Week #35

Welcome to Week 35.

The theme for the week was Dark Blue, and cats.

Week 35_1

Monday to Wednesday was quite quiet, We went to the cinema quite a lot last week (reviews coming soon) We managed to see You're Next on Tuesday, The Mortal Instruments on Wednesday, and we also saw The Lone Ranger on Sunday.
We also paid for our cat Crookshanks to have his injections, they cost £99 but it's for life, we just need to book him into the vets to get them done.

Week 35_2

As you can see the rest of the week was busy, on Friday, I ordered my partner's Christmas present (tickets to see Within Temptation at the O2 Academy Newcastle), I had a candle party on Saturday, and ended up getting my mum's birthday present.

Sunday was a busy day as me and my partner went to the Metro Centre, and we decided to make a day of it just us and no-one else. We ended up looking round IKEA and buying a new clock for the front room, had to go to Staples (haul post coming soon), and Paperchase.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Weekend Haul

This weekend I ended up going to both the Metro Centre and Teesside Park and got a great haul (a lot of items were on offer so grabbed a couple of bargains as well)

Staples - Metro Centre

I picked up some of staples own Sonix gel pens, I also grabbed an A5 notepad, Papermate Flexigrip elite (Black), and a papermate Inkjoy 550 in black.

Staples - Teesside Park

While we were at Teesside Park I had a nosy at the staples there to grab some more of the papermate flexigrip elite pens as they are fantastic to write with, I also stocked up on some Martha Stewart Tabs, colour coding labels, and thought I would try some other labels as well.

The Works - Metro Centre

I headed into The Works and found this tote bag (I've previously seen other bloggers using totes like this 1 and thought it might be a good idea. I also grabbed these sticky notes with little tabs on them thought these might come in handy in the future.

A5 Planner - Paperchase

While I was at the Metro Centre I just had to go in Paperchase and while I was in there I saw the planner above and thought it looked gorgeous so I had to grab it.

Deco Tape

I also found these tapes while in Paperchase and thought they would look good in my planner on the new pages.

Sticky Notes

I also found these sticky notes, the set in the tin I tried to order online but they stopped selling them so imagine my surprise when there they are in the store on the shelf.

A5 lined paper, roller stamps

 I also grabbed some A5 lined paper for 'Birdie' and I saw these roller stamps.

Paperchase Stickers

They also had a load of stickers on clearance so I had to grab some especially the camper vans

Toki Yoki

There is a store at the metro centre called Toki Yoki and they sell a lot of Japanese items I found a notebook and some stickers.

Hobbycraft haul

On Sunday we went to Hobbycraft, and I was able to pick up a load of sale items. I also grabbed some Christmas Stamps as well as deco tape ready for Christmas. I also managed to get a tub of pigment inks.

Stamp pads from the tub

As you can see I got quite a good range of colours from the tub, there where a couple of doubles but that's fine with me because if any run out at least I have spares.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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My Week #26

Welcome to another installment of my week 26:

Week 26 (Mon - Wed)

The start of the week was really quiet, I was off Wednesday due to my ankle sprain a couple of weeks ago, so spent most of Wednesday catching up with the TIVO box.

Week 26 (Thurs-Sun)

The rest of the week was busy, went to see 5 mini plays at Middlesbrough Library, where my partner was part of 1 of the plays.
At work I had UPS coming to pick up some boxes from a previous research team, and on Saturday, me and my partner, with my friend, goddaughter, and stepson to get my goddaughter her birthday present. I got a call from my mother on Saturday to say that 1 of our cats had just given birth to a kitten, so it was a surprise as we thought she might be we just weren't sure.
Sunday we headed up to Teesside Park and had a look at Hobbycraft (post is coming soon)

Smudge's kittens

Here are Smudge's kittens, they are so cute.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Cult Pens Order

I recently made an order on cult pens, and they arrived yesterday:

Staedler Lumocolor, Pilot Bottle to pen, Pilot Juice, Lechtturm pen loop, and Pilot Frixion in Orange

Pilot Petit 2 Sign Pens, Staedler Triplus text surfers, Caran d'Ache Eco Ballpoint pens, and Copic Glitter pen.

You'll see some of these reviews in the Stationery Must Haves in the coming weeks.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma

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Teesside Park 19.06.2013

We went to the cinema to see The Iceman starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, and Chris Evans, so while we were over at Teeside Park I thought I would have a little look in Staples and Hobbycraft if i was lucky.

