Note of disclosure: I am no longer employed by California Cedar Products or Pencils.com — though I am still their biggest fan
If you follow Pencils.com on Twitter (@pencilscom), you may have seen this tweet hit the webbernets:
Although I’ve known this was coming for a while, I have no idea what they’re going to look like or when, exactly, they’ll be hitting the virtual stands. But I know I’ll be wanting one or a few with my last, dying breath.
The Gold Fibre Ampad writing pad with antique ivory pages. Great quality paper, lined front/checked back, and all around old-timey fun!
So that’s pretty exciting. I’m still loving my Palomino Blackwing 602s, and I’ve been wanting something nice upon which to write with it. My usual meeting note-taking paper tablet is this retro-rific Gold Fibre pad by Ampad (or its 8.5×11″ counterpart), but it’s not the most formal thing you’ll ever see, you know? And although I have several pad-folios, they take up a lot of room, room in my bag that competes for space with my laptop, charging cord, various pencil and pen wraps and other things that I’ve collected via my borderline hoarder tendencies.
Speaking of Palomino Blackwing branding, I love the new packaging for the Palomino and Blackwing brands, don’t you? Charles sent me this the romance shot the other day (click to embiggen the pencil geekery goodness):
The graphite drawings on the Palomino graphites are stunning, and I love the vivacity of the colored pencil line. (I assume this photo was taking by the very talented Sue Tallon, a still-life photographer who Pencils.com uses for stellar product shots.)
I’ll let you know when the notebooks are released, and I may even have a review up here!
Meanwhile, what pencils and paper products have you been using lately?
Woodclinched 
I love the Gold Fibre Ampad writing pad! You got good taste…. but I already knew that!
That’s awesome, Hen! I’m glad someone else uses them! I use both sizes for most of the meetings I attend where I need to take notes. Do you get yours at Staples, or do you have a better supplier?
Hey! I buy them locally at the University of Washington Bookstore. Probably not the best option since university bookstores tend to have higher prices but it’s super convenient to get to and they have a great selection of pencils, erasers, and I buy boxes of my favorite pens there – IDenti.pen from Sakura. Only place I ever see the pens stocked.
Looks perfect for interview note taking. Will these be generally available (e.g. Office depot et. al.?) or online order only? still loving my Golden Bear.
I’m afraid they probably won’t be available at Office Depot, etc. Although there are some boutiques that sell them, the best, easiest place will be Pencils.com… They’re going the Field Notes route, I think.
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The large Blackwing notebook, grid layout, is the best notebook I’ve used in so long that I can’t remember. I write with fountain pens and with “real”, meaning wood, pencils…still have a few original Eberhard Faber Blackwing pencils, in fact. The Cal Rep Blackwing notebooks do not feather or bleed through — typical bad things when I use a fountain pen now. Paper has gotten more pulpy since I was in high-school many years ago. Blackwing notebooks are like “the old stuff”. Other than Levenger Notabilia “To-Do” notebooks, nothing is in the same class as Blackwing notebooks.