I fell for CIAK back in 2007 and their notebooks and journals still make me swoon.

Handmade in Italy, these soft, colourful notebooks, diaries, address books and accessories are more than just a place to write - they are made for those of us who not only like to capture our ideas and thoughts on paper, we like to bring them with us wherever we go.

The black elastic closure on every item means that you can stash it in your briefcase, tote, purse or carry-on without ever having to worry about the pages crumpling or tearing like a regular notebook. Which means that your ideas stay pristine no matter how many miles you log every day/week.

You can also customize how you like to write  and draw:

- Do you like a big plain journal that's also eco-friendly? Then the 15x21 cm blank notebook with gorgeous recycled ivory paper means that you can sketch and write to your hearts content. The luxury of filling 256 large, thick recycled ivory pages, finished with a decadent man-made leather cover, will no doubt be a big boost to your creativity. And be sure to get it in a colour that inspires you. I've got it in red and it's the most beautiful red. Like a vintage coke machine or fire truck, it's the perfect shade that will work from the most elite office to a fashionable accessory out for coffee with the girls.

- Do you want to keep on the straight and narrow? Because I write a ton every day, I need lines to keep my thoughts organized. That's why I love my  CIAK 12x17 cm lined notebook. It's the perfect size so I can stash it in my bag without it taking up too much room or weighing too much. The elastic band keeps it from coming open and it's got gorgeous ivory paper - 256 pages of 'em - in which to write on. It's the best feeling to have somewhere lovely to write, where the weight of the paper feels so good that you just keep going and going... And of course the cover is so sumptuous, though it's made of man-made leather, that you'll never go back to writing in something from the office supply store again.

- Do you like to keep it compact? Sometimes you just want a place to jot things down, without having to carry around something heavy.  The 9x13 cm blank notebook in lime green is summery and fun and with 192 blank certified ecologic ivory pages, you've still got room to keep track of all of your errands, to-dos, thoughts, dreams, dates and doodles.

I love Ciak because you get insanely rich and indulgent product that's mindful of the environment without draining your pocketbook. Swoon.

Whether you're getting these for yourself or for gifts, I think you'll see the difference that writing in a beautiful notebook makes.

Shop Ciak now or find a location near you.