Showing posts with label stationery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stationery. Show all posts

11/03/2024

Magic Ants Airplane 3D Pop-Up Card

This is a large (or larger than average) pop-up card made of good quality cardboard and printed in really beautiful bright colours. It looks as good as in the photo. It has a stand-alone note to write the greeting message if you don't want to ruin the card. I used the white spaces to write my message, but you might not want to do the same. I consider this perfect for male and female as long as they've shown interest in aviation, rockets, flying etc.

10/29/2024

Maydahui Canvas Pencil Roll Wrap (Vintage Plate Number,48Slots)

I bought the medium-size pencil wrap just to store some stand-alone pencils and markers. The canvas quality is stupendous, sturdy, and better than another one I own. The printed design is cool and vibrant and very good quality printing; I would say that the motif is genderless. The wrap rolls well despite the canvas thickness and it can be stored vertically. I love this sort of wraps as they really protect the pencils tips, can be stored vertically, something I usually do to maximize storage space, and it it's perfect for travelling as the wrap adds minimum weight to the pencils. Good value for money.

10/26/2024

Uni- Ball Signo 1mm Gel Pen -- Silver (UM153.26)

This is my preferred silver marker among the ones I own. I don't lime most of my acrylic silver markers. However, this one won me over for many reasons. The metallic silver colour is really noticeable and the colour it should be, not too dark not too clear, just a beautiful silver tone. Also, the ink flows effortlessly and cleanly. The marker draws crisp neat lines,  which makes it perfect for highlights or accents on any acrylic paint if the pieces are dry; Otherwise, it would smudge and the nib would get ruined. The marker is made of good quality material and the to cap fastens well.Well priced, too.

Ain't sure about the pigment lightfastness  but the information I've  found online seems to indicate that is more so than other types of markers. It is not a waterproof marker I would say but it gets fixed using a fixative once it has completely dried.

BIC Velocity Mechanical Pencil with Eraser, medium 0.7 mm (2-Pack & Refills)

This is such a great value-for-money set.  The two colours pen-looking mechanical pencils came in two gorgeous colours. They hold medium-thickness lead (7m), something I love as it's allows for very smooth and velvety writing. The pack comes with a refillable leads tub and a replacement erasers tube so these are kept tidy and safe. The pencils are very plastic looking but also very light. Nothing I would use to impress anyone, but just what I needed.

10/13/2024

Elephtree Fish-Shaped Pencil Case

I bought this super-cute fabric pouch heavily discounted on a Prime Day. I just wanted something light to put it several some of my left over markers. The pouch design is playful and original; the colours are muted, close to pastels, and perfectly captured by the product page photos. I was able to store 9 average markers and 2 size-5M Posca markers. There is still room for two or three fine ones, a small eraser or a small sharpener.
 
I would use this for a getaway trip for either some markers/pens/pencils or small items of makeup. Despite the photos showing large items of makeup in the product page, this pouch would not hold anything large and round, mostly linear pencil-like items and small eye-shadow or lipstick containers.
 
Both the outer and the inner lining are made of plain fabric, no canvas or a strong material. That being the case they aren't liquid or spill proof; the material can be easily stained outside and, destroyed if any of the markers leaked inside. Also, the pouch has limited capacity as the fish tail is just decorative and does not hold anything, and the fish mouth has limited storage space.

9/08/2024

Montana MXA324048 Acrylic Marker 2Mm Fine, Empty Marker

This is a very good quality refillable marker. This marker is easy to fill in/refill and has a metallic ball inside to prevent ink thickening. It is lightweight and the ink is easy to pump out. I used a mini funnel to fill in the marker and it worked perfectly. If I didn't have this funnel, I would have used a syringe. The bullet point works neatly and is very similar to Posca's.
 
Montana ink is great but also expensive, so I'm happy being able to use other acrylic inks that are less expensive and as good. Refillable markers are a need for me as I feel self-conscious about binning good-quality plastic empty markers. So I love that I can use this over and over.
 
A bit pricey for an empty marker, but happy to have it.

8/13/2024

WD&CD Birthday 3D Pop-Up Card

The photo really does justice to the real product. This is a large-ish good quality card, well printed, in vibrant colours and nicely textured. It pops up beautifully and without difficulty. It comes with a separate note to write my message, which prevents me from ruining the card. I consider this to be a genderless card.

