moleskinerie

The 2007 Moleskinerie Holiday Giveaways

Welcome to the 2007 Holiday Giveaways. To thank you for yet another successful year, Moleskinerie and  Moleskine prepared a number of prizes -  comprised of course of Moleskine notebooks and diaries. We will have a number of weekly raffle draws – good luck!

Here's how to join:
1.) Starting today through December 30, 2007, post a comment to this thread with a number only. Choose a number between 0 and 5,000. Do not post anything else.
Enter only once. This thread is moderated and your comment/entry may not show up immediately but its there. Double posts/entries from the same person/email address will be deleted.

2.) We will select four (4) winners each week. The winners will be picked by a random number generator. The winning entry is the post/number/s closest to the picked number without going over. Each person may win only once. Non-winners automatically qualify for the next draw. Make sure you provide a valid email address. We will pick an alternate winner if we cannot contact you within 24 hours from posting of the winners.

3.) There will be five (5) weekly drawings one on each of the following dates: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2007 for the following weekly prizes:

One (1) "GOLD" Prize (each week) - A goodie pack consisting:
• (3) Assorted Large Moleskine notebooks (plain, ruled and squared)
• (3) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook, info book and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

One (1) "SILVER" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (2) Large Moleskine notebooks (plain and squared)
• (2) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

One (1) "BRONZE" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (1) Large Moleskine notebook (squared)
• (1) Pocket Moleskine sketchbook
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

Five (5) SPECIAL DRAWINGS for :
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

We will send you the prize via USPS, or UPS.

[Banner photo courtesy of Johnny G]

ENTER ONLY ONCE. THIS THREAD IS MODERATED AND YOUR COMMENT/ENTRY MAY NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY.

ENTER HERE.

Welcome to the 2007 Holiday Giveaways. To thank you for yet another successful year, Moleskinerie and  Moleskine prepared a number of prizes -  comprised of course of Moleskine notebooks and diaries. We will have a number of weekly raffle draws – good luck!

Here's how to join:
1.) Starting today through December 30, 2007, post a comment to this thread with a number only. Choose a number between 0 and 5,000. Do not post anything else.
Enter only once. This thread is moderated and your comment/entry may not show up immediately but its there. Double posts/entries from the same person/email address will be deleted.

2.) We will select four (4) winners each week. The winners will be picked by a random number generator. The winning entry is the post/number/s closest to the picked number without going over. Each person may win only once. Non-winners automatically qualify for the next draw. Make sure you provide a valid email address. We will pick an alternate winner if we cannot contact you within 24 hours from posting of the winners.

3.) There will be five (5) weekly drawings one on each of the following dates: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2007 for the following weekly prizes:

One (1) "GOLD" Prize (each week) - A goodie pack consisting:
• (3) Assorted Large Moleskine notebooks (plain, ruled and squared)
• (3) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook, info book and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

One (1) "SILVER" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (2) Large Moleskine notebooks (plain and squared)
• (2) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

One (1) "BRONZE" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (1) Large Moleskine notebook (squared)
• (1) Pocket Moleskine sketchbook
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

Five (5) SPECIAL DRAWINGS for :
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

We will send you the prize via USPS, or UPS.

[Banner photo courtesy of Johnny G]

ENTER ONLY ONCE. THIS THREAD IS MODERATED AND YOUR COMMENT/ENTRY MAY NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY.

ENTER HERE.

Moleskinestories is online

Moleskine stories collects and presents limited print runs and customized editions of Moleskine products produced in collaboration with companies, institutions, and various cultural, entrepreneurial, and social initiatives.

Visit.

Lightbox Compositions

"Since I wanted to create an abstract image of the Moleskine notebook, I set the focus very close to the notebook (pocket, squared pages) so that the image would turn into a blur, locked the exposure on its black surface in order to open up the lens despite the bright fluorescent light of the lightbox underneath it, then recomposed the image so the curved corner would come up front while showing the elastic band on the right."

"I was intrigued with the contrast showing on the Rotring Core rollerball pen on the bottom left side so I composed the whole image around it..."

Photos by songlines @ Moleskinerie/FLICKR
© All rights reserved

Image links 1  2

Originally posted 11.16.05
..........................................................................................

Discover and join our Moleskine communities on LiveJournal, MySpace,  Moleskinerie FLICKR, FACEBOOK and Meal Moles. Get out - have a life and write about it. See you on Monday.

Join the 2007 Moleskinerie Holiday Giveaways!

"Since I wanted to create an abstract image of the Moleskine notebook, I set the focus very close to the notebook (pocket, squared pages) so that the image would turn into a blur, locked the exposure on its black surface in order to open up the lens despite the bright fluorescent light of the lightbox underneath it, then recomposed the image so the curved corner would come up front while showing the elastic band on the right."

"I was intrigued with the contrast showing on the Rotring Core rollerball pen on the bottom left side so I composed the whole image around it..."

Photos by songlines @ Moleskinerie/FLICKR
© All rights reserved

Image links 1  2

Originally posted 11.16.05
..........................................................................................

Discover and join our Moleskine communities on LiveJournal, MySpace,  Moleskinerie FLICKR, FACEBOOK and Meal Moles. Get out - have a life and write about it. See you on Monday.

Join the 2007 Moleskinerie Holiday Giveaways!

Featured Artist: Lauren Doran

Lauren Doran

View her works on FLICKR
Visit her blog and website

© All rights reserved

Lost

Thom Allen lost his notebook. Now the question is whether to buy another one or go back to digital list-keeping:

"Have you ever discovered something so horrific that you nearly threw up on the spot? That happened to me today. Every once in a while I take public transit to my office away from home. Today was one of those days. I hastily put everything in my backpack and ran out the door to catch the bus. Somewhere between my office door and the bus, all of the Moleskine’s I was using were gone. I must have forgotten to zip up the pocket they were in. All of my notes. All of my design drawings. Some personal information. Receipts. Names. Numbers. All gone.

