Tag: planners

Fauxdori Review: Shutterdori

January 31, 2016

I received two “Shutterdoris” from @Shuttercreations.ph last week: One A5 (Which I’d ordered and customized) and one Standard Wide for review purposes (thanks, guys!). I had the A5 one almost immediately up and running. Ir’s pink. PIIIIIIIIINK. Shiny pink! Perfect for one of the projects I’m currently working on.

Battle of the Pinks!

Yeah, despite my fixation on leather and earth tones, I am actually helpless when it comes to a) pink shades, or b) shiny things. With these two combined in a notebook cover… ugh, yes, I had to buy it.

They’ve got other colors on their account, but you’ll have to check their availability. I really like the Turquoise and brown and am hoping for a purple or black patent with pink elastics.

Despite their flaws ( and it has a few of them) I love my Shutterdoris. They’re very similar, with slight differences.

A5 Patent Wide for 6 inserts.

The A5 has rounded corners ( which I’d asked for), while the Standard has straight corners. It’s a purely aesthetic choice for me.

Both have the same configuration of elastics:

Three elastics per TN, but you can fit two inserts per elastic.

The vinyl (?) (pvc?) material of the A5 patent has a slick feel while the matte Standard is slightly grainy. Both are medium stiff firm enough to hold their shapes when empty. I’d say they’re around 1 or 1.5 mm thick. The cover seems to be two sheets of material stitched together. The stitching and trimming of the materials is not exactly straight, but it’s a tolerable variation for me. For others, perhaps a little too “off the mark.” This could be improved upon in later models.

stitching is slightly off, as is the trim..

Inside is a vibrant turquoise in matte.

The A5 is what I’d call bubble-gum colored. I want to call it my ‘Gum’dori in fact. It tends to mark with scratches and gouges because it’s so smooth. It’s also a bit of a fingerprint magnet, and it has a very subtly horizontal grain to the material. It’s probably not the best choice for someone who dumps their books around like me; it’s something you have to baby and polish and probably get a cover or bag for.

Slight vertical grain and a few marks on the surface from light useage so far).

The matte Standard has a slightly deeper, more magenta-ish, less bubblegum tint , which I prefer, actually. I also am growing into the matte texture and have come to prefer it over the Patent- maybe for my next purchase? It’s less prone to scratches and fingerprints, and I feel it’ll take folds a lot better.

The Standard Matte: slightly grainy surface and a deeper magenta color.

Both lack pockets and are extremely basic in nature, but I’m not hung up on that because they’re a) Lighter than leather, b) strong, and c) waterproof in a way that leather isn’t. They’re also just the right level of thickness/ floppiness for me. They’re also thinner, which is a nice change for someone who likes to carry a whole library in their bag.

Elastic tends to “bite” into the cover materials. Since the cover materials doesn’t take bends or folds like leather, it might wear down more easily.

There’s one possible area for improvement: the closure elastic tends to dig into the cover material, which is a but soft. I’m afraid that it might eventually cause permanent marks or dents. Perhaps a small notch could be cut into the side so that the elastic could settle there? I’d classify that more as a nitpick though.

I’m pretty happy with my purchase and may consider more, since the price is reasonable (well under P1000 for the A5). The turnaround time from ordering to delivery was about one and a half weeks. Communication with Shuttercreations.ph was very easy and they answered within a day of my messages.

Oh, note that custom orders (like the A5) do not come with inserts, but the standard sizes do come with one each, I believe.

Pretty in pink. Damn, I should’ve reviewed this in February.

Traveler’s Notebook- Kuwero ‘Lakbay’

January 24, 2016

by tintinpantoja

comments 2

NOTE:

It’s come to my attention that the size of this notebook is smaller than the Standard Midori size The notebook I have as “Standard;’ by Kuwero is 110 x 210 mm. From the Goulet Midori page,

Standard Midori dimensions are :
Leather Cover / (130mm x 218mm, 10mm deep)
Blank notebook (64 pages) / (110mm x 210mm)

So you see, the actual Kuwero notebook cover is only the size of a Standard refill. I think this is a serious oversight; the notebook cover ought to be slightly larger than the refills to accommodate several refills. I’ve reached out to Kuwero about this, but be aware that if you buy or make your own refills, they might not fit current Kuwero notebooks.

