As much as I love my grandmother’s index cards, I wonder if she would’ve appreciated having a Goalbook handy. It’s also portable. It has a table of contents, which isn’t as tactile or immediate as index card tabs, but the words don’t fade away with time or use. The paper is archival, something we all would’ve appreciated in the paper she used (mold has rendered some recipes illegible). The colored covers would’ve made it easy for her to organize the recipes by category while appealing to her taste for pretty things.

Rhodia notebooks and notepads are beloved by chefs, cooks, and waitstaff for their durability, variety, and craftsmanship. But even if your specialty is chips and prepackaged salsa, getting a Rhodia notebook for your kitchen is a smart idea. It could even inspire you to write down some of your own grandma’s recipes over the holiday weekend.

Where do you keep family recipes? Let us know below! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Which brings me to gratitude journaling. I’m not talking about the kind where you document how #grateful you are for pumpkin spice lattes (unless they’re really good IRL, of course), or how #blessed you feel on an Instagram-ready getaway. I’m talking about stripped-down, honest lists of stuff you appreciate and cherish. Most often than not, this stuff lives in the tiny, modest moments. Your daily morning walk with your dog, an unexpected hug, calling a loved one, slicing tomatoes for dinner. It’s hard to remember sometimes, but if you’re reading this, chances are you have plenty to be thankful for. Have you ever tried logging it?

I know the above sounds corny, but just take a look at all the benefits, both physical and interpersonal, of giving thanks. If you’re not ready to dedicate an entire journal to it, you can begin by making it an additional daily point in your bullet journal, or by simply adding a line or two about things you’re grateful for to your diary entries. You also don’t need to count your blessings every day; 1-3 times a week is more than enough to see improvements in your general well-being.

There is no time like the present to start keeping track of all the good things in your life! Let Rhodia help you.

What are you grateful for? Let us know in the comments.

This Treasure Box includes four white and silver notepads in a variety of sizes and rulings (unlike the Essential Treasure Box, which only includes graph notepads, and the ColoR Treasure Box, which only has lined ones) and two HB lead, linden wood Rhodia pencils with an ergonomic triangular body—they never roll off the desk! The box, which measures 7” x 9” x 1”, can be reused to store stationery, writing tools, office supplies, etc.

Act fast while supplies last!

Mark Twain: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

Hilary Mantel: “If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to ­music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party […]”

Maya Angelou: “What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll come.’ ”

Colson Whitehead: “[Writer’s block is] a question I haven’t answered yet, but I trust that in 2 hours, 2 days, or 2 months I will eventually answer it. Maybe I have to keep writing and come back to that part of the story later. Maybe I have to do some more research. Maybe it’ll come to me in the shower. But eventually I’ll figure it out.”

Carmen Maria Machado: “I believe so strongly that writers need to read, and that reading is the way you can prevent writer’s block or get over writer’s block. You can’t keep writing if you’re not filling your gas tank with whatever you want to read.”

Patrick Rothfuss: “[Writers’ block] does not exist. We’ll state it flatly. Sometimes, writing is super hard. Just like any other job. Or, if it’s not your job, sometimes it’s hard to do a thing even if it is your hobby. But no plumber ever gets to call in to work, and they’re like ‘Jake, I have plumber’s block,’ you know? What would your boss say?! I have teacher’s block. I have accounting block. They would say ‘You are fired! You have problems and you are fired. Get your ass in here and plumb some stuff, Jerry!’ ”

Nora Ephron: “[As] a newspaper reporter you learn that no one tolerates you if you are cold; it’s one thing you are not allowed to be. It’s not professional. You have to turn the story in. There is no room for the artist.”

Steve Almond: “There is no ‘solution.’ Or rather, every writer finds her own way out. My own solution has been to set the bar as low as possible – to simply get yourself to the keyboard and try to get some words down. That’s all you can do. Show up and try. Devote as much attention as you can to the work, and try to ignore the noise in your head about whether you’re good enough [or] will ever get published – that whole narcissistic loop. It’s attention directed at the wrong drama.”

Charles Bukowski: “Writing about a writer’s block is better than not writing at all.”

And sometimes, the well is dry because you should’ve been posting about writer’s block the whole time. What are some of the ways you get over writer’s block? Comment below!

via

Lithub

nicolebianchi.com

The Writer Magazine

The point is that, whether they’re written in perfect cursive with a quill pen or scribbled on the back of a hand with a Bic, lists help ground us. Writing them keeps us accountable by producing a physical reminder of our to-dos. Not only that, but it makes us 33 percent more likely to complete those tasks.

