So like I mentioned in my last post, one of my New Year’s Resolutions this year is to write down one thing that made me happy each and every day this year. To symbolize my commitment to that goal, I was shopping around for a nice leather journal to write my happy thoughts in.
Now, I don’t write about products very often, so when I do, you know it’s because I’ve stumbled across something special. Remember when I wrote that post about what it means to be an artisan? No? Mmmmk, maybe start there. It kind of explains why I’m so excited to write this post.
Done? Great.
The journal I bought is made by a company called Wanderings. They’re a small shop that actually gives a damn about the products they sell, and the people they sell them to. That right there makes me want to support them. But without a good product, you’ve got nothing, right? So here’s why I love the journal so much.
Quality
The journal is made from high-quality leather. You can see, feel and smell it when you take it out of the box it ships in. The leather is thick, and strikes the right balance between being firm and flexible. There are no flashy words or designs on the leather; just a clean, subtle compass logo debossed in the bottom-right corner. Slick.
Form
The design of the journal is beautiful. I feel like frikkin Indiana Jones when I pick it up. There are metal accent pieces on the bottom and back of the journal, and the elastic that stretches around the leather to keep the journal closed is a great design; there’s a piece of leather attached to the elastic, so that the elastic doesn’t dig into the edges of your journal while it’s being stored away.
Now heads-up: the leather is designed to wear and scratch up over time. It’s meant to develop a rugged, worn look to it, and I love that. Over time, the journal will look like it can tell as many stories about my travels and experiences as the person who wrote in it.
Function
The journal ships stocked with three replaceable notebooks inside. I love that this journal is reloadable; when you run out of space, just swap out the notebooks with new ones. You don’t have to go out and buy a whole new journal, which is great because I think this thing is going to last a lifetime.
Replacing the notebooks is a piece of cake; you slide one out of the elastic holding it in place, and just slide a new one right in. The notebooks themselves are nice, made with good quality paper. I write in mine with a fountain pen, and there’s no bleed or anything like that. There’s a bit of feathering, but nothing to complain about.
The Seller
I bought this journal off Amazon after reading literally hundreds of five-star reviews on it. People talked about the quality, yeah, but they talked about the customer service they received along the way too. I was unlucky with my shipment – my journal was damaged in transit. I contacted the seller, and they sent another one no questions asked. More shockingly, they told me to keep the damaged one, and the replacement they sent arrive the very next day. Now that’s service.
Wrapping it Up
All-in-all, this is a beautiful journal that I look forward to using for years to come. Holding it, I feel like I need to choose the words I write in it very carefully. At the same time, I feel inspired by the possibilities of what I could write about.
If your New Year’s Resolutions involve writing something down on an ongoing basis, or you’re just looking for a great journal for yourself or to give as a gift, do yourself a favour and grab this one. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed by the experience. You can buy it by clicking on the journal image below:
