Tattooing Your Traveler’s Notebook: StazOn Ink

Like I wrote before about using the Kingsley embossing machine—great for names, short quotes, and that clean finish—but this? Tattooing your Traveler’s Notebook with StazOn ink? That’s a whole different story. No undo. No Ctrl+Z.

Beautifully stamped limited Blue Edition

Back Cover First: Nerves and Discovery

It all started in 2015 with the back cover. Not the front. Not first. It was nerve-racking. My hands weren’t exactly steady. I stared at that deep blue limited edition TN—beautiful, untouched—and thought, “I can’t mess this up.” I left my original brown one alone. That one’s sacred, full of history. I tested all kinds of ink pads on scrap leather first. Nothing stuck right. Then I found StazOn, made by a Japanese company called Tsukineko. Game changer. It stayed on, sharp. The white ink stood strong on leather—exactly what I was looking for.

The very first few stamps I tried on the back

I grabbed my rubber stamps. First up: “This book belongs to” in a library stamp, and then my name. One letter at a time. Freehand. No guide. I bundled the stamps together to keep them straight but still—these weren’t made for precision. A little crooked, but honest. I used clear stamps for the tree branch and library motif—at least I could see where I was going. The moment I pulled the stamp off and saw that white ink against the blue cover, I exhaled. Heart pounding, but it worked.

Getting Addicted

You think it ends with one quietly stamped message on the back. Nope. I started digging through drawers—branches, old wood type, vintage designs—thinking about themes, compositions, matching styles. The temptation to keep going was real. Front cover? That was another challenge—it felt more dangerous. It’s the first thing you see. You mess that up? You live with it forever. Of course I did it anyway.

Eventually I had to stop myself. Every blank TN on my shelf was calling. “Tattoo me.” I held off.

THE T.I.ME—Seoul: From Tease to Trend

Then came my trip to Korea.

THE T.I.ME is more than just a TN distributor in Seoul—it’s a beautiful stationery store with space carved out just for users to gather, share, and flip through each other’s setups. That night I hosted a meetup there, and we had all these TN fans around a big table. Everyone pulled out their fresh notebooks. Totally clean. Not even a scratch. I laughed. Joked about scratching the covers with my fingernail to break the ice.

You should’ve seen everyone recoil.

That’s when I reached into my bag and slid out my Blue Edition. Both covers tattooed in crisp white. I didn’t say anything. I just let the notebook speak. Heads turned. Phones came out. Cameras clicked. People stared, then looked down at their own—blank, untouched, soulless in comparison. You could feel the shift in the room.

Imperfect, but I just love the front stamping, and it ages well

Then came the real punch. I pulled out the Star Ferry stamp—super rare, one-of-a-kind—and loaded it with StazOn. That stamp landing on the blue leather? That moment triggered everything.

These two stamps were event-only, but I do keep them for occasional appearances

Soon, even THE T.I.ME’s own rubber stamps joined the action. The StazOn ink pad sat in the center like a magnet. People grabbed their TNs—some even bought new ones right there, just to try it. They couldn’t resist. Rubber stamps in hand, leather pressed down, deep breaths.

Some asked me to do it. “Sure?” I said. “I might slip.” But they trusted me. Soon everyone was stamping—some bold, some shaking. Stamps misaligned. Some perfect. Nervous glances. Then laughter. Pride. Shared excitement. All of us riding that same roller coaster together—fear → risk → joy.

Passing It On

That night, it wasn’t just about customizing leather. It was about crossing a line together. Leaving blank behind. Making a mark—literally and emotionally. And what started there at THE T.I.ME? It spread. This idea of tattooing your Traveler’s Notebook with StazOn ink? It caught on. Not just the technique, but the experience. The nerves. The adrenaline. The spark.

I also did it on a black passport size some years later

But I’ve put down the ink pad for now. I can feel other ideas brewing, something new waiting in the wings.

Stay tuned.