Posted on by Karen Castro

From “The Journaling Type” to Kayastation!

Hey guys, I am so excited to be back here! It’s been so long and I have changed so many things! First tI no longer will be names “The Journaling Type”, I will still keep my channel and instagram public but I made a new YouTube Channel and Instagram (check them out, is free).

This is the new design I have created for my new channel, I had a logo with the name in cursive done in procreate but currently I am at my parents home and the iPad I am carrying does not have any of my new designs.

Either way, the next good news, I been going to college! I started studying Visual Art, I will be entering my second year and my last of my degree, or at least here in Massachusetts. I have learn so much and I been having an amazing experience, thank you to all my professors and all my school friends that have made it an awesome experience. I don’t want to sound like I am bragging but I have been working so hard to get all A’s in my classes. To see this, me succeeding in my classes makes me happy because I had many bad thoughts of my self for years, not being able to get good grades after I started 8 grade and having so much problems understanding my classes but I been working hard and also been doing great, so I want to thank everyone who believed in me.

I think this year of college will be hard because I will be taking more classes. Also I am not sure if you remembered, I live in a camper van, almost 5 years soon in December. I will no longer park my vehicle in my friend’s house and that now adds a new stress that I will have to be paying, finding new places to park every day or week. I also have to admit that because of my pass relationship everything was and still is in my name so now I am paying for a debt that is pushing me back a little which forces me to find a job during college. For the past year I have been able to survive with my leftover funds from college, having a secure place to park have helped me focus on my classes and my art but now that I need to constantly move my van meaning spending more gas and also no longer have the financial help from my ex-partner which paid for his share of the bills now everything fall into me, because like I mentioned, everything is under my name freeing him from any financial responsibility.

Things happened and I have come to be okay with the my current situation but I can’t lie, it have been very hard and many mental health problems along the way but I am trying my best and I know things will get better! Currently I am in Puerto Rico, my family found me a place to station my vehicle during the summer in massachusetts and I been surrounding my self around good people, which was needed since back home I don’t know a lot or any people and have no family there.

Stopped at Ruben’s Café with my mom and her friends after an activity around 11:30pm, food was decent! Missed PR food 💕

But my art has been good, I have been more creative since I started college. I have created more art and I started journaling again. For 2024 I stopped journaling, I wasn’t doing great mentally and I felt that I needed to spend money to try any new stationery product to be up to date with the stationery community to the point that I would use my paycheck just for that. I had to stop, I couldn’t anymore and I needed a break. I came back with a different way of seeing things and a more creative Karen (Hi, that’s me, I am Karen).

Last night drawing section!

I always wanted to have my own stationery store or to be able to make art and sell it but I was never that great in drawing or making my own art. After one year in college I have learned so much and have gave me the confidence to try again and make my own art. I have been creating for a few months now and it’s been such a learning process, I been loving every minute of it.

I even made some art and gave them for free at the Chicago Stationery Fest (which I made vlogs of it, up in my YT Channel, here is the playlist). This was such a fun fest, best fest I have ever been to, I can’t wait for next year fest with Yoseka, I literally can’t wait!

If you never been to a Stationery Fest you should, is actually a great experience, maybe I should do a post talking about it and showing some pictures. I am so happy I took the chance, best trip I had this year so far!

My mom hired me to take videos for her in a activity that she had, this is me in the bathroom, bathr. picture! lol

Well guys, that’s all I wanted to share here. I wanted to give an update and also let know I am still alive. I always hope that I continue posting weekly but I end up doing something else and leave the blog for some other time and end up forgetting about it!

The logo and the name of this blog will change, currently I am in my moms/grandmas house and the iPad I am using is not letting me edit some things but when I get home I will fix this.

Thank you for being here, thank you for your support and understanding and thanks for being a follower here. I hope to continue posting and keeping this blog more up to date. There should be a lot of stationery related post and once in a while some life updates.

See you soon, thank you for stopping by! 👋🏼

Posted on by Karen Castro

Daily Journal – September 7, 2023

(Hey guys, hope you are having a wonderful day! Is currently 12:47AM September 8, 2023. Forgot post this.)

