Midori Foldable Memo Notes Review - Stretchy Goat!

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

In my endless celebration of making notes on small papers, I am always delighted to find some fun small papers. Midori often has my back when it comes to small papers--or any papers, for that matter.

I will begin by admitting that I am easily amused, but the thought of writing a quick note on the belly of a cute creature--especially a note that folds away under the paws of said creature--brings me immense delight.

The Midori Foldable Memo Notes look like small sticky notes, but they are not sticky, and they unfold to double in length. They can then be re-folded to tuck your note away, and the arms of the illustration hold the fold in place. I have the goat design here, which comes with white and black goats, and there is also a set for raccoons (both yellow and orange), cats (calico and white, with yarn), and dogs (brown and yellow). They are all done in a simplified drawing style and all have adorable expressions on their faces. They cheer me up every time I look at them. You could write terrible news on one of these and I'd probably still smile.

Their practical application is obvious--write lots of fun notes and distribute them like confetti through the world. The folded construction makes the perfect gift tag. Pass the cutest notes in class. Or, their long length makes them perfect for lists.

On top of their cleverness and cuteness, these are Midori, so that paper is also good. Even writing with a heavily saturated rollerball ink, there was no bleed-through or feathering. You could see ghosting on the back of the paper, but why would you write on the back of this paper when the front is so cute?

The Foldable Stretchy Memo Notes sell for $6.50 for a pack of 18 notes. That's certainly more expensive than a standard memo pad, but a standard memo pad doesn't have a wee wittle face and paws.

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

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OHTO CR01 Ceramic Rollerball Pen 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

If you have someone in your life that needs a tough pen (maybe it's you!) the OHTO CR01 Ceramic Rollerball is worth a glance. It has an aluminum body with brass accents and a hefty weight to it, so it's much more likely to survive in a heavy work environment than a standard disposable pen. The matte finish on the metal feels very satisfying to hold, with a nice texture that helps you grip the pen.

The CR01 has a snap cap that is very sturdy and closes with a satisfying thunk. It won't open by accident in your bag or pocket. It has a firm clip with some flex to it. Both the bottom end and finial have a rounded shape. Under the cap, the pen has a rubberized section to help with grip when writing. The section unscrews from the body so that you can access the refill. It comes with an OHTO rollerball refill that has a special 0.5 mm ceramic ball point that will stand up to more wear and tear than a metal ball tip. Though, the rollerball ink flows quite well, so it's likely that the ink will run out long before the longevity of the ceramic is called for. The pen is refillable, however, and fits a variety of refills. You can choose another ceramic point refill (which also comes in other tip sizes and colors), or go with another brand you like, like Pilot, Uni, Pentel, or Zebra.

The Rollerball ink in the OHTO refill has a nice, dark saturation to it, but it does have some bleeding issues. It bled slightly through both Hobonichi and Midori paper, in addition to standard copier paper. But it writes very nicely, and the 0.5 mm ceramic tip has just the right amount of feedback--not too smooth, not too scratchy. It's a good writing experience, just don't plan on using the back of the page.

The OHTO CR01 is available at JetPens for $20, which is less than I would have guessed after writing with it. There are a number of comparable pens that cost considerably more. This price and quality falls very nicely into the gift category, and it's perfect for the person whose jeans pockets are stained with the ink from the broken Bic that got snapped in the workshop. The aesthetic should appeal, too. As gifting season approaches, the CR01 might make a good option that won't break and won’t break the budget.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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Laconic Pocket Log Diary B7C Undated Daily Planner 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Plans are like goldfish, they grow to fill the space you provide for them. This past year, I switched from a Hobonichi Weeks into a Hobonichi Cousin because I felt I needed more space for more and bigger plans. But that was too many plans. I need to return to a smaller planner and make a rule that when I'm out of space, I'm not allowed to add anything else to my day. With that in mind, I'm looking for teeny tiny planners. When I saw the Laconic Pocket Log Diary, I felt I needed to give it a try.

This pocket-sized diary is the same size as a passport (though much thicker), so it fits in small bags, and only allows for so many plans. It is a six-month diary, so it won't last the whole year, but who knows what our plans will be like six months from now, anyhow? These days, 12-month planning feels like hubris. The diary has a vinyl cover that is removable, and the insert is a soft cardstock-covered notebook.

The first section has a spread for six monthly themes to be described--perfect if you have a specific goal or focus for your months. Then there are six spreads of undated monthly calendars. The days columns are labeled with a Monday start. There is also a wee column for a memo. Each date square is only about 1.5 cm, which is just enough space for one work shift, one appointment, and one event. Which is PLENTY. Then there are the six months' worth of daily log pages.

Each daily log page has room to write in the date, circle a day of the week, circle the weather and record the temperature, a place to record something else related to health or fitness, a meal planning section, and then a to-do list with handy checkboxes. It's part planner, part diary, part logbook, and it will make a nice keepsake for reflecting back on the past months.

Past the daily pages are some list pages that allow you to document up to 72 things. Books read, movies watched, etc. Then there are a few sheets of grid paper for making notes. The final page has room for handy personal information. There is also a nice note on the back page assuring that the paper is made from properly managed sustainable forests, which was neat to see. There are also two ribbon bookmarks, so you can keep your month and day marked.

The paper inside this diary is very nice. It's smooth and a soothing cream color. It feels and looks much like Tomoe River Paper, but it isn't. While the paper provides a great writing experience, it doesn't work well with liquid inks. Rollerball, Sharpie, marker, and fountain pen all had some bleeding issues. Gel pens, ballpoints, and pencil worked great. With writing spaces this tiny, I'd likely be using a very fine point gel pen anyway, so it's not an issue for me, personally, but if you stick to fountain pens exclusively, this one would be a pass.

The Laconic Pocket Log Diary comes with covers in eight different colors, and it sells for $18.50. That feels a bit steep for a pocket-sized six-month diary, especially considering that the Laconic A5 notebooks are only $6 — though those do have fewer pages and no slipcover. While the price is a bit more than I would have expected, it's definitely a handy little book. I don't know if it will become my plan-minimizing planner next year, though. I frequently have to plan more than six months in advance for things--in fact I have quite a few big plans already that happen beyond the scope of this book. But I do like the daily log feature a lot. I think it would make a better diary than planner, for me. But if you're also seeking to reign in your plans and don't need a whole year at once, this one is worth looking into.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!