Midori Traveler's Notebook

[pw1224]

My only complaint (which isn't really) about the Traveler's Notebook is that the Midori Pen Holder is too small for most of my fountain pens. I'm sure I could stretch out the leather a little bit but I really prefer to use a thicker pen.

[eWalker]

If you are getting one of these Mind-Paper things I would love to see some pictures. Even so the it is in German I cant seem to get my head around how this is meant to work.

@Ilkyway Sorry that it take that long...







The mind papers are basically a vegetable tanned leather cover, some loose leaves, a binder clipper with a leather loop pencil holder and a pencil.

Like the Midori Travelers Notebook but without elastic bands and with loose paper.

[eWalker]

I have ordered an A5 cover with for two notebooks that I want to use as a diary. I keep my calender and to to lists in the Field Journal and it works just great for that but I feel a diary can not bee on loose leaves.

@Ilkyway I ordered an A5 too plus a pvc cover and green spine elastics!

But it was not what I hoped for... A5 is the size of the cover not of the notebook inside.


I placed a green A5 paper sheet inside the notebook on the right so you may see the difference.

I really wanted an A5 notebook, actually I want a true A6 notebook that open will make an A5 notebook. Am I making sense? I want to use the notebook vertically or in other words I want a notebook that I can fold in half horizontally to save space.

Got this idea from this notebook!

[jennygoat]

My only complaint (which isn't really) about the Traveler's Notebook is that the Midori Pen Holder is too small for most of my fountain pens. I'm sure I could stretch out the leather a little bit but I really prefer to use a thicker pen.

Midori makes different sizes for their pen loops, I know for sure there is small and medium. Maybe you have the smaller one?

[Ilkyway]

@ eWalker: thank you for the pictures!
I have to say this Mind-Paper thing does not convince me at all. How do you feel about it? My husband has one of these: Cordova Shirt Pocket Briefcase and they seem to offer much more for approximately the same usage.

I was a bit disappointed by the X17 too. I bought a two-string version and the thinned spine is not to my liking. As for the A5 size: I just cut off a bit of my notebook with a craft knife. No big deal. But than you had me on the Midoris. The paper-size is somewhat limiting compared to A5 BUT it fits so very nicely into a small Cafe Bag with room for a Waterbottle.
I have challenged myself to go paper-based in planing and note-taking until summer-brake. I have started on March the third. When I have done a bit more time I wright a bit about it with some pictures. I do not think it helpful to talk in depth about a system one has not extendedly used. I tent to be a bit overexcited at the beginning.
Now I ordered some leather to try and build one. My husband has done two but the leather was not the best choice and I had to order the real thing to have a close look and to honor the original.

By the way: anybody from Japan here, who can tell a bit about the Midori style Notebook? Did the Midori-company invent it or is it something that is part of the culture for a long time? Is the size typical?

Ilkyway

PS: that triangle-notebook looks funny and useful too. But I like to have something that stays like the notebook-cover: when I have filled up a notebook and archive it, the cover stays the same and gives me a feeling of continuity.

[eWalker]

@ilkway A quick way to make a really nice Midori like cover is to get a Hobonichi cover (leather or faux leather) and just make the holes on the spine and add the elastics.



The pen holder is big enough to accommodate even fat pens like the Lamy, you get plenty of pockets plus the sizes are our favorites.... A5/A6!

[eWalker]

I agree, this one is much nicer then the Mind Paper!

[eWalker]

But than you had me on the Midoris. The paper-size is somewhat limiting compared to A5 BUT it fits so very nicely into a small Cafe Bag with room for a Waterbottle.

That is probably the greatest advantage of the MTN style covers...

I acquired more then I planned originally because I kept finding new uses for then...

I have now:

. Standard Midori size
. Passport Midori size
. FieldNote size
. A5
. A6

Both regular and extra room sizes!

I even I got myself an A6 Trifold.



You can get the same kind of leather used in the MTN in various colours, except for gray!

@ Leather4Craft on eBay in the UK Journals - Notebooks, Leather Inserts Antique items in Leather4Craft Limited store on eBay!

[jennygoat]

There are also tons of Etsy sellers that sell their own inserts. So long as you don't mind ordering versus walking into a store to purchase, you can get almost any paper or other items you want for a MTN in both sizes.

[eWalker]

PS: that triangle-notebook looks funny and useful too. But I like to have something that stays like the notebook-cover: when I have filled up a notebook and archive it, the cover stays the same and gives me a feeling of continuity.

@Ilkway The idea I got from the triangle notebook was to use an A6 on it's side like in the photo below to make an A5 size page.

It is a way to get an easy to store form factor yet in our sweet spot page size.

[Ilkyway]

I did that with A5 to get true A4 since nearly everything in this Country is A4 some years ago. For now I love the small and long form factor of the midoris (thanks again for pointing them out to!) because they work so very well in the Cafe Bags which again work so very well as bags in bags. I tuck the flap back into the open-top pouch of the Cafe Bag so everything is available for "grab and go".

Got some leather today to play with.

Ilkyway

PS: what is your poor Panda so stressed out about?

[eWalker]

PS: what is your poor Panda so stressed out about?

@Ilkyway I am amazed by the amount of new posts & threads in the time I was out!

I am trying to catch up with all the news!

[Ilkyway]

I see, that is totally understandable. Lesson to learn here: DONT STAY AWAY SO LONG!

[marytattoo]

That is probably the greatest advantage of the MTN style covers...

I acquired more then I planned originally because I kept finding new uses for then...

I have now:

. Standard Midori size
. Passport Midori size
. FieldNote size
. A5
. A6

Both regular and extra room sizes!

I even I got myself an A6 Trifold.



You can get the same kind of leather used in the MTN in various colours, except for gray!

@ Leather4Craft on eBay in the UK Journals - Notebooks, Leather Inserts Antique items in Leather4Craft Limited store on eBay!

I've never heard of these till these forums. For those who use the MTN, will you still use them if you get the FJ? I see they are on amazon. I've used all sizes of journals for about 50 yrs (started in utero!). Advantages over Moleskine - which I've not used in a while).

[Ms. Ferret]

I liked the concept of the MTN, just not the price tag or the paper size. Luckily they are pretty easy to make if you've got some leather and a long piece of elastic hanging around, so I made my own sized for the much more widely-available 3.5" x 5.5" notebooks.

My fake MTN is my travel journal of choice, because it doesn't take up much room and is ridiculously handy. I did break down and pick up some of the official Midori accessories for it, like the little zipper pocket insert and the double-sided stickers.