My new journals arrived yesterday. They are made by Lantern Studios, and I love them.

I first discovered these journals a few years ago at Officeworks. I was initially attracted by the pretty fabric covers, but the detail that won me over was the paper inside with embossed lines. Not your usual printed lines, but lines physically pressed into the paper.

Lantern Paper journal

Choosing a journal is highly personal. I have strict criteria that any new journal must meet:

• A5 size;
• Hard cover;
• The cover must extend beyond the edge of the pages;
• Standard hardcover binding (definitely not spiral bound);
• Good quality paper.

I prefer the lined pages, but will happily choose a journal with unlined pages if the paper is nicer. I also like to have a ribbon page marker and a pocket at the back for  mementos, but they’re not essential.

Graham’s journal criteria are very different. Each October we start the hunt for his perfect journal for the upcoming year. It must be dated, a week to a double page spread, with the days arranged in columns.

Lantern Paper journal and a pen

For now, I have found nothing to surpass my Lantern Studios journals. The only thing they are missing is a memento pocket, and the beautiful paper more than makes up for it.