The color is a vivid green with moderate sheen. It will be noticed most often on Tomoe River, with wider nibs but may not be as noticeable on other papers or with finer nibs.

I like to test and experiment with inks in a few different ways including using a waterbrush for the title to see the undertones and the range of light and dark qualities of the ink. Hummingbird is definitely green with a slight lean to blue with a reddish pink sheen. In writing (using a Pilot Metropolitan F Nib) the color is a solid evergreen-ish green that is legible with a little shading.

Since this is a Kobe Ink, it is a Sailor ink under the hood so it is smooth and well-made.

Comparing to other inks:

I was surprised to find that I have a lot of inks that are in the similar hue with various amounts of sheen. I’d say that Coloverese Shrodinger is the closest but its slightly more yellow in its undertone. November Rain from Diamine is a ittle darker but in the same color hue and more sheeny. Vinta Kayangan Elysium and Lamy Crystal Peridot are both darker but the same base hue.

I also found a couple shimmer inks in the same color range: Dromgoole’s x Monteverde Cathedral Grove (gold sheen) and Ferris Wheel Press Misguided Mistletoe (silver shimmer, I think. I couldn’t see much of the sheen in this swatch).

Final Comments:

I love Sailor inks and Kobe inks still come in the plentiful 50ml bottles which I like. I love the story behind this ink but I do have to admit that I have a lot of similar greens in my collection. I either need to start using these up or make some choice about which bottles stay and which go. If you don’t already have one of these other inks in a similar green, then I would recommend Hummingbird as a  great addition but if you are like me with a foolish amount of green ink, I’d think twice about it just so that you don’t have multiple bottles of essentially the same color.

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

So, starting today, we will have a quote or bit of inspiration each week that I hope will get you inspired, get you thinking or just put a smile on your face.

I’m delighted to kick this off with a seasonally appropriate author, Mary Shelley.

“The beginning is always today.”

May you start a new project, a new page or just with a fresh outlook.

If you have an inspiring quote you’d like to share, please leave it in the comments and maybe I’ll feature it in a future Quote of the Week post. Thanks!

Pens:

• New Pen and Ink Day: Sailor TUZU Adjust Crystal Violet and Robert Oster Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty (via CJs Wunderkammer)
• Reducing and Reorganising my Fountain Pen Collection (via Inky Imaginings)
• Sailor Pro Gear Regular Fountain Pen Review (via The Pen Addict)
• The Best White Ink Pens (via JetPens Blog)
• PSA: Diligently clean your L’il Dipper (via CJs Wunderkammer)
• A look at the semi-vintage Parker 65 Custom fountain pen. (via Fountain pen blog)
• Choosing the Right Work Pen, Part 1 (via Line Variation)
• Halloween Appropriate Pens & Inks, again (via Fountain Pen Chronicles and More)

Ink:

• First Look at Sunlit Steel: Duluth Shop Exclusive (via Dime Novel Raven)
• Ink Review #2911: Pennonia Hajnal Dawn (via Mountain of Ink)

Pencils:

• some news about pencils (via pencil talk)

Notebooks & Paper:

• Inserts for 2027, 2028 and 2029 (via Philofaxy)
• Review: Maruse A5 Leather Journal Cover (via Parka Blogs)
• A New Notebook will fix Everything… right? (via Dime Novel Raven)
• Hobonichi Interview: Hobonichi’s History, Designs, and Future (via JetPens Blog)

Art & Creativity:

• Checking In: An Inktober Update (via From the Pen Cup)
• Marker vs. Pencil: Japanese Maple (via Fueled by Clouds & Coffee)
• REVIEW: LIGHTWISH Travel Watercolor Set, 24 Colors Compact Art Kit (via Doodlewash)
• Big Refill Part II (via Apple-Pine)
• Playing with new paints (via Liz Steel)
• Stitching Beauty — Inspiration from Minä Perhonen and More! (via LoopKnitlounge)

Other Interesting Things:

• New book from James Gleick about the history of the telephone (via kottke.org)
• The trailer for Blade Runner 2099 (via kottke.org)
• Where You Should Live: Five Factors to Keep in Mind (via kottke.org)
• The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out. (via kottke.org)
• ArtCraft is building open source versions of Adobe apps (via kottke.org)
• See the process behind Laika’s stop-motion fantasy fable, Wildwood, in London exhibition (via It’s Nice That)
• Carolina Incerti’s A Book for Making Books is designed to be torn apart and remade (via It’s Nice That)
• Design disasters or creative solutions? The self-made paper signs replacing wayfinding in Singapore’s railway stations (via It’s Nice That)

Check out our Patreon where you can get inspiration, gossip and free printables that include a biweekly podcast and more. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

This weekend I vended at the new On the Paper Trail LIVE event in Nashville, TN. The event opened on Friday afternoon and continued through Sunday afternoon. I dragged my sweet husband Bob along with me to be the face of the table while I taught some workshops and, you know… shopped a little!

The Vendors at the Event:

There were approximately six or so vendors at this event which doesn’t seem like much but 100% covered the bases for most people: a nib grinder, a pen maker, three pen shops with an assortment of stationery products, a pen distributor, a 3D maker or accessories and … me, with stickers, stamps and washi and more.

We even overheard someone say this was their first event and they were so overwhelmed! Can you imagine if they had gone to DC or SF first?

So, while it was a small event, I hope it was a good experience for the attendees with a decent array of products to see and try.

Activities at the event:

Someone kindly captured a photo of me teaching the Make Your Own Junk Journal workshop which I always forget to do. Everyone had fun building their own notebooks and beginning to fill them with ephemera.

On Friday night, Derek of DWRDNet hosted a type-in, with 17+ typewriters available for people to try out with an array of styles, typefaces, designs and details. He gave a wonderful presentation introducing new folks to typewriters and then the clicking and clacking commenced. Some folks just played, others wrote letters and I just admired them all.

Olive Octopus hosted an Ink Pony Club event where everyone got to try different papers and use ink to paint the artwork printed on the pages. The lobby of the hotel was a perfect place to relax and paint and make new friends.

There was also two different washi tape events: how to use washi and a washi tape swap event but I forgot to get pictures. Just imagine Jaclyn of Kaleidocraft absolutely killing it with cool demos and activities!

Stuff I acquired:

I want to mention how incredibly kind and thoughtful the stationery community is. Everything pictured above (except for a few items not shown like two jars of jam from Kristy which is in my fridge because I already opened them). I cannot tell you how touched I am by how generous and thoughtful everyone is.

There was also a Swap table where people could leave things they weren’t using or no longer wanted and pick up things you might like. I grabbed the spider web washi, the absolutely amazing 8-bit Pokemon-style playing cards and the astrology banner in the background. I have been to a couple other events that had this but I absolutely love this aspect and how generous folks are. The fear is always that one person will walk up and dump the entire contents in their bag and leave but that has never happened. People are always so sweet saying “Oh, I don’t want to take too much!” and “I didn’t bring anything so I can’t take anything.” The point of a swap table is to find something new while also unloading some things you no longer need. If you didn’t bring anything this time, remember to pay it forward somehow later whether you bring items to the next event or pack a box of things for a neighbor, co-worker, friend or family member. Sharing the joy of our hobby is half the fun. Anything left at the end of the weekend gets collected to take to the next local pen club meet-up, a local craft supply reuse shop or charity shop. It will all find its proper home.

I also got the latest Ink Pony Club packet from OliveOctopus and a couple bottles of ink. Some of the students in my workshops gave me treats and treasures like the jewel star, a box of vintage paper and a skein of “tourist yarn” since I was unable to venture out to the local yarn shop during the weekend.

Thanks to everyone for their kindness and generosity.

I bought two lovely pens. The first is the very perfect lime green Pilot MR special edition (Japan Exclusive). I can’t even find it online anywhere but The Gentleman Stationer had it so call or email there if you need one too. I also had Bill, the sale rep for Pilot, show me his beloved Pilot E95s (he says he’s been carrying it in his shirt pocket for decades) and that was all it took to convince me to buy my own finally.

I think the two pens look stunning together and I’m happy to have them in my collection.

Cool things I saw:

Final Thoughts:

On the Paper Trail LIVE was a very small event but featured a good assortment of vendors in a city that has not had a pen and stationery event until now. And this event focused on demos, activities and classes and made sure there were lots of places for attendees to sit, hand out, meet other people and just hang out. I think expanding the focus of stationery events beyond the marketplace is a way to make it fun, interactive and educational. I am definitely pencilling this event on my calendar for 2027. Are you?

