Granny-Core and the Return of Handmade Creativity: Why Every Generation Is Craving Analog Joy

Every few years, a new aesthetic sweeps across social media — cottagecore, cluttercore, coastal grandma — and now, granny-core.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Gen Z is embracing cozy, handmade hobbies once dismissed as “old-fashioned”: crocheting, journaling, baking, scrapbooking, and even writing letters.

For those of us who grew up in the heyday of photo albums and patterned paper, it’s funny that what’s trending for Gen Z is what we’ve loved all along. Maybe it’s not so much a new movement as it is a creative homecoming: a shared return to the tactile joy of making something real.

The Return of Analog

When everything lives in the cloud, there’s magic in making something real. Paper that doesn't adhere straight when you glue it down. Ink that smudges just a little (I'm the Queen of Ink Smudging). The sound of a paper trimmer slicing through cardstock.

While Gen Z may be the driving force behind the granny-core trend, the desire for real-world, tactile creativity is universal and transcends generations. We’re all seeking slower, more grounded ways to tell our stories in ways that remind us we’re human, not just content consumers.

Scrapbooking and journaling fit that need perfectly. Both are equal parts reflection and art form, where meaning lives right alongside mess.

Bringing Granny-Core Energy Into Your Pages

If this cozy, nostalgic movement speaks to you, here are a few ways to bring it into your own creative practice:

1. Mix old and new materials. Pair modern ephemera with vintage finds. Use scraps from packaging, old book pages, or ribbon from a gift. The mix of textures tells its own story. Junk journaling captures this perfectly.

2. Document the everyday. Don’t wait for significant events! Capture the ritual of your morning coffee, your favorite sweater, or the light through your window. These are the details Future You will love most.

3. Make space for reflection. Add a short note about how you felt in that moment. Gratitude, curiosity, and even uncertainty all belong on the page.

The beauty of the granny-core style lies in its freedom. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. It's all about your story, your rhythm, and your unique creative fingerprint.

A Gentle Revival

What I love most about this creative revival is that it connects generations. Gen Z may be discovering these handmade rituals for the first time, while those of us from Gen X or the Boomer years are returning to something that’s always felt like home. We may start from different paths, but we all converge with the same impulse to slow down, make meaning, and leave a tangible record of who we are.

My Pages in Progress™ collection was born from that very spirit: honoring the past, celebrating the present, and most of all, making time and space for yourself in this crazy, doomscrolling, over-stimulated world.

So gather your scraps and stories. Light a candle, turn on your favorite playlist, sip your favorite tea, coffee (or adult beverage), and permit yourself to create for the joy of seeing your life take shape on paper.

Remember, your story doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be yours. Embrace the imperfections, for they are what make your story uniquely beautiful.

If you’re ready to start, the Pages in Progress™ collection is designed for mindful, creative, and deeply personal storytelling.

Explore the Collection

Together, the Prompt Deck and Gratitude Journal offer small, meaningful ways to reconnect with your creativity and record the moments that matter most.

Pre-orders are open through November 10, 2025 (or while supplies last).