Galen Leather Review 📔

I first ordered from Galen Leather a few weeks ago and I have been using their journal covers ever since then. They are a small company based in my hometown, Istanbul, and they have received a lot of attention in the recent years due to the online journaling community. They sell handmade leather products, office supplies, and journaling supplies on their site. I am very pleased with the quality of material and the functionality of their products. Overall, I would recommend every item featured in this review. (However, I haven’t used the leather balm yet, so I can’t say whether I’d recommend it.) As always, I am not being paid, nor have I received anything for free, to write this review.

My First Order:

Leather Zippered A5 Folio – Green
& Leather A5 Notebook Cover – Purple

Leather Zippered A5 Folio – Green:

I am using this cover for when I’m on the go, and want to carry just one thing instead of a whole handbag. It’s very convenient that it has card slots.

Pros

• Beautiful color and material
• iPad Mini sleeve
• Removable key holder
• Zippered
• Card slots
• Removable pen holder

Cons

• When used with a thick notebook, an iPad does not fit in the sleeve; it kind of fits, but the zipper will not close.

Leather A5 Notebook Cover – Purple:

I use this cover daily to hold my Tekukor A5 journal.

Pros

• Beautiful color and material
• iPad Mini sleeve
• Card slots
• Elastic cover band

Cons

• When used with a thick notebook, an iPad does not fit in the sleeve.
• The strap at the top is not a snap closure; it’s not able to open.
• The purple is a little darker than the image at Galen Leather’s online shop.

My Second Order:

Leather Slip-N-Zip Zippered Pen Pouch – Brown
Detachable iPhone Leather Wallet Case
Wood Desk Organizer – Pen and Tool Holder – Mahogany
Wooden Washi Tape Dispenser – Mahogany (2)
& Leather Balm

Leather Slip-N-Zip Zippered Pen Pouch – Brown

I am using this pen pouch as a clutch. I love that the pen holder is removable, so I can just put my slim wallet and phone in and go!

Pros

• Beautiful color and material
• Removable pen holder
• Zippered

Cons

• None, to be honest.

Detachable iPhone Leather Wallet Case

I did not like this product as much as I thought I would. The magnets are not very strong, and the case doesn’t stay closed if I put cards in it. 😢

Pros

• Beautiful color and material
• Card slots
• Detachable phone case

Cons

• Magnetic closure does not close when cards are in the wallet; the magnets are not that strong.
• The ID screen is not transparent.

Wood Desk Organizer – Pen and Tool Holder – Mahogany

I am using this product to hold my Cricut accessories and paper crafting supplies.

Pros

• Variety of slots: 4 big holes and 10 small holes
• Beautiful color and material
• Sturdy; does not fall over

Cons

• None, to be honest.

Wooden Washi Tape Dispenser – Mahogany (2)

I am using this product to easily access my (too many) rolls of washi tape and dispense them with ease.

Pros

• Beautiful color and material
• Holds many tape rolls
• Metal dispensing tab

Cons

• The wooden roll to hold the tapes is a little too thick for some of my smaller washi tapes.
• When stacked, you cannot use the bottom dispenser.

Leather Balm

I have not used this product yet. Therefore, I cannot offer my opinion on it.

What Brings Me Joy

The smallest things in life bring me joy;
seeing my husband smile,
hearing my cat greet me at my feet,
the smell of fresh pastries,
and the warmth of a cup of tea.

I love using my hands to create;
beautiful little boxes for tidy drawers,
paper flowers that last forever,
drawing, painting,
crafting, and writing.

I find joy, sometimes bittersweet,
in memories, keepsakes,
and personal treasures that remind me of
a time when I laughed from the heart,
a place where I was filled with wonder,
or a person whom I loved.

My Workspace/Desk Organization

I have come a long way from storing my art/journaling supplies in places I never think about – to where I can always easily access them. I am really happy with my desk setup and wanted to share it with you. 💕

• 

  Journaling/Art Workspace

• 

  Paper Crafting Workspace

• 

  Gaming/Office Workspace

Template Maker for Boxes

When I first bought my Cricut (it was only last week!) and realized that I would have to either:

1. Create my own designs from scratch, or
2. Have to pay a subscription fee every month for Cricut Access,

I felt pretty hopeless.

I played around in Cricut Design Space and found it very limited. I started creating designs in Photoshop and tweaking them in Design Space, but they ended up, well, not so great.

That’s when I found this amazing resource!

Templatemaker by M. H. van der Velde

I could create any box or basic three-dimensional shape that I wanted! I was overjoyed!

I had bought hundreds of dollars worth of bamboo drawer organizers just last week, and now I didn’t even need them!

I will make another post showing you my workspace later. I am just really happy that I moved all my washi tapes to my desk, where I can access them, instead of storing them in a plastic bin under some other bins (you know how things get buried into oblivion?). I am enjoying having easy access to all my scrapbooking materials at last!

If you cannot make your own and would like to purchase a custom box, please email me at craftedbyivy@gmail.com. I would love to help you organize your space!

About Me

Hello! I’m Ivy, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) teacher who loves journaling, organization, and paper crafts! I have a manx cat and a loving husband who helps me clean up her kitty messes.

I started this blog to share my journey with you as I strive to organize my life and create beautiful things. I have been journaling since 2016, and I love to share my tips and recommendations with family and friends. I thought blogging would be a nice way to express myself publicly and connect with potential new friends. Thank you for being here!

I recently opened an Etsy shop to sell my craft, but it is heavily under works right now. If you have something in mind that you’d like me to make, please feel free to contact me at craftedbyivy@gmail.com.