There’s something about vintage journals that oozes an old vibe. Maybe, that’s why we all love having one. 21-year-old Theertha Suresh from Kannur makes these beautiful vintage journals that are handmade and sustainable. They look super unique and we love the old-world charm it brings to the table.
A Chemistry graduate, Theertha has always found ways to upcycle scrap and waste materials into various art products. Her parents would often say that this was one of her weirdest habits growing up. She shared, “The art which is born from that is a mess and the room I lived with that pile is the messiest.”
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She started her Instagram page, Vridha, in 2020 to learn new things. The art enthusiast within her was curious about the art world out there. Upon asking the meaning she associates with Vridha, Theertha shared, “People have always questioned the work that I do. They never really understood the value I saw in the messiest of all things. I could always see “WHYs” on their faces and I never had an answer for it. So Vridha is dedicated for them.”
It was one of her closest friends who ignited the idea of making customised journals. She shared, “She wanted me to make a journal for her with paintings, dried leaves and flowers within it. It was like a keepsake book. It almost took me a couple of months to collect the things, make all the paintings, fodders and finally bind them into a junk journal. This book really held life in it.”
From then on, Theertha started making more of such handmade, vintage journals. She wanted these journals to preserve memories. It could have pictures of loved ones, favourite movie tickets, or the sweetest memories of coffee dates. Anything that holds value to the person.
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Apart from junk journals, she also makes Writing journals with vintage stained papers for writing or journaling purposes. She also creates watercolour journals for artists and mixed media art journals. She commented, “I simply love the journey of bookbinding and journal making. It keeps me calm and moving. I like creating bookmarks, postcards, birthday cards as well. In short, I just love doing art, playing with colours and creating something new.”
Every work that you see on her Instagram page is handmade and one-of-a-kind. The cost of each work depends on the level of customisation. She factors in the hard work and the idea (binding methods, cover pages, papers, size, customisation etc.) while deciding upon a price. The journals are available mostly in A5 and A6 sizes but can be varied according to the customer’s needs. The price ranges from INR 550 to INR 2500.
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