When I did my roundup of -then current Filipino fauxdori makers a couple of months ago, I mentioned that I wanted to get acquainted with Kuwero’s notebooks in the future. I guess they heard me, because they send over a review copy. Yay!

Lakbay Standard in Outback cow leather

This is their Lakbay, a new model coming out in February 2016. It’s strictly made to order, so expect a couple of weeks before you get yours. It features pockets, stitching, a a choice of leathers:

Red (red brown color, carabao leather, velvety texture)
Labrador (choco brown, carabao too with velvety texture)
Deep Sea (dark blue, cow leather,soft)
Midnight (black, cow leather, soft)
Woodland (brown with black marks, cow leather, smooth and glossy texture)
Outback (our toughest cow leather, perfectly tanned)

They also apparently do custom orders for different sizes,although most common sizes are covered: Standard, Passport, A6, and Wide. They told me they welcome challenges too- big words!

The unit they sent me used the Outback cow leather. I love it. It’s all coppery and crinkly and it’s got variations in color from orangey tan to dark chocolate-brown. The texture is semi-rough, and it is also one of the firmer leathers I’ve seen. Smell is a tad bitter, as is most local leather I’ve experienced, but still definitely “leather.”

It holds four inserts easily.

The leather is quite firm and holds its place well.

Here it is without the inserts. You can see the rotating strap ( which is either a mistake or genius on their part) and eyelets. I believe the elastic is 1 mm.

Stitching could be neater, but this roughness and uneven-ness gives it a rustic, very homespun, homemade feeling. Paired with this leather, it looks okay- if that’s your taste. If you like more refined craftsmanship, it’s probably not for you.

Uneven trim and finish on the leather strap too; and with that “button” (what IS it). I’m worried about the strap eventually weakening and breaking apart, and it’ll be harder to repair than an elastic, but otherwise I like it because it’s firm and holds the four inserts just right. However, because it’s fitted exactly, you probably can’t stuff this particular TN.

Note that the edges are rather rough and sharp, and cut slightly unevenly on the strap.

Inserts: 2 fountain pen friendly cream inserts with colorful cardstock covers, and two kraft inserts.

All in all i quite like this TN. I wish it were an A5, but I guess I could try learning how to use a Standard. Art journal, maybe? Anyway I like it enough to order a custom A5 one in the future

Here’s their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuweronotebooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuwero_notebooks/

Aside from the Lakbay model, you can still order their ‘Orihinal” -no pockets-no stitching models. As mentioned earlier, the Lakbay is strictly made to order, while the Orihinal is readily available ( at least in those four sizes).

Review: Kraft Korner PH Expedition Travelers Notebook

January 10, 2016

by tintinpantoja

comments 2

Last December, while still in the grips of fauxdori frenzy, I came across Kraft Korner PH’s Travelers Notebook offerings when they post it on the Fauxdori Philippines Facebook group. I was intrigued by the design of their Expedition model, which took liberties with the original TN prototype and added a few “steampunky” embellishments that looked like something out of Indiana Jones (I know Indy isn’t steampunk, but it’s got that rough ’40’s archaeology vibe going for it).

Anyway, I promptly ordered one, but had to add my own modifications. KKPH was very accommodating and gave me a reasonable price, though they told me it was introductory and would change soon.

Anyway, here’s a cursory review and some pics to go along with them. I hope you’ll excuse the video quality as it is my first.

Here’s how it looks from the front: LEather is a waxy glossy maroonish-red. Reminds me of wallets and briefcases. They were offering a distressed brown leather in their earlier editions. i think i would’ve preferred that, although they DID tell me they were changing their leather. I told them to go ahead with my order. Now that it’s here, however, I’m afraid to take this leather around for fear it’ll scratch. I’m usually quite rough with my notebooks. Also, the leather at 2mm is a bit thin- this isn’t a problem for smaller notebooks, but something this bulky and large would probably benefit from a thicker, sturdier leather.

