen and Stationery Review and Trends (via Inky.Rocks). It’s review and recap season, so for the next few weeks I’m looking forward to everyone’s reflections.
2026 Stationery Intentions (via A Gathering of Curiosities). I share the sentiment of not knowing exactly where I want 2026 to take me in terms of stationery, or what my “theme” will be this year. I’ve had a hard time pulling together my own intentions.
2025 Fountain Pen and Stationery Highlights (via Olive Octopus). These are fun to read and I need to work my way through this set of prompts too. My trend is “not a lot of time to reflect”.
A Fountain Pen 2025 Year in Review, Including Some New-to-Me Pens (via Urban Adventure League). Some really nice pens in this annual recap, including a good mix of new and vintage.
Favorite (Stationery) Things of 2025 (via Weirdoforest Pens). A fun eclectic list, some of which are things I’ve not see before!
Top Fountain Pen Inks in 2025 (via Vanness Pens). What were the top fountain pen inks in 2025, as determined by the ink experts? Find out. And also learned why they had to change their ink swatch style, which is a bit sad….
2026 Techo Kaiji Plotter & Laconic Setup: Why Ring Planners Won Me Over (via dwrdnet). Ring planners/notebooks have taken off again over the past few years as companies have released more streamlined versions that aren’t as bulky as the ones you may remember.
Graphilo A5 and Liscio-1 A5 Papers Head to Head (via dwrdnet). Graphilo has been a favorite recent discovery, as it’s yet another excellent Japanese paper option developed especially for fountain pens. Liscio was a precursor to Graphilo, as Kobeha was developing the current product.
My 2026 Q1 Planning and Moving to a New Planner (via Writing at Large). Since my own move to a new planner with a quarterly layout, I’ve starting thinking about breaking the year down into chunks to make it more manageable. I really enjoyed reading this piece from someone who has been doing this for a long time.
Stationery Things I Learned in 2025 (via Pen Addict). Sometimes we learn that what makes us happiest is what we started out with in the first place.
Digital Declutter: Step One The Book Report (via Well-Appointed Desk). I clipped this post for my own reading list. I’ve read a few on here and there are some excellent suggestions for those looking to scale back.
A Gentle Start to a Fresh Start (via From the Pen Cup). I’ve enjoyed all the takes on journaling that Mary has explored, and I’m looking forward to more!

Resolutions Use More of This Stuff Paper and Stationery on Desk

In Case You Missed It….

This week I spent more time on camera recording videos than at my computer writing, and it wasn’t all my choice since there were some chilly mornings in the shop/office due to the heat being out. I recorded a YouTube video on my 2025 Favorite Things, and the response was a bit overwhelming so I might do some more in this style. Lisa Vanness and I continue to work on our joint project “On the Paper Trail” which will be a podcast/video series and we did a New Years Day Livestream that you can watch on the dedicated channel for that project. Read more about it here.

Tono & Lims Goldfish Shimmer Ink — Many of the Tono & Lims inks offer unique colors and different properties including combinations of shading, shimmer, and sheen.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

This week was a week for ink! We launched Tono & Lims in three new ink lines, and I’ve really enjoyed playing around with these inks, especially the Friendship line. We’ve also received a restock of Kakimori dip nibs and nib holders, as well as Object Index pens and desk accessories. Finally, the entire lineup of Craft Design Technology products is finally available, including their signature pens, pencils, paper products, and desk accessories and cases! Be sure to check each week’s Thursday Drops post for details on all new arrivals and restocks.

We are returning to normal Nashville store hours after the holidays, and will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6pm and Saturdays from 10am-6pm. Be sure to keep an eye on the site as we are planning a special in-store event on January 23-24 with Vanness Pens and Matthew Chen of Matthew’s Nibworks!

Roterfaden

Tono & Lims

Allex

Craft Design Technology

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Sunday Reading for December 28, 2025

December 28, 2025

Year in Review: What Happened with My 2025 Stationery Intentions (via A Gathering of Curiosities). A really good recap of what I’d certainly consider a successful year of intentions!
Ranking My Top 5 Notebook Systems and Top 5 Papers of 2025 (via dwrdnet). The year-end recaps have started! Derek gives us his favorite notebooks and papers from the past year.
Diamine Inkvent 2025 Summary (via Writing at Large). I agree with much of this reaction. Can we dispense with so much “Extreme Sheen” next year? I’m not hearing many positive reactions.
2025: Some of My Fountain Pen Highlights (via Fountain Pen Blog). An interesting set of acquisitions, notable for showcasing a breadth of interest.
The Transformative Power of a Planning System (via Philofaxy). Some great advice for those looking to add a planning system to their lives.
Top 10 Beautiful Nibs (via Figboot on Pens). David walks through the 10 best-looking nibs in his collection, looking at the visual artistry.
How to Fix a Stuck Mechanical Pencil Mechanism (via Vanness1938). A useful video on how to fix a mechanical pencil mechanism, shown on a Kaweco Sport mechanical pencil.
Iroshizuku Rikka (via Inkredible Colours). Rikka didn’t get as much attention when it was released this year, probably because the Iroshizuku line already has so many blues. But it’s a nice color all the same.
Meet Your Maker: Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Pen Company (via Pen Addict - Caroline). I enjoyed reading about the backstory behind Carolina Pen Company and how Jonathon got started.

