
<p>Today I’m sharing the third article from Paper Nerd At Large + Extraordinaire <a href="https://www.instagram.com/debraannskinner/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Debra Skinner</a>. Debra&#8217;s earlier coverage focused on <a href="https://thepapernerd.com/chicago-stationery-fest-an-unofficial-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the lead up to</a> and <a href="https://thepapernerd.com/csf-a-love-letter-to-from-the-community/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the aftermath</a> of the fabulous first annual Chicago Stationery Fest (CSF) held this past March.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CSF_LOGO_FINAL.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10018667"/></figure>



<p>Interacting with Debra on this series has been a thrill — first, because I absolutely LOVE thoughtfully written, informative contributed posts, and second, because it gives me a chance to connect with a paper nerd in the wild — still something of a rarity.</p>



<p>Debra is both a longtime stationery lover and a lifelong writer. This native Illinoisian and member of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cozystationeryclub/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">famed Chicago Stationery Club</a> regularly journals, with or without her Boxer Korra in tow. While Debra works in health marketing analytics, she informed me that she is currently between positions. Anyone reading this who knows of any openings in stationery, data, writing, marketing/comms/PR, Debra is really open to almost anything. These posts (with minimal editing from yours truly) clearly attest to her writing ability, but I&#8217;m happy to provide a reference. Just give me a shout and I will connect you.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s it from me, folks — Debra, take it away!</p>



<p>____________________________________________________________________________________________________________</p>



<p>Welcome back to Stationery Stories: The Chicago Paper Scene, my collaboration series with The Paper Nerd exploring the people, shops, and events that make up Chicago’s stationery community. In this edition I’ll start to dive into the most important aspect: the community. While <a href="https://thepapernerd.com/slow-living-stitch-by-stitch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stationery-Core</a> is on the rise worldwide, Chicago’s stationery community is particularly special, driven by a passionate group of stationery lovers who regularly organize meet-ups, trips, and more.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PaperPencil_037-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018672"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Eric Campbell, left and Tyler McCall in Chicago&#8217;s Paper &; Pencil</figcaption></figure>



<p>Tyler McCall has very quickly established himself as a stationery mover and shaker. He and his husband, Eric Campbell, co-founded <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chicagostationeryfest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chicago Stationery Fest</a> and Chicago-based stationery store <a href="https://paperandpencilchicago.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeZ4KJSel8qA_ayje6r99aBfTS3n1oDbHOMkyLuZagi6EnTlN0ak7dBTsfNNA_aem_WrekGTwPauHcY-a8oOQJTA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paper &; Pencil</a>. Below, we reflect on the community that made the fest possible, some behind-the-scenes moments, and what was inside Tyler’s own very-full tote bag at the end of it all. From emotional reunions between vendors to friendships sparked over washi and letterpress, the fest proved that stationery isn’t just a hobby. For stationery-loving Chicagoans, it’s a third space, a community, and a lifestyle.</p>



<p>DS: What inspired you and Eric to co-found Chicago Stationery Fest?</p>



<p>TM: The spark came from street fairs. We love the energy of events like Renegade Craft Fair and Midsommarfest in Andersonville and all the independent makers and artists, but we always found ourselves wishing for more stationery. One day we just said, “What if it was all stationery?” CSF was originally going to be a street fest — until we realized Chicago weather and paper don’t mix.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9078-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018665"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Stamping an attendee&#8217;s journal at The Paper + Craft Pantry</figcaption></figure>



<p>DS: What were some of the biggest challenges in organizing CSF?</p>



<p>TM: Time was the biggest hurdle, hands down. We started organizing nearly eight months in advance, but even so, we were constantly racing the clock. The other (very welcome) challenge was demand. We had over 100 vendors apply for about 60 spots, plus a flood of interest from potential workshop hosts and attendees. It was amazing — but also meant we had to make a lot of tough calls.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Artifact-Interior-3-1820x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018320"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">CSF was consistently jammed throughout the weekend.</figcaption></figure>



<p>DS: What part of putting the fest together took the most effort — but was totally worth it?<br>TM: The training! Every volunteer attended onboarding sessions, team-specific trainings, full-team walkthroughs, and even emergency scenarios. Every team had a dedicated lead and role — whether guest services, vendor support, or meetups. It was months of prep, and our event coordinator developed every training from scratch just for CSF. Our team was able to respond with creativity and grace and kindness when things got hectic — and that’s what made it possible for us to get through the two days of the event.</p>



<p>DS: What surprised you most about CSF?<br>TM: We dreamed of creating a space where people could meet and reconnect, but I was blown away by how fully that came to life. Attendees left with new friendships and stronger bonds. Our vendors met long-time Instagram friends in person and reunited with fellow makers they hadn’t seen in years. That aspect of building relationships was really exciting.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Creative-Lounge.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018344"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The downstairs of CSF was consistently crowded as well.</figcaption></figure>



<p>DS: What moments really stood out to you? </p>



<p>TM: One that I’ll never forget was seeing a group of customers who first met at one of our card-writing parties nearly two years ago now reunited at the fest. They took photos together and hosted meetups — it was just this beautiful full-circle moment.</p>



<p><br>DS: How did vendors respond to the fest?</p>



<p>TM: On the vendor side, I was deeply moved by conversations with makers who had faced major challenges, including some who hadn’t done events since the L.A. fires. Several told us the fest helped them feel like themselves again — re-energized creatively and financially. Others said the real-time feedback from customers helped them better understand their audience, something that’s hard to get without a physical storefront.<br> Vendors came from all over: Charleston, Michigan, Palm Springs. It’s just that nod from people who are doing what you do, who know how difficult retail can be, especially now. Also, meeting the owner of Field Notes, talking to the Traveler’s and Plotter teams, and watching them visit our store and take photos. All of those are just pinch-me moments that, when we first opened our shop, are things that I never would have dreamed possible.<br></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Field-Notes-Booth-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018321"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A glimpse of the Field Notes space.</figcaption></figure>



