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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
This Yggdrasil World Tree Leather Journal from 12 Parsecs Designs is one of those items that falls into a special category I like to call "things I have to review before my teenager steals them for Dungeons and Dragons." If you're in the market for a book in which to record magical journeys, occult recipes, treasure maps, or any other flights of fancy, you should probably check out the Notebooks page over at 12 Parsecs Designs.
This thicc journal has a sturdy leather cover that's interfaced with canvas. Its back cover tucks into the front to conceal the fore-edge, and it closes with two brass buckles on the front. The cover of this particular one is embossed with an image of Yggdrasil, the Norse World Tree, with gorgeous Viking-inspired designs surrounding it. The leather is painted walnut brown with an almost woodgrain effect to the brushstrokes. Y'all, it's really pretty.
Inside this stunning cover are five signatures of 20 sheets of cushy watercolor paper, for a total of 100 sheets or 200 pages. The paper is very thick, soft, and pillowy. You could take a nap on this paper. I usually associate this fibrous paper with bleeding and feathering, but this is very well made sketchbook paper, and I did not have any issues. It is too soft, however, for sharp-pointed tools, so mechanical pencils, EF pen nibs, and ultra fine pen points are not going to be your friend here. And the paper is thirsty. While I was able to write with a medium point fountain pen just fine, it does drink the ink, and the pen's feed eventually struggled to keep up with the necessary flow. The best instrument I found for this paper was either a wood case pencil that's not sharpened too much, or a standard ballpoint pen. Of course, watercolors would be the specific ideal use for this paper, but I shan't disgrace it with my poor art.
The paper also has dried flowers scattered throughout its pages, which adds to the whimsical, fairytale effect. I know soft, flowery paper is going to send some of you running in the opposite direction, but that just leaves more fae paper for the rest of us, so bye.
This notebook is about as opposite as you can get from the streamlined, minimal, purely utilitarian notebooks that make up the bulk of my notebook stash. I love those, too. And I love this. This isn't a notebook that makes me think "perfect for meetings" or "I'll use this for class" or "so efficient and productive." No, this notebook says "time to play and dream" and I am so here for it.
12 Parsecs Designs suggests that this notebook is great for gamers, painters, scrapbookers, journalers, or even folks who want a cool photo album. I agree, and I'm impressed. For all this loveliness and versatility, they're only charging $31 (and they're actually on sale for less as I write this). That's much less than I expected after using the notebook. I can already tell I'll be back for more of these. Probably very soon, when my little Dungeon Master steals mine.
(12 Parsecs Designs provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
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I think I’ve permanently given up on notebook minimalism. While I have a core set of 3-4 notebooks that I use on a daily basis and take with me pretty much anywhere I go, I also have a “healthy” stockpile of special-purpose notebooks that I pull out periodically - some more often than others - to help me with various tasks and to hold information relating to specific projects that don’t require daily attention.
The “Mandala 9x9” layout. You start with a central goal or idea, with eight key inputs, which you can then break out into their own box.
One such notebook is what I’ll refer to as my “brainstorming” notebook, which I use when I want to work through ideas for a project, piece of writing, or simply to hash out a problem I’ve been dealing with, personal or professional. I’ve used many different notebooks for brainstorming over the years, with different rulings ranging from blank to dot grid to meeting, but what about something more structured?
The “Concentric” Layout from the Laconic Think Refill. I’ve honestly not figured out how I want to use this one yet.
I discovered the Laconic Style system at NY Now back in January. To me, the beauty of this particular notebook system is the combination of a formal structure and customization. Laconic has blank notebooks, standard diary/planner refills in daily, weekly, and monthly formats, as well as special purpose notebooks that you can use to build out your system. Two specific refills that I’ve recently used from this latter category include “Think” and “Spreadsheet” layouts that I’ve not previously seen elsewhere. The “Think” refill features four different templates (16 pages for each pattern): a “Mandala Chart 9x9”, a “Coordinate Axis” layout (for your classic “SWAT” analysis), a “Concentric Chart,” and a “4 Panels” Memo (consistent with what you might use to plan slides or storyboards). While I’m not an expert on how to use these various layouts other than having some experience with the 4-panel storyboard, the common theme seems to be that the different designs allow you to visually link your ideas together as you go. I’ve long been a flow-charts and mind-maps on blank paper type of guy, but lately a bit of structure has been helpful to mix things up.
The 4-Panel/Storyboard Layout from the Think Notebook
The second refill I’ve been using is the “Spreadsheet” refill. It’s exactly as described: a notebook full of spreadsheet cells that serve multiple purposes: to organize notes on my personal pen collection, such as where I purchased each piece, price paid, etc.; as a content calendar (which is something I’ve tried very hard to stick to, with limited success even though it would make my life infinitely easier); and as a ledger for running down monthly finances and tracking invoices.
The start of my “Spreadsheet” Pen Journal!
