It’s that time of the year again. The weather goes from hot (my favorite) to rainy and unsettled, and I have three to four months of gloom to look forward to. Thankfully, the dulling of the weather and mood coincides with some planner and stationery goodies landing from Hobonichi, which is always guaranteed to perk me up.
I have been a Hobonichi fan for the last 2-3 years. It started with a tentative exploration where I just bought a book (the A5 cousin), and then I bought a cover. Last year, I bought fully into the hype, ordering on the release date (Sep 1), and this year I plan to do the same.
In previous years, I have been confused and overthought my selection, buying and later semi-regretting my choice, because all the covers are so darned cute! But this year, I am very clear. I am switching to a hardback journal, and I am going for Yumi Kitagishi’s design – White Cat and Rabbit’s Tea Room.
The design focuses on the pleasures of home and staying home, which I think will be a huge theme for me personally in 2027. We are in the middle of buying a home, and home renovation, and the house is coming along so well, and it’s so cute, and I am really looking forward to (after a couple of years of lumpy rental beds and sofas), to have a home of my own, furniture of my own.
That said, there were some very beautiful designs that called out to me, in their own way this year, and even if I am not buying the actual planner, I am getting some of the stationery.
This is also the year I plan to go old school and use a fountain pen. I do have fountain pens (the Preppy Platinum ones). They are cheap and cheerful and really work well. However, I use them with cartridges, and I don’t get the old school vibes from them. I want a serious one and these Kakimori foutain pens have piqued my interest.
That said, I am still on the fence. Do I really want the investment in regular ink bottles and the worry of spills and stains? My current ink pens work beautifully and are low-maintenance, and honestly, almost as cheap as gel pens.
So, if my budget doesn’t accommodate it, this will be the one area where I cut back. Otherwise, yes, it’s going to be a bit of a splurge, and I can’t wait to pull the trigger on Sep 1 when the new collection goes on sale.
Do you journal? What planner/journal(s) are you planning to get for 2027?
