Questions & care

The things people ask most before ordering, and how to look after one once it is yours.

How long does it take?

Please allow 3–5 business days for your journal to be made and shipped. Each one is made after it is ordered. Need it sooner? A rush order is $15 extra: ready in 2 days or less, and as soon as the same day for pickup. You can choose it at checkout whenever she is taking them. If something you picked has run out she will message you rather than substitute it quietly.

What comes with it?

The leather cover, your inserts, the charms your size includes, your engraving, and an organic cotton bag. The inserts differ by size: A5 has 3, Travelers has 2, A6 has 2, Passport has 2, A7 has 2.

How many charms do I get?

A5 includes 3, Travelers includes 2, A6 includes 2, Passport includes 2, A7 includes 1. Mix gold and silver however you like — anything past what your size includes is $3 each. You can also leave the choice to her.

Is the engraving really free?

Yes, on every size. Up to 3 words, in one of eight fonts, placed horizontally along the bottom or vertically up the right edge. Fonts 4 and 8 are uppercase only, and font 8 has no numbers cut for it.

Can every leather be engraved?

Only the smooth ones. The stamp needs a flat surface to press into, so hair-on cowhides and embossed leathers like croc and snakeskin can't take a name. Those are marked “no engraving” wherever you choose a leather.

What are the add-ons?

A metal journal clip in gold or silver for $3, and pockets, which are $7 on the A5, $7 on the Travelers, $5 on the A6 and $5 on the Passport. Pockets don't fit the A7.

Can I refill it later?

That is the whole idea. The inserts are held in by the elastic, so when one is full you slide it out and put a fresh one in. The cover is meant to outlast a great many of them.

How do I look after the leather?

Keep it out of standing water and direct sun. Wipe a mark with a dry cloth rather than soap. Scuffs and darkening at the corners are the leather doing what it should — a waxed pull-up hide is supposed to change where your hands go.

What about cowhide?

Hair-on cowhide is a natural skin, so no two are the same and the photo shows the character rather than the exact piece. Brush it with the grain of the hair; do not soak it.

Shipping or pickup?

Shipping is a flat $8 within the US, tracked from San Antonio. Pickup is free and is at The Collective Boutiques, booth G-21: choose it at checkout. Fatima will contact you to set up a day & time to meet you there, once your order is ready. See where to find her.

Can I get a refund or return it?

No. All sales are final. Each journal is custom made and can't be resold, so there are no refunds. If something arrives damaged or is not what you ordered, message her and she will make it right.

Do you take custom requests?

Often, yes — a specific hide, a charm that is not on the boards, a larger order for a group. Message her on Instagram and ask.