7/30/2024

Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen -- Angelic Color AC White (UM120AC.1)

The Uni-Ball Signo Angelic Color in white is a gel marker with a fine ballpoint, and a good companion to the Uni Signo broad point that I also use. It has a lovely opaque ink. I've used it on acrylic paint and acrylic ink after these have completely dried and the white colour is really noticeable and opaque when used on dark colours; not so much on light colours. The ink flows beautifully and creates polished clean delicate lines or accents. It is not archival, though, so you have to be careful not to smudge it when moving your hand around. This being the case, a fixative is needed if used on artwork. For the rest, it's a lovely marker at a great price.  

1/11/2024

Misgirlot Canvas Pencil Wrap (Ocean, 72 slots)

This is a great storage option for my pencils, just to have them away when not needed, but well protected. The roll sewing template is quite simple (a long piece of fabric, with some elastic pencil slots inside, a protecting flap sort of pocket to protect the pencil points, and a tying cord) but very effective. The wrap feels like is handmade, and I love the feeling and look of it. The cover printing is very lovely, gender neutral, and a reproduction or imitation of the famous Japanese wave painting. The wrap is also very light even when full.
 
Needless to say, once the roll is filled in, it doesn't look as small as in the photos on the product page, and it can be still bulky.
 
I got this a very discounted price, so that's an added bonus. 

NOTE 
Ikea has a similar holder, in plain linen, ivory colour for just half the price :)

1/02/2024

Scotch 3-pack Magic Tape 19mm x 7.62m

I love this tape as it has myriad uses. This version is the normal width of the normal Magic Tape. I use to stick pieces of small artwork in an album (but used on the back of the image, as otherwise lifts paint or collage areas),  as page marker,  bookmark and any other use that I would give to a normal sticky tape. However, it is low-tack and I can lift it and reposition it easily, so it has a longer use life. The dispenser is light and the guillotine cuts easily and cleanly. The only thing I dislike is the length of each roll, but this three-piece package makes do for it.

10/30/2023

Five Star Stand 'N Store Pencil Pouch

Super-light good quality mesh pouch that holds a good deal of pens and pencils. Even my tall Tombows, can be put comfortably in. Unlike other vertical holders, the pouch has a rigid lower body with a fold-down upper body. The upper part has a small inner pouch perfect for a small eraser or USB.  The lower body is made of sturdy light mesh. Good zip. The two lateral holders that can be used for different purposes, to hand them from a backpack or put them on a wall or desk holder. The main downside is that the product is sold in assorted colors but you cannot choose the one you get. I got one with the upper in green, which I found convenient to put all my green stationery there.

10/24/2023

Derwent Tinted Charcoal Pencil, Sand TC01

I love this coloured charcoal pencils. They are certainly charcoal, but made of a very soft one that spreads easily either with your fingertips or with water. This colour is my favourite in the range because it's actually the colour of those golden sand beaches that you find in some countries. It's perfect to ad subtle splashes of colour to any mixed-media piece, or to use them in combination with soft pastels (bear in mind that tinted charcoal pencils have way less pigment than soft pastels).  Also ideal for charcoal studies where you want subtle coloured highlights without the piece being fully coloured. I use an average sharpener with this, and it works well with these pencils. I bought this item in a promotion, so the price was fantastic, but they're usually a bit pricey.

MCWTH 3D Astronaut Large Pen Pouch

I bought this cute pen holder for my nephew's birthday, knowing that he loves astronomy. He's a little kid. He told me that he loves it "too much". Indeed, this is very cute and whimsical. The pouch is made of good quality rubber. It has a 3D upper lid and opens on the side with a zip that glides without difficulty. I thought it would be roomier inside, to be honest, but it's enough for a good selection of children pens, pencils, erasers and small USB drivers that can be easily stored in the inner mesh pouch. I thought that, if it was mine, I'd use it as flight cabin pouch to put some basic toiletries and makeup in.    

8/14/2023

Sluxa Cat Pencil Pouch

I'm in love with this. I bought this pouch as a gift for an impending birthday, but I will be purchasing one for myself. It's just like in the photos. The cat illustration is very realistic and more so when the pouch is full. The holder is made of some sort of silicone material outside and fabric lined inside. The zip runs smoothly and has a chain puller. The zip chain and zip head are the only things that could be improved. The pouch is generous in size (see my photo against an A4 wallet).  I couldn't resist checking how much stuff I could fit in.  I was able to comfortably fit in 17 items (a mix of markers, new pens, pencil erasers, and even my Townbows) and there was still room for small items like erasers a small USB etc. Very roomy! I bought this very discounted, so that's an added bonus.   