Another lovely thing about lists is that they’re very personal. If someone is out there telling you there’s a right and a wrong way to organize your days, they should look at all the Rhodia pads and notebooks available for this very purpose. Not to mention the entire planner industry. I usually start my day freewriting, but I like to use my morning train commute or the time when I’m getting settled at my desk to jot down a to-do list on my No. 16 pad. If I were a better BuJo person, I’d be using my Goalbook every day, but I’m slowly coming to the realization that I’m a more haphazard–let’s say intuitive–list-maker.

What do your lists look like? Do you go for the intuitive method, or are you a meticulous bullet journal-er? Are you somewhere in between? Post your list pics below!

Here are some talented Rhodia fans putting us–well, me–to shame (keep scrolling for an iconic Niles Crane moment):

 

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Heading to a potluck this Saturday and excited about creating my first charcuterie and cheese board. So inspired by the ones created by the talented Kaylen! You know me…gotta list out what I need. Open to any ideas and additions. Using my Monteverde Essenza Storm Clouds and Sweet Life Blue Velvet Cake Ink. #teammonteverde • • • • #stationeryaddict #bulletjournaljunkies #lettering #bulletjournal #bujojunkies #bulletjournallove #bulletjournalcommunity #bulletjournalideas #bujoinspire #bujobeauties #minimalistbulletjournal #minimalistbujo #tombowusa #rhodia #discoverbulletjournal #tombowfudenosuke

A post shared by Deena (@craftydeesigns) on Aug 20, 2019 at 2:07am PDT

 

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Happy Fountain Pen Day! Wrote this a while back to remind someone how to be proactive in the classroom. • • • Pen: Monteverde Essenza Storm Clouds F Ink: Monteverde Sweet Life Blue Velvet Cake • #bulletjournaljunkies #lettering #bulletjournal #stationeryaddict #bujojunkies #bulletjournalcommunity #bulletjournalideas #bujoinspire #sakuramicron #minimalistbulletjournal #minimalistbujo #tombowusa #rhodia #discoverbulletjournal #tombowfudenosuke

A post shared by Deena (@craftydeesigns) on Nov 1, 2019 at 11:23pm PDT

 

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This week’s setup in progress. And I baked a pie this afternoon! . . . This week I’m only using 1 pencil, a sharpener, 1 pen & my notebook. I have been dealing with a lot of overwhelm & stress lately, so a simple approach has been terrific for my mental clarity. Also, how beautiful is this afternoon light?! ♡ . . . #nofilter #afterthepen #weeklyspread #weeklylayout #weekly #weeklyplanning #minimalistbulletjournal #minimalbujo #minimalplanner #minimalistbujo #bujospread #bujoweeklyspread #bujoweeklylayout #bujoweekly #bujotracker #bujoaddict #wearebujo #bulletjournalist #bulletjournal #bulletjournaling #bulletjournaljunkie #bulletjournallove #bulletjournalcommunity #planner #planneraddict #plannerlove #rhodia #muji #mujipens #bujobeauties

A post shared by Hannah (@journal.alongtheway) on Oct 31, 2019 at 1:38pm PDT

 

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This is my entry for @leeniale ‘s giveaway ! #gimmeleeniale Here are my top Five favorite things : 1) Writing ~ I’ve started to write a few years ago and I couldn’t stop since then. I’ve met such a great people and I hope to bring joy with my stories. 2) Reading ~ I began to read when I was very young. I never stopped. Today, I sometimes go to the library with my mom. Wonderful moments ! 3) Art ~ For more than two years, I went to art classes. Due to health problems, I can’t go anymore :( So, I draw and paint a lot whan I’m home. 4) Camera ~ Everytime I travel around the world, I always take my camera and take pictures. I like to look back to them. 5) Music ~ I’ve always listen to music. I discover new ones when I watch my dramas (just finished Wok of love and Hotel del luna). Two years ago, I’ve stopped playing piano due to my health problems. I really hope someday, I will play again without being in pain. ° ° ° #bujo #journaling #zebramidliners #steadler #washitapes #rhodia #bujospread #bujo2019 #bujonewbie #bujolife #bujoart

A post shared by @ silence_in_the_rain on Oct 31, 2019 at 8:32am PDT

 

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Octobre se termine déjà ! Le temps passe si vite…

