At long last I’ve found the Italian supplier of my favourite notebook, Ciak. The journals cannot be bought individually here, so I’m considering making a large order and selling the rest on. The Ciak is quite hard to find in the UK, a website called City Organiser have just stopped selling them (I got the last three). They’re also available in ‘Paperchase’ under the ‘noto‘ brand name - but only in black and blue, at present (note, the price on the website is for the very small size - not the size I use for journalling). At this time, paperchase only have the hideous multicolour page one on their site, not the cream paged one which is available in the shop.
I like the leather cover of a Ciak. I have a moleskine as a pocket book, but I don’t like the cover as much… if they had a soft leathery cover, that may be different! It’s rather hard to tell from a website, especially this one. Moleskine certainly have a following, there are even Moleskine ‘hacks’. Though the comments here shows that not everybody ‘gets it’.
I spent a long time trying to find a journal I like, I’m not the only one! I started off with one from WHSmith (they went through a ‘posh’ phase in my local store, this is now over and they no longer stock the one I liked, going back to flowery things for kids, women, and spiral bindings for everyone else), and I switched to Ciak as it seemed similar! I’ve now a Ciak convert!
Now, all that remains is to see if I can get them direct from Italy rather than sticking with Paperchase’s meagre (though reasonably priced) choice. Ciak journals are excellent, I’d recommend them highly. Looking around, I can see a German supplier, now… if only I could read their site!
I’ve found plenty of nice sites looking around this topic, I’ve subscribed to a few using bloglines, including Journalisimo
LATEST Update: I have sold out on ebay, and have no immediate plans to get a job lot in (in other words, my personal stock doesn’t need to be replenished).
Update: 16th September 2006: I don’t have any on ebay at the moment, however I will be getting some more in soon as I’m about to run out of my personal stash.
Update: 14th May 2005 - I’ve just put some Ciak journals up on Ebay
Update: 7th Sept 2005 - I have put another batch up today. The URL is now semi-permanent
Update: 13th Dec - I am out of stock until 2006 - sorry.
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9 Comments
Inspired by Caterina and your own endorsements, I sought out the Ciak’s as well… couldn’t find much available for purchase online but thats to your link to their US distributor, I contacted them via email and found out that Sam Flax carries them! I picked a green one with the creme paper at their Atlanta store, and they had almost all colors with either creme or multicolored in stock.
Anyway- fabulous recommendation- only been carrying them and writing in them for two days now and I love it…
(Edit: Glad you like them. I may well start to import them into the UK… mainly so I can always find them! - Murk)
if interested, I found a store located in Paris (France) who carries Ciak notebooks as well. The address is http://www.skripta-paris.com (the homepage is in French, but there is an English version if you click on…English version” button on right! They seem to have a larger choice of colors and models
I Love Ciak journals! I use one for uni. and as a planner to take down all my little notes
I’ve just bought one from a website right here in the U.k http://www.thejournalshop.com (after endless searching that is - the Ciak notebooks in paperchase just don’t look very well kept??!) Also, on http://www.Ciak.co.uk they have a long list of stockists. I haven’t bought anything yet, but I’ve noticed that they now have a distributor for Ciak in the u.k! yay!
(Don’t forget my ebay store - though currently I am out of ciak)
Let’s hope we’ll be seeing more of our favourite notebooks
By the way, I’m loving the blog!
(Edit: Thanks - Murk)
keep writing,
Love all round,
Sarah
I have also spent a long time searching for the perfect notebook; found one made by an Italian company called Circa; now have no clue where I bought it, and when I Google Circa I get nothing. I wondered if you or anyone who visits your site might know about Circa and where to buy them. They are the most beautiful leather books with thick paper, absolutely plain, and come in black and red.
Thank you so much.
Yours,
Tania.
Never heard of Circa, I do know Ciak though….
Ciak do have those colours, and can be plain (I really must reorder soon)
Though the message was place about a year ago but there is definitely an Italian brand named Circa, click this link.
Good luck!
Bushman - thanks for your tip! I found them at Sam Flax’s website, too. Wow! I was going to order them from the UK and pay almost $25 in shipping. I’ve spent over an hour online trying to loop and zero in on a US website I could order them from. I am getting the ciak small pink journal for my wife and probably a Tornado pen that will match. Thanks!!!
an FYI– these journals are available from Barnes & Nobles.
http://gifts.barnesandnoble.com/Home-gift/Ciak-Turquoise-Italian-Leather-Journal-with-Multi-Color-Pages-5×7/e/9780641798061/?cds2Pid=18719
yes, and a pen can go in the slot between the two covers and the elastic pad really nicely.
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