<p>DS: Was there anything behind-the-scenes that no one saw, but you’ll never forget?<br>TM: So many things! But one that really stands out is how fast our team moved to improve the attendee experience between Saturday and Sunday. I mean, I still can’t quite wrap my brain around how quickly everyone sprang into action. We identified a problem, said “okay, let’s solve this,” and then just did it.<br></p>



<p>DS: What kind of change are we talking about?<br>TM: We moved our workshops out of the venue to free up space and ease crowding. Within 14 hours, we found a nearby restaurant and literally bought them out so we could host workshops there instead. It was this huge logistical shift. And that kind of real-time pivot only happened because of the incredible team we had. I’m just so proud of how quickly they worked and how committed they were to improving the event.</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-18926" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-18926 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="18926" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-15753 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-correspondence tag-gratitude-kit tag-ira-akers tag-kristina-akers tag-project-love-letter tag-saint-merry tag-sarah-schwartz tag-stationery tag-thank-you-stationery tag-the-paper-chronicles" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/meet-project-love-letter/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?w=800&;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=770%2C770&;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=350%2C350&;ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=460%2C460&;ssl=1 460w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=500%2C500&;ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=585%2C585&;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3161.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/meet-project-love-letter/">Meet Project Love Letter!</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2016-08-03T13:29:25+00:00">August 3, 2016</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="15753"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9079-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018666"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The space might have been snug, but stationery finds abounded! Above you see Kristina Burkey of Calliope Paperie (and founder of Stationery Store Day) manning her booth right beside The Paper + Craft Pantry.</figcaption></figure>



<p><br>DS: Was there anything people unexpectedly loved?<br>TM: The food vendors! People were obsessed with the mochi donuts, matcha, and especially the gluten-free hand pies from Original Empanoli. Eric and I are longtime fans — we get them every week at the farmer&#8217;s market — so it was so fun to see everyone else falling in love with them too. At one point, someone literally said, “Go get a matcha, they have stickers!” And they did! The food vendors were handing out logo stickers and folks were collecting them for their journals. Even business cards: They ran out on Saturday because people wanted to paste them into spreads. It was such a fun and unexpected highlight.<br></p>



<p>DS: If you hadn’t been running the show, which vendors would you have been first in line for?<br>TM: I’d have pitched a tent in front of Mugobunni — I just adore her silly, charming bunny stickers. Then Galaxy Safari — Kimberly’s handmade cards are bursting with personality and care. And I couldn’t skip a letterpress favorite like Starshaped Press. Jen’s work absolutely blows my mind. She builds her designs from individual pieces of type, in reverse and upside down, and the results are pure magic. I still don’t understand how her brain works, but I’m grateful it does.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mugo-Bunni-Booth.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018325"/></figure>



<p>DS: What was in your own haul by the end of the fest?<br>TM: Let’s just say my credit card got put through the wringer! I picked up a Plotter Mini 5 to use as a wallet (my splurge of the weekend), cards from A. Favorite Design, washi tape from Bobo Design, and a Topdrawer 2mm pencil I was really excited about. Stickers? So many – from Kuboandlucy, dana ate oatmeal, Amarillo Stationery. I also snagged the Chicago Color Ring from The Well-Appointed Desk and limited-edition goods from Calliope Paperie and The Paper + Craft Pantry. Eric and I still need to fully unpack our haul! I did miss out on a few wishlist items (like Nini Mart Cat Bean stickers), but if we do CSF again, I’m carving out real time to shop like the rest of the attendees!<br></p>



<p>DS: What part of Paper and Pencil’s identity do you think really came through during CSF?<br>TM: We’ve always called ourselves “your friendly neighborhood stationery shop,” and I think that warmth came through. That was our goal — to make the fest feel welcoming, kind, and community-centered. Also, I can’t say enough about our staff and volunteers. Their kindness, their problem-solving, their ability to pivot on the fly — it was magic. The fest quite literally couldn’t have happened without them.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9064.jpeg" target="_blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_9064-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018664"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">VIP swag bag find from <a href="https://www.patreon.com/selvage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selvage</a>. </figcaption></figure>



<p>DS: What do you hope attendees took away from the fest?<br>TM: For us, we view stationery as a tool for connecting with others and with yourself. I hope people left feeling more connected — to each other, to themselves, and to their creativity — and maybe just a little more grounded and ready to face the world with a pen in hand.</p>



<p>____________________</p>



<p>Tyler closed with some words of wisdom. &#8220;People want spaces to connect, discover, and create, whether it’s a full-scale fest or a cozy meet-up. That’s been so reaffirming. I hope vendors and shopkeepers walked away with that same validation — that there’s a need for what they’re making, even if it feels niche or whimsical.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Copy-of-20250301_143837.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018662"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A peek at Paper &; Pencil&#8217;s washi selection.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Stay tuned for Part 2, where Debra and Tyler chat stationery trends, the Chicago stationery community, and what the future holds for Paper &; Pencil! While there’s no word yet on whether we’ll see a 2026 Chicago Stationery Fest, Tyler promised Paper &; Pencil still have some exciting events coming up — including <a href="https://stationerystoreday.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stationery Store Day</a> in August.</p>



<p>Image at top: more incredible swag from my VIP bag, this time from The Paper + Craft Pantry</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Copy-of-20250301_191415.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018661"/></figure>


Back to CSF: A Q+A with Tyler McCall