A post shared by Zoé | Calligraphie (@zoezephyyr) on Oct 29, 2019 at 10:09am PDT

 

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Who here thought I couldn’t connect Niles Crane to School of Rock? . #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalist #rhodia #rhodiawebnotebook #tombow #tombowfudenosuke #tombowdualbrushpens #pilot #pilotparallel #schoolofrock #frasier #niles #nilescrane

A post shared by Savanna Conner (@profconnereng102) on Oct 19, 2019 at 7:33am PDT

My friend and I left the store and realized we had both secretly bought the other a book. I got him Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and he got me A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin. Berlin lived many lives, battled alcohol addiction, and worked odd jobs until her 40s, which was around the time she started getting her books published and teaching. (I hope this is heartening for people comparing themselves to their published contemporaries, especially during NaNoWriMo…) While she had a modest, admiring readership during her lifetime, it wasn’t until 2015, when FSG published A Manual for Cleaning Women, that Berlin’s work garnered financial success.

Her stories are quiet, strange, grounded in the wonder of everyday things. The introduction to the collection is written by Lydia Davis, a writer I love and highly recommend if you’re into the things listed in the previous sentence. Davis’s love for Berlin’s stories is undeniable and the reason why my friend thought I’d love them, too.

Coincidentally, I came across the New York Times review of Lydia Davis’s latest collection yesterday. She, just as fortuitously, mentions Lucia Berlin in an essay about notebooks and revising. Davis writes,

“[Berlin] was always watching, even if only out the window […] A writer’s embrace of the world is all the more evident when she sees the ordinary along with the extraordinary, the commonplace or the ugly along with the beautiful.”

If you’re hitting a wall, whether creative or emotional (or both), maybe it’s time to get on a train or bus with a notebook, and just look out the window, notice the patterns. As Davis writes in the aforementioned essay, “maybe the notebook is a place to practice not only writing but also thinking.”

There’s something life-affirming about noticing these small coincidences, about how some things just come full circle. Make sure to be open to them—and write them all down when you can.

Nano WHAT now? We’re talking about National Novel Writing Month. What began in 1999 as a challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel during the month of November is now a full-blown nonprofit that runs creative writing programs and communal writing sessions in classrooms, partnering libraries, coffee shops, and community centers worldwide.

Books like Water for Elephants, Fangirl, and WOOL began as NaNoWriMo challenges. Have you ever dreamed of penning a novel or memoir of your very own? Join the tens of thousands of people who are getting ready to write their hearts out this month.  Check out the Quo Vadis blog for tips on preparing/mapping your book, with inspiration from published and working authors. Writers like Agatha Christie, Henry James, Maya Angelou, and countless others started legendary books on paper, and you could be next. Good luck!

I was also prepared to live on very little, since most of the people around me convinced me there was no financial future in words. The perception remains that studying coding, computer science, math, and engineering will guarantee a career soon after graduation. So much so that STEM majors have doubled in less than 10 years. The truth is that yes, while STEM majors are more likely to make money shortly after graduation, English majors in their late 20s have a lower unemployment rate, as the latter work their way into high-earning management positions and the former sometimes struggle to keep up with the demand to update their skills as technology advances.

Being able to tell a compelling story is becoming increasingly desirable in STEM fields. As the head of Australia’s central bank, Philip Lowe, said, “it’s important we don’t just talk about numbers, coefficients and rules, but stories that people can understand.” History has taught us that facts and figures can only do so much to sway people or advance campaigns, whether business or political. A good storyteller is just as valuable (and employable) as a software engineer. The perfect hire in tech has a little bit of English major in them.

I taught writing at a university that was known for its STEM programs, and saw firsthand how neglecting language arts and creative writing hindered brilliant students from obtaining grants or research positions. You may be the greatest scientific mind of your cohort, but what will help you branch out and open doors of possibilities is the story that you’re able to tell about yourself and your work.

We’re not saying that more kids should choose English or Writing as their major, but that maybe taking AP English or Comparative Literature isn’t a bad idea. Developing good reading skills and speaking and writing properly are real life tools, not unnecessary distractions from a lucrative career path.

While I have you here, why not invest in a beautiful notebook that will make you want to write in it, or even go back to school?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve bought and used our notebooks and pads for work and/or personal projects, but they make wonderful gifts, too! Even if the people in your life aren’t artists, calligraphers, writers, or obsessed with paper the way we are, there is something special about receiving a beautiful, well-crafted notebook. It says, your thoughts matter, here is a place that will keep them safe. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but when someone gives me a good notebook, I just know they love me.

