I'm A Sad, Pathetic Stationery Junkie.

[A Smug Dill]

15 minutes ago, Misfit said:

I chose a spiral notebook to be a commonplace notebook, but I think I chose wrong. I don’t want to carry it around the house.

 

A spiral notebook in a Mayplous notebook cover (which, incidentally, is not made of “dead cow”) for the win! I love carrying mine, even if it's just around the house.

 

My wife thinks I've thrown the kitchen sink (a spiral-bound notebook, a staple-bound notebook, three fountain pens, a multi-pen, and half a dozen Zebra Sarasa Clip pens in different colours) into that thing, but honestly, it doesn't feel as if I'm carrying that much in either weight or bulk with it.

[Misfit]

@A Smug Dill oh cool, you use multi pens too. They are my other pen rabbit hole. I’ll look up the Mayplous notebook cover. I have an A5 Lihit Lab notebook cover that could work. But I’m now curious about the cover you mentioned. Thank you for the reply.  
 

Is this the one you meant?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KLM9HMQ/?th=1&psc=1

 

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, Misfit said:

Is this the one you meant?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KLM9HMQ/?th=1&psc=1

 

That's the product. I have one in black, and Amanda has one in grey. I don't think I can stomach any of the other colours, although I suppose I could have sent Amanda one in pink instead as a joke. 😉

[Misfit]

@A Smug Dill I like Mint Green, however it indicates it would take 1-2 months to ship. One image showed yellow, but it isn’t in the color options.  I don’t appreciate what are basically two pink color choices. I’ll have to look at the other colors that arrive quicker. 

[A Smug Dill]

6 minutes ago, Misfit said:

I’ll have to look at the other colors that arrive quicker. 

 

Isn't the grey one available? 3 in stock, when I make the delivery target zip code 10101 on Amazon.com.

 

I don't know why the price is so much higher for you. Not that I'm complaining; but it's usually the other way around at Aussies' disadvantage.

 

We don't get the mustard yellow one either; or I would have jumped on it already!

[AmandaW]

 

 

I'm not fond of spiral bound sketchbooks, but the Mayplous cover has fixed it... hides the spirals somewhat, makes the book less floppy and holds a bunch of pens and pencils. It lives in the car so I don't have to remember to take a sketchbook with me any more.

 

The grey was a perfect for me. Pink? Eeek. Not so much.

 

It was a surprise when it arrived in the post!

[Misfit]

@AmandaW Good to know it hides the Spiral somewhat. I might choose to wait for Mint Green. I do like that color. And since it appears I’d be paying more for it, I might as well get the color I want. Though I’m not sure…. 
 

By the way, I noticed your signature is missing from your posts. New avatar too?

[AmandaW]

25 minutes ago, Misfit said:

I noticed your signature is missing from your posts. New avatar too?

Just having a change.

[A Smug Dill]

9 hours ago, Misfit said:

One image showed yellow, but it isn’t in the color options.

 

I asked the seller about that just now, and they expect it to be available again come mid-September.

[taimdala]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:46 PM, Misfit said:

@AmandaW I think it’s wonderful when people find the pen and notebook combo that goes everywhere with them. 
 

I chose a spiral notebook to be a commonplace notebook, but I think I chose wrong. I don’t want to carry it around the house. Then when I think of something to write in it, it’s not handy, and I forget what I wanted to write down. 

 

Hi there, Misfit. 😊

 

My solution was to get 3x5 inch pocket notebooks (Moleskine, Field Notes, Fabiano Eco Qua) and clip a Preppy to the cover. It slides perfectly into my cargo pocket. It's the perfect combo for my needs: it's a quick draw from my pocket and if I clip the Preppy to the current page I'm on, the notebook opens to that page immediately.

 

The only problem I've had with this combination is the Preppy's cap: the snap-on ridge on the section that holds the cap on tight wears down and can't grip the cap. I wore out that snap in about 5 months from my constant uncapping and recapping 

 

I had to say goodbye to the Preppy and say hello to my Platinum Curidas. Now I have the convenience of a retractable ballpoint but with the performance of an extra fine Platinum nib. Also, the clip on the Curidas is strong. It makes a great bookmark/place holder. 

 

 

[Misfit]

18 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

I asked the seller about that just now, and they expect it to be available again come mid-September.

Thank you for this information. I think I’ll wait on the yellow to decide. 

[Misfit]

@taimdala thank you for the idea. 

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

I think I’ll wait on the yellow to decide. 

