This is a really cool idea that I might have to try myself! Russell Stutler has been featured here before as a notebook addict. His website is a great resource for sketching inspiration, and he has done a deep dive testing popular pocket sketchbook brands, with Moleskine and Stillman and Birn among his favorites. But … Continue reading Russell Stutler’s Sketch Binder Notebook
Every once in a while, I get this weird impulse to search for vintage Filofaxes on eBay. I bought one about a year ago and haven’t gotten around to reviewing (or using) it yet. In fact, I haven’t used a Filofax actively in at least 15 years. But I still love them, and as with … Continue reading Vintage Pocket Filofax on eBay
This lovely notebook belonged to Ian McTaggart Cowan, a Scottish-Canadian zoologist and conservationist. The image is from the archives of the University of Victoria, where you can flip through the rest of its pages. (The text is also transcribed next to the images, in case you can’t read the small handwriting!) The journal covers 1957-1958, … Continue reading Ian McTaggart Cowan’s Travel Journal
A while ago, I wrote about Phil’s Stationery, one of the few remaining independent stores of its kind in NYC, selling new and vintage office supplies. When I stumbled across their midtown Manhattan store, I was in heaven. The sign alone is just so cool, and inside, there was a pleasantly dusty mess of notebooks, … Continue reading Vintage Office Supplies From Phil’s Stationery
This week’s addict, the blogger at Bubbe Wisdom, is actually a recovered notebook addict now… which makes me a little sad, I must confess. She says: “See that pile of notebooks? They represent twenty plus years of collecting inspirational ideas on paper. Each notebook represents a category: stitching, contemporary quilts, weaving, baskets, fashion, fine artists, … Continue reading Notebook Addict of the Week: Bubbe Wisdom
This is extremely cool: a catalog from 1911, featuring all manner of notebooks and other stationery. The only thing that could be cooler would be if you could find some forgotten warehouse that still had all these products in stock! Flip through the whole catalog at Catalogue of stationery : section no. 1, blank … Continue reading 1911 Catalogue of Stationery
I love thinking about organizational systems using notebooks, and I love seeing other people’s thoughts on the same topic. Here’s a really interesting look at one person’s perfect sketchbook system. If you’re a serious sketchbook user, you know that it’s basically a second brain. By that, I mean it’s not just a place for … Continue reading “The Best Sketchbook Of All Time”
There was an interesting feature at Flavorwire on the writing tools of famous authors. Unfortunately, most of the examples just include a photo of the author rather than the writing tools themselves, but here’s a notable exception: It’s J. K. Rowling‘s plans for writing Harry Potter, on a sheet of looseleaf paper. Wow. See … Continue reading What Famous Authors Write With
Our extended family of notebook fans are always passionately searching for the perfect notebook. I’m often stumped by the questions I receive, so once again, I’m crowd-sourcing the research! From Q: Hi, I was wondering if you know of any places selling clear plastic covers for Moleskine Cahier or Volant pocket-sized notebooks? I have a … Continue reading Questions From Readers
Here’s a few things I pulled out of one of my storage boxes, about half of which is filled with childhood notebooks from the late ’70s to mid-’80s. First, a small orange looseleaf notebook. I was probably in about 6th grade when I decided to devote it to Astronomy and colored the cover with a … Continue reading Random Notebooks from My Collection