Paid $40 for a stencil set, used it twice, then went back to basics

Bought a fancy geometric stencil kit back in March because my spreads looked flat. Used it for two weeks, then realized the lines never match up perfectly and I spent more time fiddling than journaling. Now I just use a ruler and a pencil like I did in 2019, and it looks cleaner. Anyone else spend money on a tool they barely touch?

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1 Comment

mark_cooper25d ago

...and honestly that's the thing nobody tells you about the "fancy" stuff, it just adds extra steps. I've got a whole drawer of washi tapes and stamp pads that looked great in the store and now just sit there judging me. The ruler and pencil thing sounds like you figured out the secret early, which is that your brain gets used to clean simple lines and doesn't need all the flash. It sucks to drop forty bucks on something that ends up being a learning experience instead of a tool, but at least you know now. I did the same with a calligraphy set back in 2021, used it for a week and my regular handwriting still looked better. Nothing wrong with going back to what actually works, that's just being smart about your time and money.