📒 Smash Books - What are they?
✨ What Happened to Smash Books — and Why I Still Make Them by Hand
If you’ve ever stumbled upon the term Smash Book and wondered what on earth it means, or if you're like me and you still secretly wish K&Company had never discontinued them — this post is for you.
Let’s talk about one of the most nostalgic, creative, and joy-filled journaling formats ever created… and why I still make my own, by hand, one at a time.
💡 So, What Is a Smash Book?
A Smash Book is a type of journal that invites creative freedom, messy fun, and sentimental memory keeping — all in one place. It’s a book where you can literally smash your life onto the pages: from photos, to receipts, tickets, quotes, doodles, love letters, paint splashes, dreams, and prayers. The kind of things we love, right?
It’s scrapbooking’s playful cousin. Less pressure, more freedom.
They were originally produced by K&Company in 2011 as spiral-bound notebooks filled with fun, pre-designed pages. Each one had a theme — like baby, wedding, retro, travel — and came with a pen that doubled as a glue stick. (So good to take on trips) Yes, it was the 2010s and we were living for it.
📚 The Love for Smash Books
Why was it so loved?
Because they felt personal.
Because they were easy.
Because they gave us a place to feel something and keep it.
Because they were so different, nice, high quality and great format size.
Whether it was a concert ticket and a napkin doodle from a date, or a note from your child tucked into a page — it wasn’t just a scrapbook. It was your life, caught in paper.
Smash Books helped people document their story in real time, without the perfectionism or pressure of traditional scrapbooking. They became especially beloved by:
Creative journalers
Art therapists
Busy moms
Teens documenting love stories and dreams
Paper lovers, like me 🥰
🎨 Smash Book vs Gluebook?
If you're new to these terms, here's the short version:
Smash Books: Pre-designed themed journals with structure. Pages often encouraged writing, memory keeping, or storytelling.
Gluebooks: More like a blank canvas for paper lovers — usually unstructured, collage-based, and don’t typically include writing prompts.
Both let you glue your life down, but Smash Books gave a little more storytelling guidance along the way. And of course, each person decides how to use your own notebooks the way they want, right?
🥺 What Happened to Smash Books?
Unfortunately, the original product line faded away and was fully discontinued around 2022. You might find one in a dusty corner of eBay or a thrift shop, but they’re no longer mass produced. And for some of us… that left a little hole in our journaling hearts. I still miss the accessories they used to offer as optional.
But here’s the good news:
🖐 I Still Make Smash Books. One by One. By Hand.
I fell in love with the feeling of Smash Books. So much so that I began creating my own, from scratch — one thoughtful detail at a time.
And I already crafted a special one, built entirely by hand for a client who asked me:
“Can you make me something that will hold all my travel memories, but feel beautiful and built to last?”
Yes, I can. And I did. 💛
Let me tell you about it…
✈️ This Handmade Smash Book Is…
Fully handmade — no templates or pre-made covers here. Just love, time, and care.
Hardcover and durable — because memories deserve protection.
Tissue-reinforced spine — to match my handmade passport cover and Kedori’s signature style (if wanted).
Wire-o bound — flexible and easy to flip through while gluing in treasures on the go.
Back envelope included — for those loose keepsakes you just can’t toss away.
Elastic side band — keeps your pen neat and accessible during your adventures.
It’s a piece you can throw in your backpack and use mid-trip — or fill slowly at home with tea and time.
Want to see it? Explore it (and more of my handmade creations) here.
🌈 What Can You Use a Smash Book For?
Here’s where the magic happens. These books can become anything, It’s really up to you:
✨ Travel journal: Collect receipts, photos, maps, and memories from each trip.
💌 Love letter scrapbook: Document your story together with notes, texts, photos, and song lyrics.
👶 Childhood memory keeper: Track your child’s milestones and sweet moments.
🌱 Personal growth journal: Set goals, reflect, grow.
🧠 Dream journal: Record your dreams, doodle them, and reflect on their meaning.
🎨 Creative outlet: Let your heart and hands meet through collage, color, and words.
💌 Want One Made for You?
I don’t mass produce Smash Books. Each one I make is uniquely inspired by a real person or story. I believe in creating something just for you — intentional, beautiful, and filled with possibility.
You can contact me any time at contact@kellengondo.com with questions, requests, or even just dreams you’d like to talk about.
Or take a look at other the handmade pieces I’ve created.
Thanks for reading, and thank you for valuing memory, art, and handmade love.
This is more than paper — it’s your story in motion.
With love and gratitude,
Kellen ✂️💖
