DIY Tutorial + bonus free printable : Make your own clear pencil case

If you have been looking around on stationery instagram accounts in Japan, you must have noticed this clear pencil case everyone appears to have. 

Want one too? 

Good news, you don't have to fly to Japan to purchase it, you can easily make your own at home.

Here's what you need!

1. A5 Soft card Case
2. Clip
3. Stickers to decorate

All you need to do is insert your pens and roll the end up. Use the clip to hold it together!

To decorate it, get another piece of plastic (I cut mine from the packaging of the case XD) and stick your stickers on. 

Once you finished decorating it, insert the plastic into the pencil case! It will also help keep the pen case in shape when you toss it into your bag.

Easy and looks great in photos!

And to get you started, I am sharing a printable of the stickers I used!

Download here 

(Only available till 10th July 2020)

If you make the pen case or use the printable, please tag as on instagram @thenumber5.co and use the tag #TN5Cprintable!

And if you haven't started following us on instagram, you can find us here!

https://www.instagram.com/thenumber5.co/

We post ideas, layouts and lots more to inspire you.

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Travel Folder Part One : Set Up

One of our favorite ways to chronicle our travels is to save ephemeral we encounter each day. However sometimes it can be hard to remember what day we collected each item. To help with that, I've begun using a travel folder and today's blog post will be about how I have set mine up!

 To start, here is the folder I have used. Its about A6 size with 12 sections inside. 

To personalize it, I have used a gold transfer sticker on it as a decoration.

I have also added numbers to each pocket tab by using my trusty labeler. 

Each pocket will be used for each day of the trip but I have also included some items which I find useful to bring along on trips.  

These include

1. sticky memo paper

2. small stickers

3. Junpakushi paper for stamping on

4. grid paper for writing daily thoughts/snippets

5. Sticker Release Paper for stickers/labels I collect along the way (Buy Here)

6. Pen 

To see it in action, do look out for Part 2 where I will show you how I used it on a trip! 

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Washi Tape Hack : Making coordinating stickers

Here at TN5C we love our washi tape! And we use it quite generously in our journals and many other areas. But sometimes finding coordinating elements like stickers can be difficult so if you face the same problem, we have a hack for you!

Make your own coordinating stickers out of the washi tape you own with craft punches!

Simply stick the tape on some wax paper [we used sticker release paper, which you can buy at our store here] and punch the shapes out~!

The result? Perfectly matching stickers!

Till next time!

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Fusen Hack #2

Hope you enjoyed the first Fusen hack last week!

This week’s fusen hack is also super simple! We’re basically turning fusen into reusable planner entries, for actions/events that are recurring.

You’ll need

• Fusen, paper or plastic it’s up to you. You can use this method with tabs or other stickers too!

• Label printing machine

Use a clear label to retain the fusen pattern/colour, or one with a white base for darker coloured fusen or ones that have a busy pattern.

Create your labels, apply to your fusen and you’re done. I used mine in my bullet journal.

It’s useful for remembering recurring events or to do items.

Hope you found this useful. Do tag us if you’ve used this in your planner!

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Fusen Hack #1

Fusen aka post it notes come is all shapes, sizes, colours and materials. There are many ways to use them that are obvious but not really at the same time.

In this blogpost, I will show you a quick trick to turn regular fusen into cute index markers.

First up, you will need fusen, paper or film, and some deco rush, I used the petit series, which is mostly used for planners. You can also use stickers.

Next, just pick your favourite design and apply it on the fusen. Done, cute index stickers!

Stay tuned for the next fusen hack!

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2019 Bullet Journal Setup

It’s always nice to start the year with a fresh new notebook.

I’m using a bullet journal for the 3rd year in a row. That’s a bit of an accomplishment but it really is the best planner system I’ve found.

This year I decided to go with an Archer and Olive A5 dot grid notebook. I love how things like the pen loop and pocket are built in and that the paper is 160gsm, great for laying on colour/drawing and mixed media.

The first 2 pages are laid out as a grid spacing guide (that I’m working on) and my 2019 resolutions.

I decided that I would leave out all the suggested bullet journal pages in favour of ones that I do use.

I then followed that up with 12 spreads of monthly overviews. I used calendar stickers on one side and the other side I will be using for writing down birthdays, events and anything that I will need a quick reference for.

Of course, I need a spread for blogposts. I used film fusens and MT tape to mark out and plan them.

For the January layout, I went with the vertical overview and to do list on 2 pages. I’ve been doing that since I started bullet journaling and I’ve found it very effective so why change it if it’s not broken.

I continued with the vertical theme in the weekly layouts. At the bottom of each day is a spending tracker, I used to do it on a single page but felt that having a daily one made accounting for where my money is going easier to see at the end of the month.

Finally, at the end of each month, I use whatever leftover space is available, or if there isn’t any, I use a post it note, to write a list of things for next month. I transfer all that information to the vertical monthly overview when I set up that month’s pages.

So that was a very basic overview to my 2019 Bullet Journal. I’m adding pages as I go.

What essentials are in your bujo? I’d love to know! and if you haven’t started one yet it’s never too late!

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10 Planner/Bullet Journal Content Ideas

I’ve been bullet journaling for 18 months now and it’s been a great system. I used an MD notebook last year and whilst I got a lot of use out of it, I didn’t finish using the notebook when the year was up.

I’m using the leuchtturm1917 bullet journal notebook this year and I’ve found dot grid to be space efficient, hence I use a lot less pages than before.

