Traveler’s Notebook – From My Corner of the Universe

Notebook Cover Collection

May 25, 2023

Daily writing prompt

Do you have any collections?

I believe it was in 2015 that I bought my first traveler’s notebook, a Midori. This one notebook cover led to many others, and suddenly, I became a collector. As a kid, I collected stickers, and in my twenties and thirties, I collected lipsticks and perfumes, and now, in my forties, it’s notebook covers…and notebooks too, as you will see later.

Here are all my standards:

Wide:

A5:

A5 Folio:

B6:

B6 Folio:

Pocket:

Weeks:

Personal (two on the left), B6 Narrow, and the Lancaster, a slightly more narrow B6 Narrow:

I’ve also started to collect hardcover notebooks. I don’t have a lot, but I think I have enough to constitute a collection:

B5:

A5:

8×8:

On the left is a notebook that’s a tad smaller than the A5, and on the right is a B6:

A few notebooks that I don’t think I plan to keep only because the quality isn’t as good as the ones above:

There you have it. My collections. 🙂

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.

Unboxing Video: CS Folio Outlander Fergus B6

May 22, 2021

I always take forever to upload videos, mainly because I’m just never excited about talking in them, but I feel like if I do unboxings, I kind of have to say something. I finally found the courage to do a voice over for this unboxing even though it’s not my first time doing this.

This folio is of the same leather as the Outlander Fraser, in which I share a photo here. However, the style of notebook is different. Instead of strings, which can hold up to 6+ notebooks, the folio only holds one book at a time, just like the Huckleberry Creme B6 Folio.

What I love about the Fergus B6 Folio is the color, and that it’s a soft leather but not floppy. It’s slightly stiff but pliable. I went with the B6 because it’s the perfect size for notes and writing ideas down. I can carry it with me without it feeling too bulky. I love my A5’s, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just something special about the B6 size. And, between the Huckleberry Folio (which was a limited edition) and this one, I prefer this one. The folio style of this one is not limited edition, but I believe the leather is. I had actually wanted a Fergus strings notebook, but Chic Sparrow ran out of the leather and weren’t sure they’d get more in. One day, I went looking on their site and saw this limited edition Fergus and grabbed it like lightning.

Anyway, here is the video. Hope you enjoy!

Leuchtturm Notebooks and Etsy Mini Haul

September 18, 2020

Getting my writing notebooks ready for 2021. This year, I felt a bit all over the place so I’m hoping these notebooks will help me get my writing groove back.

Earlier in the year, I purchased an A5 Chic Sparrow Traveler’s Notebook to house the A5 notebooks. Initially, I bought some cheap notebooks from Amazon but they were on the smaller side and didn’t fill up the TN the way I’d like them to. The Leuchtturms are a little more expensive but they do the job. I also like that they have an index and numbered pages. I’ve been using one for a year and a half now and really like everything about it.

Decided to order some fun things off Etsy.com. I mainly wanted a new date stamp since the one I currently have is coming to a close. The last year on it is 2021. This new one goes all the way up to 2031.

I ordered from WaWa Stationary. They have some really pretty washi tapes that I’ve been eying. I also wanted some vintage looking labels for my junk journaling hobby. And then the girl stickers was just too adorable. They were so sweet and included a few freebies.

Here’s a close-up of the stamp. I love how it came with a stand.

Chic Sparrow Carroll Leather in Duchess and Unboxing Video

August 8, 2020

I’ve had this Duchess B6 for a couple of weeks now. It’s a really nice sturdy leather even though it’s quite thin. The color is a pinkish mauve. The photo is almost true to color. There is really no way to capture the true color of this leather, but it’s truly gorgeous.

Here’s the unboxing video.

Chic Sparrow Carroll Leather in Alice + Unboxing Video

July 14, 2020

This is an A5 Chic Sparrow Carroll leather in Alice. It is a deluxe which means it has pockets on the inside. The color is very close to Tiffany Blue but maybe not as bright. It’s a very soft full-grain leather. There is no shine to it. As far as scent goes, I’ve heard a lot of people say it has a strong unpleasant smell but mine just smells like leather and I have a pretty sensitive nose. Maybe I got lucky.

I love these traveler’s notebooks so much I keep buying them but I’m running out of what to use them for. The Carroll Duchess just released and I want it too but I don’t have any idea what I’d use it for at them moment. With this Alice, since it’s an A5, I’m going to use it for writing and for style sheets for book reviews and beta reading.

Foxy Fix Traveler’s Notebooks in B6

June 5, 2020

I began writing “Dear” letters to my daughters in hardcover notebooks in 2011 on and off. Recently, I merged their notebooks into softcover Moleskin notebooks and put them in a large traveler’s notebook to keep them in one place. I sometimes include photos or bits and pieces of things they’ve written and tossed, even drawings left behind, in these notebooks. In a few more months, when I’ll be done with the Moleskins, I’ll be moving into these traveler’s notebooks from Foxy Fix. I plan to make the inserts myself to create shabby chic style notebooks so it doesn’t look or feel too formal. Years down the road, I want them to read these letters, and look at the photos and bits, with a cup of tea in a sitting room, and maybe some nostalgic music in the background. A mom can dream, right?

These B6 sizes were from a mystery sale on the Foxy Fix website a month ago. The deal was so good (half off) that I couldn’t resist getting two. I had no idea what color I would get or leather type, but I’m very happy with what I received. One daughter loves purple and one loves pink so it was a perfect match.

These traveler’s notebooks normally come in a cloth dust bag, but because they are mystery items (items that Foxy Fix is getting rid of because of over production), they come in these plastic covers, which I don’t mind since I currently have quite a few dust bags from previous purchases I can store them in.

Leather/color, left to right: Sugar/Cherry Blossom and Sugar/Lilac

Foxy Fix Traveler’s Notebook in Spice Latte

June 21, 2019

I shared a few images on my Instagram of the Spice Latte Traveler’s Notebook I purchased but here’s a few more. I’m loving this TN so much. It’s a very soft and pliable leather. It feels so good in my hands. The color is a light taupe but more on the brownish beige side. I opted for a spine design of the moon phase in rose gold. If you didn’t already know, my name in Hmong means moon. I was given the name because my oldest sister kept getting ear infections (based on Hmong superstition, they said because she kept pointing to the moon, the moon lady would cut her ears). So, when I was born, they gave me the name and her ears never got cut again. Not sure how that works but my guess is, it tricked the moon lady to think my sister was also a moon lady because she was close to a moon. Who knows, but I really should study up on these superstitions though.

DIY Passport Size Fauxdori

July 7, 2015

I’ve been doing a ton of Youtube and Google research on the Fauxdori, an imitation (DIY) version of the Midori Traveler’s Notebook, and finally found the courage and materials to make my first two. The leather were scraps…I was aware that there would be dents and stuff on them which was fine with me since I’m just learning my way. The books inside the Fauxdoris were also made. I used regular paper and printed lines and graphs on two of the books and left one blank for drawing/sketching.