This is the risk of a paper based lifestream. I have a PDA, a T-Mobile MDA, but I only use it to make phone calls, store documents, email, Twitter, and keep my lists. I never kept lists in my Moleskine. Typically I scan the notebooks for relevant tasks, notes and list additions, and type them into a note file I keep on my PDA. I felt good about it. I had a digital copy of some notes and lists and everything else just stayed in the book."

Read his full post

Image: Whodunit? by ABF
© 2005 All rights reserved

Lit mention: Moleskine in "A Century Is Nothing"

An experiment in perspective, an epic with multiple players, A Century Is Nothing takes the reader on a pilgrimage to the subconscious.

Join Omar, an exiled Tuareg Berber and blind prescient writer from the Moroccan Sahara, on his travels as he and Mr. Point, a Vietnam veteran he meets after 9/11, share dreams, myths, and cogitations. Within the harmonious triad of language, countries, and friends, Omar's journey begins in Morocco; takes him through Ireland, Kuwait, Israel, Bhutan, Japan, Vietnam, the Taos Pueblo, Bali, China, and Tibet; and eventually to 26,000-year-old Paleolithic caves in Spain.

Experiencing joy with a playful childlike sense of delight, the wayfarers explore cultural communities with great passion through healing and meditation. Their stories establish a circle of friendship where authenticity, compassion, kindness, and awareness are highly valued.

A Century Is Nothing explores the journey of life to discover the very essence of the human soul.

About the Author:

Timothy M. Leonard is a Vietnam veteran and a graduate of the University of Oregon. He has published Two Hearts on a Grand Precious Adventure, an e-book. A world traveler, Mr. Leonard currently teaches English as a Second Language in Asia Minor. He is also photographer and ESL teacher in Asia Minor. Having used them for years, Moleskine is heavily referenced in his recently published novel, A Century Is Nothing

His web site, “Journeys”
Book link

Join the 2007 Moleskinerie Holiday Giveaways!

Moleskine Spine Fix

Sean Gerety has a Moleskine Spine fix that uses Friction tape:

"I've got an ailing Moleskine that is suffering from the fraying of the spine...I was looking around for a fix for the spine that would work.  Something the same color that would blend and flex as needed.  I was looking for a black cloth tape like a medical tape, however the closest I could find was 3M Brand friction tape.  It's a good strong fabric, not plastic, tape that flexes and bends..."

Read the full post at Sean's Idea Kitchen

Wrappers Gift Edition Moleskine with sleeve

Pretty cool looking M-accessories from across the pond:

Black waterproof sleeve designed to be the toughest, lightest, neatest cover available for Moleskine notebooks. Add your name or initials with up to 12 embroidered letters. Choice of tear resistant, waterproof ripstop lining or orange lumo microfibre that's bright enough to show up in the dark.

Mymoleskine Pillow case style sleeve features a low profile internal pocket to tuck your Moleskine safely inside the cover.

Wrappers My Moleskine Sleeve includes up to twelve letters embroidered.

Check it out at wrappers.

MONU : magazine on urbanism #8

One of the most grotesque effects of globalisation is that a process which is supposed to unify the world and bind people and the biosphere more tightly together into one global system, ended up increasing the amount of individual countries worldwide. When in 1983 the term "globalisation" was popularised, only 159 countries were members of the United Nations. Today, we recognize 191 states. It has been speculated that there are still more than 200 unrecognised regions around the world which strive for seperation. Such a global particularisation process is going to produce large numbers of new political entities and new jurisdictions with thousands of kilometres of new borders, which will reshape entire regions and cities.

When cities are located close to borders, they often foster very specific economic features and urban anomalies, which can not be found in cities located in the very centre of a country. Wherever two jurisdictions come into contact, special economic opportunities arise. Cities in border regions may flourish because of the provision of excise or of import - export services - legal or quasi-legal, corrupt or corruption-free. Different regulations on either side of a border encourage services to position themselves in cities close to borders. The infamous prostitution clusters at the German - Czech border provides such a case. Human economic traffic across borders may involve also mass commuting between cities. Very extreme urban border cases can be witnessed specifically in cities along borders which separate First World from Third World countries. The conflicts at the US-Mexico border, for example, have transformed the city of San Diego into the world's largest gated community.

Cities located close to borders obviously display an urbanism which differs ultimately from the urbanism of cities that are located more centrally. In our MONU #8 winter issue we aim to explore, reveal and illuminate the condition of such Border Urbanism and invite essays, manifestoes, photography, speculations, sophisticated analysis or simple meditations. MONU #8 will be published in the winter of 2007. Submissions or questions should be sent to monu@b-o-a-r-d.nl by the end of December 2007. www.b-o-a-r-d.nl/monu

The 2007 Moleskinerie Holiday Giveaways

Welcome to the 2007 Holiday Giveaways. To thank you for yet another successful year, Moleskinerie and  Moleskine prepared a number of prizes -  comprised of course of Moleskine notebooks and diaries. We will have a number of weekly raffle draws – good luck!

Here's how to join:
1.) Starting today through December 30, 2007, post a comment to this thread with a number only. Choose a number between 0 and 5,000. Do not post anything else.
Enter only once. This thread is moderated and your comment/entry may not show up immediately but its there. Double posts/entries from the same person/email address will be deleted.

2.) We will select four (4) winners each week. The winners will be picked by a random number generator. The winning entry is the post/number/s closest to the picked number without going over. Each person may win only once. Non-winners automatically qualify for the next draw. Make sure you provide a valid email address. We will pick an alternate winner if we cannot contact you within 5 days from posting of the winners.