I wanted to share my ‘drawing’ for today’s daily journal and basically life update. I currently am using a Hobonichi HON A6 2023, I got this journal in early April. I really didn’t have any plans on buying a Hobonichi A6 this year but while ‘surfing’ through their website I noticed there was one in stock and I snatched it and added to my order that I had on hold (sadly that’s no longer an option, but is okay, I will manage), but since I started using it I have not stopped. I missed a couple days but nothing like a whole week which i am proud off since I used to not touch my past Hobonichi Techo original in weeks and later feel bad about it haha

I always journal and if I miss a day I go back to fill it up with what happened or write about something that I was doing or thinking that day. I am not a person who have specific things they journal in their journals. I am a messy journaler* sometime but I am fine with that, each page have it’s own unique story.

I wrote an extra ‘r’ on very, I am verrry sorry!

This was todays drawing. It’s been hot the past few days and today it was in the 90*s. We live in a camper van and my van sometimes get’s more hot than it is outside.

I also received my Hobonichi 2024 order on Wednesday 6 and finished editing the unboxing today, did the voice over as well and as soon as I could I uploaded the video.

I might stop recording videos soon, I feel like I force myself sometimes to make a video, it used to just be relaxing and fun, now I am not sure. I do feel that I have done a good job this year keeping my channel flowing with at least one video a month, either way, I haven’t made my decision yet, we will see.

I always wanted to use my fountain pens as my “watercolor” pens but I really didn’t knew where to start and how should I do it. I have tried many ways and learned what works best or best for me.

This is the first time I make something that is supposed to be fluffy or hairy and it ends up looking exactly how I wanted! Haha
This is the microphone I use in my phone to record the voice over for the Hobonichi Unboxing. It have a dead cat on, I really did liked how this end up looking.

I think they call this technique “Ink wash” but I am not sure because there is a lot of art that looks more like they added the ink and end up making something out of it. I draw mine and used a brush to activate the “watercolor” style. Does this count as a Ink Wash? I am new to all of this, I don’t really know the proper words, I try.

I am using Diamine Graphite, this color works so well with water. I don’t noticed odd colors when is wet, is easy to use and the ink activates quickly when using my water brush. It blends very well, I have a couple other Diamine inks and their inks is so good for drawing/watercoloring.

I am also using Sailor Fountain Pen Pro Gear – Fika II Christmas Spice Tea – Special Edition (2022) in a M nib. (STORY TIME) Since I laid my eyes on this pen I couldn’t forget about it, unfortunately it was pretty expensive and I just didn’t have $300 laying around so I let go of the idea of buying one. A few of months ago this was around $200 in a website but I still couldn’t afford it. A month or 2 ago, EndlessPens have this pen in Pre-Order and with a sale going on and another extra discount, I paid $124 for this pen including shipping. Best buy ever, I just couldn’t believe it, there it was, in my favorite, unhealthy, website!

Sailor Pro Gear – Fika II Christmas Spice Tea, (M) 21k gold nib.
(2022 Special Edition)

The theme of Tea Time Around the World #2 is ‘Christmas Tea’. Tea is enjoyed in England and other European countries during the Christmas season. As winter approaches, tea blends are released by various tea manufacturers, and many of them contain spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, etc. and mixed with dried peels. Sailor celebrates such a concept with the introduction of three new models
Christmas Spice Tea, Christmas Pudding, and Christmas Tea.

The Regular Pro Gear Christmas Spice Tea fountain pen is a limited production regular sized that comes with same cut-away cap and inlaid Sailor anchor logo on the top. It features a bright translucent red orange barrel and cap, with cut away cap in caramel color. Accented with gold plated trims.

I love the color of this Fountain Pen, I am a fan of tea (although I haven’t tried that many of them) and a lover of Christmas, this pen was basically release for me! Haha
The fact that I was able to find this for less than $130 is crazy and I just couldn’t believe my luck!

I think I would be the last person to review this 21k gold nib since I don’t have much knowledge in gold nibs. All I can say is that the nib does write pretty smooth, not scratchy or anything. Ink flow is great and I loved using this pen for drawing, pretty comfortable.

I own a, Sailor Manyo Fountain Pen Set II – Special Edition – Overseas Exclusive (2023) – Grass / Medium. (I copy this from my order).

Sailor Manyo II, Grass, (M) 14K gold nib

I enjoy this pen, is a pretty pen too, I love the color combination. My experiance when I received this pen was different. I first inked it up with a Ferris Wheel Press Down the Don Valley and I am not sure if it was the shimmery ink or what but the nib didn’t feel as smooth as the Fika II Christmas Spice Tea.

I also felt that the 21K nib was a bit more “flexible”, this (M) nib actually write like a (M) nib which I enjoy. The (M) nib of the Sailor Manyo II writes more fine than medium.

Currently using a Diamine ink and it seems like the Ferris Wheel Press ink I initially used was not the problem is just this nib makes finer lines.

But either way, this are my current sailor pens with gold nib that I own, and I have been enjoying this journey. I want to say that I have no interest in any sailor pens but that would be a lie. I still hope I can buy a Sailor Habanero but they are pretty expensive and I don’t think I can afford expensive pens right now, it have been a pretty expensive month already and is only the start haha!

This was a crazy update but I been trying to be more artistic and learn how to draw and watercolor and just try things out.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy your day! Hopefully is not too hot out there for you guys!

You can follow me on:
IG & TikTok @TheJournalingType

Posted on by Karen Castro

Ferris Wheel Press Cabernet on the Lake & Brilliant Beanstalk Ink and Fountain Pen 🖋️

Hey guys, I hope you all having a great start of the week! I just received the new Ferris Wheel Press Inks and Fountain Pen and I wanted to make a quick unboxing, thoughts post on this new release!

I get excited for every release and this one is another one of my favorite, the packaging design is very nice, creative! When I saw this release I was very happy and everything just looks so much better in person.

I will first leave a little information about our first ink, Brilliant Beanstalk and some ink samples. I will also leave a little video unboxing/swatch video below. Let know what you think.

Brilliant Beanstalk

FWP Brilliant Beanstalk Ink Inspiration:
In an enchanted realm, where giants roam and mystical beanstalks reach for the heavens, join Princess Patch as she embarks on a perilous journey to procure the shimmering golden champagne egg from the clutches of a slumbering giant. Whether weaving tales of daring escapades or exploring the boundless realms of imagination, let Brilliant Beanstalk sprout the tone for your enchanting odyssey into a world where dreams take flight.

This packaging is so pretty. That chicken in the vines is so cute, is one of my favorite little creature in this design. All around the box there is so many cute creatures and vines, is very pretty! (There is a video below, where I do the unboxing, check it out)

This is a gorgeous green ink with champagne shimmer. It also have high shading,

Brilliant Beanstalk reminds me of ‘The Princess and the Frog’ which is funny because in the description it says about joining Princess Patch embark on a journey 💚

I will leave you here a little Unboxing of the new inks and pen, some swatches and writing samples. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Used Glass pen, watercolor brush & the Carousel FWP FP

Cabernet On The Lake

FWP Cabernet On The Lake Ink Inspiration:
Pack your favourite hand-knit blanket and accompany Bearnice the Bear on a delightful frolic through the picturesque vineyards of the Niagara wine region, where rolling hills and lush vineyards beckon. Embark on a journey of discovery through scenic greenscapes while exploring internationally recognized vineyards of this region. Indulge in the nectar of Niagara with this burgundy ink that captures the feeling of joyous laughter, shared stories, and cherished memories.

I am in awe with this Cabernet on the Lake ink, I did enjoy this ink a lot more than I though.

First this box is very pretty, I am a fan of crochet and knit products but mostly crochet and I love the crochet touches in this art and the crochet hook, very nice!

I wasn’t sure about this ink. I get pretty bored with red inks but Song of Scarlet and this one (Cabernet on the Lake) are pretty fun inks to write with. The characteristic for this ink are Warming, velvety, romantic, cosy.

I feel that velvety is a good way to describe this ink, this ink checks all that and we are getting into the Autumn and Winter season soon, this ink is a great color if you like to match your inks with your months/season. I do enjoy matching my inks with my months, seasons or holidays but is not like I do this constantly. Sometimes when I like an ink so much I don’t care what month or season it is, or how many times I have used them already!

I am so lucky to have received a Carousel fountain pen, my experience with them have been great. I had/have shimmery inks for a month and would write perfectly when you uncap it.

Sometimes I wish it had a clip or a removable one but is not something I care that much about since most times I carry a pencil case or a stationery bag.

I am very excited with my new inks, they remind me of christmas, they are great inks for this holidays. Specially the Cabernet On The Lake, with that gorgeous shimmer! Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays, there is cheer and joy and this ink will fit in perfectly.