If you have family/friends who are as annoying as me or just love well-made things that stand the test of time, make their day with one of these gifts from the Rhodia catalog:

ColoR Premium Treasure Box Includes two A5 premium ColoR pads, one A6 premium ColoR pad, and two Rhodia pencils (black Linden wood).

These are perfect for students—for anyone with a desk, really. They come in seven rich, jewel-toned colors. You can use the box to keep stationery, writing tools, office supplies, etc.

Webnotebook (Landscape) A great creative journal, sketchbook, or guest book. Includes ribbon marker and inner pocket, as well as a lovely faux leather cover.

Goalbook + Sewn Spine Notebook You know how I feel about Goalbooks and sewn spine notebooks! They are obviously great individually, but they’re even better as a duo. Think of it as a Rhodiarama starter kit—you have your bullet journal for more ordered notes and entries, and your velvet-smooth, flexible, everyday carry notebook for drafts and more spur-of-the-moment ideas. You can mix and match cover colors, too. It’ll be hard to go back to any other brand after this.

*If you’re getting a bookish loved one a novel, memoir, or short story collection, pair it with a Goalbook. It makes a fabulous reading journal!

Heritage Collection Notebooks Inspired by the classic grid pattern, these feature three bold cover options and two binding styles: sewn or book block. These are a good choice for professional contacts or friends who appreciate an old-world look.

Rhodia Pencil Box Display with 25 Pencils The pencils are deeply satisfying to write with and made from Linden wood, with a black body and orange exterior. They’re triangular, so they’ll never roll off the table. Like with the Treasure Box, you can keep using the display long after you’re done with its contents.

Hope this helps you check some things off your holiday shopping list! Feel free to also browse through the Exaclair Holiday Gift Guide for offerings from Clairefontaine, Herbin, and our other sister brands.

But what if you need something a bit more hardcore than journaling?

Let’s talk about “word dumping.” In case you didn’t know about it already, word dumping is very similar to freewriting, except you’re less likely to call it that in a classroom, work, or creative setting. Word dumping is simply writing anything that comes to mind, for any amount of time, without worrying about grammar, syntax, topic, or style; in essence, “mindlessly” throwing all your thoughts in the garbage. Now, don’t expect to produce gorgeous, publishable prose, but do expect it’ll help get you there. More importantly, it will clear your mind of all the weird stuff that accumulated throughout the day, free up some mental real estate, and bring you a little bit of peace. It’s for the mind what yoga is for the body. The more garbage you clear out, the more space you’ll have for important tasks and mental processes the next day. This is such a helpful practice, that therapists recommend it for people who are dealing with “spinning thoughts and feelings,” i.e. anxiety.

Some people like freewriting on a specific topic, but it’s not necessary. In fact, focusing could make it less effective, in my opinion. All you need is a writing tool and a notebook or notepad. And avoid using a word processor, since that defeats the purpose of going screen-less.

Feel like giving it a try? Let us be your psychological dustbin—we have notebooks in dozens of evocative colors and handy sizes to help you get rid of the thoughts that don’t serve you.

The Rhodia 2020 WebPlanner features a clean Monday-Sunday layout and ample space for notes, doodles, or even journal entries. In the spirit of the fall season, when we prepare for those cold and contemplative days of winter, we wanted to bring you some mindfulness/intention-setting ideas with which to fill your 2020 Webplanner.

Take at least 10 minutes after your evening wind-down to consider the following:

• What did you accomplish? No task is too small. Sometimes something as simple as watering the plants or meal-prepping is progress.
• What are you grateful for?
• What do you want to let go of?
• Did you have a positive, constructive, or pleasant interaction today? Describe your feelings coming out of it.
• Describe a pleasant or interesting sensorial experience you had today. Could be anything from the first cold day of the year to biting into a ripe mango.

Take another 5 to 10 minutes to reflect on the day/s to come:

• What feeling do you want to invite tomorrow?
• What do you want to complete or accomplish tomorrow? Visualize the outcome and reward; try to describe it.
• What do you want to embody? This can be a feeling or a personality trait that you admire in yourself or someone else.
• How can you help someone tomorrow? Again, nothing is too small.
• What are you going to do to nourish yourself? This could be food, learning something, taking a long walk, or even just calling a friend.