Staples Haul

 I didn't really buy that much from Staples this time due to the fact that it's near the end of the month, but the coloured notebook was only 70p and the stickies I use to mark down when I've started a new book, and the clips I use a lot at work so must haves basically.

Hobbycraft Papers

I saw these papers in Hobbycraft and thought that they would make excellent dividers in Jack and Violet (and Saffy (purple Saffiano) if I can get her next month

Hobbycraft Sale

Hobbycraft were also having a sale on some clearance items so I managed to get some stickers, stamps and some gorjuss notelets for under a tenner.

Hobbycraft items

I also grabbed some more smash books, deco tape, ink pads, and stamps. ( a lot of this you will see in the coming weeks).

Thanks for tuning in.

Gemma

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Local finds

On Saturday, I went into town to grab some father's day gifts ready for next Sunday, and I decided to have a look in Paperchase and a shop called The Art Shop (they do loads of art related items).

Paperchase

I first went into Paperchase and found a large clouds pencil case, handy notes sticky notes, small pair of scissors, stickers, and flowery sticky notes.
The handy notes look fantastic as you can fold the fingers down and make hand signs, I have currently placed in my Filofax a 'Call Me' hand sign, and I did try a rock one but it didn't go too well. We have had some hot days so i was looking for stickers that had some suns on, was unable to find any, but I did find some ice cream stickers and thought they would be a good alternative.

The Art Shop

I also headed to our local arts and crafts store and found some A4 card that I thought would make good dividers in Jack, and i also spotted washi tape so I grabbed 4, there is a cobweb, butterflies, robots, and music notes.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma

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Pilot V Pen (Fountain)

(Disclosure: I have not been asked by companies to review anything, these are my own opinions regarding stationery that I have bought myself)

I remember having a pilot v pen when I was younger and I found them in Staples so grabbed myself some.

Pilot V Pens (Fountain)

Pen Nib

The pens are simple in their design, with the top of the pen cap, bottom end of the barrel and the writing on the barrel showing you what colour the pen is. The barrel has a see through section near the cap showing the ink level in the pen.

Writing Sample

Bleed through

The pens write smoothly and no evidence of the ink just soaking into the paper, there is minimal bleed through. What I have noticed is that over time the ink will bleed through even the thickest of papers and when it does it will change colour. I won't use these pens for everyday use but I will if i have really really thick paper so that I can minimilise bleed through later.

Overall, they are nice pens if you want just a disposable fountain pen but the worst thing is that there may be minimal bleed through now but give it time and the ink will bleed through.

Thanks for tuning in.

Gemma
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Teesside park

I went to Teesside Park again at payday this month and you all know what that means Staples:-

Staples haul

I managed to get some more Martha Stewart coding labels, notebooks, a green frixion pen, and also some expressions scotch tape. I grabbed some bulldog clips that contain messages (Urgent, Copy, File, To Do) for work.

Hobbycraft

I also went to Hobbycraft where I got some scrapbook paper with a summery feel I also got some washi tape, smash books, ribbons (which were on sale for £1 each), ink pads, and some clear stamps.

WHSmith's

I also went to WHSmith's and grabbed a 2DPP, coloured record cards, fan thin pens, light blue frixion pen and the orange scotch expressions tape.

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma

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Uni-Ball Signo UM120SP Sparkling

(Disclosure: I have not been asked by companies to review anything, these are my own opinions regarding stationery that I have bought myself) 

I bought these pens from cult pens as I thought the would be a good addition to my pen pot and would add a bit of sparkle to my Filofax.

From cult pens they are £1.62 (separately, you can buy a pack of 12 BUT only in the one colour), they also come in a range of colours (8 in total). I bought 3 to test out (Sparkling Green, Violet, and Red).

The packaging is simple in its design (this is a somewhat standard feature with the Signo UM-120 pens), the tubing contains glitter distributed inside the barrel, while the ink is still visible through the barrier. 

The pen itself wrote smoothly across the page, the pen wasn't scratchy, and the nib size wasn't to bad either.

I found the pens to be easy to write with but the distribution of the ink varied greatly, the pen would write for so long then nothing would come out, also when it did the ink would be quite blobby.

I found that even though the pens were blobby, they didn't bleed through 80gsm paper, (I will admit the violet pen did somewhat bleed through, but not bad enough that you couldn't write over).

I found that these pens were nice but due to them not writing constantly and having to go back over what I had  previously written, (which would then make the writing just look scruffy), I won't be buying any more then what I already have, I know some people may like these pens but I honestly didn't.

My Stationery Must Haves: Schneider Xpress Fineliner

I will be making posts regarding what for me are stationery must haves, any piece of stationery that I think I couldn't do without (which knowing me will be quite a lot of things).

(Disclosure: I have not been asked by companies to review anything, these are my own opinions regarding stationery that I have bought myself and think that I could not do without)

My first is Schneider Xpress Fineliner:

I love these pens and have been using them to write in my book journal, they write so smoothly and they don't smudge. I also use these at work when I have to take the weekly minutes, I have to write so fast this lovely pen can keep up with me without making my hand go numb.

I love these pens that much I have one blue and a black one in my work jacket pocket, I also carry some in my pencil case.

Thanks for tuning in.

Gemma
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Local stationery

Last weekend me and my partner had a look around our local town centre and I found some nifty things:

WHSmiths

I thought I would have a nosy in smithy's as I've not been in there for a while and found some mini Maped freewriter pens. I thought these would be brilliant for my work jacket.

Rymans

I also had a look in our local Rymans as I needed a pencil sharpener that had the 2 slots for my dry textliners.

I found the pencil sharpener, but I also found the Pilot Hi-Tec and thought I would give them a try (i don't normally play well with fine nibbed pens, I find them scratchy). I also found an eraser and some uniball pens which looked quite good.

Boyes

Now when you think of Boyes and stationery you sometimes think it can be naff, but once you get rid of the naff items you can find something good.
I found these Sarasa pens and thought I would give them a go and see how they wrote.

 

 

Thanks for tuning in

 

Gemma

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Teesside Park

 Me and my partner headed over to Teesside park to grab some printer paper (I needed to buy a specific colour) and I did manage to buy a few things.

 Staples

We headed to staples and grabbed some printer paper but I also grabbed some Martha Stewart items while they were on offer

I grabbed another to do book and some sticky notes with lines, I thought these would look good in my Filofax.

Hobbycraft

We also went and had a look in Hobbycraft where they had a buy 1 get 1 free on tape (so I had to buy a couple of rolls.

 I also grabbed some thin Happy Birthday ribbon as I thought this would look good.

Clintons

I also went to Clinton's card and bought some more of the Pentel sign pens in green, yellow, and pink

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Paperchase

At the weekend while I was in the town centre I had to have a nosy in Paperchase, and I found me some bargins:

I managed to get some small rolls of washi tape that were on sale with a heart tape as well as some stamp rollers, also manage to get some sticky notes as well

Paperchase haul in all its glory

Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Teesside Park

For a post Easter-pre back to work trip me and my partner went to our local retail park for a bit of retail therapy (well I did my partner just came along)

 Staples

 Went into staples and grabbed some more Martha Stewart labels and a to do list, a filofax hole punch, some more Inkjoy pens, coloured paper (so I can print some inserts), some plain sticky labels, reinforcement rings, sharpie ultra fine pens, and some more ARC rings.

Clintons

 Had a nosy in clintons and saw these sticky notes, I love Paris and have always wanted to go, also grabbed some pens while I was in there

Hobbycraft

 I also went into Hobbycraft and grabbed some decopatch papers which I'm gonna use to cover my dividers, also found some nice washi tape, as well as some boxes for all my stickers and some ribbon (I use a lot of ribbon).

 Thanks for tuning in

Gemma
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Artbox Raid

I ended up finding the Artbox website and wow, there was some very nice things on there. Due to it being payday I made an order for some things.

Artbox order

You can see I did order quite a bit, this lot should last me a while (the operative word being should)

Washi tape (thought these were quite sweet)

Sticky notes (I thought the bear was good and the mini ones I can use for tv shows that I watch)

The 2 pencils were bought because of the design (I love London, and it had a Union Jack, and want to go to Paris)



Stickers, they had some great stickers, thought these would come in handy in brightening up my Filofax

 

Very chuffed with my order and will be ordering from Artbox again (have noticed some Rilakkuma notebooks  and tape that I might have to order next month)

 

Some of the stickers you will see in the coming weeks on the 'My Week' posts (Week 13 due tomorrow).

 

Thanks for tuning in.

 

Gemma

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