Happy Thoughts

I started this blog in the beginning of the year because I needed to do something and I wanted to make positive thinking into something productive. I was struggling with being in the situation I was in at the time, and I was depressed, worried, afraid.

Cute things somehow relieve stress. Materialism can help relieve stress. Being shallow works for some people to balance out deeper, heavier thoughts. That's why I was planning on filling this blog with cuteness, which is a silly thing but is uplifting. Also, awesome design is something that gives me a rush, especially coming from an art and design background, so I wanted to include that to an extent where I wasnt reminded of stress that is related to my career confusion but just enough for delight.

Life is difficult.

I was born in very fortunate circumstances but things haven't always been smooth for me.

I've seen other people's situations and lives.

Some people look like they have happier,  smoother lives. And some have rougher lives.

I haven't figured out life, but there are things I've seen, experienced, learned, drawn my own conclusions. And I believe that knowledge should be shared, especially knowledge from experience is extremely valuable. I also know that a lot of times, even when we are warned beforehand, we don't truly know until we experience it ourselves. Yet still, I think it's better to have some source of knowledge or inspiration when it comes to trying to get through life.

So I hope to write on this blog. I hope that it helps someone out there somehow. Free opinion available here, and someone who finds it useful can take it.

Ogami Stone Paper Notebook

So today I found this pretty notebook which the paper is made from stone, by Ogami.

When I arrived at the huge stationary floor, I was overwhelmed and I didn't know where I was going to start looking. But the first thing that caught my attention were there notebooks on a shelf at my eye level, and I ended up being interested enough to stay in that spot and purchase it. I didn't even bother to look at other options in the notebook section.

It's kind of ridiculous. This size cost over 700 yen. (There is a smaller one which is about 4xx yen.) I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't have an excuse to be buying a notebook (which I happened to have today, and also an extra excuse to buy an extra nice one.) However, over the years I've learned that being picky about what kind of notebook you use is very important in terms of how motivated you will be to fill it up. And sometimes, pricey notebooks can be really motivational.

I think the same goes with any stationary or other items in your everyday life. Some items just give you a little boost when you pull it out to use it. It can make you feel posh. And you know, this blog is validates these small boosts.

Anyway, it's STONE PAPER. It should cost more. The paper is very silky, and it's supposed to be more durable and water-resistant than regular paper. The feel of the paper really makes you think of stone—for me it reminds me of the smooth stones you use for lithograph printing. The smell of the paper is a smell I've smelt before.

Now I'm wondering: if it's stone paper, is it saving trees, and is therefore an eco-product...?

The binding is just a simple, white-on-white saddle stitch. Beautiful.

When I open it up very preciously, I find more details about this notebook.

The inside covers are patterned, and the first page has this kind of format.

The back cover was what I completely missed when looking at the sample in the store. It has a folder type of function where you can slip stuff in, which is a great bonus.

The inside paper is lined like this.

These photos don't communicate the feel of the paper and the overall notebook at all. If your'e interested, I hope you actually encounter this notebook in person.

Tea time delight

This post is about another delightful tea bag packaging.

One box of tea bags contain different patterned paper packets containing the tea bags.

3 different patterns.

front

back

My favorite is the one with the bear x polkadots!

The first time I had this box of tea, it was such a nice surprise when I pulled out one packet. Small delightful things like this, when you're ready for tea, is perfect. It's just so much more fun than the regular, bland, yellow packets.

Just a pack of gum...

Packs of gum in Japan could be pretty neat. The card sized packets were already nice but this pack I bought yesterday—the moment I opened it, it made me say "...wow" out loud to myself in public.

Japanese packaging is kind of notorious as excessive packaging. It kind of reminded me of this when I looked at it carefully.

My head went from ! to ?! to ?????. What has happened to gum packaging?? It's still evolving even further???


I found the instructions on the back afterwards:

I figured out later that the extra strip of packaging (like the aluminum base that folds over) is probably made like this to hold the small pad of wrappers. It makes sense now, but I'm still not sure if it's necessary.

