Journals & Jottings

This is an odd post for me, considering it’s a ballpoint pen review. Other than using gel pens or pencils at work (I work in a doctor’s office with only cheap copy paper to write on), it’s fountain pens all the way for me. I use them for journaling, for notes, for grocery lists, for everything! So color me surprised when I saw a post on Facebook from Leuchtturm announcing a new product: the Drehgriffel ballpoint pen.  Even though I pretty much just use fountain pens—and like a proper fountain pen enthusiast, hiss at the very thought of being forced to use a ballpoint pen—I love anything Leuchtturm and immediately had to have it. I was anguished to learn that the Drehgriffel would not be available in the States for a while, so went straight to Cult Pens in the UK. Thrilled to see that they had the Drehgriffel in stock, I took a few minutes to consider what color I preferred, grabbed a few other things I’d been wanting, and placed an order. Three long weeks later it was here, and tho...

I’ll admit, I did not pay much attention to the Platinum 3776 Century Shiun when it was first announced. I liked the color and the design, but at $470? Nah. I contented myself with my humble Lamy Safaris and was able to ignore the gushing social media posts eagerly anticipating its release. But three days ago, not long after the Shiun was finally unleashed into the world, I spied with my little eye a video on Facebook: a woman turning the pen around and around in her fingers and showcasing its refractive beauty in the sunlight, and that was it. In a split second, I decided I had to have this pen. The way the light caught on the smooth, multi-faceted purple body, the beautiful, bright silver trim I had so easily dismissed before... I hastily did some research, as even I have criteria. My pens cannot be over a certain amount of weight, they must post, they must be able to take cartridges, blah blah blah. The Shiun met all the requirements. It didn’t help that at one point, I had almo...

One of my favorite companies is Oberon Design, a family-owned leather workshop based out of Santa Rosa, California. They’ve been in business for decades and hand-produce a variety of products, including gorgeous journal covers, phone and tablet covers, bags and wallets, guitar straps and more, all using domestically-sourced leather, and also many types of pewter products like jewelry, charms, and hair accessories. Camelot in chocolate, Cat in Window in orchid, and Da Vinci in walnut   Before I get into the reviews of my own covers, I’ll quickly go over the specs. Oberon Design’s large journal covers measure 6”x9”, just slightly larger than A5 size. Though the covers include a heavy, hardbound insert which measures an inch thick by itself, it is possible to instead use a variety of A5 notebooks, including Leuchtturm, Rhodia, and the Seven Seas notebook, if you don’t mind a little bit of wiggle room. As a side note, I would not recommend the included sketchbook insert unless you ...

Hello all! Welcome to my blog, Journals & Jottings . My name is Cass and I’m so excited to begin this journey with you all. I’ve always had a penchant for all things pen and paper, so recently decided to start this blog and a YouTube channel to discuss my love for journaling and related hobbies. I have been fascinated with journaling since I was very young, beginning when I was around seven or eight years old. It all started with my love for the Dear America children’s series, a huge collection of short books that depict young girls’ lives during turbulent times in American history, ranging from the Salem Witch trials up to the 20 th century world wars. I devoured every Dear America book I could find during elementary school and begged my father to buy those not available at the library off sites like eBay. The books I came to own eventually wore out and fell apart because I read them so many times. I identified with these girls and wanted to be like them, writing about thei...