In response to our post “Show us where you buy your Rhodia,” Father Matthew Thurman’s wife spotted some Rhodia notebooks & pads in Borders Books while on a recent vacation in Sandusky, OH.

Will you show us where you buy your Rhodia?

We recently received an email from someone who wanted to know if it was true that we made Rhodia paper in other weights besides 80 g. 

It was an interesting question, because even though we do and I’m quite aware of it, I always think of Rhodia as 80 g. I guess there is a need for some things in life to be simple and reliable.

All of the classic Rhodia notepads and notebooks staplebound or spiral are made with 80 g paper.

The large Weekly Notebooks are 90 g.  Webnotebooks, or Webbies, are 90 g, too.  Rhodia in France decided to make this the uniform weight thoroughout the world, so all Webnotebooks in 2010 will be made with Clairefontaine paper and 90 g.

The ePure books are 100 g.  The pocket Weekly Notebooks are 64 g.

The two new Rhodia products coming this year – Le Carre and dotPads, are both 80 g.

Photo from Freshness Magazine.

One day when I was searching Flickr for “Rhodia” I came across the following images.

Turns out that Sandy Chidester, a bookbinding hobbiest, created this book using Rhodia paper. From Sandy: ” I’ve been dabbling for about 2 years and learned what little I know from books. At some point, I would like to take a few classes.”

A beginner? Sandy…  this is awesome!

“Like most bookbinders, I love paper. Rhodia paper is among my favorites. It is smooth, strong and just feels nice under a pen or pencil.

I had linen fabric left over from curtains I made. The fabric and the Rhodia paper were made for each other.  But they looked a little stark to me, so I decided to stain the pages and linen fabric with tea. The paper took the staining quite well. (some papers tear or become brittle)”

“The binding is a simple Coptic style, which is really the only one I can do without getting a book out.”

I absolutely love the way Sandy stained the pages to look old. It looks so comfy and broken in.

The final product. Much thanks for Sandy for the use of her photos and for explaining how she made the book.

Happy bookbinding!

In our retailer spotlight position for the month of March, is Fahrney’s Pens of Washington, DC. Fahrney’s carries Exaclair products from Clairefontaine, G Lalo, Rhodia, and Exacompta.

The History of Fahrney’s Pens

“The year was 1929, the stock market had crashed and America had fallen into the Great Depression. But one man, determined to beat the odds, decided to start a business despite the lackluster economy of the time. This was the year Earl Fahrney founded Fahrney’s Pens as a fountain pen repair shop in Washington, DC. With discretionary spending in a lull, Mr. Fahrney’s repair business thrived. He slowly expanded and ultimately decided to sell new writing instruments, including the “revolutionary” ballpoint pen.

In 1950, Mr. Fahrney relocated the business to the historic Willard Hotel on F Street. With the move he added the store’s tagline “The Write Place” which remains the motto to this day. For the next 21 years the Willard served as Fahrney’s home.

In 1961, Mr. Fahrney hired Odell Chappell who was the store’s first female employee. “The Pen Lady” as she became known, is now retired, though her tireless dedication to Fahrney’s, her customers, and the pen industry has been an inspiration to all who know her.”

“Mr. Fahrney retired after relocating the store to New York Avenue in 1971. He subsequently sold Fahrney’s Pens to Jon and Corinne Sullivan in 1972. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan upheld Mr. Fahrney’s unique passion for writing instruments. They also shared his commitment to customers and employees, which is one of the reasons that Fahrney’s Pens has retained such loyalty on both fronts for so many years. Eventually, Jon Sullivan stepped back and handed the day-to-day operations to his son, Chris, who demonstrates the same passion and tradition that have been a hallmark of Fahrney’s Pens for over 80 years.

In early May 2000, Fahrney’s moved to it s current location at 1317 F Street, NW. The store is the largest to date for Fahrney’s, with nearly twice the space for pens and accessories as the previous store. Customers have an even larger selection from which to choose. From pens to ink, fine desk accessories, quality leather goods and journals, as well as a wide variety of stationery, both classic and modern, Fahrney’s selection and expertise simply cannot be matched. In their continued quest for ever-improving customer service, thy have included desks where customers can sit and “test write” their instruments until they find the perfect match.

Additionally, Fahrney’s offers unique services like The Pen Doctor. For more than 20 years, he has been responsible for the repair and adjustment of Fahrney’s customers’ writing instruments, including fountain pens, rollerballs, ballpoints and pencils. His workbench is a fascinating amalgam of the old-fashioned and modern where he works his magic on sick pens.”

Fahrney’s
1317 F Street, NW – across from the National Press Building.
Washington, DC  20004

(202) 628-9525
Open weekdays 9:30 to 6:00
Saturday 10:00 to 5:00

Or visit Fahrney’s online.

Image of Fahrney’s store above, courtesy of Brian from the blog Office Supply Geek. Additional information about Fahrney’s history can be found on their website.

The other day while Karen was reading the New York Times, she came across the following ad for The Container Store, where the beloved Webbie was prominently featured. The Container Store website carries several different Rhodia and Clairefontaine products, and if you visit one of their retail locations, you may find a few additional Clairefontaine products as well.

I’ve never been to a Container Store as there are none in my area but I should would love to peruse their aisles looking for things to help organize and keep my tiny house tidy. In the meantime, I’ll have to grab a cup of tea and see what their website has to offer.

Have you ever visited one of their stores? Find anything useful that you just can’t live without?

This spring, Exaclair will begin importing the new Clairefontaine Twinbook – a dual purpose notebook! They contain 96 pages of 90g graph paper which are divided into two tabbed sections.  Use them for two different school subjects or personal projects and lighten the load in your bag.

How will you use yours?

The 2010 Clairefontaine-Rhodia catalog can be viewed online here.

You can also view the catalog on the English version of their website here.

We would appreciate knowing what Clairefontaine and Rhodia products appeal to you.  I can’t promise that we will import them all–we have limited warehouse space and currently import and carry many references–but if enough Clairefontaine and Rhodia fans express interest in a particular product or line, I will see about showing it at the upcoming National Stationery Show in New York in May.

Thank you all very much for your support and good ideas.

Answering our call for guest bloggers, Alex Thornber sent me a message to tell me about how he recently bought his new Bloc Rhodia No. 11 pad at one of the giant Paperchase stores in London, and how it quickly became his new everyday notebook .

Last week, I introduced you to Anne Foster-Coleman, my food blogger friend from high school. When I asked her to share her story with me about food journaling, I asked if she would give me a orange Rhodia inspired recipe for us all to enjoy.  As orange is one of Anne’s favorite ingredients, she was most happy to oblige.

Orange Cupcakes – Makes 18

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup butter – softened
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon orange extract
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 Cup milk
2 Large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line or grease 18 muffin cups.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Blend butter, sugar, extract and zest together until light and fluffy.
4. Mix milk and eggs together and set aside.
5. Add flour mixture and milk/egg mixture to butter and sugars alternately, blending as you go so a smooth batter is formed.
6. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins until each is 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until top springs back when touched.
7. Cool and frost with orange buttercream:

1. Combine 1 cup softened butter with 1 teaspoon orange extract until smooth.
2. Add 4 1/2 to 5 cups powdered sugar and 3 to 4 Tablespoons milk until the consistency desired.

Stay tuned for Anne’s story on historical food journaling which involves the notebook in the image above.  In the meantime, you can visit her on the following blogs:

Cooking with Anne
A Thousand Soups
My Budget Recipes at Disney Family.com
Half Hour Meals

Thanks to Phil at Sun  for use of the above image. View the original (with notes) here

Once again, it’s that time to take a peek into other people’s bags… When I first joined Flickr, (a social photo sharing site) I had a great deal of fun perusing the “What’s in Your Bag?” photo group. People would neatly lay out the contents of their bags to show off what they carry with them on a day-to-day basis. And not only would they show, they would also tell – adding numerous tagged notes to the images to describe each and every item in the photo. (Click through the links to see the notes) After a while, I had to stop looking because I started to want to go and buy things that other people had.  Like journals…and art supplies… and a new iPod…. new camera… new bag…

Thanks to duien for use of the above image. View the original (with notes) here

Thanks to sophia@hk for use of the above image. View the original (with notes) here

Anne Foster-Coleman and I went to the same high school but we weren’t friends back then – in fact, I think you could probably say that we didn’t really like each other very much at all. Why? Who knows. We were teenagers. Probably had something to do with liking the same boy or just not having anything in common.

When I first joined Facebook about a year ago, I would see people interacting with Anne but I’d always cringe a little when I saw her picture. (Because she looks absolutely the same.) I’d think to myself, “She didn’t like me then, and she probably still hates me.” And I’d do my best to avoid any social interaction with anyone who she was chatting with as to not draw attention to myself because after all, it’s been 25 years and I’m sure she’s sitting there waiting for me to show my face so she can smack me in the head or stomp on my Bonnie Bell lip gloss or some other mean thing that I probably deserved.

But then one day, I see an article in the newspaper about Anne. Turns out, she’s a professional blogger like me. But she doesn’t just write two blogs as I do, she writes for three. (Now four) Okay… that’s pretty cool. I never met anyone else who attempted to earn a living via blogging. But then as I read the rest of the article, I learned something pretty amazing. Anne’s a stay at home mom. With 7 children. Seven. And she writes for three blogs, including one for Disney. Holy cow was I impressed, though a little frustrated at my sometimes lack of organization and motivation. I wanted to let her know that her story was inspiring to me.