Since then I’ve had fun getting out my swatching equipment and seeing what she shared. So far that Dominant Industry Sunset has stolen my heart, but I’m enjoying a variety of seasonal colors and I’ve got lots more still to swatch.

Is there anything better than pen friends?

(PS I’ll be busy filling up vials of samples for her until the next meeting!)

Some suggestions are exactly what I would pick but others still have an internet component. Like the suggestion to find a new recipe it says “Research a new-to-you recipe.” with a link the NYTimes Cooking section. Instead, I think it should say something like “grab that cookbook in your kitchen and pick a recipe.” The other cooking suggestion like “make some pasta” or “churn some ice cream” feel like filler to get to that whopping 118 Things. The tip to research a new restaurant is also likely to lead to grabbing your phone and getting lost on an app. But a tip to “walk around your neighborhood and try a new-to-you restaurant” or “ask your friends/family to recommend a restaurant” is less tied to social media and the doomscrolling suck.

Some suggestions seem written for anyone inclined to procrastinate or fighting their ADHD demons like “schedule an appointment you’ve been putting off” or “check the batteries in your smoke detectors”. I feel scolded by these. I read this post looking for a way to spend time when I am looking for entertainment, not my phantom inner-critic reminding me I’m goofing off when I should be “maximizing my time”. Ugh! If you are triggered by these too, replace them with something you like to do but haven’t done them lately like “spend 10 minutes chilling with a face mask on” or “grab a puzzle book and do one or two.”

Overall,  the suggestions inspire me to get up and do something. Just don’t get caught by the  links in the post though or you’ll be down a different internet rabbit hole.

I suggest taking the list from Wirecutter and cherry-pick some of the items that resonate with you. It could be 10 things or 100 things. Maybe add your own ideas. Write the list in the back of your notebook, planner or journal to inspire you when you need it most. If you pick 6, 8, 10, 12, 20 or 100, you could turn this into a “Roll for Initiative” and grab your DND dice bag and roll the appropriate dice when you need some help making a decision.

How do you fight the urge to doomscroll? Give me your best your suggestions in the comments.

Only two weeks into my October Planner Set-Up where I changed everything, I realized it was a mistake. Not that the planner was bad but that I had a system in place. When I say system, I mean I had a personal process that I used in how often, when and where I used the planner. So I want to start by saying, the issue was NOT the actual planner but the way I use it. So, in switching up my system, I had to change where I was storing data, when I was using it, what reminders were stored there or somewhere else and then remember where to find it.

What I learned on the accidental two-week test? I am an ONE planner person. All the to-dos, reminders, projects need to be kept in the same place or I lose track of everything. I made my new system too complicated and found that I was letting two or more days pass without documenting my days. I was not using this new system even though I wanted to use them.

The whole point of a planner/journal is to document, record and remind myself of tasks and with my new system, I was not using them.

I love the paper in the Owl Paper Planner but I have been living in the Aura Estelle for the last nine months. It’s like buying a new pair of boots. Anyone who ever wore Dr. Marten’s will know what I mean. The first couple weeks are painful. You get blisters no matter what you do. But once they are broken in, they are your favorite boots. That’s how I am feeling with my Aura Estelle planner. The Owl Paper is a good planner. The paper is lovely, the design is clean. However,  I think I can get a few more months (or years) of wear out of the Aura Estelle. I will consider switching when the Aura Estelle is no longer meeting my needs.

Sometimes, a planner will no longer meet your needs. It’s okay. It happens — life changes (babies are born, jobs change, people retire, etc) and that is a good time to re-assess your planner or journal system. But choosing to switch for arbitrary reasons is a recipe for disaster.

Once again, I continue to be your cautionary tale. Don’t be like me and be swayed by the shiny new.