In Case You Missed It….

I got a bit behind, but I finished up my recap of the 2025 Inkvent and Colorvent Calendars in two installments: Days 11-20 and Days 20-25. I also filmed a YouTube video walking through my business planner of choice for 2026: the Wonderland222 A5 Core S. This week look for more 2025 Recap content as well as announcements on 2026 plans!

NJK Long Point Pencil Sharpener — The NJK No. 211 Long Lead Pencil Sharpener is the latest addition to our shop!

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

The day-after-Christmas craziness continues through the weekend, with new arrivals from Craft Design Technology leading the way. In addition to the new CDT pen releases, we’ve introduced their Pentel mechanical pencil collaboration and Camel pencil set, as well as a bunch of new paper items (including fun sticky notes), as well as scissors and leather pen cases! I’m also testing out a lot of these items personally as I add them to the shop, and I’ve enjoyed exploring this line. It’s clearly been designed by people who love stationery and each of the various items thoughtfully chosen. We’ve also restocked this week on Roterfaden Taschenbegleiters (which now have their own shop page), Musgrave pencils, and NJK Pencil Sharpeners!

Craft Design Technology

Musgrave

Roterfaden

TRAVELER'S Company

How to Support T.G.S. and Our Various Projects

Subaru Outback stuffed with T.G.S. Packages — Pretty much sums up the week.

Sunday Reading for December 21, 2025

December 21, 2025

Top 5 Fountain Pens of 2025 (via dwrdnet). Derek talks about the best pens he collected this year, as most of us are now in “recap” mode.
Figboot’s Favorite Things 2025 (via Figboot on Pens). David walks through his favorite items that he reviewed this year. And he’s approaching 1000 videos sooner rather than later!?!
My 2025 Favorites (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel focuses heavily on custom/small-batch makers, so her list features a lot of unique and unusual pen designs.
Stationery Year-in-Review and Preview (via Pen Addict - Sarah). Sometimes our years don’t turn out as expected, and that’s ok.
10 More Useful Things (via Olive Octopus). I can vouch for the fact that most of these things are very useful, as Lisa has been kind enough to show me which of these I can/should use in the shop.
Leonardo x Stilo e Stile Momento Zero “Kintsugi” Fountain Pen Review (via Weirdoforest Pens). This Leonardo collaboration featuring gold flecks suspended in clear resin turned out to be gorgeous, and I sort of regret not picking one up when I had the chance.
How to Use a Notepad (via Notebook Stories). Small memo pads and bound notepads can be useful - I pretty much have one at every workstation and computer that I use for jotting down ideas, making quick calculations, etc.
J. Herbin Opale Nocturne Ink Review (via Pen Addict). Most of the Herbin shimmer inks don't speak to me, necessarily, but this one hits closer to the excellent “Shogun” ink in that the understated blue-grey color could serve as an everyday ink?
A Little Magic (via From the Pen Cup). These “rainbow” or “magic” pencils can produce unexpected effects whether you’re using them to write or draw.
Inkmas Day 8: Diamine Lady Grey (via Well-Appointed Desk). I’m going to get my hands on this after Christmas - I love Diamine Earl Grey and this has a lot of the same color effects going on, yet at the same time is completely different.

Inkvent and Colorvent Bottles Stacked Up — Yes, I am still participating in Inkvent/Colorvent, though I’m behind on posting my photos. I’ll hopefully have a chance to get caught up this week.

In Case You Missed It…

I continued my own Year-in-Review series with my own Five Favorite Posts from 2025, determined by nothing other than whether I enjoyed writing it! Lisa Vanness and I also released our first YouTube Live via the On The Paper Trail… official Youtube Channel! Please subscribe to help us grow and to automatically receive future episodes, including the upcoming podcast. You can also follow us on Instagram.

Craft Design Technology Mint Green Notepads

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop: Last Minute Madness!

We had a crazy - yet fun - rush in the shop this week, both in-store and online. As of today (Sunday), we only have three working days left until Christmas, so it is extremely unlikely online orders can be packed, shipped, and delivered by Christmas. If you have the opportunity, shop local and in-person, and to that end we will be open Monday and Tuesday in our Nashville location from 1pm-6pm, and will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day before reopening normal hours Friday and Saturday.