My first Leather bag collection and first pop-up

Handmade leather bags by Bujoplanner

For years, Bujoplanner has focused on leather planner covers, notebooks, and the little things that make planning and journaling more enjoyable. I started with an idea, learned along the way, and slowly built a business around something I genuinely love doing with my hands.

Planner covers will always be at the heart of Bujoplanner. But over the years, I’ve also wanted to explore other ways of working with leather and creating things you can use in your everyday life.

And honestly, who wouldn’t love to have a bag that matches their favourite planner cover?

Making leather bags felt like a natural addition to what I was already doing. It was the love for beautiful leather, thoughtful details, and functional design, just in a different form.

But there’s another reason I wanted to make bags: I genuinely love them. I’ve always enjoyed bags, how they look, how they feel, and how they become part of our everyday lives. Designing my own, choosing the leather, and turning an idea in my head into something I could actually carry was something I really wanted to do.

So, a little over two years ago, I made my first bag. And what started as another creative experiment slowly grew into my first official bag collection.

More than two years in the making

Some of the bags in this collection are designs I’ve carried and used myself for almost two years now. So while this is my first official bag collection, the journey behind it has been going on for much longer.

It was a slow process, with lots of experimenting, learning, and figuring things out along the way. And somewhere in the middle of it all, I gave birth to my second child.

Life got busier, my priorities shifted, and the bags took the time they needed to become what I wanted them to be. There were periods when I could spend more time in my studio and periods when I couldn’t. The collection developed little by little, whenever I had the time and energy to work on it.

Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t rush it. Some things simply need time, and this collection was one of them.

Learning something new, all over again

Even though I’ve been working with leather for years, making bags was a whole new adventure.

I had to figure out the designs, the construction, the measurements, the handles, the pockets, and all the little details that make a bag not only beautiful but also practical to use. I had to learn new sewing techniques, make mistakes, adjust patterns, and try again.

I taught myself how to sew my bags, just as I had learned so many other things along the way with Bujoplanner.

Some bags started with lots of thought, detailed drawings on paper, and careful planning. Others came straight out of my head, with me cutting the leather and sewing as I went.

The second approach is great for letting creativity take the lead, but it can also make things a little tricky when you later have to work backwards to figure out the measurements and create a proper template. Sometimes I make things first and only then realise I need to figure out how I actually made them.

Of course, not every attempt went so smoothly. There were times when my needles kept breaking, the leather seemed determined not to cooperate, and I had to stop, rethink things, and try again. Some attempts simply didn’t work out.

But that’s part of learning something new, too. Not everything has to work on the first try, and not every creative session needs to result in something perfect. Sometimes the failed attempts teach you the most, and sometimes you just need to keep going until things start making sense.

Looking back, all those moments, both the frustrating ones and the exciting ones, became part of this collection.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from running my own business, it’s that you don’t have to know everything before you start. Sometimes you just need to start, be willing to learn, and give yourself enough time to figure things out.

Designing bags for everyday life

When designing these bags, I wanted to bring the same things I care about in my planner covers into something you could use every day: beautiful leather, thoughtful details, and functionality that makes sense in real life.

I wanted bags that could be your companions on everyday errands, at business meetings, and on trips with your family or friends. Bags you could reach for without thinking too much about whether they would work for what your day had planned.

That’s why I paid attention to details that might seem small but make a difference when you actually use a bag.

The handles are longer, so you can comfortably carry your bag even when wearing a winter coat. Almost all the designs have extra pockets, and there’s a key ring inside, because finding your keys at the bottom of a bag is one of those little everyday frustrations I wanted to solve.

And then there’s the leather.

For this first collection, I chose both Italian and Croatian leathers. The Italian leather is buttery-soft but durable, and I also wanted to work with beautiful Croatian leathers, including pebbled nubuck, smooth nubuck, and matte leather options. The Croatian leathers used in the collection are waterproof, which makes them especially practical for everyday use.

I love the different textures and the way each leather brings its own character to a design. Just as with my planner covers, I don’t want the leather to be something that simply looks pretty. I want it to be something you can use, enjoy, and keep for years.

And yes, I absolutely love the idea of combining a leather bag with a matching planner cover. Choose your favourite bag, pair it with a cover in the same leather or a complementary colour, and create a combination that feels like yours.

These bags are made to become part of your everyday life, to carry the things you need, and to collect memories along the way.

Explore the collection and find all the details about each design under their listing.

Taking Bujoplanner out of the studio

Making the bags was one big step. Sharing them with you in a completely new way was another.

On Saturday, October 24, 2026 I hosted my very first Bujoplanner pop-up at I Gemelli, in the old town of Omiš.

It was the first time I had organised something like this, and it felt like a natural next step for the business. So much of what I do happens in my studio, behind the scenes, with you seeing the finished pieces through photos and videos. But there is something different about being able to see a piece in person.

You can touch the leather, feel its softness, look at the details up close, try the bag on, and see how it sits on your shoulder. You can compare the designs and discover the little things that are sometimes difficult to show through a screen.

And, of course, you can meet the person behind the bags.

Because Bujoplanner is still just me. I’m the person choosing the leather, working on the designs, figuring out the construction, sewing the pieces, photographing them, writing about them, and finding ways to bring new ideas to life.

Organising my first pop-up was another new experience to add to that list, and one that marked an exciting moment in the journey of this little business.

A new chapter for Bujoplanner

When I started Bujoplanner, I couldn’t have predicted everything it would grow into. What began with planner covers has given me the opportunity to learn new skills, experiment with different designs, and keep finding new ways to work with leather.

The bags feel like a new chapter, but they still come from the same place as everything else I make: a love for beautiful materials, useful design, and objects that are meant to be used rather than kept tucked away.

This collection has taken me more than two years to bring to life. There were new skills to learn, designs to test, mistakes to make, and a growing family to make room for along the way. It took longer than I initially imagined, but it was well worth it.

I’m proud of what I’ve created, and I’m excited that these bags are finally out in the world, ready to become part of someone else’s everyday life.

I hope they become your companions on daily errands and business meetings, on slow mornings and busy days, and on trips with your family or friends. And I hope that, with a little love and care, each piece will remind you that the things we use every day can stay with us for years.

Thank you for being here, following along, and giving me the space to try new things. Whether you’ve been here since my first planner covers or you’ve only recently discovered Bujoplanner, I’m happy to have you along for this journey.

And if you happen to be a planner cover lover who also loves a good bag, I think you’re going to feel right at home here.

Marija 🧡
Owner and designer at @Bujoplanner

2-Year Warranty & Repairs

I believe in the quality of my work, and these bags have been tested well beyond everyday use. Some designs have been part of my own everyday life for almost two years, so I’ve had plenty of time to put them to the test.

Still, life happens. That’s why every Bujoplanner bag comes with a 2-year repair warranty.

If something breaks or needs repair due to a manufacturing or material defect, or an unexpected issue that occurs during regular use through no fault of your own, I’ll gladly take care of the repair.

This warranty doesn’t cover damage caused by accidents, misuse, improper care, or normal wear and tear. However, if your bag ever needs a little extra care outside the warranty coverage, feel free to reach out. I’ll always be happy to see if I can help with a repair, which may cost extra.

My goal is for you to enjoy your bag for years to come, and I want you to feel confident knowing that I’m here if something unexpected happens.

Because I make every bag myself, I stand behind every piece that leaves my studio.