Souvenir from Asia

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Toothpicker

A long-overdue entry on some interesting finds I bought while I was traveling around Asia…

Japan

Fun 3-dimensional cards from Japan

In my previous entries on Kyoto and Tokyo ( click here to read), I have included some stationery and cards that I bought from specific shops, but here are some others including a washi paper card holder, botanical illustrated writing paper and A4 plastic folders from the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo.

Top left: washi paper card holder; top right: botanical illustration writing paper; Main: different sizes of plastic folders, great for travel!

The Japanese are well-known for their beautiful packaging especially when it comes to food. Hence it is hard to resist the temptation even when I have no idea what the food inside tastes like! In the basement underneath the rather complex ( and overwhelming) Tokyo station, there is a food and dining area called Gransta where you can eat at a wide range of restaurants, or buy bento boxes, snacks and souvenirs for your onward journeys. Here I found some chocolates and mints with lovely packaging that are designed especially for the opening of Tokyo station’s Marunouchi building.

Besides food, their books are also full of beautiful illustrations, and even though I tried not buy too many books when I travel, I bought a Kyoto guide book ( in Japanese) full of illustrative maps and nice photos, and “Retelling old patterns for a new world” ( with Japanese and English texts) on the Norwegian textiles designer/ artist, Inger Johanne Rasmussen.

Last but not least, a cute umbrella with a rabbit-shaped cover, which I am sure will cheer me up on many of the rainy days in London!

Top left and right: chocolates and sweets packaging; Middle left: New Mints packaging that celebrates the opening of the renovated Tokyo Station; Middle middle: A cool notebook with pen designed by D-Bros; Middle right: A Kyoto guide book: Bottom left: Retelling old patterns for a new world; Middle left: Rabbit umbrella

Taiwan

Aside from contemporary designs, traditional handicrafts and letterpress cards can also be seen in many shops in Taiwan. Previously, I have written ( click here to read) about two stationery shops in Taipei, Mogu and 324 print studio, and they both sell wonderful letterpress cards ( see below). The slightly pricey but lovely card from 324 print studio even includes 2 metal types in the pack. Cool!

Top left: Mogu letterpress cards; top right: a traditional handicraft gift from a friend in Kaohsiung; Main: The cute letterpress postcard inspired by Turkish folk dance handmade by Yang Jung-Ming from 324 print studio

At the Suho memorial paper museum in Taipei, the small shop area sells a range of paper made products, books and even CDs. I bought a cute set of stickers that illustrate the process of paper-making, a box containing 100 pieces of floral paper lamp decoration ( a collaboration between Suho and Taiwanese design studio, Biaugust) and an intriguing and meditative CD produced by an ethnic-minority Chinese musician. The music ( without much lyrics) reminds me of nature and wild life, which is suggested by the songs’ titles… mysterious and yet powerful.

Top left: An A4 plastic Doraemon folder bought from the “100 years before the birth of Doraemon” exhibition in Taipei; Top middle: Flip stickers by Feteme studio; Top right: paper-making stickers from Sohu paper museum; Bottom left: “A flower” paper lamp decoration by Sohu paper museum and Biaugust; Bottom right: Nature-inspired music CD bought at Sohu paper museum

In Kaohsiung, I bought various bamboo handicrafts and a colourful and practical nylon bag for less than £1 ( after some effortless haggling) from the bamboo street ( click here to read). I also bought some natural and organic bath products from Teasoap, a factory that specialises in handmade natural soap since 1957 ( The factory is also open to the public with regular DIY soap making workshops available).

I couldn’t leave Taiwan without buying their well-known Hakka floral fabrics ( popular in the 1960s and 70s but now making a comeback). Even though I already have piles of unused fabrics at home ( collected from my travels), I am sure I will make use of them one day.

Top left: Various natural bath products from Teasoap; Top right: A nylon bag from Kaohsiung; Main: Various bamboo products from Kaohsiung’s bamboo street; Middle left: a fish-shaped oven glove; middle right: Hakka floral fabrics from Yongle fabric market in Taipei; Bottom main: Stamps promoting traveling within Taiwan

Hong Kong

It is not always easy to find locally made designs in Hong Kong but at Kurick cafe and bookshop in Yau Ma Tei, there are many wonderful products and stationery made by local designers and artists including a range of greeting cards by Hong Kong artist, Furze Chan.

When you step into the shop inside the Hong Kong museum of art, it is easy to dismiss it and assume it is a touristy souvenir shop, but surprisingly, there are some interesting stationery and books that are hard to find elsewhere. I discovered some unusual wrapping paper here, a porcelain-inspired paper by a local design company Sze’s Creations and two folk style and graphical ones by a Chinese company Red Lantern Folk Art, selling stationery and products that feature peasant paintings produced by amateur painters from Tianjin.