Good luck! Have a great weekend. See you all next week.

The reality of the situation is that Stillman & Birn has been associated with Clairefontaine since its beginnings. The paper in their sketchbooks is made in the historic Schut mill, which was bought by Clairefontaine Rhodia in 1998. This acquisition didn’t change anything about S&B sketchbook paper then, so there is no reason for this recent acquisition to change that now. We remain committed to championing and preserving their quality and have no intention of infringing on a great product that artists and students love. The sketchbooks will continue to be made with robust, high-performance Schut paper and bound in the USA, the same way they’ve always been.

The one change you should expect is wider distribution of Stillman & Birn across Europe.

We hope this puts your mind at ease and are happy to answer any further questions.

The Stillman & Birn collection offers artists a unique system of premium sketchbooks designed to support mixed media, allowing them to choose the paper weight, shade, and surface that are best suited for their practice. The sketchbooks are made with robust, high-performance Schut paper and are bound in the USA.

As you may know, the Schut mill has been manufacturing fine paper in the Netherlands since 1618. And in 1998, Clairefontaine Rhodia acquired Schut Papier, B.V. as a subsidiary of Exacompta Clairefontaine. So it makes perfect sense for Clairefontaine to add Stillman & Birn to its fine art lines.

A little bit about Stillman & Birn: They’ve been a key player in the fine arts materials industry in the U.S. for decades. Its founder was an esteemed Viennese bookbinder and craftsman, Philip Birn (1911 – 2004), who pioneered the concept of the black hardbound sketchbook from his small plant on Lafayette Street, Manhattan in 1958.

Like Clairefontaine Rhodia, Stillman & Birn embraces a tradition of uncompromising quality. We look forward to growing and preserving the quality and care that has made all three brands and their suppliers so popular among artists and students for what adds up to almost 500 years in the paper-making industry.

I recommend writing between 250-500 words per prompt—long enough to complete an idea or scene, but short enough to not have it eat up a big chunk of your day (unless you want it to, or you have the time). I wrote the prompts in the first person, but you may, of course, change the point of view for any of these if you’re writing a fictional piece.

Oct. 10- First memory.

Oct. 11- Last page of my unwritten novel.

Oct. 12- A bad misunderstanding.

Oct. 13- Loss of an heirloom.

Oct. 14- My mother was right.

Oct. 15- My mother was wrong.

Oct. 16- The recurring dream.

Oct. 17- The best thing I know how to make. [Write about the process—could be a recipe, a construction project, etc.].

Oct. 18- Newspaper Story. [Pick a random newspaper headline without reading the article; write the article yourself; be as funny, absurd, or serious as you want].

Oct. 19- …and then it all went quiet.

Oct. 20- I don’t know. [Every sentence in the piece has to start with “I don’t know”].

Oct. 21- What I hide under the bed.

Oct. 22- I see. [Every sentence in the piece has to start with “I see”].

Oct. 23- A face I will never forget.

Oct. 24- A lullaby for myself.

Oct. 25- The strangest thing to happen in my neighborhood.

Oct. 26- A formal letter of complaint in the style of your favorite poet or literary character.

Oct. 27- A silly regret.

Oct. 28- A story in a grocery list. [List should reveal a story; you may not write anything beyond a bulleted list of items].

Oct. 29- The story of your name.

Oct. 30- A “bad” poem. [Use every cliché imaginable].

Oct. 31- Love it, even though. [Every sentence in the piece has to start with “Love it, even though”].

Good luck! May your October be fun and productive!

And here are the three lucky winners of our Rhodiarama giveaway:

Anise: @pastorron53
Raspberry: @margotcore
Yellow: @sirhin

Kindly DM us with your details within the next 48 hours to receive your notebook. If we don’t hear from you after a couple of days, your prize will go to someone else.

Thanks to all who participated! We look forward to doing more of these in the future!

Even after the invention of the printing press, handwritten grimoires remained popular. So popular that they contributed to the prosecution of tens of thousands of people (mostly women) in the witch trials.

After the nineteenth century, they became more of a curious relic, though people continued to make them. You may have heard of the Book of Shadows in movies and television (remember the show Charmed?) and may be surprised to learn that it only dates back to the 1940s. Wiccans have been making their own books of shadows ever since. These are usually more personal and include journal entries, quotes, dreams, etc.

