Long before they were hosting workshops and building a community of journal enthusiasts in Cebu, sisters Eva Laguspina-Cuizon, Hazel Aguspina-Javier and Alessandra Therese Aguspina were simply children who loved notebooks.
From Childhood Notebooks to a Business Idea
Their mother collected planners and stationery, a habit that naturally rubbed off on them. Growing up, notebooks were more than school supplies. They became containers of memories, dreams, doodles and everyday thoughts. But there was always one problem.
"At the end of every year, we'd sometimes have to throw notebooks away because we simply ran out of space, and that always made me sad because I got attached to the memories inside them," Eva recalled. Years later, that childhood feeling would become the inspiration behind Cozy Thoughts, a Cebu-based journal brand founded by the three sisters in December 2025.
The concept came after Eva discovered refillable leather journals, which allow users to replace notebook inserts while keeping the same journal cover for years. "The idea that you can simply replace the notebook inside while keeping the same cover for years makes journaling feel much more personal and sentimental," she said. Today, Cozy Thoughts offers refillable leather journals designed to encourage people to keep writing while reducing waste. Instead of replacing an entire notebook when it is full, users only change the inserts and continue using the same cover through different stages of life. For the sisters, however, the project has become about much more than journals.
A Place for Memories
In an age dominated by smartphones and cloud storage, the founders believe many people are quietly searching for slower and more intentional ways to document their lives. "I think people are craving a return to analog experiences," Eva said. "With phones and laptops, it's easy to get distracted the moment you try to write something down. But with pen and paper, it's just you and your thoughts."
She believes journaling creates a different relationship with memory. "Keeping a journal feels like writing something for your future self. When you look back at old entries years later, you remember not just what happened, but who you were at that point in your life."
That philosophy is reflected in every detail of their journals. Customers can choose from different sizes, leather colors, charms and personalized stamps. "We wanted people to choose a setup that fits naturally into their lifestyle. Some prefer larger A5 journals for longer writing sessions, while others like passport or A6 sizes that fit easily into their bags for everyday use," Aless said. She personally hand-stamps every order.
Building a Community
While the sisters initially launched Cozy Thoughts as a product, they quickly discovered that people were looking for something deeper. Their first community event, held in partnership with The Reset Studio, brought together around 10 participants to customize their own journals. A second "Make Your Own Journal" workshop welcomed even more attendees. The gatherings were intentionally small. "We want people to genuinely connect, socialize and slow down together," Hazel said. "For us, it has always been more about building community and shared experiences rather than simply selling products."
That sense of connection appears to be resonating. "When we launched in December, we didn't really know what to expect because the journaling community here felt quite niche," Hazel said. "But we wanted Cozy Thoughts to feel approachable, not intimidating or exclusive." What started as a simple idea inspired by childhood notebooks has since evolved into a growing community of people rediscovering the joy of putting pen to paper.
Slowing Down Together
Eva, a fashion designer and marketing professional, Hazel, who works in corporate, and Aless, a medical student, balance the project alongside their individual careers. Looking ahead, they hope to continue organizing workshops, collaborating with local cafés and start-ups, and creating spaces where people can unplug from their screens and reconnect with themselves. "We just want to keep making journals for as long as people continue finding meaning in them," Hazel said.
