Tag: stationery

My Experience at the 2021 DC Pen Show!

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It’s been almost two weeks since I attended the DC Pen Show! I had a great time, after 1.5 years without any fountain pen conventions or meetups. The last one I went to was the Baltimore Pen Show in early March 2020, right before COVID shut everything down. I expected the pen show to be less crowded, but the hotel was filled with people! It was nice to see the show so popular, but also made me nervous. I tried not to stay in one place for too long. I’m glad the DC Organizers required masks and encouraged visitors to be vaccinated. I also made the decision not to meet up with people at the bar afterwards, sorry! I really wanted to, but being maskless is still nerve-wracking to me.

I was sad not to see Brad with his stationery company Nock Co., or Ana working at the Vanness table! But there were still so many great companies there. My new favorite is Odyssey Notebooks, created only recently by Rainbow! I was fangirling over her celestial and mythology themed notebooks on Reddit and Instagram, so it was great to see her there. Her notebooks use the last of the Tomoe River 68gsm paper, with dot grid and numbered pages! There are also 160gsm notebooks perfect for bullet journaling. I was excited to see B5 size notebooks with TR paper, which I find to be very rare. Only my Good Inkpressions notebook is that size, but actually smaller. I will try to post a full review of the Odyssey Notebooks later.

One of my other favorite parts of the show is the Ink Testing Station. It consists of several tables filled with a rainbow of ink bottles, all from different brands. There are pieces of paper, dip pens, q-tips, cups of water, and paper towels available so anyone can test out the ink! I always bring my own dip pen and notebook to use. It’s a great way to try out new colors before buying them.

As for my haul, let me tell you all about it! I bought a Midori MD notebook for my mom, a Nanami A5 TR 68gsm notepad, a Nanami B6 notebook, two Odyssey Notebooks, one A5 and one B5, and Field Notes Snowy Evening. I only bought two pens, one a gorgeous Franklin Christoph 45 with a juicy medium nib and blue Diamondcast galaxy-like resin. The other was a TWSBI 580ALR Prussian Blue with a medium nib. I’ve had some issues with my TWSBI’s before, but this one works perfectly and holds 1.95ml of ink! I bought tons of ink, including the fun mythology-themed Laban Artemis and Aphrodite, as well as Taccia Navy Blue Jeans, Diamine Woodland Green, Sailor 123 for my friend, and Colorverse String (a replacement for KWZ Honey which I’m apparently allergic to). Finally, I got 11 washi tapes for $10.

I’m very glad I was able to attend the DC Pen Show. It almost felt like the world was going back to normal, though Delta is now upon us. Pen shows are the best way to try out new pens and inks, as well as interact with other stationery fanatics!

Pebble Stationery Co. Midnight Edition Notebook

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In my last post, I was talking about my search for Tomoe River pocket notebooks. Another great option is from Pebble Stationery Co! They Kickstarted their first pocket notebooks in 2018 and have since expanded to A5 Cahiers and leather covers. Today, I’ll be reviewing the Midnight limited edition.

Specs:

  • 2-pack for $12.99
  • 52gsm white Tomoe River paper
  • 4mm dot grid
  • 80 pages
  • pocket size, 3.5” x 5.5”
  • covered stitched spine
  • 350gsm cardstock cover
  • black edged pages!

The Midnight is a very appealing notebook to me, because of its superior paper and the “stealthy” design. The cover is made of a thick cardstock with embedded sparkles in it, making it look like a starry night sky! Pebble Stationery Co. is printed in metallic black in the bottom right of the cover. The edges are covered in a matte black ink, further adding to the stealthiness. The binding is stitched with blue thread. The overall effect of the notebook is sleek and beautiful! It reminds me of the long-gone Field Notes Night Sky, which had foiled starry back covers. I love how the sparkle is subtle and most obvious under direct light. Compared to the Elemental Paper Electron I just reviewed, the cover is thinner and lighter but should still hold up.

There’s a thin belly band keeping the two notebooks together. Inside the cover is a place to write your name, contact information, dates, location, and content. The inside is a pleasing icy blue, matching the stitching. Inside the back cover is more information about the Midnight Edition. The notebook lays relatively flat once I press down on it but the cover springs up afterwards.

