2020 has been quite a rough year for a lot of people, no doubt. Of course, I’m no exception to that. With everything happening, a lot changed in my life in the past six months. Whilst there has been quite a lot of negative in that, there were also a few positives. They do not diminish the negatives, of course. But focusing on the positives is helping me to personally cope with these trying times. It’s been mentioned to me regularly but my blog is most definitely one of the things I love and have missed over the months without. Whilst I am technically not in lockdown anymore, I do pretty much stay at home now. So, in an effort to deal with these semi-lockdown blues, I am going to focus on the things I enjoy. For now, let’s talk about some stationery updates from the lockdown.
In an attempt to catch up with some missed things, here’s some updates in the Stationery World that have happened during my hiatus.
Stationery Awards 2020 Finalists Announced!
Stationery Awards 2020 has announced the finalists for the awards recently – and there’s some incredible choices! I do not envy the judges’ job here – it is going to be a hard decision for them from the looks of it. There are three categories: Product Awards, Retailer Awards and Rising Talent Awards.
Product Awards:
Under the Product Awards, there are several categories. These are a great way to find a bunch of new products that you may be interested in checking out. Each category has between 3 to 7 products shortlisted for the awards. I have not had the pleasure of trying all of the shortlisted products but the ones I have seen are incredible. I love the variety of different products. Personally, the “Eco Stationery” category is always one of the most interesting for me. It is great to see the innovative ways in which different companies are looking after the environment. Find out which products are shortlisted here.
Retailer Awards:
The shortlist for the Retailer Awards is broken down by geographical location. Definitely check out the list if you want to find a potential new retailer to shop at! I have not had the pleasure of visiting them all but the ones that I do know are definitely worth a visit – when stores start to open up, that is. Most do have an online store that is still open though, if you need to do some retail therapy! The London Graphic Centre is one of my favourite stores in London, for example and I highly recommend Cult Pens too – I have certainly placed a number of orders from there myself. Check out all of the retailers here!
Rising Stars:
This is one of the most interesting awards, personally. I love seeing who gets shortlisted as the ‘stars’ of the stationery world. This year’s shortlist are five incredible people. I have no idea how the judges will pick the winners from such a fine shortlist but I am intrigued to see who gets it! I find it really quite exciting that I have had the pleasure of actually meeting a few of the finalists and chatting with them at last year’s stationery show! You can find the Rising Stars shortlist here!
London Stationery Show postponed!
I have mentioned this annual show a few times now – and had the pleasure of visiting for the past few years. It’s a huge trade show for the amazing world of stationery. It’s an incredible place for suppliers to exhibit, as well as retailers to find new products and place orders.
The London Stationery Show was set to take place earlier this year, back in April. It was postponed until September but the team behind it has announced that this will now take place next year. For now, the provisional dates are 21st – 22nd April 2021 – so mark the dates into your diary! Whilst there is, of course, no guarantee things will go ahead, a girl can hope. It will be a belated celebration of their 10th anniversary, which is really exciting. Keep in touch with the details on their website, which you can visit here.
The kikki.K UK business is in Liquidation
It is a huge shame to announce that one of my favourite stores, kikki.K, has now gone into Liquidation here in the UK. It is still possible to purchase products from their international online store, but be mindful of customs and import charges. However, they are hoping to find a way to allow the UK shoppers a way to shop online in the future with partners. I wish them luck in this endeavor but it is certainly a shame to see that the two retail stores in the country have been closed. If you have a giftcard or anything – like I do – it will hopefully be usable in the coming months if they manage to find a way to reopen their UK online store. You can find out more on their website.
Of course, other businesses and shows have also been affected by the times without a doubt. However, I just wanted to share these ones as the London Stationery Show is a big event that I always speak about, and kikki.K has had a special place on my shelves for some time now.