I’ve enjoyed using the Laconic notebooks (as well as the add-on accessories like the bookmarks), and have mainly been using them with Pilot Frixion gel pens in the .4mm and .5mm tip sizes. While I would compare the Laconic paper to something like that featured in the Kokuyo Jibun Techo Planner (i.e., it works perfectly well with low-maintenance fountain pen inks in a fine or extra-fine nib), these erasable gel pens lend themselves quite well to writing in planners and charts, given that you may want to (1) write very small in the way that a micro-tipped gel pen can do; and (2) erase and change information that you may be “logging.” You can purchase the .5mm Frixion pens at most big box (or even grocery) stores, and there are plenty of online retailers, including Jetpens or Amazon, that sell the .4mm needle-tip versions. The ink has come a long way in terms of legibility, and I’ve found the pens to work as advertised.
The “Coordinate” Layout from the “Think” Journal with the Pilot Frixion. The ruling is pretty small on these notebooks, so for filling out charts, etc. I’ve used either a super-extra-fine fountain pen with Pilot Blue-Black ink (which holds a fine line quite well) or the Pilot Frixion gel pen.
As mentioned above, the notebooks shown here are from Laconic Tokyo, one of the brands we carry directly in our shop. While I’ve been carrying these two inserts around in the Laconic Style cover, I’m thinking of building out a larger brainstorming notebook using a higher-capacity option. The A5-sized refills are compatible with most A5 covers, including the Midori MD covers, and multiple-notebook covers and cases such as the Lochby Field Journal and Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter.
The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.
The response to last month's review of the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad was overwhelmingly positive - there's apparently much interest in this sort of practical “workhorse” stationery product - so I thought it might make sense to dive further into the landscape notebook/desk pad category. Today I'll be discussing the Write Notepads Landscape Notebook, a long-time favorite of mine which plays a similar, yet distinct, role in my personal workflow.
Baltimore, Maryland-based Write Notepads is an independent print shop that makes a full line of spiral notebooks, writing pads, and pocket notebooks in both standard and limited editions. Back in 2020, when I launched the shop, they were one of the first to believe in my idea enough to allow me to carry their products, for which I'm grateful. The main reason I continue to carry the brand, however, is their commitment to quality, and maybe a little bit of ensuring that I personally have ongoing access to certain of the items in their lineup. (Disclaimer: As mentioned, we sell certain of the Write Notepads products directly in our shop. I don't think this affects my opinion of what has long been regarded as a good standard notebook by the community at large, but transparency is important.)
Write Notepads spiral notebooks all feature a fairly durable kraft paper cover and a thick chipboard backing, bound together with a durable double spiral binding.
I enjoyed reviewing the Sidekick Notepad, and the more structured layout of that pad has found its place in my workflow. Certain types of writing that I do, however, requires unformatted paper, and I can burn through a LOT of it quickly. Take yesterday, for example. I spent much of the day on Zoom calls and/or reviewing e-mails in order to collect input from a dozen different people on a project, while simultaneously processing my thoughts into a longer-form outline that will eventually make it's way into a 50-page memorandum. Since I almost always do my first draft of anything by hand, I had a landscape-style notebook (the one pictured here) beneath my keyboard and essentially took notes in "draft" form as I went back and forth in conversation. By the end of the day I had filled four or five pages, with more looseleaf notes taken on a Baron Fig Mastermind pad.
Obviously I can’t show you the actual writing I do in my day job, but it’s nice to be able to write a continuous line horizontally across the page in this format.
Why this personal anecdote? To illustrate why and how I take use case into context whenever I discuss a product, offer a recommendation, and/or make choices for my own setup. For example, in my review of the Sidekick, I noted that it might not be a cost-effective option for "those who burn through 5+ sheets of paper on a daily basis, or who only use desk pads for taking lots of notes and drafting documents." Essentially I was talking about myself and a subset of the T.G.S. readership that I know maintain similar working habits. While none of the paper I use is inexpensive, in order to afford my preferences I do try to keep an eye on the overall cost of the paper I use for certain specific writing-intensive projects, and lately I've even tried to move some of my longhand work to an e-ink tablet (more on that later).
I’ve had very good luck using Write Notepads paper successfully with broad nibs and stubs, even combined with very wet inks.
Given the type of writing that I do, Write Notepads is one of several brands that strikes a balance between paper quality and cost. The paper works well with fountain pens, and is absorbent enough to dry relatively quickly when I'm writing quick notes at work and need to flip the page. The sturdy chipboard covers hold up in a bag, and will last a long time in storage if I need to maintain work notes long-term. Are these notebooks perfect? No. For one thing, I REALLY wish the pages were perforated, and I'd probably be willing to pay a few bucks extra per notebook for that feature. The Landscape Notebook would - in my opinion - be perfectly sized if it were a half-inch shorter to allow for a better fit beneath the keyboard. But no "perfect" product exists - this hobby wouldn't be fun if it did, right? - and that's why I'll likely already have a rotating stable of different pens, pads, and notebooks to collectively get me through my work week.
Despite the absorbency, there is no bleedthrough and very little, if any, show-through on the paper.
Certain products are great because they're just solid, well-executed examples of what they are, and while not inexpensive, cost-effective enough to allow you to use them in larger quantities without feeling too guilty or extravagant. I've long loved the vintage aesthetic of the Write Notepads spiral notebooks, and whether I'm working with fountain pen, ballpoint, or pencil, the paper remains a staple of my workday.
Color selection continues to expand. Arctic Blue is my personal favorite, followed by Pistachio.
We sell most of the entire Write Notepads lineup directly, via our online shop, at pen shows we visit, and for local pickup in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area. The Landscape Notebook is priced at $20 for a 120-page notebook (writing front and back) and available in several different colors, including Black, Pistachio, Plum, Arctic Blue, and Forest. (While technically sold only in a lined ruling, if you prefer dot grid paper, you can achieve the same landscape effect by taking a Write Notepads Dot Grid Spiral Notebook and turning it sideways.) Those who prefer more structure to the notebook they have sitting under their keyboard may want to look at the Weekly Planner layout, which also features the spiral binding on the side, not the top.
If you're interested in reading more on landscape-style notepads, my other two favorite options include the Cortex Brand Sidekick Notepad (recently reviewed and discussed above), and the Baron Fig Mastermind, which might be the most inexpensive option in my everyday paper arsenal and a top choice for everyday "scratch paper".
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links.
Another pen show find is the Nakabayashi Logical Prime notebooks. These are softcover notebooks are stitch bound with a bookbinding tape over the stitches to reinforce.
There are a variety of interior paper options (Point, Graph, 7mm Lined and 6mm Lined) and the notebooks can be found around the internet in a variety of sizes. Yoseka Stationery stocks the Logical Prime notebooks in A5 size ($6 each).
The more unusual B5 size (6.9″ x 9.8″ or 176 x 250mm) was picked up from a vendor at a pen show. Which show? Maybe the California Pen Show. Which vendor? Taccia but they don’t list these notebooks on their web site.
According to the Nakabayashi Global web site, the Logical Prime notebooks are only available in A5 and B5 sizes though in the US market, you are more likely to find an A5 notebook than the larger B5.
All the internal rulings are in a fine dark green line. At the top or each page is a space for writing a title or description and date.
What’s really interesting about these notebooks is the unusual ruling options (I didn’t get one of the standard grid notebooks because after seeing the Point and Lined, the graph was just ho-hum). The Ruled options, both 6mm and 7mm actually feature two additional light dotted lines between each solid rule creating guides for much smaller increments. There are also dotted vertical lines at the same interval as the ruling so the paper can be used as graph if you want or need it to do so. The multiple horizontal lines would be great if you want to practice your handwriting or calligraphy.
At the top and bottom of the page are dots and tick marks indicating the center of the page, 1/3, 1/4 and so on. If you were wanting to grid something out on a page, these marks will help you maintain consistency from page to page. If you were to use these notebooks for bullet journaling, this would help to divide the page for week-on-two-pages, making a monthly overview calendar, etc.
The paper is a soft cream ivory color, not bright white.
There is not a huge difference, obviously, between the 6mm and 7mm lined paper but I know folks have clear preferences. When I was testing the paper, I thought I preferred the 7mm lined because I had a little more space but I was really jumping between the margins in a weird way so I think the 6mm is a bit better for my tiny handwriting.
Then there was the Point style which has dots spaced really far apart. On the back cover it says “12x15pt” which I think is 12mm dot grid (approx 9/16″) or thereabouts. That’s some pretty big grid!
I feel like a grid of this scale is a good compromise for someone who might want blank but needs a little guidance.
Did I mention that this paper shows sheen? Probably should have mentioned that sooner. So, good quality paper, unusual ruling options, and its affordable? You should probably stock up now. I don’t think you’ll regret it.
The post Notebook Review: Nakabayashi Logical Prime B5 Notebooks appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.
While at the California Pen Show, I was able to score a few samples from the Traveler’s/Plotter table. Not that I needed any Traveler’s Notebook samples. I’ve been a loyal fan of Traveler’s for …. hmmmm… over a decade now! But it was a delight to revisit some of the classic refills. Because Traveler’s is part of the Midori product family, much of the paper included in the refills is Midori but I often forget that. This particular sample, a “Refill for a Short Trip” in Passport Size. This insert only include 32 pages compared to the regular Passport inserts that feature 64 pages but features the same high quality Midori MD paper in the cream color.
The Midori MD Cream paper has a slight tooth to it making it good for all around use and it stands up to pretty much any pen you can throw at it. I had no issues with feathering, even with my Pilot Custom 912 with the FA nib.
It’s a thinner paper so there is some show through but no bleed through at all. I have a soft spot for the Midori MD Cotton and Midori MD Light, so much so that I had forgotten how good the standard Midori MD paper was. Honestly, I don’t think there’s much more I can say about Midori MD paper that hasn’t been said already but its nice to take another look at the classics. They are classics for a reason. Thanks for the sample, Traveler’s Company, and for reminding me that I love this paper!
DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by Traveler’s Company USA for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.
The post Notebook Review: Traveler’s Short Trip Passport Size appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Always on the lookout for new notebooks, I couldn't pass up the Itoya Profolio Oasis in Wintergreen and A5. It borrows some aesthetics from other Japanese paper brands, but how does it perform for the price?
The exterior of the notebook is clean and simple. The wintergreen color of mine provides a nice pop of color on an otherwise boring desk. The covers are thin and flexible, but I worry they won't provide much protection in a bag with other items. The corners are square, which are just begging to get bent over in no time, but it makes the notebook look really crispy and clean.
The notebook is stitched very cleanly and has black tape covering the spine for additional protection and strength. The notebook really resists laying flat at first, but it breaks in really quickly. Despite this, it also has no trouble staying closed when it's laying on a desk. This is somewhat unexpected for a notebook with a stiff spine and really lightweight covers, but I'll take it.
Moving inside the notebook, there's nothing extra included between the covers. There are 80 sheets of lightweight paper, and no extra pages for organization or labeling. The inside front cover has some marketing information, but it's incredibly difficult to read in my copy because the light gray ink disappears against the wintergreen cover. It provides some helpful hints on how to use the notebook and it's unique ruling system. Aside from that, the pages aren't numbered, but they do include a spot at the top for a title and date. The paper is really smooth and feels like 80gsm in weight.
Similar to the Lamy notebooks I've been using recently, the Oasis also features a unique ruling system that combines lines, grids, and even dots to create a lightweight "everything" rule that seems to work well. I'll admit, it looks busy when the page is blank, but the ink is light enough that it easily gets out of your way once you start writing. The additional structure is useful if you want to create neat sections on the page, but they easily disappear when writing. I know that this rule format won't appeal to everyone, and that's cool. It's a cool system and I'm glad to see more stationery makers try it out. As long as there are plenty of options available for everyone, I have no problem with creating notebooks with quirky, uncommon rule formats! If you happen to enjoy it or use it for a specific purpose, that's reason enough to manufacture and sell a product like this.
While the paper is smooth and lightweight, it doesn't stand up to wet fountain pens very well. The fountain pen marks easily showed through on the back of the page — making it unusable — but Waterman's Mysterious Blue bled through the back of the page and onto the front of the next page! I've never had any problems with Mysterious Blue in the past, so this definitely surprised me. In the future, I won't be using any fountain pens in this notebook without testing them out on a scrap page first.
Luckily, the paper handled other types of pens, ink, and graphite superbly. It's a smooth paper with just a slight amount of tooth to provide some feedback and friction for controlling your writing instrument, and I've really enjoyed using it.
If you're in the market to try a somewhat uncommon ruling in a sharp notebook, the Oasis is a fantastic option. At $9 for the A5 size, it's a pretty good value for what you get. It's utilitarian but still has some style and personality, but it does have some weaknesses with certain ink/nib combos you'll have to watch out for. The ruling format is interesting and well-executed. For the price, you can try one of these notebooks to see if you like the format — if it's not for you, you haven't lost much money to find out.
And if the Wintergreen cover or A5 isn't what you want, there are several other color and size options available as well. It's not for everyone, but if it's intriguing to you, don't hesitate to try it out!
(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
Hobonichi's planner success is legendary, but their accessory offerings seem to grow more fun and varied every year. This is the first time I've tried their Paper(s) Notebook, and it's a great addition to the Hobonichi lineup, though it may not be as popular with the fountain pen side of their audience.
The Paper(s)s notebook is the same A6 size as a Hobonichi Techo. While it has the same tape-sealed spine, the binding in this book is a glue that allows you to remove the pages. Every page separates cleanly and easily, which is perfect for sharing notes and info, or for disposable writing like shopping lists. While a Hobonichi planner feels like a keepsake, almost a bit of memoir, this Paper(s) book is clearly a consumable. There's no pressure of preservation or perfection. In fact, I even messed up my first writing sample, so I threw it away and tore out a new sheet.
This notebook does fit inside any Techo cover, though I would imagine it would fit less well as the pages inevitably deplete. And I wouldn't want to cover up those adorable bears, anyway.
The design, by Hiroko Kubota, shows an adorable bear guiding an aurora across the sky. On the back there's another wee bear pulling a sled with his coffee pot and steaming mug while he watches the sky. Each page inside has a third illustration of the bears enjoying the coffee together. It's ADORABLE. I can't stop saying it.
The pages themselves are where I think Hobonichi divides their audience a bit. If you're just using this paper to make throw-away notes with a standard ballpoint or pencil, great! You're good! But the paper in this notebook is not the Tomoe River paper that is found in Hobonichi planners and other notebooks. It's a fully uncoated wood-free paper, so any liquid ink goes straight through. If it's a very liquidy ink in a broad nib pen, it will actually bleed through onto the next page. While the back of the page isn't as important for notepaper, where it's unlikely you intend to use both sides of the sheet, getting ink onto the pages behind is not ideal. So, there is no amount of fountain pen friendliness here. Which is okay, because that's not what it's meant for, but I think the Hobonichi name does carry the expectation of excellent paper--and this isn't that. It's functional, disposable paper--and we all need some of that, too.
In keeping with the purpose of "use this up and throw it away" this notebook is priced very fairly at only $8 at JetPens. For 155 sheets patterned with adorable bears, that's a great price, and it's an easy add-on when you're selecting your array of other Hobonichi accessories. Mine has already seen a lot of use, as the loose pages are endlessly necessary for lists and notes I can hand off to family members. And yes, I'm still using it with fountain pens, letting the ink bleed and feather as it will, like the chaos gremlin that I am.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
I’m pretty sure if I were to have to pick one notebook size forever more, it would like be A5. It really is just the right size – not too big, not too small. How very Goldilocks of me!
However, I find that I can never quite make up my mind what kind of purse I want to carry. Sometimes I want a behemoth bag that’s big enough to hold a smaller purse, a knitting project, and 12 other things that I can’t seem to live without. And then other times I want a small purse to just grab and go. Either way, I need a notebook and pen, right?
