Storytime: I was on the search for a nice leather journal that I could refillā as a grad gift to myself, because Iām a lifelong writer & I rotate between 2-4 different journalsā and I fell in LOVE with the Paper Republic/Louise Carmen trifold style! Only thing is I wasnāt willing to pay $300 for what was basically a sheet of vegetable tanned leather that you could get anywhere and some fancy cords lol
Sadly I didnāt have leather suppliers in my area to make my own BUT I found an Etsy seller that made leather goods, including A5 sized journalsā came out to be $70 including shipping & tax and it is by far the best thing Iāve ever bought. The leather+stone color+cord color was part of the customization with no extra charge, and the charms at the spine were made by me using some necklaces I no longer used :)
Jun 24, 2025
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When instead you can buy the materials for another craft you donāt needšāāļø
But actually, I love writing/journaling and I knew I would use a journal cover like this a lot (especially because I love that they can hold multiple books that you can swap out when theyāre full) and I even made a mini one for my purse!! Did I need to buy whole hides, leather tools, etc.? Probably not, but theyāve made good giftsš
Iām so excited for the leather to patina already.
May 8, 2025
disclaimer: I havenāt been to this store bec I didnāt know of its existence when I went to Paris before, but Iāve been following their account for a while now. (Photo from their instagram)
getting a personalized journal from this store is on my bucketlist! I love all the options for the inserts and notebooks. But I especially like how you can customize the leather, emboss a quote or mantra, and choose your own accessories. You can decide what use you want from it, and I feel like it grows with you as you go through life.
If you end up getting one, Iāll truly be jealous (in the best way possible)
Oct 28, 2024
I cant afford those louise carmen journals so i made a better one myself. i think its more my style anyway.
Mar 10, 2025
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It shows a long life and the many smiles you've given and experienced!! It's a permanent remembrance of happiness and I think that's beautiful!!
Mar 14, 2025
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There's been a handful of zine-making events in my area and it's helped me 1) explore my art styles & other mediums of creativity, and 2) meet some really cool zine authors!! Highly recommend <3
May 16, 2025
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My steps:
1. Shut my phone down, hide it in my room, and lock the door so it's a pain in the ass to get to.
2. Be bored, and sit in the boredom for like 7-10 minutes (MINIMUM)-- once you're bored see what your brain gravitates to beyond The Screen (is it doodling? is it playing guitar? is it writing?)
3. Find the little thing your brain latches on to, and start doing it! Even if it's something goofy like "Just Dance youtube videos" to dance to LOL this is you, deliberately following your brain's natural curiosity & interest
And then rinse and repeat however you like <3 Once you get accustomed to the smaller, more gratifying feel good activities, social media starts to feel too overwhelming to even pick back up again-- you'll be reaching for it less and less
(a final aside: I am of the major belief that creativity & imagination is critical to creating a better reality to live in, because it shows that you're capable of leaning into what "doesn't exist", and are courageous enough to imagine and build a reality that defies the status quo. but that's just me LOL)
Jun 10, 2025