Especially when what I also found on the back is a pocket for the pad of wrappers.

But then again the tiny pad has to go somewhere, and people need the wrappers to spit out their gum. Although even without it, I think most Japanese people won't spit it out on the ground or stick it underneath desks and chairs...

Sunny. Spring breeze.

Winter in Japan is significantly shorter than north east US. I am being reminded of and physically experiencing the distinct season changes which is one of the perks of living in Japan. We seem to have a more spaced out schedule between each season to observe and appreciate the beauty of each of the four seasons. Today's weather probably lifted a lot of people's moods more than they were originally—there was sunshine which made you slightly sweat if you were walking enough distance, and yet there was residue of winter mixed in the wind. Nobody had to wear a bulky coat, our shoulders were lighter, our movements were freer, our skin several layers closer to the sunlight and breeze.

Craftholic

If you're not familiar with them, you need to click this link and go to this site. Now.
If you're familiar with them, I know you still want to click and go visit.

Go to CRAFTHOLIC !

First off, I LOVE the new website design. The above screenshot doesn't say anything, you actually have to go interact with the site. Did you see the bunny pop up at the bottom? And the bear graphic that says "close"? And the floaty background of animal faces? And all the other cute details? The design is really up to par with the cuteness and branding, design level, and attitude of the products they sell.

hi there (this detail is my favorite)

took three attempts to catch the faces in a screenshot lol

One thing I've been impressed by this company when I first found them is their catalogs. As you can see on the website, the photography is beautiful and fun. Now that I see their new website... along with their catalog, I really admire their branding.


This is the shopping bag I got last time when I shopped in the store. They have given me different ones every time (I go there maybe once every few months.) This one is the bunny face.

front

back
(Accent Style is the base company of Craftholic)

Okay, having mentioned some design things, now I get to talk about vast cuteness.
AREN'T THEY SO CUTE?
It's just some animals with some faces. Really simple, graphic, vector shapes. And added colorful, fun prints. And they're fuzzy. That's all you need for a store full of cuteness and to please a bunch of people, mainly girls. But I know it melts the hearts of alpha-males too.

They come out with new patterns every season, so technically they have limited edition designs every season. My favorite is their basic pattern which is grey and white stripes, on the bear:

hallo :)

That item in the photo is something like a make-up train case that I have. It's all soft!

If I had an iPhone, I would definitely buy one of their iPhone cases...


This is one of my favorite items among my very small collection. It's a ceramic plate that would be great to start your day with, or just to keep jewelry and small things on it in your bedroom:

I visit the nearest store time to time and there are always tourists there. However, they do have stores outside of Japan.

I'm happy I found a new addition to favorite websites!

Welcome to Koguma Store

I like to let myself open to kawaii (cute) things, regardless of my age, reputation, judgment, overall branding/image of myself that I wish I could keep (most people that don't know me well would find it surprising that I would like any sort of cuteness.) (Not that I'm a cool, high-fashion hipster or anything, I just don't REEK cuteness.) This stance is well-supported by Pursebuzz on YouTube who stands for not caring what other people think and liking what you like. (Go to Pursebuzz's speech segment about this—wherever I bookmarked for you till 5:25)

Also, I believe I read somewhere before that kawaii things help reduce stress. So that's a big reason to why I let myself open to kawaii things. If it has free, positive, therapeutic effects just by looking at something, why not?

I try not to spend so much on impractical things, especially stuffed animals and keychains, unless I know I must have it. But when it comes to stickers I am more lenient. I don't know what's popular now but when I was a kid, US had epic stickers like Lisa Frank, Sandylion, Ms.Grossman, but Japan is also a great place to go sticker shopping. (My ex-instructor bought his kid daughter something like $60 worth of stickers at Tokyu Hands as a souvenir—even I would be super happy to receive this.) I mean... Japanese stationaries in general is a whole elaborate culture. (If you can read Japanese, or maybe even if you can't read Japanese, this is the epitome collection of Japanese stationary: Book of best stationaries)

So this is a packet of stickers I got recently. Only for 105 yen.