In order to fully utilise it, I’ve inserted some fun, some useful content pages. I’ll share some of those ideas here:

1. Quotes: it’s kinda of cliche but I love song lyrices and I always want to remember them. You can also write down other quotes you come across or just facts.
2. Washi Tape/Pen Swatches: it’s always difficult to remember pen colours so having a reference is useful. Same with washi tape, with the added bonus of documenting what you have so you don’t buy something similar, hopefully.
3. Mood Tracker: Illustrated mood trackers are such a fun idea. It’s like mindfulness colouring in a way
4. Cleaning Schedule: I always need one of these. Other than a big overall list, I make a mini one every month.
5. Wishlist: whatever you have a wishlist for, put it in your bujo!  
6. Favourite Cafes etc: Everytime I come across a place I would like to visit, I put it in this list.
7. Things to do when you have time off: when life gets so busy, you need some ideas!
8. Patterns/Ideas: ideas for bujo in a bujo. It’s bujoception. Also great for noting down cute illustration ideas from pinterest/instagram.
9. Project list: I like to keep track of the many things I have going on at the same time. This is a good way to have that in a one page view.
10. Recipes/meal planning: admittedly I haven’t done this but I will in the future!  

Do you have other bujo ideas? Let me know in the comments!  

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Bullet Journal 2018 Setup

I can't believe I'm using the Bullet Journal for a second year in a row. I typically change diaries/layouts yearly but I started my Bujo in February last year and it's been an amazing system for organising/planning.

Last year, I used an A5 Midori blank notebook in a Hobonichi cousin cover and while I loved the paper and the extra pockets in the cover, I found it a bit heavy for daily use. This year, I bought the official Bullet Journal notebook from Leuchtturm1917. It's simpler and lighter and the dot grid paper soothes my tiny inner OCD personality. Obviously I couldn't leave it alone, so I added a Leuchtturm pen loop, patch stickers from Starbucks Singapore and the tab I use and change out monthly is from Semikolon. Also, I use a 3 colour pen from Pentel, blogpost on multi coloured pens coming soon. 

I kept a lot of the same original Bullet journal elements like the Future log, which I embellished with washi tape and Tombow brush markers. In my future log, I wrote down birthdays, travel plans, public holidays and major events. It really useful to have an overview of the year in 4 pages. 

I love looking at all the pretty Bullet journals people create on instagram and youtube. However, I neither have the time nor inclination to do that for my own daily planner so I've kept it to the basics. The vertical monthly page worked well for me so I've continued with that, having the entire month's to do list on the page next to it creates a nice dashboard of sorts, I tend to leave it on my desk with these 2 pages open so I can glance at them ever so often, it's a good way to keep on track and get stuff done. 

This is where I started to do something different from 2017. I added another page for additional things I want to track/plan. In January, I added a habit tracker, a standalone to do list for TN5C, my work trip, a list to track emails and replies and an expense tracker. 

Unfortunately, in February, I took out the habit tracker because I wasn't able to keep to it and I gave the expense tracker an entire page. 

What else do you track monthly? I'd love to know and maybe incorportate them into next month's layout, leave me a comment below! 

I've seen bullet journals where the daily log has been laid out week by week on 2 pages. I still prefer to create each day's entry the day before, it's now a part of my end of day ritual and it's a good way to empty the mind before heading to bed. 

Other than the standard Bujo items, I've laid out pages for travel planning, idea lists and more to do lists. It's been a great system to stay organised and it's all in one notebook. If you haven't tried it out, you should. 

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Xyron 'create-a-sticker' maker

You know how sometimes you pick up a cute sheet of paper, or scrapbooking die cuts and wish it came in a sticker instead so you can put it in your travel kit? You could carry a glue stick but that seems counterproductive. 

I like a clean, easy to use kit so I was excited to discover the Xyron sticker maker (mine is the pink breast cancer ribbon edition). It's compact size means you can take it with you or store it easily. You do need to purchase refills but at 6.1m long, that will last you a while. It doesn't require batteries and it's simple to use. 

How to use: 

1. Pick your graphic and cut it out (I use the gyro cut, you can use a regular craft blade or scissors) 
2. Drop it in the Xyron
3. Slowly pull at the end of the cartridge on the other end
4. Tear off the bit with your graphic
5. Light rub the area that has your graphic to make sure the adhesive has transferred
6. Peel off the plastic 
7. Use sticker or store for use later! 

Plan in advance to maximise use of the adhesive and make multiple stickers on a single sheet, as there is a piece between where your sheet starts and where you tore off the last piece (see picture in slideshow with 'this bit') that goes to waste. 

Happy sticker creating!

*Paper used is from Daiso's sakura collection 

For other ways to create your own stickers, see here & here.

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My Bullet Journal Setup

I started bullet journaling in February, I was keeping a notebook of sorts but I was craving something a bit more organised. I came across a video on bullet journaling and went to consult the website. 

For the bullet journal, I bought a Hobonichi cover and a MD paper A5 Notebook (best paper ever) and set it up as per the website. I know some people prefer to use a dot grid notebook but I love a blank page. 

The only thing I haven't used is the Index page, the Future log I don't use as much but the Monthly and Daily logs are my absolute go-to, I will have either of those pages open for most of the day. I found that having a sort of dashboard where I can see everything is great for productivity. My time management has improved slightly and I'm getting more things done. 

I'm still tweaking the journal to meet my needs; such as creating pages for travel, work, documenting the new stash of washi tape or pens. It's whatever you want it to be, which is what I love about it. 

Flip thru the gallery to see some of the accessories I use with the bullet journal. 

Any tips? I'd love to know, leave them down in the comments! 

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