Stationery Haul/My Favourites

I have been hauling some lovely stationery things recently (I need help… seriously.)

I wanted to share some of my favourite products from the last few weeks. I love doing these kinds of posts as I love reading these kinds of posts. You never know what you’re going to discover. I’ve included a link to each one.

Storyteller Pencils: 

I love writing in pencil. There is something quite freeing about it. I know that I can always erase anything that I don’t want to keep. I do tend to hoard pencils actually. I’ve also just recently brought a set of Beatles pencils too. I remember writing a lot with pencils when I was at school when I used to do creative writing and I guess that’s what I like about it. When I was that age, the internal editor was a lot more co-operative.

I think I actually got these ones for Christmas and they are so cute. They are very nice to write with too and comfortable in your hand as they are smooth.

The best thing about these pencils though are the little quotes on them. For example, these ones have things written on them like ‘Once upon a time, it was a day just like any other, it was a dark and stormy night and for the Star Wars fans amongst you, in a galaxy far far away.’

I want to aim to get the procrastination pencils too which include funny sayings such as ‘a to do list..you need a to do list, just chew on me and look thoughtful for a bit or you probably need another coffee.’ Hmm, maybe not such a good idea. I don’t need anymore procrastination encouragement. Haha.

(Storyteller Pencils, The Literary Gift Company: https://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/products/storyteller-pencils) 

Day One is an app I’ve been using for a few weeks. 

It was an app I had installed on my phone a few months ago and had been meaning to use. When I did eventually get around to trying it, I found it to be a really simple journal app to use. Some of them can be a bit complicated and hard to navigate.

Day one allows me to have more than one journal so I can separate things out a little. At the moment, I have a random thoughts journal, a notes folder, a blog folder etc. Plus because it is available on both the iPhone and the Mac, it all syncs which makes things so easy. You can password protect the app too which is great for me as I am also using it to write letters to my Mum (sappy I know.)

I’ve found that I’ve been using it every day and it’s developed into one of my favourite apps.

(Day One App is available for Mac, iPad and iPhone: http://dayoneapp.com)

Usually I would use Microsoft Word but I’ve been increasingly using Scrivener lately. I have just found it to be perfect for what I want to do. It allows me to create pages for the characters where you can incorporate images and things. I work better when I can visualise people’s faces and surroundings. You can use the templates if you want to. It will give you a cork board view if it’s easier to see your ideas in that way and more importantly, it will allow me to create chapters which I can jump to and from but will give me the option to include them in a complied document at the end.

Writing the book is frightening but so is the editing part (and one of the reasons why I have been putting it off – the idea of facing this big document.) It being split into chapters means that it’s already in bite size sections and therefore not as scary.

It can be hard to get your head around. I’ve been using it for a while and I’m still not aware of all its features. Sometimes I have no choice but to use another word processing programme (if I’m not using the computer but using the iPad) but it is easy enough to copy and paste in and keep it organised. I love it.

(Scrivener is available from Literature and Latte: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php?platform=mac

I am completely in love with my Ban.dō organiser. First of all, it’s pink. It had me at pink. It’s also a seventeen month organiser which is good for blog planning. It also has tabs for each month which makes for easy planning.

I am finding the monthly plans and note pages (of which there are lots) helpful too. I am the kind of person who needs to write things down otherwise I forget. If you’re a student, or a blogger or a teacher then this is perfect. I am loving using it. It is a little bulky but it has too many upsides to not use.

There’s also fun little notes like national cat day on 29th October, reminding you to have sticker parties and at one point, it reminds you to have pizza for breakfast.

The only small downside for us folk living in the UK is that with Ban.dō being an american company it lists the american holidays (it’s only really missing Mother’s Day and Bonfire Night and these can be easily added.)

Plus…. there are stickers. You are never too old for stickers.

(I got my organiser from John Lewis: http://www.johnlewis.com/store/ban-do-i-am-very-busy-academic-diary)

Are you sensing a theme of pink? I’ve just begun to start using the Happiness Planner from Brandmentalist. Like the Ban.dō organiser, it has monthly tabs for easy access. At the front of the book, there are a few pages for reflection and a few questions that you can answer (or not if you don’t want to.) I had fun filling this in actually as it targeted my thoughts a little.

Within each month, it gives you a monthly look ahead and does also give you a page a day to write down a to-do list, the main focus for the day and the schedule so you could actually use it for an organiser if you wanted.

It comes in a beautiful pink box and you can also purchase additional focus sheets.

(Happiness Planner is available via the Brandmentalist website: https://thehappinessplanner.uk)

Another favourite this month is this beautiful notebook from Paperchase. This is from their latest wild blossom collection. I just couldn’t resist it. This one is so pretty. I used to prefer hard back notebooks. Lately though I’ve been using spiral notebooks. Being left-handed, I find them so easy to use as they lay flat (an obvious observation I know.)

I like this collection and have brought a couple of things from it including the gratitude journal. With the anxiety being high right now, it’s good to have something where I can remember the good things in my day.

(This is from Paperchase.) 

The last thing in my favourites is Rory’s story cubes. They seem quite childish to use but they can be really helpful. When I’ve needed a little inspiration, it’s these I use and there is also a phone app. I currently have the story cubes and the actions cubes. I do want the enchanted box too as that is all fairytale based. I love anything fairy tales.

There are nine cubes and fifty-four images so every time you throw them you get something different. I love them.

(This are available from various stockists including Amazon.) 

(Just a note… I’ve brought all this with my own money or they have been presents. I’m not being sponsored by any of the companies mentioned. If I have received anything for review, it will be clearly stated.) 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.