Spotlight on Midori MD Notebook Journals: A Wealth of Versatile Formats

So far this year, posts on journaling have received a lot of traffic (and comments!), and journals are flying out the door in the shop. It’s encouraging and gratifying to see so many people enjoying analog journaling, and even if I haven’t been able to respond directly to all of your comments, I’ve enjoyed reading them, especially the comments discussing all of your journaling styles, methods, and prompts.

I can see myself using the Grid-Block Notebook Journal as a Planner: you will have eight “boxes” on two pages facing one another, so you can use a box per day plus a section for notes or a bullet list?

While we carry a lot of notebooks appropriate for journaling (and pretty much any notebook can be made to work as a journal), the Midori MD system is the most popular. In addition to the standard MD “notebooks” in lined, grid, and blank formats, Midori also sells A5 notebooks that they bill as “Notebook Journals,” which come in different layouts that many find helpful for creative journaling. Of course, the dot-grid version is a favorite (and probably our overall top-selling Midori MD Notebook), but the A5 “Frame” version is also popular with those who draw, paint, or paste in photographs and other mementos. The newly arrived A5 “Grid Block” notebook is the most interesting to me, as it divides each page of grid ruled paper into four quadrants. The Midori MD Notebook Journals are the same size as the standard A5 MD Notebook, so they are compatible with Midori MD Covers and other accessories.

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Traveler’s Company Brass Index Clips and other Traveler’s Company/Midori Accessories enable you to organize your journals and notebooks.

Of course, for those who journal regularly and want a true day-to-a-page notebook in a single volume that will stand alone by year, the Midori MD Codex will remain the gold standard. We have Codex journals in both Dot Grid and Blank formats, along with the clear plastic covers. (Note that the Codex journals do NOT fit the standard MD Paper or Leather covers, which are intended for the slimmer MD Notebooks and Notebook Journals.) You can check out our full range of Midori paper offerings here, in addition to matching pens and pencils.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold, including Midori and Traveler’s Company.

Spotlight on New Arrivals: Midori MD Letter Pads and Mr. Boddington's Studio Composition Books

Late last week, we received two new items that I’m particularly excited about: Midori Letter Pads and Envelopes in both Midori MD and Midori MD Cotton Paper, as well as a new series of composition books from boutique stationer Mr. Boddington’s Studio. The decision to add one of these two product categories may be more obvious than the other: In addition to multiple customer requests to bring in more letter writing supplies, the start of InCoWriMo (International Correspondence Writing Month) next month makes the letter pads and envelopes particularly timely. We should hopefully have a restock of these as well most sizes of the Clairefontaine Triomphe writing pads later this month. In the meantime, we’ve gone ahead and put together a separate section of the paper shop that we will keep updated with letter writing supplies as additional items come in.

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The quality of these illustrations is top-notch!

As to the composition books, I simply couldn’t pass up these cover designs, particularly the pencils, outer space, and shark patterns. The paper is traditional standard-ruled, and works well with most pens (and certainly pencils). While it is not intended for fountain pen use, extra fine/fine nibs should do ok, with some show through and pinpoint bleeding on wider nibs and wet inks. That said, these books are meant to be enjoyed for the whimsical artwork, and I’ve set aside a handful for journaling and gifting throughout the year!

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The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold. Remember that all U.S. orders over $75 ship free!

Thursday Drops: InCoWriMo Supplies, Composition Books, Mini-Stationery & More!

International Correspondence Writing Month (or “InCoWriMo”, as it’s called) is upon us starting next month, so it’s time to load up on your letter-writing supplies including both specialty letter pads as well as fun supplies such as Washi Tape, Enamel Pins (if you like to include small gifts with your letters), and more! The first of the 2023 additions to the Curated Shop already have started to roll in, including composition books from Mr. Boddington’s Studio, and the Midori XS Stationery Kits. Finally, don’t miss our ongoing “gently used” sale, with several fountain pens, ballpoints/rollerballs, and inks still available.

Happy Shopping!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold (secondhand “gently used” page excluded, though we always stand by everything we sell).

1. Mr. Boddington’s Studio Composition Books. I’m a huge fan of the composition book format for a no-frills writing experience, and I wasn’t going to leave these whimsical designs on the table when I saw them. I’m going to sell these both individually and in a set of all six designs.

2. Midori MD Letter Pads and Envelopes. We’ve been asked to stock the Midori MD Letter Pads, and your requests have been answered in time for InCoWriMo! We have them in both the standard MD Paper as well as MD Cotton Paper, with matching envelopes.

3. Midori XS Stationery Kits. Ever wish you could take your desk with you in your bag? These compact stationery kits from Midori feature mini-versions of favorite everyday desk items, including scissors, a stapler, a craft knife, and more.

4. Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache Edition No. 10 Pencil Set. The latest edition of Caran d’Ache’s premium luxury pencil set features a woodsy patchouli-based scent developed in connection with Swiss parfumier Mizensir. I love that this year’s set features a blue, green, and two natural toned pencils.

5. TWSBI ECO-T Jade and Rose Gold Pen and Ink Set. The latest addition to TWSBI’s rose gold ECO lineup features the “softly triangular” ECO-T model, along with a bottle of what might be my favorite color of TWSBI ink, Midnight Blue.

6. TWSBI Precision Ballpoint Pens and Mechanical Pencils. Our initial batch of TWSBI Precision technical-style writing instruments sold out quickly, but we’ve received another shipment. I love the softer knurling, which I don’t find as sharp as other brands.

7. Giuliano Mazzuoli Nobile ITALIA Ballpoint Pen/Mechanical Pencil. I’ve been reaching for a lot of mechanical pencils these days, and the one that’s always in my bag is this ergonomic gem from Mazzuoli that not only serves as a .7mm mechanical pencil but also as a ballpoint. The pen ships with interchangeable Schmidt mechanical pencil and ballpoint pen mechanisms.

8. Platinum Preppy Wa Limited Edition Fountain Pens (Second Series). A favorite trend from the past year is the emergence of lower-priced options in the limited and special edition categories, with Platinum leading the way. The Preppy Wa has sold briskly two years in a row.

9. Platinum Plaisir Aura 2022 Special Edition Fountain Pen. Similarly, Platinum has taken to releasing a special version of their “next level” entry pen, the Plaisir, in different finishes. This year was the “Aura,” which added a tinge of color gradient to a pearlescent white barrel, in addition to three different sections.

10. Opus 88 Minty Fountain Pens. The “Minty” doesn’t get as much love as many other Opus models, which is of course why we brought it into the shop. I don’t really understand why, as it’s garnered rave reviews from bloggers and others who have tried it.

You CAN Take It With You: XS Stationery Kits from Midori

Let’s face it, all of us sometimes wish we could carry our entire desk with us wherever we go, keeping handy a pair of scissors, some glue, a stapler, and maybe even some white-out tape. If you’re someone who is actually carrying one or more of these things with you daily, the Midori XS Stationery Kit may be of interest! Available in both black and white, the small zippered clamshell case includes six different desk accessories (shown above clockwise from top left): (1) tape measure; (2) correction tape; (3) glue tape, or double-sided sticky adhesive; (4) pocket scissors; (5) a craft knife; and (6) a stapler. Each fits into its own slot in the included case, pictured below.

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Honestly, between shipping packages and home renovation, the thing I find myself reaching for the most is a tape measure, and if you like to work in centimeters, this tiny pocket-sized role of measuring tape can be a lifesaver. The Midori XS Stationery kit sells for $44 and is currently available in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. In addition to these and other desk accessories, we carry the full range of Midori pens and pencils, as well as Midori MD Paper. Refills for the correction and glue tape will be available in the near future, along with individual items from the kit.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Midori and all other brands sold.

A Year-End Promotion to Close Out 2022: Take 10% Off Most Shop Items

It’s time to start clearing out the shelves to make way for new releases and restocks in 2023. As a thank-you to all of our loyal readers and customers, through 11:59pm CT on January 1, take 10% off most items in the T.G.S. Curated Shop using the coupon code “LOYAL10” at checkout. (Some exclusions apply - see below for details.)

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Use New Year’s Week to Get Your Journals and Planners Ready for 2023!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is an opportune time to organize your planners and notebooks headed into the New Year, and if you haven’t picked yours up yet, it’s a great way to use your New Year’s discount. We offer a range of planners and journals, both dated and open, including the Traveler’s Company diaries in Standard and Passport sizes, Write Notepads Weekly Planners, Lochby Planner Refills, and even a few remaining Soumkine Universal Planners. Finally, just before Christmas, we received a restock of the WMS & Co. Weekly Planner pads, which are an excellent way to plan without committing to a full notebook or stand-alone planner. It’s also a great time to pick up a Midori MD Notebook and cover, which you can turn into a planner using the undated diary stickers.

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New Arrivals from TWSBI: Jade and Rose Gold ECO-Ts and TWSBI Precision Restock

Our shipment of the new TWSBI ECO-T in Jade and Rose Gold arrives today, and these pens will be packaged as a set with an 18ml bottle of TWSBI Midnight Blue Ink. We also are receiving a restock of the TWSBI Precision ballpoint pens and mechanical pencils, which have sold very well and are excellent “technical” pens and pencils. Happy Shopping!

Promotional code excludes TWSBI, Lochby, and Good Made Better. The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands sold.