The modified expedition model which I ordered.

3/4 view.

I specifically asked them to size it for six inserts. They did a pretty good job, the measurement is more generous than I need.

Stuffed six inserts, though the strings were initially too thin (my fault, I didn’t ask for larger strings). Eventually I restrung this with my own elastics.

Here’s what it looked like before I added inserts, in its ‘pure’ form.

Interior folded out view

I mention this in the video, and I just can’t get over it- this enclosure strap with the buttons is just too wobbly and loose. It’s a great concept ( I asked for buttons instead of buckles, because leather buckle straps tend to tear over time) but it just …doesn’t….quite work the way it’s executed here. I think some reinforcement stitches to the strap, plus more buttons, would’ve helped.

Exterior folded out view. You’ll notice that the enclosure strap (with the buttons) is only held to the cover by a two tiny stitches. This makes the strap wobbly and unpleasantly loose.

Loose Stitch nub! Inadequate for size of cover.

stitching and eyelet details. Stitching could be neater, but otherwise is fine.

I’m not sure I like this stitching on the edges of the strap itself. Maybe it’s a taste thing, but I also feel the stitches will eventually come loose. Would have preferred none at all. Maybe the stitches are reinforcing the strap? Either way, not my taste.

Button enclosure. Points deducted for the way it was finished. That pasted thread looks like something I sneezed. Sorry to be so crude.

Verdict: I paid about $US 30 for this, including all the modifications. At that price for a leather notebook it’s still way better value for some of the fauxdori I’ve bought. Plus, bonus points for an eye-catching design. I still like it, despite my misgivings. Time will tell how it holds up to my rough daily use.

I’m going to keep an eye on Kraft Korner PH. If they fix some of these flaws, I’m sure their future TN’s and journals will be even more interesting.

Overall, it’s a nice notebook that’s worth the price when they make some improvements to the design and execution.

Monster Inside- the Hoarding Dilemma

January 5, 2016

by tintinpantoja

comments 4

I have a Monster inside me. This Monster likes to hoard things- stationery, papers, notebooks, pens, even food.

I was born with it- the Monster and I are one, but I fed it over the years and now it is a bloated, ugly thing.

These took just a year or so to collect.

Even as a kid, the Monster festered inside. As a kid, every Sunday my parents would take me to Gift Gate in Greenhills. At the time it was the only retailer of Sanrio goods like Hello Kitty pencil cases, pencils, and pads. I would buy one with my weekly allowance, where I would carefully store them. I never used them. The piles of pink pencils and plastic grew and accumulated dust in storage bins.

Twenty years later they still lay in my cabinets until I gave them to my sister, who promptly sharpened them. That’s the difference between Bea and me- Bea’s not afraid to use her things, while I fear running out, so I use them as sparingly as possible.

Can’t have enough brushpens! Right?

I have an inkling of how the Monster started taking over my life. Growing up in Indonesia in the 1990’s, my family could only travel to the Philippines once a year. At that time, Indonesia had very little in terms of books or imported and Filipino foods. During our annual visits, I would stock up on as many books as possible, while my mother would fill her cupboard with cans of Filipino sausages, hams, and ingredients. That was the beginning of the hoarding habit.

When I lived in the US, I would hoard art supplies and comics that I couldn’t find in the Philippines. When I came home, I carried about $300 worth of extra luggage in Bristol boards, brushes, and inks that I haven’t used yet- and this was ten years ago!

These Bristol board pads have been with me ten years- barely touched.

Even now the Monster demands to be fed. I continue to collect notebooks, papers, and pens- more than I can use. Like a dragon guarding its treasure, I sit atop a mound of baubles that, honestly, I’ve probably lost interest in.

I am trying to rein the Monster in; I try limiting myself to a certain purchase a month, or occasionally destashing my hoard. It doesn’t always work. I keep obsessing over things I want to buy but can’t afford, or can’t justify.

