September 2017 Printable

Its the start of yet another new month! And whilst many think of September with rather gloomy weather thoughts, we aim to brighten everyone's day with a sweet (candies) themed printable. It will definitely bring a smile to your face!

And for those who purchased our September subscription fairytale box or sticker set, it looks perfect with it!

As always, tag us #TN5Cprintable on instagram to show us your pages! 

Download our free printable here. 

p.s You can still purchase our September sticker set (not box) alongside other previous sticker collections at our Etsy store! Do check it out here!

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October 2017 Subscription Box

Life is a circus.

Some moments are more spectacular than others. They can keep you on the edge of the seat before you applaud with joy. Or maybe you will find yourself surrounded by clowns instead. There will always be highs and lows but your life is truly the greatest show ever. Just make sure that you are the ringmaster of your tent.

Because life is a circus.

So enjoy the ride.

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Ink Stand, Tokyo, Japan

So you got your custom notebook from Kakimori. What next?

How about some custom ink? No I'm not talking about getting tattoos. Rather, a custom shade of ink for use in fountain pens or glass dip pens. 

First of all, you will need an appointment. To do so, visit their website and look here. For those of you who do not read/understand japanese, here is a basic sort of guide.

If there is an orange square next to the slot, it is not available. So in the example above, you can see that 8/25 has an available slot at 12:00. They are only able to take on 4 participants in each time slot but two have already been taken so there are only 2 slots remaining. [Versus 8/22 where there are 4 slots remaining.]

You click on the slot and you will be taken to the next page where you can enter number of participants before entering your contact details on the next page.

Each session is 2500yen and will take around 1.5hrs. Do not worry as the mixing time is just 45mins [u might be done even quicker!] and then you return later to retrieve your custom ink.

On the day of your appointment, arrive around 5mins ahead of time so as to get ready. Some basic english instructions will be available for those who do not speak Japanese. You will be told to choose a base ink and add droplets of ink color you like from the array in front of you to create a custom ink that you like. Take note how many drops of each color you use. If you are unhappy with the result, simply wash out your cup and start again. A glass dip pen is also present for you to test your ink out. 

When you are satisfied, present the ink you have made alongside its "recipe" to the staff member. They will attempt to recreate it and if its correct, you will be told to return in 45mins or so to get your bottle of ink!

For those who do not wish to create a custom ink but are interested to buy a bottle ready made, simply pop into Kakimori next door! 

 

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Kakimori, Tokyo, Japan

Kakimori is in the quiet neighbourhood of Kuramae in Tokyo, where hipster cafes and residential are mixed in with old established businesses, the store's purpose is to 're-evaluate the importance of writing'.

The store consists of a wide selection of writing instruments such as dip pens, markers, pencils and there's even a wall of fountain pens for you to try before you buy, which is especially useful if you were looking at a few hundred dollar pen. There's also a selection of pen ink, some of which is exclusive to the store. 

The pièce de résistance however, is their create your own notebook display. This service is extremely popular, so we recommend you go on a weekday.

To create your notebook, pick up a tray at the entrance. There are instructions in Japanese but the basics are: 

From the display/shelves:
1. Pick from 2 sizes: B5 or B6 (both available in landscape or portrait) 
2. Cover/Backing sheet: you can choose either, both or none. You can also choose semi-opaque plastic sheets to protect the notebook. 
3. Notebook paper: Options include but are not limited to calendar, grid, travel log, envelope etc. The paper comes in packs, it's recommended you choose between 2-4 packs and more popular options tend to sell out faster. You can also select from different paper types (sample sheets are available for perusal).  Order of the notebook paper is chosen at the counter. You should also consider the orientation of your notebook when picking notebook paper. 

When that's done, bring your tray to the counter, where you have to make a few more choices (note these items are available at the display so you can have a think about it before heading to the counter.)

At the counter: 
1. Binding Ring: 5 colours, 2 options of binding, choose your orientation.
2. Fastening accessory (optional) : Elastic, Leather button or String & Button. 
3. Other (optional): Corner metal frame

All these options do add up, the prices are all displayed and Kakimori reckons if you follow the guide, a notebook would typically cost around between 1000 - 3500 yen (10 - 35USD) 

After you've made all your choices and paid, it will take around 30 minutes (weekday) to create your notebook, feel free to browse some more, go for a walk, or may we suggest a cup of hot chocolate around the corner? Then come back and pick up your notebook, can I just say it feels incredibly satisfying to hold a notebook that you've assembled yourself. It's such a great experience! 

