ALMOST WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Tomoko Maruyama Notebook Review

I found this adorable notebook on a recent trip to Maido in San Francisco's Japantown (love it there!).

You'll need to forgive the quality of these images. The book is definitely pastel. The paper is ivory with blue and red dotted lines.  Designed in the US - printed in China.

Above: Unfortunately, the pages became separated from the binding when I opened the book.

Bottom Line: Not horrible unless you need the pages to stay in the book.  (Not trying to sound sarcastic here. Sometimes tidy pages out of the book can be handy, too.)

SAN FRANCISCO PEN SHOW 2014: Review and Haul

Mr. Pentulant and I decided to head down to the SF Pen Show over the weekend (Saturday) and I thought you'd like to hear all about it.

The show was held at the Sofitel Hotel in Redwood City. It was a bit south of SFO, but easy enough to find - just look for the Oracle campus and take a right on Twin Dolphin Drive.

There were probably 50-60 vendors. I'm wondering if some who were expected didn't show up? There was a large empty area to the right as soon as we entered - as in about 10-15% of the floor space.

I wasn't too surprised at the small size of the show. The DC Pen Show was just two weeks ago, after all. The crowd was decent Saturday morning (we arrived around 11:00) and it looked like money was changing hands - all good news.

The SF Pen Show is a on/off thing - meaning that some years there isn't a show.   I'm so glad it was on this year and definitely wanted to support the vendors who showed up to sell.

There were many familiar names and faces. Susan Wirth was there, Franklin-Christoph, Nibs.com, Mike it Work, Wahl-Eversharp, Bittner, Arizona Pens, Carmen Rivera, Steve Curnow, and many familiar faces even though I don't know all of the names.

Here's what I ended up with . . .

I'm a huge fan of my friend Steve Curnow, what he does, and how he does it. These handy notebooks (think Field Notes, but better) are filled with Tomoe River Paper.  Three notebooks for ten bucks, yo.

Steve also had a sample of ink waiting for me. It seems he found a GALLON of vintage Skrip Washable Blue.

1. How does someone "find" a gallon of ink? (Maybe he wasn't being literal?)
2. Do I trust this old old ink in one of my fancy pens?

Mr. Pentulant scored this sweet Sailor Pro Gear Mini. He loves a cap that screws to post and this one has been on his wish list for quite awhile.

At the LA Pen Show earlier this year, I was so tempted by George Butcher's Arizona Pens, but ultimately decided to pass.  I didn't pass this time!

I want to tell you all about George and his pens, but will save that for when I review the pen. I can't wait.

Carmen Rivera has very good taste in pens. This is the smaller and slimmer version of the Pilot Vanishing Point - called the Sesenta.

I don't know much about this pen, but I'm definitely willing to learn. I love the pattern - it almost reminds me of a leopard print, but not nearly as tacky as that could be on a pen ;)

Wahl-Eversharp has an interesting history and it was difficult to choose just one.  I'm really excited about this pen - and so many others in line.  Can't wait to talk more about them and Syd Saperstein.

I ultimately decided on the clear demonstrator (look at that packaging!).

I picked up two bottles of ink.  Above - Sailor Jentle Grenade

Below - J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage

Lierre Sauvage (and Lily Tomlin) is responsible for one of my most popular Instagram posts ever. At the time of that writing, I only had a sample. Excited about writing a complete review of this one for you.

Rhodia makes yellow paper! I'm oddly excited about this because I've never seen it available.

Annnnd....I have no idea what I'm going to do with the paper below, but I had to have it. It's huuuuuge - that's a box of J Herbin ink sitting on top of the paper.

So! That's it.

Bottom Line:  It was a good time, lots of super-friendly people selling some really beautiful items. I only wish the show was bigger.

Were you there?

ALMOST WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: Greenroom Eco Notebooks Review

Greenroom Eco Notebooks - Found at Target

No.

PAPER REVIEW: Field Notes - Arts & Sciences Edition

FIELD NOTES ARTS & SCIENCES EDITION

Over and over again, I buy Field Notes brand Memo Books. I’m not sure why . . . the paper quality of most editions I’ve seen is Just Not That Good and not very suitable for fountain pen use.

(Un)fortunately, they get it just right sometimes. And that’s enough to keep me coming back for more.  You know what I’m saying? It’s like pizza delivery – they get the order right just often enough to make me try again another day.

And that brings us to the 64-Page Note Book from Field Notes. The Arts & Sciences limited edition. The big one.

Some things about the  note book. . .

measures 4.75” x 7.5”

110 lb cover stock

50 lb bright white paper paper with silver ink

printed with light gray lines on right side of book – blank on left

staple bound (also called saddle stitching)

rounded corners

made in the US

Two more things about this note book . . .

