Journals
The Journal of My 59th Year
There are two ways of looking at being 59 (or any age) – as if it’s the end of the world or the beginning of one. We all know the alternative of aging so with that in mind, it’s best to adjust our perspective, find the grace and the gratitude in our current place in…
Read MoreJunk Journal Ideas
One of my favorite things to make is Junk Journals. It combines my love of paper along with creativity and finding ways to use these items without just keeping them in a box or folder. Think of all the free address labels most of us receive after having donated to some nonprofit. Appealing magazine images.…
Read MoreThe Empty Notebook
What do you do with a new notebook? I love perusing them, finding just the right kind, and adding more to my collection. Some I use. Some I plan to use but never do. Maybe one day. The comprehensive list below is from Ryan Hart. I found his list on Pinterest while I was working…
Read MoreHelp for Times Like These
Worldwide unrest is causing fear and angst in many of us. In these unprecedented times, we are all affected and we are all concerned. We may feel lost, helpless, hopeless, afraid. The stress and uncertainty affects all areas of our lives- health, finances, relationships, spirituality, education, creative expression, disruption to routines, disruption to services, disruption…
Read MoreMy Pandemic Journal
I began keeping a Pandemic Journal on March 13 after seeing a recommendation on Twitter. I selected a red Leuchterm1917 journal that I had on hand. I love the smooth pages, the heftiness, dual page markers, pocket folder in back, the rounded corners, and the dotted lines. This journal measures 5.75 x 8.25 inches. Things…
Read MoreJournal Keeping in Times of Change
It is March 2020 and we are in the midst of a pandemic and have no idea how things will turn out. The fear and uncertainty is overwhelming. Even just managing through the constant changes and challenges can take their toll. Venues closing. Stores out of stock. New concepts being introduced: self isolation and self…
Read MoreJunk Journals: An Overview
A Junk Journal is a notebook filled with scraps of paper (think labels, train tickets, concert tickets, parts of a letter or envelope, etc) mixed in with some art (drawings, doodles), some writing, maybe a list or two, cutouts from newspapers/magazines, printouts of memes and cartoons from the internet, a tag, a birthday card. Most…
Read MoreMy Mother’s Journals 1993-1999
My mother was 50 years old when she began keeping a daily journal.journal She doesn’t mention in her journal why she began documenting her life in small town North Dakota, nor did she ever share or talk about this private ritual with me or my sister. It was after she died in 1999 that we…
Read MoreThe Morning Journal
I am returning to the habit of writing first thing upon waking. In 2017 I discovered Proprioceptive Writing (PW), where you sit with a lit candle, a pen and blank sheet of paper (no lines or drawings), and some Baroque music playing softly in the background. This setting helps create a ritual while relaxing your…
Read MoreMy Commonplace Book
For years I’ve kept a Commonplace Book, although I didn’t always call it that. A Commonplace Book is a collection of whatever you want to collect- notes, quotes, diary entries, scrapbook pages, ephemera, photos, snippets of stranger’s conversations – You get the idea. I began this book in March 2004 and I called it a…
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