Even though I was sure she still hated me, I yearned to reach out with an olive branch and say, “I don’t really know you anymore and maybe I never really did, but you are pretty awesome and your story inspires me.” And so I did just that.

And Anne thought that was pretty cool.

Then we got to talking and found we have about 16 million different things in common. A love for fine food, (she’s a food blogger) for writing, and numerous parallels in our personal lives as well. (Our wedding dates were days apart and we have been with our husbands for about the same amount of time.) This was one of those times when I’m really glad I stood up and took a step forward. I’m now happy to call her my friend.

I asked Anne if she would like to be a guest blogger on Rhodia Drive and so stay tuned for her story on food journaling. In the meantime, you can visit her on the following blogs:

Cooking with Anne
A Thousand Soups
My Budget Recipes at Disney Family.com
Half Hour Meals

In 2009 Rhodia introduced a Weekly Notebook.  It features the week on the left, and a full page for notes in the famous Rhodia grid. The large size is made with 90g paper, and the pocket version with 64g paper. They are very slim and light.

Although the paper and cover materials come from France, it is made for Rhodia by Quo Vadis in Hamburg, NY. Quo Vadis does not consider it a Quo Vadis planner.  It is a Rhodia product.  While only offered now in the U.S., I understand it may be picked up by Rhodia for other countries including France.

We sold out two printings completely by September 2009.  We could have reprinted a third time, but couldn’t get cover material in time from France.

The standard Weekly Notebook runs from January-December.  This year we are introducing an academic year version that will run August-July.

If you plan to attend CAMEX, the college bookstore show in Orlando in March; the National Stationery Show in May, or the DC Pen Show in August, Rhodia Weekly Notebooks will be on display for you to see and examine.

As always, your comments and thoughtful suggestions are much appreciated.

Image © Biffybeans All Rights Reserved

My first exposure to Rhodia was about 5 years ago when perusing the selection of Bloc Rhodia pads in my local Blick Art Supply store. The first pads I ever bought were a pair of the 3×4″ N° 11’s, and I kept one in my backpack everywhere I went. As a writer, I found there were certain bits of information I wanted to easily reference and that’s where I kept it – jotted down in my always close-at-hand N° 11.

When the N° 08’s came out, (3×8 ¼”) I absolutely fell in love with their long skinny design which is perfect for making lists. Their micro perforated design makes sheet removal easy, though due to my advancing age, I find I could use some sort of velcro device to attach these sheets of paper to my forehead so it would keep me from forgetting them inside the car – remembering them only once I’ve walked all the way across the parking lot, into the store and loaded up half a cart full of groceries. (Coffee & toothpaste… that’s what we need, right?) I then have to stand there and try to mentally envision what I wrote and ironically, more often than not, I do remember. It seems as though the simple act of writing things down help to secure it within the these old brain cells.

Of all the various Bloc Rhodia Pads, which is your favorite and why? We’d love to hear how you are using them.

• N° 08   7.4 x 21 cm – 3 x 8 ¼”
• N° 10   5.2 x 7.5 cm – 2 x 3″
• N° 11   7.4 x 10.5 cm – 3 x 4″ – A7
• N° 12   8.5 x 12 cm – 3 ⅜ x 4 ¾”
• N° 13   10.5 x 14.8 cm – 4 x 6″ – A6
• N° 14   11 x 17 cm – 4 ⅜ x 6 ⅜”
• N° 16   14.8 x 21 cm – 6 x 8 ¼” – A5
• N° 18   21 x 29.7 cm – 8 ¼ x 11 ¾” – A4
• N° 19   21 x 31.8 cm – 8 ¼ x 12 ½” – A4+
• N° 38   42 x 31.8 cm – 16 ½ x 12 ½” – A3+

Pssst! Sneak Peak of the New Squared Pad due to arrive this spring!

Le Carré (Square) Notepads are available in two sizes, and in orange and black
5 ¾ x 5 ¾ and 8 ¼ x 8 ¼

I’m really looking forward to seeing these in person- I bet they will be great for doodling.

Functional black stapled notepad with a dot grid for creative minds! An alternative to traditional lines and boxes, the dot grid is a favorite for graphic designers, architects, artists and everyone looking for a subtle grid. Perfect for notations and sketches, the dot grid offers great results with scanners and photocopies.

• 80 g acid-free, pH neutral paper
• 80 sheets microperforated on top for easy removal
• Pale violet dots with 5mm interval

Available in four sizes:

• 3 3/8 ” x 4 ¾ “
• 6 ” x 8 ¼ “
• 8 ¼ ” x 12 ½ “
• 16 ½” x 12 ½ “

Lito Apostolakou of the blog Palimpsest sent us these photos from her visit to Paperchase in London, England.

