Sometimes, I browse through the new items over at JetPens and find a real quirky treasure. The Iconic Diary Stamps are just that sort of item. These are self-inking stamps that feature very quirky art work. There are 26 different designs available ($6.50 each). I purchased three to try and as soon as they arrived, I knew I would probably decide to order the other designs.

From right to left, these designs are: “I don’t know”, “Save me” and “Lazy”. Clearly, not your average planner stamps!

I tested these on my Stalogy planner paper and depending on how much pressure I apply, the stamps performed light to a little too dark. Lighter pressure seems to be better but I haven’t quite mastered the technique. I think a pencil board under the page I’m working on would help to create a firmer surface on which to stamp.

From the back, there is a bit of show through but no bleed through.

I also tested the stamps on 120 gsm smooth sketchbook paper and got similar stamping results.

Because the paper was thicker and more opaque, there was less show through on the back of the sketchbook paper.

I pretty much love the irreverent style of these stamps and the designs I chose speak to my lackadaisical attitude these days. I might have to pick up a few more of these — maybe the “Cheer Up” and “Don’t Give Up” — I’m not always this bleak.

DISCLAIMER: The 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.

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The design is an extension of Enigma Inkvent Set that was released at the end of 2022. The original Inkvent design only had 25 holes to hold ink samples so the new design, made out of acrylic and is shipped flat is perfect for anyone who likes to swatch an ink a day or just needs a great way to store the ink samples you still need to swatch or try.

The set does not ship with ink samples but I wanted to show how fabulous the display looks filled with ink vials.

The stand is about 4.5″ deep so it doesn’t take up much space on your desk and stands proudly at about 14.5″ tall and 6.375″ wide at its widest. I like that it gets my ink samples up off the table and easy to see. I’ve had other ink vial holders but they are wide and flat and take up precious desk real estate.

The holes are designed to fit the standard 5ml sample vials favored by most fountain pen retailers.

The model I was shipped was especially designed for me in a sparkly pink acrylic. For the initial release of the 31-Day Ink Sample Stand, Enigma will be offering them in gold, silver and copper shimmer acrylic. More colors may be available in the future. Head over to the web site to sign up to be notified when the product launches officially.

I think this is a brilliant concept and I can’t wait to see photos on Instagram of these sitting on desks throughout the pen community.

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Enigma Stationery for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

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The unfinished wood box is assembled with tongue and groove laser cut and is filled with more than 100 3″ x 5″ sheets of lined paper. The paper is probably about 24 or 28 lb bond — we used a micrometer but it was also what my printer husband guessed just by holding it in his hand. It’s not index card weight but not too floppy. The paper is very smooth and features medium-grey 5mm lines.

I love to have 3 x 5’s on my desk for a quick calculation, grocery list or other random note.  This box gives me a perfect coral for the stack of paper and it looks great too.

I tend to use 3 x 5s in portrait rather than landscape so the lines are a bit odd for me and they are printed on both sides so I can’t just flip them over and use the other side. Personally, I prefer blank paper for 3 x 5s — years at Hallmark hammered them into me head.

As for the claim that the paper is Fountain Pen Friendly. I can attest that, yes, it is.

The only thing that stumps me is the lines on the paper. It’s fine but I think when I use up the sheets in the box, I’ll just have Bob cut some scrap paper to size for me.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Some items were purchased with funds from our amazing Patrons. You can help support this blog by joining our Patreon. Please see the About page for more details.

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I purchased not one but TWO of the tiny ink vial holder tea cups — one in my favorite color — lime green —  and one in pink. The inserts (liquid) in each cup is removable and available in “coffee” brown or “matcha” green. I think the matcha insert works best in the pink cup and the coffee in the lime green cup. What do you think?

If you are interested in purchasing an ink vial holder or find about any of the other awesome 3D printed, pen-related products that Keith is creating, send him a DM on Instagram @randomthinks. Or catch up with him in person at the Detroit Pen Show and the Ohio Pen Shows this year.

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I’m a huge fan of Rickshaw Bags. Ever since my first daily-carry Zero Messenger Bag (now 10 years old and still looking great), which has traveled with me to four continents, I’ve found reasons (and excuses) to buy more bags in other colors, sizes, fabrics and styles. I also have several stationery accessories. Handmade in San Francisco, the products are all well made, durable and – the most addictive part – color-customizable!