Inside is 80 pages of 52gsm Tomoe River paper! Because of its slimness, the Midnight packs in more paper than the average Field Notes. The ruling is 4mm dot grid, smaller than the 5mm that I’m used to. Because of this, my handwriting skewed smaller in this notebook than in a Field Notes or Story Supply Co. The dots themselves are light gray and inconspicuous. They’re much more subtle compared to the large Baron Fig dots and most comparable to the dots in Leuchtturm1917 notebooks.

There’s lot’s of shading and sheen as always in the 52gsm TR paper. I didn’t even try the gel pens this time, they would smear everywhere! Dry time is very long, from 30 seconds to a minute for fountain pens. I tried hard not to rub my hand across the paper this time. Show through was heavy. It’s still not the most practical paper in a pocket notebook. But if you want the best paper, Tomoe River is it.

Compared to the Electron, the Midnight feels a bit more fragile. I would be more careful with how I store this notebook. Before the pandemic, I carried notebooks in a zippered pocket in my backpack. The Midnight would do well there, but I’d be careful storing it in a pants pocket. Both of them are more expensive than the average Field Notes but that is because of the great paper. The Midnight only comes in a 2-pack which is a bit low but there’s almost enough paper inside for two more notebooks if they had the same page count as Field Notes! My other issue is that the company is situated in Australia so it took about two weeks for my notebooks to arrive but I was expecting delays anyways.

If you’re looking for a well-designed pocket notebook with quality Tomoe River, Pebble Stationery Co. has you covered! I love the unique elements like the black edges and the starry cover. The Midnight is a limited edition and will run out eventually so get it while you can. Pebble Stationery Co. also donates a pencil to a child in need for each notebook pack you buy, which is wonderful!

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review.

Elemental Paper Electron Notebook Review

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I’m always searching for pocket notebooks with quality paper. So far, I’ve tried Field Notes, Write Notepads, Story Supply Co, Fabriano, even a mini Leuchtturm1917. The stapled Write Notepads are my favorite because they’re slightly bigger, use bright white fountain pen friendly paper, and have beautiful designs. But I use mostly Tomoe River for my story notebooks. So I thought, why not try TR pocket notebooks? There aren’t many options out there, excluding plain inserts. I like my pocket notebooks to use sturdy covers and look pretty! Today, I’ll be reviewing the Elemental Paper Electron Notebook which has 96 pages of white 52gsm Tomoe River paper. 

Specs: 

  • 3-pack of notebooks for $16
  • 52gsm white Tomoe River paper
  • blue lines, with spaces in between
  • 96 pages
  • pocket size, 3.5” x 5.5”
  • sturdy leatherette cover
  • stitched binding

The Electron notebooks come in packs of three, with a sturdy slipcover to contain them. There’s interesting information about electrons on the back cover. The covers are made of a “leatherette” material, which is soft and supple in my hands. It’s a lovely navy blue cover with E-, the sign for electron, imprinted in the bottom right edge. On the back, is Elemental with a periodic table around the E. I love the design, especially the stitched binding that makes it lay more flat than staples would. 

I can bend the entire notebook, which is a good sign if you stuff yours in your backpack. I carried an Unobtanium pocket notebook in my bag for several months and it held up perfectly, except for some gouges on the cover. One issue with leatherette is that it can scratch easily. I don’t really care how dinged up mine get. It adds character and I usually put a big sticker on the front anyways. The cover also sticks up after opening it, but most pocket notebooks don’t.

Inside are matching navy blue endpapers with an electron shell diagram and blank periodic table where you can print your name. I like that the Electron has endpapers because it helps protect the thin Tomoe River inside. There’s 96 pages inside, two times more compared to the Field Notes’ 48.

The white 52gsm Tomoe River paper is a nice change from the usual porous Field Notes I use. The Electron has 6mm blue lines, which aren’t too distracting. There is also a dash subtracted from the line every 6mm, another quirky but visually interesting aspect. I really like how Elemental Paper plays with ruling, like using bright green reticle in the now sold out Uranium and the dashed lines in the Electron. Most notebooks use the same gray lines or dots but I like to see different rulings. 

There is plenty of shading and sheen, even in such a tiny space! However, the main issue with using TR paper in a pocket notebook shows up very quickly. I’m left-handed and it’s already a struggle to keep my ink from smearing in an A5 notebook. Here, it’s even worse because the page is so small! The Pilot Precise V5, Pilot Juice, and Papermate Inkjoy smeared  under my hand. The Papermate Inkjoy dried quickly but it has a bit of bleed through. I would only use fountain pens in this notebook.

