A Timex watch in a digital age.
This is a pocket review of a couple of different packs of pens from the TikTok shop. First, of course, is the Afternoon Tea set to be closely followed by the Linear Color Pen Set. Continue reading “Afternoon Tea At The TikTok Shop”
Fifty years ago (the 4th April 1975 to be precise) the BBC first aired The Good Life. Continue reading “The Good Life”
For those of us that remember the days when school essays were written in long hand and laptops were a thing from science fiction and we all carried with us, to every lesson, the equivalent of a small stationery store crammed into a pencil case that was around A5 in size. Continue reading “Pen & Pencil Cases”
While browsing Amazon a couple of weeks ago I came across the Bezend pocket planner and as this is the time of year for new diary’s I decided to spend a few pennies and see what it was like, not having used a landscape diary since the days when Filofax dominated the world of diary’s. Continue reading “Bezend Landscape Pocket Diary”
A couple of weeks back I found myself in Warwick; which for anyone not familiar with that part of England is a delightful little town to spend an afternoon in. I recommend, if you can get a slot, parking at The Butts carpark at the back of St. Mary’s Church. Then walk through the church gardens and follow the pathway through the churchyard out on Church Street and follow the road to Old Square and finally on to Market Place.
Following this route I soon found myself outside the Relate thrift shop and decided to go in just to see if anyone had donated some unusual stationery or desktop novelty; instead I came across a pile of notebooks, eight in total.
But not what you would expect! The pile (which went home with me) included Midori, Endless, Blackwing; so not your average thrift shop stationery this was a collection of notebooks bought by someone who knew what they were buying.
As I wanted to review them all as a batch I decided to list the key points that I consider when buying a notebook and use that to give a pocket overview of each of the notebooks.
So, make yourself a comfortable this might take a while.
Appearance: Stone grey linen cover
Size: A6
Number of sheets/pages: 60/160 100gsm
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: N/A
Line, grid, dot, plain: Plain paper
Type of binding: Stitched
Lay flat: No
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: Yes
Other features: the GVFC website only offers this notebook in A4 & A5 and this has a dedication so it may have been a sample?
Recommended: Yes
Size: A6
Number of sheets/pages: 152/304 100gsm
Paper colour: Cream
Line spacing: N/A
Line, grid, dot, plain: Plain
Type of binding: Stitch
Lay flat: No
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: Yes but light
Other features: Double marker ribbon, Elastic closure and pencil loop, pocket sized pencil, rear pocket & world map.
Recommended: Yes
Appearance: Similar size to the average cell ‘phone.
Size: 3” x 6.25”
Number of sheets/pages 80/160 80gsm
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: 5mm
Line, dot, plain: Available in all three.
Type of binding: Wire
Lay flat: Yes
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: No
Other features: Elastic closure.
Recommended: Yes, ideal pocket notebook.
Appearance: Small pocket notebook.
Size: A7
Number of sheets/pages: 24/48 80gsm
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: 5mm
Line, grid, dot, plain: Grid
Type of binding: Staple
Lay flat: No
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: Very light, barely noticeable.
Other features:
Recommended: Yes
Appearance: Discreet black notebook suitable for use anywhere.
Size: 5.1” x 7.5”
Number of sheets/pages: 32/64 68gsm Tomoe River Paper
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: 7mm
Lined: Ruled also available in plain and dotted papers.
Type of binding: Stitch
Lay flat: Yes
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: No
Other features:
Recommended: Yes
Appearance
Size: A5
Number of sheets/pages: 100/200
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: N/A
Plain
Type of binding: Thread
Lay flat: Yes
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: Very light
Other features
Recommended: Yes
Appearance: Black cover with silver gilder edges and the word ‘Journal’ stamped into the cover.
Size: Slightly smaller than A5
Number of sheets/pages: c.100/200
Paper colour: Cream/White
Line spacing: 8mm
Line
Type of binding: Stitch
Lay flat: No
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: No
Other features: Decorative flyleaves
Recommended: Yes, but sadly no longer available since Paperchase closed down.
Appearance: Solid black notebook with black edging.
Size: A5
Number of sheets/pages: 128/256 120gsm
Paper colour: White
Line spacing: N/A
Grid: 3.5mm
Type of binding: Stitch
Lay flat: No
Bleed through: No
Ghosting: Yes
Other features: Elastic pen loop, page numbering & recycled leather cover.
Recommened: Yes
All ink tests were done using a Medium nib and Tom’s Studio Marmalade ink.
Disclaimer: All of the notebooks were purchased with my own funds at retail price. The opinions expressed in this review are my own; and I am not connected with either the retailers or manufacturers in any way.
When I was at school, somewhere around the age of ten, my classmates and I were considered old enough and dare I say it responsible enough to put our pencils aside and graduate to fountain pens and by doing so our handwriting would by some miracle improve. It did not. Continue reading “No Nonsense Strawberries & Cream”
A long, long time ago in a decade far far away you will find the 1970’s. Continue reading “TWSBI Eco Caffe”
A few weeks ago I was in Bath and I paid a visit to Meticulous Ink who are to be found at 134 Walcott Street. Continue reading “Meticulous Ink”
As October is the month when we celebrate Hallowe’en I thought I would review an ink appropriate to the season; Private Reserve’s Vampire Red. Continue reading “A Red Ink For Dracula, Private Reserve’s Vampire Red”
On a recent visit to a Flying Tiger store I came across dragon erasers, pretty cool! And the picture on the front of the box reminded me of the scene when Ron is explaining to Harry that there are wild dragons in Britain.
“But there aren’t wild dragons in Britain?” said Harry.
“Of course there are,” said Ron. “Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who’ve spotted them, to make them forget.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Needless to say, I bought a couple of them.
The dragon is around 75mm high, mostly blue with brown wings and a green underbelly. So, if you want to add a little dragon to your desktop or know someone who would then this could be the dragon for you.
Disclaimer: TheDragon was purchased with my own funds at retail price. The opinions expressed in this review are my own; and I am not connected with either the retailers or manufacturers in any way.
The Indian Marmalade Company 
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