Tips and Best Practices for Stationery Meetups

Before the Meetup:

• RSVP: Some meetups have a required RSVP, while others do not.
  • We post all meetup details in the Houston Journal Society Discord Events pane, so that’s the best place to check!
  • For ticketed events, acquire your ticket via Eventbrite (usually free).
    • Only get a ticket if you plan to come. This avoids taking a spot from another member. Spots can run out quickly, so make sure you set an alarm for the release.
    • If you have to cancel, notify the other members or one of the admins/moderators in Discord as soon as possible.
    • If you’re unable to get a ticket, you can still come and mingle but avoid taking a journaling seat.
  • For open events, mark yourself as “Interested” on Discord, but only if you plan to attend. Update your status if your plans change.
    • This helps organizers get an idea of how many people will show up, to reserve enough seating and give the location advanced notice.

• Prepare Your Supplies: Along with bringing your favorite journaling supplies, fountain pens, and stationery items, it’s also a good idea to bring a small notebook or paper for testing others’ pens or stamps. Sticker paper is great for stamping! Bring along a few empty ink sample vials to take home an ink sample if anyone is offering.
• Pack your Destash: Pack any items you wish to give away ahead of time. Curate your offerings to keep them stationery-related and avoid bringing broken or unusable items.
• Know the Rules: The Houston Journal Society Rules posted in Discord still apply during meetups, so make sure you’re familiar with them. Reach out to an admin or moderator if you have questions.

During the Meetup

Respect Others’ Supplies: If someone is kind enough to let you use their supplies, handle them with care and follow any guidelines they provide. Always ask before touching or using someone else’s items.

• Fountain Pens: These can be very expensive, so to avoid any issues or casualties, follow these guidelines.
  • Before uncapping, ask if you’re unsure whether a pen has a twist or pull cap.
  • ALWAYS ASK before posting the cap on the back of the pen. Do not post someone else’s pen unless they give you permission to. Certain pens and finishes can be damaged by posting.
  • Avoid forcing anything when capping or uncapping a pen. Recap the pen when finished and return it directly to its owner.
  • Do not disassemble someone else’s pen without permission.
  • Take care when holding someone’s fountain pen. Keep it over a table. Don’t drop it or set it down where it can roll off the table.
  • If you lend out your pens, keep an eye on them to prevent misplacement.

• Washi and PET Tape:
  • Ask before taking samples, especially for tapes with long loops (a length of the tape that has all the pattern elements repeated once), as these can be expensive. Do not take an entire loop unless you have permission to do so.
  • If you want to share washi or PET tape and you don’t want to share entire loops, consider pre-cutting or pre-rolling samples onto cards to share.

• Inks:
  • If you are taking an ink sample from someone’s bottle, ask how much you can take.
  • Make sure the apparatus you’re using to pull the ink from the bottle is clean and free from contamination, and ensure the owner of the ink is okay with what you’re using.
• Stamps and Ink Pads:
  • Be careful when inking a stamp.
    • Don’t mash the stamp on the ink pad. It can put too much ink on the stamp, stain the wood or other parts of the stamp, or cause damage to the ink pad.
    • Tap the stamp lightly onto the ink pad for even coverage.
  • Always clean the ink off a stamp when finished using it or when changing colors, especially when going from a darker color to a lighter color. This is to avoid staining the ink pads.
    • Use a damp paper towel, alcohol-free baby wipe, stamp shammy, or rubber-stamp cleaner to remove ink.
    • Don’t rub the stamp too hard while cleaning. Be extra careful with delicate or handmade stamps to avoid damage.
    • You don’t need to press super hard when stamping. Press stamps firmly but avoid rocking for a better impression
    • This video shows proper technique:

• Grab a Nametag: Make sure you have your name displayed so we can put faces to names and get to know each other better!
• Be Mindful of Space and Noise: Respect personal space and keep noise levels appropriate, especially if the meetup is in a public or shared space.
  • Often, space is limited, so make sure not to bring too much. We all tend to over-pack, so be mindful of how much space your items take up and how much you spread out at a meetup. If more people show up, be prepared to make room.
  • Clean up your area to leave the location as we found it.
• Support the Local Businesses: If we’re meeting at a business, show support by buying something and tipping the staff where appropriate.
  • If we’ve been at a location several hours and we’re taking up space that other paying customers need, we may need to either make space or wrap things up.
• Avoid Over-Promotion: If you have a business related to stationery or journaling, be mindful not to dominate conversations with promotional talk. Keep it casual and relevant. Members don’t come to meetups to be sold to, they come for the community!
• Stay Home if You’re Sick: Please please please don’t come to a meetup if you’re feeling unwell. I know it’s a bummer to stay home during the meetup, but you can always come to a future meetup! Masks are always welcome, especially during COVID surges or flu season. Notify an admin if you have to cancel a ticket at the last minute.

After the Meetup

• Show Gratitude: Leave a positive review of the location and share your experience on social media. Let’s support our local businesses!
• Stay Connected: Exchange contact information or social media handles with new friends to stay connected and share ideas in the future.
  • Post meetup and journal photos in Discord and tag the Houston Journal Society on Instagram if you post anything!.

• Follow Up: If there were any discussions about future plans, collaborations, or sharing resources, follow up on those to keep the momentum going.
• Start Preparing for the Next Meetup: Keep an eye on Discord for details about the next meetup, usually posted within a week or two of the last one.

That’s all I’ve got for now! I hope these tips help everyone feel a little more comfortable when attending a meetup. The most important advice I can share is to just ask someone! Our community is always helpful, open, and welcoming, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or clarification.

Do you have any tips for journal meetups that I didn’t mention? Share in the comments!