Paperblanks Notebooks/Journals

[SanDogWeps]

Went through more than a few brands of journals 8 years ago when I started a daily writing habit. Some small, some unlined, some old-school types bought at Ren Faires. Paperchase, some old Composition books (blech). Eventually found the varied Paperblanks (http://www.paperblanks.com) lines at a local shop and got a smaller, magnetic closure, lined book. Did the job, but I was restless with the non-uniformity of my writing efforts.

Enter all things 128 pages and their approximately 7"x9" offerings. My own writing style tends towards tall, thin script, and I alternate between fine and medium nibs. The layout of the book and the lining of the pages make for a great single-page-per-day effort. I want to write too much, the page size makes me self edit. Not much going on that day, the page size makes me get creative.

The covers are ALWAYS fascinating, running the gamut from old-style binding styles to great minds throughout history. 128 pages usually puts me around 4.5 to 5 months per journal, there is usually a back pocket to plunk random things in (postcards, stamps, address lists, whatever), and the closures are decidedly handy for keeping stuff secure.

They generally have a red ribbon bookmark attached via the spine, which has been useful for those times when I get a bit behind or realized I skipped a day many weeks past. I would recommend staying away from any sort of metallic external closure - so much cosmetic and they tend to fall off before the 5 months are up.

The paper itself always holds up well to any ink I throw at it, though that is usually Cross or Montblanc. Can't speak to other brands. Does not smear or smudge after it sets (though I make it a point to wait half a minute before closing it after writing anything. Their site has a pretty decent store locator, and Amazon (and resellers) have them as well.

And they ALWAYS class up the conference room. Highly recommend.

[Cob]

For my daily scribbling (attention UK readers) I generally use a RED notebook an Oxford product Ref E66208. It' s an A5 book with decent 90gsm ruled paper which is ink-friendly.

However as a lover of notebooks, I couldn't resist this one, found in Sainsbury's at £2.49. I like it so much I bought another the very next day as it would be typical for them to disappear when the last have been sold.

12230

Yes, A5 Kraft paper! One can write quite happily with a fountain pen, though one of one's smoother nibs is best.

Rgds

Cob

[jokeruk]

Any pics of some writing in the Sainsburys book? At £2.49 you can't really go wrong!

[inlovewithjournals]

Love Paperblanks. I'm using their Maya Blue Ultra in the Silver Filigree collection right now as my daily journal. In the picture below you can see the Maya Blue Ultra, the Pink Blush and the Ventaglio Rosso Midi on my shelf.

http://inlovewithjournals.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/journal-on-the-shelf.jpg

[Bogon07]

I think I have two Silver Filigree, Maya Blue & Natural Midis in a pile of way way too many Paperblanks.

[jacksterp]

I'm guessing/hoping that these are fountain pen friendly...

[HeresyHammer]

I thought I had one of these floating around here and decided to put that question to the test. I did a quick writing sample with some pens that were already inked up and below you can see the results. I must say these books are beautiful in their binding. So often manufacturers focus on utilitarian aspects and forget about ascetics. But the question was, are they fountain pen friendly. I would say yes and no depending on the nib your using. XF, F, and even Medium should work with show through but not bleed through. Broader and wetter nibs will definitely push the paper beyond it's saturation point and begin to bleed through. As a side note, the paper in my Paperblanks notebook is quite heavy, although I don't know the exact weight. It is also somewhat absorbent. I noticed when writing that the paper just sucks the ink right in and drys it almost instantly (not too good if you want shading but a blessing if your a left hand sidewriter/overwriter). This absorbency can lead to feathering as well.

12776
I had to buy this particular notebook. I love the depiction of the Blessed Mother in stained glass form. Simply beautiful.

12777
The inks are top to bottom: Noodler's Bad Blue Haron; J. Herbin, Lie de The; Diamine Sherwood Green; Private Reserve American Blue; Diamine Ancient Copper; Diamine Sherwood Green; Diamine Sherwood Green. NB: I always accidently put a "I" between the W and the S in TWSBI. Always!

