Remember the beautiful red leather journal that Epica offered as a giveaway here around Valentine’s? Well, Epica also carries a stunning collection of wedding guest books and photo albums. Rich, Italian leather covers each one and pages come in cream, black and limited edition runs of colors like Bordeaux as well as silk linings and rice paper page separators. The leather comes in three colors for each size of book, my favorite is the white leather guest book – it’s so elegant! Right now, Epica is offering Soolip reader’s 10% off any purchase with the code “soolip” at checkout. Happy shopping!

Be sure to visit Soolip, the infamous Melrose Avenue paper boutique, offers custom letterpress wedding and party invitations, personalized stationery, distinguished custom packaging, couture gift wrapping services, an extensive collection of papers and handmade cards, and writing accoutrement. Representing the personal passions of its founder Wanda Wen, Soolip brings a stylish Green modernity to the artful world of paper and home accessories.

Be sure to check out the latest from Soolip, they are hosting a giveaway for one of our calf-skin red leather journals.

Care to share your Epica Journal or Album designs?

The Cornell Note Taking Methodology works well with all our journals which we have been using at most meetings and conferences. But here the focus is on being present where your attention needs to be on the material not the methodology by which you are taking notes. When I was in college I remember nothing worse than seeing other students scribbling furiously in their Trapper-Keeper what the instructor was saying verbatim while missing the core concepts of the lesson. Being present and taking notes in the abstract works best for us.

Digitally we have been using the iPad as it is a research tool. Evernote has served us well and allows us to synchronize notes from mobile devices to laptops and desktops without any intervention. And of course you can utilize the iPad for all your digital musings as well. Here is an article discussing writing applications for the iPad via AppStorm. Though the iPad is an excellent tool we find that pen and paper really empower our creativity and that’s not just because we are in the business.

More than anything what we have developed is a blended note taking system that works for us, using a combination of Epica Journals and digital tools. Our most creative and personal items are housed in an Amalfi Journal, written with a Pilot Retractable Fountain Pen.

What’s your style?

A few links to Randy and his organization:
The Learning Journal
About the Raysbrooks’

Excerpts of an article titled Engaging People in Spiritual Conversation by Gwen Sellers. reprinted with permission from Randy Raysbrook.

“You remind me of Socrates and he’s my hero,” or so one student told Navigator Randy Raysbrook. Around the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs campus, Randy has been known as “the guy with the big book.” He has been asking students to write their thoughts in a large, leather-bound journal as a way of getting to know what’s on their hearts.

Randy has been with The Navigators for 26 years and is currently working in the Metro Mission. “Part of my job is to help The Navigators learn new ways to teach and learn, to create new ministry environments that are interactive, creative, and that connect with people,” Randy explains. “We need to continually learn about our audience. So I asked myself, since I had done campus ministry for years, ‘Are students the same today?’ And I know they’re not. So
that’s why I got this,” he says, pulling out his infamous journal. This particular large, handcrafted journal is made in Florence, Italy, and only one U.S. company is allowed to import them. “I think they’re magnificent,” Randy says, “So I bought one of these and I wanted to use it creatively while I was answering the question, ‘How have students changed?’ I want students to teach me what’s deep in their soul. So I knew a provocative question could start a good conversation.”

Journal and pen in hand, Randy begins the process. He walks up to students, targeting the nontraditional ones least likely to participate in any church-related activity, and asks permission to ask them a question. Showing the student his journal, he explains its Italian origins and his desire to use it for student thoughts. Before they agree to answer his question, Randy warns students that it is one they may not want to answer. He then tells them the two conditions to which they must agree: They must be brutally honest saying “exactly what’s on your heart,” and they must allow their answers to be read by other people.

“If you could write a note to God and tell Him anything you want, and He
would read it, what would you say?”

We congratulate Randy for his work with the students of the University of Colorado and in the community. Randy thank you for sharing your story, engaging people and inspiring them to think and self-reflect.

Start by browsing through over twelve pages of images to find the logo or image that gives your book new meaning for you or a loved one.  For example, do you know anyone in the military, marines, navy or air force?  Chances are we’ve got their wings or insignias.  Is someone in your family or circle of friends a sports fanatic, we’ve made everything available from dice, footballs and basketballs to figures doing karate and gymnastics.  Some are whimsical and silly, others will be exactly what you’re looking for.

Traditionally, creating your own custom logo at Epica carries a cost of about $150 to turn your artwork in to a physical metal logo block that we mount and engrave on your book.  If you’ve got a specific logo or image you want to use, this is the way to go. But now, not only can you are there hundreds of images to choose from but we’re also cutting the cost by over 65% and starting our pricing for logos at only:

$50 for small

$60 for medium and

$70 for large

If you’ve shopped with us before you know that we’re extremely committed to giving you the most elegant, clean and easy online shopping experience and that is no different here.  To create your own logo from our collection of stock images, it’s simple:

1. Browse the detailed images pages until you find the logo you want and select its item code from the drop down menu on the same page.  There’s also a place to describe  it to be sure you selected the right image.

