I'm A Sad, Pathetic Stationery Junkie.

[Misfit]

Good idea with the whiteout my pen pal Brad.

[Misfit]

Here is an image of the Black n Red page with the marks.

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Misfit

[Misfit]

The dreaded double post.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Misfit

[A Smug Dill]

Stationery junkie? Or just bargain junkie? I suppose I'm both.

 

Towards the end of May, I ordered 47 Paperblanks journals (some in Midi size, some in Ultra size; some hardcover, some flexis; some lined, some unlined; some with 100gsm paper, and some with 120gsm paper) over a span of just seven days. In some instances, Amazon combined shipment of several small orders (to which I don't object in principle, and can't really complain given free shipping) into large and heavy parcels, without packing with void fill material or individually wrapping the items, or otherwise physically bundling the smaller orders together, other than (for a small proportion of items) where the supplier has wisely put a thin foam pocket around each journal and the items were packed by the warehouse staff as-is.

 

A couple of the journals that arrived in the most recently received parcel suffered some minor damage in transit, caused by one heavy journal slipped spine-first between the pages of another (thus warping and creasing the pages) and another got its beautiful covers scuffed; I complained and pressed my case, and Amazon gave me a refund for those without requiring me to physically return them at the company's expense. I promptly used the refunded amount to order three more, bringing the total number of books ordered to a round 50 over eight days.

 

Without subtracting the refunded amount, the average price was just under US$4.70 each at today's exchange rate.

 

Eight of the 50 are earmarked (and already partway wrapped) as presents, and the rest are about evenly split between my wife and I. Not that I have anything to write to fill 20 new journals in a decade, especially when I already have a stash of 30 other journals in a closet somewhere.

[inkypete]

Stationery junkie? Or just bargain junkie? I suppose I'm both.

 

Towards the end of May, I ordered 47 Paperblanks journals (some in Midi size, some in Ultra size; some hardcover, some flexis; some lined, some unlined; some with 100gsm paper, and some with 120gsm paper) over a span of just seven days. In some instances, Amazon combined shipment of several small orders (to which I don't object in principle, and can't really complain given free shipping) into large and heavy parcels, without packing with void fill material or individually wrapping the items, or otherwise physically bundling the smaller orders together, other than (for a small proportion of items) where the supplier has wisely put a thin foam pocket around each journal and the items were packed by the warehouse staff as-is.

 

A couple of the journals that arrived in the most recently received parcel suffered some minor damage in transit, caused by one heavy journal slipped spine-first between the pages of another (thus warping and creasing the pages) and another got its beautiful covers scuffed; I complained and pressed my case, and Amazon gave me a refund for those without requiring me to physically return them at the company's expense. I promptly used the refunded amount to order three more, bringing the total number of books ordered to a round 50 over eight days.

 

Without subtracting the refunded amount, the average price was just under US$4.70 each at today's exchange rate.

 

Eight of the 50 are earmarked (and already partway wrapped) as presents, and the rest are about evenly split between my wife and I. Not that I have anything to write to fill 20 new journals in a decade, especially when I already have a stash of 30 other journals in a closet somewhere.

Sounds like a good deal. I haven't had much experience with Paperblanks so must give one a try at some stage. The covers are a little too busy for me as I tend to like a more corporate look. Paper usually gets a good review. I have just had delivered a few of the new Milligram A5 notebooks. Very nice. Heavy card covers, nice paper that is FP friendly and I like the layout.

Enjoy your Paperblanks - I will get one next time I see them at one of my local haunts.

[AmandaW]

Stationery junkie? Or just bargain junkie? I suppose I'm both.... Paperblanks journals (some in Midi size, some in Ultra size; some hardcover, some flexis; some lined, some unlined; some with 100gsm paper, and some with 120gsm paper) over a span of just seven days. In some instances, Amazon combined shipment of several small orders (to which I don't object in principle, and can't really complain given free shipping) into large and heavy parcels, without packing with void fill material or individually wrapping the items, or otherwise physically bundling the smaller orders together, other than (for a small proportion of items) where the supplier has wisely put a thin foam pocket around each journal and the items were packed by the warehouse staff as-is.

 

Is the sale still happening?

[A Smug Dill]

Is the sale still happening?

Yes, and no. The bargains are not due a specific promotion or marketing campaign (cf. "sale") by either the brand, its distributor or the retailer, as far as I'm aware. Amazon AU simply does whatever it does with its stock management strategy and pricing heuristics, and you just have to be looking at the right time in the right place (and not hesitate!) to pick up some Rhodia and Paperblanks products very cheaply, at discounts of up to 80% off; the pricing can change and triple (or go even higher) in the blink of an eye, and I've seen it happen several times.