 

I've been “speaking with” the seller some more today, and they've asked me to tell them how many I wanted, so that they can reserve it for me in case the handful of units they import and hand over to Amazon's warehouse for fulfilment of prospective orders get sold out quickly. I told them I only plan on buying one, because I haven't showed the product to my Australian friends (except Amanda) and canvassed whether they'd be interested in any colour, let alone just the yellow one.

 

I told them about the upcoming Pelikan Hub, and that I'll most likely bring mine to show other attendees, but I'm not intending or inclined to push/promote/sell the product there and then for them, even though they can't attend since they didn't know about the event until now and haven't registered for it.

 

Edited to add:

 

Call me a sucker, but:

• on account of the Chinese, or China-based, Amazon Marketplace seller being atypically responsive to my messages;
• it looks like the seller only sent five units of each colour to Amazon AU to sell, and won't be resupplying in a hurry;
• it's a good, perhaps even excellent product, from what I've seen so far, especially in view of the asking price;
• I can't find the same product, or anything that closely resembles it, on either AliExpress or Taobao (to do a price check); and
• even the Kaco Alio and Kaco Memory A5 covers, which are a bit simpler in design and features (but could be of slightly better quality), would cost me significantly more^† to source from AliExpress or Taobao,

I just placed my order for the last available unit (for now) of the grey Mayplous cover from Amazon AU.

 

^† To be fair, the price of the Kaco package includes a notebook and a cheap pen (neither of which I need, or even really want to check out quality-wise for myself).

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by A Smug Dill

[A Smug Dill]

Dang… I really shouldn't go digging around Taobao.

 

Source: Midori MD Paper Products website

 

I just discovered that Midori doesn't only make the leather A5 covers for its notebooks in tanned and undyed goat leather (which, according to the product specifications on Midori's website, is quite heavy at 236g, but the very same style of A5 covers in sheepskin, cowhide, and horse leather! Much lighter load to carry at 160g, 150g, and 140g respectively. If (you or) I thought the goat leather cover was expensive, though… wow, the prices of the others  are even more eye-watering. It's really odd that, apparently, those other leather covers are part of the MD Paper Products 15th Anniversary product suite, yet they aren't listed in the official website for such.

 

Source: The Midori Official Store on Taobao

 

Oh, what to do, what to do. Canadian horse leather sounds quite exotic!

 

…

 

I also discovered, to my surprise, that the leather covers I ordered on AliExpress (and have since received) worked out to be much cheaper… to order on AliExpress, as opposed to Taobao; and that's before even factoring in shipping charges. Phew! That makes me feel better.

 

The fabric ones, such as the Kaco Alio, are significantly cheaper on Taobao, though; and I'd still be ahead even if I have to pay higher shipping charges than AliExpress sellers charge for the same items.

[Misfit]

I find I’m really interested in this product. 
 

https://www.jetpens.com/Midori-Pen-Tool-Mesh-Pouch-Light-Blue/pd/37220

[Misfit]

Thanks to The Well Appointed Desk blog (https://www.wellappointeddesk.com)

I got this notebook in my Walmart pickup order. It is 5.9” by 9.1” or 14.9cm by 23.1cm.  The paper is coated and not recyclable. The paper comes in three colors of light blue, yellow, and orange red. The pages are lined.  Blue has Keep Calm at the bottom. Yellow has Game On at the bottom , and the orange red has Level Up at the bottom. 

[AmandaW]

Very cute!

[Runnin_Ute]

Finished off two notebooks this weekend. A spiral bound (A4/letter, sugar paper essentials) that was given to me by my co-workers after my mom's passing in October 2021 (she passed on Halloween). It was on my desk with a plant when I got back from my bereavement leave a few days later. The other I finished is a Apica CD11. (A5)

 

I started a new A4 wire bound red n black in the last few days, and another CD11 today.  I am running low on some of my A5 notebooks. I have one each in stock of the Apica CD11, Clairefontaine Neo Deco, plus running low on my Original Crown Mill notecards, with only three or four cards left over two boxes. So those need to be replenished. I guess some of my mid year bonus money may be buying some paper products.

[lascosas]

A Smug Dill-

I purchased the Midori A5 goat cover from Amazon.co.jp a year ago for￥8,048.  It weighs essentially nothing, and fits on a standard sized A5 notebook like a thin glove on your hand.  It was very dry, and I covered it in leather softener a couple of times to make it more supple.  Unfortunately, I do not use it much because you can't add a pen or anything more substantial than a single piece of paper tucked into the ends.  And the natural coor, even after all of the conditioner, easily stains.

[A Smug Dill]

@Misfit First sighting of Leuchtturm1917 Neon A5 hardcover notebooks in TK Maxx (Haymarket NSW)!