What makes my heart sing: stationery

So, lovely friends of PB (and a warm welcome to all this week’s newbies), are you starting to get more of an idea of who Jane-the-person is, as opposed to Jane-the-mother? You now know I love all things French, words and languages. How about another thing that makes my heart sing? Well, it’s stationery. 

Ooh! My heart is singing!

What is stationery?

What does ‘stationery’ encompass? Well, according to my good friend, Mr Wikipedia, ‘Originally the term referred to all products sold by a stationer, whose book shop was on a fixed spot, usually near a university, and permanent, [as opposed to] ambulant [trading] by peddlers’. There’s your historical fact of the day. Nowadays, stationery refers to any writing materials such as pens, ink, paper, envelopes, cards, diaries, notebooks, stamps, sticky notes, stickers and tags.

Why do I love it?

So why do I have a fondness for such things? Well, from an early age, I was always encouraged to write thank you notes for presents received or kindness shown. It’s a practice I have continued throughout my life and one which we intend to teach the pixies. We think it really encourages you to appreciate the effort made and the thought put into choosing a present. And as I mentioned here and here, there’s nothing like the sweet satisfaction of receiving handwritten mail, is there?  

Ooh, yes, a love package, please!

Pencils

Like all Australian school children, I started writing with a pencil. A bog-ordinary, standard Staedtler hexagonal version. Remember them? You had to choose between H, HB, 1B,  2B, 3B and so on, signifying their lead’s hardness. They used to create a hard ridge on your index finger if you gripped them too firmly (you could buy soft plastic sleeves to put over them to alleviate the pressure issue).

Hmm, I think I would have liked these beauties from Cox and Cox. Having named pencils would have really made me stand out from the crowd. Way back in 1980, I also lusted after (and still do – the pixies will benefit from my unsated desire eventually) the English Derwent pencils. Remember them? The children who had their little Derwent tins were most envied.

Ballpoint pens

In Grade Four I received my ‘pen licence’ which permitted me to use a stock standard Bic biro. Nothing fancy. I was given a Parker Jotter Premium ballpoint pen with my name engraved in cursive – it was the height of luxury in 1980 Hobart!  

I love engraved pens

Fountain pens

Then when I spent my exchange year in Germany in 1989, I was introduced to the joy of using a fountain pen. All school children I met used them instead of biros. 

Lamy sleekness

I bought a Lamy version (which used refill cartridges) and was given a Pelikan one (which used a bottle of ink), both German companies with long traditions. The Lamy is so easy to use and very clean to refill (no inky fingers result) but I find using the Pelikan ultimately more satisfying. The whole ritual of dipping the empty pen into the ink bottle and twirling the body to draw up the ink is absorbing. Oh, and the nib is much finer so you have more control when writing. But yes, you can get inky fingers.

But that’s where the trusty Germans provide a solution. Pelikan also produces nifty little soft-tipped pens, Super Pirat, which you use to erase mistakes with one end (and even to take the ink off your fingers and clothes!) and with the other, you rewrite the correction.

And if you end up with an ink stain, Pelikan’s website even has a solution. Talk about German efficiency!

And one day, just maybe, I might even own a gorgeous Mont Blanc fountain pen. That, my friends, would be stationery heaven for me.

Mont Blanc's famous Meisterstück fountain pen

Writing paper

I am a longstanding fan of Croxley Basildon Bond white paper for more formal letters – it’s strong and crisp.

For long letters, I adore using blue Croxley Onion Skin Finish paper. I enjoy the difference in texture and the way the ink glides easily across the page.

[Edited on 21 March 2012: Regrettably, Croxley has stopped making this fine paper. I'm looking for a replacement!]

I also have this cute little box of Kate Spade note cards I bought at Papier d’amour embossed with ‘the icing on the cake’ (for birthdays), ‘you read my mind’ (for thankyous), ‘a round of applause’ (for congratulations), ‘for no particular reason’ (just because) and ‘I heard you were under the weather’ (for get well) with matching coloured, lined envelopes. They’re a joy to use and good to have handy.

Wrapping paper 

I have my eye on this striking paper for Christmas presents from Cox and Cox. Isn’t it gorgeous? What about this Parisian map from Zetta Florence?

Address books

My all-time favourite is my pretty Liberty cloth-covered address book by British company Quadrille Publishing. It’s the perfect size to carry in my handbag and the blue ribbon ties so beautifully, it’s just a pleasure to use. Do check out their stationery catalogue – you’ll enjoy it!

Cards

I adore collecting blank greeting cards for my little stash which I keep in my pretty letter holder which I bought at Il Papiro.

I find Belle and Boo so whimsical and innocent, such a rarity on the market nowadays. Isn't it just darling? And Christopher Vine always comes up with the goods, as well.

Some day, I’d love to purchase some monogrammed cards. Ooh, that would be just lovely. How about these ones from Smythson of Bond Street? Hmm, they're rather pricey.

Oh, if only the $AUD could reach parity with the Pound Sterling (forget the $US)! Or closer to home, maybe Miss French Navy is worth a try. Upon a Fold and Paper Boat Press are also a good bet.

Diaries

This purchase is an annual pleasure for me. Sure, I rely on using Microsoft Outlook like so many others but I can't carry my PC around with me! Now I’ve chanced upon the divine Notemaker store, I’m completely torn about which diary to buy for 2011. How to choose? There are these sensational Delfonics versions from Japan in all their tartan loveliness.

I find the pink and white quite fetching. Then the Germanophile in me lusts after the ‘Dir geht ein Licht auf' (‘it dawns on me’) diary.

But the Francophile in me desires the ‘souvenir de chaque jour’ (‘everyday memories’).

Or how about this pretty one at Kikki K! Help me decide!

Notebooks

I revel in using my Australian, spiral-bound Studio Antic notebook – I use it daily to capture my blog ideas or my to-do lists. Isn’t it pretty? I also have my eye on these ones from Kikki K. They’re just so delightfully whimsical that writing in them would be a real pleasure.

Stamps

Kikki K has 'love' covered with these sweeties.

The Francophile in me is also pleased with these ones from Cavallini and Co (hmm, I think I have a thing for that brand!).

Sticky notes

I am lusting after these Parisian ones Notemaker sells.

Or these ones from Zetta Florence.

So, are you sensing that I might just be the teensiest bit obsessed about my stationery?!

Stickers

I crave these romantic ‘par avion’ ones from Cavallini and Co. Doesn’t it make you wistful for a bygone age, long before the internet’s immediacy, when your letter had to travel ‘par avion’ (‘by aeroplane’) to its destination?

Storage boxes

I really must have (are you sensing the urgency?) these pretty floral boxes from Cox and Cox. My welfare depends on it! Of course, Kikki K and Officeworks have smart alternatives closer to home for Australian readers.

Tags

Australian company Emerald + Ella has the sweetest cornucopia of tags you could ever hope to find like this one. Treat yourself and have a peek at them.

Oh, and I’m a huge fan of local company, Ruby Victoria Letterpress. Narelle is a delight to deal with and extremely talented. Here's one of her goodies.

Fellow Tasmanian, Ness, from Marley and Lockyer also makes the prettiest clay tags you'll ever see which are just perfect with Christmas coming up. Look at this one. Her blog is a delightful read as well.

So, there you have it, a sample of all the loveliness out there in stationery land. There are oodles more I could mention, like Japanese tape, stencils and wax seals. I’d love to hear of any other beautiful discoveries you have made. Please share! Oh, and I’m still on the hunt for a word for ‘stationery lover’!