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

Friday, July 29, 2022

August 2022 Printable

Here at TN5C, we have quite a love for monochromatic color schemes so when it was time to design August's printable we thought it would be a good time to include this theme in our downloads.

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, July 22, 2022

Review : SSUEIM&CCLIM Write In Cursive Script Book

Last year, I reviewed a Korean Calligraphy practice book from SSUEIM&CCLIM and today I will be reviewing the Write in Cursive Script version.

The biggest difference between those two books is that this book is practicing the english alphabet [whilst the other was Korean characters] However, like the other book, all instructions are given in Korean. But its pretty self explanatory so you need not worry even if you cannot read Korean.


[As with the other book]
The author suggests using anything you are comfortable with, such as ball pen, brush pen and even pencil. Thankfully, the paper is very thick so there is no need to worry about ink going through it or ghosting on the other side.

 
The pictures accompanying all the text you have to practice writing, is as lovely as ever!

After finishing the first book, I was extremely excited to find this other version! Now I'm keeping a lookout to see if I can find anymore whilst I continue practicing!
What about you?
Would you try these out?

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Friday, July 15, 2022

Pochitto6 Push Button Stamp by Kodomo no Kao


Button X Stamp

That's the tagline of the really cute Pochitto6 by Kodomo no Kao.  

It's an easy to press button shaped stamp set. 



Each Pochitto6 has 6 different symbol stamps, each one is self inking and can be used independently. 
 


At the moment of this blogpost, there are 12 different sets available. 

The 3 I have are the 'Attention here!', 'Notebook and stationery' and 'Schedule book'.  


Other sets available include 'Fruits', 'Healthcare' and 'Baby health', all very useful for diaries.

Strangely enough, the one symbol I would like, a telephone for when I schedule work calls, is not featured on any of the existing sets. 


Another minor thing is that the sets are fixed, the designs are not interchangeable. 
But they do come with a cover which makes them very portable, you can stick them in a pencil case easily. 



I test printed the stamps and on a flat surface they performed pretty well.
It takes a few tries to get the pressure right, too much and it smudges and bleeds. 

According to the packaging, you use water based pens on the black and white stamps to add colour, which is pretty cool. 


I also tested the stamps in my diary 

Unfortunately, the pages are not as flat so it required different pressure, also, depending on the paper there might be a bit of bleeding. 

Overall, I think these are cute novelty stamps, great if you don't have your stamp collection within arm's reach usually. 

I'm still hoping for a phone symbol. I hope they release more of these. 

What do you think? Is this something you might be interested in? 

 

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Friday, July 8, 2022

Review : DAISO Portable Masking Tape Holder

Here at TN5C, we are always looking for new ways to store masking tape. So when I spotted this at Daiso, I decided to buy it and see how it fared!

DAISO Portable Masking Tape Holder

This is made in conjunction with the students from Kyoto University of the Arts who designed it.

First impression, it seems to be a very simple and pleasant looking design made out of PVC clear vinyl of medium thickness.

There is a piece of vinyl in the middle which you can detach using the press button to "thread" the masking tape through. 

It can hold up to 4 standard sized masking tape rolls.
There is also a ball chain at one end for you to hang it off your pencil case or pouch or bag; making it very suitable for travel!

The clear vinyl makes it easy to see what the tapes are and protects the rolls from getting dirty. Needless to say, it is also very light thanks to the material used.

What do you think? 
Have you tried this before?

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Friday, July 1, 2022

Review: Maruman Septcouleur Notebook

 


I picked up a new notebook recently. 
You might be thinking there's so many notebooks out there, a new one probably isn't that interesting. 

This one from Maruman, the septcouleur ticks a lot of the right boxes I feel. 


Some basics, the septcouleur range of notebook is spiral ring-bound, it comes in 2 sizes (A5 and A6) and there are a variety of colours. 

The paper is only available in a 3mm grid layout and each notebooks comes with 100 sheets of paper. 

I picked up the A6 model in the crispwhite cover/colour. 

The first thing I noticed is the cover texture, it's a smooth matte coated card and it's really nice to touch. 
It doesn't seem like it would stain easily, especially since it's white. 


On the inside, there's a nice cover page with the product image, title and colour. 


There's more information, including the other colours the notebook is available in. 

By the way, septcouleur means seven colours, and based on the colour selection, I'm inclined to believe it's referring the rainbow and not the colour range. 

I really like the colours, they're very usable and easy on the eyes, and I think it's professional looking enough for work use. 


The paper is good quality and really nice to write on, which is typical of Maruman notebooks. 
The 3mm square/grid layout is also very versatile and I like that the paper is not overly white, making the writing experience very enjoyable. 


Also, the permanent marker did not bleed. 

Overall, the notebook is great and very usable. I enjoy writing on it and honestly, it's hard to fault Maruman's quality. 

Would you buy this? If not, what is your go-to notebook brand? 


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Friday, June 24, 2022

Friday, June 17, 2022

Review: Tombow MONO Air 5 Correction Tape

The Tombow MONO AIR correction tape is one of our favorites stationery items here at TN5C. We have never officially reviewed it [despite it being in our fave buys of the year list regularly] so when this new LE two pack design came out, it was clear it was time to do so.

