Archive for December, 2010

What are you reading?

Posted December 30, 2010 by
in Editorial | 16 comments »

One of the things I look forward to most about the holidays is the chance to do some reading. Of course, socializing with friends and family is my top priority. But at night (when I don’t have to worry about waking up early) or in the airport (where, as in the subway, engrossing material is key) or even during random lulls in the middle of the day, it’s so nice to sneak off with a book, or a stack of old New Yorkers!

I’m in between books right now, and for the past few weeks have been sticking to periodicals. But I’m ready to sink my teeth into something long again. The last book I read for pleasure was The Sportswriter, and for work was the memoir of British computer pioneer Maurice Wilkes. Though I usually get books for Christmas, this year, like many people, I got a Kindle instead. So my slate is blank.

What are you reading these days? Got any recommendations?

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Why paper?

Posted December 28, 2010 by
in Editorial, Pens, Paper & People | Add your comment »

Karen forwarded me an message recently from a photographer she’s been emailing with about the Trinote.

I thought it was a perfect complement to our series on all the different ways that people use their planners — and there are a lot, as you’ll see! — so I decided to post it here:

As a photographer I’m doing some crazy scheduling and moving, and needing to make notes FAST for shoots that happen at the drop of a hat, and there really is nothing like graphically intelligent paper that shows my week at a glance to make the adjustments I need. Moving an appointment is as easy as drawing a line with an arrow at the end of it. No ‘on’ button, no event editing. I challenge any computer operator to make a faster edit to their calendar!

Happy holidays, and happy planning!

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Do you send holiday cards?

Posted December 21, 2010 by
in Editorial, Pens, Paper & People | 13 comments »

Image by Karen Tucker

Much like my mother (and who knows, maybe my grandmother, too), I never got into the habit of sending out holiday cards. For a while, among acquaintances at least, that put me in the minority. Now, if anecdotal evidence is to be believed, I’ve got lots of company.

Of course, there are plenty of alternatives, e-cards among the most prominent. I don’t send them, either. For some reason, in spite of the fact that I like to write and receive real letters, I can’t seem to send more than a handful of cards in any given year. And this year, I was so busy that I (gasp) didn’t send any at all. Aside from laziness, I guess I’d say that I’m conflicted about whether or not a card is the best way to get in touch with people to whom I really owe a letter or a long personal email, or whether it’s appreciated by all but my most far-flung friends and relatives.

Do you send holiday cards?

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Are you switching planner formats?

Posted December 20, 2010 by
in Editorial, Pens, Paper & People, Planning Tips | 6 comments »

I’ve used a Sapa X planner for the past few years, but this fall I decided to switch to a different pocket format: the Space 17.

On the one hand, the Sapa’s blank daily boxes fit my unpredictable and un-appointment-heavy schedule. But I’ve long lusted after a full page of notes for each week — just think how much stuff I’ll be able to keep in one place! Addresses, to dos, and all the random details I now jot down in the idea notebook I always carry with me, but that sometimes get lost in that clutter … It will take some adjustment, I’m sure, but I’m already excited to make the transition this week.

Plus, I’ve already found the perfect use for my old Sapa covers.

Are you switching planner formats? What prompted your decision?

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Habana news

Posted December 15, 2010 by
in Announcements, Pens, Paper & People | 63 comments »

Habana news, hot off the presses!

In 2011, we’ll be switching our Habana notebooks over to the same paper as Quo Vadis France. The ones we sell in North America will still be made in the US, but they’ll now contain ivory colored paper that’s 85g in both small and large (and lined and unlined) versions.

The decision was made in the interests of international standardization.

I know people have strong preferences when it comes to white vs. ivory, and all Clairefontaine brand notebooks will continue to be filled with bright white paper — as will the Rhodia pads, though the Webbies have ivory paper. If you’re looking for a notebook that’s got white paper AND a Habana type cover, keep in mind that you can get much the same effect with a Clairefontaine basics notebook and a leatherette planner cover. I’ll be experimenting with other planner cover/Clairefontaine combos in the weeks to come.

In the meantime, we don’t yet have any samples of the new Habana, but I’ll be sure to post more information and updates as soon as we do…

UPDATE: If haven’t already seen it, please check out Karen’s comment about the switch, and our future plans.

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Supporting local retailers

Posted December 14, 2010 by
in Announcements, Pens, Paper & People | 4 comments »

If you haven’t already heard about this over on Rhodia Drive, be sure to check out Exaclair’s new page on supporting local retailers.

In addition to explaining our commitment to working with local, independent outlets, we’ll periodically feature a retailer that’s particularly unique or well-loved. This month, for example, we profile Pieritz Bros in Oak Park, IL.

Is there a retailer in your area you’re particularly passionate about? If so, please feel free to comment on this post or contact us with suggestions about the places we should feature in the future!

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Ink giveaway!

Posted December 10, 2010 by
in Announcements | 107 comments »

So our traditional fall ink giveaway has become more of a winter affair (what can I say, we’ve been busy). I daresay that doesn’t mean you won’t still enjoy the colors… some of which are more wintery anyway:

• Gris Nuage
• Ambre De Birmanie
• Lie De The
• Cacao Du Brasil
• Cafe Des Iles
• Terre De Feu
• Poussiere De Lune
• Bouton D’Or
• Orange Indien
• Larmes De Cassis

You’ll find more info on them at the J. Herbin website.

To enter, leave a comment on this post before Thursday, December 16 at midnight EST. We’ll select the winners at random, and follow up via email to sort out mailing addresses and color preferences.

Good luck!

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Behind the art: Amanda Vissell’s posters

Posted December 8, 2010 by
in Beautiful Creations, Pens, Paper & People | 1 comment »

It was a pleasant surprise to see artist Amanda Vissell’s posters for girls featured on BoingBoing the other day, and reminds me that I’ve been meaning to post these sketches she shared with Karen.

Looks like some were done on Clairefontaine sketching paper, and some on a Rhodia Dot pad. Be sure to click through to see the larger versions! And check out the finished posters, if you haven’t already done so.

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How do you use your elastic band?

Posted December 7, 2010 by
in Pens, Paper & People, Planning Tips | 7 comments »

Elastic bands are great for keeping notebooks closed in a cluttered pocket or purse. In fact, it never occurred to me that there might be other ways to use them until I saw a friend use his Roadbook band as a bookmark. In hindsight, it’s a simple idea: loop the band around the unused portion of your notebook so you can flip straight to it when you open.

I’m not a total convert (the notebook above, for example, has little tear off corners that work just as well), but there are definitely times when, working at home and juggling multiple notebooks, I’ve put the idea to use.

What do you do with your band?

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How do you use your Quo Vadis?

Posted December 2, 2010 by
in Announcements, Planning Tips, Where to Go? | 6 comments »

Today, we’re launching a very cool, if I do say, new project: a dedicated area of the blog with stories about all the ways that people use their planners.

But first, we need your help. Whether you use your Quo Vadis for birding or bible study, we want to hear about it. Tell us what you do with your planner so we can share it with our readers, and we’ll send you a planner of your own, just in time for 2011! We’re looking for actual stories, not just a sentence or two — something that explains your ideas in a way that’s understandable (and even inspiring) to other readers.

In the meantime, we’ve posted a couple of sample stories, which you can check out at the project’s homepage.

Happy planning!

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