Tools & Toys Report is a series of articles where we introduce stationery in a fun way. I work on these articles with (Iwasawa) and (Morikko), and we're currently preparing for a new article to be uploaded around Late August.

We cut colored paper and layered them during the shoot the other day. I'm sure the page will look cute with a handmade touch.

The Tools & Toys characters Tools, And, Toys also made an appearance. (They are our small friends who are shorter than 4cm)

You can read the past articles here, so if you're interested, I hope you check it out.

With illustrations being sent in from the illustrator and deadlines for submitting the design fast approaching, we've been meeting up more often than our weekly meetings to discuss various things.

Today, we received a first sample of one of the stationery items (it's the one we sent the colored parts the other day), so we went to the studio where (Annen) is currently shooting photos for the product detail pages to check the color and how the printing turned out.

We checked it out carefully, and even went closer to the window to see how it looks under sunlight as well.

It looked so great that we went to show (Susan) how it turned out.

I really hope everyone will love it too!

We're sorry for not being able to update this page recently! We hit the slightly busier phase of finalizing designs and features of some of the stationery we plan to include in this set.

While we weren't able to report back on what we were doing, we are moving forward steadily so do not worry!

The other day we went to find plastic color parts we plan to use for one of the products, and on another day we created clay models so that we can imagine what the final product would look like even more clearly.

We are going to be sharing these designs with the manufacturing company so that they can create samples for us.

The first sample is planned to come up soon. We're nervous and excited for it!

The day before yesterday, the three of us (Iwasawa, Morikko, Annen) went out together.

We received rough designs for the tin can and stamp of the stationery set from illustrator Zuck and we visited them to talk about it.

They showed us several ideas, but they were all so cute!! I hope you look forward to it.

The photos show the stationery we bought on the way back from the meeting.

As we create original commemorative stationery, we become more and more interested in all the wonderful stationery in the world, and get drawn into the deep world of stationery.

We hope to create stationery that everyone will enjoy, too!

It's already been a month since the deadline of the survey we did regarding the stamp we're going to include in our commemorative stationery set.

Encouraged by the messages we received from everyone, we have continued to make steady progress on the commemorative stationery! The other day, we were all trying to find a better shape on an idea, turning over and back again the ideas that we had once almost decided on.

Today, I thought it would be nice to share with you some of the survey responses with you because they were all so lovely.?

Very excited and can't wait to see what you guys come up with. Whatever it is, I am sure it will bring much fun and joy to our journalling days ahead :) Ganbatte! (Moon Jello)

I live for each and every stationery drop. The thought and versatility behind Hobonichi items is what makes me want to vouch for the products and stay loyal!! (jenna)

I’m so looking forward for the stamp to be made! (Joo Kee)

Hello Design Team! I really liked the idea of having a small tin box full of tools and items. Being a stationery lover this is definitely something I would like to buy. Looking forward to see the final product. Good luck to the team! (MD)

I love this idea for the commemorative stationery! The tin will be lovely to carry around daily and being able to use the stamp on a daily basis. (Astrocatdraws)

Thank you so much for coming up with this! Hobonichi stationery items always bring a nice and whimsical touch to my everyday life. (Riza)

thank you so much! i love stationery probably as much as you all do, and I'm so happy to see hobonichi creating some for this milestone! it's also so nice and interesting to be able to see part of your creating process, so thanks for that too (emilie)

I am very excited to see your hard work come together! To think Hobonichi has reached so many sales and that when I sit to use my journal I am part of such a big family all across the world fills me with joy, and that is a feeling I am looking forward to feeling when admiring the commemorative items as well! Thank you to the stationery team for crafting something so special for this moment, and know it will be loved and appreciated deeply. (Khemi)

We received so many other messages. Thank you once again to everyone who took part! I look back on these messages whenever I'm a bit lost when planning for the products.?

A rough illustration draft of the stamp design we had been working on based on your responses arrived from Zuck the other day! We were all excited by it, so we hope you look forward to it too.

We held this week's meeting in a Japanese-style room that's in our office. It felt new because we don't use this room often.

"It feels so comfortable like I'm at home"
"I'm starting to feel a bit sleepy now..."

In the midst of such a relaxing meeting, everyone's favorite, (Susan) of production management, joined us!

She's a super important team member when it comes to producing things, and she answers any of our questions.

This meeting turned into a time to feel hopeful for the new item that will be added to the stationery set.

We are working on the original stationery this week too, step by step. The pen (Annen) was using to write memos caught my eye, so I asked her what she's using. She told me it's the uni Style Fit 0.38 in which you can customize the color of the refills to your liking and is her current favorite. Annen's favorite colors are Brown Black and Golden Yellow. Yellow colors tend to blend in with the color of the paper, but this Golden Yellow is vibrant and is easy to see.

How wonderful is this pen! It motivated me to create amazing stationery, too!

The deadline for the stamp survey was this Monday. Thank you so much to everyone who has participated!

I was overwhelmed by all your warm and lovely comments and they made me really happy. (I would have loved to reply to each and every one of them...)

I headed towards yesterday's meeting feeling energized by all of your comments. We had a special guest for the meeting - (Asako) who's in charge of the English-side of things for the Hobonichi Techo.

We received advice from her so that the product we are creating will be enjoyed by not only domestic users, but international users too.

We finally decided on the theme of the stamp, and will move on to actually designing the product. We'll do our best!

”We've received so many responses!"
"Right? I was so happy to see them!"

We started yesterday's weekly meeting with this conversation.

We started the survey asking about the theme of the original commemorative survey from the 15th, and we've already received so many answers. We also received comments on how you've been following the process even if we weren't able to share with you that many details, and we were all so happy to read them. Thank you so much!

Reading the responses also made us determined to stay focused, but to also enjoy the process of creating stationery.

The survey is open until Monday, March 25, at 11am Japan time. If you are interested in taking part, we hope you take a look at this page.

In the page that was uploaded today, we are currently holding a survey! (We'll be gifting three random participants with the stationery set.) We'd love to reflect your opinions on the design of the original commemorative stationery, so we hope you take part!

The survey is open until March 25, 11 AM Japan time. We look forward to reading your answers!