2. Select the size you’d like, the position you’d like it on the book and the color you’d like it stamped in, if any.

3.  Shop for the book, guest book, album or wine log you’d like to engrave it on and checkout.

Oh, and one more thing:  Before you even spend $50-70 to create your own logo, be sure to take a look here to see if someone already created what you wanted.  Stock dies that we have already created can be engraved on your book for only $15. And if you create a logo yourself and want it on more than one book it’s also only $15 for each additional book.

Feel free to email us or post below with any questions or comments as they are always welcome and we hope you find this new service very useful. Already we’ve seen a lot of clients use our Fleur de Lys and crosses, so we’re thrilled to see such a great response. We’re excited to hear your feedback and have you take advantage of this very special new service.

The Starter Wife Epica Hand Marbleized Journal

Certainly this is something very different than what we’re used to seeing.  In the World of Epica, we find that most people are fascinated with Italian Leather and generally select our solid leather line as special purchase.  Certainly,  we would never dissuade anyone from that type of purchase because after all, it is our specialt, but there is another  little known secret about Florence and Tuscany where so many other wonderful goodies like food, jewelry, wine and leather come from, and that is the phenomenon and timeless nature of Hand Marbleized Florentine Paper. There is a great deal of history that goes along with such paper but for this post we just want to let you know how it’s made because we’ve witnessed it first hand…

It’s a matter of opinion but in many ways Hand Marbleized Florentine paper when totally hand made (and not photo copied) is even more unique and special than leather because each piece is one of a kind.  Literally no two pieces on the planet will ever be identical and here’s why:

It all starts in a basin full of mixed oils or acrylic in several unique colors.  A Florentine artisan literally creates ‘marble’ designs inside the basin and creates the perfect design using various tools and brushes.  Think of oil painting in it’s freest form.  Once sufficient colors have been added, blended and played with, a rather large sheet of special water and oil resistant paper is then set on top of the oils to transfer the design.  Various techniques are used to remove the paper which gives it unique swirls, shapes, sizes and in some cases the more famous peacock look.  The now hand marbleized paper is then laid out to try an racks that resemble large cookie sheets to dry.

Once dry the paper can now be used in place of leather to create one of a kind masterpieces in the form of journals, guest book and photo albums.  On higher end journals the corners are capped in leather as well as the spine and 1/4 of the book itself to prevent fraying and unnecessary damage during ordinary use.  The result is something quite extraordinary. We find that, just like different fabrics or bed linens, simply gazing at one of these books uplifts your mood — assuming of course you like the color scheme , but that’s what getting to choose your own is all about.

If you ever want to know more, drop us a comment and we’ll reply asap with everything we know from our knowledge base.  Hand Marbleized  Paper products also make amazing accent pieces for the home or office and help to tie in colors and themes or add a splash of color to an otherwise muted surrounding. We prefer them by the stack!

Have something you would like to share? Send your scans and photos of your Epica book, journal or album to submissions [ at ] epica.com

Italy by Mr. Brian Connolly:

Sotheby’s recently auctioned an original edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, handwritten and illustrated by JK Rowling. The volume was an one of a kind custom journal with hand forged metal elements and filigree fitting the story and and Ms. Rowling’s Harry Potter style. One of seven copies in existence it was purchased by Amazon.com.

The purchase price was £1,950,000 (2,767,050 million U.S. dollars), and Ms. Rowling is donating the proceeds to The Children’s Voice campaign, a charity she co-founded to help improve the lives of institutionalized children across Europe.

The piece is truly an extraordinary work and mirrors several items in our catalog. The exquisite leather and paper closely resembles our Amalfi line while the overall concept emulates Epica’s old world Authentically Ornamented items.

Simply enjoy the links and images. It’s not often we find something of such perfection in both writing and craftsmanship.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is extensively illustrated and handwritten by JK Rowling–all 157 pages of it. It’s bound in brown Moroccan leather and embellished with five hand-chased hallmarked sterling silver ornaments and mounted moonstones.

There is no easy way to define the experience of seeing, holding, or reading J.K. Rowling’s The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so let’s just start with one word: “Whoa.” The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself (and it’s quite clear from the first few pages that she has some skill as an artist). Rowling’s handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt–it’s not hard to read, but it does require attention–allowing you to take it slow and savor the mystery of each next word.

Amazingly beautiful in it’s presentation, detailing and story: The Tales of Beedle the Bard at Amazon and via Sotheby’s

It’s not often we get to show them off so please excuse the pitch but we have some exquisite journals similar in both concept and design, as well as our custom made solutions:

Epica 8×10 Leather Authentically Ornamented Handmade Italian Distressed Leather Journal
Epica 15×22 Worlds Second Largest Journal Full Authentic Restoration Journal
Need a custom made journal solution? Something to your exact specifications?