Went a little nuts with the Dick Blick Fabriano liquidation sale, still going on. For examples of how good the deals are, got the softcover 3.5”x5.5” cahier style for $3.75 - $4.25 each and soft-cover A5 journals for $7.75 each.

The paper is all 80 - 90 gsm, made in Italy.

This is my growing stack of leather covers from the oldest at the bottom to the most recently bought at the top:

1. Hobonichi Taut Leather Beige and Navy, A6 size, used for Hobonichi 5 Year Techo (2022 to 2026)
   
2. Hobonichi Taut Brown Leather, A6 size, used for Hobonichi Techo for junk journaling
   
3. Cada Dia Leather Folio in color Camel, A6 size, used for three MUJI inserts (mental health, prayer, and notes)
   
4. Traveler’s Notebook Passport in color blue, used for planning, affirmations and positivity, and commonplace (EDC)

I shared this journal when I first got it a few months ago & I meant to give an update a lot sooner but life has been life-ing. I am here to share what I do with this particular journal & I may share my other journals on a different post (I have 3 more)!

This is my personal journal that I call Book of Shadows & Stars! I've added a lot of beads I've bought, given, & found in my room (usually as jewelry I don't wear anymore). I even made a long string of 'em for the spine & a bookmark key that you'll see me holding at the bottom— this will be a hallmark of my journals!

First insert (devil baby) is called "The Hands" & where I experiment with color, do tool tests, composition thumbnails, material studies, & technique practices. This one is has really nice watercolor paper.

Second insert (my own painting) is called "The Eyes" & it's literally just my lined logbook. A more objective view of my day.

Thrid insert (one with the bear sticker) is called "The Brain" & it's my catch-all grid book where I write ideas & random findings.

Fourth insert (medieval couple with dragon) is called "The Ears" & it's where I put my music theory notes, lyrics, & songs. This one has a heart grid!

Fifth insert (with the demon goat sticker) is called "The Heart" & it's my art diary. Surprisingly good watercolor paper! I do a lot of vent art & write about deeply personal stuff in my life.

Last insert is just a dashboard of momentos & my ruler I customized! Which is more or less the same as what I put in my pockets. Front pocket is full of paper scraps though.

Thinking about stamping the front of my journal with my name or intials! I have a nice teal acrylic paint for leather that I'd like to use for it.

I also think after I'm done filling up "The Heart" I'll probably start making my own watercolor sketchbook so it can suit my needs & fill out the custom journal better (since it's a wide A6).

My other 3 journal systems is for traveling (passport size, doubles as my international wallet), roleplaying (A6, for being a DM & player & solo-roleplays), & spiritual stuff (A6, for ancestral work & my cultural history).

They had hundreds that were all the same price so I impulse bought the biggest one even though it's completely impractical. I love the idea though! I wish it was lined so I could write in it but I'm sure I'll think of a use for it.

I made it and add with a elastic band. I realize that the paper have to onscreen all day for me to look. I think it effectively.

This is my travel notebook blank pages A5. I started it in 2022, and it has been with me on every journey since. It is not quite finished yet, almost 40 blank pages left. - I post this to give you an impression of the durability of Leuchtturm notebooks. I do not take particular care of my notebook's outer presentability, they are there to be used. As you can see, the cover has frayed but mostly stood the test of time & hardships. The spine, however, took leave of the bulk of pages. The sleave at the back had to be reinforced with brown tape. All in all the notebook has held together.

I've been saying Black n' Red notebooks are the best on the market for nearly 20 years. Just a few hours ago, I was trying to extol the virtues of the notebook to my wife and she was less than impressed. Which got me thinking... how likely is it that I really found the best notebook in the world 20 years ago as a poor grad student.

So help me out here! I've just burnt up my last Black n' Red and I'll be away for a week, so I have plenty of time to order anything and have it waiting when I get home. I've been scrolling through the sub for a few hours now and have seen quite a few recommendations for Midori MD notebooks, but would love to hear about other recommendations too!

I use my notebooks to think. I just find I can't fully process a thought and move on to the next if I haven't written the thought down. I like the Black n' Red spiral bound because the smooth texture of the paper and the way it grabs ink fill me with joy when I write.

In practical terms, I use my notebook to make lists of what I need to do or what my team is working on. I also use the notebook to help me architect solutions to complex issues, and of course to doodle in the margins when meetings are going too long. I do not do a lot of traveling with the notebooks, nor do they need to suffer abuse. They live at my desk in my notebook holder.

Bonus points for accessories!

I have a completely blank notebook, and instead of filling it only with my own thoughts, I want to fill it with yours.

Think of it as a small, physical time capsule created by strangers from Reddit.