Lito says, “I buy my Rhodia from the huge Paperchase store in London’s Tottenham Court Road. Rhodias are neatly stocked on their own separate self on the Ground Floor. I then go up to the third floor to browse at the limitless selection of paper.”

Wait a second….  did she say “Limitless selection of paper???” I’ve gotta go and book me a flight on the Concorde – I’ll be right back…  {{{Clicking my heels and asking the GPS fairy to send me to Paperchase, 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7PS, UK}}}

We love seeing images from our various retailers, so whether you find them in your corner stationery shop or while visiting somewhere new, snap a picture and send them to us: stephanie at rhodiadrive dot com

Levenger, a company known for it’s high quality products and useful tools for readers and writers, is now stocking a limited selection of Rhodia products. To see them, you can either enter “Rhodia” into the search box on the top of any page, or click on the “First Look” section from the home page.

Thanks to The Berit Group, Rhodia made it to Fashion Week in New York!

Rhodia pads were among the gift items at Zang Toi’s show. Editors and designers always need to write quickly, and need a notepad that fits in any pocket. We thought the No. 12 would be a perfect size.

Zang Toi is a Malaysian-born,  New York based fashion designer. He is a favorite of style arbiters including Sharon Stone, Ivana Trump, Eva Longoria , and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas.

His spring 2010 collection was loosely designed with Prince’s “Purple Rain” in mind with deep hues of purple and black. Sleek, classic and minimalist, the small black Rhodia pads complimented the show’s theme colors.

Our best wishes to Mr. Zang Toi for a successful show and season. It was really a thrill and an honor to be part of an event of such elegance and glamor.

And thanks to our friends at The Berit Group, especially Kristin Sundberg, for thinking of us and these photos.

Once I discovered that there were paper products better suited to my writing habits beyond what a composition book from my local drugstore could provide, I ended up dedicating a good deal of time and energy trying to find what would be my ULTIMATE journal. The one that I would buy by the truckload so I would have enough of it on hand no matter what.

Trying about a billion (ok, maybe not that many) different products, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have two distinct needs to be served. For note taking, I prefer a spiral A5 sized book like the smaller Rhodia Meeting Book. I do not have a suitable flat writing surface in my house so I always use a spiral notebook folded back on itself balanced on my knee. I specifically like the width of the A5 size (5.83 “) for this purpose.

For journaling, my number one preference is a hard bound book which again, I use propped on my knee. Sometimes I even write with the spine balanced in my hand while standing. In either case, an A5 book is too wide. I need something a little thinner, like in the 5.25″ range which is easier to balance.  When you aren’t writing on a flat surface, a book that opens flat is much easier to write in. (If you aren’t at a desk or table, you don’t have the leverage to force the pages as flat as they can go.)

I prefer off-white blank pages as white is too much of a strain on my eyes for extended writing sessions, and blank because I love to doodle in my journal. Lines in a journal make me feel like I’m back in high school doodling on 3 ring notebook paper. The paper MUST be compatible with waterbased fountain pen ink and super wet gel pen inks. Bleeding & feathering is unacceptable.

I like the covers to be solid colors like black, red or purple, and I prefer the cover material to not be too slippery that I can’t easily grab it from my bag. Ribbon bookmarks are helpful, but they have to be long enough and made from a material that resists fraying on the ends. (As that is unsightly.) I like the book to have some method of securing it shut – but that method should in no way interfere with how the book functions.  (It should not get in the way.)

I appreciate a journal with rounded corners to the pages and the cover because when you get to the end of a page that has squared edges, the corner digs into the palm of my hand.

Having said all that, I want to hear what constitutes your ULTIMATE journal.

Image courtesy of Janice Carter ©All Rights Reserved

The recent snowstorms in the Northeast have certainly inspired me to break out all my pens, markers, journals, paints, etc., and get massively creative. I am so thankful that my husband doesn’t seem to mind that there are  are art supplies and piles of paper scattered everywhere throughout our little house. (He must really love me!) But then again, I have come to overlook the fact that his golf clubs are stored in the kitchen alcove next to the refrigerator.

Speaking of golf, I caught him checking the weather channel this morning and couldn’t resist telling him that I didn’t think the 14 inches of snow outside were going to melt in time for him to sneak in a few holes before dinner.

Here on Rhodia Drive, we maintain a blogroll that consists of sites dedicated to paper, pens, ink, art, and writing. If you have a blog you think we should consider adding to our blogroll, please send me the link at stephanie at rhodiadrive dot com and I will be happy to take a look. I can’t guarantee we will be able to use each and every submission,  but know that we are always looking for relevant sites with quality content.  Reciprocal linkage is always appreciated.