Have you ever wondered about the Midori “Pickable” Sticky Note packs ($6.75 each)? They include three different paper stocks: white paper with a colored edging, kraft paper and a translucent colored paper stock. All three papers are in one booklet giving the users the option to choose or “pick” what sticky note to use on the fly instead of carrying three separate pads.
The packaging includes little drawings on the front showing how each section opens completely to easily remove a sticky note as needed and the back illustration includes text describing the paper: Fine Paper, Kraft Paper, and Tracing Paper. The text below the illustration indicates the number of sheets of each paper: 30 sheets of the Fine Paper, and 20 sheets each of Kraft and Tracing Paper.
In writing tests, the Fine Paper worked with all the different types of pens and pencil equally well. For a sticky note, I’d give the Fine Paper notes a 10 out of 10 as far as sticky notes go. Lovely!
The Kraft Paper worked best with felt tip, gel pens, rollerballs and pencils. The fountain pen ink beads up as did the Faber-Castell PITT brush ink and the water soluble Pentel Brush pens. I really like the look and feel of the kraft notes but the pens that work well with it is a bit limited and should be used with a bit of caution.
I was most excited to try the Tracing Paper sticky note because its translucent so it could be used decoratively or to add notes while still being able to see what is underneath but it is definitely a coated paper that is not conducive to any water-based inks. Even the Faber-Castell PITT brush, which is supposed to be waterproof, beaded up on the paper. Gel pens, felt tips, pencils and ball point all work fine and I suspect that a Sharpie would also work. This limited pen usefulness could be a sticking point (no pun intended) for some people but the idea of having a translucent sticky note makes me willing to endure its pen limitations in order to have see-through sticky notes in my tools.
The sets of sticky notes available currently looks like Midori replaced the tracing paper option in the set with a colored paper. The Natural set includes an ivory stock instead of tracing paper which might be a better option overall. The Warm set includes a lavender paper and the Cool set has a light blue paper in addition to the white Fine paper with colored edge and Kraft Paper options. I think, despite enjoying the concept of the translucent paper, I would probably prefer to have the newer sets with the colored papers.
What’s your favorite sticky note?
DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
I have a clear translucent sticky pad. And I use it to trace things – like the molecule for caffeine, for example. I use a really fine point micron with it. I don’t use it often, but I really like having it in my arsenal.
I have a set of these. Thank you for the review. I knew the tracing paper sticky note didn’t work with fountain pens. Now I’ve learned what pens do work on it. I’ve been using these with a Midori calendar stamp to make a month page in a Leuchtturm notebook.
Come to think of it, the tracing paper must not have accepted the stamped calendar image. It would have looked neat with stickers or something underneath. I still like the idea of it, and hope to find a use for the tracing paper sticky notes.