<p>I&#8217;ve seen a lot of journals in my time, most created with the typical American approach to consumption: lovely enough to behold and write in, but pretty much intended as single-use repositories for our thoughts. So when <a href="https://www.centralcrafts.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CentralCrafts</a> — a seller of bespoke, handcrafted products in U.K.&#8217;s Hertfordshire Countryside — approached me about reviewing one of their journals, I figured it would be pretty much what I&#8217;d become accustomed to.</p>
<p>My contact there suggested the <a href="https://www.centralcrafts.co.uk/cortona-handmade-leather-bound-extra-large-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cortona Leather Bound Extra Large Journal</a> and I selected the navy banded in tan, personalized with my initials in gold in the lower right hand corner. This is just one of many available dreamy <a href="https://www.centralcrafts.co.uk/journals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">personalised leather journals</a>, by the way.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19262" src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/14478-1.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="560" />This handmade Italian beauty arrived last week, beautifully giftboxed and accompanied by a drawstring cotton bag. If this sounds more like I&#8217;m describing a Prada handbag than a journal, that&#8217;s no coincidence: The exquisite leather is from a top-grain hide called Spazzolato. That&#8217;s not a fancy term for too much coffee, that&#8217;s a perfect skin usually reserved for high-end designer handbags. Running your fingers over its smooth surface, you know that it will become even more gorgeous with the passage of time and use.</p>
<p>So if the typical American journal is Target, this is Bergdorf Goodman all the way. It&#8217;s hard to pick a favorite element. Would it be the carefully hand-sewn edging, meticulously contoured around the journal, or the creamy leaves of paper that fill it, also Italian and acid-free? I picked blank sheets, but lined pages are also available. Whether your medium of choice is Le Pen, fountain pen or pencil, your ideas will look their best here!<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19263" src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/14478-3.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="560" /> <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19266" src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CortonaNavy72px.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="530" /> <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19265" src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Cortona72px.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="530" /></p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-95156" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-95156 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="95156" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-10003205 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-behind-the-booth category-sponsored-post tag-nss2020 tag-andrews-mcmeel tag-calendars tag-childrens-t-shirts tag-christmas-stockings tag-creative-social-retreat tag-gingiber tag-give-yourself-margin tag-greeting-cards tag-illustration tag-moda-fabrics tag-national-stationery-show tag-nss tag-ny-now tag-oprah-winfrey tag-oprahs-favorite-things-list-2019 tag-paper-bandit-press tag-piccolina-kids tag-sarah-schwartz tag-sponsored-post tag-stacie-bloomfield tag-stationery tag-stationery-blog tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-t-shirts tag-tea-towels tag-the-paper-chronicles" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/gingiber-at-nss2020/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_3961.jpg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/behind-the-booth/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Behind the Booth</a><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/sponsored-post/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Sponsored</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/gingiber-at-nss2020/">Gingiber at #NSS2020!</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2019-11-25T14:00:58+00:00">November 25, 2019</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10003205"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>
<p>Oh, and when you&#8217;ve filled the pages up, take the European approach &; just <a href="https://www.centralcrafts.co.uk/ilcarta-extra-large-cream-italian-paper-journal-refill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buy a refill</a> to pop in &; you&#8217;re good to go again. The personalization takes it over the top as an unforgettable gift or essential sidekick. Shipping to the US is <a href="https://www.centralcrafts.co.uk/global-shipping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reasonable</a> — especially with a keepsake of this caliber! The biggest challenge is deciding which gorgeous shade to order — will it be the black, navy, ivory and brown?</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19264" src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/14478-4.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="560" /></p>