Last time I was browsing Yoseka, I spied the Kleid Kraft Work Memo notebook in A6 size ($7.50). I’m currently on a small bag kick, and I thought this might be the perfect notebook for on the go. It’s small, lightweight, has an elastic loop for closure at the corner, is a spiral so it lays flat – could it be the perfect notebook?
This notebook is A6 size, meaning it measures in at 4 1/8″ x 5 7/8″ and is approximate 1/2″ thick. (10.5 cm x 15 cm, under 1 cm thick). The cover is made of sturdy cardstock, with a tight spiral. Inside are 70 pages of kraft paper with 2mm grid. The only other “frill” is the elastic strap to keep it closed at the corner.
I have to say, I like this size and I like the paper, but it’s probably not really designed for fountain pen ink. The grid is printed on the page in a way that doesn’t get covered by the fountain pen in, meaning it shows through which is a bit distracting.
Worse, I’m a lefty and I rest my hand on the page. Just that slight bit of moisture from my hand changed the texture of the paper a bit, and the ink was more prone to feathering and bleeding through there.
I did test it with my gels, fine liners and ball points though and the paper seemed to perform quite well with those.
So this may not be the perfect notebook if you’re a die hard fountain pen lover, but if you’re good throwing a ballpoint or gel pen in your purse, then this still might be a great notebook for jotting important things down when you’re out and about. And I do love that elastic loop at the corner for keeping the notebook closed and the edges tidy when I throw it in my bag.
DISCLAIMER: I purchased this notebook with my own funds for the purposes of this review. Please see the About page for more details.
The post Notebook Review: Kleid Kraft Work Memo A6 appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
The fabulous Tomoe River paper and Hobonichi construction in a plain notebook--it's exactly the product I wished for back when I used to use outdated Hobonichi Techo planners as blank books for writing just because I loved the paper and binding so much.
This A6 notebook has a yellow-gold cardstock cover with a thread-and-glue taped binding that allows the book to lie open flat with almost no training required. This binding is flexible but sturdy--it's going to survive you carrying it around for as long as it takes you to fill all of those 240 pages.
Speaking of 240 pages, we're talking 120 sheets of Tomoe River goodness. It tolerates any medium, even the wettest of fountain pen inks, light paint washes, even the Sharpie didn't bleed through all the way. It is very lightweight, though. If you're unfamiliar with the miracle of Tomoe River, it's onionskin-thin, so while it doesn't bleed, you will see a lot of ghosting. Even light pencil is visible through the page. I love the way it looks, but it does bother some, so YMMV. Even if you can't stand ghosting and can only use one side of the page--that's still 120 pages! And because the paper is so fine, the notebook is slim and ultra-portable. It's only .3" thick, making the whole notebook just slightly larger than a pocket size.
And a portability bonus--this notebook (even two of these notebooks) fit into the Hobonichi Techo covers. If, uh, you maybe, might have, possibly accumulated a few gorgeous techo covers over the years because they release so many lovely ones every year and you just can't help it (ahem), one or a few of these would feel right at home in one of those out-of-rotation covers.
The paper is white with a small 3.7 mm grid pattern that covers the whole sheet. The graph print is subtle, and every 60 pages the ink color changes, from red to blue to green, then purple. You can easily ignore the color changes, or use them as a guide to design your own planner or multi-subject notebook.
This is a small powerhouse of a notebook. It's also available in an A5 size, and this year you can even get it in A6 or A5 with a gorgeous floral illustrated cover. And fortunately, they're reasonably priced, with this plain A6 version costing $17 at Jetpens. The A5 is slightly more at $22, and the floral editions are a bit more than that.
I could write in these forever. If someone said "these are the only notebooks you're allowed to use for the rest of your life" I would be pretty okay with that. As long as I could keep accumulating the pretty covers, of course.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Ever wonder how many people discover the stationery world because of their exposure to a Moleskine notebook? Moleskine notebooks are available in lots of everyday stores, they're affordable, and they come in lots of fun colors. The downside? Well, the paper is pretty shabby. Once you have the stationery bug, Moleskine paper probably won't fit your needs. That's why I'm always happy to see stationery goods that mimic Moleskine's products but provide an exceptional user experience.
One of my favorite everyday notebooks is a simple A5 softcover notebook. That's something that Moleskine offers as part of their standard lineup at any physical store, but it's also something that more and more stationery manufacturers are producing as well. Lamy is a prime example of this, and I've been really enjoying the Lamy Softcover A5 Booklets recently. I've even reviewed these in the past, but it's amazing how a little time can make something seem new (or maybe it's just my memory starting to decline?).
The Lamy softcover notebooks only come in one color — Lamy gray — but at least they chose a nice color for the cover. The cover is made of a flexible cardstock and has a linen texture that is nice to handle and touch. It also does well in terms of durability and wear. I've noticed that the cover picks up oils, but it adds a nice patina to the cover. There's no branding anywhere on these notebooks except for a small Lamy logo debossed on the back exterior cover.
Aside from the gray cover and ivory paper inside, the only pop of color comes from the orange stitching that holds the notebooks together. I really love the strong contrast of the bright thread against the neutral gray cover.