12778
You can see that there is show though with all the inks and pens. However the Visconti Opera Elements and the Pelikan 400 bleed through at the most saturated points of the letters.

[Bogon07]

http://blog.paperblanks.com/2014/08/introducing-our-fall-2014-paperblanks-collection/

I suppose Fall in the US means Autumn in elsewhere and Spring in the southern hemisphere.
The new silver Filigree journals look good. I can see one or two of these joining my collection.
http://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2886-4-2887-1-Silver-Filigree-Esmeralda-Ultra-256x333.jpghttp://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2893-2-Silver-Filigree-Aubergine-Ultra-256x333.jpg
The Via Romana deserves a closer inspection when they appear in the shops.
http://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2899-4-2900-7-Via-Romana-Fortuna-Ultra-256x333.jpg

[chojo]

I have the shakespeare version and i love it but i haven't decided what to use it for yet so it remains untouched for now.

[inlovewithjournals]

HeresyHammer, what a beautiful notebook! I agree, I wouldn't have been able to pass it by either. I do not see it on the Paperblanks website, perhaps it has been discontinued.

Bogon07 I am definitely a fan of Paperblanks, especially their filigree collection, so will be adding these to my collection. And I agree, the Via Romana looks amazing.

[inlovewithjournals]

Chojo I LOVE the Shakespeare notebook! Beautiful. I've been wanting to add that one to my collection for a while.

[inlovewithjournals]

My Paperblanks. A small collection, but growing!

http://inlovewithjournals.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/ventaglio-rosso-midi-and-ananda-mini.jpg

On the left, Ventaglio Rosso Midi; on the right, Ananda Mini.

http://inlovewithjournals.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/silver-fil-stacked.jpg

Silver Filigree Pink Blush in Ultra and Slim.

http://inlovewithjournals.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/filigree-in-blue.jpg

Silver Filigree Maya Blue Ultra.

[chojo]

Chojo I LOVE the Shakespeare notebook! Beautiful. I've been wanting to add that one to my collection for a while.

I've only just started looking at notebooks and journals and i fear even though it's my first paper blanks it certainly won't be my last!

[DPWilkens]

I've recently switched from leuchtturm 1917s to the Paperblanks Old Leather minis as my go to Moleskin/ pocket notebook. This is my latest one, Pocket Notebook No. 16:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7291/16452506125_9b87b3ef9d_m.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r4RoSH)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/r4RoSH) by DPWilkens (https://www.flickr.com/people/64470311@N06/)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/16266600247_04c08981de_m.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qMqzwX) (https://flic.kr/p/qMqzwX) by DPWilkens (https://www.flickr.com/people/64470311@N06/)

[klpeabody]

http://blog.paperblanks.com/2014/08/introducing-our-fall-2014-paperblanks-collection/

I suppose Fall in the US means Autumn in elsewhere and Spring in the southern hemisphere.
The new silver Filigree journals look good. I can see one or two of these joining my collection.
http://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2886-4-2887-1-Silver-Filigree-Esmeralda-Ultra-256x333.jpghttp://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2893-2-Silver-Filigree-Aubergine-Ultra-256x333.jpg
The Via Romana deserves a closer inspection when they appear in the shops.
http://blog.paperblanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2899-4-2900-7-Via-Romana-Fortuna-Ultra-256x333.jpg

I really do like the look of the filigree journals. Guessing it's probably too late to find one at this point.

[VertOlive]

I really do like the look of the filigree journals. Guessing it's probably too late to find one at this point.

They seem to be available at www.lovenotebooks.com. Bunches!

[klpeabody]

I really do like the look of the filigree journals. Guessing it's probably too late to find one at this point.

They seem to be available at www.lovenotebooks.com. Bunches!

Thank you!!! :)

[reprieve]

I really do like the look of the filigree journals. Guessing it's probably too late to find one at this point.

They seem to be available at www.lovenotebooks.com. Bunches!

I also found them at Jenni Bick (http://www.jennibick.com/paperblanks.html).

[klpeabody]

I really do like the look of the filigree journals. Guessing it's probably too late to find one at this point.