Even refills have to be stored by the bod.

I have to change my priorities. I’d like to travel, for instance. I’d like to gain new experiences. I’d like to be able to draw and paint without worrying where the next sheet of watercolor paper is coming from, or where I can get a new bottle of ink when the old one runs out. I can’t do that if I continue to buy small, inconsequential things that just take up space in my cabinets, anchoring me to them, wasting money on small trickles that turn into rivers.

Sure, I’ll still buy things I like, but in smaller quantities. I’ll think doubly hard about whether I can use something. I’ll spend on quality things. I refuse to buy something for the sake of buying it or satisfying the Monster’s urge.

Most importantly, I’ll use everything I have at the moment. The hoarding must stop.

The New Year is a fresh start, and the Monster inside needs to change along with me.

How will I even write enough to fill these notebooks?

Sunday Leather Craft Traveler’s Notebook 2

December 30, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comments 3

Sunday LEather Craft Traveler's Notebook

See my first Sunday Leather Craft TN here.

Continuing from my previous post, I liked the Traveler’s Notebook that I’d commissioned from Sunday Leather Craft so much that I immediately ordered another one. The reasonable prices and great craftsmanship were just too good to pass up.

This time I ordered my TN with a light tan or beige color. I’d seen how some leathers darkened over time due to exposure to UV rays, skin oils, and air, etc., and I thought it would be interesting to have a cover that would change color over time.

I also asked for a pen pocket, as I’d seen on other TN’s, flap envelopes, as well as four string inserts

The results were great, with a couple of caveats:

Front view: I like that SLC uses a slightly thicker elastic for the enclosure. That puts it a step above a lot of TN makers out ere already. The leather is beige (or tan depending on the lighting), slightly glossy so it tends to show scratches and stains. I’m pretty rough on my stuff, so I’ll expect this to become scuffed pretty soon.

Sunday Leather Craft Travaler’s Notebooks- front view.

The notebook includes a pen case.

Sunday Leather Craft Travaler's Notebooks- foldout

Foldout view

The pen case adds to the bulk. When empty, it gives added protection to the inserts as a mini ‘trifold’. Unfortyunately when it’s full, the leather “hinge” that attaches it to the cover is too short, so you have to tuck it into the back cover. I might reconsider having a pen case on my third order (oh yes, I’m still plotting a third one!)

Sunday Leather Craft Travaler's Notebooks- pen case

Pen c ase as trifold cover

A view of the inserts from above. I’ve set this up as an ‘art’ journal, so it’s got my Curnow Tomoe River journal from PenGrafik, a couple of handmade inserts using blank cardstock, and a blank journal from SketchnotesPH.

White/ cream stitching is very neat!

Overall I’m quite happy. There were a couple of glue stains on the leather when I first received it- deducting points for that- but I guess it’s something I can overlook since they weren’t major flaws. The leather itself is semi stiff but will probably soften over time, particularly the corners. They’re already kind of bendy since they take the most punishment, I think. Don’t let that dissuade you it’s a great leather (I wish SLC would name their leathers like other makers do!) and great notebook ; for under US$30, it’s a steal.

Sunday LEather Craft Traveler’s Notebook

A6 Hobonichi Techo Part 2

December 29, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comments 2

Following up on last week’s post, here’s a quick look at the Hobonichi’s interiors and why I like it so much….and a few of the reasons that I don’t. If you’re on the fence about getting one, maybe this glimpse into the Hobo’s papery guts will help you decide one way or the other.

So past the cover, you get a two-page calendar spread. Handy if you want to check up on dates/days quickly.

Interior initial year calendar of the Hobonichi.

This next bit is one of my favorites: a vertical chart of all the days in the year. I think you’re supposed to mark off special days , but I chose to use this page as a mood plotter. I struggle with some mood issues, and I figured that plotting my moods on this page, on a scale of one to ten, will allow me to see how my mood fluctuates over time.

Hobonichi day marker- which I use as a mood plotter.

Then we get to the two-page monthly spreads. As a visual person, I really prefer having my days laid out like this, so I can see how each day relates to a day in the week.