Fountain pens take a long time to dry, from 30 seconds to a minute. This is annoying for a pocket notebook that you will be opening and shutting quickly. However, if you know what you’re getting into, TR is still the most fountain pen friendly paper ever. I’m just not sure if it’s right for me as a leftie. There’s also plenty of showthrough, which can be distracting but is normal for 52gsm TR paper. I still like it better than the paper in the Unobtanium, which sucked up fountain pen ink and feathered everywhere. 

Overall, I love the design and paper of the Electron. Despite it being harder to use without smearing, I will enjoy using this more with my fountain pen inks instead of sticking to ball points in Field Notes. There’s still 500+ Electrons left before they sell out at Elemental Paper’s website!

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review.

Elemental Paper Uranium Notebook Review

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The last time I reviewed a notebook from Elemental Paper, the Nitrogen, I loved the thoughtful design but was disappointed by the quality of the paper. Since then, Elemental started using Tomoe River paper, my favorite! I loved the Proton and sold out Iodine and was excited to see new notebooks. Today, I’ll be reviewing the Uranium. It has interesting qualities that make it stand out among other A5 Tomoe River notebooks. It uses a lime green reticle grid that glows under black light! I’ll dive into this notebook more in the upcoming paragraphs.

Specs:

  • 52gsm white Tomoe River paper
  • $18
  • bright green reticle grid (reticle means tiny crosses)
  • 352 pages
  • A5 size
  • gray linen cover
  • two bookmarks (one glows under black light)

The Uranium feels luxurious, with a gray cloth cover, green foil stamping on the spine, and the emission spectrum printed on the edges. It makes a great impression. It reminds me of the stylish design of my Baron Fig notebooks. Uranium comes in a sturdy slipcase that protected it from any damage in transit. The front shows the element from the periodic table while the back has more information on Uranium’s properties. The cloth feels nice to run my hand across. Of course, it is more susceptible to staining and dust than a plastic or paper cover. One negative for me is that the cloth is stretched unevenly across the notebook, which didn’t occur in my Iodine or Nitrogen. However, this might just be my notebook. Two bookmarks, one yellow and one green (it glows under backlight) extend from the cover. They are long enough to grasp easily, a positive compared to the stubby Baron Fig bookmark. The Uranium is a standard A5 size so it should fit into external covers.

The inside shows more thoughtful design! The endpapers are bright green and have a Bohr model one one side and a periodic table where you can fill in your name on the other. The back has a small logo and information about Elemental Paper. The Uranium lies completely flat, except for the first and last pages which are glued.

The paper is white 52gsm Tomoe River paper, which means it will handle any fountain pens you throw at it! I saw plenty of shading and sheen in Iroshizuko Kujaku. I see more sheen and shading on 52gsm than 68gsm, which is my usual go-to. I haven’t used 52gsm in a while, so I forgot how long it takes gel pens to dry on this paper. My Pilot Juice pen smeared all over! I don’t recommend using those. Papermate Inkjoy dried quickly but it actually bled through in spots. So did my rollerball Pilot Precise V5. So I’d stick to pencil, fast drying pens, or fountain pens on this paper.

I tried several different inks on this paper, and there was some clashing with the bright green reticle. Of course greens and blues blended in more while my Bungubox Sweet Love Pink looked a bit strange! However, I still love the idea of this colored grid and it doesn’t bother me too much. The reticle grid seems to be ink repellent but doesn’t stick out as badly as the large dots in a Baron Fig do.

The grid itself is a perfect size for me, large enough to guide my writing but not dominating the page. I compared the Uranium with my two Nanami Crossfield notebooks (the old edition had larger reticle crosses) and it was most similar to the old edition. The crosses on the new Crossfield are so small and dark that they look like dots. As a lover of the old edition, this is a great replacement for when I fill up that Crossfield.

One negative is that there’s a lot of show through. 52gsm white paper especially seems to have this effect. This is what turned me off from 52gsm in the first place. However, the ghosting becomes less prominent when you write on the backside, until it becomes less noticeable. If you hate show through, I’d recommend the 68gsm, but 52gsm is still great.

Overall, I love the Uranium notebook! It’s so delightfully nerdy that it makes me smile when I look at it. It’s also a good replacement for the old Crossfield if you loved a bigger reticle grid. This edition is selling fast, and there’s only 140 notebooks left! You can buy it on their website here. Sadly, this is one of the last notebooks Elemental Paper will be making, as they decided to close their business to focus on family. I’m very sad to hear that, and I wish the creators luck on their future ventures!

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

Fabriano Ecoqua Pocket Notebook Review

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After being pleasantly surprised by the paper in the Fabriano Ecoqua Gluebound, I bought a 4 pack of pocket notebooks at my local Plaza Art. Write Notepads and Story Supply Co. are my favorites for pocket carry but I’m always searching for more options.

Specs: 

  • 4 pack, in “warm” and “cool” colors
  • 85gsm “Bioprima” ivory acid-free paper
  • $9.50-11.00
  • 32 sheets, 64 pages
  • 3.5″ x 5.5″, pocket size
  • 4mm dot grid
  • staplebound

The Fabriano Ecoqua Pocket Notebooks come in a set of four “warm” colors, red, orange, yellow and green. There is also a “cool” set available. They have a bellyband and a packet with more information about Fabriano. The cover is made of a thick textured paper that stands up to daily carry well. “Fabriano” and “Made in Italy” are printed in faint silver ink on the back. The paper corners are rounded off. Compared to the gluebound, I think these notebooks would hold up well in my bag. Two staples hold the notebook together. It could use another staple because it’s hard for this notebook to stay flat.

The paper is the same as the gluebound, ivory with light 4mm dots. The paper holds up well to pencil, gel pen, and fountain pen use. There is shading and a bit of sheen, and no feathering! Show through is minimal. The Inkjoy and Zebra Sarasa shows through more than my fountain pens. The pages are slightly textured, providing a pleasant tooth when writing. The second half of the notebook has perforations for tearing out pages. It tore out cleanly when I tried.

hard to lay flat, used a salt shaker!
weird discoloration

One issue I found was that the dry time for fountain pens was longer than I’d like. It took 10 seconds for the ink to dry. This is okay for larger notebooks but in pocket notebooks, I write quickly then close the book. Write Notepads also has a long dry time of 10 seconds but Story Supply Co. takes only 3 seconds! I also found it hard to make the Fabriano stay flat because of its two staples and thick paper. Finally, part of my notebook cover is discolored but that’s not too much of a problem, just annoying.

These notebooks are a great deal for the price! I love how they include four books instead of three, contain great paper, and come in fun colors. I recommend them if you want quality notebooks for a good price.

I bought these notebooks with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

 

Fabriano Ecoqua Gluebound Notebook Review

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I bought the Fabriano Ecoqua Gluebound notebook at my school bookstore some time ago. I’ve seen the Fabriano brand in art stores before but not commonly elsewhere. So I picked it up, not realizing that it was gluebound! It’s not my favorite binding but I think the notebook will be useful for people who want to tear out notes or make lists. Here’s my review:

Specs: 

  • 85gsm “Bioprima” acid-free paper
  • $5.20-6.50, based on where you buy it
  • 90 sheets, 180 pages
  • 5.8″ x 8.25″, A5
  • 4mm dot grid
  • gluebound

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The Fabriano Gluebound is a slim A5 notebook with a textured paper cover. Mine is gray, but there are several bright colors to choose from. Fabriano is printed faintly on the front in silver ink and it looks classy. The corners aren’t rounded so they could get dinged up easily. Some of the paper sticks out from the edge. I don’t think the notebook would last long in my backpack with its thin, light construction. This is more of a desk pad to me.

Inside is a slim block of 85gsm paper. It’s cool to see the binding on the side. The notebook lays flat easily due to being gluebound. However, I’m not sure how sturdy the binding is. I’ve seen reviews where people say the pages tear out by themselves, but that hasn’t happened so far for me. The pages are easy to tear out and don’t leave any pieces behind.

Now, onto the paper! The dot grid is smaller, 4mm compared to the average 5mm. However, the dots are light and fade into the background easily. The paper has some texture to it, that my finer fountain pens catch on. However, I like some texture when I’m writing. It’s not as toothy as Baron Fig paper, but not as smooth as Tomoe River.