Even if you didn’t know the exact name for these books, they have always been in our consciousness. It’s hard to imagine a witch or healer without a magic book in their possession. As Owen Davies, professor of social history at the University of Hertfordshire wrote, “[the grimoire’s] history is entwined with that of the religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the development of science, the cultural influence of print, and the social impact of European colonialism.”

With Halloween coming up, doesn’t this make you a little curious to try your hand at one?

If you are—first and foremost, make a list of your interests. What do you want to learn more about? What do you have a knack for? A grimoire is a great place to record interesting facts, recipes and remedies, tarot readings, prayers, and so many other things.

Setting it up is very similar to setting up a bullet journal, and just as personal, so feel free to take your time and figure out how to best customize and organize it. Would you include an index, table of contents, or a legend with symbols only you could understand? Would you simply fill the book chronologically?

Then there is the question of format. Handwritten grimoires carry more weight (literally and figuratively) than online ones, so consider this when you’re thinking about where you want it to live. If you’re shopping for paper or a notebook: is portability an important factor for you? Size? Ease of writing? Binding?

I’m sorry to mention the Goalbook in practically every post, but let that be a testament to its versatility. It lends itself perfectly to a grimoire or book of shadows, as it includes a table of contents, numbered pages, and a dotted grid for hand-drawn illustrations. If you’re looking for a hardcover, the Rhodiarama collection has lined and blank page options in a wide variety of cover colors. Both notebooks feature premium, pen and marker-friendly 90g Clairefontaine paper and are bound in a way that helps them lay flat, so they’re quite easy to write on.

**Are you following us on Instagram yet? Go to our page for a chance to win one of three beautiful Rhodiarama notebooks! Instructions to enter are also here.**

Sources:

https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/witch-101-how-to-grow-your-grimoire/

https://astraanima.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/a-witchs-guide-to-starting-your-grimoire-andor-book-of-shadows/

https://thetravelingwitch.com/blog/2018/2/3/how-to-create-your-own-grimoire-as-a-beginner

Rhodia and Herbin have you covered in that department, whether you’re a calligrapher or a poet.

Here are the simple rules, taken from the Inktober website, which also offers daily prompts if you don’t know where to start:

1. Make a drawing in ink (you can do a pencil under-drawing if you want).
2. Post it.
3. Hashtag it with #inktober and #inktober2019
4. Repeat

And now for the giveaway!

We’re giving away three Rhodiarama softcover notebooks (in anise, yellow, and raspberry) to three lucky Instagram users. All you have to do to enter is:

1. live in the US.
2. follow @rhodiapads on IG and like our giveaway post.
3. repost one of the @rhodiapads giveaway pics to your feed. It should be your desired notebook color (post will include 3 pics, each with a different notebook color). Make sure to tag us!

*The giveaway will be open from 9am this Thursday, Oct. 3 to 9am on Monday, Oct. 7. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Once notified, winners have 48 hours to respond with their details to claim the prize. After 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

I am, like many of you, interested in writing instruments, paper, and their effect on the environment. We love all three and stay up-to-date on eco-friendly progress in the industry, which is why for a couple of years now we’ve been reading more and more about stone paper. Companies such as the Stone Paper Company, Taiwan Lung Meng Technology Co., Ltd., KapStone, and Gaiakraft are producing it all over the world. The restaurant industry is particularly keen on stone paper notebooks because they are waterproof and tear- and oil-resistant.

So what are some of the characteristics of stone paper versus Clairefontaine paper (which is made sustainably despite it being “paper” in the traditional sense)? Let’s break them down.

Stone Paper:

–Composition/raw materials

Calcium carbonate (80%): composed of rocks, sand, shells, and minerals

High-density polyethylene, or HDPE (20%): a synthetic plastic used as a binding agent; Type 2 recyclable plastic

Water-free

Bleach-free

Acid-free

–Attractive properties

Smooth surface (eggshell feel)

Waterproof

Oil-resistant

Tear-resistant

–Polarizing properties

If you’re a fountain pen user, it might be hard on your nibs.

Smudging could be an issue with certain pens, especially if you’re left-handed.

–Is it recyclable?

HDPE is recyclable, but it’s important that the paper be recycled with Type 2 plastics for this to work.

–Is it biodegradable?

No. Stone paper is photodegradable within 18 months of sun exposure, but we don’t know what happens to the plastic after that. And like plastic, stone paper won’t degrade or return to the environment if it’s out of the light.

