Journals
Help 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…
Read MoreFinding Old Journals
I found a forgotten box of old journals and notebooks that have been languishing unremembered and unused in the back of my closet. Some of these journals were still new (unused) and some had writing in them. I especially like the Decomposition Notebook, ‘Deep Stretch’ with the scuba divers stretching in an assortment of positions.…
Read MoreJournal Winners
Fox Chapel Publishing giveaway has two winners! Congratulations to Linda Hutchinson and Kathy Delumpa Allegri! Please send me your mailing address to my email and I will get your selected journal off to you! Thanks to everyone who left comments and mailed in entries! Stay tuned for another giveaway soon!
Read MoreJournal Giveaway
Fox Chapel Publishing has recently sent me some journals to review and give away. You can click on any of the four titles and it will take you to the page on the Fox Chapel website that includes a video and more info about each journal. My favorite is the Hello Angel Lined Journal. Isn’t…
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