Here are some more specifications for the notebooks:
The Lamy ruling is reminiscent of Doane Paper, which features lines on top of a small grid. I really enjoy this type of ruling because it can be as structured or invisible as you want. It's like grid rule for people that appreciate lined ruling too. Regardless, it's the only option for these notebooks!
The ivory 90gsm paper is nice and pleasant to use. In my testing, I haven't seen any bleeding or feathering, but some inks do show through to the back of the page quite easily. That's a little surprising given the weight of the paper, but it's not a deal-breaker since the back page is totally usable. The show-through is minimal and seems to depend more on ink formula instead of how wet or wide a nib is. Your mileage may vary!
I really enjoy seeing how different stationery companies that are more known for their pens interpret the notebook as an experience. More often than not, they produce notebooks that are well-worth your consideration. After all, a company that has decades of experience with building great pens should also know what makes a notebook great just from testing their own pens. Lamy provides a fantastic notebook that I'm happy to keep on my desk. It's also a great alternative to anything that Moleskine offer.
There is a downside, though. Options! Lamy should offer this softcover notebook in more colors. That's an obvious gap at this point. They could also expand the ruling options they have to include more standard rules like lined, grid, and dot. I like Lamy's ruling, but sometimes I want something else, you know? Options, Lamy! We like having them!
At $15 for a three-pack of these 64-page notebooks, these are easy to throw into an order and keep around. Heck, even give them as gifts for the non-stationery folks in your life. Spread the love of good stationery that looks like the trendy stuff from the big box stores. These are great notebooks, but the lack of options just means I get to keep other great notebooks at hand to meet other needs.
(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
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The BUKE A5 Size Hardcover Sketchbook Journal (currently selling for $13.34) is kind of an amazing little sketchbook. First, the price! I think when I ordered it, it was about $15.50 which is still incredibly inexpensive.
The sketchbook came in a matte, white box with an iridescent foil feather on the box. Inside, the sketchbook was wrapped in a waxed paper and included a bookmark and some stickers. This is a very deluxe package for a sketchbook that sells for less than $20.
The sketchbook includes 160 bright white pages between two matte PU covers with an iridescent foil feather quill on the cover. The sketchbook includes lots of the popular attribute like three ribbon bookmarks, a gusseted pocket in the back cover for loose ephemera and a vertical elastic to keep the book closed.
The paper is 180gsm “Ultra Bamboo Paper” — THIS is the main reason I ordered it in the first place. Bamboo is the key ingredient in Tomoe River Paper but its very thin. So the idea of THICK bamboo paper was very appealing.
Just for reference, the Col-o-ring Ink Testing Book is only 160gsm paper so the paper in the Bamboo Sketchbook really is THICK. If you like mixed media, craft, collage and using a wide array of creative materials, this is a great sketchbook option.
I started my pen testing with brush pens, markers, colored pencils and other art supplies. I drizzled fountain pen ink and even tried some watercolors. The paper is very smooth and reminds me of Bristol Board from art school in terms of weight and smoothness, but its all bound into a handy A5 notebook.
When I flipped the pages over to see if there was any show through or bleed through.
The only time there were issues with bleed through was with the alcohol-based Copic markers and a couple places with drizzled fountain pen ink on the page.
All fountain pens in writing tests performed beautifully. The ink did not spread at all in the tests — so a fine nib stays fine and so forth. Some papers can causes ink to spread and appear wider but this 180gsm bamboo paper kept all nibs true to size.
The fountain pen inks I tried included several sheening inks and all the sheen showed beautifully.
The only downside I discovered with this notebook is that the matte covers pick up dust and fingerprints very easily.
This is probably one of the best value sketchbooks currently on the market. If you are looking for a sketchbook or notebook that can handle a wide range of writing tools and materials, then this will be a book you’ll love.
Get creative and play with this great little value-priced bamboo sketchbook!
DISCLAIMER: The item in this review include affiliate links. The Well-Appointed Desk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Please see the About page for more details.
The post Sketchbook Review: BUKE A5 Size Hardcover Sketchbook Journal – 180Gsm Ultra Bamboo Paper appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.
(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Pretty sure it has something to do with the on/off nature of this past winter, but I'm definitely ready for some warmer weather (or maybe just some consistency?). At any rate, a new notebook is always a good method to add some excitement to the dull weather. This week, I've been enjoying a new notebook from Clairefontaine that rocks an exquisite cover that has a lot of summer vibes.
The Neo Deco line of notebooks from Clairefontaine all feature a unique and bold art deco cover design that can fit any occasion. I couldn't pass up the Turquoise option because of the bright colors and contrast.
The specs of the notebook are very familiar if you've ever used Clairefontaine before. It features 48 pages of 90 gsm paper that provides an excellent writing experience with virtually all writing instruments. All of Clairefontaine’s paper is lined, so that normally turns a portion of people away who prefer other options. It's really a shame and something that I wish the company would change. I happen to enjoy lined paper on some occasions, and Clairefontaine is probably my favorite lined notebook maker. But, I'd buy a lot more of their products if they offered other options like blank, grid, and even dot.
Still, if you dislike lined paper, you still need to at least try Clairefontaine's excellent paper. It really is fantastic, and their notebooks are fairly accessible and affordable.