My pen test
Not much showthrough
Some golden sheen in Taccia Momo
I was surprised by the quality of the paper! It shows some shading and even a bit of golden sheen in my sample of Taccia Momo. I didn’t see any feathering or spreading of ink. The paper is ivory but shows off the ink well. Pencils do well on the textured paper. However, I felt like my finer pens felt more scratchy. The showthrough isn’t bad either. The juicy Zebra Sarasa and Pentel Energel left more showthrough. I’d use both sides of the page. It took 10 seconds for fountain pen ink to dry. It’s a good budget option for fountain pens.

I’d suggest using this notebook for taking quick notes and making lists. Don’t use this as a journal or repository for important writing because the pages are meant to be torn out. I’ll use this for making lists of my homework and tasks to complete. They are also easy to find online or in art supply stores. There are several types of Fabriano Ecoqua notebooks, including in pocket-sized, staplebound and spiralbound versions. I bought a pack of Fabriano pocket notebooks so look for a review of those soon!

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

Musgrave Tennessee Red Pencil Review

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I bought the Musgrave Tennessee Red pencils after hearing that Musgrave revamped their brand and added new pencils. I’ve mostly stuck to Blackwings and Japanese brands, so I haven’t tried many American pencils. There are only a few American pencil companies left, so it’s important to support them! Also, a dozen Tennessee Reds are only $9, compared to $25-28 for a dozen Blackwings. They are made of Tennessee red cedar instead of California cedar. Apparently, that’s what Musgrave pencils were made out of until the ’60s. Luckily, Musgrave found a new source of the wood!

However, there are quality control issues with the pencils, which I want to mention up front. In their blog post, Musgrave says that because they are new to working with this wood, some pencils will have off-centered lead or will be slightly warped. I’ll explain the issues I found with my pack later.

Specs:

  • $9 for a dozen
  • #2 core
  • natural finish with clear coat
  • sharp hex

My pencils came in a beautiful red slipcover, with the words Tennessee Red in vintage-looking letters. They are stunning! The pencils are natural but have a clear gloss over them. Tennessee Red reminds me of a hardwood floor, with a similar smell. They aren’t as fragrant as Blackwings but still smell delicious! There are interesting whorls and variations that make each pencil unique. One of my pencils looks like a black and white cookie, with one half a lighter color than the other! I love the vintage red imprint but I wish that it showed up more against the dark wood.

IMG_8939

They also have a very sharp hex, which means the edges are hard. It digs into my fingers. I wish that the edges were softer like Blackwings. I liked the combination of red with the golden ferrule and white eraser. Sadly, the eraser isn’t very usable, but most aren’t!

The hex is #2 but feels softer. It’s similar to Palamino HB. It’s smooth and dark on paper with some tooth. I tested it on Write Notepads and it was great. I didn’t feel any grit or scratchiness like I do with some pencils. It also has kept its point despite writing pages of notes. It’s a contender for my favorite lead, with the Blackwing 602 still holding first place.

IMG_8936

However, I had quality control problems with my pack of pencils. I’d say 3-4 of mine are off-center. Even worse, one of them was completely messed up. It looked like the two slats were misaligned. It looks impossible to write with. They are also hard to sharpen, especially in hand-held sharpeners. The wood is thick and dense. I used my brass Möbius and Ruppert sharpener which worked but it took some effort. Finally, the hex is much too sharp for me.

IMG_8920

I also was given two free pencils in a sleeve, a Musgrave 600 News and Musgrave Bugle. I loved the dark, smooth lead of the News, but I broke the tip instantly. It seems perfect for sketching! I didn’t like the Bugle, it was too light and scratchy. Both pencils felt lightweight without a ferrule and eraser.

I love the idea of the Tennessee Red pencils but I think better quality control needs to go into the next batch. At least Musgrave was honest and wrote a blog post explaining the issues. They also aren’t very expensive compared to Blackwings. If you’re okay with potentially getting off-center cores and love the beautiful red cedar, then I would purchase. I bought a pack for my mom and she loves them! Otherwise, I’d recommend waiting for the next generation of these pencils.

