Seeing a display of pens and pencils gets us as excited as getting our hands on a row of penny candy jars. Both make us drool. We cannot pass up a chance to test them on a sample writing pad. And purchase a few to add to our collection.
Here are the details on some of our favorites. We’re briefly covering why we love them, when to use them, and where to buy them. Click on the name for more purchase information.
We love a visit to Muji in the city. The minimalist, Japanese store sells stationery, household goods, and apparel with the stationery supplies the highlight! They make fabulous pens. Our favorite is the ballpoint pen 0.5. It comes in numerous colors. The kids love to use them for school.
A1960s vintage but still made today, Paper Mate Flair comes in a rainbow of colors. They won’t smudge and have bold colors. Add color to your journal, lists, and craft projects with these timeless pens. It’s a grown-up way to keep markers around.
This classic 1816 pencil is simple and honestly just looks good. It’s lightweight and the wood grain is beautiful. You’ll want us to ship you a handful to stow in every drawer so you can write with something lovely.
This pen is great for illustrations, technical drawings, lettering, and journaling but we just jot notes with it. It’s smooth, no-smudge writing with instant-dry ink that makes us smile and even helps us write neater. Comes in various sizes but the 04 is our favorite.
We like things neat and pretty. We replaced all our freebie pens with a set of these white pens. It’s a smooth ballpoint pen that works for everyday jots and notes while keeping everything minimal and clean-looking.
This feels fancier than the price. Made by a Japanese stationery company, the ink flows smoothly and evenly. It has the precision of a fountain pen and the richness of a felt tip pen. And it’s less disposable with the ability to add refills.
Blackwing has been around for 100 years and beloved by authors and artists. John Steinbeck, E.B. White, and Walt Disney to name a few. The Blackwing 64 nods to halftone printing in comic books with colors used in the earliest comics books. Graphite is perfect for sketching or making math homework fun. You may even feel like a superhero jotting your to-do list.
Sometimes you need to address a dark envelope or write on something dark. No problem with this white Uni-Ball Signo Gel pen. It applies silky and opaque white with its rollerball tip. This pen is smooth and bold to help your text stand out. Just be sure to let it dry before stacking something on it.
Pilot Parallel Calligraphy Pen
We work with amazing calligraphers and secretly wish we had their talent. This pen allows us to play and dream of one day writing as distinctive as them. Okay, that will probably never happen but it is fun to play with this inexpensive pen. Try it out in different size nibs and let us know if you go into the calligraphy business. We’ll want to work with you.
The smooth-writing, microfine plastic tip makes Le Pen a great choice for writing. Also works well for sketching, doodling, journaling, scrapbooks, and more. Its sleek, slim barrel matches the ink color.
