The Suspect: Swinton Avenue Trading Graphic Tape w/Dispenser

OMG! I love graphic tape!

That is no joke. I do love graphic tape! In fact, I am sometimes surprised I don't see more of it. I know there is a lot out there, I even follow an entire blog on graphic tape alone called "I love Sticky Tape", but it isn't as common in regular tape-friendly stores like Office Depot where I found this pack hiding in the $1 bin.

This graphic tape came in a package of four with four different color and word schemes. Here is the breakdown of each roll:

1. Pink tape with hearts and "BFF" writing.
2. Purple tape with stars and "Besties" and "lol" writing.
3. Yellow tape with thought bubbles and "OMG!" writing.
4. Magenta tape with "cUl8r" and "XOXO" writing.

In case you are feeling down because the tape is so, err girly, when I found this tape in the $1 bin it was with some other graphic tape that had a more male-friendly theme of skateboarding and snowboarding terms and colors.

 

This graphic tape is especially nice for passing notes in class (not that any of us have or would ever do that) or hanging pictures up in your locker. It adds a lot of fun to whatever you're taping. It doesn't come with a whole lot on each roll, but I would almost call it reusable. After messing up on taping one of the sides for the picture above, I was able to easily peel it off with no paper coming off with it and re-tape it with no problems or less stickyness- maybe that is because it seems more clingy than sticky. Either way, you could use it to hang pictures in your locker with no problems moving it around from place to place. Even days later, I am still able to remove it and re-stick it with no problem.

I think this is a cute addition to any fun school supplies collection. I plan to pass this down to my little sister though, who I think will find a much better use for it than I will- No passing notes in class though ;) !

The Suspect: Silver Lining Pocket Planner

Have you ever picked up an impractical product, but loved something about it so much that you felt compelled to purchase it anyway? Or made excuses and excuses for a product that isn't right for you, but you want it to be right so badly (because it's so cute) that you convince yourself it's still good for you anyway?

This week I purchased a 2010 pocket planner at Barnes & Noble. I fell for its slim figure, coral pink (available in other colors too) cover, and cute pen. But while I do love the idea of it, I have noticed a few things about it that erk me. I love a notebook that folds flat- I hate feeling like I am trying to write in the crevaces of pages when in reality I am trying to write in the middle of a page.

This is one of those notebooks- which isn't a big deal if you don't mind bending the leather cover to make it lay flatter- which I don't, except I can see the wear-and-tear it is going to have on it in the long run (not good for a yearly planner). It can also cause problems when you are trying to close a notebook you have to bend to get open, but it is taken care of here where there is a snap clasp to keep it tight (so cute!).

The pen is a little tough to get out of its holder, but maybe it should be that way so it doesn't slip and fall, right? The pen doesn't write that well either and the pages are thin and therefor somewhat see-through (maybe so it can maintain that slim look?).

It does comes with corner tear-offs, so it is easier to find the day you are looking for- but then it also has a pink (that doesn't match the Coral) ribbon placeholder. Is it redundant? or smart? Because sometimes you need to hold more than one place, right?

Okay, okay, so I have established it isn't the most practical planner in the world. But I like the slim look, I love the bright colors, I like the simplicity of the pages' design, and in general, I just like it. I am using it to record daily food intake for one of my before-new-years resolutions to eat healthier. Those snicker minis really seem to add up!

October Delights

Happy October! Aww... I love October; the name, the weather, the leaves crinkling beneath my toes, the holidays, everything about it. And George, who has a great blog called My Supply Room, just made the month even better when he sent me this great scan card system insert for a three-ring binder as well as a clear protractor and 6" ruler. Oh happy day! Nothing like school supplies to brighten your day, right?

I had inquired to George about the scan card system after I had read about one on his blog, and he sent one over to me. I haven't found the perfect use for it yet, but am leaning toward using it to organize articles for a magazine I work on at work- which, I might add, I have been looking for a system but haven't been able to nail down one just yet. So thanks George! I have a feeling this is going to be the perfect solution!

As for other great blogs, be sure to check out the third edition of the pen, pencil and paper blog carnival! This carnival is hosted by the Office Supply Geek, who has a terrific blog about all things office supplies! Check it out, there are so many cool blogs and posts to read, I know you'll love it.