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

 

Goulet Notebook with 68gsm Tomoe River Paper Review

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Sorry for not posting recently! My school closed because of coronavirus so I’m back at home now. Things are scary right now and I’m glad I’m with my family. I also have all my notebooks and fountain pens. Self-isolation gives me more time for reviewing at least…

Goulet Pens is a staple of the stationery sphere online. I bought my first fountain pen, a teal Pilot Metropolitan, from there in 2016! Not only does it sell pens, notebooks, and ink, but it also sells its own brand of Goulet Notebooks. Their brand fills a niche of slim, Tomoe River inserts that can easily be slipped into a cover. I’ve seen plenty of them on Etsy but I’m glad that Goulet makes their own that are simple and inexpensive. I don’t use inserts, but I bought a Lined A5 Goulet Notebook with 68gsm Tomoe River paper to try out. I prefer lines, but they are not always available with 68gsm paper.

Specs: 

  • White 68gsm Tomoe River paper
  • A5 size
  • 7mm lines
  • 64 pages
  • rounded corners

IMG_9075

The Goulet Notebook comes in a plastic wrap with a sticker on the front. Otherwise, there’s no branding. There’s no easy way to tell what the front or back is, so I stuck on a cute bee sticker that was included with my purchase. The notebook is slim and light. It’s a standard A5 size so it will fit into a cover. The cover is textured but not very sturdy. There’s 64 pages inside, which isn’t as many as the 96 pages inside of the 52gsm version. However, this paper is thicker and the type I prefer to use.

IMG_9072

The inside is luscious 68gsm white Tomoe River with lines, my favorite! However, it doesn’t live up to the dotted light-gray lines in the Hippo Noto. The lines are a bit too dark for my taste. The pages lay flat easily.

The paper is perfect of course. All my fountain pens showed shading and sheen. None of my nibs felt scratchy on the paper. There was no feathering. It took 20 seconds for my fountain pen ink to dry. The best part is that 68gsm TR has much less show through than its 52gsm cousin. I compared the showthrough on the back page of the Goulet Notebook with the back page of a Nanami Cafe Note B6. There’s much more with the thinner paper, which makes it annoying to use. It is easier to use the back once you write on it, but I still prefer 68gsm for its thickness.

Overall, the Goulet Notebook is a good choice if you want inexpensive Tomoe River paper, enjoy slim notebooks, or need inserts for a cover. But if you want a bigger journal, you should look elsewhere. The Goulet Notebook comes in several sizes and with 52 and 68gsm paper. Sadly, Goulet Pens isn’t fulfilling orders because of coronavirus. But when they are back, this notebook is a great choice to add to your cart.

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

Hobonichi Weeks Planner Review

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I thought that my Quo Vadis Weekly Planner would be enough for school assignments. Then I started missing my other non-school appointments. My Quo Vadis was so crowded with schoolwork and exam dates that I didn’t have much room to write down other obligations. I’m naturally a very disorganized person so as school gets harder, I have trouble juggling all my commitments. I thought about using Google Calendars, but technology distracts me. So I bought a Hobonichi Weeks of course!

Specs:

  • Cream 52gsm Tomoe River paper
  • 3.7″ x 7.4″
  • 240 pages
  • $25, though there are variations that are more expensive
  • Calendar format, yearly overview, monthly pages and weekly pages
  • Extra pages at the back
  • Thread and glue binding

IMG-8279

 

The Hobonichi Weeks is different from its more famous sibling, Hobonichi A6 Techo. It is taller and narrower, and comes into a horizontal weekly format. It also has cream 52 gsm Tomoe River paper instead of white. It’s also less expensive at $25 compared to $37 for the A6 and $52 for the Hobonichi Cousin.

Oops…
My quick fix for crumpled pages
My Weeks has a red fabric cover. I was supposed by how flimsy the cover felt! It’s not very protective. I already accidentally crumpled the pages inside so I wrapped a rubber band around the outside to keep it shut. The cover does feel nice to touch though! There are two thin bookmarks that are already unwinding. 2020 is embossed on the cover in gray ink. The Weeks doesn’t lay flat sadly. I always have to push the pages down with my hand. It’s very light because of the thin pages inside! It doesn’t weigh down my backpack at all. I really like how slim and light this planner is. It came with an adhesive pocket sticker that I attached to the back.

