In feature

Stamps and seals

Author AnaPosted on 6 Comments

Uni Mitsubishi Stamp Pad and chop

My absolute favorite find while traveling in Asia was this Uni Mitsubishi Stamp Pad (HSN-S30K) in red and a custom made chop from Stanley Market with my name carved into the bottom.

Uni Mitsubishi Stamp Pad and wooden chop

The stamp pad was purchased at CN Square in Hong Kong for $36HK (a little more than $5US) while I paid about $10US for the small wood stamp (extortionate but I wasn’t in the mood to haggle with the vendor as it was the coolest one I had found).

While I could not read the box that the stamp pad came in, its a little puffy round pad perfect for registered seal frequently used in Asian cultures. It was the only one left in the store or I would have bought out the stock. It snaps shut tightly so its perfect for on-the-go stamping and the ink dries quickly. Of course, I’ve used it with the  little chop I’ve bought. I’m horrified what I’ll do when it dries out as I have no way to find a new one. Anyone know were I might find more?

My chop

In feature

Sign it like Neil

Author AnaPosted on 1 Comment
(photo from Publishers Weekly)

A reader recently asked Economy Pens what the best tool would be for a book signing. I remembered reading about the tools used by Neil Gaiman from an article from Netmouse on “Neil-Handling“. I thought I’d quote the writing tools section specifically here but if you’re a fan on Neil, you may be entertained to read the whole article.

Neil usually provides his own pens, but it’s good to be prepared to procure replacements.

Most often I have seen him sign books with a fountain pen, using brown ink (filling the pen from a bottle). For most comic books, CD covers, and some books he generally switches to a silver pen. The best kind of silver pens are the ones with a calligraphic tip that you have to shake to get started. Those can be purchased at any book and art supply store. In a pinch he can use a silver Sharpie, but he says those run out more quickly.

A black Sharpie is also useful for some comic books and for signing t-shirts and random objects. Since these are so generally handy, I suggest you carry one with you.

High-quality rollerball pens or gel pens are also nice to have around. At Worldcon Neil switched to these because his fountain pen wasn’t working well.

 

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Packing tips, follow-up

Author AnaPosted on Leave a comment

Stationery acquired from hotels in China

Having just returned from a three-week trip abroad to Hong Kong and China, I thought I might reveal a few of my own tips (both things I wish I had packed and things I’m glad I packed) from my experiences.

  1. If you’re traveling in Asia, or anywhere really, pack a few packages of travel-sized tissues. In Asia particularly, many restrooms do not have paper of any kind so you really need to pack your own. Some restaurants even charge a fee for napkins or tissues in an effort to be more “green”. The theory being that if you have to pay for napkins, you won’t use as many. Right.
  2. A small backpack can be the perfect overnight bag. If you are making a day or two jaunt away from your hotel of choice, you can leave your larger suitcase behind with the concierge and take the small pack. I used a pack as my “plus one” on the plane to carry and extra sweater and my can’t-live-without toiletries in case my luggage went astray. On days when you are out shopping, a backpack can be a great carrier for purchases and maps and such. Just remember not to put your passport or any valuables in your pack in case someone gets wily and tries to pickpocket you.
  3. If you plan on packing an extra pair of shoes, choose a pair you wouldn’t mind losing if you need to free up space in your luggage on the return trip. I dumped a bulky, old pair of shoes in order to make more space for items I collected on my trip.
  4. As much as you may want to take advantage of the convenience of pre-packaged, travel-sized bottles of toiletries, be careful. I switched brands of lotion and facial cleanser and halfway through the trip suffered from major skin irritation that lead me to wander desperately through the aisles of a Hong Kong drug store in search of a more gentle replacement. Don’t switch horses mid-race. Trust me on this, I looked like I’d run into a belt sander with my face for a whole week.
  5. Many nice hotels (at least all the hotels I stayed at in China and Hong Kong) stock the desk with paper, envelopes and even postcards. If you’re in a really nice place, they may even stock the desk with an array of office supplies. Don’t steal shampoo. Steal office supplies. Or put them to good use and write to friends and family back home.If you are away from your home country, ask the concierge to mail your letters for you.
In link

Hong Kong Stationery Bounty

Author AnaPosted on 3 Comments

Shopping For Stationery Products In Hong Kong

Finally, I got out in Hong Kong and got to do a little shopping. Needless to say, my first stop was the humongous shopping area in Kowloon called Harbour City. Inside was a large Muji shop and the notorious CitySuper (notorious to me since I stalk Patrick of Scription fame). Both were totally worth the hype and I’ll have several follow-up reviews of individual products, not to mention a plan to visit both of them again before I head back to the States.

Most people are already familiar with the minimalist-designed Japanese design store Muji. They sell all sorts of products for life and home including lots of inexpensive, simply designed office products. I purchased a few of their gel and roller ball pens, notebooks, stationery sets and their 3-pack of washi tape in brown, grey and tan and a gorgeously Japanese tape dispenser for only a couple dollars US.

CitySuper is a large scale international grocery store with kitchenware, liquor, stationery and gift products. If you are an American and European ex-pat in Hong Kong, you will want to know about CitySuper. I had to see the assortment of stationery products and I was not disappointed. I bought a camera charm for my Pelle though I may go back for a Midori Travelers Notebook just because I love that I can just walk in and buy it, not order it or wait for it to ship. I found a wide elastic to wrap around an A5 sized notebook with a leather divder three writing tools. I found a Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil with built-in sharpener and cap as well as replacement pencils, each under $5US. I also stocked up on Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto refills, because I could.

I also went a few blocks over to the mall that had the CitySuper LOG-ON shop which was similar to the CitySuper at Harbour City but with more statonery, photo and personal goods and a lot less food product. I hope to go back and browse next weekend when I have a bit more time.

My last stationery find was a little office supply shop along the street that was catering more to local shops and office workers and less to the tourist trade. They had a large spinner of self-inking stamps for about $3US each that said things like “RECEIVED” with the corresponding Chinese translation as well. Do you think I need one?

There will be more in-depth reviews and descriptions in the future when I get back to the States but I didn’t want any of my fine readers to think I’d been slacking on my hunt for office goodies, worldwide.

Cheers from Asia, Ana