Crafts

We R Memory Keepers Washi Tape & Dispenser

1:00 PM

After seeing the W R Memory Keepers Washi Tape & Dispenser pop up on Instagram quite a few times, I've immediately wanted one. I already have enough washi tape to last me a lifetime, but I wanted the dispenser. I had been trying to figure out how to properly store my washi tape. 

Whilst shopping for the Husband's office party two weeks ago, this came up and I couldn't help but get one. Since I can't really shop for personal items, I decided to return to Costco for it a week later.


What I like about this items is that I can cut my washi tape with ease. The downfall, it really doesn't work for someone who already has over twenty washi tapes. I'm still storing them in a storage box that I got at Ikea a few years back.

Planner

Week #42

10:21 AM

My week has been relatively light after coming back from Las Vegas. There were things that needed to be done as far as chores were concerned. That was the mail goal after being gone for a week.

The one thing that needed to be done was take the boat for repairs whilst it's on warranty. After ten months of owning the Tracker Targa V8, we've encountered so many problems with it. The repair centre which is at Bass Pro Shops is about a little over an hour away where we live, thus dedicating a whole day for it.


How does your week look like?

Stationery

Papermate InkJoy Review

8:50 AM

For the last couple of years, I've been trying to find a set of coloured pens to use to organise my time better. I started off with Marvy's Le Pen. It's a felt pen and I love the way it writes. It's small enough that I thought it would fit in the smaller pen loop of my Filofax Personal Metropol, but it didn't and the ink bled easily through the page. So, I scrapped that pen and tried to find a different one.

I moved on to to Papermate Flair. The pens were discounted at Staples. It's not a felt pen, so I assumed that it wouldn't bleed through the pages, but it did. They didn't fit in the pen loop of the Metropol or my Finsbury. They also tend to end up leaking and since I don't want blotches of ink in my Coach purse, off to the office they went.

The third set of pens that I tried was the Staedtler Triplus fineliner. It's also a felt pen. I know, it's another felt pen, but I can't resist. I love the Staedtler brands. The one plus side about it is that they fit in the pen loops of my Filofax organiser. I really wish they'd make the pen loops bigger.

Just when I thought I'd have to settle for ink-bled pages in my organiser, a solution came. I was watching the telly and an advert for Papermate Inkjoy pens came on the screen. I looked at the reviews on the pens before I decide to purchase them. Some reviewers said that it doesn't write as smooth, but it is a ballpoint pen. My experience with ballpoint pens is that they tend to clump up sometimes. Despite the negative reviews, I went ahead and bought a pack.


 

I didn't understand all the negative reviews about the pens. I tested pens on a thick recycled notebook paper. Since the pens were medium point, it took some time getting used to writing with it since I normally use fine point pens. After a week of writing with it, the pens write smooth and I love the colours.


I do want to purchase the Pilot Frixion pens since I have the Frixion highlighters. Maybe I'll buy purchase them next year. 

Planner

My Week #37

12:30 PM

This week's schedule is pretty much filled with chores and I've already begun the countdown to Downton Abbey's Season 4. Since they left last season with Matthew Crawley's death, I'm wondering how the story would evolve.

I've also started jotting down the books that I've started and finished. I wanted to keep track of how long it takes me to start and read a book. I've also blocked out an hour to teach a friend's daughter (who I just gave one of my leather organisers and taught her time management) how to decorate her diary pages.

I'm also in love with my "H" post-it note. I found it at the dollar store a year ago and have since gone back for another one.


Planner

Week #32

11:48 AM

Week 32 is was a bit hectic. With our holiday to Hawai'i looming around the corner, I needed to get a lot of stuff done before we leave.

During this week, I've been scheduled to meet with the Catering manager at the Hilton on Harvard Street for the Husband's office party. I don't work with him, but I do a lot of volunteering such as being the photographer for all the events.

