Reviewed by
Mary
Japan produces the most beautiful stationery, and ZenPop sends a gorgeous themed selection every month!
This month’s theme is Polar Lights, which is wonderfully evocative for the crisp winter atmosphere.
There’s a little postcard on top which shows their adorable bunny mascot. The illustration is different every month, and is always a lovely picture.I love her expression, with the Christmas tree is the background. Even though the theme isn’t Christmassy, it gives a lovely nod to the festive season.
On the other side of the card is a QR code which takes you to a webpage describing the contents. This is very useful, as it gives you tips for using the items, and as they’re they Japanese are aren’t always self-explanatory!
STYLE NOTEBOOK from Laconic, NORDLYS LETTER SET from Elcommune
This wide notebook is designed to fit nicely in the space between a 13″ computer keyboard. It’s got ruled lines and is a really handy size for jotting down quick notes while you’re working without taking up much space.
The letter set is really beautiful, and perfect for sending out special thank-you notes. As you can see from the picture the paper has gorgeous holographic foil along the top, which gives the impression of a glowing winter sky. The envelopes are beautiful pastel ombre effect, and together they look wonderful.
Mildliner 3 colors from ZEBRA,Dual Metallic Brush from Pentel, Whiper PT 4mm from Plus
Zebra pens are some of the best you can buy, and I love these midliners in pastel neon colours. They are dual tipped, with one wedge and one finer tip, and are brilliant for colouring and decorating. I use them in my journal a lot.
The Pentel pen is a really clever item. It’s both pigmented and glittery, and the effect changes according to what kind of paper you use it on. Light paper, you get the deep colour with a hint of iridescence, and on dark paper the full glittery effect comes through. it’s got a brush tip so is very easy to use, especially for calligraphy-type work.
The ‘whisper’ is actually a white-out pen. It produces a 4mm white line which covers up any mistakes in writing. These are very useful, especially as the liquid white-out can be rather messy. The tape is very effective, and it’s refillable too. Just right for correcting mistakes when you’re trying to write neatly!
Bijou Mini Message Card from Elcommune, Masking Tape Lace from King Jim, Kitta Wide from King Jim, Flake Stickers from Qla
These little message cards could be used as gift cards on presents, flowers, or even as place settings at the dining table. The pretty pastel edges have a gold trim, and the jewel shape is very cute and looks a bit different from the standard rectangles.
Every ZenPop box contains at least one roll of washi tape, and this one is transparent and iridescent. It’s got a lovely wintery pattern, and is a lovely accent for presents or journals. There’s also a set of decorative tape strips that can be used the same way, and you could even use them instead of regular tape for wrapping presents.
Flake stickers are very popular in Japan, and come in all kinds of different designs. They are small die-cuts, and can be stuck to almost any surface. This set contains a selection of pastel and metallic shapes, as well as line drawings of flowers and plants. I’m keeping these for using in my journal in the spring!