3.) There will be five (5) weekly drawings one on each of the following dates: December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2007 for the following weekly prizes:

One (1) "GOLD" Prize (each week) - A goodie pack consisting:
• (3) Assorted Large Moleskine notebooks (plain, ruled and squared)
• (3) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook, info book and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

One (1) "SILVER" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (2) Large Moleskine notebooks (plain and squared)
• (2) Assorted Pocket Moleskine notebooks (sketchbook and Japanese album)
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

One (1) "BRONZE" Prize (each week) – A goodie pack with:
• (1) Large Moleskine notebook (squared)
• (1) Pocket Moleskine sketchbook
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Pocket Weekly Diary

Five (5) SPECIAL DRAWINGS for :
• (1) Moleskine 2008 Twin Set/ Red Weekly Diary + Notebook

We will send you the prize via USPS, or UPS.

[Banner photo courtesy of Johnny G]

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WINNERS' LIST

RAFFLE DRAW # 1 DECEMBER 2, 2007

GOLD
Number drawn: 115
Nearest number/ below: 114
Posted by: Carlos | November 30, 2007 at 03:53 AM

SILVER:
Number drawn: 4087
Nearest number/ below: 4086
Posted by: Rebecca Moorhouse | November 26, 2007 at 10:51 AM

BRONZE
Number drawn:  2461
Nearest number/below:  2460
Posted by: Jared | November 29, 2007 at 11:54 AM

Special Drawing
Number Drawn:      7
Nearest number/below 7: (tie/broken):  Posted by: Alastair J | November 26, 2007 at 06:00 AM

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK 2 DEC 9

GOLD
Number Drawn: 724
Nearest number/below: 722 - Posted by: Greg | November 26, 2007 at 09:04 AM

SILVER
Number drawn:4481
Nearest number/below: 4,478 - Posted by: audrey | November 27, 2007 at 01:20 PM

BRONZE

Number Drawn: 15

Nearest number/below: 15 Posted by: Dave Caolo | November 26, 2007 at 12:11 PM -

SPECIAL DRAWING
Number Drawn: 2730
Closest No: 2727 - Posted by: Ryan White | November 30, 2007 at 09:22 AM

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WEEK 3 DECEMBER 16, 2007

GOLD
Number drawn: 703
Posted by: Andrea C | December 10, 2007 at 01:01 PM

SILVER:
Number drawn: 314
Posted by: Erik Persson | November 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM

BRONZE
Number drawn:  49
Posted by: Alice de Sturler | November 26, 2007 at 07:49 AM

Special Drawing
Number drawn: 3184
Posted by: erskinededios | November 26, 2007 at 10:10 PM

------------------------------------------------------------

WEEK 4 DECEMBER 23, 2007

GOLD
Number drawn: 1356
Posted by: Posted by: mh | December 05, 2007 at 11:54 AM

SILVER:
Number drawn: 278
Posted by: Posted by: Adam W | November 29, 2007 at 01:29 PM

BRONZE
Number drawn: 8 
Posted by: Fleur | November 26, 2007 at 03:18 AM

Special Drawing
Number drawn:
Posted by: Eileen Flanagan | November 26, 2007 at 06:59 AM

WEEK # 5 DECEMBER 29, 2007

GOLD

Number drawn: 4301
Closest Number/below: 4301
Posted by: Angela | December 06, 2007 at 12:56 PM

SILVER

Number drawn: 719
Closest Number/below: 717
Posted by: Sharon | November 27, 2007 at 10:44 AM

BRONZE

Number drawn: 3197
Closest Number/below: 3197
Posted by: Daniel Torrance | November 26, 2007 at 11:49 AM

SPECIAL DRAWING

Number drawn: 190
Closest Number/below: 187
Posted by: Rebecca | November 26, 2007 at 09:19 AM

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Notice:

We have received many wonderful contributions, comments, and e-mails. Unfortunately, some of you did not include your e-mail address and we have no means of getting in touch with you. We were forced to delete your comments from the list of the entries, but you are free to resubmit. Please make sure to include your e-mail address.

THE WINNERS ARE REQUESTED TO RESPOND TO THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION EMAIL WITH THEIR MAILING ADDRESSES WITHIN 5 DAYS FROM NOTIFICATION OTHERWISE PRIZES WILL BE FORFEITED.

ENTER ONLY ONCE. THIS THREAD IS MODERATED AND YOUR COMMENT/ENTRY MAY NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Thanks to Granny Kass in Peoria, IL., Kate Earnshaw in the U.K. for their enormous help and to all those who joined.

Psyduck’s Mail Bag: The Moleskine

Shopping wisdom from Psyduck:

“Hi Psyduck. I want to know how you manage your ideas for your blog. Do you write ideas in a notebook, or do you just start typing and see where that takes you?”

Thanks for your question, Samantha. Psyduck is a duck with many things on his mind, so keeping a notebook is essential for Psyduck and this blog. When he was younger, Psyduck would write his notes on random scraps of paper that would eventually get lost or clutter his desk. After losing one too many important notes about the Pokemon filming schedule, Psyduck got his act together and started keeping a notebook. He started with a typical spiral notebook, but that gave him flashbacks of school, so he quickly moved on to the more stylish and sophisticated Moleskine..."

Read more.

© 2007 Psyduck Used with permission

Happy Thanksgiving

"Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight

'Till by turning, turning we come round right."

"Simple Gifts"
by Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848
Alfred, Maine

Listen.

Discover and join our Moleskine communities on LiveJournal, MySpace,  Moleskinerie FLICKR and Meal Moles.  

Have a happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating it. Enjoy your weekend. We'll see you on Monday

Thanksgiving Would Be Nothing Without Spices

Think your Thanksgiving is as American as pumpkin pie? Not so fast. Food historian Jack Turner explains to Andrea Seabrook how plants like cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg made their way around the world onto our dinner plates.

Listen to All Things Considered on NPR

Book link
 

Sightings: literary

Nathalie Delaney wrote on Moleskinerie/FACEBOOK:

What sightings have you found in books? I've found two so far...

