22 months ago, I sat down in front of my key-board to register a new business. It was exactly the 10th anniversary of my consulting career- I was itching for something new. I was certain I liked to create beautiful journals. I had a specific vision for the ideal journal; different textures, carefully-curated materials and unique prints. I knew the idea of creating journals in a digital world where most people simply did not keep notes or write was a challenging one. Yet, I trusted that there was a small population of people out there who, like me, enjoyed keeping journals, and an even bigger population would come to learn and love the power of journaling upon discovery.
Background:
I have been a die-hard collector of beautiful journals all my life. There are two sides to my journal journey; one of the collector, and the other, the serious diarist. Journals have been a constant companion of mine, seeing me through different seasons of my life. I struggle to imagine how I would be if I did not have an outlet to express my thoughts, to record the highs and lows of my life.
I always desired beautiful covers on journals; it made sense to me aesthetically- I also saw it as a form of pampering that completed my self-care routine. The quest for seeking out journals with beautiful and unique covers never increased over time. I have a tradition of starting a new journal to mark a new year, a new phase, a new project or a new study. Wrapping my ideas and thoughts in elegant journal covers just made the process all the more precious and significant.
So back to the scene where I was sitting in front of my PC. I entered the information on my business registration, reluctantly clicking “Stationary”, due to the lack of a better-fitting category description. Well, perhaps not the most romantic way to start a love story, but I was clear that this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to make specific beautiful journals, a pleasure for other like-minded journal keepers out there.
All this took place long before I became an avid painter.
Somehow, the stars aligned, albeit in a black-humoured way. The pandemic struck. What began as a weekend painting jam to pass time during the initial lock-down developed into a new-found love and passion for painting.
Even after the lock-down period passed, I was simply stuck to my weekly routine- I could not put my brushes down. I produced a new piece almost weekly. My house was littered with completed pieces, and that was when the idea of pairing art work with journals hit me. In many ways, the period of silence and inactivity brought on by the pandemic proved the perfect environment for ideation and experimentation. I swiftly put plans into action.
To be cont'd
