Reviewed by
Mary
I adore stationery, pens, paper, notebooks, all kinds of fun things! Japanese stationery is some of the nicest you can find, and the Zenpop Stationery box is a wonderful way to add to your collection.
Every month they send an assortment of items, from pens to paper and washi, which are cute and practical and perfect for any stationery lover.
The card shows their rabbit mascot, and there’s a QR code to scan which takes you to the full menu of items and tells you about them.
Sentimental Mode Letter Set from Kamio Japan, ILMA STICKY MEMO from EL COMMUN, Block Keshigomu from Iwako
Letter-writing is an important art, I think, as there are few things more personal than a handwritten note. Japan produces some beautiful letter sets, and this one, with its sweet pastel pictures, is a great example.
Sticky notes are the kind of things of which you can never have too many. Whether it’s for reminders, decoration in scrapbooks or journals, there are lots of ways you can use them. These cute envelope designs are translucent, so you can have lots of different decorative options for them.
Iwako erasers are the original adorable Japanese miniature erasers, that come in a multitude of different shapes and characters and can be taken apart and put back together. This one is a Lego-like elephant, and the square pieces are very appropriate for this month’s theme!
Retopic Stickers from Kamio Japan, SODA Avenue (30mm) from KINGJIM, Sentimental Mode Seal from Kamio Japan
The first sheet of stickers are tiny pixillated designs of delicious food-related items. They’re great for adding tiny touches to paper crafts and other things, and I love the 8-bit look of the designs.
This month’s tape is really amazing. It’s wider than the usual washi, and it shows a while line of different shopfronts, as if you’re walking along a street. It’s a wonderful design and will look especially striking decorating a journal or scrapbook.
The second sticker sheet is by the same company that produces the letter set above. It’s a set of new designs that is intended to reflect everyday life, to appreciate the ‘little things’. They also have a lovely retro design, and soft pastel colours.
Shikaku marker dot e pen 4 color set from Sunstar, Pastick from Pentel, Yachou from Kokuyo
These double-tipped markers are incredibly neat. One end has a fine point, and the other a flat square tip, which you use like a square stamp. They’re perfect for creating patterns and pictures, especially if you want to imitate the pixel look! I’ve seen similar markers before with round stamp tips (I would very much like some of those too!) but these are the first times I’ve seen squares. They really are a fun and different way to create drawings and designs, and I’m thinking of lots of ways to use them in any bullet journal!
The Pastiche is a cross between a crayon and a colouring pencil. That is, it’s like a fat version of the inside of a colouring pencil. There is one of several colours in the box, and it’s surprisingly enjoyable to have a bit of a throwback moment as if you’re colouring with crayons again!
I love all kinds of notebooks, and this little sketch book is really useful. I actually looked up the company and they have been producing ‘field notebooks’ like this for more than 60 years. It’s designed to fit into a pocket and the hard cover means you don’t need to put it down when writing, and it also acts a protection. The paper inside is small squared, which is great for keeping notes neat, or for experimenting with pixellated drawings. It does feel like nice quality, and I love the portability and the retro aspect of it.
