Put pen to paper

It's amazing the things you do differently, or forget to do, as an adult. Text messages have replaced phone calls. Emails have replaced letters. And social media has transformed what we consider communication to be.

All of these things are good and bad, in equal measure. Think about it - when was the last time you put pen to paper?

Was it to write a birthday card (unless you sent one online)?

To sign a form?

Was it to rush off a shopping list?

Update your diary?

My writing has never been very good at all but it's getting worse, I can tell you (see above pic for evidence to this!). The more I type and tap, the less I seem to be able to write.

As the old saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword and I do think that there's something to bringing back paper (see Jocelyn's blog, The Reading Residence if you agree) and putting pen to it more often.

Technology is great. Information at our fingertips. A way to keep all contacts and communications together in one place.

But do you get as excited by opening an email as you do when opening a posted letter that isn't a bill or junk mail?

Probably not. I know I don't.

I'm a self-confessed stationery addict. Always have been - that's why Emma and I started Plan With Me Mondays; to share our love of stationery and planning with other people who get as excited as us about washi tape, paperclips and a fresh pad of paper.

Post-it notes, diary dates, to do lists.

Oh yes please!

I remember reading this article in The Telegraph a while backabout the joy of stationery and how women seem to go crazy over it. Yep, I hear that!

The article includes quotes from blogger Lucy from Capture By Lucy and theorises that it probably stems from childhood, as many of us enjoyed having the freedom to spend pocket money on items for school before term began, and it also suggests how stationery is our way of bringing order to our busy lives. 

It's good to know that I'm not alone.

And, now I have a little one, I can get them just as excited about stationery too. I've already bought Ethan lots of art related items, including an easel and new colour pencils and paper, for his birthday and he's really into stickers now too (aren't all children? Including big ones, like me?!).

Ethan's learning mark-making at preschool at the moment and over the past few weeks, we have really noticed his technique and control improve. Sure, when he says he's drawing Daddy, it's more a jumble of colourful lines - but they're purposeful lines now, and he has much more confidence holding pencils and crayons.

It's only going to be a matter of time before he will start learning how to shape letters and how to write his name. It's a skill that takes time to develop but it's one that gets picked up quickly and lasts a lifetime.

It's something worth encouraging at any age and that's why I'm joining in with National Stationery Week which is coming around again soon - a whole week dedicated to celebrating the power of the written word.

This year, it's on from 25th April to 1st May and there's lots of ways to get involved. They have a whole list of things you can do to have fun with stationery, tips for helping children get excited about handwriting and improving their skills, plus you can share posts and pictures across social media by following these hashtags: #natstatweek #keepwriting #getbritainwriting #keepkidswriting #writingmatters #writeit #lovestationery #stationeryaddict

And, of course, there's always #PlanWithMeMondays too!

To get us started in the lead up to National Stationery Week, I was kindly sent a haul of pen and paper treats...

The Bic pack is absolutely brilliant - it folds out and has 12 crayons, 12 colouring pencils and 12 felt tips across the colours, so everything that budding artists need to get started.

The Staedtler pencils are definitely for colouring pros (think my hubs may steal these... along with the Maped Graph Pens!).

Meanwhile, the Nu:notepad is my new shopping list pad (handy handbag size), the Sheaffer pen is being saved for 'best' whilst the Bic four colour biro is perfect for a planner fan like me.

So, Ethan and I have plenty to be getting on with - what will you do for #NatStatWeek?