I also had to help him shop for the catering gig for one of his organisation's offices in Northern California. Buying food to cook for at least over seventy people takes some time. Preparing them takes a lot of time too, so my whole Tuesday was busy from sun up to sun down.

Of course, Wednesday is the only day I have free and I was able to spend it with a friend. We went shopping at Target to buy stuff for our holiday. Too bad it was M's birthday and he was scheduled for a night meeting.

Thursday was the big day and since I don't have any todo's on that day, I decided to add a quote on the side of the sheet.

Friday was a different story. It  was the day I needed to catch up on house chores and of course, in the evening we had a dinner to attend to. Thankfully, M didn't want to sit there, so we just attended the cocktail hour and went back home.



Planner

Sanrio Badtz-Maru Organiser

11:38 AM

A week ago, I was at my mum's house going through all my childhood stuff when I came across this...an organiser I bought at Sanrio in the mid to late 1990s. She had tossed a lot of my stuff over the years after I moved out, but my Sanrio stuff isn't one of them. I can't tell you how excited I am when I discovered this in a box.


I felt like a kid opening a Christmas present on Christmas day as I was unzipping the planner. There are still a few sheets left intact, a Badtz Maru pen and an AhiruNoPekkle vinyl paperclip. Talk about classic throwback. 


I got more excited when I turned the page I found a sheet of barely used stickers. Well, this is barely used according to my book. I really want to use the organiser, but since it's vintage and in a really good condition, I decided that I'll just take it home with me and store with with my other childhood stuff. I have to say, Thanks Mum for keeping this. Brought back a lot of memories.




Crafts

Washi "Trendy" Tape at Beverly's Crafts

12:23 PM

I've always bought washi tape online with the exception of Sanrio Surprises. Whilst visiting some family in the Bay Area, I happened to come across a craft store and wondered if they have washi tape. I walked through the isles of Beverly Crafts and I was surprised to see a section dedicated to washi tape. They have different kinds of patterns. As much as I want to buy a dozen tapes, I have to settle for three since they cost $3 a piece.


Paperchase Stickers at Target

12:15 PM

I was browsing through Target (one of my favourite Stores) and I happened to find Paperchase Stickers. I know I told myself that I'm not going to buy any stationery, but I couldn't resist. I couldn't pass this up. They also have other Paperchase products such as binders, pencil cases, notepads and journals. I had to stick with the stickers since I have so many notepads and journals. I'm hoping that Target will continue to sell Paperchase stickers.


Planner

Week #16: Study Day

12:14 PM

I've been pretty diligent with my chores, but with the upcoming CSET, I've been quite busy trying to make sure I know all of the material before taking the exam. I've also tried to incorporate the "7 Day Ab Challenge" since we have an upcoming holiday to Hawaii coming up. Hopefully, I can make it to the end of the challenge since the crunches get harder and harder as you approach the last day of the challenge.


Crafts

DIY Washi Tape

1:51 PM

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. Three months to be exact. I’ve been busy studying for the CSET exam, coping with a spring cold/flu and also trying to organise and decorate the house. Another reason that I haven’t blogged either is Instagram. I post a lot of pictures about my travels, food, and just about anything interesting. If haven’t blogged, the chances are, there are a lot of posts on Instagram.The “washi tape” craze has hit the market. Stores like Beverly’s Crafts are carrying an assortment of washi. It was hard to find washi. I normally purchased them on Etsy or at Sanrio Surprises.The first one I bought was the Little Twin Stars washi from Sanrio Surprises. I love this washi (even though it’s pink) because I can write on it without having the ink smear. There’s a downside to the this design though, I hate writing on Kiki and Lala, so I decided to use it as a border decoration on my Filofax pages.

