I’m not loyal to any brands in particular. I kind of enjoy trying different brands. Of course, it’s harder to try more expensive brands, but when I can afford it, I’ll give them a try.
Having said that, I definitely have a weakness for notebooks, planners, notebook covers, paints, and watercolors in particular brands. Gouache is my favorite go-to painting medium, but I don’t have a favorite gouache brand just yet.
Let’s start with notebooks, planners, and notebook covers. I’m at the point where it’s kind of like an addiction. My favorite notebooks are from Archer and Olive. I love their cover designs and paper quality. I’ve tried other brands, but there’s just something special about Archer and Olive. In the photo below, the four bottom notebooks are all from them.
Next are my planners. The two in the middle are from Sterling Ink. I was a Hobonichi fan for a while until I couldn’t afford the shipping cost, but I was also not a huge fan of their planner layouts. I wanted something simpler and clean, and Sterling Ink turned out to be just that.
The notebook cover (7th from bottom) is a Sojorner leather cover. It’s the only one I own from them, and it currently holds a Sterling Ink B6 Slim planner, which I use as my book review tracker. Next year, I’ll be switching back to an Archer and Olive bujo-style tracker. I’d love to get more leather covers from Sojourner because I love their style, but for now, I just don’t have a need for another one.
The two leather covers, second and third from top, are Chic Sparrow. I’ve been a long time fan of their leathers and have a pretty decent collection. I’ve been selling quite a few because I just can’t possibly use them all. My first Chic Sparrow cover was a B6 Mr. Darcy Lemon Drop from 2017, and it’s still my favorite to this day.
That said, the two in the photo are now my current favorites. They are both size A6. The third one from top is a Chic Sparrow A6 Wabi Sabi, which holds four generic notebooks. Surprisingly, these notebooks handle fountain pen inks and markers really well. I bought them on Amazon for a great price. They’re called Alimitopia Pocket Notebook Six Pack. I’m not promoting them or using an affiliate link, just sharing some good notebooks. They were $8.99 when I bought them. Now they’re $9.99. I bought them with points, so I think I paid about $4.
The other notebook, second from top, is a Chic Sparrow A6 Crazy Horse leather cover that does double duty. It can hold either traveler’s notebook inserts (like the notebooks I mentioned in the A6 Wabi Sabi), a single notebook, or both at the same time. Currently, I’m using it to hold just one journal, an A6 Midori blank notebook. I’m using it as a daily journal.
The planner on the very top is a Filofax Pocket Organizer in Patent Rose. I got it because pink is one of my favorite colors, and I just happen to like the Filofax pink color. I have a few other ring organizers from Filofax that I like too but don’t use as often. This one is used a password and address book.
Moving on…
I have a thing for Tim Holtz products, mainly his colored pencils and stamp pads. I’ve collected quite a few of both. Here, I’m just sharing the watercolor pencils I’ve been hoarding. I haven’t actually used them, and I’ve had them for one to two years now. Aren’t they so pretty?
Finally, my beloved Dina Wakley products. I have a set of stamps, but I rarely use them. I mainly use her acrylic paints. The photo only shows six bottles, but I actually have 24 in total. They’re so soft, smooth, and fun to paint with. I also recently purchased the water-soluble Scribble Sticks, though I haven’t used them yet. Honestly, I have a feeling I might just end up saving them to look at, kind of like what I’m doing with the Tim Holtz watercolor pencils. LOL
From My Corner of the Universe 
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