1. It’s not fountain pen friendly
2. I’m going to use the hello out of this book

Annnnnd this is why I keep coming back to Field Notes: despite the fact that this book is comprised of average components with a standard design, I adore it.

Field Notes: they’re easy.

Enough pages to fill with good information, not so many that the book is even a little bulky. The front covers are iconic in their simplistic design. (This one has a deeply debossed logo on the front cover.) The inside covers are filled with interesting little tidbits, and at the end of the day, It Just Works.

So. Like so many before it, I won’t be using my fountain pens with this edition of Field Notes, but I will be carrying it with me for list making and planning purposes.  And by the time I’m finished filling the note book, it will probably be a bit tattered and worn (thank goodness for those rounded corners), and it may even be stained with pizza.

There are other great little notebooks out there. I've been loving Curnow Bookbinding & Leatherwork and Yellow Paper House (a new shop on Etsy), and they are definitely fountain pen friendly.

And what about you, dear reader? Which little notebooks do you love? Or love to hate ;)

GIVEAWAY: Apica Notebooks

Last week, I reviewed the super-posh Apica Premium C.D. A5 Notebook.  While preparing for that review, I searched my stash and found, these smaller (and slightly less posh) Apica Notebooks and decided to give them away.

Here's what you'll get . . .

Apica CD-11 Notebook - A5-sized - 28 lined pages
Apica CD-5 (Wee Little) Notebook - 36 lined pages

In it to win it? Leave a comment below.

All Kinds of Disclaimers and Stuff:  Your entry must be received by July 16. Winner need not be present to win (please don't come to my house, that would just be weird). Open to entrants with mailing addresses in the US and Canada. I bought and paid for these notebooks.

PAPER REVIEW and COMPARISONS: Apica Premium C. D. A5 Notebook

Apica Premium C. D. A5 Notebook Review and Comparison to Clairefontaine

There is a plastic protective cover that doesn't seem like it's meant to stay on the book. You could leave it on there with no trouble, but taking it off (to remove the paper insert, for example) and replacing it later could cause the cover to tear because it's super-thin. The book looks better without the plastic, too. 

The cover is heavyweight slightly textured paper.  The title is embossed and the word "premium" is stamped in gold foil.  

The pages are squared (rather than rounded) and binding is sewn (rather than stapled).  

Some people prefer rounded corners because they may show less wear and tear over time. I like the look of square corners, especially in thicker books. Sewn binding is more expensive to produce than other types of binding - it looks better and it helps the book lay-flat.

Choose the paper like you would a good pen.

This A5 notebook came to me via Goulet Pens.  They sent it to me in exchange for my honest review. Goulet has this notebook listed at $16.20. Apica makes other notebooks, too - they are not all made with the same "A. Silky 865 Premium" paper.

The Apica A5 has 96 sheets of paper. That's 192 pages to write on if you write on the fronts and backs of pages.

The first page of the book is a gray title/index page. Definitely a premium touch that most other notebooks don't have.

Nearly lay-flat binding.

But what you really want to know about is the paper itself, right?

The paper feels so smooth. It's buttery, luxurious, and definitely, absolutely premium. The color is a very light ivory and the lines are gray. Very easy on the eyes. Ahhhh.

I compare it below to my everyday use paper - Clairefontaine 80gsm.


Apica . . .

Clairefontaine . . .

Apica . . .

Clairefontaine . . .

 Because the paper is so smooth and almost (but not quite) feels glossy, I was concerned that smearing would be a Major Issue. Here's a comparison . . .

Apica . . . 

Clairefontaine . . .

Apica . . .

 Clairefontaine . . .

The Apica paper in this notebook feels better (more silky smoothness) than Clairefontaine and that made the writing experience better than on Clairefontaine. I love it and will definitely use the notebook I received.

Inks look brighter on the white white paper of Clairefontaine, but they look richer on Apica. 

There was very little ghosting and no bleed through with either paper. 

Dry times seem comparable, too.

Here's the complete Apica test sheet.  Click here for the huge full-size image . . .

And here is the complete Clairefontaine test sheet.  Click here for the huge full-size image . . . 

Clairefontaine in the A-5 clothbound version comes in at $9.50 for the same number of pages. The cover isn't as fancy, and the paper may not feel quite as smooth, but if you're looking for bang for your buck, I'd tell you to get Clairefontaine.

If you're looking for a very special notebook, though, get the Apica Premium. You really and truly will not be disappointed. The silky paper is like no other paper I've used.

Last week, I asked on Instagram which papers people love - and which they use.  If I've managed to embed this link correctly, you should be able to clicky click and be taken directly to that post to see the responses. (And if I didn't embed it correctly, you'll know that I'm not a perfect person.)





And finally, let me ask you . . . which paper do you most love? which paper do you use most? Do you prefer clothbound or wire binding?

I'll be back on Wednesday with a Giveaway. Stay tuned . . .

xoxo