Bullet Journal Review: Archer and Olive Dot Grid Notebook

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Today, I want to talk about the Archer and Olive notebooks, which have been the talk all over the Bullet Journal community and stand out among all the Bullet Journal supplies out there.

Do you want to learn what it’s all about and if these notebooks are worth it? I’m here to share with you all you need to know in my Archer and Olive notebook review!

I should start by saying that I’m the proud owner of quite a few Archer and Olive notebooks, some of which I bought, and some were gifted to me by the wonderful Bonnie, the creative talent behind Archer and Olive. I’ve been using these notebooks for a while already and tested them with tons of different supplies.

So I’m ready to walk you through each detail of the notebooks and help you decide if it’s a good match for you.

Below, I listed all the details you want to know about these notebooks, as well as the grid spacing guide for both A5 and B5 notebooks. Plus, of course, a video review you can find at the end of the post.

Oh, and if you ever decide to get an Archer and Olive notebook, be sure to use code MASHA10 to get 10% off your order!

Let’s dive in!

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Packaging

Receiving an Archer and Olive notebook is like opening a Christmas present. Everything is so neat and pretty and absolutely on brand!

As a side note – all their packaging is actually 0 waste, and the notebooks are completely vegan and eco-friendly.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the image with the packaging because each time I’m getting one just so excited! But I’ll try to be more patient next time and snap you one. Or even do an unboxing video!

Cover

The first thing you’ll notice is the cover. The journals have a hardcover and it’s decorated with those neat and pretty florals or other little doodles.

Something you notice straight away – it’s not leather or faux leather cover. Archer and Olive covers are made of canvas, at least the one I have.

The pages are held together by a sturdy ribbon, and there are two bookmarks there. I love this because that way, I can bookmark both my monthly spread and my current weekly spread and reach the information I need faster.

There is also a pen loop, which will make it that much easier for you to plan on the go and not to spend hours looking for the pen inside the black hole we girls call a purse.

Now that we’re done looking at the notebook’s cover, let’s take a look inside so we can judge it properly.

Inside Archer and Olive Notebooks

The first page you’ll see, if you open the notebook like a normal person and not like a crazy over-excited corgi (like I do) is the introduction page, where you write your name and contact details.

I personally, never use it. Everyone around me knows if it’s a planner it must be mine. Still, I appreciate the page and how sweetly it’s decorated.

After that, we jump straight to the dot grid pages.

The standard Archer and Olive notebook (both A5 and B5) have 160 pages, but because of the binding, you might lose a page at the end and at the beginning.

However, Bonnie is always listening to us and trying to create the best notebooks, so as of October 2019 there is also a series of A5 notebooks with 192 pages!

The pages lie flat and are not numbered. The dots are 0.5 mm squared. Below see the grid guide for both A5 and B5 notebooks.

There are also no pre-made pages like you can find in Scribbles That Matter for example. 

There is a back pocket for all your stickers and cut-outs.

Pen Test

Of course, all the talk about Archer and Olive notebooks is mostly about their paper quality, so let’s look into it.

First, the paper is pure white! This is pretty rare since most of the notebooks use a bit more ivory paper tones. Why it’s so fantastic to have a white paper? All your colors on the white paper will look much brighter and true.

Second, the paper is 160 GSM, which means that it can withstand practically anything. All the markers and pens and watercolors that ruined the other notebooks don’t do anything to Archer and Olive ones.

I made a little doodling pen test with some pens that usually give me trouble: Karin Brushmarkers, Ecoline Brush Pens, Zebra Clickart, Stabilo Boss Highlighters, and Watercolor.

The pen test went smooth as ever – no bleeding or ghosting.

If you use watercolor, the paper soaks in a lot of water, so you’ll be able to tell when it dries. It’s not as good as a watercolor journal, but again – no bleeding or ghosting.

Generally, what I want to say about the paper is that it soaks all the colors well, and it’s pretty rough, definitely not as glossy as paper in other journals such as Dingbats for example.

Notebook Review Video

Want to see the pen test and the notebook in action – check out my review video below.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I’m in love with Archer and Olive notebooks and with the fact that they allow me now to try out a lot of different media. But let’s go through all the pros and cons to see if it might be a good fit for you.

Pros:

• Pure white paper
• 160 GSM paper can withstand it all
• Adorable covers

Cons:

• Pages not numbered
• No pre-made pages

What do you think? Could it be your next notebook?

Maybe you’re looking for something else. I bet Archer and Olive got you covered; let me mention some other planners they offer.

Archer and Olive Notebook Selection

As we already mentioned before, they have A5 and B5 dot grid notebooks, and A5 has a new line with 192 pages.

Apart from these, there are also little B6, square, travel size, US Letter, and pocket size cuties.

The notebooks also come with different grids – lined, dot grid, or simply blank.

And, of course, let’s not forget about journals with different color dot grid paper – blackout and kraft paper.

Love watercolor? Archer and Olive have watercolor journals (and notepads). It’s A5 dot grid notebooks with watercolor paper.

If you’re looking for a pre-made planner, they also have you covered. Archer and Olive have a line of dated and undated pre-made planners.

Yes, I might be a bit overly obsessed with this brand, but the quality of the notebooks and the message behind the brand speak to me. 

If you want to see my Archer and Olive notebook pages, check out my August and October Plan With Me, where I used the Blackout Book. And, of course, 31 Days of Bullet Journal Page Ideas video series, where I created most of the spreads in my B5 Archer and Olive notebook.

Does Archer and Olive sound like your next notebook? Or maybe you use and love some other journal? Share with us in the comments!

Remember to use code MASHA10 on checkout to get 10% off your order.

Hope this post was interesting; if you find it so, please share! If you enjoy my content and want to show your appreciation, please consider supporting me with a cup of coffee.

And remember: Keep Bullet Journaling, and Don’t be a Blob! 

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