Midori MD Notebook Cover (Midori Goat Leather Notebook Cover) - Review

Midori MD Notebook Cover

(Midori Goat Leather Notebook Cover)

Midori Goatskin Notebook Cover - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Oops, I Blinked and Missed That Little Thing Called 2014  

Well it has been quite a while since I logged on and posted anything.  Not sure if its a sign of the total irrelevance of this blog to all that really matters in the world (and what a world it has been these last 12 months) or whether it is because time just seems to pass more rapidly these days.  The year 2014 got away from me and now its all done, closed off and packed away in the memory archives as the year that once was.  I find I've missed so much I should have done, could have done, might have done...and didn't, for one reason or another.  I had hoped this year would be less frantic and a little slower paced but here we are already 4 months into 2015.  Unfortunately, these first four months of 2015 seem to already have set an even faster pace than last year.  It leaves me thinking if I am alone in feeling that life is hurtling by.

The Universe is Accelerating

I wonder if it has something to do with the recent scientific discovery that the universe is not in a state of deceleration (after the big bang/creation) but is in fact in a state of accelerating, speeding up!  Maybe this means the year is going by faster each year.  Who knows, but it sounds like a good excuse for not having updated this blog - the year just accelerated faster than last year and I didn't get to do everything I planned to, like update this blog.  :)

Einstein - Image courtesy of Dailygalaxy.com 

Anyway, I'm still obsessed with my Midori Traveler's Notebook and fountain pens, ink and notebooks, etc.  I use the Midori Traveler's Notebook everyday and carry it with me everywhere, it has become a lifeline, especially for writing.  I won't digress into my writing, time seems to slip away with that also, but at least I finished one of the many books I have on the go, despite the busy year.

In relation to topics relevant to this blog - I've been fortunate enough along the way to add to my collection of writing tools; I just haven't had time - because of the universe accelerating :) - to post about them here.  I'll try and do that now starting with the all-new MD Notebook Cover from those clever people at Midori.

MD Notebook Cover

I recently bought one of these new Notebook Covers from Midori for my wife.  It's actually made of Goat's leather so you may come across it under a range of Midori names - MD Notebook Cover, Midori Goat Leather Notebook, Midori Goat Notebook or Journal and a number of others.  For the purposes of this post I'll just call it the MD Notebook Cover.   I bought this for my wife as she wanted something similar to the Midori Traveler's Notebook but in a more traditional style that could be opened flat a little more easily than the Midori Traveler's.  This seemed to fit her needs and I was also intrigued to find out what Midori had created here.  I was quite impressed when her parcel arrived, especially with the subtle elegance of the cover and the high quality of the paper in the accompanying Midori notebook.  So impressed in fact that I ended up buying another one for myself.

Boxed Goat's Notebook Parcel - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Unboxed Goat's Notebook Parcel - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

As always the Midori arrived with lightning speed by EMS in a secure and carefully packed parcel.  The Journal was sealed in shrink-wrapping and then cushioned safely by newspaper within a very sturdy shipping box.  I even had a bottle of Pilot's Iroshizuku Ink in the box and the professional wrapping ensured there was no chance whatsoever of any breakage or leakage occurring that might damage the other items in the box.  It also arrived from Japan to my doorstep in Australia within 4 days.  Not only professional packaging but also super fast postage and delivery.  I normally avoid mentioning who I purchase my items from as I don't like to promote one supplier over another but I have never been let down by this supplier.   They are affordable, honest, professional, efficient and just generally nice people to communicate with and do business with.  So I will name them here - Pencils.jp in Japan (link to - Pencils.jp); and no, I don't receive any endorsements from them or anyone else.  I simply cannot fault them and in fact enjoy dealing with them.  I like knowing I get a fair price, a good product delivered quickly and safely to my door.  Its a pleasure opening the box and seeing the package as much as it is receiving the items.

Anyway, back to the MD Notebook Cover itself.  The MD Notebook Cover also comes wrapped and sealed in its own box.  Inside the box the cover is tucked into its own black material pouch.  It's an elegant touch.  The journal can be housed in the pouch when not in use or when being transported in that crowded bag or backpack.  A nice little bonus protective cover.

And what of the MD Notebook Cover inside all of that protective wrapping?

Pouch - Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

MD Goat Cover Box - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Well I'm pleased to say that the MD Notebook Cover was faultless, no marks or damage or creases from its journey across the ocean.  And the good news is that the MD Notebook Cover does not have any of the unpleasant odour found when opening the original Midori Traveler's Notebook.  Instead it has a very mild leather smell.  The journal is soft to touch and surprisingly thin but sturdy in texture.  Its very light to hold because of its thin construction.

Once the notebook is added it takes on a more customary weight and feels good to hold and use.  Add a pen or two and it feels like a good weighted, soft covered notebook.

The colour of the MD Notebook Cover is a pale pink, a lot fainter than the colour portrayed in the online photographs supplied by the merchandisers.  The colour is not unpleasant but it is very pale, something to be aware of if you are more into the warmer colours for your notebooks.  It does darken (albeit mildly) over time and Midori provide on their website details of how long this darkening process takes; but it will vary depending on how it is used and where it is used.  Check out the Midori home website below for the full details on the ageing and colouring timeline:
MD Goat's Cover Colour Timeline

MD Goat Cover Front - Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

And overall size?
The MD Notebook Cover and accompany Midori Notebook shown here is the "New Book" size as listed on the Pencils.jp website -  MD Goat Cover Sizes for Ordering - which is H187mmxW235mm opened.  But have a more in depth read at the Midori website link MD Goat's Cover Size Chart for the various sizes available and the colour changing process.