The Suspect: Fred To-Do Tattoo

I can't tell you how many times I came home from school with writing on my hands and my mother would look at me with horror. "Why do you write all over your hands? It looks terrible." Today I can't stand writing on my hands, something I might have been brainwashed to believe looks awful. But I will admit, when I wrote a reminder on my hand during my school days, I remembered what was so important I had to make a tattoo of it.

So thus, when I saw these in a random trip to somewhere (I've been holding on to them for some time now), I thought they were a neat idea. "The perfect solution for your shoddy short-term memory" the packaging reads. It was calling my name. The small kit comes with 12 tattoos and a skin-safe blue gel pen.

The tattoo works like any other temporary tattoo. Peel off clear laminate, stick to skin, wet paper tattoo on skin with damp cloth, remove paper, admire tattoo, rinse with cool water, and wait for it to dry entirely.

The concept is so much fun, but the execution not as much. The To-Do Tattoos come out well, but I know that most would want to use it on the palm of their hand (like I did) and the lines can come out crooked because the palm isn't the smoothest surface, and therefor not the best palette for tattoos. A great alternative to this is the inside of the arm- which I think makes for a much flatter area.

The other problem was with the gel pen,when I used it to write the tattoos clear parts started coming off as I wrote (my fault, as I did not wait enough time for it to dry properly), but even when I retried it with a second tattoo and many minutes of drying time, the writing still came out spotty.

I love this idea though! I have a sneaky suspicion that if you don't mind writing on your hand with a different pen (which I know most school-goers don't) that this could be great for those forgetful students (or anyone really). And the act of actually putting on the tattoo should make it even harder for you to forget.

Washing it off is super simple too- it won't come off with simple handwashing or lotion, but it will come off easily with a little baby oil and light scrubbing (I expect rubbing alcohol would work too, but didn't have any on hand to test).

The Suspects: Pilot Frixion Erasable Gel-Ink 0.7mm Pen & Erasable Yellow Highlighter

"Why would anyone want an erasable pen, isn't the point of writing in pen so that you can't erase it?" 

I peered up at the Border's salesclerk. "No. That's not the point of writing in pen." He's just a part-time school supplies user, I thought, don't concern yourself.

'Write, Delete, Repeat' The Pilot FriXion Ball Erasable Gel Pen in Fine/Black 0.7mm uses 'thermo-sensitive' gel ink formula that is removable by friction. It's also available in 0.5mm in 8 colors. Most of what can be said for the pen can also be said for the highlighter, so for the rest of this blog highlighter-wise- ditto.

The pen's perks: it writes really smooth- unlike the conventional erasable pens- and doesn't skid/skip when you're writing, so no breaks in your cursive (unless you want there to be) and no need to retrace your writing. The pen comes in multiple colors, unfortunately I was only able to procure the black ink pens, but am looking forward to trying out the many others.

Other great features include the rubber tip, which doesn't wear down or leave eraser flakes OR make that annoying eraser noise (am I the only one that notices the noise erasers make when they rub against paper? I shutter just blogging about it).

The pen feels nice in your hand, it has a smooth exterior and is ultra-light so it's great for your shirt pocket (this baby isn't going to weigh you down!). It also doesn't appear to damage your paper when you erase- no major indentions and most definitely no tears on regular notebook paper.

The pen's pitfalls: the most obvious problem is the rubber eraser tip is on the butt of the pen rather than on its cap, which means if you cap your pen while using it, you have to uncap it to use the eraser end- argh! To test the eraser, I wrote something earlier today and came back to erase it and erased something within seconds of writing it- the eraser worked equally well both times but left a faint shadow of once was each time- as long as you are writing over it, I don't "see it" as a big deal.

The color is also not as rich as I would like it to be, but still nicer than many ballpoints. The same goes for the highlighter, which would be really nice if brighter. On a more personal level, I'm not so much a fan of the exterior design decor- a little too rocker-tatooish for me. I prefer just a clean/simple look.

So I may have listed plenty of pitfalls and perks, but overall it really is a great erasable pen! I think it is going to be just what I have been looking for in a planner pen- which I am always making mistakes in. So while it may have its flaws (don't we all), it is simply just a fun pen. I see many envious classmates and co-workers in my future.

Tips: Erase faster, not harder. It's not the amount of pressure you use that make the eraser effective, it's the heat/friction combination.

