Edition 53: Stationery Week, Vol. 2
Mini desk tools, a *just right* notebook and a display solution
Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
Ah! My area of expertise. It hasn’t been that long since I retired from my career as a stationery shopkeeper, but it feels as though it’s been much longer and sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that yes, I am indeed an expert in something. Just this week, I was a guest on a British history podcast to talk about the story of my beloved pencil, which delighted me in a way that it didn’t when it was my actual job. Funny how that works, isn’t it?
This week, I’ve gathered a few stationery-related submissions for one big analog newsletter. First, let’s talk about Ana in LA, who’s looking for: “Miniature Stationery! Smallest scissors, pencils, erasers, notebooks, etc”
Dear Ana,
You’ve really pulled at my heartstrings with this one! Nothing in this world is cuter to me than mini stationery, because it’s adorably tiny but also useful. There aren’t a lot of other product categories you can say that about. I have five of my favorite, mini-est stationery items to share with you:
Hinodewashi Matomaru-kun Mini Erasers (usually about $3 for 3) - I dare you to find a smaller eraser that works as effectively as this one. In fact, Matomaru-kun erasers are my favorite all-time for their soft, foamy texture. You can commonly find these in packs at regular general stores in Japan, but they can be a little tricky here in the UK (Please, shopkeepers, stock these! ask me and I’ll tell you where to get them!). Though they’re currently unavailable at JetPens, you can find the even better neon version from a Swedish shop called Komadori.
Cohana Mini Scissors ($19.50) - Made in Seki, the famed Japanese knife-making town, these tiny shears are so small they’re only really useful for snipping threads or cutting string, but that’s not the point. These would make a fabulous gift for someone who’s into needlecraft. Want something even smaller? Shinola makes a startlingly cute, albeit non-functioning charm in Fiscars orange.
Rite in the Rain On-The-Go Notebooks ($13.50 for 6) - Rite in the Rain’s all-weather notebooks truly are rain-proof and perhaps most utilitarian in this form, which is actually pocket sized. They’re so small, you can even fit one in a standard wallet!
Camel Colored Pencils ($40) - The pencils in this set are surprisingly pleasant to use and clock in at a mere 3.34” in length. Unlike the even tinier Camel graphite pencils, you can sharpen them relatively easily with a normal single-blade sharpener. They’re made by a small Tokyo-based pencil factory that’s known for its innovative writing tools.
Extremely Mini Paperclips ($3.95 for 50) - Lion Brand used to make these paper clips that were classic nickel clips but only 1/2”. After searching far and wide for them, I believe that they have been discontinued, but I found these very similar ones from a Chinese manufacturer that come in three finishes and are just darling. If you don’t want to wait a month for them to arrive, you can get them here, too.
And then, of course, there’s the tiny stationery that isn’t actually useful. The last time I was in Japan in 2019, there were gachapon that contained beautiful magnet versions of iconic Japanese stationery items. The closest version you can find the the US right now is this Mini Mascot Stationery Blind Box ($5):
There’s also mini stationery to be found where you might not expect it. I was once gifted an American Girl typewriter set, which included a 1940s-inspired typewriter with actual moving parts, and all of the accoutrement, including a tiny round typewriter eraser. Mini stationery is everywhere!
Steve in Marietta, GA: “I'm looking for a gridded or dot grid journal in a B6 or B6+ size that has a lot of pages. I plan to use one page as a daily agenda and the facing page for notes. I've looked all over and found some that feature a large number of pages (I'm hoping to get about 6 months in one journal), but they all use varieties of Tomoe River paper and I'm a little leery of the show through on such thin paper. Most of the gridded ones I've found feature a tiny grid; I would like to have at least a 5mm grid. Right now the top contender is the Moleskine medium journal, which is about 7X5, with a 5mm grid. It has 204 pages, which is good for about three months of entries. I would love something like that with more pages.”
Dear Steve,
I hate to break it to you, but the thing you are looking for most likely doesn’t exist to these exact specifications. In order for a notebook to contain as many pages you require, it has to be thin paper, otherwise the book will simply be too thick. Tomoe River paper and similar types really are pretty bleed-proof, as long as you’re not using heavy marker pens. With fountain pen, you’ll probably get a little bit of show through, but nothing you’ll notice once you’ve filled the backside of the paper.
In my opinion, the absolute best notebook for this scenario is the Penco General Notebook ($16). Considering that B6 is a Japanese size, and Japanese grids tend to be 4mm or smaller, the biggest difficulty is finding a grid that’s 5mm but in this Japanese size. The Penco notebook does have a 5mm grid, paper that’s a little thicker than Tomoe River, and exactly 300 pages. This notebook is 0.7” thick, and I wouldn’t recommend anything bigger because it’ll be uncomfortable to write in and annoying to lug around.
Amy in London: “I have a collection of pencils, from my grandfather, from places I've visited, from flea markets, from friends. I would like to display some on my wall on my apartment, any ingenious hacks for pencils holders so that they can be mounted in a frame?”
Dear Amy,
What you need is a shadow box! One like this looks modern, and has a foam backing so you can stick things into it. Place pins in two columns 6.5” or 7” apart at a slightly upward angle so you can rest your pencils on top of them, securely holding them to the back of the frame without damaging them. Sequin pins are like regular sewing pins but only 1/2” long, making them a tasteful and unassuming choice for pinning non-textile thing. This is the tidiest way I’ve figured out for displaying pencils and will also allow you to swap them out as you wish.
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
I recently grew tired of having to track down a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie for labeling things in my kitchen. Jars in the fridge, containers in the freezer — I like to do it restaurant-style, but living with someone who is also frequently in need of Sharpies and masking tape means that one can never find them. So, I went to my local stationery shop and bought a couple of rolls of bright colored masking tape, put one in my big, bulky, beloved Scotch C25 tape dispenser and placed it right by my fridge. My colored masking tape of choice is Shurtape CP-631 because it’s stickier than any others I’ve tried that come in good colors, but still removable and wall-safe. Having a designated kitchen tape dispenser means that my pantry and fridge are better organized and little more cheerful.
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for a fresh recommendations. xo Caroline
Would the Camel Colored Pencils work with vintage Bullet Pencils?