IMG-8274

The interior has cream 52 gsm Tomoe River paper. I love this paper but it’s somewhat impractical for a planner. I keep on leaving ink stains on the opposite side of the page because it dries so slowly. Fountain pens feel great on the paper. Shading and sheen show up in my pen test. My Zebra Sarasa and Pilot Precise V5 work well on the paper, but the Pentel Energel takes forever to dry. Using Sailor Tokiwa-Matsu ink, it took 20 seconds to dry on the paper! That’s quite a while for a planner I’ll be opening and shutting constantly.

There is a calendar, yearly overview, monthly pages, and weekly pages. There are pages in the back and quotes throughout the pages but they’re in Japanese. A set of memo pages are in the back of the book, which is helpful for making lists or activity tracking. I enjoy the light 3.6mm grid that is used in much of the book. It gives me structure but isn’t too distracting. There is one month per spread, with room on the side and bottom for lists. I’d rather that the calendar was bigger though. The weekly spread has the week on the left side and grid paper on the right side. I’d prefer if the week continued on the right side so there’d be more space. However, I’m using this only for writing down appointments and deadlines so it doesn’t matter as much.

Overall, I like the size and slimness of the Hobonichi Weeks but its format and paper isn’t perfect for me. I’ll keep using it this year then switch to Google Calendar or another planner. But if you like the format and its size, I’d recommend it. The Weeks is unique among the Hobonichi planners because of its horizontal weekly format. There is also an April start planner available. It’s not too late to pick one up at Jetpens!

I bought this notebook with my own funds. I was not paid for this review. 

 

Quo Vadis Scholar Weekly Planner Review

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I didn’t use planners consistently until college. I always buried the half-used ones my high school gave me in the bottom of my backpack. Then I realized that college was much more complicated and I needed a planner to keep me organized. As a freshman, I visited my college bookstore and found the planner for me! It’s called the Exacompta Scholar Weekly Planner. It goes from August to July so it’s the perfect student planner. There are several other styles available, with vertical weekly pages, daily pages, etc. You can buy them online at classicofficeproducts.com. I’ve been using these planners for three years now, so it’s due for a review. My pictures are from autumn, but the planner looks much more worn now!

Specs:

  • white 90gsm acid-free Clairefontaine paper
  • 6 1/4″ x 9 3/8″
  • 124 pages not including the separate booklet
  • $14.75, $9.45 for refill only
  • 12 months, August to July
  • sewn binding
  • refillable

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The outside of mine has a red vinyl cover. It is removable and Exacompta has other covers offered online. The planner is very slim. It seems like it would be flimsy but the flexible exterior allows it to bend to fit in my backpack. The pages don’t get crushed inside my bag unless I’m careless and pile textbooks on top of it. The cover gets scratches easily but I’m not concerned about how it looks. The planner is taller and thinner than average, closer to B5 than A5 paper size. The pages also lay flat!

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The interior is crisp, white Clairefontaine paper. It’s great for fountain pens and gel pens. Pencil feels too smooth and skate across the surface of the page. My Pentel Energel takes forever to dry. I generally use fountain pens and Papermate Inkjoys on the paper. In my pen test, shading and some sheen appear. White Clairefontaine paper really makes the colors pop! It took ten seconds for Kobe Arima Amber to dry.

The Weekly Planner has pages to write down your daily schedule, a vertical overview of the year, monthly pages, and weekly pages. There is a tiny three year calendar page and a separate booklet for passwords, contacts and scrap paper. I generally use only the monthly and weekly pages. As a student, I appreciate having a weekly format with plenty of room for writing down assignments and upcoming due dates. In comparison, the Hobonichi Techo’s daily format doesn’t work as well for me.

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The week is in a two page spread, with three days and space for notes on the left side, and four days including a shortened Sunday on the right side. Honestly, my weekends aren’t too busy but this should satisfy people who are annoyed by minuscule sections for the weekend. There’s still space near Sunday to write in. There are 11 lines for each day, except for Sunday which has five lines. The lines are made up of light gray dots and are inconspicious. A darker ink lists the date to the side of the lines. This is plenty of room to write my copious assignments in.

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The pages have perforations at the bottom corners so you can tear them out. It’s helpful because you know exactly where you are in the planner and can flip to it.

Overall, if you’re a student or a professor, this planner will be very useful to you! If not, Quo Vadis has many other options for planners with the same luxurious paper.

I bought these notebooks with my own funds. I was not paid for this review.