Like others, pen making seems to come in waves for me. I may go months without making a pen, then suddenly need several.
I "batch" the preparation process. Five to ten blanks are cut, drilled, glued, cured, milled, (corners sanded/rounded if needed) together.
The very first thing I do is put the pen blank and the associated pen kit together in a fold-top sandwich bag along with a Pen Making Record slip. I update the form as the pen goes through the process. The notes section is used for the name of the recipient or other comments.
I usually do the gluing in the evening hours inside the house on a Rockler silicone mat (and wax paper if extra is needed), and let them cure 24 hours.
I rarely turn more than one pen a day, but on rare occasions there may be a rush to make gifts for a couple or a group.
When the pen is complete, the bag has a pen and a Pen Record slip. I make a Pen Gift Label for the recipient and put it in a pen display tube (as a gift box) with the pen, label facing out. Sometimes we tie a thin ribbon around the pen display tube. The Pen Record slip goes on my desk. I enter the information in a spreadsheet, and save the fold top bags in a larger bag to await the next pens.
Example Files and Links:
Pen Display Tube - They are 69 cents at our local Rockler in packs of ten. They are less expensive than most other gift boxes and sleeves, and they look good. The ones at Rockler don't fit the larger cigar-type pens, so beware. You can buy larger ones elsewhere.
https://www.rockler.com/pen-display-tubes
Example Files - Feel free to use, steal, copy, modify, claim, etc.
Pen Making Record slips - They live in the bag with the pen blank and pen kit.
Pen Gift Labels - These fit inside the pen display tubes. I insert them facing out.
Pen Making Tracking Database Example - An example of the spreadsheet I use to track each pen I make. It has proven to be more useful than I ever thought it would.