I searched online and found a pack of Martha Stewart washi tape. I was thrilled with the pattern and went ahead and bought them on Amazon. I really don’t like Martha Stewart’s washi tape. It’s glossy and you can’t write on it. You’d have to own a sharpie to be able to write on it. It’s purely decorative. I went on to buy the Scotch Expressions tape which is similar to the Martha Stewart brand.Finally, I was able to find washi tape that’s similar to the Little Twin Stars Washi I have. I couldn’t believe when I found it at Target and the price was reasonable. Now I have an addiction.But the price of washi tape (including shipping) is somewhat expensive considering what I plan to do with it. I’m hooked and I need alternatives. Of course, I’d still buy them, but I have to set myself a limit.

The thing about being a Do-It-Yourselfer, I started thinking about ways on how I can make my own washi tape. And since I want more, I made the decision to try to make it. The cost of a generic brand of double-sided tape and whatever paper you want to use is cheaper than buying spools of washi. There are several different ways you can make your own washi. I prefer this method better. Here are the instructions with photographs. Please bear in mind that I’ve taken these photos with my iPhone and might have been a little lazy to edit them.


DIY Washi Tape

Materials:

Double-Sided Tape
Scissors
Patterned Paper
Commercial Grade Parchment paper.





 


The first thing you want to do is check the measurement of your double-sided tape. Some tapes have a backing on top and others do not. The ones that have the backing are quite expensive (and I couldn’t find them at Target), so I decided to use the one without. That’s where the parchement paper comes in handy.

If you’re thinking of doing this, there’s no easy way to make a continuous spool of washi if you’re using double-sided tape without the backing. It’s possible to do it both with the backing or without, but just to save yourself from heartache and frustration, just make it in strips.

First, grab a long pice of tape, the length doest matter as long as it doesn’t exceed the length of the parchment paper you just tore out.

Tape it to the parchment paper. Grab your paper strip and start applying it on the tape, making sure that all the edges are neat and that there are no bubbles. When you’re finished, cut the wax paper with the tape and roll it onto a cork. It’s that simple.

I know you’re wondering why commercial grade parchment paper, why not wax paper. In my experience, the double sided tape tend to adhere pretty well to the wax paper and when you try to peel it off, it’s like peeling an old sticker from a glass or plastic jar.It’s not hard to find commercial grade parchment paper. They can be found at restaurant supply stores.




Life

Downton Abbey's Christmas Special

9:38 AM


I never thought I’d write about a television programme, let alone make it my first post of the year.I was dying to watch the Downton Abbey Christmas Special, but I was on a holiday to Disneyland and Las Vegas until after the New Year. So chances of watching the show is nill.

Over the last few months, there were rumours that Dan Stevens, the actor playing Matthew Crawley did not sign on for the fourth season and I wonder how the writers of the show would kill off his character. With the twists and turns of Season 3 — the emotional roller coaster the show has taken it’s viewers, I couldn’t expect anything less of what their decision of how, when and where.

Just one word before you continue on. If you haven’t seen Season 3, I would advise you to stop reading. This blog will contain spoilers.

When I came home two days after New Year’s, I quickly switched on my laptop to watch the Christmas Special. I prepared myself. I grabbed a box of tissues, sat them right next to me and prepared myself for the ride. I wasn’t going to be caught off guard again just like I did when Lady Sybil died in the fifth episode.

There were no tear jerkers, just an overall astonishment at how Matthew Crawley’s character was written off the script. It was such a good episode with Matthew welcoming his newborn son and heir, not to mention his marriage to Lady Mary is as strong as ever which made his untimely death at the hands of his automobile was quite a shocker.


After watching the episode, I couldn’t get that final image off my head and wondered how in the world are they going to open the fourth season. I wasn’t at all distraught at how it ended for Matthew Crawley unlike others who took it to heart. Yes, it was heartbreaking, gut wrenching and very sad, but it’s just a television show. Life would go on. Some viewers tweeted that they won’t watch the next season, but in my case, I will. I’m curious how to see who Lady Mary would adapt to her new life as a mother without her soulmate. So, yes. I have not completely written off the show and can’t wait for the next season to start.


The happy family before the tragedy.




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