(Photo: Peter Berson)

You already dress in black; why not make one concession to brightness and ditch your drab Moleskine journal for an Ex Libris Anonymous book? Jasmine Deatherage began handcrafting these recycled notebooks last year when her affection for vintage books had strained her shelves to the groaning point. She and her husband, Jacob, built a home workshop and were soon binding covers from her quirky collection—think Dr. Seuss and fifties textbooks—with blank paper to make eye-catching journals. They’re $12 to $15.50 at Bluestockings (172 Allen Street; 212-777-6028), Cog & Pearl (190 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn; 718-623-8200), and Exit 9 (64 Avenue A; 212-228-0145).