Rhodia Large Blank Webbie and a Giveaway!

Many, many thanks to the fabulous Stephanie for inviting me to review the new Rhodia Blank Webnotebook and offering an extra for a giveaway. As always, the incredible Karen Doherty made this possible.

One of the new orange Rhodia webnotebooks to play with. Hmmm. A new blank orange Rhodia webnotebook to play with. Hmmm, hmmmm. A new blank large orange Rhodia webnotebook to play with. Can life get any better than that? How about one webbie to review and one for a giveaway!

The New Rhodia Blank Webbie seems pretty much the same as the Classic Rhodia Webbie, just blank paper--but don't let that fool you. There is one major difference and a few minor ones that make this a different writing experience.

Among the minor changes (at least to me) is the blank paper--I love my Classic Webbie but the lined paper somehow seems inhibiting. I've been writing away in it for months now, and something seems to be missing. When I doodle, it's as if I'm constricted in my movement. Now, the blank paper lets me write or draw any way I want to, and that's a big plus.

A second minor (to me, that is) change is the removal of the Rhodia logo on the bottom right pages. I never minded that too much, but it does give the webbie a cleaner look and feel. It adds about a half inch or so of writing space, and there's no more distraction (I guess--I actually liked it, but I seem to be in the minority on this).



The really important change is this: the pages now lie absolutely flat, as the above picture demonstrates pretty well. On the left is my Classic Webbie with pages sticking straight up no matter how many times I bend the spine and smooth the paper down.

On the right is the New Webbie: just one bend-and-smooth motion and the pages lay perfectly flat on the table and never moved at all. Congrats Rhodia, you just made an excellent journal even better!



So what about the writing experience? Well, it's the same fantastic Clairefontaine paper, 90gsm silky smooth ivory vellum that's fountain pen friendly. I did notice a heavy shadow on the opposite side, but no bleed through at all. Overall it's a truly delicious writing experience.

Two journal sizes are available as with the lined webbies; the larger blank journal pictured above clocks in at 5.5 x 8.25 (available at Goulet Pens) and the smaller, blank pocket webbie which measures 3.5 x 5.5 (and available at JetPens).

If you want more New Webbie pics and a very thorough review then check out Peaceable Writer's post and (enter her Webbie giveaway as well).

UPDATE:
For another review (but no giveaway, lol), check out The Pen-Guin.

Vicki Holdwick of Faint Heart Art is also reviewing and giving away a Webbie 3.0, you can enter here.

Here's Madame Purl's review and giveaway, do take a look!


THE GIVEAWAY:

One (1) orange Rhodia large blank webbie will be given away to one lucky winner who leaves a comment by Sunday, August 15 by 5:30 pm EST.

A winner will be chosen using a random number generator; the format is as follows: first post is #1, second post is #2, third post is #3, etc.

I will ship internationally, so do leave a comment and don't worry about the postage.

The winner will be announced on Monday, August 16, and you will have one (1) week to send me your mailing information. In the event no one gets in touch with me, a new winner will be announced.

Good luck!