stationery love

Dude, there’s a stationery convention? Man, if I lived in New York I’d go to this. I love stationery. I remember wandering through college bookstores and nearby gift shops, collecting beautiful cards to pin to my walls (both cheaper and smaller than art prints, a plus when you live in tiny spaces like dorm rooms or the closet under the stairs.1)

Later I worked at various office supply stores, and was unable to resist taking home endless pens and folders and nifty paper clips. These were also my big letter writing years, where I was obsessed with decorating envelopes and interior pages with drawings and stickers and painted rubber stamp scenes.

And then I discovered Japanese stationery! I’ve lost count of the hours I’ve spent in Kinokuniyas across the state, sighing over elegant papers and cute little erasers and Engrish-embellished day planners. On my most recent trip to Japan I lingered in every Tokyu Hands2 I found, buying tiny notebooks in rainbow colors to match the even tinier Post-Its.

I’m always hoarding blank journals with nifty covers – there are six I can think of off the top of my head, empty and waiting for words or pictures. I’m sure I’ll pick up more before I finish filling these. I can’t resist lovely, useful things.

1. Yes, I lived in a closet under the stairs once. Back before Harry Potter made it cool, even.

2. Quite possibly the best store ever. Luggage! Bicycles! Art supplies! Furniture! Toys! The one in Ikebukuro even has live cats you can pet and visit with! If they sold books and video games, I’d never ever leave.

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