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

Friday, December 29, 2023

Friday, December 22, 2023

Review : Midori MD paper correction tape

This year we reviewed a lot of correction tape and it seems fitting that we end the year with a review of one more.

Whilst getting ourselves ready for 2024, we have also purchased MIDORI's very own correction tape that is made specifically for MD paper.

The cream tape dispensed is 6mm wide.

The packaging is as one would expect of the MD range. Very sleek and simplistic.

There are japanese instructions printed on the back of the package and english instructions on the inside of the package.

So how does it compare to the other cream based correction tape that we have reviewed so far?
As you can see, it is the least opaque compared to the other two but as the label promises, it is an exact match for MD paper.

For those who use a lot of MD paper based products, this is a must have! The lack of opacity doesnt bother me since one would just write over it anyway. However, I do wish they put out other widths as 6mm is too wide even for their own lined books.

What do you think?















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Friday, December 15, 2023

Review: Maruman Smart Review

 



I like the form factor of the Maruman mini ring notebook system, so when I saw these study aids, I decided to take a closer look. 



The binder itself is also a part of the Smart review system. 
It has been designed so the tabs are easy to see through the cover. 

The colour is not usually what I would purchase but the brighter the better when it comes to notes. 
I also like that the spine is the push open mechanism in plastic that is easy on the fingers, metal is fancy and all that but can pinch and that hurts. 

So yes, the binder comes with a set of colour coded dividers with laminated tabs. 
To write on the tabs, I recommend a permanent marker or some labels. 



The looseleaf refill set comes with 90 pages of 6mm spaced lined paper in 3 colours. 
Great for separating your notes visually. 


The vocabulary note set works with or without a card that allows for quick referencing and studying. 
The card is sold separately but even without it, the sheets are great listing and marking off things that you will or have already studied. 


How does the card work? 
It's red so whatever you write in red will disappear with the card over it. 


like so!

Very useful, first off, it's less effort than flipping pages or folding sheets and I think the red keeps you awake, I definitely need help in that department. 


A comparison of the mini binder next to the slim A5 binder. 

All in all, a very tidy study set from Maruman. 

I'm going to take my time filling these up but what do you think? Is this something you'd like to try? 



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Friday, December 8, 2023

Review: Hapila! Scissors Cleaner Pen

 One of my biggest pet peeves is to use dirty scissors. So you can imagine my dismay when the only pair in my pencil case gets dirty. Cleaning it with napkins used to be an option but it doesnt quite work if the scisssors gets sticky. 

Well here's a solution!

Hapila! Scissors Cleaner Pen
According to the writeup on the back of the packaging, it not only removes dirt from scissors, but also makes them slippery, and also has antifouling properties.


This is how it looks like within the packaging. There appears to be a fair amount of cleaning solution in the pen too.
Here is how to use it.
  1. Clean the scissors with a dry cloth to remove dust.
  2. Apply the liquid from the pen to the surface.
  3. Rub clean with a dry cloth.

It works really well! The stains are gone and the scissors now has a glossy finish making it harder for future stains to adhere.

I had thought about replacing these scissors but it looks like i will not have to! Definitely a must have in one's pen case!

What do you think?


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Friday, December 1, 2023

2024 Diary First Impressions: Hobonichi A6 Almost Daily Notebook - Tomitaro Makino

 


Now that it's December, I thought I would write about the diary I'm planning to use for 2024. 

I haven't used a Hobonichi with quite a few years but these botanical illustrations by Tomitaro Makino are so pretty, I decided to give it a go again. 

I purchased the Japanese A6 version, it's a semi hard cover and comes with a pencil board with a pen holder, a Hobonichi brochure and a card with information about the illustrator. 


Since I last used hobonichi, they've made a few changes, the most important being thicker paper. 
I had a few issues with the paper being too thin last time so I'm looking forward to seeing if this improvement makes the Hobonichi a better notebook. 

The inside layout is very similar to previous iterations of the Hobonichi, but the paper definitely feels thicker. 

It's January start so no writing yet but let me know in the comments if you'd like a longer review. 



First impressions wise: 

I don't remember this spine coloring but it's very helpful! 
I wished the cover was a bit more hard cover than semi hard cover but I understand that contributes to weight. 
The illustrations are so pretty, I might have to put a plastic cover over it. 
and finally, I love the addition of clear pencil board, it's simple and pretty. 

I'm very excited to start using this notebook, what about you? 
What's your 2024 diary? 





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Friday, November 24, 2023

December 2023 Printable

 

The last month of the year is here!
Are you guys excited for the holiday season?
Here at TN5C we want to kickstart your holiday cheer with this month's free printable!
Download HERE.

Netprint (Japan) and IBON (Taiwan) details can be found on our instagram.

Do tag us in your creations! We would love to see them!

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Friday, November 17, 2023

Review: Kutsuwa Air Pita Pencil Case


I received this pencil case by Kutsuwa as a gift and thought I would review it for you. 

The Kutsuwa Air Pita pencil case is a silicone pencil case. 
I received one in pink with a cute rabbit illustration. 


