October 26, 2026
New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world: pens, notebooks, planners, and the people using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. The full gear catalog lives on the Shelf, linked at the bottom. One letter, once a week. That's it.
I want my tools to look nice, which is a big reason I buy some of them, but I also want them to function the way they need to and serve the purpose I intend. That means looking at the planner lineup you have right now and making sure it's actually fulfilling the purpose you set out to have. I try to rotate between the Paper Republic and the Lochby Mini Field Journal so they're not just sitting on the shelf gathering dust. On the go, I carry a wallet and my notebook cover with a few Field Notes, a pocket pencil, and a pocket pen, and that is my everyday note-taker. My new video tests an Altoids tin EDC kit against a tin from a pen company, and the pen company wins, so with November setups already showing up, it's a good week to run the same check on your own kit.
What's new in analog
Sunday Reading for October 25, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): This is the Sunday link roundup from Gentleman Stationer, leading with a recap of On The Paper Trail Live, the first live event in Nashville, and also pointing to a BunguLA visit, a Lamy 2000 work pen story, a Colorverse Colorvents revisit, and a look at the Parker 65 Custom. Open it if you want one pass through what the pen blogs covered this week, including Wearingeul's move from ink into fountain pens.
Plan your week without sacrificing your priorities (Rachelle in Theory): Rachelle argues that a paper calendar can protect your time from people who drop meetings into your morning on Outlook, and she starts by showing how to make paper and digital tools work together. If your calendar keeps getting filled by other people, this is a practical fix from someone who clearly has Outlook in her sights.
Making My 1st Swatch Book Using Every Pen I Own (Gare the Bear): Gare picks one single-purpose Field Notes color swatch notebook and sets out to swatch every pen, marker, paint pen, colored pencil and piece of charcoal in the studio, with just one black pen standing in for the rest. It's for anyone who has a pile of art supplies and no record of what they actually look like on paper.
Work & Business Planner Setup 👩🏻💻 Hobonichi A6 Day Free Setup (The Coffee Monsterzco): This is a first look at next year's planning for the Hobonichi A6 Day-Free, set up as a business planner and brain dump journal, with a walkthrough of its undated numbered pages and the dated calendar section at the front. Watch it if you want to know why an undated book with a monthly calendar suits business planning without pressure to write daily. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo.
hacking the TN insert for my A6 journal (Tori on Paper): Tori ripped out her journaling pages from the Hobonichi Day-Free after finding it wasn't bringing her joy, then glued an old MD notebook cover onto it and pivoted to hacked TN inserts for her A6 journal. If you've ever bought a planner and found out it didn't fit how you write, her honest course correction is worth your time.
Quote of the Week: The beginning… (Well-Appointed Desk): Well-Appointed Desk launches a weekly quote feature, starting right away instead of waiting for the new year, with a Mary Shelley quote as the first entry. It's a short, low-effort read that makes the case that you can start a new project on any day you like.
My First Pen Chat! On Journals and Essential Fountain Pens (AlexanderWrites): Alexander films his first front-facing pen chat, covering what he's been using lately, including a 93-page Wonderland 222 notebook he finished even though the paper feathered with his pens. Pick it if you're thinking about that notebook, since he's curious whether he just got a bad batch after the brand switched its paper supply.
November 2026 Bullet Journal Setup 💜 (JashiiCorrin): JashiiCorrin reviews how October's bullet journal layouts worked before setting up November, and admits she's cutting the bottom sections of her cycle overview because she tracks that material digitally. You'll get a useful look at how to audit your own spreads and trim what you never use.
Thursday Drops: TRAVELER'S Diaries, Lochby Daily Folios, and Kaweco DIY this Weekend! (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer's shop update announces that the Kaweco DIY event continues through Saturday, with new arrivals like the TRAVELER'S 2027 Diaries, Blackwing Volumes 143 Frida Kahlo pencils, Lamy Studio Petrol, and Lochby Daily Folios in A4, A5 and A6. Local shoppers should read it for the store hours and the list of what just landed, including standard TRAVELER'S starter kits back in Blue, Camel and Brown.
More Unique Stationery Finds and a MAGNIFICENT Surprise (Lilla Björn Stationery): Lilla Björn shares a haul from Wonder Pens in Toronto, starting with an A6 Life notebook with 5 mm light green grid and thread binding that showed no ghosting or bleed through with her fountain pens. She also teases a surprise at the end, so it suits anyone who wants to hear whether the Life notebook hype holds up.
This Thing Kept Me Journaling (Steven Foster): Steven credits an e-bike he bought this summer as one of the biggest upgrades to his analog life, and says his journaling and writing have struggled since he's been without it during a trip to Southern California for his daughter's medical care. The video isn't sponsored, and it's a good pick if you suspect your journaling habit depends more on your routine than on your gear.
We're opening 7 days a week! (Yoseka Stationery): Yoseka Stationery announces that starting November 9 it will be permanently open seven days a week. If you shop there or plan to visit, that's the one fact you need.
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This month's Stationery Pulse episode
From the channel
New on the blog:
That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.
The Shelf is the full catalog: 175 products across 19 categories, from pens and inks to notebooks, covers and planners.
Want the short version? The Planning Engineered resources page is the start-here list.
Luis