What Makes Alunsina Handbound Journal Special?

By Sarah Aterrado - January 16, 2015

This post is a little bit late. Not that I'm getting lazy but I am still at lost for words to what I am about to blog. You see, the boyfriend surprised me with a journal. And it is not just a journal. It is an Alunsina Handbound Book!

Alunsina Handbound Books Journal
Now, for everyone who doesn't know what an Alunsina Handbound Journal is and why I make it sound so special, allow me to give a brief introduction.

The photo above is my Terrene Journal from Alunsina. According to Alunsina Handbound Book's official page:
It is a 7.5 x 5 inch journal with a cover made of decoupage Old World map reprint attached to a leather spine using solid metal rivets. Metal clips are also attached on the corners of the covers to protect them from wear.

The journal is composed of 240 pages (back-to-back) of ivory-colored, acid-free paper with distressed edges to give it a more handmade feel. It is hand bound with long stitch using sturdy waxed cotton cord and can be opened flat at 360 degrees without damaging the spine. Its lock is made up of a leather strap permanently attached to a metal ring and snap button, embellished with a nautical ship anchor.

Everything - from the covers, the binding, cutting of paper, down to the lock - is done by hand
I don't know about you, but I actually fell in love with the description alone. Just wait til you get your hands on the actual one and you might even want to marry it. Yep, it's that gorgeous.

This is just one of the many beautifully designed, carefully and painstakingly hand-crafted journals they make. The craftsmanship is so amazing I couldn't believe that this business is only manned by five. With the overwhelming number of orders they receive, can you even imagine how they can handle all of that? I don't want to know how much time they're losing for themselves. But from the looks and feel of the journal itself, I can say that they devoted a lot of time for this. And however they do it, they are definitely doing an amazing job.

So what makes this journal special? It is not just the excellent handiwork, or the high quality materials used, or the simple yet intricate design that makes it special. It is the passion and dedication that was put into making a beautiful one fit for one beautiful soul.

And all the more, it was the effort, thought, and love the boyfriend put into it that made it extra extra special. :)
Alunsina Handbound Books
I have a mild obsession for notebooks, notepads, and sticky notes. And I'm totally okay with the cute ones we can buy at Chinese novelty shops or the quirky hardcovers sold on some bookshops. But this one just skyrocketed my standards up. And I don't think I can ever settle for anything less. It's too beautiful it's almost impossible for me to write on it.

But I wrote anyway. This is where I can pour out my innermost thoughts and desires without judgment. A place to freely rant and complain without having to go through public scrutiny (not that I rant in Facebook ha. No, I don't. But I do that a lot in this blog. haha). But really, I hope to fill these blank pages with meaningful and inspiring thoughts.

Anyhoo, I'll share with you the first two pages of my journal. The first one, thanking the boyfriend, Jan Carlo, for this very surprising gift.
Alunsina Handbound Books

And second, well, I think I got too carried away. I was only supposed to be 'listing' my 2015 bucket list and I ended up doodling instead. This is what I like about having a beautiful journal. You cannot be not creative. At least now, I can steer clear from the annoying rants and do it creatively instead.
Alunsina Handbound Books
I'm still on the quest for the perfect washi tapes, stickers, woods stamps, and whatnot to go with this journal though. If only rustic designs are easy to come by. *sigh*  I just hope I don't get too obsessed with this that I might forget I actually have a blog.

Anyway, I think I've already said a lot. So to anyone who loves to put their thoughts down the old-fashioned way, any of these one-of-a-kind journals from Alunsina is a must-have. And no, I'm not paid for this. This is just me giving them a well-deserved pat on the back. :)

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22 comments

  1. Replies
    1. It really is! You should check out their other journal/planner designs as well. They are all amazingly beautiful. :)

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  2. Love the rustic feel! I'm sure travelers would appreciate this as a gift. Re: neglecting the blog because of how pretty the journal is, maybe take photos of your journal entries and turn them into a bloh post? Your entries are so creative, I'm sure you can write a story on your blog about it :)

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  3. It is lovely! I'm sure you're very happy with the surprise from your boyfriend. Your doodles are awesome too - something I'm not so good at, lol. My doodles always look like they're done by a kid.

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  4. This is a beautiful diary I love the leather accents. We saw some amazing pieces like this at the Christmas markets last year xx

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  5. In today's age of instant messages and online journals / FB status, tweets this is indeed a very special gift. Also looks very elegant..

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  6. This is good for gift-giving to those who love to jot down things of importance. For me nowadays, I prefer in USB. Well, young generation could have this too for their learning years.

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  7. That looks like a great journal to have. Your writing and doodles are so neat! :D

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  8. First time to hear about this Alunsina stuff. But that handbook journal is indeed so cute and stylish.

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  9. It's not just doodling there. It's a great creative drawing. :D Art at work! You're fortunate enough to have a boyfriend who knows what you really want. Now, go make that journal serve it's purpose! Write on it. lol. Kidding aside though, I find it amazingly artistic to have crafted a journal as detailed as it is with handcraft. You're indeed blessed to have that!

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  10. I need notebooks like this in my life!! There's just so much character and effort into this journal! :)

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  11. Ang bucket list mo lahat extreme! Ikaw na! Galing ng doodle. Ang ganda ng journal. One of a kind nga. ^_^

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  12. I love how you do the doodle. There are some books to teach people how to do that, but some how those doodles never came out the way I thought it would be! :( Show more pictures of the handbound journal!

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  13. The design of the journal looks really nice with the map displays. This would be nice to have and has flexible pages for each day.

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  14. I think journal writing trend is coming back, sometimes we forgot by penning it down we can remember better and also sharpen our creativity.

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  15. Beautiful! It must be difficult to write in them. I have a moleskine journal but I am thinking of getting this one when I use up all the pages in my journal.

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  16. This makes me want to get my own diary. The cover is so beautiful.

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  17. Great journal! Me, I always carry a little one that fits great at my pocket. Can;t go out without it.

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  18. This is one gorgeous journal. Very personalized.

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  19. This journal is very ideal for those who travels a lot. It's a good piece to write, draw and stick whatever they discover, experience or buy from the place they visited. And I must say, the cover of this journal nailed it! :)

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  20. That is the best looking journal I have seen in a while. Gorgeous!

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  21. It's absolutely adorable! I am missing the time writing a note or two on my journal.

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