Stephen Fry, The Ode Less Travelled: "You may as well invest in a good pocket-sized notebook: the Moleskin range is becoming very fashionable again, and bookshops and stationers have started to produce their own equivalents."

Kate Mosse, Sepulchre: "She ordered the petit-dejuner complet - juice, baugette with butter and jelly, pastries and cafe au lait - then pulled out her notebook, a replica of Hemingway's famous moleskin jotters."

Both spell it Moleskin rather oddly. Any more?

Join the discussion [Membership required]

Show us your desk or writing space

writinglife asked:

Where do you use your moleskine? Post a picture of the place.

I thought that it would be fun to see other people's desks, writing spaces, etc. on/in which they use their notebooks.

Sophie_vf  says:

I do have a desk, but almost never use my moleskine at it. I use my pocket one wherever I happen to be, including writing on my lap or standing up, and when I write in my journal I'm usually lying on my stomach in bed (I've done that since childhood!). The bed is usually too messy for a picture :)

ssossatt says:

me too, i do a lot of writing lying down. i write lying on my side, supported by my left elbow or a pillow (or both). i got used to this position some years ago when i lived in germany. for a few months i stayed in a room that had no furniture. it wasn't worth it getting any solid furniture for the short time that i was to stay, so i had borrowed a metal garden table to write on, but the table wasn't firm, it followed the movements of my hand when i was writing! i slept on a slack deckchair. the U position that i was always in showed remarkably suited for good penmanship! it taught me a new, somewhat neater handwriting that i find hard to reproduce while sitting at a desk.

Join this ongoing discussion at Moleskinerie/FLICKR

Photo by Pragmatik
© All rights reserved

Maven pressies

Maven-hood has its rewards, ask Thomas:

"...a welcome pack that I received from the website "ThisNext.com" - I joined the website pretty early on and enjoy adding links to products I really like / wish for.  Its a scrapbook for me, in a way.  It turns out my recommendations hit the spot and I was given "Maven 2007" status.

 

Part of this was a welcome pack that I recently received... containing branded M&Ms, parsley (because we've helped them grow), stickers and a Moleskine lined pocket notebook.  I was delighted... my current notebook is half-way through and its sweet to have a Moleskine waiting for me.

 

Turns out... the reason for the Moleskine is that it is their number 1 recommended product..." 

Thomas aka Headphonaught

Image Link
Visit his blog.

Greetings to our friends in Chungnam, El Burgo De Osma, Fox And Geese, Eppelheim, Hershey, PA.,Saint-Genis-Laval, La Paz, New Delhi, Malvern, Buenos Aires, Nigadoo, Rio De Janeiro, Shimizu, Cebu, Dubai, Berlaar, Raikkla, Tetovo, Guadalajara, Glarus and Nairobi.

The Power to Upgrade

Want a Moleskine with the nice Sojourner leather case? Now, you can:

"When you purchase a Sojourner Pocket or Large journal, it comes equipped with a Markings ruled journal. If you prefer your journal cover to come with a genuine Moleskine journal instead, you now have the power!"

Caveat:

"WARNING: This is NOT a stand alone product. This is NOT a moleskine journal for $5. This is an upgrade that works in tandem with the purchase of a Sojourner Leatherwork Journal ..."

LINK

Journal Writing Advice

Nice advice on journal writing from Brian Darvell:

"I find journaling to be a great way of releasing thoughts without the repercussion of having to defend yourself to anyone and journals also serve as a great method of keeping track of past items and events. Unlike a diary however, a journal usually consists of more important events and dismisses the usual day-to-day that diaries often have. Many of history's important events come first hand from the journals of notable people during those times. The best example I can give of this is of ancient Rome's representation in the journals of Julius Caesar.

Personally, my journal serves as many things. On top of the actual diary/event capabilities I use it as a to-do list, a storage spot for quotes, reading suggestions, thoughts on movies and also as an area when the urge to write something creative comes along - such as poems and short stories. Many others find journals to be a place to store things important to them such as newspaper clippings and pictures. Whatever it is that you would like to use one for, it is essentially you who can know for sure in what ways a journal would best serve you. My suggestion is that one should take it slow at the beginning because one can easily get carried away and lose focus of their purpose if trying to implement a lot of various themes to their journal..."

Journal Writing Advice
More at Brian Learns to Read

Image: "42" by jjtelecaster
©2007 All Rights Reserved

Featured Artist:Odile Decq

Odile Decq, one of the most important characters on the international architecture scene leads one of the few successful architecture firms run by a woman. Born in Laval in 1955, Decq nurtured a strong passion for architecture from early childhood.

In fact, she started her education in Rennes, then went on to Paris at the UP6 school where she was awarded a degree in 1978, and the following year received the Diploma of Specialised Higher Education (Dess) on town planning and management at the Political Studies Institute. The 1980s brought national and international success to Odile Decq with the opening of her own agency in 1980. In 1985, she formed her valuable partnership with Benoit Cornette; this union was to lead to ODBC, one of the most important trademarks appreciated all over the world. Numerous commissions flooded the new studio: from private dwellings to prestigious boutiques, and even the completion of the Banque Populaire de l’Ouest et d’Armorique in Rennes. Learn more.

Play video.

Learn more about the new Moleskine City Notebook.

Learn more about Detour Exhibitions.

Dealer List (.pdf)

My Moleskine: Rachel Rifat

I am a Moleskine fanatic. My shelves and my purse are completely filled with finished and unfinished books. My favorite Moleskines include the large 100 page sketchbook and the watercolor books.

My work sometimes leans to haunting innocence - - - I love that simplicity can reveal so much emotion.  I always start with my Faber-Castell pencil and then I ink using a Sakura pen.

When traveling, I love to add local images into my Moleskines - - - grab every single local paper, advertisement, and pamphlet and cut it for your use.  I only trust the Judikins cts11 scissors and office depot acid-free glue sticks. 

I have been published and written about in People Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Los Angeles Times.

