i was going to start this post by launching into the history of my stationery addiction, but really, what can i say that thousands of other women (and a few blokes, but let’s be honest: it’s a female dominated hobby) haven’t said before? stationery is art, it’s creativity, it’s organisation, and above all, it’s possibility. who doesn’t love that little thrill of cracking open a new notebook or journal for the first time? or the anticipation of an amazing year to come when you start diary shopping in october or november?
one of my favourite things about the internet is how it’s opened up a whole world of new paper-and-pen offerings. where i used to go to officeworks or the dymocks flagship store in sydney as a kid, i can now jump online and find all sorts of amazing boutique companies in asia, europe and north america. good for my happiness quotient, not so good for my hoarding tendencies.
so what stationery am i fixating on this month?
dandelion fields floral notebook collection
(here)
i’m a bit on the fence about floral. done wrong, it can come off as a bit daggy, a bit dated, a bit blah. done right, though, it’s youthful and springtime-y and makes me happy just looking at it. obviously, this is in the latter category. the gorgeous cover art is by finnish artist anna emilia laitinen, and the whimsy spills over to the hand-drawn lines on the pages, complete with leaves dotted here and there. definitely geared more towards daydream-y scribblings than business to do lists, but coming into longer, warmer summer days here, this is exactly what i’m after.
the notebooks are 64 pages each and come in a pack of three.
bunting washi tape
(here)
i know, i know, bunting has been done to death by the twee brigade. i agree completely… but this is so cute.
candy striped washi tape
(here)
sweet set of ‘everyday’ washi for journals, scrapbooking, cards and wrapping. (being able to separate washi tape into ‘everyday’ and ‘special occasion’ is probably a sign to back off a bit, no?)
confidant notebook
(here)
photo via tools and toys
i am… maybe not obsessed, but certainly preoccupied by the concept of a notebook that lays flat. being the slightly clumsy, inattentive type, i love hard cover books – anything to minimise the battering everything in my handbag or on my desk gets! this is so close to being my holy grail notebook; the only thing that would make it better for me would be a version with (only) the right-hand pages lined. so often, i need to scribble pictures or diagrams or jot shorthand on one side, and write something longhand on the other. but lines are distracting for scribbles, and a lack of lines annoys me, because i can’t write in straight lines without guidance. stop making me choose, book makers! i want the best of both worlds!
iconic essay book v.3
(here)
it lays flat. it’s compact. it even does a few lined + blank combo pages (be still, my beating heart!). but then it has those patterned pages, which for me are a waste, and i really don’t know what to do with them. i mean, i can see the suggested usage, with photos and ticket stubs and washi tape, but i’m not a scrapbooker, so these would probably end up being wasted space. can i have more lined + blank combo pages instead, iconic designers? but let’s be honest: i’ll probably still end up buying this.
what are your favourite new finds? any stationery you have wishlist?