The month on a two-page spread.

This is followed by a couple of weeks’ (from Dec 16, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015) worth of two-days-per page. I use these pages to note details and events of the day that may have affected my mood, including hours of sleep and possible triggers.

Hobonichi Two days a page layout- the closing days of 2015.

When January 1 hits, you finally get the one page per day layout. Many people use this section to journal or doodle or as a scrap-book. I haven’t quite decided, but I’ll probably continue listing the events and triggers of the day. And don’t forget the notes page that comes before every month. You can list monthly goals or events here.

Hobonichi daily layout

There are a few details that make this layout really nice for me. One are the monthly calendars on every bottom corner. And on the header, you’ll find the phases of the moon (handy for astrologer or stargazer types!). Oh, and also notice the tabs on the left which indicate the number of the month, so you can flip to any month quickly. It’s these little details that make me absolutely love this planner.

Header of the daily layout pages.

Each daily page contains a quote from a Japanese celebrity or artist. This is one of the things I don’t like about the planner- I would have prepared a blank space for more notes/ reminders/ doodles. But I guess the quotes could become conversation starters.

Quote at the bottom of the daily pages.

Finally, you get a few pages in dot grid for notes. Great area to write those so-hard-to-remember passwords (but use code!).

Notes pages. Cute peach dot grid!

Finally there’s a small section for important info such as international sizes, measurement conversions, telephone dialing codes, even national holidays around the world. There are a couple of pages including Japanese dining tips and major islands, although I don’t really care for those last two.

Conversion table.

Holidays around the world.

How to eat Japanese food?

Finally, on the last page is a form for personal and contact information (in case you lose your precious Hobo). And check out that serial number. Can you believe each Hobo is numbered individually? That’s pretty cool.

Hobonichi final page.

There’s just one thing I have to say before I finish: the Hobo’s paper is super thin ( it’s Tomoe River). at 50gsm, it’s about as thick as regular onions-kin. Now, many people say that Tomoe River doesn’t bleed on a lot of pens, including fountain pens, but I’ve found that certain inks do tend to bleed through or have extreme show-through, making the opposite sides almost unusable. If you like to use alcohol markers, Sharpies, or very thick wet pens, don’t use a Hobo! Otherwise, the paper is strong (for its weight, anyway) and can hold light washes, brush pens, and most fountain pens.

Hobonichi’s Tomoe River paper with showthrough and some bleedthrough using medium to broad fountain pens.

It’s also probably better to use small handwriting. I think the grids are 4mm. They’re printed in very light gray, however, so they shouldn’t interfere if you want to write beyond the lines.

There you have it! I’ll revisit my Hobonichi throughout the year to update you guys on how the pages are coming along. Thanks for stopping by!

A6 Hobonichi Techo Part 1

December 20, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comments 2

READ PART TWO

I first heard about the Hobonichi Techo planner (I’ll call it the Hobo) from one of my former editors, who’d mentioned that she had purchased one to art journal. As a fountain pen enthusiast, I’d heard the word Hobonichi floating around on the internet. It had a reputation as the perfect planner for fountain pens because it used Tomoe River paper, a thin but extremely resilient type of paper from Japan.

I looked it up online and realized the Hobo had a cult following. People were using it to doodle, journal, decorate, and sometimes even plan! I mentioned it to my sister Bea in passing, something like “Oh, have you heard of the Hobo?” She got this scary glazed look in her eyes and started squealing. Next thing I knew, we’d started counting down the days until we could order the 2016 edition (the Hobo is available for sale on September 1 every year).

For a long time, unless you lived in Japan you could only order the Hobo online from http://www.1101.com/, the official site for all iterations of the planner (there are five, which I’ll mention briefly). However, recently they’ve been popping up in stores around the world, including Scribe Writing Essentials in the Philippines and various local small online retailers/ importers.