The Suspect: Oxford Note Card Case

Index cards mean business. In fact, they scream importance! After all, what is normally stored on an index card?

Forever they have been used to store contact information in your handy-dandy Rolodexes and used by kitchen cooks to house their secret family recipes. School children and college students use them by the dozens as flash cards and many great (and not-so-great) speeches have been conducted from index cards. Needless to say, they’re useful and when you pass by a flipped over index card, you’re mind thinks “importance” and you bend over to see what kind of tid-bit of information may have been left behind.

Yes, yes. That’s all good. But a post on index cards? Well, yes, but no. This post is on my index card carrier- or my pocket protector for index cards. But it is so much more than that, this Oxford Note Card Case is beautiful for so many reasons.

Evidentiary Support #1: Protection

Yes, I have seen many note card carriers in the past, many of them in box form. That's what makes this one so great, its slim and makes organizing piles of note cards a cinch. No more box-y case to tote around, no more rubber-banned cards falling out of their assigned pile, no more wasted index cards falling to the bottomless backpack never to be seen or heard from again until your test has flown by and your question or vocab word unstudied. This card case protects cards from backpack elements, in a slim carrier designed for easier organization.

Evidentiary Support #2: The Pockets

Okay, so maybe I was a little dramatic earlier, but let me explain why. With the two pockets (one pictured with the Oxford insert above, the other to our right), or note card display slots on both sides of this carrier, I can easily label which class or project each note card case is for- which, if you use note cards for studying, is a much better solution than the awful rubber ban system. In fact, this sleuth's partner-in-crime dubbed it "Law School Approved".

Evidentiary Support #3: The Pen Holder

You've got your note cards easily organized and on-hand, why not throw in the full package and add a pen holder to it as well? Well, I'm not as excited about the pen holder part as most would be, but I guess that's just because I know I could never settle on one single pen to fill the note card case slot- they're are so many wonderful ones to choose from, am I wrong? But for the average person, it may prove useful.

The Oxford Note Card Case holds your standard 3" x 5" note card and the case has a smooth gel-ish feel to it and is somewhat flexible. It comes with 25 note cards, but could easily fit double that amount. It also comes in more than a few colors, so you could easily color coordinate with your classes (which we all do, right?).

The Suspects: Markings by C.R. Gibson Journals

They're plaid and pretty, they're the Markings Journals by C.R. Gibson. I was roaming Staples, looking for a planner cover, when I came upon these gems. I am a sucker for plaid, especially as Fall is drawing nearer and nearer, and so I guess you could say it was love at first sight. But looks aren't everything, so I delved a little deeper to find out if these journals were really going to be my Fall flings.

First, the dirty details:
192 pages
Storage Pocket
Elastic Bond Closure
Ribbon Marker

Now some may compare Markings journals with the infamous Moleskins, but in comparison, I would only say they are a good alternate for a moleskin. In comparison, the Moleskin's cover is much sturdier, and the pages are much smoother and pens also don't seem to bleed as much with Moleskines.

The Markings journal says it lays flat when open, which I find many notebooks claim as well, but maybe "lays flat" means something different in other languages, because I have found few that actually do. Thus, when I read this about the Markings, I judged a book by its cover and knew right off the bat it wasn't true. But they do lay "flatter" than a Moleskin, so points earned in that division!

They also offer a wider variety of cover patterns, like this festive plaid one, making it stand out from my pile of notebooks and less likely to get lost in the black hole I call my purse. I also like that Markings feel lighter in my hands (and in my pocket) and the less expensive price tag is also a plus. The lines are a smidge taller than Moleskins and it provides plenty of header and footer space on each page, a personal plus for me because I am so fond of making lists.

This journal also comes with nice expandable pocket space in the back. Oh, who doesn't need a good pocket in their journals? Inspiration, business cards, receipts, whatever. I added two nice pictures, the first showing the little book in the bigger and then vice versa. The pocket seems rather durable- I know this because I kept testing its limits with various loose-leaf lists flying around my planner.

 

The ribbon marker is a nice touch as well, especially if you are using the journal as an actual journal, or even as a daily to-do list keeper.

Okay, okay. I may admit that maybe I am a little fond of the Markings journals because the company is headquartered in the lovely city of Nashville, Tenn., a personally favorite place of yours truly.