Category: unboxing

Photos and Unboxing of the Caramel B6 Folio Cascade

October 10, 2022

Last time I posted, my youngest daughter hadn’t started school yet. Now, she’s already two and half months in and coming upon her first PSATNMSQT test. Last year she took the PSAT, which was required by the school for the all the students to take. This year she qualified for the PSATNMSQT. Can you believe next year she’ll be taking the SATNMSQT?

I know I promised cruise photos and they’re ready to go and should be up soon. I can’t wait share photos and talk about my experience with this vacation and cruise line.

Chic Sparrow came out with this limited edition leather called Caramel. It’s a nubuk leather. Husband said it’s the same leather they use on Birkenstocks so I decided to get my hand on one. Here is the unboxing:

In the last 35 seconds of the video there is a clip of the drive through the mountains on the Million Dollar Highway. I provide a short description in the comments of the video about the city we visited and this highway, so if you’d like to learn a little bit about history, click on “Watch on Youtube,” and “Show More.”

Here are photos of the Caramel Folio:

This is a very pretty leather. After a few days holding it I’m not too sure I’m digging the suede feel. I like it, but I just don’t know if I love it. I wonder if this is the same leather they use for the Traveler’s Company’s Camel Traveler’s Notebook. I feel like I almost have to buy that one too just to compare.

Unboxing Falcon Travelers’ Book of Faerie Traveler’s Notebook + Photos

April 29, 2022

I’m so excited to finally have this beautiful leather notebook cover in my hands! I ordered it early in February, and because this is a small business owned by Monique (aka Lady Falcon) and Martijn in the Netherlands, I expected some wait time. The company is called Falcon Travelers and they make leather traveler’s notebooks and folios. What’s unique about them is that they not only make your basic leather notebooks/folios, but they also make artistic-work notebooks.

The one I ordered is called “Book of Faerie.” I had been visiting their website for awhile and at one pointed wanted to get their “Pendragon” notebook cover, but by the time I was ready to order, the Pendragon leather was no longer available, however, something else caught my eye, and it was this very lovely engraved book-style cover.

I got it in the classic B6 size. Classic means there are no pockets. I regret not getting pockets because I’ve actually come to really like them, but I still love this one without pockets, nonetheless.

Book Review: Bartholomew

April 25, 2022

Decided to try something different and make a video of books I unbox and review. Let me know what you think.

Title: Bartholomew
Author: Mark Lages
Genre: Fiction; Literary; Memoir
Year Published: March 17, 2022

Date finished: April 23, 2022

This story is written like a memoir and opens with the main character, Rick Harper, celebrating his 65th birthday. He reflects on his earlier life, remembering his invisible friend as a child, and how that friend visited him again in adulthood.

Rick comes across very nonchalant. He tells us all the mistakes he’s made through his life. He doesn’t really give reasons or excuses as to why he did the things he did. He does, however, show us that he doesn’t understand how he ended up in his life with all the mistakes he’s made. He shows us that he doesn’t understand what happiness is because his life had been both good and bad but not too extreme in either direction. He seems to just exist and thus his confusion with what happiness means.

Bartholomew is Rick’s invisible friend, and he (Bartholomew) is sort of a guiding energy for Rick. He makes Rick think about his purpose and his definition of happiness. Along the way, Rick begins to understand what it really means to live.

I got so much out of this story. My favorite scene was when Rick cheated a co-worker out of a job, and then a few years later, he helped a co-worker earn a spot in the company even when he was on a tight deadline of his own. I totally understood that. It wasn’t because he liked one co-worker over another, but because it was timing. The first situation, he was a young person just out of college and needed to do what he needed to do to gain status. Later, when he was experienced and had gone through a lot in his career and in his personal life, he then sacrificed his time to help another. This speaks so much about humanity. No one is perfect, yet we tend to judge others as though they have to be perfect, forgetting to look at ourselves and see that we too have faults.

This was a wonderful read. I think everyone can learn something from this book, but even if that’s not something you care for, you’d still enjoy the humor.

Who should read this book: I’d totally recommend it to everyone.

