A Journal Cover Made to Be Lived In

I’ve drooled over Louise Carmen and Paper Republic travel journal covers. Go on, search them up.. 😉

Oh, the ‘unboxings’…!

However, right now, they’re not in my budget.

So instead of sighing and scrolling on, I went to my craft table and made my own.

And I absolutely love it.

This journal cover wasn’t designed to be perfect. It was designed to be mine.

I chose a deep, inky leather that feels sturdy but warm in the hands. I added hand-set eyelets, elastic closures, and small charms that feel personal rather than polished. It’s imperfect in all the right ways; slightly wonky, quietly characterful, and already starting to soften and crease where my hands hold it most.

There’s something deeply satisfying about that.

This cover came out of a season where money is tight, life feels full, and I needed something grounding. Making it reminded me that beauty doesn’t have to come from expensive places, sometimes it comes from slowing down, using what you have, and trusting your hands.

After sharing this with a few friends, I realised something: I can’t be the only one who loves the idea of a leather journal cover but can’t justify the price tag of the big brands.

So I’m going to make more.

Each one will be handmade by me, slightly different from the next, and designed to feel personal rather than mass-produced.

I’ll be listing them on Etsy soon, and when I do, I hope they find their way into hands that will fill them with prayers, plans, memories, sketches, or grocery lists, something extraordinary in the ordinary.

Sometimes, the thing you’re longing for isn’t something you need to buy.

Sometimes, it’s something you’re meant to make.