Posts filed under Traveler's Notebook

Road Trip with Traveler’s Company

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

A couple weeks ago, the Traveler’s Company Caravan, USA Road Trip event started in Long Beach, CA, home of Traveler’s Company USA, with an event at Intertrend, which was very well attended (and quite crowded from the posts and stories I saw on instagram). It looked like a lot of fun and I couldn't wait to experience it in San Francisco (which was the next stop, followed by Port Townsend, WA). I went on Thursday afternoon and I was told that it was a lot less crowded than Wednesday, and much less crowded than at Intertrend, where the line was out the door and down the block!

*Love this cute sign welcoming you to the Road Trip event.*

*The event was held at the Heath Ceramics location, where you can also find the cute Heath Newsstand shop (behind the sign.)*

*I love that this is a welcoming space. ♥️*

*Here are all the Traveler’s Company partner shops - not sure if they are planning to do the Road Trip event at all of them or just the 3 West Coast locations.*

*Just inside the entrance, Traveler’s fans are stamping their Traveler’s Notebooks and showing them off to other enthusiasts.*

*I had Christina from the team sign my passport accordion insert after I finished stamping it. I love these inserts for quick memory keeping of events!*

*Who’s ready for a Road Trip?!?! Me, Me, ME!!*

On the shelves along the walls and above the retail displays, there were portraits of winning entries from their “USA Road Trips with your TRAVELLER’S notebook” contest. I enjoyed seeing the creativity and artistry behind these lovely spreads!

*Products from their standard lineup, as well as gallery entries on the top shelf.*

*Traveler’s Company water bottles and Back Dog Coffee Roasters coffee in Long Beach, CA.*

*Look at this amazing artwork that was done in the Accordion insert!!*

*This is the view from the far corner, looking back towards the entry ramp.*

There was also a Spiral Ring Notebook Viking event (which required prepaid appointments) - In Japan, the term “Viking” is often used to refer to a buffet, like the smorgasbords in Sweden, where you pick and choose what you want to eat. The team brought a variety of papers that you can choose from to put into your notebook in whatever order you like, and then their craftsman, Ishi-san, would bind the notebook before handing it back to you!

*I spent a lot of time in this area figuring out what papers I wanted to get.*

After checking in, I was given this tray with instructions on how to get started. Essentially you pick the papers and make sure the stack fits in the slot on the Thickness Guide. It’s quite simple, unless your pile of papers is too thick, in which case, picking out which papers to keep is really tough!

*There were two covers to choose from - Black or Copper imprint - and a bunch of papers with different colors, rulings (or not), designs, textures, etc.*

*Cover sheet, maps, and other papers in both white and cream.*

Lest you think they only have “normal” colors, they also have colorful papers of different textures too! The 6 closest to the left feel very smooth and likely to be FP-friendly. The two in the middle were a lot more textured.

*I love this playful, confetti patterned washi paper!*

*Ishi-san is installing the spiral coil into the punched holes of the paper & cover.*

*Such a sweet smile from Ishi-san, as he hands you the completed notebook!*

*Here are some of the papers I chose for my notebook - I’m especially excited to try the speckled ones as well as the brightly colored papers.*

I knew that I would be coming home with a custom spiral notebook and likely another TN but I also picked up a few other goodies cuz I couldn’t resist.

L to R: Road Trip TN, Passport Accordion with Road Trip Stamp (which I smudged, oops), custom spiral notebook with Copper imprint and coil, Road Trip brass clip, Short Trip refills in Passport and Regular size, 2025 Sticker set, Road Trip stickers.

It was a lot of fun figuring out what papers to put in my custom notebook and it was wonderful to see the Traveler’s crew again! If the Road Trip Caravan ever makes it near you, I highly recommend the experience!

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Posted on November 15, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Traveler's Notebook, Store Visit.

After Travels with the Traveler's Notebook

(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 her latest book, Root Rot, is now available for pre-order!)

I knew there was going to be a lot of travel for me in 2023 and that I'd be attempting to travel light for a lot of it, so at the beginning of the year I set up a passport size Traveler's Notebook from Traveler's Company. I outfitted it with all the accessories and extras so that I could experiment and see what worked for me and what didn't. After the better part of the year using it in a lot of different contexts, I have a good idea of its pros and cons for my particular use.

As a notebook cover: Wonderful. It's simple, but good quality. It always felt good in my hand and the customization options are amazing. Its one weakness is the elastics, which wear out over time. They can be fairly easily replaced, though.

As a notebook: Pretty good. The paper quality on the inserts I used was great. I didn't love doing a lot of writing on the small pages, but it was good enough for trips where I didn't want or need to be carrying a large notebook. So, great for minimal travel. Not great for when I want to write a lot. I usually do want to write a lot, though. For me, this works better as portable scrap paper and not an actual journal/notebook. Great if I'm scribbling down a phone number or quick list; not great if I need to write a whole story.

As a planner: It didn't work for me. I wasn't able to use it as my solo planner for very long. Until May, when I was still in school, I needed a huge planner to plan huge amounts of plans, so there was no way the wee insert would work. I had lovely daydreams about post-school simplicity and only having small plans that would fit the diminutive stature of this monthly insert, but life does not work that way. I ran out of room constantly and had to move back to a full-sized planner. Maybe someday I'll lead that simple life! But I doubt it.

As a wallet: Effective, but annoying. The cardholder and zipper pouch accessories are great for carrying around the wallet essentials. They fit everything I need. It's just a bit of an extra step to get through the elastics and zips and flips to get to everything, and I often found myself not putting things back in their place when I was in a hurry.

As a complete package: As its name might suggest, it's perfect for travel. When I don't need my whole planner, but just a basic calendar, it's great. When I want all my wallet essentials and my planner and my notes--it really is everything I need in one compact, well-made package. For everyday use at home, it's not quite right for me. The place I need my planner most is when I'm out on the floor at work, and it frequently stays on the service desk while I run around. I don't want to leave my wallet sitting on a public service desk, so my wallet and my planner can't be the same thing. And when I need my wallet, I want an easy-access quick grab. So for now, the TN is on my desk and not in my bag. But next time I travel, I'll definitely be setting it back up to come along.

The accessories: The bulk of my setup was accessories! I had one monthly planner insert and one notebook insert, and the rest of the space was taken up by the folder, zip pouch, card slot, etc. I found all of the accessories useful. The brass clip, which I previously reviewed, is now moved to my daily carry notebook because it's so useful. The only accessory I don't love is the pen loop. The loop is too narrow for bigger pens, and the clip part itself is too bulky and isn't super secure. The clip slides around quite a bit, and it made me nervous that I might lose a pen. I plan to replace it with something else.

Overall, I still really love this setup and I wish it worked better for me for everyday! If my job wasn't running around in a public building all day--if I had an office job or even my own desk, it would still work fine for me, I think. Though I've switched to other setups, I think the TN is more elegant, and I prefer its compact minimalism. For now, I'll have to consider that simplicity aspirational.

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Posted on September 14, 2023 by Sarah Read and filed under Traveler's Notebook, Notebook Reviews.

Traveler's Company Notebook Accessory 030 Brass Clip 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!)

When I ordered my pile of Traveler's Company accessories to build out my kit, there were definitely some accessories I didn't fully understand. The Brass Clip was one of them. Why add something heavy and bulky to a minimal design? I get it, now that I've had some time to put it to use.

The first great thing that the brass clip does is that it keeps things secure inside my notebook. It holds the folder shut, and it adds friction to the wallet insert so I know my cards and important papers are secure inside the pockets. I've never had anything slip out of the notebook, but having the clip there feels like extra security, which is especially welcome when I tuck notes and bits of paper inside, which is most of the time.

The clip also serves as a bit of a flag. It sticks up above the top edge of the notebook, making the notebook easier to find inside my bag, and the clip is strong enough that I can even pull the notebook out by the clip. This has been extra handy, since I'm currently using the notebook as my wallet. My necessary purse of the moment is a cavernous tote bag, so anything that helps me locate and grab ahold of my wallet/planner is hugely appreciated.

And of course, the clip's primary and most useful feature is that it holds the notebook open for you, so the whole thing can lie open flat while you work. It works so well in this regard that I've begun migrating it between all my notebooks--it's now a daily essential for all my stationery. It serves as a bookmark when the book is closed, and a holder when it's open, and it has quickly become my favorite Traveler's Company accessory.

The clip opens very wide, so it can easily fit the whole notebook in its maw. It has a simple but sturdy coil construction. It has a very strong jaw, but it doesn't hurt when you clip it on your finger. Yes, I tested this just for you, because I care. It does hurt if you clip it on your ear, though, so do exercise some caution.

All this usefulness! It makes it worth the weight that the brass adds to the notebook setup. The heaviness actually makes it work better. And it's even worth the price.

I felt a bit silly when I first bought it. $21 is a lot for a clip, even a snazzy brass one, and I wondered if I was just buying it for its looks. Because it does look good! It's a classy bit of bling to an otherwise austere lineup. But this is way more than just a pretty accessory--it's a multipurpose stationery game-changer. No regrets (except for the clipping it on my ear bit).

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

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