Write It Down

“Dear Universe, it would be nice if you could clue me in on where I can find blank journals to write on.”

I’ve heard it said time and again, ask and you shall receive. And I did.  Look what I found

Photo courtesy of Alunsina Handbound Books

My search for journals and blank books has led to some pretty interesting finds like the unbelievably pretty little ones from Free Verse Paperie which I wrote about in this post.  But, leather bound ones are, for me, to die for. So forgive me for drooling over these journals by Alunsina Handbound Books.

Leather bound journals
 Photo from Alunsina Handbound Books

Photo courtesy of Alunsina Handbound 

I love these journals because they are handmade.  It takes four to eight hours to make one journal and Coptic binding is used to create them. Which leads me to another reason why I love these journals – Coptic binding (a method of putting together paper to create a book developed by an early group of Christians called the Copts) allows you to open the book flat making it an ideal art journal or every-day-write-what-I-had-for-breakfast journal.  I am left-handed and I really, really, really like journals that I can lay flat to write on.

The covers of these journals also serve to highlight the beauty of indigenous hand-woven fabric from the Philippines. Tinalak, Yakan and  “habi” fabric from Cotabato are just some of the indigenous materials that have graced the covers of Alunsina Handbound journals.  One can also find beautiful journals covered in batik as well as fabric from India and Burma in stock.

Journal covered in indigenous Filipino fabric
Photo courtesy of Alunsina Handbound Books

T'nalak covered journals.
Photo courtesy of Alunsina Handbound Journals

The journals come in  several sizes – again, another reason to love them because I like to carry journals around with me (I have one in my bag and I keep another at home).  There’s the big journal sketchbook which measures 27 cm x 19 cm and the handy-dandy regular journal sketchbook that measures 22 cm. x 14 cm.  Each journal has 112 pages – more than enough to write down all your angst about your most recent break-up don’t you think?

And then, there’s the price.  I know what you’re thinking – “Mahal ‘yan, I’m sure”.  BZZZZZ – wrong answer.  The journals are priced quite reasonably considering all the work that goes into them and the materials they use.  A leather-bound journal will cost you less than P500 and the handy-dandy journal goes for about P300.  Now I think that is QUITE a steal.  And they have wholesale prices too.  Hah! That’s just enough for this journal addict to definitely want a fix.

If you want to read more about these lovely journals, go take a peek at Alunsina Handbound Book’s blog.  Or visit their page on Facebook (I can see you clicking that “LIKE” button already). You can order online and have it delivered to your doorstep - or, if you can't wait to get your hands on them, Alunsina Handbound will be at the Supersale Bazaar at the Rockwell Tent on July 15 - 17, 2011.