They seem to be available at www.lovenotebooks.com. Bunches!

I also found them at Jenni Bick (http://www.jennibick.com/paperblanks.html).

Thank you! :)

[Potter]

For UK forum members how about this, I'm waiting for two of these Grolier designs to come in, at £10.00 each post free they seem great value to me as they usually were over £20.00.

16226

[VertOlive]

So thanks to this thread's enablers, I'm awating delivery of a Paperblanks "Lindau Gospels" journal. There are at least four others now on my To Buy list.

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f261/sparrowe/lindau.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/user/sparrowe/media/lindau.jpg.html)

[Lady Onogaro]

How lucky is this? A friend of mine who used to have a little gift store used to carry these. She went out of business, but she put her Paperblanks journal in another store across the street. That store went out of business or closed, and they had a big sale today. She sent all of us a message that she was selling the things in her booth for half price, including the Paperblank notebooks she had left. So I went up and bought three, a mini Lindau Gospels, a large Book of Kells, and a mini Safavid, all half price.

[Lady Onogaro]

VertOlive--I'm trying to PM you but your mailbox is full, you popular thing, you!

[Bogon07]

For UK forum members how about this, I'm waiting for two of these Grolier designs to come in, at £10.00 each post free they seem great value to me as they usually were over £20.00.

http://fpgeeks.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=16226&stc=1

The Groliers are very luxurious - the covers are slightly padded and the edges of the pagers are marbled.
I think I have two - one is used to record pen purchases the other a blank is waiting for something inspirational.

[VertOlive]

How lucky is this? A friend of mine who used to have a little gift store used to carry these. She went out of business, but she put her Paperblanks journal in another store across the street. That store went out of business or closed, and they had a big sale today. She sent all of us a message that she was selling the things in her booth for half price, including the Paperblank notebooks she had left. So I went up and bought three, a mini Lindau Gospels, a large Book of Kells, and a mini Safavid, all half price.

:thumb: Scoop!

(Inbox empty)

[Lady Onogaro]

Hi,

My friend has some more PaperBlanks journals left, which she will sell at 50% off plus shipping (though she would appreciate larger orders). Her email address is trecie2@hotmail.com

Here is a link to what she has left: http://s1369.photobucket.com/user/rogersdenise701/slideshow/

[Frantik]

So thanks to this thread I am also looking to buy a couple of those journals...really nice

[Curtisvan]

Got all kinds of these on Amazon.

[VertOlive]

At Lady Onogaro's link, I was able to buy seven of these, all at half price! Thanks!

[Lady Onogaro]

At Lady Onogaro's link, I was able to buy seven of these, all at half price! Thanks!

I am glad I was able to help two friends out. :) What did you buy (besides the Kahlo one)?

[VertOlive]

At Lady Onogaro's link, I was able to buy seven of these, all at half price! Thanks!

I am glad I was able to help two friends out. :) What did you buy (besides the Kahlo one)?

Oh, all my friends are coming over: Frida, Vincent, Leonardo, Safavid, Honey Bloom, and Ms. Green French Ornate. These will make glorious gifts!

[naimitsu]

I have the Egrets on a Snowy Bank unlined notebook by paperblanks. There seems to be a coating on my pages that make it difficult for the ink to soak in. I wrote a line with my 1.1mm stub nib. I thought it was dry, but when I went to the next line, I noticed 2 things.

1) The ink looked like I was trying to write over waxy paper, and
2) The last word of the first line smeared, and I have no telltale ink smear on my hand

It is a beautiful journal. The attention to construction and detail is wonderful, but the paper quality makes my nose wrinkle. I was hoping to use it more than just a jotter. Oh well. My search shall continue!

[Frantik]

Just got this one last week.
First writing samples seem quite good. I like the quality of the paper and the few pens and inks I tried give no feathering or bleedthrough or other weird behaviour.

http://i.imgur.com/6gAV2Yq.jpg

[Neo]

http://www.paperinkarts.com/clearance-paper.html

They are clearing out a few paper blank notebooks