My Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal Review — A Paper Lover’s Paradise?
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Curious what notebook to try next? Read my Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal review to see if this notebook is what you’re looking for!
This post is sponsored by Archer & Olive. Although I am receiving compensation for this post, all comments and reviews of products received are mine and mine alone. I strive only to promote products that I think are excellent.
Paper Paradise
I’m always on the hunt for new journals to try, so I was over the moon when Archer & Olive got in touch to review their Signature Dot Grid Journal! I’ve been curious about Archer & Olive for a while. Over the past year or so, I’ve started hearing rumors that this brand produced the best paper quality for bullet journaling. So of course I’m thrilled for the opportunity to see if these rumors are true!
My Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal Review
Archer and Olive sent me two of their signature Dot Grid Journals to play with — the “Pink Flowers” style and the “Night Sky” style. Here is my honest Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal review!
What I Loved
There is a lot to love with the Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journals. Let me count the ways!
The Gorgeous Cover Options
The two journals that I received from Archer & Olive are simply lovely, but there are so many other designs to oogle at! These journals come in a variety of colors, patterns, and styles. I love that there are so many amazing options to choose from. Can you believe that some journal brands only offer a few colors?
It Lies Flat
A notebook that lies flat is a great gift. There is nothing more annoying than trying to letter something or draw out a spread while the page keeps bobbing up and down because it can’t lie flat.
The Paper Thickness
The paper of the Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal is a hefty 160 GSM, making it ideal for folks with a brush or fountain pen collection. When I did a pen test using all the pens I could think of, I only found two that bled through — a Sharpie brush pen and a Pilot Parallel pen, and neither came as a surprise. They’re both very bleedy pens. Other than that, there wasn’t a whisper of ghosting or bleeding with any of my brush pens, markers, fountain pens, or gel pens. The paper even withstood a few watercolor samples without breaking a sweat!
The Bright White Paper
Personally, I prefer a more creamy colored paper when it comes to my journals. However, you can’t deny that the bright white paper of the Archer & Olive Dot Grid pages are beautiful. And that stark white paper is excellent for photography! So if you’re hoping to share the contents of your journal on social media, then you’ll definitely be a fan of this notebook’s quality.
The Bells and Whistles
The Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal has a few little details that are worth pointing out. For one, it has a really nice pen loop. I rarely carry a single pen, so I often don’t use the pen loop. I do know that some people swear by it, though, so it’s great that a pen loop comes attached. The firm, snappy elastic band keeps the journal locked up tight when it’s rattling around in your purse or backpack, so that’s a big ol’ plus. And last but not least, this journal comes with a unique Archer & Olive ampersand charm at the end of one of the bookmarks. This is not only an attractive accent, but it’s also a surefire way to know you’re getting the real deal and not a cheap knock off.
The Company
When I purchase products, I love buying from companies who ideals line up with my own. That makes Archer & Olive an excellent choice for me for future journal purchases, because this company is bomb. Archer & Olive believes in a lot of things. First of all, it’s a woman-owned business, which is an automatic check in my book since Little Coffee Fox is also a woman-owned company. We boss ladies gotta stick together! Second of all, Archer & Olive cares about the environment, which is a big hot button issue for me. They are working toward reducing waste and making their company more green even though that’s not always the easiest choice as a business. Another thing I admire is that Archer & Olive cares about creators. I’ve seen so many companies rip ideas off of small creators or try to bully, manipulate, or cajole artists into giving free work. Archer & Olive makes sure to take care of the creative community by valuing artists and paying them fairly for their work. It’s a huge breath of fresh air.
And lastly, I want to tell you about how much Archer & Olive is an advocate for mental health. Bonnie, the founder of Archer & Olive, strongly believes in supporting mental health — both for her customers and her employees. Her workers get unlimited paid time off so they can focus on their health, and that makes my heart so happy. And the whole reason she started a journal company in the first place was to help others realize the incredible power of journaling. Basically, this company is the embodiment of good vibes and positive change. That makes their amazing products a million times better!
One Criticism
There are many majorly good things about the Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal, but I did run into one problem worth noting.
The Dots Are Sometimes Misaligned
Because all the journals are hand-bound, there can be some inconsistencies between the dot grids from page to page. I noticed some grid misalignments where the two pages meet at the binding. This can definitely be an annoyance if you are doing a spread across two pages. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t work with the grids. You can still use the grids as a guide to keep your lines from wandering, but you might have to think about it a bit more.
Your Next Bullet Journal?
The Archer & Olive Dot Grid Journal packs a mighty punch. This high-quality, heavy-duty, jaw-dropping journal is the perfect indulgence for your next bullet journal, planner, or Morning Pages. Check out the wide range of gorgeous covers and find your next must-have!
