Moleskine Classic Expanded Journal - Pros and Cons

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🌿 SHOW NOTES
The Moleskine Classic Expanded is a popular choice for bullet journaling. Let's have an UPDATED review of this notebook and talk about its pros, cons, and pen tests. Can it handle watercolor?

🌿 FEATURED NOTEBOOK

Moleskine Classic Expanded ♻️
--- at Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kovVqU (all options)
--- at Blick: http://shrsl.com/4wo5v (black hardcover only)
(FSC certified paper; 400 pages; from the Amazon listing, you can choose the cover color and style as well as ruled / dot grid / square grid / plain format)

🌿 OTHER RECOMMENDED SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES

♻️ denotes eco-friendly choices

Blick Premier Watercolor Paper
--- at Blick: http://shrsl.com/4wojb
(100% cotton; made in England; a bit more economical than Arches)

Books
--- Decorative Patterns from Historic Sources: https://amzn.to/3Za4qZL
--- The Seasonal Soul: https://amzn.to/43UTUrR

Elizo Leather Journal Cover
--- no longer available :(

Epson WorkForce Pro Printers
--- at Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dpVENa
(all the printers in this line have water-resistant ink, so you can print line art and then watercolor over it)

Leuchtturm1917 80 gsm Classic Notebook ♻️
--- at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ad4egH
--- at Blick: http://shrsl.com/4qci1
--- at Jackson's: https://tidd.ly/41ugTsH
(FSC Certified; within the listing, choose from 24 colors and decide between dotted, ruled, plain, or square grid; these take watercolors much better than Moleskine for me)

Pacon UCreate Watercolor Paper Heavyweight (90 pound)
6x9 bulk: https://amzn.to/3H2WnHK
9x12 pad: https://amzn.to/4mow66S
9x12 bulk: https://amzn.to/3ZtN8GO
12x18 pad: https://amzn.to/3Zuh5qh
(lighter than typical watercolor paper, so it works in more printers and doesn't add bulk to journals)

Schmincke Horadam Watercolors
--- at Blick: https://tidd.ly/3KOFGC9
--- at Jackson's: https://tidd.ly/4oIL3kl
(artist quality, made by a family-owned company in Germany since the 1881; I prefer full pans which are easier on my brushes; I choose individual pans of lightfast, transparent colors rather than ready-made sets)

Stalogy 365 Notebook
--- 368 pages, square grid: https://amzn.to/4km7slx
--- 368 pages, dot grid: https://amzn.to/3YQOQ4X
--- 368 pages, plain: https://amzn.to/4jdlBke
--- 368 pages, 7mm rule: https://amzn.to/4k6QE2u
--- 184 pages, square grid: https://amzn.to/4koLsqk
--- 184 pages, dot grid: https://amzn.to/4dx8Csj
--- 184 pages, plain: https://amzn.to/4koqSWT
(pens dry faster on Stalogy than Moleskine for me)

Staples 100% Recycled Copy Paper ♻️
--- https://amzn.to/4mn68kt
(also available at Staples)

Staples Permanent Glue Tape
--- https://amzn.to/43FKSim
(also available at Staples)

Tombow Mono Correction Tape
--- https://amzn.to/3MWy5Pn

Uniball Signo RT1 Waterproof Gel Pens
--- 0.5mm, starter set: https://amzn.to/3Dj6aHY
--- 0.5mm, black, refills: https://amzn.to/3VKiYvZ
(0.28mm, 0.38mm, and 0.7mm also available)

Zebra Zensations Waterproof Brush Pens
--- set of 4 sizes at Amazon: https://amzn.to/42az04I
--- super fine at Amazon: https://amzn.to/3M49GYs
--- sets and individual sizes at Blick: http://shrsl.com/421dl

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12 Things I Wish I’d Known About Traveler’s Notebooks As A Beginner
   • 12 Things I Wish I’d Known About Traveler’...  

🌿 DISCLOSURES
KeyLimeInk is an affiliate of Amazon, Blick, Etsy, Jackson's, and Paper House. I purchased all items shown today.

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blog: https://www.keylimeink.com/
patreon:   / keylimeink  

🌿 TIME STAMPS
00:00 introduction
01:01 how to pronounce Moleskine
01:32 how it held up
01:59 pros
03:03 cons
06:43 details on the ruled version
08:53 pen test
10:09 watercolor test
11:23 sample pages
11:30 . . . plain journaling
13:07 . . . hand lettering + watercolor (spring fever)
13:25 . . . essay + ephemera (backyard joy)
14:52 . . . watercolor tip-in (mandala)
16:21 . . . watercolor tip-in (ocean)
17:16 . . . photograph + watercolor (pineapple carrot cake recipe)
18:39 . . . hand lettering + watercolor (guiding force)