Your Input Needed: If We Made a Sketchbook…
We need your input!
Exaclair, (The US distributors of Clairefontaine, Quo Vadis, Rhodia, etc.) is contemplating the creation of an American made sketchbook. A book that would lend itself more towards artistic creation than writing – though I’m certain such a book could be used for either form of expression. The book would contain paper from Clairefontaine’s Schut Mill, (located in the Netherlands) and would be assembled at the Hamburg, NY plant where the Habana notebooks and other Quo Vadis products are currently being made. This sketchbook would be a bound book, (as opposed to a spiral) and we would love your input on how this book should be created.
(See how to submit your feedback at the end of this post.)
In the meantime, Karen sent me a batch of paper samples to test and I chose 4:
If I am going to work in a bound book, it’s got to lay flat. For me, there are no exceptions to that rule. I’d like the book to be about the same size as a large Webbie – 5×8″ish with a firm cover so if I was working with the book propped on my knee, there would still be a good amount of support.
To me, the most important feature of the paper in any sketchbook Continue Readering »
Hidden Box Giveaway
We’re giving away a very unique item, a Rhodia poster to 3 lucky winners, if you can find the hidden box on Quovadisplanners.com! Follow the instructions once you have found the box and 3 people will be randomly selected to win the prize. Contest ends Wednesday 2/20 at midnight EST. Good luck!
Olaf’s New Habana
Olaf Starorypinski has a studio down the hall from me at the Banana Factory. He’s an international photographer originally from London, England who also happens to be a huge fan of the fountain pen. In fact, Olaf gifted me a bottle of fountain pen ink when I first moved into my studio. Right now, Olaf’s favorite pen is a Pilot Custom 823, with a right handed 0.8mm cursive italic nib customized by Classic Fountain Pens. He uses Sailor’s purple “Jentle” ink, but as he claims that color is becoming very hard to find, he will be switching to J.Herbin or Diamine when his supply runs out. (Hmm… Poussiere de Lune maybe?)
Each time I’d see Olaf at the BF, I noticed him carrying a large journal by a manufacturer other than Exaclair. I asked him how the paper in that journal was holding up against his fountain pen ink and his response was that it could be better. He preferred to use a blank journal with off-white paper in an 8×11″ format and while I couldn’t offer him anything by Rhodia to try, I did get my hands on one of the new large Quo Vadis Habanas which he now *loves.*
Image by Olaf Starorypinski.
Image of Olaf with light graffiti artist Vicki SaSilva outside his Banana Factory studio at the recent opening of the 2012 InVision Photo Festival.
Moving Time
It has once again become time for me to move out of one journal and into another. I have been working in a blank Quo Vadis Habana since the beginning of the year and take note- this is highly unusual for me to have spent over 8 months in a single journal. Why so long? It most certainly isn’t for a lack of things to say. In fact, I probably have more stuff that needs to be purged from my brain than ever before. Crazy as it may seem, I think sometimes I become afraid to say what’s on my mind- like I’m playing a game of sorts. If I have a thought and write it down, it makes it more real –> then I have to give my focused attention to it –> which could lead to additional responsibilities OR having to give more attention to the painful bits. Historically, daily writing has proven to be an extremely significant factor (read inexpensive therapy) to my personal growth and overall well being and I would like to make a concentrated effort to write more, and write honestly- painful bits and all.
A Notebook for Everyone
Our UK friends at the Pens and Paper blog tested a number of notebook papers with four different fountain pens – each filled with a different ink. If you ever wanted to know how water based inks react on a certain paper, this is a great series of photos and commentary to help you choose the best product for your needs. The papers that were tested:
- Whitelines (grid);
- Rhodia Webnotebook (lined and dot grid);
- Quo Vadis Habana (lined);
- Monseiur (plain);
- Moleskine (lined);
- Leuchtturm 1917 (lined);
- Rhodia ePure (plain);
- Jottrr (lined/plain);
- Rhodia Exabook (lined);
- Clairefontaine (lined and Séyès ruled);
- Smythson Featherweight (lined); and,
- Archie Grand (plain).
Read the full post here.
Inspirational Habana
I save old magazines and now and again, I cut them apart. Pictures go in one box, words in another. Then one day I pull them out and start gluing them into one of my journals. What I end up with, is often more than I imagined possible. Beautiful, inspirational… Messages to help ground me when I’m feeling down.
