Journey Notebooks
Leighton Notebook
Works
Studies
Studio Journal
About the Studio
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About
The Journey Notebooks are cut from full-grain vacchetta leather produced by the Badalassi Carlo tannery in Tuscany, Italy. Badalassi Carlo maintains a membership to the Pelle Vegetale Consortium, certifying their adherence to traditional leather tanning practices. The Journey Notebook’s unmistakable warmth and softness is owed to the high fat content of the vacchetta, meaning it will deepen it’s sheen and develop a gorgeous patina over time. Each piece of leather varies slightly, that variation is all part of the charm.
Every notebook is constructed by hand in my workshop. The edges of the notebook are polished in beeswax to a near-glass finish. The edges take on an almost sculptural look while the covers retain their natural grain. Metal grommets reinforce the stress points so the leather is resistant to stretches or tears, & the elastic bands are finished with metal caps for longevity. The A6 format carries two notebooks by default & comfortably holds up to four. The A5 format carries four notebooks by default & comfortably holds up to 6.
The Journey Notebooks are meant to be lived with. Not stored, not protected, but used. It’s built for the cook who scribbles measurements with dirty hands, the researcher making notes between flights, the hiker noting trail distances at camp. Over years, the leather settles into the curve of your palm until it feels less like an object & more like something familiar; a part of you.
Details
Size
A6
Hardware
Bronze
Color
Clay
Elastic
Black
Inspiration
Flaming June by Frederic Leighton
The Notebook
The Leighton Notebook is built in Clay vacchetta leather, a bright, sun-warm orange reminiscent of terracotta. In person, the color is a warm, enveloping tone that takes on deeper, more honeyed undertones as it softens and patinates. Clay is a more expressive hue, developing to a subtle sheen over honey brown leather.
To temper the warmth, the notebook is bound with a black elastic. The contrast anchors the leather’s brightness, keeping the palette refined rather than playful.
Brass grommets & metal-capped elastics continue the warm note that settles naturally into the leather’s tone. They provide structure and ensure the notebook holds its form through years of use.
By Request
If you’d like to order this notebook or commission a piece made specifically for you, I welcome you to reach out. Every notebook is crafted by hand in my studio, & I’m happy to tailor colors, sizing, hardware, or details to fit the way you work & live.
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