This week my social media apps exploded in outrage and skepticism around the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year for 2026. There is sooooo much to say about the choice of color, a white they are calling “Cloud Dancer” and the outrage pouring from every source on the internet.
Laura and I plan to spend a good deal of time talking about color in January so put this outrage on your back burner until then. We have the entirety of 2026 to rail against Pantone as well as to make some recommendations for other colors that could be considered as the color for 2026 — whether you are hoping to feel optimistic or pessimistic about the year will bring. So right now, we’re not talking about Pantone, but you can in the comments!
Color of the Year (We Are Not Talking About):
- Pantone Has Reveals Its Color of the Year—And It’s Unexpected (via My Modern Met)
It’s Inkvent/Ink Advent/Inkmas Season (potential spoilers):
- 25 Days of Dupes 2025 – Week 1 (via Rachel’s Reflections)
- Colorvent/Inkvent Recap, The First Five Days! (via The Gentleman Stationer)
Pens:
- Pens for beginners this holiday season (via Fountain Pen Chronicles and More)
- Review: Endless Phantom Fountain Pen from Kickstarter (via Pen Noob)
Ink:
- Doodling With Fountain Pens: How Ink Can Affect Doodling (via Fountain Pen Love)
- Ink Review #2888: Dominant Industry Bog Sage (via Mountain of Ink)
- Ink Review #2887: Endless Candy Sea(via Mountain of Ink)
- Tono & Lims Cream Soda (via Inkcredible Colours)
- Ink Omakase: November 2025(via Inkcredible Colours)
Notebooks & Paper:
- KOKUYO Good Tools Soft Ring Notebook Review (via The Pen Addict)
- Planning my Binder Changes (via Rachel’s Reflections)
- The 7-Minute Planner Reset: Why Short Bursts Work Better Than Long Sessions [FREEBIE] (via Planner Fun)
- How to Start Penpalling: A Creative Guide to Writing and Decorating Yo (via Archer and Olive Blog)
- How to Start A Daily Art Journal (via Archer and Olive Blog)
- Philofaxy: Using a Filofax with a disability. (via Philofaxy)
- How the KOKUYO Jibun Techo Was Created (via JetPens Blog)
- 8+ Ideas for how to use Collage Papers in your Planners and Journals (via Archer and Olive Blog)
- Techo Kaigi 2025 (via. Casual Crossings)
- Metamorphosis: MD Cotton Thick Notebook // wakako (via Baum-kuchen)
Art & Creativity:
- Experiment Result: Changing my Schedule to Get More Walks During Daytime Results in More Sketches! (and a happier me) (via Apple-Pine)
- Michael Harding Watercolours (via Jane Blundell Artist)
- On My Table: Beginning of Dovember 2025 (via Apple-Pine)
Other Interesting Things:
- Stationery Favourites – November 2025 – Inky Imaginings
- Washi Tape Ideas You Haven’t Tried Yet
- Introducing “On the Paper Trail,” a New Podcast/Video Collaboration with Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens! — The Gentleman Stationer
- Huge Collection of Laptop Sticker Art (via Kottke.org)
- Taking stock after a challenging year: how creatives plan to move forward in 2026 (via Creative Boom)
And lastly, if you live in the Kansas City area and would like to shop for Well-Appointed Desk and Skylab products this weekend (along with lots of other cool art and craft makers), consider stopping by the Unity Temple on the Plaza on Saturday or Sunday. Say hi, buy some stuff and enjoy the holiday vibes on the Plaza!
We offer lots of cool stuff that is exclusively available to Patrons. Maybe this is the year you join our Patreon and get to hear my journey with digital detox firsthand, or maybe you want free printables and downloaable files? Patrons get that and more! Patrons supports this site. Without them, and without you, we could not continue to do what we do. Thank you!
I like how so many people are rallying behind Pthalo Green as a better color of the year for 2026: https://www.threads.com/@thebooksatchel/post/DR3oVGJjI5O/how-did-everyone-unanimously-come-up-with-phthalo-green-for-color-of-the-year