There is no shortage of pocket notebook options today, from traditional Moleskines to those department store knock-offs we’ve all picked up in moments of desperation. Yet for sheer creativity and attention to detail, Field Notes’ quarterly edition subscriber packs can always be relied on to inspire. So when it came time to celebrate their 50th release, we knew they’d present us with something special.
Going back to the basics for this edition, each saddle stitched notebook features a simple cover made from 100 lb. Red Hot French Paper Pop-Tone Cover stock [PRO members: Get Swatchbook!] with the “Field Notes” logo printed in Silver UV ink on the front.
Peeking out through a small die cut circle where the “o” in “Notes” should be is the number “50” against a color background. Lifting the cover reveals a flyleaf in 1 of 3 different colors commemorating a previous Field Notes quarterly release: Safety Orange from “Dime Novel,” Nightshift Blue from “End Papers,” and Gumdrop Green from “Grass Stain Green.” Inside, the graph paper pages are 60 lb. “Bright White” Finch Paper Opaque Smooth Text.
But all of this is just the appetizer for the main event: a handsome Anniversary Desk Ledger. This 96 page, 9-x-5.5 inch landscape volume features a Red Hot French Paper Pop-Tone cover to match the 3 notebooks, as well as an exposed Smyth-sewn binding using Silver and Black thread– very trendy indeed!
Always up for some die-cutting fun, Field Notes has cut out the word “Fifty” on the front cover so that a different color stock shows through each letter. Now how do you suppose they managed to do that?
The mystery is solved as you turn the pages of the first signature only to discover that they’re made from different French Paper colored stocks. (Colored papers are always a nice alternative to flooding White paper with colored inks.) The same die cuts are repeated on each page, but with one letter missing each time: “Fifty” gives way to “ifty” and so on. An assortment of facts, trivia, and whimsical illustrations further bring these colorful pages to life.
The next 64 pages are wide dot-graph ones perfect for doodling and designing, while the final signature presents a gallery of the first 50 Field Notes quarterly editions. This includes covers, stats and notes, all printed CMYK+White on 70 lb. French Paper Dur-O-Tone Packing Brown Wrap Text.
The Smyth-sewn binding on the Anniversary Desk Ledger was a great choice for emphasizing the craftsman like look of the piece, but the truth is we have many binding options open to us today. For a detailed look at the 12 most popular ones, as well as relative price differences, be sure to download our free Binding Cheat Sheet right now!