My art has been shown at the Museum of Anthropology in Arizona, the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Self Help Graphics, j. ferrari, and the The Folk Tree.  My work has also been published in the Los Angeles County Latino Heritage Guide.

Please look for my new book, How to Make Out in the Supply Room that will be published by Running Press in 2008.

Here is my sweet little website: www.rachelrifat.com and my chocolate blog.

All images © 2007 RR

Discover and join our Moleskine communities on LiveJournal, MySpace,  Moleskinerie FLICKR, FACEBOOK and Meal Moles. Get out - have a life and write about it. See you on Monday.

Moleskine on Guinness Ad?

Colin McKay writes:

"I may be wrong, but the last scene in the new Guinness beer ad seems to
involve using hundreds of Moleskine notebooks to make a giant pint of
Guinness."

Video link

Colin's blog.

Obsession of the moment

A nice post at the Chicago Center of Literature and Photography's website:

Of all the interesting mid-sized creative companies out there right now, few I think have done as good a job at painting a delicate and complex portrait of itself to the public than the makers of the Moleskine blank paper notebook. Originally a small family-run operation in Italy, their extra-strong covers and beautiful minimalism made them an object of fetish for now-famous artists as Hemingway, Picasso and more; when the company was started back up in the last decade by a now much larger corporate group, they wisely realized that the objects themselves and their fabled romantic history would sell Moleskine better than any modern marketing campaign they could come up with. (And of course its accidental embrace by the massive Getting Things Done time-management cult/community hasn't hurt things either.) And that's why as part of their marketing efforts, the makers of Moleskine sponsor such things as gallery displays of artwork found in their notebooks, and even an entire blog called Moleskinerie that features nothing but artistic and cool things their customers are doing with their own notebooks.

LINK

NaNoWriMo notes: Advice on Novel Writing

"Different writers face different advantages and drawbacks in forming good writing habits. The circumstances of your personal life may make it easy or hard to find writing time, but time itself is not the real issue--it's habit.  Writing must be something you do regularly, like brushing your teeth. The writer who waits for inspiration will wait even longer for a complete, published novel.

Writing habits flourish best in routine, but the efficient writer also exploits opportunity.

Routine: Set aside some time every day when you can work undisturbed for an hour or two--first thing in the morning, during lunch, after dinner, whenever you can set aside other demands. Ideally, it's the same time of day. Your family and friends will soon build their routines around yours. With luck, they will resent your unscheduled appearances during your writing time, and will send you packing back to your desk.

Keep your writing equipment (paper, pens, software manuals, etc.) in your writing place, close at hand. Minimize distractions like interesting new magazines and books. Try to find a writing time when few people phone or visit. If a cup of coffee and some background music make you feel less lonely, by all means enjoy them.

Use household chores as thinking time: a chance to review what you've done so far and to consider where your writing should go next. Walking the dog or vacuuming the carpet can provide more ideas than you expect. This is really just ``controlled daydreaming,'' letting your mind freewheel in a particular direction: What the heroine should do in the next chapter, how the hero would respond to escaping a car bomb, how the villain developed his evil character.  But the process doesn't seem to work if you just sit and stare at the wall.  You need to be up and moving in some automatic pattern."

Developing Efficient Work Habits

from "Advice on Novel Writing" by Crawford Kilian

 

LINK

Image: nyla

Originally posted 5.31.2005

"Different writers face different advantages and drawbacks in forming good writing habits. The circumstances of your personal life may make it easy or hard to find writing time, but time itself is not the real issue--it's habit.  Writing must be something you do regularly, like brushing your teeth. The writer who waits for inspiration will wait even longer for a complete, published novel.

Writing habits flourish best in routine, but the efficient writer also exploits opportunity.

Routine: Set aside some time every day when you can work undisturbed for an hour or two--first thing in the morning, during lunch, after dinner, whenever you can set aside other demands. Ideally, it's the same time of day. Your family and friends will soon build their routines around yours. With luck, they will resent your unscheduled appearances during your writing time, and will send you packing back to your desk.

Keep your writing equipment (paper, pens, software manuals, etc.) in your writing place, close at hand. Minimize distractions like interesting new magazines and books. Try to find a writing time when few people phone or visit. If a cup of coffee and some background music make you feel less lonely, by all means enjoy them.

Use household chores as thinking time: a chance to review what you've done so far and to consider where your writing should go next. Walking the dog or vacuuming the carpet can provide more ideas than you expect. This is really just ``controlled daydreaming,'' letting your mind freewheel in a particular direction: What the heroine should do in the next chapter, how the hero would respond to escaping a car bomb, how the villain developed his evil character.  But the process doesn't seem to work if you just sit and stare at the wall.  You need to be up and moving in some automatic pattern."

Developing Efficient Work Habits

from "Advice on Novel Writing" by Crawford Kilian

 

LINK

Image: nyla

Moleskinerie Facebook

Moleskinerie Facebook is now 1,017 members strong. Join us!

.............................................
Current 'Skines discussion:

Laura Kishimoto (York UK):

4 Moleskines that I use:

1 graphed for artistamp sketches.
1 blank as a journal
1 address book
1 18-month diary

Thread link

 

they wait…quietly

From John Hutchins in Alaska, this photo from a small book shop in Sitka:

"In the crowd of brightly colored blank books, they wait…quietly…for a friend…to bring them home."

Image link
© All rights reserved

Inspiration: Richard Sweeney

This demonstration of art through engineered structure is truly inspiring, and is a major influence on the way I go about producing my work- to create objects that are simple to construct yet complex in appearance, and are efficient in the way they are produced, both in terms of construction time and material use. The greatest example of this principle- achieving the most from the least- are structures in nature. As in the greatest architecture, natural forms show patterns of repetition, whereby the very most is made out of the least material and energy possible, to create forms that appear amazingly complex, yet are based on very basic units and patterns of growth- these are objects that have beauty on all levels, from the way they are constructed, to the appearance of the final form.