The Hobonichi Techo A6 and the Cousin A5

Initially I only ordered the Hobonichi Cousin, the A5-sized version that only comes in Japanese. However, Liz was able to obtain the A6-sized Hobo English edition for me I passed on the Hobo Weeks, which is a vertically-oriented planner that well, tracks your weeks, as well as the A6 Hobo Techo in Japanese and the A5 Cousin Avec, which divides the A5 Cousin into two slimmer volumes.

The Hobonichi Techo English with Midori A6 clear cover.

The English Hobo comes in this gorgeous black cover stamped, in gold foil, the Kanji characters for ‘diary’ and ‘hand.’ I find it very elegant. The book cover itself is semigloss cardstock embossed to resemble leather. You can read here for more info on the history and nature of the planner. I do wish the cardstock was a little firmer. It’s designed to be covered by a secondary cover, so I think the thinness is deliberate.

For many people, one of the most crucial aspects of the Hobo is its secondary cover- various designs, in textile, leather, or silicone, that can be bought alongside the planner and are designed to protect and enhance the books.

They aren’t cheap –unlike me. I am VERY cheap. Therefore no fancy expensive covers for me. Instead I’m using a fake leather cover from local company Authors Avenue, which serendipitously fits (barely) over the Hobo.

A6 Notebook cover from Authors Avenue fits- mostly.

I DID purchase a Midori A6 clear cover to keep my Hobo clean.

One more note
about the Hobo- its binding is a testament to Japanese craftsmanship. You can fold this thing almost 360 degrees without breaking the spine, and it lays perfectly flat on a table.

Visit Part 2 to see how I’ve decided to use this versatile planner.

READ PART TWO

TN’S and Tabs

December 14, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comment 1

TN’s are great if you’re an ADD- prone planner person with multiple projects!

Different sections for each project. Now tabbed!

They’re already divided into separate little notebooks, so you’d think it would be easy to find the exact notebook you’re looking for. However, you can save one or two seconds if you didn’t have to flip through every single notebook and hey, time is precious. That and I think some of the creative ways people use tabs is really cute.

Still on my Jakarta trip, I happened across these small Bantex divider tabs at a small stationery store in Pondok Indah Mall . The tabs are simply colored cardstock with clear adhesive plastic e on the bottom. They work well enough for my needs- not cute, but functional.

Bantex divider tabs

In this TN, my creative writing projects, each tab corresponds to a single project. Previous to owning a TN, I had to keep all projects in a single notebook and tried to use this Japanese method of marking page edges to differentiate each section, but it always got too chaotic for me. With this method, I keep each section separated and neatly marked.

Sunday Leather Craft- Travelers Notebook 1

December 5, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comments 2

A5 Travelers Notebook by Sunday LEather Craft

See my second Sunday Leather Craft TN here.

So as I said in a previous post, I had a few stumbling blocks before finding planner peace in the form of two traveler’s notebooks from Sunday Leather Craft.

Someone on the Fountain Pen Philippines Forums had mentioned that SLC made great pen cases. I hopped on to their Facebook site and saw that they also made notebook covers, and from there a TN is only a few elastics away! I contacted them and asked if they were amenable to creating something according to my specs, and they agreed. I sent them a sketch with dimensions for an A5 TN, asking for semi stiff leather (from the samples they showed me).

Let’s start with the first.

The results were fantastic. The leather is a matte dark chocolate brown with beige stitching, with sealing elastic in blue stripes. The leather itself smells …well, adequately leathery.

A5 Travelers Notebook by Sunday LEather Craft

I had requested side flaps to store random notes. next time I’ll ask for a cardhold to be integrated into the flaps, but these function quite well.

Front and back storage flaps

It’s medium-soft, supple enough to bend easily but firm enough to keep its shape when unfilled. The stitching is very neat- you can see they know their leatherwork.

A5 Travelers Notebook by Sunday LEather Craft

It fit my Muji A5 notebooks perfectly.

A5 Travelers Notebook by Sunday LEather Craft

I had to trim down some of the papers I got from the US when making my own inserts though, as their dimensions didn’t exactly line up with the A5 size. Darn it! The reason why I work exclusively with A5 notebooks, aside from them being the perfect compromise between space and portability for me, is that quite simply, I’m lazy! I hate going to the trouble of trimming paper and measuring, etc. But that’s a story for another time…Anyway, I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. Hurrah for Filipino artisans (and TN’s that you don’t have to pay international shipping for)!

