Traditionally, the moon is a symbol of mystery and the esoteric, affecting all those who bask in its ephemeral radiance. Whether you’re a humble scribe pondering amorous dreams by moonlight, a concerned member of the werewolf community, or a covert midnight oil-burning fan of stenography, the great white orb is an integral part of humanity’s cultural consciousness. Now, with the recent release of the Lunacy Edition memo booklet by Field Notes, reflecting under the lunar deity has never been more engaging or stylish.
Inspired by the forgotten sub-genre of American agricultural pocket ledgers and ‘the simple, unassuming beauty of a well-crafted grocery list’, the Chicago-based company offers an exquisite range of bespoke notepads, stationery and memo books. The project was originally conceived of by designer Aaron Draplin, whose love for American ephemera and the ‘feed-seeds’ of the 1950s triggered the creation of the first 100 or so pocketbooks. After sending all of his copies to friends, Jim Coudal, a lucky recipient of one of Draplin’s books, asked to be a part of the project. In less than a week, Field Notes was born through the collaboration of the Draplin Design Company of Portland and Coudal Partners of Chicago. Beginning with packages of three graph-ruled booklets, Field Notes has gone on to print many variations of their original work, including the wildly popular Quarterly Edition pocketbooks.
The Lunacy Edition is, in their own words, a perfect example ‘of an idea that started simply and then got a bit out of hand…maybe more than a bit’. Originally beginning life as a set of memo books celebrating the Harvest Moon, their office exploded into a cacophony of lunate ideas. The result is a set of 4 gorgeous booklets representing each lunar phase, complete with embossed covers, facts, folklore and a haunting shot of the dark side of the moon in the back of each.
Their back catalogue boasts a range of other charming pocket accoutrements, such as the Byline Edition, perfect for the budding reporter trying to find the next big scoop, or the retro-futuristic Black Ice Edition, an ideal stocking filler for the fledgling ‘bureauphile’. All their products are imbued with a sense of gentle pondering, innocence and unparalleled Americana. They are an appreciation of a slower pace of life. A time when all you really wanted was the latest news on corn.