Also I want to add that Brilliant Beanstalk doesn’t take a long time to dry. Pretty impressive for Tomoe River Paper and for a person like me that is a lefty I tend to brush my hand on wet ink a lot haha!

Thank you kindly Ferris Wheel Press for sending this inks and fountain pen for me to try!

I hope you guys enjoyed this little “Unboxing” video and just some comments and thoughts about this ink.

Ink will be available for purchase in September 1st. I am happy that this post is up before the release so that you guys have the chance to get your hands on one of this inks and/or fountain pen or all of it haha

Like always, if you guys are interested I have an affiliate link for a free ink charger set on your next order or you can use my code ‘TJT at check out!

Also I been posting more often in my social media so you can follow me on my TikTok(will take you to a video, couldn’t find the profile link) or Instagram, which I like to post new inks and filling up new fountain pens.

Thank you so much for being here, I hope I manage to show you some good pictures and/or video of the new inks. Have a wonderful day, God bless you all!

Posted on by Karen Castro

Hobonichi Weeks/Standard Travelers Notebook

Okay, this tittle seems a bit confusing and honestly I am too! Haha

I hope you guys had a wonderful 4th of July and are doing amazing, enjoying every minute. I know it can be hard but is sad to see time past and noticed how time was wasted in nonsense, believe me it happens to me all the time but I am trying to change that!

Either way, let’s get on with this confusing tittle. Since 2019 I been using Hobonichi Weeks, it have been my favorite size and planner. For a person like me who really don’t have much going on and have a very simple life this planner worked so well for me.

2022 Planner @TheJournalingType IG

Although I noticed that one thing I enjoyed the most was planning in the form of journaling. Basically by the end of the day I will write what I did, little things of my days. Last year I divided an area for writing little reminders and I would also use the right page for Task/tracking for the week.

It worked out well for a few months, I really liked this setup but I am a simple girl and not every week I feel up to use this setup, sometimes I just wanted to write and that’s it. No planning, writing task or reminders.

December 2022 Planner @thejournalingtype

I have used many Hobonichi weeks just for journaling in the past but after a while I felt that the setup that Hobonichi Weeks have was getting in the way of my creativity, BUT no one makes such well made pretty covers with delicate paper like Hobonichi 🥰.

I came across a video of people cutting their Hobonichi Plain A5 notebooks into Weeks size and I WAS intrigued. I needed to buy one and try it out. Of course, the cover is nothing like my Weeks but I wanted to try something similar.

Unfortunately I was broke and buying a $22 notebook from JetPens wasn’t an option at that moment. So I remember I had a DayFree A5 from Hobonichi and I only used a couple pages, so I looked for my notebook and on my way I went to Fed-Ex!

I have to let you know that, I bought a Hobonichi Weeks size notebook a couple of years ago but haven’t used the notebook because of the paper quality. And at that time there wasn’t a lot of options where I could have bought a Hobo Weeks size notebook, not like this year, where there is a lot of shops making their own notebooks with Tomoe River Paper which can’t complain.

I wasn’t going to say this but I went to UPS to do the cutting and well they were confused lol! But it was okay because there was a FedEx a few steps away so I was glad, embarrassed but glad!

The lady in the counter didn’t seemed happy, I tried my best to help by nicely asking her if she could cut the notebook 7.4in x 3.7in but she said that she could cut the width but not the hight, I was sad but I already drove there and well honestly didn’t mind.

This notebook is the hight of a standard notebook and the width of a weeks. AND is the most amazing thing everr!

@thejournalingtype

I made this ‘cover’ because I love covers and I felt crafty! I have some scrapbook paper that I been hoping to utilize. I used some distress ink, stencils and I finished it up with a stamp! Pretty nice not going to lie ❤️!

After holding it and just flipping through the pages I felt that this size might be a new size for me, I would like to do again but with a Plain notebook. I do enjoy Hobonichi products, their paper and how well is put together. Plus I think I like the idea of creating my own cover.

First journal page @thejournalingtype

Here is my first page in this notebook, nothing but great time using it. I have enough space to craft around my spread and space to writing as well! I have felt so creative using this notebook and it was worth it, I am actually happy she couldn’t cut the hight of it because I wouldn’t have ever discover this “size”.

