Crane, Mrs. John L. Strong, the Papery, Levengers…stationery porn! Anyone else love this stuff? I must have 20 or 30 boxes of notes, stationery, thank-you notes. I lean towards the plainer stuff - Crane paper with an initial is my favorite, but I’ve been known to buy some more “modern” things.
VCNJ~
I dunno about stationery itself, but I may have the biggest home based not business related collection of paper and notebooks and pens and junk. I just moved, and my ‘desk’ boxes wouldn’t fit into three or four desks.
Deva and Veuve_ClicquotNJ do you write a lot of letters on you stationary, or is it more a collector’s thing?
Actually, I’m thinking of treating myself to engraved personal stationary. A friend of mine had it and I always thought it the height of class and cool. Heck, I might even start writing letters instead of e-mails.
On a related note, I’m a sucker for nice gift wrapping paper. Sometimes, the gift wrap on my gifts is more expensive then the gift itself. 
I do actually use mine. I had to write a boatload of thank-you notes today & that’s what made me ask this question. I do have some engraved stationery - that I only use to ask for Presidential pardons & forgiveness for major faux pas…lol
VCNJ~
I adore stationery, but can’t afford any. If anyone were to buy me some tasteful stationery, I would treasure it.
My handwriting is crap, but if I get a typewriter for Christmas/birthday, as I’m hoping, I’d like some relatively nice paper to write letters on.
I’m especially fond of Crane’s line of letterpress stationery; they have one that is a simple cream sheet with a red bird on it, and matching envelopes lined in crimson.
Eons ago, I used to be a prolific letter-writer, and I collected and used all kinds of stationery. Then came email. I can’t recall the last time I put pen to paper.
I write tons of letters. Then, I always have to keep a small notebook to write random things down in, because I will forget. I also keep journals, so yeah, it gets used.
My name is TellMeI’mNotCrazy and I am a stationery addict.
If you can buy it in an office supply or stationery store, I want it. I’m talking mundane things, like brand new college-rule notebooks with vinyl covers, pens, a brand new box of pencils… Clipboards, desktop organizers, binders…
Seriously, you take me into Staples, and I’m in heaven.
You’re not alone, Crazy, you’re not alone.
In recent years, while drooling over day-planners at Staples, I developed a theory. It all stems from our childhood years when office supplies were mysterious “grown up things”. Mommy goes to the office. Stay out of Daddy’s study.
Yes, office supplies were a part of the mysterious future. Grown ups didn’t play at home all day, they left to go to that mysterious place where it was so important that it took them away from us, the fruit if their loins, and they had to go, and be on time.
One day after our coming of age, we too would be initiated into the world of Staple Removers (oo! ah!), and Liquid Paper (wow!), and – prepare yourself – label makers! swoon
Yes, I have a theory that it’s all related to our childhood understanding of those things as being a part of Very Important Work. And we still hold some subconcious “one day I too will be worthy of a fountain pen” mythology deep in our hearts.
Yes. I like to have a wide variety of nice stationery. I also have an assortment of sealing wax and seals. There’s just something about the gentility of it that I like.
I don’t write many letters long-hand, but when I do, it’s nice to have these things on hand.
I collect at such a rate, though, that my collection is steadily increasing.
Not just stationery, but paper in general. I don’t acquire much stationery as in stuff meant for actual handwriting, but I’ve exchanged that fetish for other intersting papers. I have dozens of various kinds of paper for graphics projects and I’m a sucker for those handmade papers and the gauzey soft patterned papers. Would be nice if I actually did any of my intended graphics projects. I’m also a recovering office supply addict. Is there a 12-step program for us?
People give me stationery all the time, lord knows why.
And I never use any of it. I just regift it to people I don’t really know, because it’s so impersonal.
Levenger is to my 20 year old self as candy store + toy store + amusement park is to my younger self.
Hi, Maastricht, Just to help you with a vagary of translation into English: stationary means immobile or not moving. The paper stuff is with “ery”.
BTW: My parents ran a mom and pop stationery store for 30 years, but I never caught the “bug”. Books are my collectible weakness.