While I’m not very familiar with more famous fauxdori makers from abroad, I’d wager that SLC can match most of them in terms of skill, if not in variety of raw material. I hope SLC continue to make great TN’s and that I can do a more complete feature on them someday.

Filipino Fauxdori- a look at the country’s traveler’s notebooks

December 4, 2015

by tintinpantoja

comments 7

EDIT: See the 2016 edition here! We’ve had some changes!

Here’s a short (hopefully growing) directory of Philippine-made traveler’s notebooks/ fauxdori. As a newbie collector and enthusiast, I’ve only gathered what I hope are a fraction of the craftspeople working on their fauxdori. Please feel free to let me know who I’ve missed. If you’re a local creator of inserts, TN’s, and accessories, let me know via tintinp (at) gmail dot com.

Note: All Photos used with permission. In cases where I was unable to secure the permission of the photo creator/ product owners, I left out photos and will only show the website.

If you’re on Facebook, feel free to join the Fauxdori Philippines group!

QUICK LIST: CLICK BELOW

11_11HANDMADEPH
AIREESCREATES
ALUNSINA HANDBOUND BOOKS
BPMONTILLA
CN PAPER CRAFTS
FOLKLOREPH
GAV and SAV
KRAFT KORNER PH
KUWERO
NOTED JOURNAL PH
PENGRAFIK
PLANNERS and JOURNALS
SHUTTER CREATIONS
SUNDAY LEATHER CRAFT
VIVIAMO INC.

11_11HANDMADEPH

WEBSITE: https://www.instagram.com/11_11handmadeph

PRODUCTS: Leather traveler’s notebooks in a variety of sizes. There are three colors currently available: red, blue, and tan. They also make fountain pen friendly refills.

Photo provided by: 11_11handmadeph

AIREESCREATES

WEBSITE: http://aireescreates.com/

PRODUCTS: Unique paper traveler’s notebooks by Airees printed with her own painted designs. Very colorful and feminine; I believe the paper is of a sort that is treated to be pretty tough: “organically-treated handmade paper from abaca made to have the strength of a thin leather but lightweight as paper.” Sold in a variety of sizes.

Aireeescreates fauxdori/ traveler's notebook

Photo provided by: Aireescreates

ALUNSINA HANDBOUND BOOKS

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/Alunsina.Handbound.Books

PRODUCTS: The Kislap (A5) and mini Kislap (Field Notes) are leather fauxdori-inspired journals sold as sets with inserts and charms. They also sell refills for the Kislap in lined, blank, and dot grid, as well as beautifully crafted leather journals in various designs.

The Alunsina Kislap. Photo provided by: Alunsina

BPMONTILLA

WEBSITE: http://www.bpmontilla.com/store.html

PRODUCTS: Leather traveler’s notebooks in Standard and (soon) A6 size. A very basic design (no pockets or customizations) but in feel, I think it’s the closest to the original Midori TN- very firm leather, good craftsmanship. He’s been making them for years, even before their popularity really exploded, so I feel he’s got the most experience. He is also a crafter and fashion illustrator, which carries over into his work.

CN PAPER CRAFTS

WEBSITE: https://www.instagram.com/cnpapercrafts/ and https://www.facebook.com/cnpapercrafts

PRODUCTS: Creators of the Macata, a pleather fauxdori . Cool name! Cool colors!- black, bone, orange, and a few metallic, though they may be phasing those out soon. Also: adorable leather tassels! Sold in standard and passport size.

The Macata. Photo provided by: CN Papercrafts

FOLKLOREPH

WEBSITE: [Under Construction] You can order their products using this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jp1NTqsB3LZUGTXp-kfIZ0pQWb3YRHOPVjG3Uym8T24/viewform?c=0&w=1

PRODUCTS: Vintage-style postcards, stationery, and notebook inserts on fountain pen friendly paper (yay!). Currently their lineup also includes a 2016 fauxdori and ring planner insert in weekly and monthly formats. Love their lean, clean, and mean layouts!