I feel that the Travelers Notebook Standard Size is a good size but not for me, I find it a bit too wide for me and I like the idea of a narrow notebook. Another size I enjoy quite a bit is a Personal size, I own an insert from PaperPenguinCo and is super good but I keep going back to weeks!

So this experience have been fun and I love that this new notebook helped me be more creative. I had many days where I felt like journaling in it multiple times a day while still using my weeks and standard planner all at the same time.

I have some decorated pages that I haven’t done any writing to it but this video was uploaded a couple of months ago so I have journal in it some more.

I probably would have finished this notebook by now but I started to journal in my new Hobonichi Techo and since I bough a January start planner on April I been trying to journal from January to April while still journaling in my daily and weeks. I had to let go of the Standard Planner, it was too big and too much for me.

Okay guys, I know I been rambling about this journal for a while now and honestly is 2:46am for me right now and I think I should end this post here.

I wanted to share this notebook/journal that I had no plan of it and it end up being the best notebook for me. If you guys would liked an updated journal flip through let me know. I can post the video here or you can go follow me on TikTok @TheJournalingType!
Thanks for reading and being here, have a wonderful week, God bless you all!

Posted on by Karen Castro

Passport Traveler’s Notebook

Hello, fellow journalers! How is this Tuesday treating you? Is it snowing where you are?

It was crazy raining all morning, and it will be snowing until 2am of the next morning, let’s see how it goes!

I wanted to talk about passport traveler’s notebooks! This is a size I have been using since I started journaling, actually, I don’t know if I already talked about this but my first notebook for journaling was a Moleskin cashier that I used to buy in T.J. Max back in PR. It was a journal and a place to keep track of my students and their progress. Later I learned more about journaling, stickers, and washi tape and so I went into a rabbit hole haha

After using an A5 as my journal for a few months I got my first passport on AliExpress and it has been the size that I fall back on all the time. Is also the size I use when traveling, is so convenient.

Chic Sparrow classic passport in the Outlander collection, the color Fergus.

Since I started journaling in a passport traveler’s notebook I haven’t loved any size like I do for the passport. One of my other most used sizes/notebooks is a Hobonichi Weeks size and I love this notebook the reason why I keep using it is because I like the Hobonichi Weeks and I love the different covers they come out with every year, I just wish I could buy a Hobonichi Weeks without the planner part because this size is perfect for me, and like I said, I love the covers but either way, I got a little side track.

Another thing I love about Passport TN’s is that I can fill out one entire insert on a trip. I love having different inserts for each trip, it brings me joy when I take them out, is like every insert is a little memory and there are many memories I would like to keep.

This here are all my passport I have finished since 2019, around 6 inserts. I currently am in the process of finishing one and I am about 6 pages away. It’s funny because I could definitely see myself finishing 2 to 3 inserts a year but I have around 3 to 4 different journals every year, so some years I can finish 2 inserts, and if I am lucky 3 but most time at least 1 a year.

Look how chunky this is!!

This is a Chic Sparrow Passport Plus, a discontinued leather. Is a TN with 6 elastic, 1.5″ inches wider than the original passport that’s why they called it a “Plus”. I don’t really use this size, I used to when I had a passport planner but now it houses my finished Passport Inserts!

And this is also a Passport Plus, where I house my recent TNs from last year. The cover is Chic Sparrow from the Austen collection, color Emma which is available in their website! I have a link here for 10% off, I get 25 points if you use my link (you don’t have to but it would also help me.) The Austen collection is very much loved by almost every Chic Sparrow lover, is a pretty leather.

A passport is a pretty small size, sometimes you have to be a bit creative to get the most out of your pages. I like to use two pages or more for journaling but never just one. I journal in even numbers, for example, If I want to journal more after my 2 pages I would do 2 more, so 4 pages but I wouldn’t do 3. Is that weird? I don’t know…
I like when both pages are related, okay, I don’t know what I am saying at this point or if I am making any sense, sorry.

But because I do one spread, I have a larger canvas to work with and have more space to glue ephemera and add writing as well. There is so much you can do if you get creative.

For example, you can also add another page to your spread, you can either glue it in the middle of the two pages or use a washi tape or a stapler. A paper clip is removable and I like its aesthetic of it.

If you look at this slideshow, I used two pages, one for writing a quick entry and the second one I glued in a menu, I had to cut down the menu, and I didn’t like how it looked folded. I added some Distress Ink to my menu, I like the look it gives, and is buildable. It is a great mixed media and I love using it in my journals.

