A piece of the past for writing about the present

A few months ago, in our search for new treasures made from recycled materials, we discovered Attic Journals, the brainchild of Portland, OR, entrepreneur Michelle Sanders.

She takes covers from discarded hardbound vintage books, often cast-offs from libraries or schools, and remakes them into journals and notebooks. We placed our first order just before Christmas, and customers snatched up the unique and different, as well as eco-friendly, gifts made from children's books, cookbooks and vintage books about writing and editing .

Earlier this week we received a new collection, including titles chosen by Michelle especially for Timeless Treasures. We're especially smitten with Margo and the Tiger, shown above, which would be a marvelous gift to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Tiger (2010), and Le Francais Vivant, a perfect place for noting details about a trip to Paris.

Each one contains 75 pages of unlined white paper and is bound together with a sturdy wire spiral. You can choose from our current selection at Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street, or see Michelle's online store here.

These intriguing notebooks remind us of what Oscar Wilde said about journals. "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something interesting to read on the train."