 

There are still a few products on my "saved for later" watchlist that's on offer at steep discount, last time I checked less than an hour ago (when I bought another two Paperblanks journals for my wife) just now; but we've largely cleaned Amazon AU out of most of what we find useful ourselves (or cute as presents for daughters of cousins and family friends), among the limited number of units that were on offer this round, so the pickings are a little sparse right now.

 

So, you can't buy what I bought at the prices I paid a few days ago, if that's what you meant by "the sale"; but you can buy something else that's still available, e.g. one, two or three units of "Tesla: Sketch of a Turbine" embellished manuscript hardcover wrap in Ultra size with 144 pages of blank 120gsm paper, for A$7.58 per unit (RRP is $32.95, if I'm not mistaken). Even just one unit would be eligible for free shipping to an Australian address if you have Prime membership.

Edited June 5, 2020 by A Smug Dill

[inkypete]

These are the Milligram notebooks A Smug Dill - worth a look. Interesting that they have gone for A5 and B5 rather than A4. B5 not a common size here downunder. Virtually the old quarto from when we were kids.

 

https://milligram.com/milligram-studio

Edited June 6, 2020 by inkypete

[A Smug Dill]

These are the Milligram notebooks A Smug Dill - worth a look.

 

Thanks for that. You mentioned earlier that the paper is FP friendly. Maybe Milligram has changed the paper recently, then? I remember coming across Milligram notebooks in a fancy bricks-and-mortar magazines and knick-knacks store in Newtown NSW, maybe 18 months ago, and when I wrote (with an F nib, no doubt) in the display/tester unit — with which ink, I can't remember, but most likely a Diamine — there was observable feathering; the disappointment I felt at the time, given that Milligram itself is very much in the fountain pens and inks market as a retailer, made an impression on me.

[inkypete]

 

Thanks for that. You mentioned earlier that the paper is FP friendly. Maybe Milligram has changed the paper recently, then? I remember coming across Milligram notebooks in a fancy bricks-and-mortar magazines and knick-knacks store in Newtown NSW, maybe 18 months ago, and when I wrote (with an F nib, no doubt) in the display/tester unit — with which ink, I can't remember, but most likely a Diamine — there was observable feathering; the disappointment I felt at the time, given that Milligram itself is very much in the fountain pens and inks market as a retailer, made an impression on me.

Correct - I can remember my disappointment with the original paper. Bad choice. Look for the 80gsm Taiwanese Milled Maple Paper. They are all that now. Very nice FP paper - no bleed or feathering with my pens. It is cream which I don't particularly like - much prefer white. If you get to try one let me know what you think.

Edited June 6, 2020 by inkypete

[A Smug Dill]

The covers are a little too busy for me as I tend to like a more corporate look. _...‹snip›... Enjoy your Paperblanks - I will get one next time I see them at one of my local haunts.

In the current round of offers, there are still a couple of Paperblanks "Old Leather: Calypso" Flexis in Midi size with 240 pages of 100gsm paper at a reasonable price, if that (small) size works for your applications. No wrap-around hardcover or metal clasp(s) for closure. I got that format in the "Tesla: Sketch of a Turbine" line, and personally I think they're usable for "work" or functional applications, but not as good for laying down ink in one's best handwriting. I scored a couple of those in dark brown ("Old Leather: Black Moroccan") in the larger Ultra size.

 

There's "Old Leather: Flint" with wrap-around hardcover in Midi size, but I expect the wrap-around piece will just get in the way if one's taking notes on the run, or in a stand-up meeting, or while interviewing a client/subject.

 

When I was still working in an office, I used to use cheap Typo spiral notebooks with the "The Element of Apathy" cover for weekly team and update meetings, with covers showing illustrations of phrenology or palmistry for development notes on proof-of-concept prototypes I was working on, etc. (but I did have non-company-issue, plain and sombre Leuchtturm journals for use when meeting clients with million-dollar accounts, of course). It's my opinion that corporate life should not be devoid of pointed humour, especially when I was often assigned to deal with "impossible" things in some unconventional manner. If only I'd discovered Paperblanks back then!

 

My wife, who is a public servant, is currently using at work the Game of Thrones "Valar Morghulis" hardcover A5 journals I picked up for A$4 apiece from some newsagent and bookstore a year after the series ended. Nobody has yet passed comment to her on those, as far as I've heard.

[inkypete]

In the current round of offers, there are still a couple of Paperblanks "Old Leather: Calypso" Flexis in Midi size with 240 pages of 100gsm paper at a reasonable price, if that (small) size works for your applications. No wrap-around hardcover or metal clasp(s) for closure. I got that format in the "Tesla: Sketch of a Turbine" line, and personally I think they're usable for "work" or functional applications, but not as good for laying down ink in one's best handwriting. I scored a couple of those in dark brown ("Old Leather: Black Moroccan") in the larger Ultra size.

