Friday, September 7, 2012

Review Time! Cavallini Roma Lussa Journals Black 6 x 8, 416 Softbound Leather Cavallini & Co


The Cavallini Roma Lussa 6 x 8 inch journal is simply amazing! Each aspect of this journal is made by hand in Florance, Italy. The paper is high quality, the leather cover is soft and supple, and the feel of the journal in your hands makes it a pleasure to use. Before I get to my review of this journal, I would like to note that I purchased this journal from Amazon. This is not a review sample.

About The Paper: 

 
Unlike most journals you will find on the market, this journal contains 416 acid-free pages of thick high quality paper. The paper of this journal is thick enough for me to use a fountain pen with out any problems. For this test I used my Lamy extra fine tip fountain pen. I experienced no problems with bleed through at all which I personally find impressive. On the back of the page is some slight ghosting, but not enough to be a problem -this can be seen in the photo below.

 Finding a journal that a fountain pen can be used on is hard work so I am very please with this journal. Please note: I do not know if all fountain pens will work on this type of paper, but the Lamy Safari Fountain Pen works very nicely.

The photo above shows the beautiful marble painting that decorates the edges of this journal. Personally I love the marble design and the beautiful pattern. This pattern was created by hand which makes each journal an unique work of art!


Above is another photo of the beautiful marble design from a different angle. Gorgeous!


Another unique feature of this journal is its sewn binding, which is very similar to the book bindings found in high quality Bibles. Sewn book bindings last much longer than glued bindings. With a sewn binding you never have to worry about the pages falling out of the book.

About The Cover:

 The cover of this edition is crafted from genuine leather. The leather is supple and flexible making this journal a pleasure to use. The grain of the leather is well defined and simple beautiful. A leather strap wraps around the journal to help keep it closed - a very old world touch which I personally love. Due to the quality of this journal, you can be sure that it will last for years to come.

About The Company:
Since 1989, Cavallini Co. has been creating gift and stationery products with a commitment to quality and uniqueness. Twenty-three years later, Cavallini remains an old-fashioned company dedicated to excellence, design and integrity. Cavallini believes that when you focus on doing things right, everything else falls into place. They find their inspiration in everything from a hand-colored 18th century engraving, a Parisian city guide from 1921, to a print found in a vintage French encyclopedia. Drawing from rich pieces of ephemera in the Cavallini archives, they strive to retain the integrity and authenticity of the images integrated into their  products.

My Personal Opinion: 

Personally this is the best journal I have ever owned.  For the past few months I have been looking for a good journal for writing down my own personal prayers, poems and spiritual experiences. Its always good to keep a record of your prayer life so that you can look back on your experiences later on. This journal is just perfect for my needs. With this journal I can rest assured that my thoughts and personal prayers will last for generations. As someone who enjoys writing I find this aspect to be wonderful. I also love the old world charm of this journal. The old world look is simply breath taking. If you have a passion for writing this is the perfect journal. I highly recommend Cavallini Roma Lussa Journals.




In Honor of Wiccan Awareness Month: 
Similar to keeping a prayer journal, Wiccans and many Pagans keep a type of spiritual journal called a Book of Shadows (BOS for short). Many people choose to use the longer name Book of Shadows and Light for their BOS, while others use the term Book of Light. Which ever name one chooses is a personal preference and the book still serves the same purposes regardless of its name. Unlike in the movies a Book of Shadows is not a standardized spell book. In fact it is usually created by the individual for personal or family usage. Unlike the prayer journals used by people of many different faiths, a Book of Shadows is created to cover a variety of topics. So whats in a BOS? Anything that is of spiritual importance to the owner - including: statements of faith, information regarding the individual's spiritual life, the individual's research into their faith and beliefs, spiritual events from the person's life, religious rituals, prayers, spells (prayers with props), and any other information regarding one's spiritual practice. Anything that one feels should be recorded for future reference is often included in their Book of Shadows. As with a prayer journal many use their BOS to follow their connection with the Creator and to keep track of their spiritual experiences. It is always good to see the progress one makes with their connection to the Divine and many use their Book of Shadows for this purpose. 

Below is a video by Flora Peterson about her Book of Shadows. Mrs. Peterson is highly regarded within the Pagan community. She is an Eclectic Spiritualist who offers Eclectic Spiritual Earth Based Programs for spiritual education and empowerment. For more information about Mrs. Peterson check out her website at http://www.mflorapeterson.com/

The Least You Need to Know
Wiccans and Pagans both use a Book of Shadows to record their spiritual business. This is not simply a place where they keep spells, chants, and rituals. A Book of Shadows is used to write down one's personal musings, the results of one's prayer life, and whatever else someone feels should be included in their Book of Shadows for later reference.