Rickshaw’s Plush Valet Tray ($34) is not an item that initially struck me as useful. Traditionally, a valet is used by men as a pocket dump. Since I don’t carry coins, keys, knives or anything else in my pockets, I don’t have this need. However, I do have a specific art table need, and when I spotted the cushy valet, I suddenly realized what its purpose is.

When I’m working on a drawing or other project at my desk, I’m constantly picking up and putting down various pencils, pens, scissors or other tools, and I don’t like the noisy clatter they make on my desktop surface or a hard tray. I’d tried paper towels and fabric to set tools down on, but round pencils kept rolling off.

The rectangular 4-by-8-inch valet is an ideal size for giving my currently used tools a soft, silent place to land – it’s plush-lined! Yes, my pencils now have a more comfy seat than I do. I don’t have any of Rickshaw’s gorgeous, plush-lined fountain pen cases or Coozies because I refuse to let my pens be better dressed than I am. OK, I do have one Clover Pen Sleeve (alas, no longer available), seen in this post, which also shows a couple of my many Rickshaw bags. But the Clover has a specific travel purpose beyond keeping my pens warm and stylishly dressed.

I chose Cordura fabric in Iris on the outside (in homage to my original, well-traveled Zero Messenger) and orange plush on the inside. 

The valet has an interesting and functional design: In use, the four corners are snapped together into a simple tray. When unsnapped, the valet goes flat for storage or travel. It’s also available in three square sizes and a slightly less cushy version in waterproof EPX fabric.

This is one of those things that I did not know I needed until I saw it, and now I don’t know how I ever worked at my desk without it! Did I mention that it’s color-customizable? Don’t play with the customizing tool just before bedtime. I guarantee you will stay up too late trying out all the color combos.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: The 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.

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At first I thought this would be the world’s shortest product review in which I say: This is the cutest phone holder ever! [End of review.] But I’ll say a bit more so that you get your reading’s worth. 

In fact, this shiba inu dog not only holds your phone – it also holds your earbuds. If dogs aren’t your thing, the Lihit Lab Smart Fit PuniLabo Earphone Holder ($11.25) is also available as a black cat, a pink pig, a brown bear, a gray cat and a panda. All are adorable!

When one hand is holding a fork or a sandwich, it’s easier to view and scroll a phone upright than flat on a table. I have been wanting something to prop my phone up at an angle when I’m scrolling through a snack or lunch. I think the PuniLabo holds the phone at a better angle when it’s horizontal. I tend to use my phone vertically, and I think I’d prefer it if it leaned back a bit further. It works well either way, though. I’ve shown it here with my husband’s Samsung Galaxy S10, which is slightly thinner than my Galaxy S20. Both fit easily into the slot. Even a chunky old phone would fit.

I would have bought this even if it had only one function, but it has two. The PuniLabo opens with a squeeze like a coin purse, revealing a compartment for your earbuds. Hidden magnets secure the opening but release easily. I didn’t even know the magnets were there until the short ballchain that comes with it kept sticking to the opening! The ballchain goes through the loophole for hanging from your bag or whatnot. 

It’s functional and adorable. Nuff said?

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: The 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.

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In addition to high-end, limited-edition, collectible pencils, Blackwing makes a few unique pencil accessories, including the Blackwing Point Guard ($10 each). Available in matte black, gold, silver, and a set of one of each color, the point guard is made in Taiwan of lightweight, machined aluminum. I chose matte black to match my favorite standard-edition Blackwing. Like all of Blackwing’s standard editions, the Point Guard’s esthetic is sleek, minimal and professional.

When the Point Guard first came out, I had heard some grumblings in the pencil community that its friction fit marred some barrel finishes or didn’t fit comfortably on some standard-size pencils. A good fit would be one that allows the cap to slide on without force and stay on during transport in a bag or pocket. I went through my pencil collection to find a variety of barrels to try it on. Of course, I put it first on several older and newer Blackwings; it fits all of them just fine and leaves no mark.

I also tried it on a Mitsubishi Hi-Uni, one of my all-time favorite pencils, and it fits fine also. I couldn’t find any standard-size graphite pencils in my collection that were a problem.

Next I tried several pencils that have ever-so-slightly-larger-than-standard barrels. These pencils often are a problem when I try to put them into sharpeners designed only for standard-size pencils, so I didn’t expect them to fit the Point Guard. The Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle colored pencil, the Caran d’Ache Klein Blue graphite pencil and the Derwent Drawing Pencil are all snug, but the Point Guard goes on without force. I see no marks on the barrels. These surprised me – I didn’t think they would fit at all.