Top left: Furze Chan’s greeting card design; Top right: Wrapping paper by Sze’s Creations; Bottom left and right: folk style wrapping paper by Red Lantern Folkart

After 2 pairs of broken headphones from JAYS, I have decided to switch to a different brand. After some extensive online research, I discovered a Hong Kong brand Sound Magic that has had amazing reviews from both experts and customers. I decided to go for their highly rated E30, the sound quality is great especially for the price ( HKD $300/ £24), and I like the fact that they are proudly made in China! I sincerely hope that they will last longer than my last two pairs!

My new Sound magic E30 headphones

Souvenir from Thailand

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Toothpicker

Delicious, functional or junk? It’s time to review the items I bought from Thailand, starting from the edibles:

Lemongrass tea – I love lemongrass tea, not only does it smell good, it also tastes very refreshing. It is natural and full of antioxidants: it is detoxifying, good for digestion and can lower high blood pressure. Since I avoided caffeine drinks in the evenings, lemongrass tea has become one of my favourite drinks after an evening meal.

Mulberry tea – I bought this tea for my father, who suffers from diabetes… Apparently it is also full of antioxidants, it strengthens the immune system and reduces bad cholesterol. But best of all, it prevents the body from absorbing many common sugars and helps manage diabetes. My father seemed pretty impressed when I explained the benefits to him, but whether he will drink it is another a matter!

Instant vegetables – whenever I travel, visiting local supermarkets is a ‘must’ on my itinerary and I usually need at least 30 minutes to wander around ( unless it’s a really crappy one). I was quite curious when I saw the Urban farm instant vegetables packs ( don’t be put off by the word ‘instant’) at a high-end supermarket in Bangkok. They are actually all natural, without MSG nor preservatives, and can be cooked with rice, noodles and soup etc. There are 5 different flavours and seem pretty convenient, hence I bought a stack and gave some to a friend who doesn’t like to cook.

Coffee – Coffee shops are everywhere in Chiang Mai, so I was determined to bring home some local roasted coffee. I found Duang Dee hill tribe coffee in a large local supermarket, what attracted me was the fact that it is organically grown, hand picked and roasted in the nearby mountains by tribal farmers. There are three blends available and I went for the 100% Arabian. I then found out that a percentage of the coffee sales would contribute towards other tribal development projects, which was quite a nice surprise.

At Chiang Mai‘s Herbs basics ( which I mentioned in the previous entry), I bought a range of gift items, including a herbal massage compress for my mother, incense sticks for my father and body butters for myself and friends. I thought the kaffir lime body butter is quite fantastic, although it has a slightly sweet smell, the texture is just right ( I think it’s even better than L’Occitane’s). My friend also texted to tell me how much she ( and her boyfriend) love the Lavender body butter, so I am quite impressed with this brand and their ‘low’ priced but high quality products.

Greeting cards & note pads – these lovely cards and note pads were bought from Chiang Mai‘s Things called art ( see my previous entry). I just love the elephant-inspired illustrations and products, they are so cute!

3-d greeting card – In my previous entry, I mentioned Nancy Chandler‘s maps of Chiang Mai, but since the company is a graphic design studio, it’s not surprising that they would also produce greeting cards. I esp. like this unqiue 3-d illustration of a local house.

Rubber stamps: I love rubber stamps, and when I saw this Japanese inspired set of rubber stamps, I couldn’t resist them even though I am not sure when I will get to use them!

Credit card holders – Good job is a Thai lifestyle brand that sells modern and unique stationery, home and fashion accessories. Founded by an architect and two designers, the company has received many international design awards since they started in 2005. I was looking for a credit card holder, and I like their simple but practical card holders, so I bought one in YELLOW and one in boring black…

Stamp sets – Last but not least, these lovely stamp collections are probably my favourite souvenirs from the trip and I gave one set to my brother who like me, used to collect stamps. I spent a long time at the Chiang Mai Philatelic Museum, examining the large collection, including ones on folk tales ( created by well-known local artists), the Royal family and Buddhist archaeological sights etc. Not exactly useful but really beautiful.

Ttable office & Korean stationery

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Toothpicker

As a huge fan of Japanese design and stationery, I was quite oblivious to Korean stationery until my first visit to Seoul two years ago. What I did not expect was to see so many independent stationery shops, occupying prime locations and in big shopping malls. This is quite rare to see in Asia because of the high property/rental prices, my guess is that Koreans must really like their stationery (and coffee)!

