When I was little, we lived near a store called Maloney’s Stationers.
It was something like a Hallmark store crossed with a Staples; closer to the feeling of a Paper Source. Of course, Staples, Paper Source, and the like didn’t exist yet. That made Maloney’s one of the few places you could load up on notebooks, greeting cards, and pens in a single location. They also had their own Santa Claus and free warm apple cider for the holidays.
At the age of 6, walking into Maloney’s at Christmastime was like my own Miracle on 34th Street. There were no long lines, like the ones for the mall Santa, and I was completely surrounded by aisles of pens and notecards. I loved pens and notecards, and all the infinite possibilities they brought with them. Getting to peruse them while sipping free cider, like a grownup, was true Christmas magic.
Of course, in the 90s, at least as far as I know, there were no terms for pen lovers and paper collectors. The fancy neologisms for estilophiles/stylophiles and papyrophiliacs didn’t exist yet. I just knew, I really liked pens and notebooks.
Now there are entire magazines, like Flow,1 committed to paper lovers; Subscription supply boxes, like Sketchbox & Scrawlrbox; And, of course, my local Paper Source, ready to sap away all my money and storage space.
But I still get that magical feeling of infinite possibilities whenever I step into my art supply closet….
So, if you’re looking for me this holiday season, I may just be sitting in the closet with my coffee, staring at my pens and washi tape, deciding what to make next.
Is packed with
Uniball Micros, Papermate Flairs, and Pilot G2s.
Markers from Copic, Ohuhu, ProMarker, Tombow, Crayola, Pentel, Karin.
Fineliners from Stabilo, Micron, Emott, Le Pen, Neopiko.
Fancy highlighters like Stabilo Boss and Zebra Midliners.
Did you know there are markers purely for making small dots? I have those too.
I also have at least seven brands of watercolor…
Three of acrylics, and paint pens from Posca and Sharpie.
At least one (probably closer to five) of every size journal available from Archer and Olive.
Pads of paper in every size, quality, and weight.
There are stamps and inks, colored pencils, and water soluble graphite.
And if ever I should forget some of what I have, there’s that time I made….
That I received from Sketchbox — because illustrating your art supplies with your art supplies is a lot of fun (and I encourage you to do it too!)
Some highlights, below.



Is there a spot in your house that you love to sit?
Do you have questions about art supplies?
I love to answer questions!!!
I really wish they delivered to the US! I happened upon a special edition at a newsstand (back when we had newsstands).









Oh this is delightful!
Would love to see more sketchbook work from you!