I found the "New Book" size to be a very convenient size that is neither too small nor too large for carrying and recording notes or writing.  The MD Cover fits very snuggly around the matching MD Notebook with no slackness at all.  It takes a little wriggling of the notebook to get it into the cover but it is an absolute perfect match and fit.  The MD Cover and Notebook fold open easily and lay flat for ease of writing.  It looks an elegant and professional setup.

Open MD Goat Cover -Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

The MD Cover also has two internal pockets/slots for carrying additional items such as cards, notes or small stationery items.  It even comes with a built pen holder.  The penholder is very narrow and can either accommodate a pencil, thin pen or a pen attached by the clip.  If you don't like thin pens or don't trust having your good pen attached by a clip only, then I would suggest still purchasing one of the Midori clip-on penholders to ensure a good sized pen can be attached.  It was quite convenient to use the MD Cover built in pen holder to carry a small thin mechanical pencil or ballpoint pen and to then attach a second Midori Penholder for a larger fountain pen.  The MD Cover easily housed both pencil and fountain pen.  A perfect writing carryall.

Open MD Goat Cover 2 -Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

There is not a lot else to say about the MD Goat Cover and Notebook...it doesn't come with all the usual Midori Traveler's Notebook extras or accessories, not yet anyway.  But to be fair it is sold as a different concept to the Midori Traveler's.  My wife is extremely happy with her new notebook and prefers it over the Midori Traveler's Notebook.  I find it an extremely good notebook but tend to still prefer the Midori Traveler's Notebook as my daily companion.  The is only because I like the extra items I can carry in the Traveler's (I don't carry a tote/handbag like my wife so our needs are different); and I like the rustic travel feel and appearance of the Traveler's.  I feel I'll use the MD Notebook Cover for more formal meetings or structured tasks and use the Traveler's Notebook for everything else, as my daily creative companion.

MD Notebook Paper - Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

MD Cover & Notebook - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

MD Cover & Notebook 2 - Photo by Eclectic Psyche

If you are looking for a new leather journal and want something interesting, light weight and has a traditional notebook look and feel then this is a notebook you should consider.  In addition, the quality of the paper in the accompanying Midori notebook is of superb quality and value.  The combination is an elegant and professional looking notebook with a high quality paper that makes journalling pleasurable and effortless.  Hope you find time to try one out.

I also have the new Midori Pan Am Traveler's Notebook - Blue Edition - on the way and I will do a review of that once it arrives.

Midori Goat Leather Cover and Notebook - Photograph by Eclectic Psyche

Till next time...hopefully not too far off in this accelerating universe....stay safe, be happy and keep writing!


PS - I apologise for the low quality photographs but I dropped my Digital SLR into the ocean and I have had to use my iPhone until I can acquire a new SLR.

Pelikan M205 Duo Transparent Green Highlighter Fountain Pen

"All theory, dear friend, is grey, but the golden tree of life springs ever green."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I had to do some research recently and was a bit bored with the usual highlighter pens; so I went looking for a better alternative.  Something I could carry with the Midori Traveler's Notebook with ease when researching and that had a bit of style about it.

Enter the Pelikan M205 Duo Pen.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

An elegant transparent highlighter pen made with the usual Pelikan reliability and precision.  The M205 comes in yellow and green.  I chose the green simply because I prefer green as a highlighter colour when researching.  The yellow pen is exactly the same and equally aesthetically pleasing - its just personal preference which one you go with.  The M205 has a stainless steel nib that is super smooth to write with.  It is available with a gold nib but it almost doubles the price of the pen.  For a highlighter pen I think the smooth, broad stainless steel nib is ideal.  The flow of ink from the BB nib is smooth and saturated, making it ideal for highlighting.  Additionally, the nib is suitable for writing as well as highlighting.  The pen is a piston filler which helps the ink flow and makes refilling convenient and mess free.  Being transparent the piston fill mechanism adds to the character because it shows the ink cascading around in the pen barrel; rather than being like other transparent pens where all you see is an opaque cartridge sitting sedately in the the barrel.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

As I said above, I use green as a highlighter colour and I was pleased to find the M205 comes with a bottle of Pelikan green highlighter ink.   Both the M205 pen and its bottled highlighter ink have been reviewed quite extensively across the internet blogs and forums for sometime now so I won't go into any great detail here.  Suffice to say, I'm happy with the M205 pen and the green shade of the Pelikan highlighter ink it comes with.

Photo - by Eclectic Psyche

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

This is a highlighter pen that fits nicely into the Midori pen ring for the traveler's notebook and its relatively small size makes it unobtrusive and practical to carry with the Midori.  I often carry a Sailor Saporo fountain pen with the Midori for the very reasons the M205 is compatible - the Saporo is small, reliable, elegant, unobtrusive and not prone to leaking or loss of cap (both pens are screw on caps).

I'd like to carry them both with the Midori so I've just ordered another pen holder from my favourite stationery supplier and look forward to getting it soon.  I think the Saporo and Pelikan can reside comfortably together as part of this Midori traveler's entourage.

Photo by Eclectic Psyche

Overall this is a great highlighter pen.  In fact its a great fountain pen in general.  It can be used as a normal fountain pen, a highlighter pen or both.  The design and build of this pen makes for a stylish highlighter pen with the usual Pelikan quality of manufacture.  The M205 is a precision writing instrument, almost a work of art.  I can't find any faults with its design, function or appearance.  It more than suits my highlighter needs and blends in with my Midori traveler's notebook kit.  A few retail stores have the M205 Duo on sale at the moment so if you are in the market for a quality fountain pen highlighter, then there is no better pen or better time to grab a Pelikan M205 Duo -in tree frog green!  With the M205 Duo it is easy being green.

"Green is the prime colour of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises."

- Pedro Calderon de la Barca