The Neo Deco line uses a soft cardboard material for the covers and a stitched binding that holds up well. At just 48 pages, the notebook easily stays open when writing, but the front cover will always stand up when the notebook is closed. That's easy to fix with an elastic band, though.
The 48 pages inside are all the same lined pages — no tables of contents or information pages in these notebooks. Branding is also small with this notebook. There are Clairefontaine logos on the front and back, and some information about the company and materials used on the inside of the back cover. Still, the branding is minimal.
Besides the silky paper, the real star of this show is the cover design. In the Turquoise option I picked, the main cover is a bright turquoise blue with gold leaf accents in the shape of tropical leaves. There's also light-blue tropical leaves on top of the blue cover that provide another layer to the design that gives it more dimension. The bright blue and reflective gold are a knockout combination that I love having on my desk.
Sticking with the art deco theme, there are several other cover options if the bright tropical cover isn't your thing. These A5 notebooks come in at $11, which is a great value for the fun covers and excellent paper. I always have at least one Clairefontaine notebook in my active rotation, and the paper quality and writing experience is the main reason. With this new notebook, it stays on top of the stack longer because the bright cover just makes me smile.
(This product was purchased from Goldspot at a discount.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
When you're planning a trip and writing your packing list, do you create a whole category for stationery? Of course you do; you're here. I love thinking about what pens and journals I'll need (or want) on my trips. One of the things I've wanted to do for a while is road-test a Traveler's Notebook from Traveler's Company. I mean, it's right there in the name! And this year seemed like the year to do it, as I have a lot of traveling planned. Mostly short business trips, but there will be planes, trains, boats, and buses, cars, and hotels, and couch surfing. And the Chicago Pen Show, of course. I did some research and planned a TN setup that I think will work for my adventures.
I got everything I needed from JetPens (some sent for review, some I bought to add a few accessories), and I'll be reviewing the components individually, but this post focuses on how I decided to set things up.
First, I opted for the Passport size, since I like to one-bag travel, and space is a premium. I want to use this notebook according to their old "all in one place" motto, so I intend to use it as my planner, wallet, and commonplace book. So, I got a Monthly Planner insert (which is all I'll need once school is over in May!), the zipper pouch/wallet, the kraft folder, a lightweight paper insert, a writing board, a pen holder, the adhesive pockets, and the brass notebook clip. I also got the sheet of double-sided adhesive so I can use it to put bits of travel memorabilia in the notebook.
I want the zipper part in the front of the book (so that I'm not writing on the lump of the zip), and the card slots in the back (to keep them extra safe). I want the monthly planner in front of the commonplace book, since they'll work together (events in the planner, task lists in the notebook). I connected the planner to the notebook with the extra elastic that came in the starter kit and put that pair through the notebook band, then put the zip-wallet behind them, and the folder in the middle. I put the writing board in the folder (along with some essential stickers), the adhesive pockets on the outside of the folder (for business cards), and I'm using the brass clip to hold the folder closed. I started with the pen clip on the back of the notebook, but it was annoying me, so I moved it to the folder as well, so that it holds the pen in a more central spot. I also swapped the black elastic out for the striking red one, and put the adhesive card slot on the inside of the front cover (for my ID). I still need to find a charm or bead for the elastic closure, but I figure that's something I'll find on my travels.
This is the setup I'm thinking and hoping will work for me! I haven't truly started testing it yet. I'm still using my main Midori planner for at least a few more weeks, while school is at its most intense. But using the Traveler's Notebook as a wallet setup for the past few weeks has been very successful. It's not too big or fiddly, it keeps everything safely contained, and I feel like I have everything I need right in my hand.
This notebook kit has so much personality. Maybe it's the act of constructing its layout and combining all the components, but I feel a bit like I've assembled a travel buddy, or like a bit of my own character got caught up in the elastics. You can't assemble a system so personal and not put a bit of yourself into it, I guess. Like Victor Frankenstein, but less messy. Or just as messy, you do you.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
If there's one thing I can never have enough of, it's A5 notebooks. Lucky for me, that particular size is easy to find in just about any paper quality, cover style, and binding style I could ever want. The A5 size just feels right in most situations, and I think it's great to always have one nearby.
The Bindewerk Linen Flex-Cover Notebook is the latest A5 notebook I've tried, and I'm really impressed with the quality that this hand-bound notebook packs inside.
Bindewerk is a small German company that produces stationery goods. This particular notebook features a soft linen cover that flexes easily like a poly cover on a spiral notebook. The linen is soft to the touch but still has a really great texture that makes it easy to handle. The notebook has rounded corners and zero branding on the exterior. The only branding is at the bottom of the inside back cover, which features a simple Bindewerk logo and "Handmade in Germany" in gray ink.
The notebook is perfect bound, and the stitching/binding feels tight and well-done. It can take some time to break in the binding so that the notebook lays flat without something to weigh it down, but once you've written a few pages of notes, it feels like an old worn notebook that goes with you everywhere. Unlike a lot of other A5 notebooks, this one does not have an elastic closure band or any bookmark tassels. It's minimal, and I love it.
The notebook I have features the grey linen fabric, but there are over a dozen other color options available. Regardless of the color you choose, you get the same linen fabric that I've really come to appreciate in this notebook.
