Forbes recently published a round-up of notebooks suggested as Mother’s Day gifts, though these choices would work just as well for non-moms. A few of their recommendations were Moleskines that will be familiar to everyone, but I was intrigued by these brands I hadn’t heard of:

BLU Notebooks

Stimulate your creativity with the first blueprint paper notebook, complete with white gel pen, from BLU. Made in Canada, these innovative journals pay tribute to a time when creation was a tactile experience. Blueprints have been an essential tool in building some of the world’s most important projects, and may continue to be, thanks to these hands-on beauties.

It’s a fun idea, even though nowadays I’m not sure how many architects still print “blueprints” in this color scheme. And maybe after a while it would be tiresome having to always use a white pen? But their website says they are “Designed to inspire innovation,” and the unusual paper might do just that.

Ezra Arthur Notebooks

These heirloom-quality notebooks are hand-stitched and bound with full grain leather and filled with Tomoe River paper, which is renowned for its thinness and resistance to ink bleeding and feathering. Available in two sizes and half a dozen rich colors, they slip into any bag and turn list-making into a sophisticated activity. Price: From $32

These look quite cool– sort of a cross between a Field Notes and a Travelers Notebook, made in the USA with top-notch materials. But at $32 for a 128 page pocket notebook (and $65 for the 5.25 x 7.75″ medium size), Ezra Arthur notebooks are not cheap. Their website notes that they can re-bind/re-fill the leather cover for $12, but that is also pretty pricy and inconvenient vs. just slipping a new refill into a Travelers Notebook or other leather covers. But I still want one!

You can see the rest of the Forbes article here.