Get creative with my favourite stationery items, this fall
Get creative with my favourite stationery items, this fall.
Ever since I was a young child, I’ve had an immense love of stationery. I spent all my pocket money on coloured pens and boxes of brightly coloured paper. My favourite Christmas gift was a massive stationery set of crayons, coloured pencils, stencils, and writing paper. Fast forward 40 years or so, and I’m still in love with stationery, with numerous pens, pencils cases, and notebooks scattered throughout my home. As a writer, I still prefer pen and paper to a laptop or tablet. It’s very satisfying to construct the letters by hand and see your work magically appear on the crisp paper in front of you.
Whether you are stationery obsessed like me, looking for a new hobby, or simply in need of a new pen, here are some of my current favourite items.
Pens and Pencils – I was taught to write with a fountain pen at school, and while good pen work can look beautiful, I never quite managed to overcome a messy, ink-blotted page. Fountain pens seem to be making a resurgence amongst writers and scholars alike. I recently bought a new one and plan to give it another go. My go-to pen remains my MontBlanc Classique, a gift to myself for attaining a job role that I aspired to and something as beautiful today as the day I bought it. Yes, they’re pricey, but it could be considered economical if you only ever buy one. If you prefer to write with a pencil, I recommend going for something softer than the standard HB, which can be scratchy and restrict your hand’s flow. Pencils labelled H have hard leads ranging from HB through to 9H, which is incredibly hard. Pencils marked B are softer and darker and range from B through to 9B. I write with a 2B. My favourite brand is Derwent Graphic 9B-H, which provides an excellent assortment for writing and sketching. I had always coveted a Blackwing pencil, the creme de la creme of pencils used by writers and anybody that prefers a soft, dark line. A couple of years ago, I came across a box in an art gallery gift shop, and while expensive, they were a great purchase. If you’re interested, you can check them out here.
Notebooks – If you write a lot, whether it’s to-do lists, notes to support your learning, or a professional piece, you can’t go wrong with a Composition notebook. Available in many stores such as Target and Staples and priced at only a few dollars, they’re a practical, cheap, and cheerful addition to any stationery cupboard. If you’re looking for something at the higher end of the market, then Moleskin is really hard to beat, in my opinion. A mid-priced brand producing some beautifully designed and crafted notebooks, journals, and other stationery items.
BuJo – if you haven’t heard of BuJo, it is an abbreviation for bullet journal, a method of personal organization developed by designer Ryder Carroll. The purpose is to combine schedules, reminders, to-do lists, and organizational tasks into a single notebook using abbreviated bullet points. Using dotted paper and coloured pens, you can create your own filing system, unique to you and as vibrant and artistic as you choose. There are many tutorials available online. If you’d like to find out more, I recommend following @notebook_therapy and @bujo.by.sophie on Instagram. Linked to BuJo is calligraphy, the art of creating decorative writing or lettering using pen, ink, or brush. It’s something I haven’t mastered but have taken up again in the hope of decorating my BuJo with beautiful lettering and notes. I can highly recommend Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen, as they’re easy to handle and are reasonably priced.
Whether it’s Bic or MontBlanc, a scrap of paper or a Moleskin classic hardcover notebook, the most important thing is that it’s right for you. My motto these days is anything is better than nothing, so pick up that nibbled pen and get writing.
Do you have a favourite piece of stationery, a beloved pen, or a cherished journal? Share your favourite pieces with us in the comments.
With 30 years of general management experience in the global insurance industry and having lived in 4 countries, Jacqui now spends her time between London and New York where she continues to pursue her passion for writing, food, books and travel.
A Reiki practitioner, yogi and huge animal advocate, her home isn’t complete without a furbaby or three. In addition to being a BooknBrunch contributor, she writes for industry publications.
Favourite book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Favourite brunch dish: avocado toast with tomato and chilli