Clairefontaine Paper:

–Composition/raw materials

Sustainably sourced wood pulp (waste turned into compost)

Bleach-free (calcium carbonate used instead of bleach)

Acid-free

Water that is then recycled

–Attractive properties

Smooth surface

Sturdy, but easy to tear off intentionally

Water-resistant

Sustainably sourced

-Polarizing properties

“Traditional” paper

–Is it recyclable?

Yes. For more on Clairefontaine’s environmental impact check out this post.

–Is it biodegradable?

Yes. It’s made from organic matter and goes back to the earth as such.

Now, I am not claiming to know everything there is to know about environmentally sound papermaking, but maybe this post will shed some light on what’s out there and help you make a decision when you’re shopping for stationery and notebooks. Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or additional information.

I’m a big fan, so I fell down a Google rabbit hole about him this morning. I was surprised to learn that he didn’t outline his Pulitzer Prize-winning book A Fable on a notebook, notepad, or board. He did it directly on the walls of his house using graphite and red grease pencils! His house, Rowan Oak, was in Oxford, Mississippi, which was probably often hot. Legend has it that he had taped up the plot pages in his study, but got tired of having the big overhead fan blow them away. So he did away with the pages altogether and wrote on the walls. His wife had them repainted, so Faulkner simply rewrote the outline and shellacked it.

I know this is a blog about notebooks, and I don’t recommend writing anything on the walls (use a big old No. 38 dotPad instead, especially if you’re renting), but I thought you’d like this little bit of literary trivia. It’s a great example of that strong need to outline and record our thoughts that we notebook lovers are all-too-familiar with.

I’ll leave you with this excerpt from a Paris Review interview with Faulkner in 1956, a few years after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature (via Medium):

“I think the writer, as I’ve said before, is completely amoral. He takes whatever he needs, wherever he needs, and he does that openly and honestly because he himself hopes that what he does will be good enough so that after him people will take from him, and they are welcome to take from him, as he feels that he would be welcome by the best of his predecessors to take what they had done.”

Another reason to save your notebooks, whether you’re a brilliant novelist or not.

Take, for example, John Cheever. Wouldn’t a struggling, budding writer take solace in this?

“Loneliness I taste. The chair I sit in, the room, the house, none of this has substance. I think of Hemingway, what we remember of his work is not so much the color of the sky as it is the absolute taste of loneliness. Loneliness is not, I think, an absolute, but its taste is more powerful than any other. I think that endeavoring to be a serious writer is quite a dangerous career.”

Or in Susan Sontag’s list of things she had yet to read?

“There are so many books and plays and stories I have to read—Here are just a few:

The Counterfeiters–Gide

The Immoralist–“

Lafcadio’s Adventures–“

Tar–Sherwood Anderson

The Island Within–Ludwig Lewisohn

Sanctuary–William Faulkner

Esther Waters–George Moore

Diary of a Writer–Dostoyevsky

Against the Grain–Huysmans

The Disciple–Paul Bourget

            . . .

Poems of Dante, Ariosto, Tasso, Tibullus, Heine, Pushkin, Rimbaud, Verlaine, Apollinaire

Plays of Synge, O’Ne ill, Calderon, Shaw, Hellmann. . .”

Same.

There are countless published diaries by some of your favorite writers, painters, and scientists that could give you a window into their lives and process. But if you’re not interested in spending Dear Diary Day (Sept. 22) invading other people’s privacy or accessing your own memories or subconscious thoughts via dream journaling, another option is Morning Pages. This practice, coined by Julia Cameron (The Artist’s Way), offers some of the same benefits as meditation, clearing your mind so that you can get to the tasks at hand. And it only takes 750 words a day.

If you’re looking for something that will give you more material results, keeping a work diary can help you get ahead in your professional life by preventing your self-doubt from getting in the way of results. Next time you’re frustrated by a project that seems to be going nowhere, journal about it!

It’s never too late in the year to begin a diary or journal, and with all the undated offerings Rhodia has, all you have to do is choose a size and color and you’re on well your way!

Just as exciting is the write-up we got on the Gear for Life website. I quote: “For most people, Moleskine is the first notebook that pops into their head. And that’s understandable. But for many artists, thinkers and paper lovers, nothing can beat Rhodia.” And the main reason for this is the paper. Always the paper. Not the marketing stories or trends. As the editor who reviewed the wirebound pad for The Strategist said, Rhodia is for people who want something different. We’ve been perfecting this brand of different since 1934, and will continue to do so for the next 90 years.