FolklorePH’s inserts. Photo provided by: Des Mendoza

GAV and SAV

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008276317220&fref=ts and https://www.instagram.com/gavandsav/

PRODUCTS: Cute sewn cloth fauxdori (sewdori?) in a variety of prints and sizes. You can choose your design-mostly very colorful and sweet, very cute stuff. I’d like to get one but prefer muted colors, so I’ll be on the lookout!

Gav and Sav’s Sewdori. Photo provided by: Gav and Sav.

KRAFT KORNER PH

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/KraftKornerPH and https://www.instagram.com/kraftkorner_ph/

PRODUCTS: Lovely craft notebooks and leather traveler’s notebooks in two very interesting designs: the Expedition and the Voyager, which I believe are both customizable. I’m hoping to add one of them to my collection soon. They’re very rugged-looking and remind me of Indiana Jones (the notebooks, not the makers- though that would be cool too).

Edit: I take a look at their customized Expedition model.

Kraft Korner. Photo provided by: Kraft Korner PH

Edit: I take a look at their customized Expedition model.

KUWERO

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/kuweronotebooks

PRODUCTS: Leather traveler’s notebooks in a variety of sizes. I’m not too familiar with them yet, but I hope to rectify this soon!

Kuwero. Photo provided by: Kuwero

Have a look at my first Kuwero ‘Lakbay’ fauxdori!

NOTED JOURNAL PH

WEBSITE:http://notedjournalph.com/

PRODUCTS: Under the Notedori brand, Noted Journals PH makes the’ Notedori’ in a variety of colors including copper and silver. I love metallic colors, and these look pretty sturdy.

Noted Journals’ Notedori

PENGRAFIK

WEBSITE: http://www.pengrafik.com/

Not a creator, but rather an importer of fine leather travelers notebooks and refills. They have a variety of sizes. Pengrafik also carries a variety of fine writing instruments, inks, and the much-admired Curnow mini journals/ TN refills, which feature fountain-pen-friendly papers, including Tomoe River! They come in Regular, A5, and Field Notes size. I have to give a special mention to Tomoe River paper ( they also sell loose sheets) because this is the paper used in the Hobonichi Planner. It’s amazingly thin but resilient!

Photo provided by: Pengrafik

PLANNERS AND JOURNALS

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/plannersandjournals and https://www.instagram.com/plannersandjournals/

PRODUCTS: Traveler’s notebooks (I believe they’re called ‘Fundori’) and ring binders that convey a sense of cuteness, lightness, and fun, in both leather and synthetic materials. The sheer variety of their materials, including printed leather, makes this a brand to watch.

Fun with Planners and Journals PH! Photo provided by: Planners and Journals

SHUTTER CREATIONS

WEBSITE: https://www.instagram.com/shuttercreations.ph/

PRODUCTS: Colorful PVC and Textile “Shutterdoris”, currently sold in Standard, Traveler, and Passport. I particularly like the look of their patented journal, but we’ll have to wait and see if they offer an A5 size ( Edit: yes they do!)

SUNDAY LEATHER CRAFT

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/Sunday-Leather-Craft-211739225703254

PRODUCTS: Leather watch bands, bags, journal covers, and some of the most beautiful traveler’s notebooks this side of the Pacific. And they’ve only been at it a few weeks as of this writing. Ask for something and they’ll customize it for you.

Photo provided by: Sunday Leather Craft

Edit: I take a look at my first and second TN’s from Sunday Leather Craft!

VIVIAMO INC.

WEBSITE: https://ilovebdj.com/shop

PRODUCTS: The Quest Journal, a fauxdori in the regular Midori size, as well as refills. Viviamo! Inc., also makes different planners, both under their own brand and other companies. One of the former is the bestselling Belle du Jour Planner. I personally love their Focus Journal and its very clean and clear layout (to help you focus, I guess).