What I’m Using Now

I recently changed my “What I’m Using Now” photo after several months of its being out of date. I’ve gone through at least 2 or 3 daily notebooks since I last updated that image, a couple of Moleskines and a Piccadilly. I’ve been alternating between plain pages and squared– I keep coming back to squared as my favorite for my day to day notes, lists and jottings, with the occasional sketch or collage thrown in too.

The notebook I just finished had a rather tight elastic, and I ended up keeping it tucked around the back cover most of the time– I realized I like being able to just open the notebook up without fiddling with it. I’d like to keep doing it, but alas, the red Moleskine I just started has a looser elastic, so it doesn’t wrap around the cover as tidily.

I’m a bit uncertain about using a red notebook after years of just using black ones. I certainly have plenty of non-black notebooks in my collection and have used many of them over the years, but more recently, I’ve found it so satisfying to have a row of uniform black-covered notebooks. I did use a red Moleskine diary a couple of years ago, but I didn’t carry it with me every day. The shade of red is rather glaring, I’m really hoping it gets dirty soon! (In case you’re wondering why I bought a red one in the first place, it was because I happened to stumble across a sale where it was only $3.00!)

As for the other notebooks, I sometimes carry the extra Moleskine sketchbook with me to use if I want to do a more elaborate drawing or painting that wouldn’t work well in the squared notebook. And I keep the HandBook journal at home, where I’ve been using it for collages and drawings on the weekends. The sketchbooks always take me much longer to fill.

The other notebooks I’m using now, less actively, are a large Piccadilly that I paste recipes in, and a small lined Piccadilly where I’ve been recording all the books I read. I also have a pocket size Moleskine Volant that I use for notes in my French class.

So that’s 6 notebooks going at once… I should probably come up with reasons to start a few more!

2 thoughts on “What I’m Using Now”

  1. For shame! I don’t think 6 notebooks at once is nearly enough, LOL! Seriously, though I love hearing about your collections and what you’re using now. I like the blue one at the bottom of the pile. I never really gave much thought to what all my multicolored notebooks would looke like on a shelf (they’re all in a Tupperware bin in my closet), but I say if it spices up things for you, go for red. Change is good every now and then to keep our creative juices flowing. I’ve got a shocking red Miquelrius that I’m not sure what to do with, but I can see it from across the room. Would you ever consider posting some of your artwork? You’ve gotten my curiosity up now, and I’m wondering what graces the pages of your notebooks. Thanks for sharing:)

  2. I have started using a red 18 months Moleskine Planner. Due to the Pocket size (and not the colour) I had stopped using it.
    I have bought the Little Prince and Peanuts Limited Edition recently which I will use as my journal when the current is filled.

    Currently I am using 4 notebooks which I might extend to 5; I have not yet fully decided. Up to now I was a believer in having as few as possible to avoid carrying around too many and to have all in one place and in chronological order. Slowly I see that this might not be the best option all the time.
    There actually might be a sixth one for the movies I have seen. Have you tried the Moleskine Movie Journal by any chance?

    Happy Writing!

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