This packet contains "Japanese convenience store" (conbini) themed flake stickers. What I mean by flake stickers is...

They come in tiny flakes like these, several pieces each design.

They're about the size of your thumbnail.

All the designs of the stickers are conbini items:

Riceball    /    Coke bottle + store-staff bear    /    a 500 yen coin

Melon-flavored pastry + sandwich    /    shopping basket    /    hot pork bun

pudding (dessert in a cup)    /    bento box + to-go chopsticks    /    a 1000 yen note

Oden in a bowl (one of the hot foods you can buy in-store)

And one big sticker which serves like a background.

Adorable. I think I had a stronger love-at-first-sight moment with this item because I actually worked before in the convenience store before.

Oh, and I forgot. Bonus: these are scented stickers!

If you're interested, this product is by Kamio Japan—google "Kamio Japan Koguma Store" online and there are several places that sell this and available outside of Japan.

I'll be looking out for other themes that I'll need to get.

Happy YouTube list

itsJudysLife
My ultimate everyday positive-shot and stabilizer, role models.

blogilates 

blogilates.com
Been following this as my exercise in my day to day life. I also see Cassey as a great entrepreneur—her whole branding of Pop Pilates is awesome: colorful, cute, and fun, which is so effective in motivating people to exercise.

Noah Hammond
I don't know what it is but he has a down-to-earth vibe.

Bunny Eye Gloss

I wanted to share one particular most recently purchased product in Japan (although it's maybe a month back) because it has really cute packaging/branding and makes me want to use it everyday. (Or NOT because I don't want to use it up!) This is one of my day-to-day go-to products.

EB Eye gloss in Nuance Pink by Eternal Basic (Dear Laura)

(Their site in English! *thumbs up*)

The product itself is basically a creamy eyeshadow that's very light pink-beige and pearlescent. So far it's easy to use—a consistency that spreads easily, and perfect for an everyday natural look. 

As you can see, the case is adorable. Kind of like an Alice In Wonderland feel.

The outer packaging was cute too and helps catch attention. 

photo from Dear Laura site

I kept the printed paper inside because the bunny illustration was cute.

Sigh... *smile*

How design can brighten up someone for a moment in a day.

images from Tea Forte

Tea Forte - Behind the designs

Really reminds me of my incredibly talented and stylish ex-classmates during art school. It's one of the very few designs that I would see someone awesome at school might create and everyone loves AND further actually gets used in the real world. A lot of times real world businesses would want to simplify so much.

At home I didn't have a trendy shallow tea cup so I couldn't fully enjoy the tea bag. But still, the twig at the top is made of wire and so I could angle it high and use a regular size mug without having to immerse the twig/leaf. *thumbs up*

Oddly, I would meet some foreign products in Japan and not while I'm overseas, because it's when I'm in Japan that I have more access to luxury products. I think I would only be grabbing for Trader Joe's teabags if I was in New York. This is one way you can get lost in NYC once you start getting used to living there, and waste your precious time you have being in an epicenter of hip.

Pink products

Spring time (or pre-spring-time) is very pink in Japan, even after Valentine's. It's as if red and white from Christmas/New Year's blended and faded lighter and lighter into pink towards Valentine's and then really pastel pink towards spring. I'm sure pink fanatics would be jealous of things that can be found here, along with other Sanrio and Sailormoon products.

image from Starbucks

Cherry blossom chocolate flavored frappucino and latte, along with some unique items

I definitely need to get another sakura chocolate latte again.

Cherry blossom and Rose flavored Haagen-Dazs

image from Haagen-Dazs

Cherry blossom flavored milk tea

image from Coca Cola

White chocolate & cherry blossom flavored Lindt drink

image from Lindt

These are just some of the major-brand products that are in the cherry blossom theme. Everywhere you go you will see cherry blossom editioned things, from desserts to stationaries to store decorations. It seems we like cherry blossom flavored things because it's become like a staple returning flavor.

It's just a phenomenon of the Japanese people fully embracing the ephemeralness of cherry blossoms.