our hunt for the cutest notebooks
We may completely subscribe to the wired-way of life, with our cell phones, laptops and Blackberry’s never more than an arm’s reach away, but we also cannot leave home without a notebook. An honest-to-goodness pad of paper is still the best way to jot down notes, inspirations, bright ideas and new friends’ phone numbers (or emails or websites). Luckily, even as our worlds get more high-tech, the quality of paper goods is soaring, with young, independent companies putting their efforts at creating the cutest damn notebooks we’ve ever seen. We buy them all time, afterall, it’s hard to say no to everyday things that are both amazingly useful and expressive. They also make great emergency gifts. Stock up and you’ll never be empty handed at the birthday party you forgot about! Here’s a collection of our favorites, in stores now.
Cut + Paste animal folds, $16 each, come in bright colors with ten animals to choose from. Big enough to get some serious thoughts down.
Jill Bliss journals at Chronicle Books, $10. Angela M. has been carrying the one above to meetings for a month now and always gets compliments. The paper is a grid-lined.
Dewey Howard mini journals, $10, will fit nicely in your handbag and impress when you pull it out.
See more of our favorite notebooks on the next page!
Pamela Barsky Bad Ideas Journal, $10, is anything but. Sure to inspire giggles at the very least.
Hiroshigi wave notebook at papersource.com, $14, is perfect for all your travels.
Rock, Scissor, Paper’s animal wallpaper notebooks, $9, come in a range of patterns and are good for kids of all ages.
Russel and Hazel’s Audrey essential pad, $12, is embossed and girly.
Angela Adams mini journals, three for $15. Handsized and in Adam’s most pretty prints.
Plus, a couple we’ve written about before: Don’t forget the whimiscal Eboo journals and the one-of-kind book journals.
September 25th, 2006 at 10:13 am
Oh, I am so glad to hear that someone else shares my obsession! I always have at least two little guys in my purse, not to mention the dozens stashed “for later” or “for gifts” all around my apartment. I just can’t resist mini-graphic indulgences.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:37 pm
I love them all!
September 25th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Oooo, what a great idea. Jen Corace’s notebooks are among my favorites, even though they’re a bit beyond my price range.
September 26th, 2006 at 9:21 am
You should check out exlibrisanonymous.com – they’re probably a bit bigger than you’re looking for, but still very cool.
September 26th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Check out ex libris anonymous for very unique recycled book notebooks/journals. I bought one a year ago and love it!
http://www.exlibrisanonymous.com/index.php
September 26th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
I have that Hiroshige notebook or one in the same style with a different cover, but it’s hard for me to remember – I have two 12×12x18″ boxes of notebooks, about half of which have never been used. I don’t accumulate them as much anymore.
Borders has some lovely ones by Paperchase that imitate jeweled book-covers or morocco leather-bound books. They’re metallic and embossed. Most have a magnetic fold-over cover flap to keep the notebook from falling open; sometimes these are just magnetized leather straps. The whole effect is one of great age. Some of the cover styles are also made as pocket calendars. Since we don’t have places like Kate’s Paperie where I live, and the places that are remotely similar sell the same things as the chain bookstores, the bookstores are my favorite places to get fancy notebooks.
A great place to get cheap, cute notebooks is any Korean shop that sells kid-friendly stationery: what you don’t want is a shop that sells Japanese brands like Sanrio and San-X (which have set, relatively high prices), unless it also sells brands you don’t know. You won’t recognize the characters (unless you’re Korean), but you should be able to find small spiral notebooks with hard decorative covers and freakishly adorable illustrations for a few dollars each.