Richard Sweeney

Visit.

[via Coudal]

A great pen for Moleskine

Farseer offers more pen recommendations at this ongoing discussion at Moleskinerie/GoogleGroups:

I Have been using moleskines for about 5 months now.  It took a few
tries te get some pens I like.  Most of the ones I like are from
Pilot.  buit from Pilot Japan.

The Pilot Prera is just wonderful on the page.  The ink dries fast and
does not smear.  the line is finer than the varsity, and it is not
disposable.  it writes a consistant .5mm line.
http://www.jpens.com/product_info.php?products_id=451

I also carry a few disposables, but I like them fine because I write
small sometimes, mostly 2 lines of text per line in my pocket
moleskine.  I use a .25 or .30mm Pilot Hi-Tec-C these are great,
smooth and consistent.  but it is meant to be used with a lighter
touch.   http://www.jpens.com/product_info.php?products_id=172

I use also use the upgraded version of the Hi Tec C called Pilot Hi-
Tec-C Cavalier with my daily planner and in my briefcase.    I find
all the inks are superior to what I can buy ar staples, and it is a
joy to write with them.

Your millage may vary, but I find writing with a better pen makes me
write more.

LINK

Image: Jet Pens

Featured Artist: Anders Pearson

I mostly work in Moleskine sketchbooks, small and large.The paper is smooth and thick and they're rugged enough to live in my bag and go everywhere with me. Most drawn with my trusty blue ball point pen, though I go through phases of using other implements like a black Fisher Space Pen, pencil, Sakura Pigma Microns, or colored pencil.

A lot of my drawings are done on the subway or on a subway platform. My abstract style developed at least in part because of that. I usually start out with no real idea where a drawing is going and let the inevitable "accidents" that come with trying to draw on a moving train push things along.

My current project is an abstract mini graphic novel, Error And Annihilation, which I'm doing this month in the spirit of Nanowrimo. It's happening in a large Moleskine sketchbook using a nonrepro blue pencil and Sakura Pigma Microns.

Anders Pearson

View his works on FLICKR.
Visit his blog.

Knights of Moleskine

Somebody tipped us off to this group of merry gentlemen out in Evansville, Indiana. The Hook of Warrick explains:

"We have been using Moleskine to journal for years, and only thought it natural to expand from that to meeting over a few good beers at certain pubs to discuss our thoughts. 

Our motto:  We are Sovereign rulers of our own lives.  Free to create without Judgement.  We are unified through our diversity. 

Our Coat of Arms states Think, Drink and Be Merry." 

David K Wells,
Sir Hook of Warrick

Enter their realm.

Featured Artist: David Montaña

The Tools i use: my Heart and my hand. When i begin an illustration i put everything i find near on it. pieces of paper, oils, pastels, gouaches, pieces of wood, inks, colors, pens, fingers, and even my tongue.

i try everything to achieve the final result, to get out that emotion. Until i feel i finally awake from the nightmare when the paper was white.

David Montaña
Bogotá, Colombia

View his works on FLICKR
Visit his blog.

Greetings to our friends in Uttar Pradesh, Ciruea, Emmaus, PA., Mount Uniacke, Oxford, Sneek, Ueno, Marratxi, Givors, T'ai-pei, Adelaide, Korntal-Muenchingen, Karachi, Budapest, Nicosia, Odense, Ankara, Costa Rica, St. Thomas, Victoria, HK.,  Jamaica, Indonesia, Salem, OR., Macau, Don Torcuato, Voklo, Maputo, Lima, Minsk, and Cebu.

The Moleskine Phenomena -A Retro Paradigm

More evidence that pen and paper are "back":

"It's the world's simplest interface: pen (or pencil) and paper. Bind a few sheets in notebook form and you've got an effective and easy-to-use information storage and retrieval system. Add a bookmark as a placeholder, slip in some tabs as markers, select blank or ruled pages (you can also choose pages with a grid) and voilà, you've got a powerful tool that won't shatter if it's dropped and has zero power consumption issues.

Did you notice the terminology in that first paragraph? You've read all those words before but in reference to your computer. That's because the vocabulary of computer interfaces comes from paper. In fact the whole move from command line interfaces (e.g. The Blinking C:/ prompt in DOS) to graphical user interfaces (GUIs) evolved from a design that used paper as its paradigm (hence black text against a white background, and elements such as folders and a desktop).This concept emerged in the 1970s at the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), the famed facilty belonging to Xerox, the document management giant that started, not surprisingly, as a paper company."

The Science Blog

LINK

[via Steve Ruddell at Moleskinerie/Facebook]

Photo: "Violence and variations" by Olivier Laurent

Moleskine on CuatroTipos

Cuatro Tipos is a Spanish design and culture blog. They featured Gaby Campanario and lots of other Moleskine links recently.

"Cuando se escapa de la redacción, a Gabi también le encanta dibujar las calles y la gente de Seattle. Escenas de la vida cotidiana del noroeste de los EEUU, donde se cuelan sus hijos, sus excursiones de fin de semana y el paisaje urbano que contempla cada día desde la ventana de su mesa en la redacción."

Visit.

Featured Artist: Simonetta Capecchi

Simonetta Capecchi was born in Milan, graduated in Architecture in Venice. She completed her Phd in Naples, where she works as an illustrator and lectures at the Faculty of Architecture. In 2006, she curated an exhibition at the Castel dell’Ovo in Naples, including a section where more than 50 Moleskines were distributed to travellers of all ages, with a view to recounting the City of Naple including a section where more than 50 Moleskines were distributed to travellers of all ages, with a view to recounting the City of Naples. She will participate in the 7th Biennale du Carnet de Voyage at Clermont-Ferrand in November 2006. A number of images from her travel sketchbooks, and from those of the other authors featured in exhibitions she has curated are visible on her. Learn more.