The main selling point, the air pita in the name, is here at the base.
It's a suction cup base to keep the pencil case steady when standing. 


When opened, the front flap can be used as a handphone holder whilst keeping the items in the pouch on display. 
And yes, it fits the biggest iphones, if you were wondering. 
 

On the topic of the suction cup base, it's pretty strong. 
It's not impossible to remove, just peel it off or move it to the edge of the table to relieve the suction.



Overall, a pretty a good gift, I'm excited to use it more. 

What do you think? Is this useful? 





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Friday, November 10, 2023

5 uses for the DAISO 9 hole compact binder + 2 pocket refill

A while back, we reviewed the DAISO 9 hole compact binder + refills. Today, we will show the latest addition to the lineup!

9 hole single sided 2 pockets refill
Measurement of pocket: 63mm x 89mm

Each pack comes with 30 refills.
Fits perfectly in the 9 hole horizontal binder from DAISO.
So what can you use it for?
1. Trading Cards
The first use is most obvious since the pockets are trading card sized.

2. Travel cards, point cards etc
Since the binder is compact and easy to travel with, its perfect for storing your transportation cards, tickets etc. Also good for storing name cards and other card sized items you collect on your trip.

3. Memo paper
You can always use some on the go. Be it for some journaling or just to write a note. 

4. Masking tape 
Just wind some around a card and you have the perfect way to carry an assortment around.

5. Stickers
Since you have memo paper and masking tape, you cannot forget the stickers! 

Now you are all ready for some journaling on the go!



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Friday, November 3, 2023

Review: Roller Marker Stamp by Yamahachi Chemical

 


I can't help myself every time I spot a new stamp product. 
I had to buy the Roller marker stamp and review it for you. 


I picked up 2 designs, 'deco' in yellow and 'dot' in grey. 
Both designs have a width of 4mm, however, one is rated for 100m of use, the other 200m.
I'm not quite sure why this is as both look to be the same dimensions. 



It took a few tries to get the hang of using the roller stamp but once I got it going, I thought it looked good. 
The ink is pigmented and the colour stands out, which would make it useful for journalling, school or even work documents. 


Pairing either stamp with writing worked out well. 
The stamp itself is light and easy to use, however, I wouldn't buy more than a few, especially if you were planning to carry these around. That would get bulky very easily. 

I think this is a cute product, what about you? 

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Friday, October 27, 2023

Friday, October 20, 2023

Review: DAISO Extra mini strap scissors

A pair of scissors is always useful on the go and here at TN5C we are always looking for the most convenient travel friendly edition out there.
This new discovery over at DAISO might just be the one!
For one thing, its definitely the smallest we have seen so far!

Here it is out of the packaging!
The scissors have a built in mini spring so you do not need to put your fingers into it. There is also an accompanying lid to ensure you don't cut anything by mistake.

The size in detail:

There is also a strap attached to it so you can easily hang it off your pencil case or bag etc.

Overall, its not the easiest to use if you are trying to cut a lot but for the occasion cutting of clothing tags or packaging whilst you are on the go, it is perfect!

Have you tried it out?

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Friday, October 13, 2023

Review: Daiso Coke Pen

 


I reviewed the Metacil last month and recently saw something similar at Daiso. 

There are a few differences but the concept appears to be the same. 


Whilst the Metacil has an aluminium body with a graphite based core, the Daiso coke pen has a plastic body with a petroleum coke (carbon based) tip. 

Yes, I thought of the drink too when I saw the name. 



The Daiso coke pen comes in 2 varients, a shorter wide shaft, which has a cap with a metal notebook hook and a longer triangular shaft with a short plastic cap. 

The longer version reminds me of the apple pen stylus whilst the shorter variant is more like a regular ballpoint pen. 

The coke pen works exactly like the metacil, it doesn't need to be sharpened, you can do shading and extra pressure increases the darkness of the pencil line, all exactly like a regular pencil. 


Whilst the Daiso and Metacil look similar, they also both claim to be equivalent to a 2H pencil 
However, on testing both, I found the Metacil to be lighter than the Daiso pencil.
This will probably come down to preference then. 

So if you were looking at the Metacil but didn't want to spend that much money on it, I recommend buying the Daiso version first to see if you like it. 

The only downside to the Daiso coke pen is that the construction feels rather cheap, the plastic body also means it is tip heavy so the balance doesn't feel quite right. 
At that Daiso price though, it's worth buying. 

What do you think? Would you try the Daiso coke pen? 



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Friday, October 6, 2023

Review : SUNSTAR ZIGZAG eraser



Ever used a brand new eraser and thought to yourself "Hmm, the sharp corner of a brand new eraser is so much easier to use." Well Japanese stationery brand has introduced a new eraser where you can always use the sharp corner of an eraser.

Introducing ZIGZAG by Sunstar
Inspired by Japanese origami, the eraser has many corners, and even after you erase a corner, a new corner will appear. Since there are many corners, it is easy to erase small details!


See more about it here



What do you think? Would you buy this eraser?


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