We love stationery! Blogposts weekly every Friday and free printable monthly.

Friday, June 25, 2021

Friday, June 18, 2021

Review: Binsen Fusen

 


I'm always on the new lookout for fusen. 

I use fusen on everything, taking random notes, shopping lists, when my planner runs out of space. 

I saw these ones by Binsen-fusen and thought they were really aesthetically pleasing so I picked them up. 


The packaging is pretty basic, I liked the recommended usage mini illustrations in the back. 

Some include, gift tags on presents, for work, and to write instructions. 


I picked up 2 sizes/designs. 

The L size is 85 x137mm and is a travel design. 
The M size is 85 x 85mm and the design is more geometric. 

They both come in 20 sheets and are thick paper, almost 125gsm!


I thought they would look great in a journal layout and it does. 
The thicker paper is really good quality and it's really nice to write on.


I cut the L size fusen in 2 halves and used it in another layout and I think it worked. 

Vellum in this layout is from our store: link


Overall, I think this fusen is great! The designs are very versatile and usable. 
Although a bit on the expensive, I would definitely consider purchasing new designs in the future. 







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Friday, June 11, 2021

DAISO Grid loose leaf pad VS MUJI Notebook type Loose Leaf

 Recently I've noticed a new addition to the ever growing stationery collection over at DAISO. 


Noticing how similar they are to something from MUJI, I decided to pick it up to do a comparison! Here they are side by side :

For comparison's sake, I've purchased them both in A5 size / 5mm Grid / 20 holes.

At first glance, both seem similar enough with the biggest exception that whilst you can place the entire book from MUJI into a file, you will need to remove the cover before you can do the same with the one from DAISO. (The cover does not have holes)


And on the inside (Daiso in front, MUJI in the back)

You can see that the DAISO version is more white with less obvious lines whilst the MUJI version features its standard cream paper with darker lines. Both grids are the same size at 5mm. The paper from both are equally smooth but the MUJI paper is thicker. Recommended if you are worried about the ink going through.

Another difference is the amount of paper you get. MUJI one is 50 pages and DAISO is 30 pages. However DAISO is 100yen + tax (USD$1~) and the MUJI version is 250yen + tax (USD$2.50~) 
Note: Prices quoted are RRP in Japan.

The MUJI version also feels like a better product whereas the DAISO version seems a bit filmsy due to the thin cardboard used on the book's back cover. However this is hardly an issue if you are putting it in a file to start with. 

The MUJI version is definitely better overall but at the same time, its also 2.5 times more expensive than DAISO. However, I'm unable to say with conviction, which is the one to buy. I think its up to the buyer to decide if the small differences are worth the prices and that should also ultimately determine their choice.


Have you tried either of these notebooks? What did you think of them?





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Friday, June 4, 2021

Review: Mu Lifestyle Transfer Stickers

 


Everyone loves stickers and when I saw these ethereal designs, I was intrigued.

These stickers are by Mu Lifestyle. Each pack comes with a sheet each of 2 designs. 
Each sheets measures 100 x 150mm. 

They look like regular stickers but are transferred by placing the sticker on the medium and rubbing with a blunt object (I used the end of my letter opener).



They are very easy to use. 

First, cut out the design you would like to use. 
They are semi opaque, this makes it easy to move around to figure out the layout you want to do before committing. 


Then remove the backing paper, place the sticker on the paper, rub until you've more or less covered the whole design, and then remove the transparent layer. 

If successful, the transparent layer will lift off cleanly. 


One feature of this transfer sticker is that it can be printed on a myriad of surfaces, not just paper. 
You can even use it on glass, as long as it's a flat surface. 

The stickers are semi opaque, which means they be layered to create different effects. 



I used it here with our June printable.


The layering effect is really beautiful, the designs and colours are beautifully done. 

Although it sounds difficult, the transfer portion is simple, I also like the matte look of the sticker on the paper. It's truly unique, it looks almost like it was printed on. 

I enjoyed using these stickers and will definitely purchase more if I see them. 

Have you tried any transfer stickers? What brands have you come across? 
Let us know in the comments! 




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