Stay tuned for our review of the Kakimori notebook and Inkstand.

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Top 5 items from MUJI for Journal enthusiasts

1. Sticky notes

Aside from the usual post-it like sticky notes, Muji makes some with interesting layouts. Like to-do lists or weekly schedules.

2. Pens, markers, highlighters, pencils, you name it

Whatever you need for writing things down. The gel pens are a particular favorite of mine.

3. Notebooks

MUJI makes a huge assortment of notebooks and comes in both spiral bound and perfect binding [glue bound]. They are also available in blank, lined and grid alongside two types of paper [the premium is only available for some sizes]. The Passport size is a perfect match for the TN passport size.

4. Masking Tape

Dislike the usual cartoony style masking tapes or prefer something a little more simple so as not to deter from your journaling? Muji has you covered.

5. Diaries

I cant possibly talk about things for planners and not mention their diaries. The schedule note is not dated and can be used anytime of the year!

Have you bought any of these? Or are there other things you prefer to buy for your journaling from MUJI? Share them with us in the comments!

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August 2017 Printable

I can't believe it's August already! Where did the year go? 

Teatime is relevant any time of the year, our august printable follows our subscription box theme, we've gone with colours representing weekdays and weekends, we hope you like it! 

Download here!

Purchase our sticker set here!

 

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Review: 6 Roll Masking Tape Storage/Travel Case

If you are like me, you must love masking tapes. And like me, you are probably always looking for the perfect way to store them or bring them out with you. The search might be over though. Check out this brand new masking tape case I bought recently!

The case will hold up to 6 rolls of tape and you can stand it upright or sideways. Easy to store and easy to bring it out with you. Good for traveling!

For those wondering, the masking tapes shown are part of the new summer collection from Daiso. I've also purchased the fusen to go with it!

Have you tried this case? What is your favorite way to bring tapes out on a trip with you? Would you like us to stock the store with these cases?

Comment below and let us know!

p.s Have you seen the new additions in our ETSY store! Do check it out here!

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September Subscription Box: Real Life Fairytales

Have you ever read a story and wished you were the hero or the heroine?
Well maybe it is not as far fetched as you thought.

You might not slay dragons of the fire breathing kind but who is to say the adversities you overcome each day are any easier

You might not go on epic quests for treasure but the memories you make each day enriches your life just as much.

So you see..
You are indeed the hero or heroine of a story.
Your story.
The story of your life.

Your real life fairytale.

This box comes with a sticker set, a mini rose gold paper clip, a gold bookmark, a notebook charm, a clear pouch (perfect for storing your inserts) and an insert. 

Subscribe via our website or buy a single box from our Etsy store. 

Sticker only subscriptions available too! 

 

 

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Flying Tiger's 'Travel Notebook'

For those who are unfamiliar with Flying Tiger, it is the Copenhagen version of a 'zakka' store, very cute, somewhat useful and low priced. It's one of those stores that's really hard to leave without buying a thing. The store front is so cute you'll also have trouble walking past without going in.

Yes, we're suckers for cute things. 

I visited one of their stores on a recent trip to London. It was summer and there were a lot of cute summer themed things like mini deck chairs, floats, towels, you get my drift. I always pay special attention to the stationery section and I discovered a selection of 'Travel Notebooks' that looked similar to the beloved Travelers Notebooks. The covers came in a few different designs and each cover came with a kraft folder, elastics and 2 notebooks. For £2, it was a no brainer and I picked one up immediately. 

First up, it's hard to complain about quality, for £2, you get what you pay for. The cover is laminated hard cardboard and there are visible lines where it's been bent but otherwise rigid and feels like it would survive tumbling around a bag. It comes fully assembled and as mentioned, it comes with a kraft folder where one side is an envelope and the other, a pocket, it also comes with 2 notebooks (square grid and lined), I'm not a fan of the paper but refills were £1 a piece, so you're basically getting the cover/kraft folder for free with the purchase of the 2 notebooks. 

I reckon this would be a great starter kit for someone who wanted to try the travelers notebook system out but didn't want to invest heavily. Although I should mention that the Flying Tiger version is slightly smaller than the actual traveler's notebook. Refills from a traveler's notebook would not be able to fit into the elastics, but you can certainly slide it into the cover. 

Have you seen these in stores? What did you think? 

P.S Beach stickers featured are available in our store.

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