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

Tabi-ya

Out and about in Tokyo once again, meant I could stick my head in at Tabi-ya. My favourite stationery shop. I am sure once I have the budget and time I will find equally great delights elsewhere. But for now Tabi-ya is my one true love.

Tabi-ya also stocks a lot of Traveler's Notebook (TN) stuff which will be great for future trips. I bought a TN last month and have yet to blog about it, I will remedy this soon. I didn't buy much for my TN, just some rubber bands for the extra inserts and I took a copy of the Travelers Times (for new potential mail art). But I indulged in two of my favourite M's Moleskine and Midori, no Mountblanc unfortunately.

I also bought some amazing airmail stickers. I don't know why I didn't buy them on my first trip. I can only image that was because they didn't have them before. I love love LOVE them, is really sad that I get this excited over stickers?!?! I will be using and sharing them of course. There are over 100 in the time, but I'm sure it will be easy to use them up.

I have a new thing for mini envelopes and paper bags. The clear front paper bags will great for Christmas and mail swaps. In the new year I make try and make something similar with heavy tracing paper and washi. As for the raffle tickets I bought I'm considering doing some kind of real raffle with my pen friends. I will need to think about how it will work but though it'd be fun. Love the stamps another a little something for my mum..... maybe.

From Tabi-ya facebook page