What I'm using in 2018... part 1

Hello all! Remember me?? I'm the blogger who used to post a LOT more regularly about stationery...

Where have I been?

Publishing another book for a start... "Lies That Poison" came out in September and I was super-busy getting that ready... then The Wrong Kind of Clouds got re-published as "The Call" this week and I was super-busy with that too!

But, back to stationery... I've just about got sorted with what I'm using next year! This post will be about what I'm using as my planner in 2018.

New Traveller's Notebook

In my post on Planning 2016, I said that I'd ordered another Traveller's Notebook, to hold the booklets in which I'll be doing my writing and publishing planning in 2016. But, what did I choose??

I considered whether to get a Field Notes sized cover as I have a heap of Field Notes booklets and I could have easily used them to do my goals to next action planning. Except they are not fountain-pen friendly! It would have annoyed me far too much to have the plans I want to keep, written in biro on rubbish paper (sorry to all you Field Notes fans out there). So, it needed to be good paper for the notebooks and a cover I would want to use all the time.

Midori TN or A5 size then? I had some 013 booklets that would be okay with fountain pens and quite a few A5 booklets (or they could be cut down to Midori size from A5 if necessary).

Well, the aspect ratio of A5 always pleases me more than Midori's tall and skinny size, but, A5 was going to be a touch too big to be honest, and since I had a couple of the 013 Midori inserts I could use for planning, Midori TN size it was. But which cover? There's the original Midori ones in black or brown or a whole range on non-Midori brands on Etsy to choose from.

I much prefer a stiff cover to a floppy one and I can never tell from people's pictures or videos whether the Midori TN is a stiff cover or a floppy cover (maybe someone can tell me in the comments?). I also need a colour pop. I've too many discarded Filofaxes which testify to that! So, I ordered a non-Midori TN cover (also called 'Fauxdori', but I'm not a great lover of the term). I ordered it from Sun Leaves on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SunLeaves) and chose the blue colour (K on the drop down menu) with black elastics and my initials embossed in the bottom right hand corner (the way I have them on my red Traveller's Journal from Stamford Notebook Company).

I really liked the look of the ones in Sun Leaves, because the edges of the leather had been finished nicely (too often, it's just the raw edge of the leather but these are hand-finished - bevelled and burnished) and they didn't have the brass bit sticking out of the spine (which I feared would scratch my desk!). There's a great selection of colours to choose from, getting the initials embossed was included and you could choose the colour of the elastics too. I had a long look at un-dyed leather ones too, especially on Eternal Leather Goods (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EternalLeatherGoods) but I didn't like the brass sticking out of the spine. The un-dyed leather would turn a beautiful caramel shade in time, but it may take longer if it's a TN that stays on my desk, rather than travels with me.

So, winging its way to me is a blue TN cover from Sun Leaves. We won't get any post until the 5th January, but hopefully it will arrive soon after that! Pictures and another post when it gets here!

Supplies for the Stamford Traveller's Journal 1: Midori 007 and 008

I am well on my way to pimping my Stamford Traveller's Journal! So far I have bought for it:

• Midori 013 insert (128 pages, extra thin paper; see review here)
• Midori 007 refill (card holder)
• Midori 008 refill (zipper pocket)
• Rhodia cahier grid notebooks
• Rhodia cahier lined notebooks

[I also bought Moleskine cahiers but they are too shite to go on about and will never make it into the STJ! See here for details!]

I realise of all the extras, I have only reviewed the Midori 013 refill. Let me make amends!

Midori 007 refill (card holder)
This only arrived today and was bought in case I start to use my Stamford TJ as a wallet and carry-around planner (which I will... let me get 2015 out of the way!). I bought it from a Japanese store, via Amazon and although the delivery was a little slow it was free, the price of the refill was reasonable and they sent me an origami crane as a present!

Origami crane

The card holder holds 12 cards in total: each half of the insert holds 6 (3 in each side of the insert). The slots are a little bigger than the slots in a Filofax card holder insert but are not so roomy that the cards will fall out. The openings also face inwards so there is no chance of the cards falling out.

Still in wrapper

Opened out

As with all the Midori Traveller's inserts, they are designed to be held in place by elastic though they could also be put in so that they wrapped around a notebook and not need an elastic loop of their own. I've chosen not to do that as I would rather have all my cards together so I have replaced the leather thongs in the Stamford TJ with elastic and put 4 loops in - 1 for the zipped insert, 1 for the card holder and 2 for notebooks.

In situ at the back of the Traveller's Journal

There are no pictures of my cards in the holder as I would have to redact everything, but rest assured that they fit in easily. Top opening slots might be easier to access than the inward-facing openings but would be less secure. Get organised as you're standing in line to pay for things so you don't end up in a flap!

Midori 008 (zipped pocket)
I ordered this from The Journal Shop (no affiliation, just a happy customer). One side of it has a zipped pocket and the other has slip pockets.

Still in wrapper

Zipped pocket (L); slip pockets (R)

Slip pocket on each side of the RHS

It could be slipped into a Traveller's Journal so that it wrapped around a notebook, but again, I have put mine in on its own elastic so that it is at the front, rather than the slip pockets coming between the notebooks or having the slip pockets and the card slots all at the back.

In situ

In situ showing both sides of the insert

Both of these inserts are made of fairly sturdy plastic (polyethylene?). I haven't used them yet but they feel as if they will stand up to the rigours of use very well. I'll report back on their durability (and usefulness) after I've used the TJ more extensively.

I'm still LOVING the look of the TJ and itching to get into it. I love the fact that the cover is sturdy rather than floppy. The floppiness of Midori (and most 'fauxdori') put me off getting one but this one is pretty rigid. That, the colour and the fact that it is closer to A5 (and less tall and narrow looking than a Midori) are what made me buy this rather than any other brand and I'm not regretting the decision!

Compare and contrast: notebooks for the Stamford Traveller's Journal

I bought a gorgeous Stamford Traveller's Journal the other week (see here for my review) and have also looked at a couple of other potential notebooks to use as refills: Midori 013 refill (reviewed here) and the Moleskine large cahiers (see review here).

Today I'm going to do a compare and contrast with the notebooks that came with the Traveller's Journal (and which can be bought from Stamford Notebook Co.). I'll compare the size of the notebooks, how well they fit in the cover, the paper quality and value for money.

Size and how well they fit in the cover:
The original notebooks are 12.5cm x 21cm. The Midori 013 is narrower at 11cm x 21cm. The Moleskine large cahiers are a smidgen wider at 13cm x 21cm.

L-R Moleskine cahier, Stamford Notebook Co., Midori
(the Stamford is clipped shut for the photo!)

How well do they fit in the cover?

Original:

Two notebooks side by side

Both notebooks in

Midori:
The Midori notebooks are narrower and I was worried that even though it's only 15mm difference, it was enough that they would look swamped by the cover.

Midori on top of the Stamford

Two notebooks side by side

Both notebooks in

It certainly feels smaller. I would have to road-test for longer to see how much it would bug me.

Moleskine:
The Moleskine are only 5mm wider and to be honest, it's hardly noticeable.

Moleskine top; Stamford bottom

Stamford on top of Moleskine (honest!)

Two notebooks side by side

Both notebooks in

Size-wise, I don't think there's much in it. The Midori might be a shade too narrow.

Paper quality:
Well, the Stamford wins hands-down. No feathering, silky smooth, no bleed-through, no show-through.
The Midori is second. Silky smooth, no feathering, no bleed-through but significant show-through with most pen/ink combinations.
The Moleskine would be good for ripping up and using to make papier-mache models. Not all that smooth, significant feathering, significant bleed-through, significant show-through. Horrible.

Stamford, front

Midori, front

Moleskine, front

Stamford, reverse

Midori, reverse

Moleskine, reverse

Value for money:
The Stamford notebooks are £4.95 for 60 sides (8.25p/side)
The Midori notebooks are £5.95 for 128 sides (4.65p/side)
Moleskine cahiers are £6.20 for three; £2.07 per cahier; 80 sides per cahier (2.59p/side)

Yeah - there's a reason the Moleskines are that cheap!

Overall:
Depending on how much the narrowness of the Midori notebooks bugged me, I would think strongly about using them as replacements when the originals run out. If the narrowness bugs me too much (or I want to be able to use a wider range of pens) I would buy the Stamford notebooks. The Moleskines could have been an option if I just wanted to use them as a scrapbook and not for any writing whatsoever.
I'll also be road-testing some Clairefontaine notebooks and Rhodia cahiers soon. They're A5 but can easily be cut down to fit.

Midori 013 insert review

As you must all know by now, I ordered one of the GORGEOUS Stamford Notebook Co. Traveller's Journals last week. Naturally, my mind then considered potential refills, other than the Stamford Notebook Co. versions. Just to have options. You'll all understand.

So, I ordered the Midori 013 insert and two different kinds of Moleskine cahier - ruled and squared to do a compare and contrast with the notebooks that come with the Traveller's Journal - on paper quality, number of pages, fit within the leather cover and overall value for money.
[I write. A lot. I could get through a lot of notebooks in a very short time. These things are important to me!]

Anyway, the Traveller's Journal is still in transit so the Midori inserts have arrived before the TJ...

I went for the Midori 013 as I was curious about the paper. I've heard mixed things about it. For those not in the know, the 013 insert has 128 pages instead of the standard 64 page fill. However, I had heard that the show-through of ink to the reverse of the page was significant. To my mind, there would be no point in having twice as many pages in the booklet if you could only write on one side of them!

So here we go:

The notebooks were ordered from The Journal Shop (no affiliation, just a loyal customer) and arrived promptly. They came in a cellophane bag with the insert label on the front. The notebook inside is plain, front and back and is 11cm x 21cm. It has quite a strong smell but I genuinely cannot describe what it smells of! Glue? But the book is stapled.

Still in its wrapper

Plain cover

Inside, the very first and last sheet are of different paper. In the front it is stamped with a frame for you to label up what the notebook is about and the Midori logo at the bottom.

Front sheet

On the back page, there is a small stamp that says Traveler's notebook. For all the travelers who have a free spirit.

[a free spirit, but who are unable to spell travellers it seems]

The main paper itself is a slightly off-white colour and unlined and un-numbered.

main paper - unlined and not numbered

And now for the ink tests!!

For once, I don't have a zillion pens all inked up. Only 7 fountain pens are inked (which may well be 6-7 more than most people have but surely not people visiting a blog called Paper, Pens and Ink??).

The paper is beautiful to write on. Smooth and silky and drying times on most inks weren't excessive (though if you're left-handed you may find some issues). With a dark-background (my desk) the paper showed almost no show-through to the reverse but when I folded the paper back on itself, there was some.

Ink tests

Reverse with a dark background (my desk)

Reverse when the page is folded back
(so there is  a page behind it)

The show-through is there but it's actually not as bad as I feared. I think a fine nib rather than my italic versions and the right ink could be perfectly usable. The Platinum Plaisir is about the finest nib I have and the show-through isn't too bad. Not so bad I would feel like I couldn't use the reverse, anyway.

Once the Traveller's Journal arrives I'll post about how good a fit these are in it (they are the same height, but 1.5cm narrower than the Stamford notebooks).

Guest post from Gerard: Compact Setup, Compact Write-up

Thank you to my very good friend Gerard for this guest post on the set-up he is using! Read, and drool over the lovely stationery and binders!!

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time".

- T. S. Eliot

L-R Midori date-book, Davinci binder, Smythson notebook

It sometimes seems as though I barely touch down in one binder before moving on to the next. Apart from the simple fun in the exploration, each change offers a fresh look at what I'm carrying about with me, and why. There's often no big change, but the fun remains, and it's a way of staying engaged with my set-up, which currently spans a Personal binder, A5 journal and a pocket notebook.

The binder is a Davinci Compact Personal - which the Japanese call "Bible" size - with the evocative model name DB1703. It's a very well made bridle leather binder, with 15mm rings, a single retractable pen loop and a slip fastening. I chose the dark brown colour, and it's a nice rich chestnut shade. The inside covers are pale tan leather, with two-full height pockets and three credit card slots inside the front cover. The back cover features another full-height pocket and a handy secretarial pocket. The binder also has ring protectors, to prevent the rings showing through to the outside leather. As a bonus, the Davinci refills use the lovely Tomoe River paper, so I can finally use fountain pens for writing in all three books.

The Davinci’s contents are arranged using standard Filofax subject tabs, and the following is a brief outline of what sits behind each tab:
Diary: 10x monthly planner sheets, 16 weeks of standard Filofax WO2P Diary, printed sheets for Birthdays/Anniversaries and Annual Leave.

Monthly planner pages

Close-up of the monthly planner pages

Notes: plenty of lined paper, with a tabbed flyleaf to mark a subdivision.
Projects: GTD Lists at the front (Next Actions, Waiting For, Errands), followed by another tabbed flyleaf to mark Project Plans and Checklists, and a Someday/Maybe List, and finally a supply of blank paper for notes and planning. Each month I create a simple list of 12 goals, two relating to each of my six defined Life Areas. I use these as an overall guide to manage my time and attention, as I’ve found that anything more rigid is likely to go by the board.

Monthly goals sheets

Information: specific printed checklists for Holidays and other purposes, plus more notes.
Financial: a handful of sheets for household bills etc.
Addresses: Three sheets printed double-sided with full details for almost 90 contacts, a sheet for noting new contacts and two sheets for WWW addresses. Closing off the binder is a business card holder for cards and postage stamps, and a top opening envelope that carries paper slips and a lovely guinea fowl card that was a gift from Amanda!

The back of the binder

Essentially, all I'm carrying now is a diary, task and to do lists, some pages for planning and information on the go and plenty of notepaper. The overflow diary leaves, along with high level planning sections stay at home in an old Succes compact binder.