With Japanese yen being so high (vs. other currencies) in recent years, it hasn’t been easy for me esp. when I import from Japan. Most of my Japanese products are more expensive partly due to this reason, and so Korean stationery has a slight advantage in terms of costs. However, Korean stationery does have an unique appeal that differs from the Japanese ones; like the eco-friendly stationery brand, Gongjang, my latest discovery, Ttable Office is also one of a kind.

It was a few months ago that I came across Ttable Office while I was browsing on the internet and was immediately drawn to it. Yunsook Choi‘s work has a fairy-tale like/ dreamy feel to it, and it is unlike anything that I have seen before. Working from her 6 sqm studio tucked away in Sogyukdong, an old part of Seoul, Yunsook‘s studio is also a shop where visitors can enjoy the wonders of her creations. I particularly like the fact that with a bit of simple DIY, these cards can become mobile and be hung as decorations. Some of her cards carry short and heartwarming messages that are not specific for any occasion, making them quite flexible. Honestly, I am tired of seeing greeting cards with outdated jokes, and so I find these cards very refreshing and inspiring.

I decided to stock three of her cards and a letter set as a trial, but hopefully, I can expand the range in the future. You can see some of her other adorable products here:

I recently discovered this sweet brand promotion video and want to share it here:

Ttable office brand promotion video from Visual mutant on Vimeo.

You can find out more about Ttable office and our selection of cards here.

The joy (and pain) of origami

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Toothpicker

One of the perks of my job involves sourcing unusual and interesting products from different designers or companies. But sometimes, it is not easy placing orders without seeing the actual products, esp. if they require self-assembly. I love origami and so I requested some Japanese origami product samples from Tokyo Shiki, a laser-cutting paper company which I have dealt with previously. I was quite excited and decided to try one out for myself… After swearing continuously for almost an hour, I finally created this wonderful origami ‘vase’ by Hiroko, a Japanese paper/origami artist that can be send as a pop-up greeting card.

Don’t get me wrong, the ‘vase’ looks wonderful and delicate… almost like an art piece, but the assembling process was rather tedious and it certainly required a lot of patience and a pair of delicate hands. I have a lot of respect for the artist and her work, esp. her ‘Ferris wheels’, which looks amazing! I have yet to try out, but am wondering if I will have to spare another hour for it? I am sure I would be over the moon if I receive pop-up cards like these, but how many people would spare the time to assemble them is my question. For me, it isn’t so much the issue of time but rather the frustration I experienced during the process.

A few days after trying out Hiroko‘s vase, I decided to assemble an octagonal origami box designed by Jun Mitani, a professor in Computer Science at University of Tsukuba in Japan. ( Dr Mitani is the collaborator of Issey Miyake‘s beautiful origami-inspired ‘132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE‘ eco fashion range, which was nominated for this year’s Designer of the year award at the Design Museum).

The sets do not come with English instructions, but Mr Yamada from Tokyo Shiki sent me the video links to assist me with the assembling. I was quite confident when I looked at the instruction photos, but then after about 10 mins, I knew I had to turn to the videos for assistance! Again, the assembling was much harder than I thought, and as much as I love the end result, I realised that I am unlikely to stock these lovely origami items. If you are into challenges and would like to test your patience, email me and I will send you a paper sample ( not downloadable) to try out!

Besides the samples I ordered, I also received some lovely gifts from Mr Yamada: washi paper decor. Luckily, these required less than 5 minutes to hang, and so now my view out of the window is slightly more interesting than just bricks or my neighbour’s window!

N.B. I have been receiving quite a few emails requesting samples of Hiroko’s vase, unfortunately, I only received one sample and I have no spare ones. Though I was told that it is downloadable online, so you can search for it online.

My greeting card collection

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Toothpicker

Some people like to collect silverware or vintage cars or even Louis Vuitton handbags, I, on the otherhand, have been collecting stationery (esp. Snoopy ones) since I was a child. I started collecting mini erasers given to me at the doctor’s clinic ( I wonder if doctors still do that now?), followed by stickers, bookmarks, pencils, pencil cases and later, writing letter sets.

These days, I still can’t help buying cute and beautiful origami paper greeting cards esp. when I visit Japan. I have sent many to friends and family but have also kept some for myself, simply because I love them too much to give away! In Japan, the greeting card selections are simply astonishing, and it would take at least 20 mins to choose a card because there are just too many to choose from!

Here are some from my accidental collection (mostly from Japan with a few exceptions):

Crafty: