Notebook Review: The Theme System Journal

In these early morning hours, I’m struck by the thought that I should most likely be writing in my journal instead of online writing about journaling, but thus are the perils of stationery blogging! I will say that it’s much easier to build a morning or evening journaling routine , especially at first, when you have a quality personal journal with some, but not too much, structure. That’s where the Cortex Theme System Journal shines.

Built around concepts discussed in the “Yearly Themes” episodes of the Cortex podcast, the Theme System Journal offers “a simple framework for daily journaling”, allowing you to adapt it to your personal themes and how you choose to track your own individual needs and goals. While I won’t go into the intricacies of the “Theme System” in great depth, it’s built around the concept of planning for and organizing your year around broader “themes” instead of more traditional “goals” or “resolutions”. That’s not to say that you can’t have specific goals or resolutions within the context of each “theme,” but the idea is that themes are more adaptable as the year goes on, allowing you to adjust and stay on track even if a particular goal or resolution doesn’t work out. it’s an approach I’ve taken over the past couple of years, as reflected in my "Intentions for 2022” series of posts that I published around New Year’s Day. To learn more about the Theme System, check out the Theme System website or give the Cortex Podcast a listen. But you don’t need to do an intensive study of “the system” to find the journal useful as a stand-alone product. Its layout is fairly intuitive and I could see use cases beyond personal and professional development journaling.

Layout and Functionality

The notebook is broken down in to several different sections, including four “Theme” Pages where you can develop your Annual/Quarterly/Monthly themes; 90 daily journal pages, though these are undated so you can journal more or less frequently should you choose; 12 “Daily Theme Pages” that allow you to track specific tasks/habits/guideposts or anything else that you might like to follow on a daily basis; 13 pages for notes; and two pages for an index. The version that I currently have is from the first run, which does not have the blank pages for notes, just the theme, journal, and tracking pages with the index template inside the back cover.

I hope you understand that nearly all of my journaling themes are highly personal and/or work-specific, so I won’t show you actual pictures of the journal in use here, but I can tell you that I find the layout to be both intuitive and flexible, Again, you can check out the Theme System website for actual examples of “themes” and how one would incorporate them into the layout if one were strictly following the system.

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What I will do is show you how I’ve chosen to use the daily journaling page, which consists of four unlabeled boxes. I use the first box for short gratitude journaling, or briefly noting things I’m thankful for or which made me happy that particular day. The second is for a quote that I found particularly interesting or inspiring, since I’m trying to read at least 30 minutes every day. The third is my “anything” box, where I typically recount a few of the day’s significant events and how they relate to my annual themes/intentions. Finally, the fourth is a short box where I try to summarize how I’m currently feeling about things in a single word or short phrase.

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I’ve been using the Tracking Pages mostly for general habit tracking, as opposed to anything specifically theme-related.

I’m honestly not sure what I would use the index for, so it will probably remain blank. I tend to journal chronologically, though I assume that if I ever wanted to organize my journaling by highlighting those entries that touched on a certain subject, I could use these pages.

Specs and Build Quality

Whether you use it for Theme System-style journaling or not, this is a great notebook built around functionality, and was originally developed in collaboration with Studio Neat, makers of the Panobook and Totebook. Like the Totebook, the Theme System Journal has a similar soft cover featuring a debossed Cortex logo, a lay flat thread sewn binding, and Munken Lynx 100gsm paper that so far has handled every fountain pen and every ink I’ve used in this notebook. I’ve heard that others have managed to make this paper bleed and/or feather, but no matter how hard I’ve tried, I have never experienced any issues. For functional everyday journaling, this notebook is more than adequate.

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As you can see here, the Theme System Journal is only slightly smaller than the Nanami Seven Seas Writer.

The Theme System Journal is what I call “A5-ish” size, meaning that it’s slightly smaller than a standard A5 but not so much that it won’t fit most A5 notebook covers. I have had success using my Theme System Journal in both an A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter and a Lochby Field Journal (pictured here).

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Two months in, the Theme System Journal has taken hold and I can see this as a long-term replacement for the A6 Hobonichi Techo, which I used for years before I found myself wanting something with just a bit more structure and space to write. Do I journal every day? No, I have mornings where I’m just not inspired, but I would say I’ve stuck with it a solid 5/7 days through the first two months of the year.

You can purchase the Theme System Journal directly from Cortex Brand, with orders fulfilled via Cotton Bureau. The Theme System Journal costs $25 for a single notebook, but you can save $5 if you purchase a subscription, which will ensure you get a notebook each quarter. While there have been stock shortages of the Theme System Journal in the past, I understand that supply issues are now resolved.

I purchased the Theme Journal featured here with my own funds, for my own use. This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, and I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Notebook Review: Milligram Studio Notebooks

Australian retailer Milligram has launched it's own line of stationery products, dubbed Milligram Studio, and they were kind enough to send me a pack of their A5 softcover "Everyday Notebook" to review. I like what Milligram has done here, and look forward to seeing what else they release in the future under their own mark. Be sure to check out their full line - they already have quite a range of offerings. 

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Milligram Studio notebooks are shipped in minimal packaging, two books to a pack. 

The Everyday Notebook features 80 pages of 85 GSM Fabriano paper. Fabriano paper, which is also sold under its own name, pops up from time to time among the fountain pen crowd, but it's still a lesser-known option. For the most part, it works well with fountain pens, though I did experience a touch of bleed and show-through with wet writers. These particular notebooks contained ruled paper, but blank and dot grid options are also available.  

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The star of the show here, in my opinion, is the textured card stock cover. It's not only flexible, but appears to be coated to offer increased durability. The cover artwork is tastefully done. 

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Milligram has made some nice notebooks. I especially like the textured covers, and the paper performs well with most fine to medium nib fountain pens, though especially wet writers may see some bleedthrough. The notebooks are available for $15-18 for a two-pack, depending on paper type and color options. Spend over $199 AUD, and you get free international shipping. This shouldn't be hard to do, seeing that Milligram also has some awesome Kaweco Sport exclusives to help get you over the limit! 

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Pens pictured here are, from left, the Visconti Van Gogh "Vincent's Chair," Lamy 2000, and the Montblanc 146 Ultra Black. 

 Disclaimer: Milligram provided me with the notebooks featured in this review free of charge. Many thanks to the team at Milligram for making this review possible!

Notebook Review: Mindstone Notebooks

Mindstone is a new notebook company based in Vienna, Austria, which currently sells a line consisting of a handful of hardbound journals. The Company reached out a couple months ago and offered to send me one for review. Since I liked the look of the notebook, and saw that it used Swedish paper, which typically works well with fountain pens, I happily accepted. 

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There is little to no branding on the outside of the Mindstone Notebook, save for an imprint on the back cover. Very understated. 

Like many new stationery companies, Mindstone has embraced the "minimalistic and modern" aesthetic. The notebooks themselves are relatively understated, with either navy blue canvas or textured vinyl covers. The inside covers feature a pop of modern design, which I personally could do without but that's a matter of preference. 

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I chose the navy/royal blue notebook with the red elastic ribbon closure. The color combination looks outstanding, and if Mindstone introduced a lined or dot grid version I could definitely see myself using this. Mindstone also makes a sketchbook version, which Jenny over at the Finer Point reviewed. My one critique on the build quality is that I wish the elastic was a bit tighter. I suspect this one will stretch out over time and lose its effectiveness. As expected, the Swedish paper handled fountain pen ink well, with only the slightest hint of show through on the flip side.  

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

Mindstone makes a good notebook, but you have to like plain paper and it would be nice to see some variety. Overall, the build and paper quality remind me a lot of the Slice Planner. While the Mindstone notebook may have a bit of a hard time standing out from the crowd in terms of uniqueness of design, this is a good option and I look forward to seeing what they do in the future as the company grows.

You can purchase Mindstone notebooks directly from the Company's website. Pricing starts at around 18 Euros, which places these notebooks squarely in the $22 range, a fair price point. Shipping to the United States, however, showed as being another 17 Euros - equivalent to the cost of a single notebook - which is prohibitive unless you are placing a large order. Again, that cost may come down as Mindstone grows, but for now this may be a product that's better suited to those located in Europe. 

Disclaimer: Mindstone sent me this notebook for review purposes, free of charge. Many thanks to the team at Mindstone for making this review possible. 

Notebook Review: Central Crafts Handmade Leather Journals

I was recently contacted by Central Crafts, a UK-based retailer of notebooks, journals, and photo albums, as well as other quirky handmade goods from around the world (such as these amazing animal-themed ceramic coffee mugs). Central Crafts is a family run business located in Hertfordshire, and "passionate about finding and making handmade, quality, ethically sourced products for our organically grown customers which now reach across the globe."  

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The company carries a wide range of leather notebooks and journals from Italy, India, and Thailand, and I selected a notebook to review from their Italian Artisan Journals line: the "Cortona" handmade leather bound journal in the "large" (A5-ish) size. The cover is a smooth leather that is very soft to the touch, and feels like the leather on a high-end briefcase or purse. There's a reason for this: the Italian journals sold by Central Crafts are handmade in Florence, Italy under the "Leatherkind" mark by a small family run manufacturer with over 50 years of experience. They apparently use the same "Spazzolato" leather that is usually reserved for high-end designer handbags. More information can be found on the Central Crafts website.  

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What drew me to the Cortona journal was the two-tone color scheme. I love the contrast between the black leather cover and the light brown edging and stitching. I opted to have my initials embossed on the cover, for which there is a slight upcharge.  

The Cortona contains lined ivory paper, which appears to be the only option available for this particular notebook, but it looks like there may be a blank paper option available in the other sizes. I know, many people would prefer a graph or dot grid option, but for a personal journal or commonplace book - which is what I think I'll use this notebook for - lined pages will work just fine. The paper itself handled most inks very well, including liquid-ink rollerballs and fountain pens.  

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I had no serious issues with feathering or bleedthrough on the paper. With one of my extremely wet Montblanc medium nibs, I experienced some minor feathering that you would have to stare pretty hard to see, as well as some pinpoint bleedthrough/show-through on the reverse side of the page. Neither rendered the page unusable, and I'd compare the paper to that used in the Leuchtturm 1917 notebook or early versions of the Baron Fig Confidant.  

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Takeaways/Where to Buy

I've been using my Cortona as a "commonplace book" for reading notes, and I've enjoyed having this item on my desk. The only drawback is that a journal this nice is non-refillable, so once you use it up you have to purchase another one. That said, the price is reasonable (£29) for an item of this quality, and refillable journals are also available if you prefer.

Fans of leather notebooks and journals should definitely check out what Central Crafts has to offer. In addition to the more traditional Italian line, they offer what they refer to as Indian Rustic Journals, as well as a line made in Thailand out of sustainably sourced tree bark. They also carry a range of home goods and other handmade products from around the world.

Many thanks to Alma and the team at Central Crafts for making this review possible! 

Disclaimer: The product featured in this review was sent to me free of charge by Central Crafts for review purposes.        

Notebook Review: Action Method Notebooks

“Action Method” notebooks have been around for a while, and are one of a handful of products I’ve reviewed here that could be considered “mainstream.” (As in, I have a colleague at work who swears by the Action Method notetaking system, and only uses these notebooks.  He actually found them on his own, too, as opposed to me enabling him.) You may have seen these notebooks marketed in the past as the "Behance Action Method" notebooks, and the current iteration is a collaboration between designers at Behance and Ghostly, two boutique design houses.

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The Action Method Notebook is a great basic, black spiral-bound book that will seamlessly blend in around the office. 

Action Method sent me two notebooks for review: a standard dot grid spiral bound notebook, and a notebook in their “Action Method” format. The "method" itself is a riff on Cornell-style notetaking, where the page is divided into two or more sections: one for actually taking notes from a lecture/meeting, and another section for synthesizing the notes into themes or, as here, action items. With the Action Book, “[f]our distinct zones on each page help you to get the most out of meetings and everyday brainstorm sessions.”

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Action Method notebooks are “designed to help push projects forward, by organizing ideas with a focus on action steps.”

The notebooks are double spiral-bound and all feature a durable black “hard suede” cover. These are sturdy notebooks that should stand up to some considerable daily abuse in your bag or around the office.  The paper is 80lb, 30% recycled blend, which Action Method calls “via Vellum cool white." I’d compare it to Doane or Miquelrius paper in terms of how well it stands up to fountain pen ink: you’ll be ok with extra fine or fine nibs, but with a medium or broader you should expect a bit of bleed or show through. The recycled paper has a nice pleasant tooth to it, though the texture may be a bit much for ultra extra fine fountain pens or “ultra micro” Japanese gel pens.

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Finally, I want to discuss something that many notebook makers ignore, but which I absolutely love about these notebooks: page perforations. The Action Method notebooks are double perforated for maximum versatility. If you aren’t someone who tears pages out of your notebooks, and prefers to use separate notebooks for different topics, you can certainly do that here. On the other hand, if you’re like me at the office, I tend to organize my notes and papers in folders or binders, and sometimes need to scan individual sheets for electronic storage or distribution. That’s impossible - well, not impossible, just really messy - with a nonperforated hardbound notebook or a spiral notebook without perforations where you’re left with a torn “fringe” at the top or side of the page. Here, the double perforation gives you the immediate option of having a plain sheet for scanning/foldering, or a three-hole punched sheet to stick in a three-ring binder. (Yes, people still use those in a law office.)

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

I like the Action Method notebooks. While the “Action Method” notetaking system itself isn’t necessarily something that I use on a daily basis, these are well-built notebooks and I wish more notebook companies would incorporate the double perforation. I can see this one having a place in my stationery toolkit, especially at work.

You can order the Action Notebooks directly from the Action Method website. The price on these notebooks ($16) is fair, though maybe a bit on the high side for a notebook with only 50 pages. To compare, a similar-sized Rhodia spiral notebook gives you 80 sheets for a few dollars less, and the Rhodia “Meeting Book” costs a few dollars more but also gives you 80 perforated sheets. I’m not especially cost-sensitive when it comes to notebooks, especially workhorses that I use around the office, and I do think the price is fair, but in the interest of providing an accurate description of where these sit in the market I figured I would mention it here.

Disclaimer: I was provided these two notebooks free of charge for review purposes. Many thanks to the team at Action Method for making this review possible