This project was inspired by my friend Kim who teaches a Found Poetry workshop. You can see another piece I created here.
Quo Vadis Habana Journals
One of my favorite non-Rhodia products from Exaclair is the Quo Vadis Habana. They are a slightly different animal than Rhodia’s Webbie. First off, they have stiff, but not hard covers – take note that the cover on the small Habana is stiffer than on the large.
The paper in the Habanas is an 85g off-white versus Continue Readering »
Speaking of the Habana…
Yesterday I mentioned moving into a Quo Vadis Habana. Did you know that the new Habanas with 85g ivory paper are now available? I’m very much looking forward to trying one of these as I prefer ivory paper to white and I like the sizing of the small Habana for travel. If you missed the story on why the paper was changed, you can read about it here.
Wondering if this 85g paper will stand up to your favorite fountain pen and ink? According to Brian Goulet of Goulet Pens, it will indeed. Other than the color of the paper changing, the width of the ruling has been modified as well. Continue Readering »
Paper Rituals
Since 2005, (whenI started journal writing on a regular basis) I seem to have developed certain rituals surrounding the start of a new book. The first pertains to the selection of the book itself. I always have at least 2 or 3 options on hand so I have to decide… plain paper or lined, white or off white, size of the book, color of the cover, etc. I just went through this- having recently finished a large blank Webbie and contemplated a move into either another one of the same or one of the small Habanas with plain white paper. (no longer available as they now contain off-white paper) I opted for the Habana.
After choosing the book, sometimes I will hold off the actual “start” of the book for a few days if there is a significant date somewhere in the near future- like this past Webbie which I started on the 1st of this year. (Actually, it’s more common that I will pace the ending of the previous book to coincide with the start of the new.) If not, I just dive right in… but not before a bit of customization. Continue Readering »
Take 2: Attn all Bloggers looking to Review Exaclair Products – Please resubmit requests
01/19/13 Update- This offer is currently closed – please watch for future offers for bloggers to review our products.
The 1st time I ran this post I didn’t fully realize the logistics of soliciting requests via the comment section. Results? Information compilation overload. Because I know how much you would like to try our products and how much we’d love for you to review them, we are going to try this again with a few guidelines and a form for submitting requests.
Continue Readering »
Exaclair USA at the New York International Gift Show: Now through Feb 3rd
Look for us at the New York International Gift Fair, Booth 4044 (L’Agenda Moderne), Javits Convention Center, New York City, January 30-February 3, 2011. The show hours are 9 am to 6 pm daily except for the last day, when the show ends at 12 noon. Continue Readering »
Check out all the new Exaclair products for 2011!
Rhodia dotWebbies, Rhodia Premium Stapled Pads with Soft Touch covers, Continue Readering »
Buying local: Pieritz Bro’s. Office Supplies in Chicago – Since 1895!
Established in 1895, Pieritz Brothers is one of the oldest family run office supply stores in the United States. In addition to being fully stocked in office supplies, the store has become a lively mix of eclectic music, art, and a museum of historic office machines & other items. Pieritz Brothers carries a number of the different Exaclair brands such as Quo Vadis, Rhodia and Exacompta. They also have a variety of fine writing instruments from Germany and Japan. Continue Readering »
Year at a Glance
I’m not much of a daily planner kind of person- more of a “month at a glance” kind and I’ve recently fallen in love with my new Quo Vadis Monthly 4 that Karen sent me. (I fully reviewed it here.) One small feature I especially love, are the year at a glance pages. I find something so thrilling about looking back over a completed year. Blocks of time spent here or there, doing this or that- it’s a great visual reminder for me to remember the important bits.
Are you a paper planner person? Which kind do you prefer- daily, monthly, hourly? Do you use more than one? I know that Laurie does!
Quiver Leather Pen Holders for Webbie and Habana
I recently reviewed these leather pen holders from Quiver and found that the two pen models work quite nicely with the Rhodia Webbies and small Quo Vadis Habanas. (Julie reviewed both the 1 and 2 pen models here.)
Since writing the review, Bob Koch at Quiver Global noticed a great deal of interest in the Quiver products from Webbie users and gave me a coupon code to extend to our fans. For a 5% discount off of your order from now until December 12th, enter the code “rhodia2010″ into the promo code box during checkout.
Thanks Bob!