The interior of the notebook is as simple and sparse as the exterior. There are no extra pages for titles and content lists — just 192 pages (96 sheets) of premium paper for you to work with. The pages aren't numbered, and there isn't any additional legends outside of the lines or grids (as in, there aren't any special date or title fields at the top). In my case, I have lined paper in this notebook, but you can also find this with blank or dot grid pages.
The paper is a light cream color and is 90gsm. I've had a lot of notebooks that claimed to be 90gsm that couldn't compete with 80gsm paper, so I've learned to take that number with a grain of salt. In the case of this Bindewerk notebook, the paper is absolutely fantastic. Bindewerk imports the paper from Italy to make their notebooks, and their paper choice is stellar. This paper is smooth, supple, and has a nice amount of feedback when writing. It handles fountain pen inks with aplomb and has almost zero show through on the back side of the page — even with dark, wet inks! I was really impressed by how well this paper behaved.
I've really enjoyed having this notebook on my desk over the past weeks. You can never judge a notebook by its unassuming A5 cover, but in the case of this Bindewerk Linen Flex notebook, it's something I highly recommend trying. At about $25, it's a good price. It's a few bucks more than some of the other large brands, but the price tag is worth the exceptional quality in my mind.
(Orange Art, the US distributor for Bindewerk, provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
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When I spied The Grievance Journal ($28) in my Instagram stream, I was in a particularly salty mood and was getting a little fed up with all the toxic-level positivity surrounding the ad. You know what I’m talking about… Instagram influencers all shiny and happy and healthy. Hell yeah, I clicked on the link and hit BUY IT NOW faster than you can say, “Wednesday Addams is my spirit animal.”
Just reading the description on the order page tapped into my long-buried teen angsty Goth girl:
Who is this grievance journal for?
Humans! Particularly humans who like to write things on paper and vent about all the ways in which the world has wronged them. It’s cheaper than therapy and less dangerous than the incarceration that would surely result if you acted on your darkest impulses instead of just jotting them down in this sweet journal for sourpusses.
Ah, the gratitude journal made for dark souls!
The journal is hardcover with a matte finish. Inside is about 214 pages that features prompts and quotes to. inspire your own complaints and grumblings.
The book features two types of page spreads: one is a prompt at the top of the page followed by two pages of lined paper for a response. The second is a 2-page spread on blank paper with a decoratively framed quote on the left had page and a full blank page on the right that can be used to comment on the quote of freeform write or doodle.
I spent an inordinate amount of time reading out the prompts and quotes to my knitters, my dark-hearted friends and my patient spouse. I found them to be inspired and delightful.
Of course, with a “novelty” product (for lack of a better word), the paper quality was going to be immediately called into question. This is a book made for its message, not for the exacting standards of the picky-ass fountain pen community.
Truly, the Grievance Journal lives up to the hype, at least for me.
Anger management journal for venting about life’s annoyances.
If you have friends, family or children who need a good place to revel in their dark thoughts, this journal is the place. Would I love it even more if the paper was truly fountain pen friendly? Yes. But do I love it in spite of its short comings? Yes. We all have our flaws, mine are just written down in this journal now.
PS: If you see a Grievance Journal on Amazon, its not the “real deal”. There’s a note in the description page on Bored Walk that they don’t sell on Amazon so beware of fakes.
DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this review were provided free of charge for the purpose of review. Some items were purchased with funds from our amazing Patrons. You can help support this blog by joining our Patreon. Please see the About page for more details.
The post Notebook Review: Grievance Journal appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
Midori paper is some of the best out there, and this 70th Anniversary Limited Edition set of the MD Light notebooks is a lovely celebration of that legacy.
The set includes 7 of their A5 notebooks. The cover is light cardstock in a cream color, and the paper is ivory. The notebooks are bound with different colors of threading that can be seen along the spine, and the grid pattern inside the pages matches the thread color, which was an exciting surprise. The grids are well printed, so they are visible in the light colors and not too obtrusive in the dark colors. It's the perfect balance. The colorful grid lines also don't add any distraction when writing, though I admit I'm tempted to coordinate my pen and ink colors to the notebook's color. But that just makes it more fun.
The grid is 5mm with 10mm marks along the edge for extra guidance. It works well as a typical grid, for outlines and lists, but can also be used as lined paper for writing at either the 5mm or 10mm marks. The grid is heavy enough, though, that it can't be easily ignored. It doesn't fade into the background like some do. But it isn't meant to--this is a birthday party notebook!
The colors are dark red, sepia brown, yellow, green, light blue, navy blue, and purple. The notebooks come in a sturdy cardboard sleeve that can also work as a storage box. The set comes with a label and number sticker for each notebook.
The Midori MD paper is one of my favorites to use. It holds up well to almost any writing utensil. Sharpie bleeds through, but all fountain pen ink does very well, with no bleeding or feathering and very little ghosting. It's a pleasure to write on, and the colorful grids in this edition make it even more fun. Each notebook has 32 sheets, and since you can easily use both sides of the page with this paper, that gives you 64 pages per notebook, or 448 pages in the whole box.
The cost of this set is $45.50 at JetPens, which is a great value for the number of quality pages you receive. There's enough here to write a whole book, or a year's worth of class notes, or seven months of daily pages... Endless possibilities. Happy 70th, Midori!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
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