I use a Smythson Panama pocket notebook for book notes, and as a sort of commonplace book. It's just three by five inches and comes along in my pocket for evening outings, as well as travelling in my briefcase by day. It holds quotes and random notes, and the fact that they are permanently bound in chronological order makes for, uhhm, diverting reading, and some surprising changes of direction.

The final component of my setup is an A5 Midori Datebook for journalling, which only occasionally leaves home. It contains a two-page overview for each month, followed by plenty of undated lined pages. These lined pages are each divided by thicker lines into four sections, so that a two-page spread can accommodate six or seven lines of notes for each weekday, with an additional space for memos. Being undated, these pages work equally well for periodic journalling.

Midori - monthly overview pages

Midori - lined pages, and GORGEOUS pens

That’s the Paper side of things covered, but what about the Pens and Ink?  The pen loop carries a Graf von Faber Castell ballpoint, for times when a biro can’t be avoided. For all writing on Filofax paper, I use an Aurora Optima rollerball fitted with a Pilot G2 gel refill. A Sailor Pro Gear fountain pen with Sailor Yama dori ink serves for notes on the lovely Tomoe River, Smythson and Midori papers.

Beautiful trio!!

So, that's it - a simple, compact system in three parts, each perfectly adapted to its purpose, that allows me to carry precisely what I need at any time.

Is anyone else using a range of formats? Please share any thoughts in the comments.

Review of the Midori MD A5 lined notebook

Two reviews in two days... At this rate, I might actually review all my new notebooks before buying some more...
[ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... who are you trying to kid ???????]

Anyway, today it is the turn of the Midori MD A5 lined notebook, bought in The Journal Shop’s 20% off everything sale. Again, no affiliation, just a happy customer. As ever, click on any picture for a bigger version.

I bought the Midori MD notebook because I was intrigued. I haven’t got a Midori Traveller Notebook but I have heard good things about the paper and it is the same paper used in these notebooks.

Overview:
It’s a good notebook. The paper is fabulous. I’m not convinced by the bold line across the middle. There are 176 non-numbered pages. The notebook is 149mm x 210mm.

Front cover

Detail:
Cover:
The notebook had a slip-cover of what feels like waxy tissue paper. I’m sure it has a proper name (tell me what it is in the comments if you know it!). Around the outside of that was a label, which was all in Japanese, so I can’t tell you what it says.

Back cover (still in the plastic wrapper)

Waxy tissue paper slip cover

Once you remove the slip cover and loose label, you see the cover of the notebook. It is made of thick cream card, with a small “MD paper Made in Japan” logo embossed in the middle of the RHS. The binding is hard to describe – it looks like an open-weave bandage that has been firmly glued to the spine. Again, this probably has a proper name and again, tell me in the comments what it is if you know it! The pages are bound with thread-stitching.

Front cover with slip-cover tissue paper reflected back

There is no pocket in the back – this is a basic notebook.

Inside:
The first page has a space for putting something – title, picture, whatever. Underneath the space is MD Notebook Made in Japan and the Midori logo. Inevitably, this page is glued to the next (the next being the first lined page of the book) so that the next page doesn’t open out fully. There were two labels (and a blank one) – ‘idea’ and ‘diary’ though I am not sure where they are supposed to go – they are too big for the box-space on the first page and I think the spine is too rough for them.

First page

Labels

The pages have 27 lines with a line-spacing of 7mm, a top margin of 16mm, a bottom margin of 12mm and an inner margin where the lines don’t reach the spine of 2mm. The 14th line down (in the centre of the page) is bold.
I do not know why. Nor do I much care for it. It remains to be seen how much this will piss me off when I use the notebook, but at first glance it’s annoyed me.
The page edges are all squared and extremely smooth-feeling.

Bold central line.

The paper is lovely to write on. Forgive the crumpled look to the pages – I didn’t extract them from the book very well (I was worrying more about the book than the removed pages to be honest!). The book also lies as flat as a bat! The open-weave bandage/thread-stitching binding works a treat! There is a page marker of narrow, dark green ribbon.

Fountain Pen Tests:
The paper was glorious to write on (as you might anticipate, it being Midori and all that). No feathering, nice crisp lines, smooth and not too ‘grabby’ but one of my inks took a while to dry as a consequence of the surface of the paper, so lefties may want to just test out their pen/ink combos.

Fountain pen tests - no feathering...

Almost no bleed-through. When I first did the test I thought there was none at all, but there is a smidgen. It’s better than the Leuchtturm books but still not as good as the Clairefontaine Age Bags (what is??).

...no bleed-through

Overall:
Hmm. Only 3 ½ (out of 5). The paper is delightful to write on, but they are more expensive than my go-to Clairefontaine A5 Age Bag notebooks (about twice the price) and without many more bells and whistles. And that bold line is more irritating than I thought it would be (though it might grow on me).