I discovered Yasumi from the lifestyle blog Worship Blues, and shop Stranger London, on twitter and I’m SO glad I did! She genuinely one of the loveliest people I’ve ever “met” in the blogging world and does some seriously brilliant work. Worship Blues is a lifestyle blog, focussing on travel, food, sewing, London life, and of course, a bit of stationery. Stranger London is a shop selling Yasumi’s beautiful creations, from hand-sewn pockets and cases, to unique pieces of jewellery.
I’ve been a bit slack on my What’s In Your Pencil Case Series, so this is the first in a little while. For my first one back, it seemed natural to me to ask someone I know has great taste – and Yasumi did’t disappoint!
What’s in your pencil case right now:
My pencil case is made of celluloid in Japan where it’s seen as super old-skool but I really love it! Celluloid, though unassuming played a significant part in Japan’s industrial history and though it has been shoved aside for cheaper easier to make materials, it is slowly making a come back now. I wrote about it here.
Graf von Faber-Castell wood cased pencil
Platinum Carbon desk fountain pen – I love the intense black ink and the super fine nib.
Tell me about how you use stationery in your day to day life?
I get stuck into a few different disciplines daily. Mainly writing, pattern making and sewing and my stationery kit is invaluable to me.
When writing I like fountain pens for note making, gel pens for my diary and planning. Fountain pens are so smooth to write with and for some curious reason they seem to help with my thought process. Ideas flow better. I am crazy about multi pens for my diary and Pilot Coleto is my favourite with all their refills a cute pen bodies.
When I turn to sewing, rulers, french curves, highlighters and pencils become my best friends. Most of these are for quite obvious reasons but highlighters stump people until they see how patterns are printed in Japanese sewing books. If I don’t highlight things – I get lost!!
What’s the top stationery item that you can’t live without (and why)?
Pens! Any pen! I have not even been without a pen on me since I was 4 or 5. I’ve never had to ask to borrow a pen from someone and I think I would feel so lost without one.
Quick-fire questions:
– Pen or Pencil?
Pen
– Notebooks: plain, lined or grid?
Plain
– Paper diary or phone calendar?
Both. Phone for work and planning and paper for personal life. and observations/memories etc.
I am an unstoppable stationery addict and have been since I can remember. We have recently moved home and it was not until we begun unpacking that I realised the real extent of my obsession. I ought to put myself on a stationery diet but I honestly believe that I will use everything up so keep hoarding things ‘just in case’. Not only do I collect stationery, but I also make things to put stationery in! I make notebook sleeves because I don’t like mine getting tatty in my handbag and of course I make pencil cases too!
Do check out the goregous stuff Yasumi makes at Stranger London (I just bought one of these!), and she has been super kind and is offering ATS readers a 10% discount, valid until May 2015, with the code: “WELOVETESSA”.
Hmm—I really want the listed pencil case but it looks like it’s sold out 🙁
Oh well.
Oh – do you mean the celluloid one? I don’t think Yasumi makes them… I think she got it in Japan!