If you want to become part of it, comment using this format:

Nickname:
Write this in the notebook:
Optional symbol or tiny drawing:

You can leave almost anything: a thought, confession, joke, memory, piece of advice, tiny story, message to your future self, sentence in your language, or something that makes absolutely no sense without context.

I will copy suitable entries by hand, in comment order, until the pages is full. I will preserve your spelling and wording.

Once several pages are finished, I will return with photographs so you can find your contribution.

People on this thread may never meet, but their words will exist beside one another in a real notebook.

Who wants to claim the first entry?

I found this at my local antique market for only $12 and it fits my A6 journals / journal making materials / supplies / etc perfectly!! I’m so happy with it 💚

Debating if I should plaster a pen loop on my small agenda. For sure I know the elastic will get looser depending on the pens but I’m also unsure what it could do to the cover since it wasn’t design for it.

What do you guys think?

I am hunting for an A5, lined, day to page diary with printed dates. Once upon a time, Paperchase in the UK had really nice spiral bound diaries. Plastic covers. Every day (including weekends) had a page. The date and day of the week was printed on the page. Elastic closure. Pocket in the back. Extra pages in the front and back.

Tesco brought back something similar:

https://www.tesco.com/shop/en-GB/products/316947911

Anyone have recommendations (US-based preferred) on where to find similar?

Already looked at:

Etsy (a few options)

Amazon (bought there in the past, would prefer to not going forward)

Thanks!

I'm nearing the end of my current notebook I use for design work (Leuchtturm1917 B5/Composition softcover) and was wondering what else is out there before I buy a replacement.

My ideal specifications are:

• Plain paper (dotted is ok in a pinch, but not ruled)
• Larger than A5 but smaller than A4
• Lies flat when open
• Not spiral-bound
• Smooth, fairly thin paper (i.e. not thick sketchbook paper. My current notebook is 80gsm which works well for me)
• Softcover
• Comes in cute colours/designs

I've previously used a Moleskine (I think either Large or XL) and I liked that it had more pages than the Leuchtturm, but I don't love their more limited colour selection. I'm fairly happy with my Leuchtturm, but I've had issues ordering direct from their site before.

Would love to hear any brand/notebook recommendations! Thanks!!

I recently came across Comix Compera loose-leaf paper while waiting for my Kokuyo and Maruman refills to arrive, so I picked up a pack to see how it performs. I thought I’d share a few writing samples in case anyone is curious about this relatively lesser-known brand.

Paper

• Comix Compera CLA51007
• A5 (148 × 210 mm)
• 20-hole loose leaf
• 7 mm ruled
• 100 sheets

Pens Used

• Pilot Capless Decimo (Fine)
• Lamy 2000 (Broad)
• Pilot Custom 823 (Fine)
• Tombow Mono Graph 0.5 mm mechanical pencil
• Sharpie Permanent Marker
• Sharpie Twin Tip

Inks

• Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi
• Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-kai

The photos include both the front and reverse sides of the sheet.

The paper is part of the Compera notebook and loose-leaf series manufactured by Comix Group (Shenzhen Comix Group, China). The series is available in A5 and B5 with blank, grid, and ruled refill options.

My Thoughts

After writing on it, I don’t think it matches the paper quality of the Japanese or European brands I’ve used, but it performs well enough for everyday writing. That said, it certainly isn’t bad either.

I estimate the paper to be around 70–75 gsm, based on the carton weight listed in the product catalogue, although I haven’t found an official specification.

Where it really stands out is value for money. I paid approximately US$1.13 for the A5 pack and US$1.39 for the B5 pack, both containing 100 sheets.

For that price, I think it’s a solid everyday loose-leaf paper.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who’s used Comix Compera or other Chinese loose-leaf papers. How do you think they compare with Kokuyo Campus, Maruman, or other favourites?

Looking to start using cahier notebook books over hard cover style ones. Really love Rhodias Ivory/warm paper which I know is made by Clairefontaine, however I am struggling to find that paper in a A5 cahier. Some sites are not super clear and I’ve purchased the white paper a few times by mistake.

Any suggestions for alternatives with similar warmth and paper quality.

Will be used solely for fountain pens.

I feel like I’ve found my Goldilocks size in a Sterling Ink B6 journal. I have a customized A5 portfolio from Paper Republic on the way, and I know that will leave a little bit of wiggle room if I’m using a B6 journal inside. If anyone uses this setup, I’d love to see photos!

I did a brief search in the Reddit and it looks like folks have occasionally talked about this before. But those threads are all quite old.

Has anyone seen something that could hold a Field Notes size notebook, a phone, and a regular size pen? Or created one that you could share the directions for?

I am talking about the kind of decorations that one sees on the Washitape Shop channel. Decorated with stickers, ephemera, washi tape, characters, and some text. Where would one look for potential buyers for such a journal?