You can also just glue in one big ephemera, I do this all the time. Sometimes I really like saving packaging, I like the nostalgic feel of it.

I remember where I got this because it was at Downtown Disney, 2022. My boyfriend and I went to Downtown Disney with my family and we bought some drinks and Pretzels from the cart in front of the Disney store. They might not look that much but for me, there is a story of that day and the place.

The good thing about having a journal is that it is yours and you can add and do whatever you want if you want a simple journal just for writing then perfect. You journal however you feel like it, these are a few of the many ways I like to journal and for me, the passport is such a great size, I feel like I can do so much in this small size.

Well guys I think this has been a great little post, showing you guys a few of my journaling spreads and the way I enjoy journaling. It’s fun and it helps, it definitely has helped me during the years, creatively and mentally.

So start journaling, you don’t need a “fancy” notebook to start. I had many notebooks from Walmart and T.J. Maxx before I found out about Traveler’s Notebook.

I will try to make a video this week about my passport and more tips on ways to journal. I will also include flip-throughs of past passports from trips. So go ahead and SUBSCRIBE to the channel to know when I upload a new video.

Thank you so much for being here and I hope this post was useful and fun.

Have a wonderful day and God bless you all!

Posted on by Karen Castro

Ferris Wheel Press – Cloak and Forest

The flutter of a red cloak and the soft padding of feet on a mossy floor can be heard as Little Red rushes through a dimly lit forest on her way to grandmother’s house. Forest residents chatter from their humble abodes, warning her of the peeping Big Bad Wolf lurking in the shadows, but fear not! The silvery light of the sun peeks through the lush canopies of the wizened trees, lighting her way, giving her the hope and courage needed to continue her daring journey.

Hello guys, I hope you are all doing fantastic, today I have a little review. I recently received Cloak and Forest from Ferris Wheel Press and I been very excited to share this new ink.

I am a huge fan of green inks well green in general and when I noticed that this ink had green as a base, red as a sheen and silver as shimmer I was very intrigued and I just needed to know how this ink reacts.

Ink information (Do you see the Big Bad Wolf creeping?)

I love Ferris Wheel Press packaging, it always have beautiful illustrations and every single box is unique with illustration made for for each ink. Most time I don’t really pay attention to packaging but it means a lot that Ferris Wheel Press takes the effort to present their products in such beautiful way. I appreciate that they care about how their products look not just how it performs.

This box have little creatures , I even spotted Ferris Wheel Press ink bottles in a corner and did you see it? Look at the first picture, there is something there o_o!

Ferris Wheel Press Cloak and Forest Ink Swatch with a brush

I don’t know about you guys but I always get so impressed when I see an ink dried, is like I don’t know exactly what I am getting until I put it on paper. Sometimes online picture doesn’t do it justice, this color is gorgeous, I made sure to shake the bottle very well to get a good look at this ink.

Ferris Wheel Press Cloak and Forest (Glass Pen)

Is like a mixture of light of hope and green with red just peeking through, I used a glass dip pen for this writing sample and you can see all that silver shimmer everywhere and that red sheen. Is a fun ink to write with, you can definitely see more of this ink when the light hits.

I also noticed that you can get this ink with low shimmer if you don’t shake the bottle before inking your pen.

Ferris Wheel Press Cloak and Forest (BB nib)

You can still see that red sheen and might get some shimmer in your writing but is not as much if you shake the bottle. I honestly like it, you have options and not going to lie this ink looks super nice without the shimmer too.

But the shimmer makes this ink unique so I love to see that shimmer in my writing.

This green base ink is like a forest green, you can see a little bit of blue when the light hits but a more consistent color I keep seeing is this forest green with red sheen. I think the glass dip pen did a good job at showing how this ink performs.

Ferris Wheel Press Cloak and Forest (Ink swatch + glass dip pen)
I can make brush swatches all day with this ink, looks super pretty, reminds me of something magical ✨

Ferris Wheel Press are very impressive with their drying time. Most time I worry when I write on Tomoe River Paper with fountain pen inks but they dry faster than most ink I own.

This is a great ink to add to your collection, Little Red Riding Hood used to be one of my favorite stories. The cloak was one of my favorite things from it, I been hoping to get one for years because like I said, used to be my favorite story growing up so seen this ink coming into this collection made me very happy.

picture taken from the website

This ink will be available for purchase on March 3rd, 2023.

