Category Archives: My Collection

Notebooks Received as Gifts

Happy New Year! I am glad to report that during my holiday hiatus, I received several new notebooks as Christmas gifts: From my mom: a Moleskine Pocket Sketchbook, a Cachet Sketch Book, and a small Strathmore Drawing Pad (along with some nice drawing pencils). From a friend: a Moleskine Japanese Album and a Moleskine Weekly … Continue reading Notebooks Received as Gifts

1980s Notebooks from My Collection

Here’s a few blank books from my childhood: Remember those Nothing Books? They were all the rage for a while. They sold them at a local bookstore and they became quite a fad at my school– kids mainly used them for autograph books, I think, where you’d just have your friends sign a page and … Continue reading 1980s Notebooks from My Collection

Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 3: Moleskine, HandBook, Derwent and Pen & Ink

After looking at various attributes of the Moleskine, HandBook, Derwent, and Pen & Ink sketchbooks (see Part 1 and Part 2 of this review), let’s sum up a few key points about these 4 very similar notebooks. Moleskine: Made in China 80 pages Price: $10-15, depending on retailer Where to Buy: Amazon and all major … Continue reading Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 3: Moleskine, HandBook, Derwent and Pen & Ink

Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 2

In the first part of this review, I discussed the outward appearance of four similar pocket sketchbooks, the Moleskine, the Pen & Ink Journal, the HandBook, and the Derwent Journal. Now I’ll look at the insides. Rather than bore you with repeated photos of almost identical things, I’ll just point out a few details that … Continue reading Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 2

Using the Moleskine City Notebook: Paris

I have two of the Moleskine City Notebooks, one for New York (where I live) and one for Paris. I bought it for my first trip there a couple of months ago, and I really loved having it. Paris is the kind of place that is so constantly featured in newspaper and magazine articles– the … Continue reading Using the Moleskine City Notebook: Paris

Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 1: Moleskine, HandBook, Derwent, Pen & Ink

The notebooks I use most frequently are hard cover pocket sketchbooks, with heavy unlined paper that is suitable for various kinds of ink, pencil, and watercolor paints. I like to doodle and draw sometimes, so this type of notebook works well for me even though I also tend to use them for keeping a journal. … Continue reading Four Notebooks Reviewed Part 1: Moleskine, HandBook, Derwent, Pen & Ink