The travelers leather will soak up your life, it will change and shift with you as you hold it, love it and pour your stories into it, it takes time to bend and mould, morph and soften... it’s almost as if as you fill it up, it’s new barriers break down to let your essence into its cracks and folds... I think as time goes on and as you imbue it... she will fast become your favourite little life book xoxox

So happy to have a journal update! My 9-year-old daughter saw me watching this and said, "Oh, I LOVE her hair!" :)

Yes honey, I love the journal you gave me 🥰 And I love watching your videos 😘 See you tomorrow........ 😍 love you.....

I came here from Howard stern mentioning your channel and I’m not disappointed.

Your level of expertise in all things journaling is quite extensive and beautiful. I could see you opening a little shop and teaching workshops on how to use fountain pens, how to journal, how to art journal. How to appreciate the art of analogue!

Love seeing your update video today. I too am feeling a litttle planner life crisis at the moment. I do love my travelers notebook but I have a black one and a pre loved one. I love their thin paper insert. I think it’s #13? Paper penguin also makes insert with tomoe River paper on Etsy. Love your hair!! I wish I could walk around and look at stuff people dispose of. What a fun way to get unique pieces. Can’t wait to see what you do with all these magazines!

Dot grid paper is one of the most exciting things I've discovered since becoming interested in fountain pens.

I too am guilty of making simple things completely over complicated. I’ve kept journals since I was a kid and never given it too much thought (other than notebook and pen preferences) but since I’ve gotten into fountain pens and ink it’s just way more of a “ thing”. I don’t entirely mind but it makes me roll my eyes at myself!

Your hair is so cute! The cut is adorable. You look super healthy!

Love the ferret! Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone in being persnickety about pens, ink and paper!

Give the TN 6 months 😉 The texture totally changes with regular use and once it patinas I think you’ll love it! They get so much character over time, which I think you will appreciate 😍

Making something so complicated is a cunning conspiracy against oneself.

For journaling, love my Nanami "Seven Seas Writer"! That Arizona Highway book; what a find!

Always fun to see your journal videos!

Journal update! Yay! Your hair looks so pretty by the way, love it 😊

Literally everything I own furniture wise is second hand or from the bulk trash days my city does. Honestly it's so much fun to go driving around and see what people have on the curb. I've found the best stuff that way!

OMG!! Girl, you are so lucky to find that Arizona Highways Collection!!

I've had my TN for years and only got it customized last August, hoping it would inspire me to want to use it more. Once I invested that money into it, I made myself use it daily. I had the same issues with the feel and quality of the leather at first so I used a conditioner on it and it made all the difference. Hope you won't give up on yours yet. It's a great size. I love the archiving option too!

Really very nice , Thanks dear

Awww Bean! I just love him!❤️❤️ Thanks for the new video, I always love listening to you.

Bean: "Oh no mama! You left these things on the table, I fix that for you." Every pet I have ever had who can get on to tables has felt the same way. Where I live we have a province-wide moving day where everyone plays musical chairs for apartments. If you're one of the lucky souls not moving you can scour the streets for nice cast-off items that other people are discarding. It sounds a lot like your brush and bulky day, only with added moving vans. I'm so happy for your Arizona Highways find!

Bean was wonderful. Your affections to the little companions is so natural and holistic. Keep safe and keep making your videos which are always a breath of fresh air and an inspiration to us all.

Love what you found on the side of the road! Also, I appreciate your comments regarding the BK TN.

Have you considered making your own journal inserts? They're fairly easy to make, and there's a couple of video tutorials on them as well!

Wow! What an unbelievable luck to find this collection of Arizona Highways! 😍 Sometimes when we put our energy into the universe, it comes back in mysterious ways! What a lovely thing to happen! 😊❤️

great to see what you are up to! And that little ferret is just too adorable!

I just recently went to my local Office Max and had them cut down two of my Stalogy A5’s to the Standard size. They charged me $1 per book and they turned out amazing. I, of course, came home and proceeded to use my corner round punch on each page. Love them! You could try one and see what you think.

Thank you!❤️😁❤️

Wow! What great luck finding the Arizona Highway book! It’s like it was there waiting for you to find it. It must have been meant to be. 😊

That color combination looks fantastic on you! My hometown had a a few days at the beginning spring where you could put out anything you wanted to get rid of and the garbage company would take it away at the end. Everyone was put during that time, picking through and finding treasures too!

I've had the same issue with making journaling a big deal and them buying and spending and essentially NOT journaling. I found your videos very encouraging

Wow that Arizona highways collection was an awesome find!!!!

I'm using my traveler's with a Soumkine insert. Love their paper, and it fit's perfectly in the cover.

You have to love Bean if you follow your channel. Been following you long time before Bean! Loving your changes, pens and notebooks and ideas. Thanks for sharing.

Nice find! Hair is amazing and BEAUTIFULLY chaotic! Grow'n up we used to always venture thru the alleys to find tossed away treasures. I just received my first Galen notebook and I'm excited to take it on my next adventure.

I have been using a standard size traveler's notebook cover too, and to solve my insert issue (like you I don't like the stapled or smaller inserts that don't feel like a journal) I have been using Stalogy notebooks that I took to Staples and had them cut to standard size. I've used both the full and 1/2 year Stalogy books, and love this option. I also ask them at Staples to save me the scraps, which make great bookmarks/note papers/ink testing strips, etc. Most of the time they don't even charge me to cut them since it's one straight cut (from an A5) and takes them just seconds to do. When they DO charge me it's less than a dollar or two. The first time, I cut a 1/2 year stalogy myself with an exacto blade and it turned out fine too. :) Hope you find your happy place w/your journal, but I think you're right...it's a cycle we all experience that restlessness! ;)

I hate the staples thing too . I immediately remove them and sew it together with linen thread.

Your Bean is adorable and you are too especially when he's getting snuggles from his mamma. Love your vlogs/videos thanks for sharing your beautiful channel🌺

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I have had the same conundrums myself over time. Along with echoing other commenters that the exterior leather will change with time; mine got softer and softer and softer. As for the inserts, there are inserts available with Tomoe River Paper and that are sewn together instead of having staples. Maybe it would more more to your liking. And, of course, as others have said, you can make your own inserts too which is a lot of fun to do.

Wow ! My dilemma exactly ! If I want to look “for my life” I have to check 3 or 4 journals ! Blaaaaghhh! Glad to know I am not alone...

I love my Midori 5 year diary. It's fun seeing what happened on past years and dates. It's also kind of a cancer diary and goalkeeper with the ultimate goal of living long enough to fill it up. So far through almost 2 years of treatments and surgeries.

Lovely to catch up with you Alicia!

I agree that the archival system for travelers notebooks is a great motivator! For me, I really dislike “high quality leather” feel because I feel like I have to be more careful. I like the feeling of the traveler’s company leathers because theyre just SO casual that I dont care to be delicate with them, which means they get used more in my case :)

I like Kokuyo Campus binders which lays nice and flat. Available in different sizes and colors. The campus paper is a nice everyday paper too. I used the 30 hole combo for an astronomy and geology course. Loved it.

I just got into fountain pens and am Journaling for the fist time. Weirdly, there is a learning curve to all the different papers. I bought a notebook sampler from Goulet pens and some notebooks that should set me in the right direction. Love the videos!

Love your etsy shop!🦕💕

The TN refills from Banditapple (their 'handy' size) are fantastic!! Lovely paper, and they are sewn, not stapled. Cuddles for little Bean!

I do look forward to a new video from you! I started journaling last year and found your channel to be a huge inspiration! I bought a few chic sparrows, but they just didn’t jive with me. I found Travelers Company and Baum-Kuchen and it had been a match made in heaven! I really enjoy BKs grid notebook. It’s TR paper and it’s a pleasure to write on. I hope you’ll find journal “peace” but I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with switching it up either 😉

Come close love( energy) let me feel you! 🌈🌻

I cut down a Hobonichi a5 for my standard notebook for journaling. I agree about the stapled inserts not feeling permanent. Take a Stalogy to the store and have it done! They almost never charge me for a single cut. You won’t regret it! Loving Bean!

I cycle journaling between analog paper journals and fountain pen to digital journaling on my iPad and Apple Pencil! I have gone back and forth so many times. When I am analog journaling, I use my Galen leather and A5 zippered folio (one like you have).

Definitely cut down your stalogy to fit! I did this with my Taroko Shop TR notebook and love it!

Love my TNS. Those magazines look like a treasure for creativity! (Nice colors! Green and red!...AH! I had a ferret toooooo....I miss, Giacomo).

😍 Bean loves you so much 🥰🤗 i love your look in Video, you are so special 💚🙏 take care, so nice to see your mom here support you 😍👍🤞 all the best, your find is amazing, hello from slovakia

I ordered my first chic sparrow this morning, am excited

I cut down an a5 1/2 year stalogy to standard size and absolutely love it. I love grid paper the best.

What an amazing find - that bound Arizona Highway archive!!!! I'm so glad you found it!!! Wow, I can relate to journal restlessness. LOL I find that for my daily writing (that isn't planning) I pretty much have to make myself stick to hard bound A5 notebooks with paper that is okay for fountain pens but not too fancy and not Tomoe River paper or else I get all hung up and picky. I seem to have landed on my notebook peace for daily journaling with 3 different A5 notebooks that I keep ahead on. Peter pauper press, Dingbats and Flight Diary of Love with dot grid usually. I love the traveler's notebook concept but I do struggle with it too and the covers do distract me so much. They are so beautiful. And so tempting. LOL Too many options just makes it tough. Bullet journal wise I just stay with the Leuchtturm A5s I'm very boring. :) I really love seeing Bean!!!! He's so sweet!!!!!

I’ve seen people turn their Chic Sparrow TNs into ring binders. I think Carie Harling has a video or a link from the past. Love this. You inspire me in my journaling everyday. ❤️

What a great find! I love it when stuff like that happens! Look at Paper Penguin Co for thicker inserts and she carries TRP in all the styles...lined, grid, blank and has options to order them thicker....more pages. Also you may like the Hobonichi notebooks. I’ve cut them down in the last and they work great too and they are TRP grid. You can get the A5 on Amazon.

I really like the Travelers Notebook and the staple bound inserts. They feel more 'authentic ' like 'back in the day' sort of. We each have our own preferences😊

I’ve been thinking about getting a Traveler’s notebook. I’m on my second journal now. Have been writing in a Rhodia A5 since the beginning of this month. Compared to the previous one, a copper Leuchtturm 1917, the paper is smoother and my fountain pen inks takes a long time to dry. I have to be careful to avoid smudging it. Less bleeding and ghosting of my wetter inks though, so that is nice. Now I’m going to start rotating pens more and change colors more often.

I totally feel the pain of finding a journal I’m totally satisfied with to just stick with. I like to change them too like from A5 to pocket to travellers etc. Plus, I prefer and love blank journals, so that narrows down my choice even more as stalogy has grid and most are dot grid or lined. So I completely understand the joy and pain of searching for the awesome journal to suit your style ❤️. I recently tried Galen Leathers notebook in A5. As it’s Tomoe river the paper is awesome and brings out all the ink shading plus no feathering or bleeding and I actually enjoy the ghosting. Yet I’m sure I’ll try a few more journals but for now I’m super thrilled and loving the book. Plus, I love the blotter 😃. Just thought I’d add that here as a suggestion. 😃

FYI - I believe that the TN #13 insert is the lightweight paper and has more pages. It’s quite nice and has qualities similar to Tomoe River paper too, but it is only available in blank format, no dot grid available. ☹️ Thank you for sharing your perspective regarding how simple, or complicated journalling can be. I can so relate! You are a breath of fresh air! Thanks again for just being you. 👍🏻💜👍🏻

Just a comment from an old guy, i wish I had used higher quality journals when I was younger. Many did not hold up through the decades, The hardbound leather journals did. In fact, they look better beat up a little and worn from moving around. Plus the higher quality paper did not age or fade. Just a thought. Love your channel. Thanks for the inspiration.

Oh wow, I never knew there was an actual binder for archiving Travelers notebooks! Now I have a lot of books just piled upon each other, but this might convince me to return to Travelers again, since I'm more of a Hobonichi person atm.

I would really recommend cutting down an A5 notebook and using that in your TN. You can do it yourself with a rotary cutter/exacto knife, cutting mat, and metal ruler. It's not the prettiest though. Some people go to Office Depot and ask them to cut down their notebooks. Sarah Martinez has some videos from a couple of years ago about cutting down notebooks and putting large notebooks in TNs

I have a Blue Travelers notebook and just ordered a black custom travelers notebook from Baum-Kuchen. I learned through the Midori TN Facebook Group that the Brown leathers tends to be dry at first and takes a little longer to become supple and shiny. The black and the navy start out fairly supple and are a little thicker - they too will get that aged shine over time. From what I understand, the Camel is more of a suede and a bit floppy.

Thank God for your laughing eyes 😊👍

You might want to try the 013 insert in your TN. It's a lovely paper.

I'm subscribing because of the channel name and your cute haircut.

I know that journal funk feeling. I'm a bit conflicted too, I love my pocket, but part of me wants to also journal in an A5. Specifically in a journal with the paper weight of the hobonichi. Stalogy is a bit similar, but the paper isn't quite as nice. I'm tempted to use the hobonichi notebook or even get the avec or day free. So many thoughts, I just can't get enough stationery. 😁

I started to journal in the "Moo" notebook. The perks are it lays flat, has nice quality paper for fountain pens that won't bleed through. It's smaller than I'm used to 5.12" x 8.15" but so far I like it better than the cheap composition books I used before.

I love Bean (sp?). I may watch your videos for him as much as your pens, inks journals and music. More Bean please.

I am in a similar situation. Testing all journaling systems has been fun, but confusing and expensive (= For work, I use the A4 Atoma notebooks, with the ring system; does not work very well with thin paper, but very useful for keeping loose paper, once you have the proprietary puncher. The Midori Passaport Size is always in my pocket or messenger bag, but only for daily notes and to serve as an "extended" wallet. For journaling, I still haven't been able to make the choice. I like Leuchturm 1917 a lot, but they are not easily found in Brazil (good fountain paper is a problem here), and the pandemic has complicated imports. I have been using the Rhodia Goalbook, as I find them on Amazon, often on sale; and so far they seem to be the best candidate; but I will keep looking ... Thanks for the video.

For top notch traveler’s company sized inserts, you should check out Soumkine from France. They have beautiful (albeit expensive) inserts where you can choose a greater number of pages and the binding is much nicer.

Why am I most excited about your “free” roadside find? Lol. I use to live in AZ, and oh those collection days! “One man’s trash, another man’s treasure.’

You could use a hot towel for that clear binder. The heat will soften the vinyl a little

With all due respect, to journal you only need the will/desire to journal. Yes, I can journal with pen and paper but I can also journal in Word (saved to a drive) or to Google Docs, not to mention online journals. Love your passion, passion for pens and paper and typewriters. Love all your videos

Amazon sells the sewn Galen leather to tomoe river insets for the standard size. Very nice.

For the ripped page you can use clear packing tape and hole punch the holes. For your binder? you can find a Avery brand binder that has a window sleeve for your front cover that will lay flat in a variety of sizes at Office depot or Office Max or try Amazon. Much Love.

A lot of people do cut their Stálogy notebooks down and love it. I recently toyed around with the idea of it because I’m thinking of returning back to the Traveler’s Company TN. I love holding it so I may pick up a Stálogy to cut it down as well.

I know the notebook/paper/pen/leather cover struggle all too well! 😂 One of my favorite things I’ve done in the last few years is get a 1/2 year A5 Stalogy and cut it to fit a Standard TN (one slice of the right side on a pro cutter at an office supply store or Kinko’s is about a dollar) that gave me something bigger than a stapled insert but something smaller than a regular thick notebook, all with my favorite paper in a bound book. Only downside is that it cuts off the date region at the top of the page, but I never used those anyway. 😁

Hey, Alicia, I have a suggestion for the leather cover that you've recently purchased; it's extreme, but perhaps you'll go with my suggestion. Take some 80 grit sandpaper & lightly abrade the leather, then apply some lanolin oil (or cream) - really work that into the material, so that it becomes saturated; this will make the leather more pliable; finally, use a saddle wax )or dubbin, if you can obtain it), & again, rub that into the leather; that should make it far less dry to the touch. Trusting that you are both otherwise keeping safe & well, As far as that clear binder goes, unfortunately, they're press-moulded into that curvilinear shape - all I would do would be to employ a sharp knife down the spine, & 'stitch' it back together with a length of paracord or a flat bootlace - it'll lay flat, then. Trusting that you are (both) fine & well Best, Andrew :)

Algorithm Boost. Considering that Brass Beauty you've featured previously. Seems like a good introduction into the hobby. Howard Stern and the Army love you btw❤

You can get a tiny blow dryer for $10. I use one occasionally on watercolor, to speed the drying process. Or assist the dripping process.

I actually cut down an a5 stalogy for my travelers notebook! you only need to take off a bit of the side and then you have a midori TN insert sized stalogy!!

I think it would be cool to take a large sized clutch and create your own Traveler's Notebook cover. Somehow merging the two designs.

Hmm, have you thought of using discs instead of the binder? I know Levenger has a translucent cover and you can get clear covers as well. I think the metal discs work best (smoothest). Staples ARC is a great punch. I use this for all my writing project notebooks. I started a 5 year as well and I'm loving it! Love the idea of a typewriter journal - I'm going to try it.

I hope you’re doing well! I indulged myself and bought a personal size TN to use on my holiday! (Never too many covers... right?) i have a clear binder and I’m wondering if I should try a typewriter diary. You can get those binders to become more flexible by laying heavy books on each side of the cover while the rings are facing down and holding it open. I hope you’re doing well! I don’t know if my letter got lost in the mail! So I’ll be sending you another one soon (I can’t remember what I said in the last one though haha) stay safe.

Bean is so cute! I think the answer to your binder problem is how it wraps around the spine. What if you cut the plastic cover so you just have a separate front clear cover and separate clear back cover and punch holes in them so they can go in the rings? That way with the front and back clear cover on the rings it will sit flat when open and you can even fold the front cover around to the back wherever you want to open it :)

Someone else might have mentioned this already, but the Traveler's Notebook inserts - unless otherwise marked - have Midori MD paper in them. It's great paper - really nice for fountain pens. It's the same paper that's in a Midori MD notebook, except that it's white instead of cream. However, Traveler's Co makes a notebook with plain cream paper, too. :) They have inserts with a bunch of other types of paper in them, too. Their "light paper" insert (013 I think?) used to have Tomoe River paper in it, but it might be a light paper that Midori makes in house now, I'm not sure. You can also buy inserts with kraft paper, sketch paper, watercolor paper, and several with different kinds of calendars in them (including an insert that has the same layout as the Hobonichi Weeks, only thinner and with a larger footprint). It's a true rabbit hole. Enjoy it! I really enjoy the leathers, though the leather cover you have (which I assume is the camel color, since you have a green elastic on it) looks a lot different from the leather in my camel TN cover, which has aged so beautifully. I love it. I also have a brown passport size TN, and that leather is also really nice. It's different from the camel leather, but it also is aging beautifully.

very nice. hidden treasures just a little ways away from you.

Check out Pebble Stationery Co. They do a 200 page, sewn bound, Tomoe River Paper notebook in Standard TN size. Even has a page for your ink swatches in the back 😮

Great update! I have kept up with my 5 year, my planner, and a journal. Although the journal is almost full and I don't know what I want. I wonder if they make an insert binder for the passport size 🤔 Have a great weekend!

Have you ever seen the Oberon Design leather covers? Available on Amazon. Simple 2 slip pockets on either side, but such lovely tooling. A variety of sizes, too. You might like them.

I have a similar travel journal for a while but I haven’t used it. I don’t know what to write in it....searching for ideas

The pvc clear binders never lay flat. I had a pocket and a personal size and never can get them to lay flat.

Score on the Arizona Highways binder full of magazines! I know lots of people who cut (or have had cut) A5 or B6 books to into TNs--it is a doable option, especially for Stalogy notebooks because of their slim covers and thin paper.

I totally agree about the TN leather, if you look up their notebooks on Pinterest you will see smooth, shiny (very Earl Grey-esk leather) ... I don’t think Travelers company uses the leather they use to (the smooth leather, which is what I was after doesn’t seem to be around anymore) .. I totally understand leather is a personal thing & I know folks who love the suede leather but it wasn’t for me. Often when I see ones I love on IG they are older & have that smoothness/ shine that I think was once common in the Midori age. Lol just figured I’d share my 2 cents. Cheers 🌺

Okay, I admit it... I'm a Howard Stern fan. I love your shows. My only complaint is that your handwriting is so perfect, that it reminds me how horrible mine is.