Journal, SHE WROTE

Journal scrapbooking virtuoso Tercia Goh opens up on embracing the traditionally analogue hobby of putting pen to paper in an increasingly digital world

- Kiran Pullay

According to Tercia Goh, the founder of Skybambi Stationery, the core purpose of a scrapbook journal is to “uniquely express yourself by combining different visuals, textures, and colours to narrate a story or convey emotions. It provides an enjoyable and therapeutic outlet that merges writing, art, and creativity, resulting in visually captivating and deeply personal journals.”

A seasoned digital and brand strategist turned stationery designer, Goh has converged meticulous craftsmanship with hypnotic content creation to establish herself as the nation’s journaling queen. Known as @skybambi on Instagram, she has garnered an eager following of 91,800, enchanted by her whimsically nostalgic style. She incorporates an impressive range of artistic elements into her work, such as photographs, drawings, paintings, magazine cutouts, stickers, washi tape, wax seals and assorted ephemera.

The art of chronicling one’s life through scrapbooking is so fulfilling that in 2004, the craft had reached its peak as a creative trend, with the industry estimated to be valued at a staggering US$2.5 billion in the United States alone. Malaysia swiftly embraced the craze, with local Google Trends showing interest in scrapbooking peaking in 2005 and gradually dwindling in mainstream popularity by the 2010s. This decline may be attributed to the emergence of digital platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, which redirected creative focus towards perfecting mood boards and IG feeds.

Although Goh maintained numerous journals in her youth, she only ventured into journal scrapbooking eight years ago, coinciding with a quiet resurgence of vintage journaling. “I love the beautiful calligraphy and design embellishments of European ephemera,” Goh remarks, particularly fond of classical French and Italian artefacts which offer a window into a different time.