Use TJT at checkout to support my creative journey and receive a free Ink Charger Set. Click the link and your code will be applied automatically! http://bit.ly/3RqT1zF

You can get any Ink Charger Set your heart desires, just remember to add it to your cart before checking out.

I hope you liked this little review/thoughts of this ink. I been using my FWP shimmery inks on a stub nib and they end up looking gorgeous!

I will be posting more pictures of this ink soon on my Instagram and more writing samples if you are interested. Follow me here @TheJournaligType on IG for more pictures and updates!

I have one more ink to share with you guys this month from FWP so stay tuned for that.

Thank you so much for being here and I hope this post was useful.

Have a wonderful day and God bless you all!

Posted on by Karen Castro

Multiple Journals

Hi guys I hope you all having an awesome start of the week. Is labor day and well as much as I want to be one of those people who earn money from home and living the life, that is not me!!! I am not much of a people person and is funny because all my jobs have been either working as customer service, being a teacher or my first job that was teaching violin. I prefer working alone but seems like all my jobs tells a different story. Right now I work as a support advocate, at least that’s how they call it here. I work helping people with brain injuries, hoping that in some future they can be independent and go back to the community. It can be a very rewarding job but some weeks are harder than others.

So let’s talk about journals. When I first started journaling I bought an A5 notebook from AliExpress, I didn’t know about different type of papers and pens I just knew I wanted to journal. I am not saying I never journal as a kid, I did I just can’t remember much and I don’t even know where they are. I knew I had one and I left it in my grandmas house and my brother took it to write his stuff, I was mad haha

I used to do a lot of drawings, I miss doing that. This was the third page of my first A5 journal.

So I think after a week or two I got interested in a Passport, that was an eye opening. My first passport was from AliExpress too, at first I was just using it for planing, it looked like a nice size for that, quality of the cover and insert was very good for the price. So I used my passport none stop, I would show it to my parents all the time even if they didn’t found it that interesting haha

I would a lot of drawings and be like “hey dad look at this” and he would ask me if I draw it myself, was it hard to believe that I could draw decent things? haha

The cover that this passport haves is from Chic Sparrow, after I received the TN from AliExpress I liked it so much and started getting into TN’s.

It was still 2018, I got interesting in journaling around end of October, start of November. I always been a paper/notebook type of person, I LOVE notebooks.
I stop by Walmart and found a pocket size notebook and well being the person that I am I bought it for $3 I think, it was made for painting I believe.

That’s when I was like “well I am not going back to A5”, pocket felt like such a comfortable size that I just didn’t want any other size.

NLP

From that day until July 2019 I used the pocket for everything, at first I wanted to journal about Criminology terms, different type of sick people that will bring them to kill someone, type of sickness and all that. I love it, I wanted to also study criminology and forensic science. I watched a lot of Criminal Minds and NCIS and that’s how I learned about all that and I wanted to journal about it, do my research and keep it in a notebook. Whatever I found interesting in the series I would write it down and do more research later.

Unfortunately that didn’t last long because after doing that for 2 to 3 weeks I started using it for everything, that was my main journal.
After I used that journal for a couple of month and was reaching the end, I started looking into journals for the other haft of the year. I have seen hobonichi before and I really wanted one, I think before I got the A5, that AliExpress notebook was a test before I actually bought a Hobonichi one.

So that haft of the year I decided to get a Hobonichi A6 avec, Weeks and an A6 week planner. I did not utilize this notebook like I though I would. Having the dates on top made me feel like I need it to journal everyday, that I couldn’t miss a day and I didn’t like that feeling.
So I start using the passport as my journal, it was great, I took it to my Cruise trip and I journal everyday, I even took my camera in the library and recorded a journaling section. Passport was the best size I could have ever discover haha

This here is the Hobonichi A6 weekly, I end up taking it with me when I would go to work. I was a cashier, when I was in the register I would document my day with time stamp. It was on of those journal that I didn’t care much for stickers and extras. Some day it was a bit slow, journaling helped.

I did a flip through of that traveling journal if you guys are interested in see it. Here

So after testing so many journals, writing in them and traveling with them this is what I am using today.