Snow Day (Photos) and Unboxing Video of 3 Notebook Covers

February 2, 2022

Daughter had a snow day today, which means no school. She’s both excited and bummed. Excited because she can relax and not worry about doing homework, and bummed because she spent an hour yesterday making Crepes for French class and now she’ll have to eat them by herself (and with me of course) or throw them away. She made about 20 crepes.

The snow is soft and light and it’s not that cold out. I went out to take photos in my short LL Bean boots, leggings, and sweater and wasn’t cold at all.

Here’s me crossing the lawn in the deepest part trying to get over to the pine tree.

As I was taking photos, this person comes by on cross country skis just enjoying the wonderful weather and snow.

And I had to share this notebook cover with the snow in the background. The little white sprinkling things is the snow coming down. This is the No. 8 Extra Wide in American Bison hide. The unboxing video below will have a closer look at all the striations and folds. It’s such a pretty leather!

Snow + Unboxing Video: Woodhouse Personal and Huckleberry B6

January 25, 2022

We got snow today. It’s beautiful but slippery. This is a view from the study, where I spend the majority of my time writing, recording, and crafting.

Here’s a video of my unboxing of the Austen Woodhouse Personal and Creme Huckleberry B6. They are both leather traveler’s notebook covers by Chic Sparrow.

I just love the feel of these leathers. They smell awesome too. Photos coming soon.

Unboxing Video: Black Beauty Creme and Dark Brown Scout

January 18, 2022

I ordered quite a few notebooks from Chic Sparrow late December and earlier this month. I’m a little backed up on unboxings but I’m getting there. This unboxing is of the Black Beauty Creme in the B6 size and the Dark Brown Scout in the narrow size. The Creme leather is their thickest leather. It is full-grain (the best leather out there) and soft to the touch. Some Cremes are pebbly, but none of mine are. I have five Cremes and all are very smooth except for the Chocolate, which is slightly pebbly, but still soft to the touch. The Scout is what Chic Sparrow called Maverick previously. I have a Golden Maverick in the Classic style and in the standard size. Classic just means stitching is optional. I went with optional with the Golden Maverick back then because I didn’t want the pockets. Now, I love the pockets! The Scout has pockets made from the Creme leather. I also have a similar style of leather to the Maverick and Scout but by Foxy Fix. The one by Foxy Fix is called Le Voyageur. It’s a dark brown (lighter than the Scout) color in the wide size. Maverick, Scout, and Le Voyageur are all from Asian Buffalo hide. Leather thickness is very similar to Creme.

Le Stallion Notebooks

September 22, 2021
Left to right: Henson (Desert Brown), Garanno (Cocoa Brown), and Ariegois (Ashgray Black)

These notebooks are honestly beautiful. I love that they have a table of contents and numbered pages. As a writer, these two features are what’s most important to me in a notebook, but the soft and pliable faux leather, metallic charm, and burgundy brown edging of these Le Stallion Notebooks add a little excitement each time I grab for them. I haven’t written in them yet, but they are on the table next to me and I’m always finding myself running my hands over them and flipping through the empty lined pages.

It’s crazy how important looks is…but I would know that as an avid reader and writer. I’m often drawn to pretty looking book covers, and admit, I’d choose a good looking book cover over one that is mediocre. However, this isn’t to say I would never read a book that didn’t have a nice cover. Blurbs are important too and I mostly go by blurbs after gushing over the covers. I think I treat notebooks the same. Looks matter, but what’s most important is what’s inside, and as mentioned earlier, the table and contents and numbered pages sold me.

I rarely use the back pocket but I’m always in favor of it because there may be times when I’ll need a place to tuck scratches of short scenes or maybe even a list of name of characters I know I’ll forget if I don’t jot them down. I often use sticky tabs in my notebooks and have kept them in the back pocket.

It’s hard to capture the true color of the edging but it gives the notebooks a clean look.

There are four colors available: Ariegeois (Ashgray Black), Garanno (Cocoa Brown), Henson (Desert Brown), and Galloway (Khaki Cream) [not shown]. These notebooks are available for $19.95 each on Le Stallion’s website.

To watch my unboxing video of three of these notebooks, click here >> Unboxing Le Stallion A5 Notebooks.