Write On (A Month of Letter Writing)

So next month is marks National Stationery Week (25th April -1st May) in the UK as well as World Stationery Day on 27th April. It also seems to be the National Letter Writing month in the US mainly observed with the Write On campaign. I don't know if anything similar here in the UK but I know there's been International Correspondence Writing Month InCoWriMo but don't think much happened with that this year.  *sigh* There is also Lettermo which is in February which I have done before.

But regardless I thought it might be nice to take part even if it's not in direct conjunction with anything. But as a stationeryholic and keen letter writer it's an good excuse to get writing. I have been managing to write more for myself as mentioned before. But need to make a better effort with correspondence I thought this might be a good way for me to catch up on letters owed, renew some old acquaintances and possible make some new ones. Not to mention just putting pen to paper again I am in the way that haven't done in a long while. I mean who doesn't love a good excuse to get some new stationery and get writing? 

I think I roughly know most of the people that I'm going to write to but I have left space for some extras. I always say I'm not looking for penpals I have reached out to a few people which hasn't worked out. Which is a shame and it makes me wary of taking on any new pen pals. I believe there's always the right there's always enough room for the right person.

I will say for now for the one off later I've got about five days or spaces so if anyone wants to receive a letter from me they can leave a comment here or on my Instagram post. Just explain why you like to write and or why you would like to receive a letter. It may not be a letter it could be a card or a postcard but it will definitely something handwritten or from my typewriter, something analog and personal from one person to another.

Write On

New Year is always best the time to start a fresh, yes I know the month is almost over but I have actually made a start. I don't usually make new year resolutions but I do have some new habits I want to keep this year. Me blogging again is one of those habits and I have started with Christmas and Caravan Notebook posts.

Writing is the main habit that I want to keep up this year, with one key difference writing not to others but for myself. I still intend to write letters to the few pen pals I have left. I do however, want to put all my notebooks are journals to better use. I want to fill the pages and have something to show for the year to come track my progress, goals etc. archive my thoughts and memories.

I want to make the pages worth reading and rereading in time to come, I see many examples of this on Instagram, which is very inspiring. However, and I have mentioned this before but as much as I love Instagram for it's inspiration but I can also find it very intimidating. This has put me off sharing before. I want to be better at sharing but my writing will be for me and I will only share what I feel comfortable with.

I actually struggled with writing a blog before it still doesn't sit well with me. But I'm going to try my best to keep up putting pen to paper for myself and the occasional. I also want to keep being creative and making things hopefully that will fill some of my blog posts. I'm busier now so I hope to utilise my MTN refills better including the 2016 calendar refills. I'm happy with the decoration which is the easy bit! I have already started to use my Caravan Notebook from the Traveller's Notebook event at Ace Hotel which I have written about here and the start of my new hashtag #rehanajournals.

Traveler's Caravan Company

This a very bleated post and had I not become lazy with blog this is definitely something I would have written about at the time.

So, imagine my delight when I heard that the folks in Japan behind my beloved Traveler's Notebook were coming to Europe and that London would be one of their stops. A pop up shop and make your own notebook event was held at Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. Not only was this a hardcore stationery fix but it also meant that I got to meet Stephanie or on instgram @weepingwillow84 and writer of The Paper Explorer. Here I found my stationery soul sister she gets me. This made it doubly worth going.

At the event we were able to chose from a variety of different papers lots of different colours, weights and textures. They had a station for customising your notebooks and stickers and stamps. The event took place in Amsterdam and Berlin too. I arrived late and little out of start I wish I had brought my Traveler's Notebook and spoke more to the guys there and made a bit more of an effort but oh well.
  

 You also had a choice of different covers

A paper buffet

 Mr Ishi binding my notebook

I really hope they do something like this again or at least try and have more stockists in Europe particularly the UK. The people from the The Journal Shop provided the stock for the pop up shop. However, while they do offer a wider range of Japanese stationery including other Midori products I find them overpriced. If you are able to get there JP Books just around the corner from the Japan Centre is much better bet though their range is limited.

Only now have I started to write in my notebook. As much as I love to admire it the paper and notebook is too good just to sit on my desk and admired. I'm going to make use of it and do my best to fill all the pages. I have even started a new instgram hash tag #rehanajournals This year I wanted to write more for myself not just to others in the form of letters. The notebook is part of that as well as my Traveler's Notebook I hope to put it to better use. Writing more got for my blog too so hopefully you will be hearing from me more in future.

 Customising section

Loved all these stamps

 My purchases and notebooks

Letter Ledger

I've always had a hard time keeping a track of my incoming and outgoing mail. Previously I had used Instagram. However I don't always take a picture of each individual letter or it's contents. Plus trawling through mine or other people's feeds is just looong!! 

That's why Paper & Type's 'Letter Ledger' is a great idea. Keeping a track of the stationery and things sent is very useful. And like Flow magazine says your brain is for thinking not reminding. That's what notebooks (or letter ledgers) are for. 

It's smaller than I though and the cover is kinda thin. But there are lots of pages and I'll reinforce it somehow. There's an envelope the inside the cover and address list in the back so may prove tricky. But I love the cute pencil and the branding of a Paper&Type. I'm still debating whether I will decorate the cover like my dear pen pal Emily. Regardless I can't wait to start using my ledger. 

Outgoing [January]

This month I was able to use a mix of English and Japanese stationery. I didn't actually pick up much while I was in the UK. But the few things I bought or picked up were put to good use. Needless to say I have picked up loads of new stationery bit since coming so there has been a nice mix of Japanese and English. So happy with my ink stamps and bakers twine which have been in valuable. A few letters went out to friends and family thanking them for the Christmas times and presents.

Incoming [January]

It's always lovely to come home to a full mail box after being away. I also got the last of my Christmas mail so there was a little bit Christmas left in January. I got a lot more postcards this month probably due all the Christmas postcards that I had sent out. Additionally there were a few letters form people I hadn't heard from in a long while so it's nice to start the year replying to some of those.