New TakeNote Notebooks and Journals were recently released on ErinCondren.com — Create an account through my link for $10 your order. I’ve ordered the Erin Condren Notebooks in the past and I use them for keeping me organized at work. Now that new Notebooks and Journals are out, I wanted to do a review.
I chose a Journal and also a 8.5″x11″ Notebook both with the new Dot Grid option and the new Erin Condren gem tone pens. I love the covers I chose for each and there are lots of other customizable and Good To Go options to choose from. The pages are perforated too, so you can easily remove a page and it doesn’t have those scraggly edges.
The Notebooks are so cute! You can choose between the original 7″x9″ size and the larger 8.5″x11″ size. I chose the 8.5×11″ size (see my unboxing of the 2015 notebook version). There are also different coil color options (rose gold, gold, silver) when choosing your personalized cover. If you’ve used the LifePlanner at all, then you’ll appreciate the thick coil and interchangeable covers + accessories.
Both Journals and Notebooks come with a sticker page of flags in the back that you can use as headers or dividers in your new notebook. I love the notebook and the dot grid pages.
I would repurchase the 8.5×11″ and I will probably try out the 7×9″ as well. Save $10 off your purchase when you create an account through my link.
Journal
I wanted to love the journal — I do love the cover I chose; it’s beautiful and I love the smooth, satiny feel! But I was very disappointed with the quality of the binding on the journal. I opened my journal so the book would lay flat and it was fine; no issues. But when I tried to tear out one of the front pages along the perforated edge, the entire front few pages separated from the book entirely.
I won’t be purchasing the journals again, but I do love the layout of the dot grid pages and the colorful flags in the corners.
GemTone Pens
I have mixed feelings about these pens. First off, I love the colors and I like the touch of gold lettering on the cap and the end of the pen. 
I like the way they write in my Notebook, but they seem scratchy on other paper and the ink skips occasionally. Also, the Orchid color pen had been leaking in the cap and was super messy when I first used it. :/ Such a bummer. 
I much prefer the party pops marker pens for the quality and vibrant colors. Here is a comparison with the Pilot G2-07:
Overall review: I love the new dot grid option and I much prefer the Notebook over the Journal. The cover selection is beautiful. The gem tone pens are not my favorite and I won’t purchase them again, but they’re ok to use and the colors are super pretty. If you’d like to save $10 off your Erin Condren purchase, create an account through my link.
