September Staff Picks
From shimmering clutch pencils and fluorescent highlighters to 5-year diaries and cosy autumn inks — here is what our team is loving this month!
Alice's Staff Picks: 3.2mm Kaweco Sport Clutch Pencil in Lunar Light Blue & Pink Caran d'Ache Fluo Pencil
This month I chose two things. Firstly a 3.2mm Kaweco Sport clutch pencil in Lunar light blue. This is a new colour from Kaweco this year as part of the Lunar collection. I chose light blue as the way it shimmers and changes colours depending on the light is so beautiful and very unique! I’ve wanted a clutch pencil for a while and liked how chunky and compact this one is. It’s lightweight and feels nice in the hand. I can get hand cramps when writing or drawing and found the chunky pencil body prevented this from happening as much. The downside to this pencil is it does not come with a built-in sharpener like the more expensive clutch pencil model from Kaweco. But a knife or sharpener can still work so long as you are careful. It comes with a 5B lead which I find works great for sketching and writing alike.
I also chose a Caran d'Ache Fluo pencil in pink. These pencils are fluorescent, work as a pencil highlighter and come in 4 colours. I love how this can add some interest to a journal page, sketch or to-do list. No need to worry about smudging or ink drying out. They are a bit chunky so feel sturdy in the hand and the colour is rich and punchy. I always know if I get something from Caran d'Ache it will be high quality and durable. They are a cheap and cheerful stationery staple!
Carys' Staff Pick: Ciak Classic Notebook B6 Blank, Red
This month I’ve been using my Ciak notebook for university, and it’s quickly become one of those things I always like having with me. I use it for lecture notes, ideas, planning assignments, and anything I need to remember. I really like the faux leather cover, which gives it a very professional look, and knowing it’s made in Italy is a nice touch. The paper has been particularly impressive with my fountain pens. It feels lovely to write on and I’ve had no bleed through or feathering at all. I’ve really enjoyed using this notebook this month and I think it’ll be my go-to for uni from now on.
Hollie's Staff Pick: Linen Five Year Diary
I love this little five year diary. It’s pocket sized and fits comfortably in my bedside locker. I enjoy reflecting and scribbling down a few thoughts at nighttime.
The format/layout is simple and easy to keep up with. It has just enough space to capture a few lines each day. I use my trusty Pilot FriXion erasable ink pen, it makes it easy to correct mistakes and it keeps everything looking neat and tidy.
As a busy mum who is extremely time poor, I love recording the funny moments, milestones and everyday memories I share with my family. Looking back on the same day each year will be so special. I adore the classic rough linen cover, it feels and looks expensive, it’s timeless and truly worth treasuring for years to come.
Jenny's Staff Picks: Kinto 300ml Water Bottle & Bean and Goose Salty Almonds Chocolate Bar
I went on a beautiful holiday to Copenhagen and decided to get a Kinto 300ml water bottle for the trip. It was absolutely perfect for travelling, the plastic is super light so the bottle weighs practically nothing at all. You are not carrying any extra weight in baggage or while walking around the city.
I paired my water bottle with a bar of Bean and Goose Salty Almonds chocolate. This Irish made chocolate melted in the mouth, and the whole almonds and salt were perfectly balanced. The packaging itself feels very special, making it a great gift, or a little treat to yourself as I did.
Emily's Staff Picks: Hobonichi Weeks Mega & 30ml Diamine Ink
This month I picked my next Hobonichi for 2027 and three 30ml Diamine Ink bottles.
I’ve been using a Hobonichi Weeks for my personal life for the past year, and I really love the layout and paper. I chose a Weeks Mega in Poppy Red this year because it has 219 pages of graph paper in the back for extra notes (compared to 70+ in the regular Weeks). I love the cover for this diary; it’s relatively sturdy and has an almost-canvas texture. The Tomoe River paper is of great quality, and I love how smooth it is - I can’t WAIT to set it up in the future!
I also chose 3 of the new colours we’ve begun to stock in the 30ml Diamine Ink bottles: Pumpkin, Sepia, and Green/Black. I was thinking of autumn and cosy vibes for my journal - I love trying new inks and new ink colours, and wanted something seasonally appropriate as we sink into the quieter and darker months. I just LOVE the quality of these inks. They’re not dry, and not too wet either, leaving minimal feathering or bleed through when used on both Leuchtturm paper and MD Paper (pictured below). I have inked up my two Kaweco Sports (medium) and my TWSBI Eco (fine) and these inks all feel smooth to write with and glide easily on the paper regardless of the pen used in. These inks don’t feature any sort of shimmer or complementary hues; but the depth of the colour when you write has some lovely variation. At £3.50 for 30ml, these are a great bargain!
