Is there really anything better than a new journal? I love new journals so much, I have a hard time not buying them all the time – which means I have many half-filled journals that were set aside in favor of newer, fresher ones. But the journal I just finished yesterday is filled to the very, very last page because I loved it so much. In fact, I’ve been desperately looking for another one EXACTLY LIKE IT (but with a new look) before I was willing to spend a dime on another journal. And I have a lot to journal about lately, so I needed one fast.
Fortunately, I found one.
If you care, I’ll tell you all the reasons I love these journals from Chronicle Books so much:
1. They are small enough to fit in my purse but big enough to fit my whole hand onto when I’m writing
2. They are softcover, which makes them light enough to carry around. But the cover is made of a sort of plastic-y material that doesn’t easily bend or dent, and is resistant to stains. That old journal has been banged around in my purse for months, and it’s really not nearly as tattered as I would have expected.
3. I love the texture of the paper. It’s smooth, not rough – my pen glides across the page.
4. The pages are bound into about 20 separate bundles, which means no pages fall out (even when being banged around for months!) AND you can open the book fully, completely, all the way flat.
5. Every single page is illustrated in color with a series of about four different styles. The illustrations are so yummy to look at, and frame the pages beautifully.
6. AND they only cost $9.95. I bought my first one at Anthropologie, but couldn’t find another one there this month. Found my new one at my local Barnes and Noble, and also found it at several sources online.
– My old one: Sunblooms Journal with artwork by Amy Butler.
– My new one: Native Herbs Journal with artwork by Jill Bliss.
– There are other designs too – you’ll see them when you click the links above.
Oh yeah. One more thing. It’s not just the journal that matters, right? It’s the pen too. And I have to say, right now I have the perfect combination. In fact, in the past, I have sometimes had to force myself to journal. This combo is so smooth, it seriously makes the words flow.
Want my pick for best pen? Want it or not, here it is: Pilot G-2 Limited Metallic Barrel Gel Ink Pen.
And here’s why:
1. I love a thick pen. (My long fingers need something to hold onto.) This one is thick, AND has a super-comfy, rubber-cushiony area where you hold the pen.
2. I love the colors. My favorites are the gold and silver metallic (with black ink).
3. I love a good gel pen. And this one is really, really good. Very smooth. It even makes writing grocery lists more fun.
4. I hate throwing away good pens when they run out, and these I don’t have to. They cost a little more up front, but I can refill them over and over pretty cheaply (and greenly!). As long as I don’t lose them. A big “if,” I admit, but I love these pens so much, I’ve only lost one out of three in the past 8 months. Pretty darn good.
Ok, that’s it from me today. Happy journaling.
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