Creative Refills

Creative Refills by PLOTTER USA Podcast welcomes a special guest who brings a blend of artistry and analog passion — Abbey Sy from @AbbeySy. Abbey started her creative journey with a deep love for hand lettering and journaling, and has since grown into a multifaceted artist, author, and content creator based in Berlin. In this episode, Job and April chat with Abbey about her artistic practice, her analog tools, and how she uses her PLOTTER to keep her life organized. Abbey shares the importance of reflection in her creative practice and how curiosity and leaning into different interests have been the key to her success and her solution to avoiding career burnout. Abbey also shares how she uses her PLOTTER to stay on top of her growing responsibilities at work and in life.

Brad Dowdy, The Pen Addict — longtime stationery writer and podcast creator. He shares his path from hobby to full-time stationery work. He talks about balancing analog and digital, playful fountain-pen experiments, and why he switched to a PLOTTER Narrow binder. He explains how he structures pages for work, travel, and keepsakes.

Take Kayo, a talented photographer and educator known as BigHeadTaco, dives into the rich interplay of analog and digital tools in creativity. He shares his journey from commercial photography to storytelling through YouTube and teaching. Take passionately discusses the emotional depth of pen-and-paper methods versus digital perfectionism. He emphasizes the durability of physical journals and photos, alongside his innovative Plotter system for organization. With tips on customizing calendars and practical uses during travel, Take inspires creatives to blend both worlds.

In this engaging conversation, Erick Gama, an interior design pro who runs Amarillo Stationery, shares his insights on creativity and project management. He discusses how he leverages the PLOTTER system for tracking projects and deadlines effectively. Erick also explores the aesthetics behind his curated Latin American stationery products and the whimsical naming of his inks, like 'Toasty Joggers.' Tune in for his thoughts on why analog tools inspire mindfulness, balancing the digital world with delightful, hands-on creativity.

Dive into the world of stationery with Carola, as she shares her unique blend of creative practices and mindfulness. Discover what tetrokaigi is and why autumn sparks planning joy. Hear her journey from watercolor to painting with fountain pen inks and her six-to-seven notebook system. Explore the difference between functional planning and decorative memory keeping. Carola praises the flexibility of removable refills and explains how analog tools enhance intentionality in our digital age.

To kickstart the first episode of the second season of Creative Refills, hosts Job and April give the listeners a refresher about what the podcast is about. They also reminisced on a busy summer and their adventures in Tokyo and various PLOTTER pop-up events in Chicago and San Francisco. The duo invites PLOTTER creative director Takayuki Saito to join in the conversation and explain his vision behind opening the new flagship store PLOTTER TOKYO.Finally, the episode ends with an introduction of PLOTTER’s original leather collaboration with Horween Leather Company: Predator in original “Amber” color. This collection is now available exclusively at the PLOTTER TOKYO flagship store and on PLOTTERUSA.COMEpisode Show Note

Draw Today, Shape Tomorrow. This podcast talks about creativity, system techo, and how to enjoy a creative life balancing digital and analog. Hosted by Job and April from the PLOTTER USA team, we dive into conversations about PLOTTER, our creative tools, behind the scenes about the brand, and creative ideas to help you get started on a fresh page. In episode 7 of Creative Refills, hosts Job and April reminisce on a busy summer and their adventures. They also look back on their project aspirations since episode 1 of the podcast and plan their lineup for the new year. Our host also talk about how different PLOTTER leather types develop patina over time. Finally, the episode ends with a preview of product news coming to PLOTTER USA in the winter season. Episode Show Note

Draw Today, Shape Tomorrow. This podcast talks about creativity, system techo, and how to enjoy a creative life balancing digital and analog. Hosted by Job and April from the PLOTTER USA team, we dive into conversations about PLOTTER, our creative tools, behind the scenes about the brand, and creative ideas to help you get started on a fresh page. In episode 6 of Creative Refills, hosts Job and April delve deep into their half-year reflections and address the central theme of this episode, creative blocks. They share their personal experiences using PLOTTER in managing their schedules, discussing how color-coded schedules and timeline features in their PLOTTER have improved their time management.  Episode 6 Show Notes

Draw Today, Shape Tomorrow. This podcast talks about creativity, system techo, and how to enjoy a creative life balancing digital and analog. Hosted by Job and April from the PLOTTER USA team, we dive into conversations about PLOTTER, our creative tools, behind the scenes about the brand, and creative ideas to help you get started on a fresh page. The fifth episode welcomes special guests from PLOTTER Japan: Takayuki Saito and CY to join Job in learning about the brand. Takayuki is the Director of PLOTTER and KNOX brands at Designphil, and he shares thoughts behind the various types of leathers available in PLOTTER's line up. The trio discusses different leather, process of procuring them, and behind-the-scenes of Shiranami. Episode 5 Show Notes

Exploring the balance of digital and analog creativity, the hosts share their approaches to learning new skills. They emphasize the importance of building habits and maintaining momentum, discussing techniques like accountability and rewarding progress. A new Chart Grid Refill is introduced, designed for effective note-taking and organization. They highlight the influence of mentors and communities on creative journeys, encouraging listeners to document and share their processes. Get ready to dive into innovative ways of tracking and nurturing creativity!