This one also surprised me: The Caran d’Ache Supracolor, which I have always thought of as having a standard-size barrel, is slightly loose in the Point Guard. It stays on, but with less resistance than the Blackwings or the Hi-Uni. 

Finally, I dug around in my pencil cups for an oddball: a Japanese prayer pencil with a square barrel. It fits also.

Maybe the Point Guard has improved over time, but I have nothing to grumble about.

Well, OK, I have one grumble: the price. Does a $10 Point Guard work better than a plastic Sonic Cupot (my personal favorite pencil cap, 6/$3.25)? No, but it will probably last longer, and for some, it might suit their professional image better than the Cupot’s elementary-school palette. I can’t argue with that.

Tina Koyama is an urban sketcher in Seattle. Her blog is Fueled by Clouds & Coffee, and you can follow her on Instagram as Miatagrrl.

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Some items were purchased with funds from our amazing Patrons. You can help support this blog by joining our Patreon. Please see the About page for more details.

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Enter, the Jam Studio Sticker Albums (starting at $15). This was a total impulse purchase. I wasn’t even sure it would fit all the random sticker sheets I owned but it was aqua and sparkly so honestly, how was I to resist?

I was surprised to discover that all those sticker sheets from Midori, Sautelier, etc all fit just fine. Even the sheets of stickers I got ages ago from Pip Sticks fit into the sleeves. I left the backer cards on most of the sticker sheets as a lot of them are translucent and the back card made it easier to clearly see the stickers on each page. There are pockets on each side of the page to slot in sticker sheets. I removed all the cellophane sleeves from the stickers so its now much faster to find a sticker then slide out the sheet and use a sticker off the sheet.

The King Jim Kitta Line of stickers fit 3-up in a sleeve as I have more Kitta tape stickers than will fit in my specially sized Kitta Sticker Album.

In the back were several slick white sheets to either attach stray stickers onto or to place between pages where you might need a backer card. There’s also a zipper pouch in the back for flake stickers (i.e. small, random die cut stickers).

Both the front and the back covers are translucent jelly-look with suspended bits of glitter. Inside the cover is a secretary pocket for more miscellaneous stickers AND a heavy white pocket that makes it possible to slide a decorated page between the cover and pocket to personalize or hide the contents.

If you are going to go down the well of planner stickers and fun goofy stickers, might as well have a nice place to store them so they are easy to access, sort and use.

As I get more involved in maintaining a personal bullet journal, the more appeal being able to embellish a particularly dull page with something fun. It makes my inner 9-year-old EXTREMELY happy.

DISCLAIMER: The 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.

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The package arrives in a slim cardboard envelope and the pieces are easily separated along the perforations. Just 60 seconds of assembly and you’re ready to load it up with your desk tools. I thought it would be fun to shoot a time lapse video of it to show you sizing, ease of assembly and of course, the finished product!

(Editor’s Note: It was brought to our attention that not everyone could see Laura’s original video post on Instagram so we’ve added a YouTube link above. Hopefully, that will make watching her time lapse a little easier to access.)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laura Cameron (@fluffykira)

I will say that picking up and moving the camera once it is fully loaded is a bit precarious. It seems like sturdy paperboard, but without gluing it I wouldn’t move it over great distances. However, it’s a fun desk accessory and I always like adding something new to the rotation!

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The Himekuri Sticky Note Calendars ($32.00) are made up of seven little stacks of what look like post-it notes. They are mounted on a sturdy cardstock back that actually folds nicely into a stand so that the calendar can occupy a place on your desk.  The calendars come in a variety of themes: cats, stationery, sweets, zoo and a few others. I purchased Memory which has a variety of gorgeous photos.

The calendar also comes with a memory booklet, where you can store your daily sticky images after you’ve removed them from the calendar. All the text is in Japanese, and I assume it provides more context to the photos, or bits of wisdom, quotes etc. There is a little room in the margins, so I might use mine to record my own thoughts of the week in short form.

Overall, I was really charmed by this little calendar. I’ve added mine to the bulletin board right above my monitor so I can see the week at a glance and enjoy the beautiful photos each week.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased the items for this review with my own money and all opinions are my own. Please see the About page for more details.

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