7/26/2023

Friinder Pen Pencil Telescopic Holder Pen Holder Bag (Pink)

This is such a cute telescopic pen holder. I love the Kawaii pink style design; it brings out the child in me. It has plenty or room inside. I have put many markers and pencils inside and there is still room for more. The holder is plastic-lined inside, which prevents leaking from possible ink spills. The outer part is sturdy canvas and it stands upright easily. The design is really good as the straw part in the design helps me pull the pouch up easily while the two lower tabs help me to pull the pouch down. The zip is good quality. as well. This holder is a bit taller than other similar pen holders I own, so I can put some of my longer pencils and markers inside. Not my Tombows (see my photo) if I want to zip the pouch. As it is made of canvas, I don't put it on my table when using acrylics as it can be stained easily.

Unbranded Telescopic Pouch Pen Holder (White& Black Grid)

For the rest, a great good-looking pen holder. The only downside is that it's slightly shorter than most telescopic pen holders I own, so my longest new pencils or my dual Tombow markers won't fit in if I want to zip the pouch. Also, there is no tab to pull up tab to help bring the upper pouch up. I love this pen holder. It has a very elegant gender-neutral style that I love.  Most importantly, it holds a lot of pens, pencils and markers inside, as per my photos. It's plastic-lined inside, so the outer fabric won't get stained if there is ink spillage. The outer part is made of sturdy canvas so it stands upright without a problem.  It has a good-quality zip, too.

7/20/2023

Tombow Storage Tote Bag

This is a lovey large, roomy, beautifully-made storage bag. The bag material is good-quality threaded nylon and the combination of colors, finishes and embroidered logo made up a very good-looking bag. Both the upper reinforced handle and the shoulder bag are sturdy, and the latter is easily adjustable. 

My photos don't make it justice to the amount of stuff I've been able to put in, and there is still room for more.

The two Velcro separator individual sheets come handy to create different spaces within the bag, and can be moved and/or re-positioned easily. There are two mesh external elastic pouches that can hold plenty of stuff, and I store all my crayons and pastels flat tins in the front pocket. 
 
I don't use it to store my markers but to store a good deal of art & crafts supplies. 
 
THE WEAKEST LINKS
I find that the bag has three design flaws that rest quality to the product if used for anything that isn't markers. The first one is the average quality of the zips, that aren't sturdy enough to carry a fully loaded heavy bag. This mostly affects the upper zip, which is pulled every time I carry the bag.
 
I find that other type of containers hold and organize my markers, pens and pencils better (either vertically or horizontally) and I won't store mine upright here.
 
Finally, although the bag cover is very roomy, it has no reinforcement inside, which seems necessary to me to counteract the pressure put on it by the holder when the bag is full; the sewn attachments aren't strong enough and might eventually  break through here.
 
IN SHORT 
Great storage bag. Good looking. Very spacious. It allows me to store tons of stuff. Yet, the upper cover and the zips are a bit of a let down as they seem fit for a mass-produced bag not for a Tombow product. I will update this review in the future if necessary.

4/15/2023

Strathmore 400 Series Toned Tan Artist Tiles, 30 Sheets

Although not made for water colour, this 4x4 paper stock is really fantastic for mixed media and zentangle. I use them to create tiny series of mixed media studies . The tan colour can be incorporated into the art piece but I usually gesso the paper and then work on it. It stands heavy, flow and high flow acrylics, water soluble crayons, water mist, drawing inks and basic hand/ machine stitching. I find that this paper is better than other similar tiles with more gsm. My only but is that these are usually a bit pricey.

Limnyves Purple Butterfly Birthday PopUp Card

This is a great whimsical pop-up 3D card. It has a beautiful flower & butterfly scene inside and the colour of both the card and the envelope are wonderfully elegant. The card has gold accents and is made of good quality card stock. It has a inner tab that you pull out and it has a large note to write the message. In this way the beautiful card is not damaged but I can still write something meaningful for the person I give it not just a short congratulation. As the card comes without added text I use this for both birthdays, farewells from work colleagues or any other sort of congratulatory event in my life.