Posts filed under Midori

Midori MD Diary A5, 2020 Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I've raved about the Midori MD line several times. Really, anytime anyone brings up paper. ("Can I have a tissue?" "Tissues have their purpose, but have you tried Midori MD paper???") I've tried just about every variety they offer, but I hadn't yet tried their planners and diaries. Now I have, and here I go raving again.

The A5 planner comes wrapped in a waxed paper cover, with a set of stickers that you can use to label your planner with the dates and contents. I usually discard the wax paper, but if you want to use a spine sticker, you should hold onto it for storage purposes, at least. The stickers won't stick to the texture of the spine beneath the cover. The book itself has a cream-colored, soft, cardstock cover, its spine reinforced with a fabric tape that holds the ribbon bookmark to the spine.

Inside, the book greets you with "The story of 2020" which I thought was delightful. After that is a monthly date spread for the year, for reference. Past that, the monthly planner pages. The squares for each day are very small, and then there are wide margins around the grid for making notes. I think I'd prefer larger squares and smaller margins, myself, but I tend to use the monthly spread more than other pages in a planner, and I don't think that's typical.

After the monthly pages, there are undated weekly spreads. There are eight sections per spread, so one can be used for notes/lists, etc. After the weekly spreads, there is a generous chunk of totally blank pages, ready for all sorts of shenanigans. Sketches, scrapbooking, notes ... I love that this planner has so much room for creative play.

At the end, the book closes with, "To be continued, 2021" which delighted me even more than the first page. I appreciate your optimism, planner.

So, all the necessities are there, without too many extras and no clutter. The build is great. And of course, best of all is the Midori MD paper.

As in past experiences, its performance is superb. The only thing it doesn't like is alcohol-based markers like Sharpies. Everything else did well, even big, juicy fountain pens. There is show-through, but no trace of bleeding or feathering. All told, there are 175 pages of awesomeness, here. 113 lined, 32 blank, plus the calendars.

I could easily see myself using the monthly pages as my planner, then the lined pages as more of a diary or journal. I hadn't yet selected a planner for 2020--I was still spinning my head at all the fancy options. What I like best about this planner/diary is that it isn't too fancy, but I still feel spoiled with the great construction and snazzy paper. Best of all, I can stop thinking about 2020 planners, now!

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on November 7, 2019 by Sarah Read and filed under Midori, Planner Reviews.

Midori MD Notebook Light A5 Grid Review

The Midori MD lineup of notebooks has been one of the most popular stationery products in the past couple of years, despite being around for much longer. Over Midori’s history, they have consistently made great goods, and are one of the companies I look to for innovation. In the case of the MD, stripping it down to the basics has done wonders for the brand.

These are simple notebooks, at least from an aesthetic standpoint. Clean, ivory-colored covers, with only a subtle debossed logo on the front. Pale blue lines or grids (or blank), depending on your ruling style. Binding that matches the overall look and feel of each product. These notebooks would look right at home in a Muji store.

Don’t let the simple looks fool you. These are high quality notebooks. We have reviewed several over the years, but I’ve never given my thoughts on them. Clearly I’ve been missing out on the fun!

I’m reviewing the Midori MD Notebook Light A5 Grid, which has several standout features for my personal use. First, and most importantly, the paper quality is elite. It handles all of my fountain pens - from extra fine to broad, from wet to dry - exceptionally well. It doesn’t offer Tomoe level shading and sheen, but it doesn’t need to. It offers enough to where I can enjoy the ink characteristics, and no inks or nibs I tested feathered or bled. There is also minimal ghosting. It’s there, but the back side of the page is completely usable, if that is your thing.

Second, I love the light blue grid. It doesn’t overwhelm the page, which is helped by an incomplete grid. If you look closely, the vertical line in each 5 mm grid section is only about 4 mm tall. That makes it easier on the eyes. We use a similar philosophy on our DotDash grid Nock Co. paper. It helps with the visuals.

Third, the size is perfect. 48 page A5 softcover notebooks are a sweet spot I didn’t know I had. It’s a great combination of size, format, usability, and portability - all things I want in the products I use. In fact, I’ve probably made mistakes in the past grabbing a 200-ish page A5 hardcover notebook for things like (ahem) journaling. The scope of that size notebook can be intimidating if you don’t have a gameplan on how to use it. 48 page books give a sense of completion, and allow you to cycle through different ones more regularly.

Fourth, the price is amazing. These notebooks are a good deal. I don’t know how to say it more plainly that that. A 3-pack of 48 page notebooks is $13. These are $18-$22 notebooks, at a minimum, based on quality and in comparison to the competition. Don’t tell Midori I said that though!

The only negative I see, and one which has honestly kept me from using them sooner, is the ivory page. It’s a darker shade than I prefer for daily use. I like a mostly white background, or if it is going to be ivory, something closer to what Maurman offers. Midori ivory is closer to yellow than white. But, the way every pen or pencil performs on it makes me want to use it.

That’s what I’m looking for in any stationery product: Be so good that I want to use it all the time. Midori MD paper has entered that realm.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on August 12, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Midori, Notebook Reviews.

Midori MD Goat Leather Notebook Cover - A5: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

In 2017, I reviewed the Midori MD A5 Notebook (Gridded). I use this notebook for poetry writing. The paper is fantastic, and the grid lines mean I can write in portrait or landscape as my mood dictates.

Every time I go to the Midori page on JetPens, I gaze at the Goat Leather cover for the A5 notebooks. I click through all the photos. I read the reviews. I imagine how goat leather might feel between my fingers. I think of the lovely leather smell. Then I look at the price ($84.00) and tell myself, “No. Too much. I mean, the leather doesn’t come in cool colors like blue or burgundy. It doesn’t have a closure. It won’t hold fountain pens. No. No. No.”

Well . . . obviously I caved, because here I am reviewing the Goat Leather cover.

It comes in a simple cardboard box with a label identifying it as the Midori Goat Leather cover (it even has a line-drawn goat).

The cover is wrapped in a simple black pouch to protect it from scuffing.

Made from a single piece of goat leather, the cover is a light cream color with simple stitching around the borders and a seam along the back.

Inside, there are two pockets for inserting the notebook.

Each one has a small cut in the leather that can serve as a pocket for cards or maybe even a smaller notebook, but both are really just slits in the leather, not actual pockets.

There is also a small pen loop. It’s so small even a thin fountain pen like a Parker 51 won’t fit.

But it will accommodate a small pen like the Caran d’Ache 849 Nespresso Ballpoint.

I carry my pens in dedicated fountain pen cases, anyway, so the fact that the pen holder is small doesn’t bother me. I’m sure I could stretch it to accommodate larger pens, but I like the simple aesthetic of the notebook and the pen holder sits flat if you don’t want to use it.

The only branding on the notebook is a tiny “Midori” imprint on the inside back cover.

The Midori A5 Notebook fits perfectly, of course, since the cover is made specifically for it.

Although the goat leather is a rather bland tan color, you’re supposed to place it near a window with lots of sun for two or three weeks. The cover will gradually change from light tan to beige to amber.

I really, really want to use my cover right away, but I’m going to leave it in our Florida Room for the requisite time and watch the color evolve.

And how does the leather feel? Well, it’s exquisite. It’s much softer than cow leather--so silky smooth, yet it also has a beautiful texture when you look at it up close. Even the inside grain is much smoother and softer than cow leather.

Although I still think that $84.00 is an extravagant price for this simple cover, I wanted something special to protect my Midori MD, since I plan to carry it everywhere for poetry writing. I expect it to develop a gorgeous hue the more I use it. I’ll follow up with pictures in a few months.

You can purchase the Midori MD Goat Leather Notebook Cover (A5) from JetPens for $84.00.

(I purchased this cover with my own funds.)

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