Play video

Learn more about the new Moleskine City Notebook.

Learn more about Detour Exhibitions.

Dealer List (.pdf)

Discover and join our Moleskine communities on LiveJournal, MySpace,  Moleskinerie FLICKR, FACEBOOK and Meal Moles. Get out - have a life and write about it. See you on Monday.

Dagbok East India Trading Company

Another incredible collection of prints at BibliOdyssey:

"The Swedish East India Company was formed under Royal Charter in 1731 and granted exclusive national trading rights with Asia, mostly through the port of Canton ( near Hong Kong). Round-trip voyages from the company's headquarters in Göteborg took around eighteen months and the major commodities transported back were tea, silk, porcelain and spices.

In all, there were 127 voyages undertaken prior to the company's becoming insolvent in 1813 due to reduced profits during the Napoleonic years. Eight major sailing vessels were either lost or partially destroyed while the company was operating, including the 'Götheborg', which famously sank on return to the harbour in Göteborg in 1745. In the 1990s, marine archaeologists were able to salvage some of the original ship, and after a ten year rebuilding project, a to-scale replica undertook a nineteen month voyage from Sweden to China and back, returning to Göteborg in June 2007..."

Visit.

Moleskine, Battle Weapon

A week of afternoon and evening fashion shows (35 presentations) on top of working one's usual day job makes for a nice change of scenery (and stylish scenery, at that), but getting ready for it all requires a bit of preparation. The rolling rack comes out and outfit combinations are planned (yes, it's true, if only to make sure everything's clean) like a week's worth of meals before the grocery store visit. Gathering one's gear is akin to going to battle: the weapons (pen, Moleskine, camera), the war paint (MAC) and the armour (an all-Canadian wardrobe). On the eve of L'Oreal Fashion Week, the more intrepid publicists also deliver survival kits in the form of themed press packages.

Nathalie Atkinson, National Post

Event Link

Featured Artist: Suzie Garner

Butter Yellow Frame House • Grand Junction, Colorado

Suzie Garner is a Professor of Art in the Art Department at Mesa State College  in Grand Junction, Colorado where she teaches multiple subjects in art and graphic design: including a course in keeping a sketchbook that she developed on a sabbatical last fall. Her sketchbook of choice is the Moleskine sketchbook.

Trinity United Methodist Church • Denver, Colorado

Union Station • Denver, Colorado

You can see her Moleskine sketchbook work at her blog, sketchingspirit.

© 2007 SG

How To Keep An Art Journal by Suzi Blu

Linda Niehoff of Baldwin City, KS writes:

"I found something on YouTube yesterday that may be of interest to you...

Suzi Blu ...

Her videos "How to Keep an Art Journal" use the larger Moleskine - she has instructions and shots of her working in and flipping through the book.

 

I'm not affiliated with her, just amused..."

LINK

Visit Suzi's blog.

Regarding Reporter Notebooks

ssossatt asked:

a simple question: in reporter moleskines, do you write on both sides of the page?

and if you do, do you start every page at the spine and continue to the bottom of the page away from the spine?

or do you write as if in one long column, starting the top page away from the spine, continuing over the spine and to the other end away from the spine?

and another question: does anyone use reporter notebooks for regular journaling? why do you like/prefer reporter notebooks?

Join the discussion @ Moleskinerie/FLICKR

Moleskine Philatelic

"yes, now i are a stamp dealer too.....well at least i found use for my small moleskine accordian folder. it holds #2 and #4 envelopes and a 4" pair of tongs AND a small moleskine cahier in a nice package..."

View project details at Swill on a Stick

[Thanks Joyce!]

Originally posted 9.19.06

MoleskineCity: Venice

The Venice City Notebook, the latest in Moleskine’s growing line of City Notebooks, bears the trademark of the City of Venice, marking the beginning of an exciting new partnership, one that will benefit young artists from around the world, organized by Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation in cooperation with the Municipality of Venice.

The project will be presented during a press conference at the Sala degli Stucchi of the Municipality of Venice, on Friday, November 9.

The Mayor Massimo Cacciari, "Man of Peace 2007", the young artists of the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation with the president Angela Vettese, the Fondaco Company, which manages the brand of Venice, and a Moleskine delegation will attend the press conference.

Learn more.

[My apologies for the mix-up earlier- ABF]

Jim Woodring's "Thrice-Blessed Moleskine"

The latest pages of whimsical critters from Jim Woodring's notebook.

LINK

© 2007 JW All Rights Reserved 

My Moleskine: Che Moleman

I was first intrigued by the idea of a rugged pocket notebook when I bought "On Foot: A Journal for Walkers, Hikers, and Trekkers" at the local Barnes & Noble about six years ago. I loved the whole "pocketablility" of the little notebook, and the interior artwork was great, but I also wanted something that would look equally at home at a metropolitan bistro and not just in the Outback. Last year, one of the chaps in my band pulled out a pocket-sized Miquelrius "leather look" pads, which he used to jot down musical ideas. I promptly relieved him of one of those notebooks, but later I came across the Moleskine Ruled Pocket Notebook at a clearance table at B&N. I ended up picking two up for $2 (USD) each, a real bargain considering the only thing wrong with them was that the wrapping and colored labels had been torn partially off. So I bought the ruled one and a Music Notebook, also pocket sized, and have been hooked ever since. Now I don't ever leave home without at least one. They are the perfect combination of style, portability, and ruggedness. The feeling of the buttery smooth cream pages and the crisp snap of the black oilcloth covers feel perfect in my hands, and I'm more than a little embarrassed to admit that I get a certain pleasure from cracking a new Moleskine open, burying my nose in it, and inhaling deeply for a few minutes. I fell in love with them before I knew about all the hype. I read the insert, of course, but didn't bother to research it online until much later. By then, I was completely neck deep in Moleskine obsession, and was glad there are others who are just as infatuated.

