BGM Encyclopedia of Plants Postcard Set Review

Is there a more underrated stationery item than the simple postcard? Probably, but for the sake of this discussion, let’s talk about how great postcards are, and how I use them.

The BGM Encyclopedia of Plants Postcard Set is the latest addition to an ever-growing postcard stash. The design of these fit my aesthetic, but BGM has five other themed sets to choose from if you prefer a different style. Picking out cool designs for postcards is what it’s all about - even ahead of performance, which we will get to in a minute.

All 16 cards in this set feature a different design on the outside, and include various lines of text (Poetry? Motivational quotes?) of unknown origin. It’s interesting to say the least, and I would have been happier with just the beautiful floral imagery, but I can have fun with it. For example:

Grow fonder

Life may always

have

Regret but the future is still good

Beauty, AI, or bad translation? You be the judge.

The flip side of the card is where the magic happens, and BGM designed a winner by keeping the extraneous text to a bare minimum. I’ve seen cards that place text in all kinds of random places, have huge lines taking up too much space for the address, and random images that get in the way. Give me a nice, clean space to write or draw, and then I’ll handle the rest. That’s exactly what these cards do.

As a bonus, the paper stock is nice! I never expect a flawless writing experience from postcards, so when I get it I consider that a bonus. The first thing I tested were fountain pens, and there was no bleeding or feathering to be found. That’s always my first test, and then I grab a rollerball because their water-based ink is similar to that of fountain pen ink. Once I saw how well these performed I knew I was in good shape with any ink or graphite I wanted to use.

A few notes on how I use postcards: For starters, I mark out a block on one area of the card for the stamp and the mailing address. I prefer not having built-in lines and rolling my own. I don’t leave a ton of space, but I feel ok about it. I can move this block around as needed. For content, I generally do what I did here - doodle line art, or write song lyrics. I don’t write traditionally, as if I were writing a letter, but more as a meditative, relaxing moment. Finally, I don’t obsess over using waterproof ink or anything like that. Postcards are bound to get damaged, so I figure I use the ink that I want, and they get more beautiful on the way to their destination. I will use a ballpoint ink for the address for permanence reasons, though.

I use a ruler and a ballpoint to draw my address block.

At $6.50 for a pack of 16 (approximately 40 cents per card,) I can’t recommend these postcards highly enough. Yes, even with the odd choice of words alongside the artwork on the front. I mean, I’m adding my own weird words and designs on the back, so who am I to talk!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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BGM Washi Tapes Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

Some beautiful new designs of BGM washi tape recently landed at JetPens. I've always found washi tape to be fun, but this is the first time I'd have described it as "irresistible". The new seasons-inspired watercolor-effect patterns totally swept me off my feet, and the next thing I knew, there was a bag of tape in my mailbox.

Washi tape does, of course, have a very practical, utilitarian purpose--to highlight, underline, compartmentalize, or label planner pages and such. A lot of what's available reflect this purpose with plain colors or patterns to indicate certain tasks or hobbies. Some are just cute and fun and brighten up an otherwise mundane to-do list.

These new seasonal tapes take that purpose to another level. The delicate watercolor designs evoke moods and look more like art than an office supply. The ethereal inkblot-style designs would look amazing on pages that are used for watercolor illustrations or liquid ink tests. There's something soothing about the designs, too. A softness that doesn't just draw the eye, but helps it relax a little. It might add a little Zen to a hectic week.

The tape isn't just gorgeous, though, it performs well functionally, too. The adhesive is strong but resilient. It stays stuck where you put it but peels up easily and re-sticks without any fuss. I did have a little trouble with tearing when I was unraveling one of them, where the tape started to split lengthwise. I think that was more my error than a fault in the tape, though, as it hasn't happened again. It is delicate tape, so make sure you unspool it slowly.

The tape looks lovely on either light or dark paper, but the subtlety of the illustrations looks a little better on lighter paper. The background is quite sheer, and any grid or lines on the paper will be visible through the tape. The tape is thinner than many I've used before--like a very fine crepe paper that won't weigh down pages.

The tapes vary in price depending on the width and design. The narrower ones are a little over $3 and the wider tapes are around $4.50. That puts them right in line with the cost of other tapes.

I'm very thrilled with these tapes, overall. My primary use for them is labeling notebooks. I like to be able to tell at a glance which notebook I'm reaching for, and quickly orient myself to what's the top-front of the book. Since I tend to enjoy the paper in notebooks that have minimal branding or labels, a bit of lovely washi is very useful for pointing me in the right direction. And I've never seen any washi more lovely than this. My favorite is the jellyfish. I have to remind myself that if I put jellyfish on everything, it will defeat the labeling purpose of the tape. But it is oh, so tempting.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!