When it comes to stationery supplies I am no slouch. Whatever it is, pens, pencils, stamps, notebooks, rulers, even colorful staples, I’m all over it. Like I need to have it and add it to my collection.
The other day I was walking down the stationery/frame aisle at TJ Maxx. And there they were, just hanging out on the shelf. It came as a set. A see-through (clear) stapler and tape dispenser…the hardware was a golden metal trim. How could I not purchase them, right?!? Wrong!
Sadly and regrettably I didn’t. After mulling over this purchase, a few thoughts came to mind.
- When was the last time I used a stapler?
- The tape dispenser unit didn’t feel sturdy enough to withhold an actual roll of tape (washi tape that is).
- Most importantly, for the month of April, I’ve restricted myself from purchasing any form of arts and crafts supplies, and that includes all forms of stationery. Read more about that here.
So, I left the store with nothing in hand (not even a pair of shoes or a blouse). When I got home I debated whether or not I made the right decision. I was feeling a sense of guilt for wanting and not buying them. And a sense of achievement for just saying no. Afterall, how often do I tell myself no?!?
Well, once I got home I decided to use my trusty ol’ stationery stamps. These puppy’s are old, like 2003 old, from my scrapbooking days old. Make that fifteen years old!
Anyway, I made a notebook journal layout with my old (but fabulous) stationery stamps. Check it out.
Supplies Used
Step One
Just a quick note on this notebook, it’s my absolute favorite. The quality is outstanding. I love how thick the pages are and it can withstand all the stamping and inks I like to use. There’s an inner pocket, an elastic closure, a pen holder, a ribbon bookmark, and last but not least, the notebooks are environmentally friendly. Anyway, back to the creating part. I drew out 7 unfinished boxes in my notebook with my red marker and a ruler.
Step Two
Then, with an acrylic block, my stationery stamp set, and a black stamp pad, I stamped the top portion of each box. Once that was complete, I closed the box with the same ruler and marker I used in Step One. Interested in the washi tape stamp or the clipboard stamp? Well, there’s some good news and some bad news. I’ve scoured online looking for the clipboard stamp and found this Ebay seller selling the same exact one I have (mine is from Hobby Lobby). Now on to the bad news. I don’t have the original packaging for the washi tape stamp set so I can’t link to it. In my quest to find something similar, I found this on Etsy. I’m not sure of the quality but the seller has great reviews.
Step Three
Last, I hand-lettered the date with my favorite dual brush pen. I say my favorite because the brush tips (black and grey) are flexible, perfect for creating thin and thick lines. Then I wrote the dates with a black drawing pen (size 03).
