For today’s review, I am going to talk about something a little different. On January 1st I decided to place an order on the LEGO®️ website. It was new set time and I figured why not grab an item or two. I had some items already scoped out and was set to go. Then I decided to peruse a section I don’t normally pay attention to – “Merchandise”. And wouldn’t you know it, I found some fun accessories that I didn’t know about. So join me as I take a quick look at the Notebook with Gel Pen.
QUICK SUMMARY:
- NAME: Notebook with Gel Pen
- ITEM #:5007242
- THEME: Merchandise
- COST: $19.99
- PAGE COUNT: 176
- OF NOTE: Available in 12 colours
Jotting it down
I’m fairly certain I won’t need to go into what a notebook is. If so, well, you need to be doing lots more supplemental reading for the class. 😜 I use a dedicated LEGO®️ notebook for my articles. When it comes time to review, I will write down all the salient details in my trusty book (piece count, set #, etc). And it’s a smart way to track all my ramblings, ideas and jokes as I build. Consequently, since we love our stats here at True North Bricks, I need to keep track of build times and other mathmagical info. Having it all in a dedicated book is just easier and less work than using computer or a million post-its.
Get Organized
If you look on the LEGO®️ website, you’ll find the “Stationary” section. If you want pencil cases, pencil holders, pens and small pouches then you’ll find it there. And if you have a pen or pencil and want to, oh you know, use it on paper, then you can get yourself a notebook. There’s currently three different products available: a diary with lock, a notebook with elastic band and this notebook with gel pen. That’s not a multitude of options, but it’s a decent selection even with a number of out of stock products. I chose the blue notebook. Why? Well, it’s blue and you can’t go wrong with blue. But if blue isn’t in your palette, then you can choose from 11 other colours.
Smart Design
What can you do to make a notebook stand out? As it turns out, something pretty clever. I mean I wouldn’t be writing about this if it was just a regular ol’ notebook 😊 I chose this book because the gel pen is integrated into the design. This particular gel pen has two 1×4 plates built into at the top. The book has two 1×6 tiles built into the covers. This allows the pen to click into both front and back and effortlessly keep the book closed. It’s simple and I appreciate this clever use of bricks.
Each cover is a nice solid piece of card stock. It definitely looks like it will hold up over time. Concurrently, I appreciate the very subtle design. You’ll find the pattern resembles a 2×2 brick with slightly embossed studs on the front and the hollow clutch points on the back. As much as I love LEGO®️, I prefer products like this to be on the subtle side. Let’s call this LEGO®️ stationary for adults.
There’s 176 ruled pages to write on. I know that will keep me going for a bit, although mileage may vary. The pages are thinner, but even with the gel pen you don’t get much bleed through. I have one of these same gel pens and they’re honestly great. So you get two decent pieces of stationary for a good price. One small critique is the spine – it’s just glued together. So I worry over time it may break or sheets may come loose. But this also lets the book lay flat when it’s open, so that makes for better writing.
Take Note
I’m sure no one is expecting me to grade this, LOL. Suffice to say that I easily recommend this smart little book. It’s a nice little accessory for an AFOL or anyone who likes to keep a journal/notepad handy. Concurrently it will make a nice gift for said people or any other brick fans. At $20 CAD, it’s a pretty good value given the design and ‘bonus’ pen. LEGO®️ branding is on a multitude of books and stationary, but I’m pretty impressed with this official merch.
And there you have it friends, a little something different. I hope you take a look at some of the other gear on the website, there’s a few hidden gems for sure. What do you think of this notebook? Do you own any other branded stationary? Are you an organized note taker? Or maybe you’re sustained by pure unorganized chaos?! Comment below and let me know. Thanks as always for reading, and until next time keep on brickin’. 🧱
-Frank
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