When I first started planning Studio Summer, I thought I was designing a handful of new products.
A new journal. A planner cover. A few accessories.
That's usually how I approached collections in the past, one product at a time.
But somewhere in the process, something shifted.
Instead of asking myself, "What should I make next?" I started asking a different question:
"What belongs together?"
That simple question ended up changing the entire collection, and in many ways, the way I think about designing.
From Products to Collections
I've always believed that the best stationery becomes part of your everyday life. It's something you reach for without thinking because it feels familiar, useful, and beautiful.
As LeBeau Paper Co. has grown, I've realized I want the same thing to be true for the collection itself.
I don't want each launch to replace the last one.
I want every new piece to feel like it's joining something that's already been thoughtfully built.
That's why Studio Summer isn't one big release.
It's a collection that unfolds over time.
Each chapter introduces something new, but every piece is designed to feel at home beside the others.
Designing in Ecosystems
One phrase I've found myself coming back to lately is designing in ecosystems.
To me, that means every product should have a place within a larger story.
When I designed the new journals, I wasn't trying to create four entirely new colors.
Instead, I brought back Walnut and Sandstone, two colors that already existed within LeBeau Paper Co.
If you've collected pieces from us before, I wanted these journals to feel instantly familiar. Like they belonged on your desk beside the products you already love.
The same idea will continue throughout Studio Summer.
The planner covers, accessories, and future releases aren't meant to compete with one another. They're designed to complement one another.
I love the idea of someone slowly building a collection over months or even years, knowing that each new piece will still feel connected to the last.
Because to me, a collection shouldn't feel like a series of isolated launches. It should feel like a story that's unfolding one chapter at a time.
Learning to Simplify
One lesson that kept resurfacing while designing Studio Summer was the value of simplicity.
Not simplicity for the sake of minimalism, but simplicity with intention.
Every design decision became an opportunity to ask a different question:
Does this make the product better?
Sometimes the answer was adding something.
Other times, it meant refining, editing, or letting one detail remain quiet so another could shine.
I've realized that designing isn't always about creating something new. Sometimes it's about creating space for the things that matter most.
As LeBeau Paper Co. continues to grow, I find myself drawn less to adding more and more features and more to creating products that feel thoughtful, balanced, and effortless to use.
That shift has influenced every part of Studio Summer, and I think it's a philosophy that will continue to shape every collection we create moving forward.
Looking Ahead
As excited as I am about these journals, they really are just the beginning.
Studio Summer will continue to unfold over the next few weeks, with each release building on the last.
Looking back, I'm grateful the collection didn't come together exactly the way I originally planned.
It gave me the space to think differently.
To slow down.
To design with more intention.
And I think LeBeau Paper Co. is stronger because of it.
Thank you for being here and for following along as LeBeau Paper Co. continues to grow. Whether you've been here since the beginning or you're just discovering the brand, I'm grateful you're part of this journey.
I'm excited to share the next chapter with you.
A Note from My Sketchbook
Good collections aren't built all at once. They're built one thoughtful piece at a time. I hope every Studio Summer release feels like another page in the same story.
— Daisha