 

There's "Old Leather: Flint" with wrap-around hardcover in Midi size, but I expect the wrap-around piece will just get in the way if one's taking notes on the run, or in a stand-up meeting, or while interviewing a client/subject.

 

When I was still working in an office, I used to use cheap Typo spiral notebooks with the "The Element of Apathy" cover for weekly team and update meetings, with covers showing illustrations of phrenology or palmistry for development notes on proof-of-concept prototypes I was working on, etc. (but I did have non-company-issue, plain and sombre Leuchtturm journals for use when meeting clients with million-dollar accounts, of course). It's my opinion that corporate life should not be devoid of pointed humour, especially when I was often assigned to deal with "impossible" things in some unconventional manner. If only I'd discovered Paperblanks back then!

 

My wife, who is a public servant, is currently using at work the Game of Thrones "Valar Morghulis" hardcover A5 journals I picked up for A$4 apiece from some newsagent and bookstore a year after the series ended. Nobody has yet passed comment to her on those, as far as I've heard.

I tend to use Clairefontaine A5 sewn or spiral in my leather covers for work. But not adverse to having something quirky.

[A Smug Dill]

Oh, I love the bright white paper in Clairefointaine "old aged bag" A5 journals myself, and I didn't find the coating that cause trouble with the use of fountain pens either.

 

Just to clarify my earlier post, it's the Paperblanks Midi size (and Peter Pauper Press also have journals that size) to be too small to be amenable to laying down one's best handwriting. The Ultra size is fine for that.

 

 

Edit: Haha, what was I thinking?

Edited June 6, 2020 by A Smug Dill

[inkypete]

Oh, I love the bright white paper in Clairefointaine "old bag" A5 journals myself, and I didn't find the coating that cause trouble with the use of fountain pens either.

 

Just to clarify my earlier post, it's the Paperblanks Midi size (and Peter Pauper Press also have journals that size) to be too small to be amenable to laying down one's best handwriting. The Ultra size is fine for that.

I've tried so many notebooks but Clairefontaine aged bag (or essentials) is still my old reliable.

 

I am also using a small Daiso B7 notepad as my desk jotter. It looks like an Apica (my second fave notebooks) with that silly frame and usually inane adage on the cover. They are 100 sheet and made in Japan. I am certain they are Apica. Great little desk noter. I use this for scribbling a price or telephone number on quickly.

[A Smug Dill]

I am also using a small Daiso B7 notepad as my desk jotter. It looks like an Apica (my second fave notebooks) with that silly frame and usually inane adage on the cover. They are 100 sheet and made in Japan.

You mean this one? https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/346033-daiso-d-98-series-b7-7mm-ruled-memo-pad/

 

If you prefer white paper to cream-coloured paper, the Maruman notepad sold in Daiso would be better, although the paper is thinner. I prefer the Daiso 'Smart Working' notepad to both of those, at the same price.

[inkypete]

You mean this one? https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/346033-daiso-d-98-series-b7-7mm-ruled-memo-pad/

 

If you prefer white paper to cream-coloured paper, the Maruman notepad sold in Daiso would be better, although the paper is thinner. I prefer the Daiso 'Smart Working' notepad to both of those, at the same price.

Thats the one. As you said it is surprisingly useful for its size and the paper is excellent.

[AmandaW]

Well, I must now confess to having four notebooks ordered.

 

Three are from the Paperblanks sale A Smug Dill spoke of. A hardcover Tesla ultra, a softcover Butterfly Garden ultra and a Flint guestbook (essentially a hardcover ultra turned landscape) - all unlined to allow for drawing as well as writing. Total for the three: approximately $20 Australian. Amazing.

 

To qualify for free shipping I added an A4 cloth-bound plain Clairefontaine - I use those for journalling.and was ready to order my next one.

[Misfit]

I ordered Field Notes because they had a deal on getting old stuff with the order. I’ve been buying from them since 2012.

 

I got the XO notebooks, a Steno pad, and notebooks to try and get family into them. My free items were the blue and orange “butcher wrap” look that I already had, and a Western Region traveling salesman button.

 

I hardly needed more Field Notes because I am a subscriber. But well free stuff....

And stationery junkie....

[A Smug Dill]

Found myself this cheap (and flimsy) fold-away storage box from Daiso that fits my share of the haul of Paperblanks journals almost perfectly:



(I can still close the lid on it with the last Ultra-sized book sitting flat on top of the spines of the books in the middle, although the top won't then be nearly flat.)

 

My wife got one of those boxes for her share of the haul, too, although there's a little bit more spill-over she has to house elsewhere.

[Misfit]

Oh, Paperblanks are pretty.

Great storage option.