A Love Letter To Stationery #NatStatWeek

Dear Stationery,

I have always loved you. While other children were being given board games I requested a hole-punch and colouring pens.

a silver pen and pencil set in a black box with Cross on the side next to lilac tree blossom
Beautiful pen and pencil set gifted by Cross


Few things compare with that feeling of excitement and optimism when starting a new notebook. Did you know I always leave the first page blank? I never want to ruin the crisp freshness with my scrawling font. Given how much I love pens and paper you would think I would try harder with my handwriting to do the beautiful items justice, but it appears not. 

I love the feel of paper, the weight of a pen and how smoothly one glides over the other. I love sparkly fun gel pens and vibrant fine liners. Fountain pens and rollerballs.

At times you let me down. I have been fooled into getting brush pens which split or pens that pool ink. Beautiful notepads hiding thin paper where ink bleeds and shows on the reverse.

I can happily spend hours browsing shops with all the different styles of writing implements and fun gadgets. Past boyfriends may claim it is boring, but my eldest daughter can happily get lost in it all too. I’ve started to “borrow” her pens, it’s only fair after the number of my notepads she has requested over the years.

I guess my youngest daughter loves stationery too, but not paper. She has loved to scribble on the walls, floor and even the sofa from an early age. We keep hoping she’ll stick to more traditional mediums, but the latest artwork on her bedroom wall (aged 4) suggests otherwise.

Anyway back to my feelings for you. Over the years graceful pens and charming notepads have provided light in the most boring of lectures and meetings. Providing pleasure both at the time and later as I reflect back on the lines of text and diagrams.

I love to unexpectedly find a fabulous pen at a great price. Those bargain pens that write smoothly and are a pleasure to hold. Pens that I can use everyday, but I also love those special ones I save for the most important letters to ensure the ink, and pleasure, lasts.

a flat lay of Staples Stationery including an A4 notepad, pencils, navy gel pens, rubber and post it notes
Practical, every day stationery gifted from Staples

It’s not just pens and paper I love. I still have some of my full set of graphic pencils I bought while at school (from B to 9H), I was never so keen on the B’s preferring technical drawings and loathing smudges.

I love felt tips and crayons. Paints, glue and tape (I might have a slightly unnecessarily large collection of washi tap). Stamps and inks, paper clips and stickers. Pencil cases, rulers, erasers, stencils, I adore them all (maybe not novelty rubbers though, because while they may look fun they tend to be useless and the best stationery is functional). 

I know our love affair will be forever.

Yours truly, 
A stationery lover

__________

If you love stationery too then you might be interested to hear that this week is National Stationery Week. Thank you to Staples and Cross for the gifted items pictured in this post.

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