Each set contains 2 pieces, one each of blue and pink.
The design on each piece is a LE tamayura design.

As with all the MONO Air Correction tape, you hardly need to exert any force to pull out the tape and it glides smoothly on the paper.
Some good points
1.The long slim design makes it easy to store and they are both refillable.
2. To do so, you can flip open the top cover.
3. The tape dispensing tip is transparent so you can see what you are erasing clearly.

They are exactly the same size/shape as the usual non LE case.

The tape used is 5mm [length 6m] and the replacement cartridge ( CT-PAR5 ).

What do you think?
Have you tried this before?

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Friday, June 10, 2022

Review: Daiso 9 hole compact loose leaf refills

 


I love it when I find things at Daiso that works with things I already own. 
And since it's Daiso, this means affordable options! 

Maruman, famous for their loose leaf notebook systems, has a mini version of said system. 
The binder comes in a few different options but I'm quite the fan of the INTO-ONE mini binder system

Sidenote: we've reviewed the minimini system here.


Back to the refills from Daiso.

There are 5 types (that I'm aware off). Each has the same 9 holes as the Maruman refills and each pack has 50 sheets, which is pretty generous! By comparison, Maruman refill packs come with 100 sheets. 

Above, we have 4 sections and 3 sections. The layout for these are double sided. 


Here we have dot grid and checklist (design is double sided) and the last one is a free diary (the back is dot grid. 

By the way, you don't have to commit to the mini system, these will work as inserts on any of the loose leaf systems such as the original A4 30 holes and the A5 20 holes. 


I compared the Daiso inserts to the Maruman ones and besides a slight colour difference (Daiso's is whiter), the feel and thickness of both appear to be similar. 


The mini system in action! I like having different options for the inserts, it makes the notebook more useful. 

Also useful to note, the only 2 layouts that Maruman also has are the free diary and checklist


The 3 divide is great for day planning, I used it here for meal planning. 


The 4 divide can be used for storyboarding, also sketching and uh, SWOT analysis


Dot grid doesn't really need an explanation, free diary covers planning for an entire day and checklist is perfect for people like me, I make lists constantly!

I also feel the free diary would also work as a checklist or a monthly planner (take over some of the to do list column to make it 31 days and I reckon that works) 

I'm so glad Daiso has released these, I hope they won't be difficult to find in the future so I can continue buying refills. 

Are you a loose leaf user? What's your favourite size? 

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Friday, June 3, 2022

Review: MIDORI Quick Tape Cutter (Masking Tape Dispenser)

A while back, we reviewed the NICHIBAN Masking Tape Dispenser and today we review another! This time made by Japanese stationery brand Midori. It is a dispenser that can quickly feed the tape and cut the cut end cleanly with a light force.
Features: 
It can cut masking tape neatly with the same length. 
It is a convenient item that solves the problem of finding the cut end of the tape.
Keeps the tape clean.
Makes it easy to use for purposes like wrapping.

To use it, simply pull the slider and 2cm of tape will be sent out. There is a cutter blade on the upper side of the tape outlet, and you can cut the tape cleanly with a light force by pulling the tape upward.

It is also possible to pull the tape and pull it out to any length before cutting with aforementioned cutter.
Due to size, it is only for masking tape width 12 ~ 15mm. 
Masking tape with an inner diameter of less than 25 mm and an outer diameter of more than 54 mm cannot be used.

With a built-in magnet, it can be fastened to metal surfaces so you do not need to worry about storage space.
Personally I have found this extremely useful and have purchased another for use in the kitchen as well.
It is a lot more compact that the Nichiban version so if you were trying to choose between the two, I would recommend this. ^^
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Friday, May 27, 2022

June 2022 Printable

June is coming up and since its going to be the middle of the year, its a good time to review your 2022 goals. Inspired by that, we have designed June's printable to resemble memo notes.

The color scheme : soft summer colors
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, May 20, 2022

Review: Penco Sticky Memo Pad

 


A brand synonymous with industrial and functional style stationery, storage and lifestyle items. 

If you've been following the blog, you'll know that I love sticky notes, I buy them in all shapes and colours. 
They improve productivity and I use them in my everyday life. 



These sticky notes by Penco come in 2 designs, a monthly and a weekly layout. 
Each design is 180 x 74mm, has 30 sheets and is available in 3 different colours - white, pink yellow. 

I picked up the monthly in yellow and the weekly in white. 
Also included is the above diagram, suggested uses for the sticky note. 



I like the clean design of the sticky note, the text/line colours contrast nicely with the paper colour and 

I used the monthly as a long to-do list but would be perfect as a monthly overview in a weekly diary. 

The size of the sticky note also works well with A5 diaries. 

The paper is nice and smooth and not too thin. 
Not as smooth as MD paper (our benchmark) but still pleasant to write on. 




I tried a highlighter on it and it and the energel pen I used did not bleed. 



The weekly layout one is horizontal and is great for placing on a computer monitor. 
work productivity for the win! 

The only thing that I didn't like about these sticky notes was that the adhesive didn't seem to adhere properly in the corners. 
Maybe that has to do with the way I peeled the sheet from the pad, but something that might prevent me from repurchasing this in the future. 

What do you think about the Penco sticky notes? 

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