I've always liked the idea of a small notebook which can be carried around everywhere, much like I've seen a lot of musicians and poets walking around with in different places. I once saw a man at an upscale party be asked to participate in an impromptu recitation of prose and poetry. While most tried to recall their choice from memory or improvise it on the spot, I thought it was the coolest thing when he whipped out a little black notebook and read from it. Since then, I love to have little anecdotes and tidbits available for whatever occasion may present itself. And just like the great Oscar Wilde once said, "I never travel without my notebook. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." The Moleskine is perfectly suited to such uses. After that, my obsession with notebooks began, but not until that day I mentioned earlier did I find what I consider to be the "perfect" notebook, journal, and ever-interested open ear.

I now keep about four running notebooks, my primary one for on the go (the ruled pocket), a music notebook, a pocket squared (as a backup, my ruled is getting close to full), and a Large Ruled for my "daily pages." I even bought a messenger bag specifically designed to carry my writing materials and various other gadgets, which is smaller than a normal bag. (Check them out, they're actually very cool. I bought the Old Navy canvas messenger bag, but I really am looking forward to getting the Triple 5 Soul Revolution Tiny Messenger, which would be cooler for smaller items like Moleskines, iPods, PDAs, cell phone, etc.)

Getting bags to fit my Moleskines? Yeah, I'm that obsessed.

Visit his FLICKR photoset.

"Stages' Notebook"

Stephanie Diamond of Marketing Message Blog talks about how a simple notebook figures in the creative process of some of the best minds in business:

"The cliche 'great minds think alike' does seem to be true when it comes to creativity.  There are several tactics that creative people use that I see repeated again and again.  A case in point is the guest column from Tim Brown CEO, IDEO in the November 12th issue of Fortune.

In it he talks about two tactics I see very often:

1. 'Stages' Notebook:

The first is that he keeps what I call a 'Stages' notebook.  I write about this in my upcoming book about social media marketing for Sourcebooks, Inc.  A stages notebook is one of several notebooks that creative people use to develop their ideas.  The first notebook has early stage ideas.  Ideas that are worth developing are moved into a second stage notebook and worked on.  Then a third stage notebook receives the ideas that are worth taking further.  That way good ideas are not lost and can benefit from the incubation process..."

LINK

She made me cry.

I opened the package and it was a Moleskine.

“It’s for your Nanowrimo stuff.  So you can sit and make notes when you aren’t at your computer.  I got you the blank one that opens the long way so you can make plot sketches and character sketches.”  She had this look of satisfaction on her page so I did not argue with her.  My inclination was to tell her she didn’t have to get me such an extravagant gift with her hard-earned money.  But the look in her eyes told me she knew she didn’t have to.  She just wanted to do it for me.

For the second time this week, she made me cry.

Corinna Carrasco on Gather
Visit her blog.
© 2007 Gather Inc. All rights reserved

Photo by 5erp @ Moleskinerie/FLICKR
© All rights reserved

Greetings to our friends in Uttar Pradesh, Ciruea, Emmaus, PA., Mount Uniacke, Oxford, Sneek, Ueno, Marratxi, Givors, T'ai-pei, Adelaide, Korntal-Muenchingen, Karachi, Budapest, Nicosia, Odense, Ankara, Costa Rica, St. Thomas, Victoria, HK.,  Jamaica, Indonesia, Salem, OR., Macau, Don Torcuato, Voklo, Maputo, Lima, Minsk, and Cebu.

Design Driven

Kelley Linehan did a series of Customized Moleskine cahiers for AIGA Driven Conference.

The project was for AIGA UWM, the student chapter of the design organization at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It is basically a club for the graphic design majors. This weekend, we held our 'Driven' design conference, at the school and we wanted to be able to provide attendees with a way to take notes.

I do a lot of screenprinting. Until relatively recently, I mainly printed clothing but had the opportunity to print on these Moleskines a couple of weeks ago. The surface is perfect and I bought a bunch, printed them and gave them away to friends.

I offered to print more for the Driven conference. So over the past week I worked with a couple of volunteers and we ended up screening about 200 notebooks.

One other person and myself did the majority of the work. It was a huge task but they turned out so well that it was totally worth it. Every attendee received a hand-printed journal of their own.

The journals each had at least three individual prints on them, most with four or five. When printing, we laid the journals open and created a composition over the entire cover. When is closed, the design looks a little different, more dynamic.

Here is the link to the AIGA UWM website with more info about the conference.
http://www.aigauwm.org/

Most of the imagery on the sketchbooks are things that I have gathered over the past couple years. Some are from rubber stamps, some are scanned objects, some are original designs. One of the latest screens I created is from consists of scanned tiles from a scrabble game.  Another one of my favorite designs is just a topographical map. For the AIGA UWM sketchbooks, we also used a couple of original designs submitted by members.

Since they have been so popular, I will be starting to sell them on Etsy in the near future. I hope to have it all up and running by the end of the week.

LINK

---------------------------------------------------

Update: Kelley's notebooks are now available at Etsy.

Discussion: Sharpie with Moleskine

ambie_d_d26 asked:

If I want to use sharpies in a molie-would it just be best if I get a sketchbook or a watercolor mole? I know sharpies will bleed through the regular and pocket molies, but I was just curious..

sharonNYC Pro User  says:

TheTurtleZ wrote: "Sharpies do bleed through the sketchbook when oversaturated. But if you put a piece of paper behind the page you're working on, it won't bleed through to other pages. And if you want to prime the backside of the page you've used sharpies on...I hear that gesso works wonders (I'm going to be buying some myself for this purpose)."

You might want to use a soft gesso for this purpose like Golden's:

www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/gesso.php

Regular gesso tends to make paper look like plastic placemats. There may be other specialized gessos around at this point. (And do think it -- no matter what it's going to make the paper thicker and a more brittle). I love to paint on gessoed (with Golden) paper sometimes.

Join the discussion at Moleskinerie/FLICKR