Julie R. Neidlinger: Lone Prairie Art Works

Green Journal.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post

I've found myself preferring soft-cover "recycled" look journals to the deluxe, hardcover versions. I find that the cheaper journals have the fun writing paper that is thinner and less ostentatious and doesn't scream "You'd better write something glorious and meaningful and not ruin my fancy pages!." In the soft-cover journals, the binding tends to be simple staples or basic stitching in the middle of the soft spine, which means if falls open flat and is easier to write in. Plus, they are easier to cram into a purse or backpack. They just flex more and say "Hey, it's all good. Write whatever you want, roll us up, and toss us in your bag."

I'm not at all enamored with journals that are printed all over inside with all kinds of gimmicky graphics and crap. That's my job; I'll fill it up inside!

So, the Moleskine kraft-paper covered journals are nice (but pricey). And (gasp!), I'm not actually a fan of the paper Moleskine uses; my art pens bleed on it, and it's terrible for watercolor and pencils. Recently, though, I found the perfect journal, and promptly bought three. I know how it goes (and how it has since gone): you find one you like, it's gone, and you never find it again. It's like the notebooks from the movie The Interpreter: everyone is looking for them, yet no one can find those elusive Marcel Schurman notebooks.

The journal in question is a simple recycled-brown soft-cover, made of "Italian ecological paper" (i.e. made in Italy of recycled paper), with the words "Green Journal" stamped on the cover. There's a green elastic cord to keep it closed. The paper inside is a fun-to-write-on, thin, lined off-white sheet. The inside of the journal gives a web address of: alfabet.it.

And that's it.

I can't find them anymore. Haven't seen them in any stores. And I'm certainly not going to order them from Italy, though they are listed on the site.

If you happen to run across them, you ought to buy them. Unless you're into the deluxe-look of a journal. These won't make you happy. Otherwise, buy them. As many as you can. They aren't expensive, and they are a forgiving journal; you can spill coffee on them and it only increases their charm (try that in a leather-covered gold-edged-paged journal). They're all recycled and soft-covery and pliable and a sort of haphazard on-a-whim joy to write in. I don't feel guilty about writing in all directions on the page and filling it with crazy drawings or taping stuff inside (which is problematic if you do it too much to a hardcover journal with a fixed spine). And so, I love them.

Buy me one, too, and I'll pay you back. ;-)