My friends over at TagTeam Tompkins recently ventured across the ocean to Japan and were kind enough to host a “check out what we bought” party at their house. This is an overview of all the wonderful paper goods they picked up on their travels. I’ll be featuring a few pieces in more details over the next week so stay tuned!
This is a vintage combination pencil topper and sharpener. The writing on the piece says “556 Eagle Pencil Co. New York, USA.” The blade looks like it will need to be replaced but its perfect for the traveling writer or artist.
(Thanks to Ben at Skylab Letterpress for sharing his awesome score with us, which he skimmed from Diane of TagTeam Tompkins fame.)
I recently acquired the Lihit Lab Teffa Bag in the A5 size from Jet Pens. It comfortably fits my medium Ecosystem Life Artist notebook (5.25×8.25”) with room to toss bits of paper, letters and other items and still successfully zip it closed.
The outside of the bag has two velcro pockets, both gusseted; one comfortably fits a mobile phone, the other holds business cards, stamps and other tidbits. Behind each velcro pocket is a slit pocket to keep more goodies and on the far left is a pen pocket. I pack this thing to bulging and the 2-sided zipper makes it easy to close even cram-packed.
Available for $14 in lime green, orange, black, and brown. There is also a larger size to hold A4 for $18.50.
Pinhole Press is a photo printing service that offers a few unique services that sets it apart from Shutterfly and the like. They offer an assortment of customized paper goods like planners, journals and note pads. Their typography is lovely and the layouts are simple and classic.
You can create your own weekly planner with an assortment of photos interspersed throughout the book starting at $29.99.
The photo note pads can have a photo of your choice printed on the cover or you can choose from an assortment of patterns and designs for the cover with prices starting at $12.99. Pinhole Press also offers three different journal options including a hardcover with lined pages, spiral and softcover with blank pages. Based on the paper descriptions, it sounds like they are using Mohawk Superfine Ultrawhite with eggshell finish (I’m guessing about the Mohawk part but I’m pretty sure that what it is and that’s some nice paper stock!)
Pinhole Press also carries all the products that other photo services have such as holiday photo cards, calendars, framed products and even customizable stationery, all with their fine design sense. Pricing seems pretty competitive as well.
With all the hullaballoo in the past couple weeks, I completely forgot to post photos of the goodies I received from Lost Crates. This is my third “crate”. The first crate was so spot-on in regards to my personal tastes that I wasn’t surprised or delighted but I was completely satisfied. In an effort to mix things up a bit, I revised my profile quiz on Lost Crates for my second crate and was a little less enthused with the goods I received. They were not bad at all just not entirely to my taste which was clearly my own fault for messing with the quiz. So this month, I revised my quiz back and the box I received was AWESOME! It was filled with things that totally made me smile — useful but fresh.
The Scrabble pencils couldn’t be more perfect for me. I love word games and play about a dozen online Scrabble games at a time. Also in the box was a Penguin Jack Kerouac “On the Road” blank book and Decomposition Book (a composition book filled with 100% post-consumer waste paper). Good stuff!
The arrow paper clips are fun and whimsical and just what I needed to lift my spirits. So, I definitely feel like Lost Crates is a good value and fairly accurate in matching products to someone’s taste if you answer the quiz honestly.
I thought I’d share some photos of my latest typewriter acquisition. It is an Adler Tippa which was made in West Germany. What little research I could find on the internet revealed little about when the typewriter was produced. As West Germany was reunified with East Germany in 1990 and the notes about the ribbon in the back (see below) start in the 80s, so I at least know the end date. Best guess is that its from the 60s.
According to the very helpful staff at Office Machine Mart (a shop that has been repairing and selling office equipment in Kansas City for over 70 years), I was informed that a card of some sort was often included with a typewriter to help protect the typebars in transport. I am thrilled that the typewriter has kept this amber plastic piece all these years.
Its industrial, Cold War beige is charming and totally utilitarian. But it hides a romantic soul.
Under that staid exterior beats a heart that wants to write poetry and love letters in its soft cursive script.
Inside the back cover of the manual were notes from the previous owner about when the ribbon had been changed. I too need to add a note as the fine fellows at Office Machine Mart provided me with a new ribbon last week.
I’ve found the first item for my holiday wish list. Its the Doodles Pen necklace from Kate Spade. $78
What are you putting on your holiday wish list?
(via kate spade)