Pens:

• Arrtx Acrylic Markers (via Jane Blundell Artist)
• Leonardo Momento Zero Pausilya Fountain Pen Review (via The Pen Addict)
• Video-Review: Waldmann Edelfeder (Steel Nib) (via Scrively)
• New Nib Day: Schon Design L’il Dipper (via CJs Wunderkammer)
• Nebotek (III) – 10 Years (via Crónicas Estilográficas)

Ink:

• ink review : TAG Kyoto kyo-no-oto uguisuiro (via inkxplorations)

Pencils:

• Exploring the Craftsmanship of Victorian Mechanical Pencils (via Fountain Pen Chronicles)

Notebooks & Paper:

• My 2027 Planner Setup: Why I Chose Wonderland222 (Again) (via The Gentleman Stationer)
• Guest post series – ‘Filohax’ No. 31 – Paul (via Philofaxy)
• Sketchbook Switch: Here’s What I Chose (via Notebook Stories)
• Karatis A5 Soft Cover Notebook Review (via The Pen Addict)
• 2026 Techo Kaigi (via Casual Crossings)

Art & Creativity:

• More collage pages (via Liz Steel)
• The Art of Paying Attention (and very special calendars) (via My Giant Strawberry)
• InkTober, Week 1: Brush Markers (via Fueled by Clouds & Coffee)
• The Wonderful World of Julie Arkell (via LoopKnitlounge)
• Here’s the Easiest Way To Transfer Your Embroidery Patterns Onto Fabric (via Brown Paper Bag)

Pen Show Recaps:

• 2026 Dallas Pen Show Recap (via The Pen Addict)
• The London Autumn Pen Show, 2026: my haul. (via Fountain pen blog)

Other Interesting Things:

• Paul Ferney Paints Glowing Swimming Pools and Quiet Summer Nights That Feel Like Memories You Never Want to Lose (via Design You Trust)
• Tokyo Underground Club Turns Its Dancefloor Into a “Reading Rave (via EDM)
• 118 Things to Do Instead of Doomscrolling (via Wirecutter)
• Why I Like Toy Cameras (via Comfortable Shoes Studio)

Check out our Patreon where you can get inspiration, gossip and free printables that include a biweekly podcast and more. Your patronage supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!

I looked for new and unusual colors in the felt tip pen aisle — one of my favorite types of pens. Since I was able to swatch the colors, I was able to get colors I actually liked (I put several back because they were too light, too similar or not unique enough from my collection) from my favorite brands: Staedtler Triplus Fineliner, Stabilo Point 88 , Faber-Castell Pitt Brush Pens and Marvy LePens.

I grabbed a few fun colors. I particularly like the Staedtler Triplus Fineline in “Brown” which looks like a deep pumpkin orange to me and the “Olive Green” which is in the range of my favorite murky swampy green hue. The Stabilo Point 88 Olive Green looks more like a deep forest green or a green black but I like it. The Pitt Brush pen is a light mossy green but called “Earth Green”. There were so many unique colors to choose from and the Pitt Brush Pens I own currently have lasted forever so I might get a couple more colors next time I pop into Blick.

I continue to add to my Marvy LePen collection with the Pale Mauve –quite a bit lighter than I expected–but it adds to the collection and the Sepia and Black to round out my assortment. I think there are only a few colors in the LePen line I don’t own yet. It was a childhood favorite and I still love them. Some of that love is probably nostalgia but they keep making good pens, in good colors at good prices so how can I resist?

The selection of rollerball and gel pens at Blick was a bit lacking so I didn’t find anything else I wanted but I was tickled to see that they are starting to stock things like Tom’s Studio pens, Platinum Carbon Black ink and an array of converters including Pilot, Sailor and Platinum!

In closing, sometimes its okay to add more of what you love to your stationery collection. And also, its okay to add to your collection one pen at a time. Sets seem like a great deal but if you end up with colors or nib/tip sizes you won’t use, its not the good deal you thought it would be. Local art supply shops are great options for finding open stock (items available in bins, not in sets or in blister packs) pens and pencils and they often will allow you to test the nibs and colors on sample papers or in your own notebook.

Maybe you don’t have an art supply or stationery shop near you to peruse but maybe the local office store, big box, drugstore or dollar store can provide a little stationery delight for you. We all love expensive grail fountain pens, fancy inks and high-end notebooks and planners but we also have a soft spot for the pens we loved as a kid, composition notebooks or stickers from Daiso. Its okay to splurge if your splurge is under $20.

The items featured in this review were purchased with my own money. I am not an affiliate and receive no compensation for this post. I just like my local Blick Art Materials store.