Hobonichi Weeks

Tim Holtz washi tape is so awesome!!! I also love the distress ink, I use it all the time 🙂
Went crazy with Tim Holtz distress ink.

After using this for daily journaling for the first time last year October, I liked the idea so much that I end up doing it for a couple of months. I stoped and a few months after 2020 started I decided to use it as a regular journal and not as a daily journal. I mean come on, who can write in that tiny rectangular, one daily? Nope. I also liked the idea of writing in a 2019 planner in 2020 haha

I finished the 2019 planner and I started a new one in August. I know is a planner but something about using this planner for another purpose feels good, I should go to jail for not following the rules for this planner haha

Police: Why you here?
Me: I used a planner as a journal
Police: Excuse me?
Me: I should be punish but I will let you know that the moment my pen touched that paper there was no going back and I will do it all over again.

Okay, let’s stop joking around, so my next journal is:

A6/Pocket Notebook:

Lady Catherine, Chic Sparrow. Love this color, matches with my weeks. Is this month TN color (and I also have it in a passport size :O)
simple journaling
(seems like every time I journal and I come back to read it I misspelled a word or used the wrong word)

Using Leuchtturm1917 A6 Graph

So pocket is the easy journal for me. Is graph paper, sometimes I just journal which is the purpose of it. Sometimes I want to document so I add paper, labels or receipts. I journal but I also document, it can be more personal sometimes.
I like it, I am not haft way through but by the end of this year I probably will. Any traveling that I do or will do is going into this journal, so is basically my travel journal.

There are a couple projects that I am doing and I like to write about it here. When it comes to daily journaling, the pocket is the best option.

Passport:

Now passport I have said this before, I think, is my favorite size (just in case I didn’t). I finished an inserts 3 months ago I believe and I decided to give it a rest since I am using Weeks and Pocket for journaling.

Like I was saying earlier, the first pocket I own, I wanted to make it into a little book. Just information of things I find interesting and there I was sitting, thinking, “well I have new inserts, maybe I can start doing that again but in a passport” and that’s what I did. I called it “The Book of Knowledge”, I came up with this name when I was using my pocket. I always though it was an awesome name, hopefully there will be multiple volumes of this, for example, 2 to 3 inserts (little notebooks) you know, I think is a great idea.

Dream Analysis and well my theory. Is just a though but it would be cool if it was like that.

So I am currently using 3 journals and each of them haves a purpose in my stationery life.
Lately I been kind of neglecting my journals, some weeks I work 56 to 60 hours. I been a bit tired and just a little drain, I am saving money for a project that I am doing which I will tell more later although it does not have to do with journaling or stationery. My family is traveling again from PR to help me with this project, this will be the second time they will be here for this. They are so supportive, so I am working hard to save money for that.

So yeah guys, this are my little babies for now, I love my journals, I treat them with care haha
I am happy I did this, I been meaning to talk more about my journals and how I started journaling.

If you want to share how did you started journaling that would be great. Actually I am very interested to know what TN size you use and if you have a notebook/paper you prefer. Also your prefer fountain pen if you use one or gel/ballpoint/rollerball, I WANT TO KNOW!

If you have gotten this far, thank you, you get a gold star! I hoped you liked it and follow for more.

Have a wonderful day, take care and God bless you all.

Posted on by Karen Castro · 2 Comments

Welcome Writers

Hello, I am Karen. I been in this writing community for years, I decided to make another blog for my stationery passion.

For the people that don’t know me I am “The Journaling Type” on YouTube and Instagram and any other social media haha
Sometimes I feel like talking about some products, notebooks, pens or whatever it is and well Instagram is not the best place, YouTube well you know so I felt like a blog will be the right choice.

I will be honest with you guys, my English was never good. I try to improve my writing every day but I keep making so many mistake in my writing. So if you see me write the wrong word or something I am always open for any help. Also my first language is Spanish (not that I am 90% good at that too. Spanish is very hard LOL)

Well I just wanted to do an Intro to this blog and hopefully you guys like what I have to talk about. If you are following me from my YT or IG, “Hi!”, thank you for being here and supporting me.

I am hoping that here I can share all my love for stationery, share my creations since I am planning on opening my sticker shop on Etsy by the end of the year and maybe have at least one clothing item for sale with the logo of my YT Channel!

Well that is it for this, I will share more in many others blog post.
Have a nice week, take care and God bless you all!