The joy of a new notebook

[MyMachineAndMe]

I'm surely not the only one? I was telling dh that I've almost finished my current notebook and that it's exciting because it means I get to start my new one. It's a beautiful notebook - it has a gold, shiny cover - and I've got the nice gold shimmer ink to use in it.

When I said all this, Dh looked at me like I've got two heads, as did one of my dc (the other has a better understanding of all things stationery).

Light-hearted question obviously, but do you get excited by new notebooks?

I’m in London now. Are there any stationery shops I should be looking out for?

I don't know. I must walk around with blinkers on because I didn't see any, apart from a smaller one in Waterloo Railway station! I wanted to look for some but didn't get the chance :(

If you find a good one, please let me know!

I was in London briefly in June and only saw one in King's Cross. I stupidly said I'd drop in on my way home so I wasn't dragging my haul for the day, then got delayed and had to run for the train 😢

I'm enjoying this thread and dangerously close to buying a new fountain pen !

I love the Peter Pauper journals / notebooks, really beautiful. You can get them on Amazon
https://www.peterpauper.com/collections/bookbound-journals

There is a beautiful pen/pencil shop in Covent Garden called "Choosing Keeping". It's always got customers reverentially picking up things and oohing over them and carefully replacing them!! Expensive but wonderful.

Choosing Keeping is a DREAM!

They have stickers on rolls too like I used to buy as a child!

Not near CG unfortunately, but will try to go on a future visit.

I think I will as well, if I manage to get down again at some point.

My love of notebooks is well known amongst my family & friends. I love receiving a new notebook & pen as a present. I've got quite a stash of unused books but can't kick the habit of buying more. It's rather addictive 😊

Couldn't agree more.

I am in mourning for the loss of Paperchase.

Yes.

One for creative writing.
One for ongoing research.
A separate project notebook with separate sections for each ongoing project.
A sketch book
A 'things to do today' tick-off checklist
A rough notebook for general work notes

This thread has inspired me to sort my notebooks out. I have a couple with a defined purpose (fitness/health, my blog) but others are just random. I also struggle with starting one as they are too beautiful to write in - but that doesn't stop me buying even more!! In fact I picked one up from TK Maxx last night for 3.99 - it's by Fringe and I already have a couple of similar ones which are in use 😊

Thank you to whoever answered my question about the drying time of diamine shimmer inks (the app won't let me scroll up enough to find the name). I've ordered 2 bottles from Amazon (I'm in France and haven't seen any in my local stationery shops). I'm used to writing with a fine nib, do I need to use a bigger nib for shimmer inks?

Last year I used a Leuchtturm1917 A5 hardcover 251 page note book. This year I've gone for the 123 page B6+ softcover, so thinner yet bigger, the only thing I'm worried about is the soft cover not standing up to the battering it gets from daily use (I'm a teacher).
As for pens, I have quite a few fountain pens ranging from cheapo supermarket ones to expensive (for me, not talking Mont Blanc here) ones. I only actually use one, my Waterman Expert (F) which I picked up in the sales about 15 years ago for 100€ (it's a special edition one which they don't do anymore). It's amazing, perfectly smooth wet writing, nice weight and pretty. It's been dropped several times and is still fine 😱. I have also been using the same ink in it forever (a turquoise Waterman ink in a bottle).

New to this thread - it's such a lovely read! I also use the shimmer inks, and just use them with the medium nib that my ink pen came with and it's fine. Might get a better show of the shimmer in the ink with a bigger nib?

They say that a wetter, wider nib is better for it to show off the shimmer and colour but it's not essential.

I'll resist buying another pen for now and see how I get on with my other pens (I have a couple with wider nibs), I'm not planning on writing much with the shimmer inks anyway, just titles and important bits.

I love this thread and ordered a nice notebook on the back of this thread because I've been using just supermarket ones and decided I need a pretty one .

Nothing better than a nice notebook 😍

A little late to the party but yes, I love notebooks. I've always loved stationery. I blame my 80s childhood - scented paper and fruit erasers and those pencils that were made up of mini pencils etc. I currently have two notebooks - one for work and one for home (basic 'To Do' list) and I'm waiting on yet another a planner to arrive. Still searching for the perfect planner. The notebooks have to be lined though. Otoh I prefer a biro to a fancy pen.

My sister just came back from holiday and brought me a beauty she picked up at alehop at the airport! Totally unexpected😁

I haven't RTFT so sorry if this has been asked, but what do you write in your notebooks?

I love the idea of a notebook and got given two beautiful ones years ago, but they both remain sadly pretty empty (I have had them 7 years!).

What should I write in them?

I use mine as a planner (a double page = 1 week), to note down pupils grades and a couple of pages for meetings.
Some people use them as diaries, others as to do lists (if you look up the basics of bullet journaling and ignore all the faff it can be really useful).

Thank you @LaChatte .

Oh gosh, I feel like my life is so boring as I don't think I could fill a double page per week as a planner (wake up, work from home, feed and bathe kids, sleep, repeat).

I do use a notebook for work stuff but just use an ugly one provided by work. Maybe I should start using a nicer one, it might inspire me!

I had a quick Google of bullet journalling and I do love anything that can help me be more organised so I'll give it a go!
I already make lists for shopping, meal planning, to-dos but somehow always end up just using scraps of paper.

Using up scraps paper of is good too , but my Husband gets given them to use . He's not to bothered about nice notebooks 😁