When I make things, they need to have a purpose. I might want a leather pouch to store an almanack for example. Or else I get consumed with the desire to possess something beautiful and feel compelled to make it myself.

The latter was the case with this beautiful hand bound journal. My friend Kate came over to visit recently and she was sewing a journal to use at Uni. I fell in love immediately. The veg tanned cow hide was beautiful as was the stitch on the spine binding the pages to the cover. I was filled with must make!

Luckily for me Kate was happy to barter some leather for an avocado button I had made. You can turn avocado pips into pendants, buttons and earrings with a small knife and a bit of imagination.

When I first started making the journal I got very excited. I was having so much fun and it was so easy. I'd already ear marked money from next pay to buy some leather and was trying to figure out which paper would be the best to use for the pages. Not too heavy and not too light. Something with texture and durability. I imagines making lots of journals and selling them.

And then it took longer than I anticipated. And it got trickier that I first thought. And after that I decided maybe one was enough after all :)