Can one ever have enough journals?
The fact that I enjoy writing seems to have gotten around very quickly. Well I suppose after five years the word was bound to get around. I started journaling when I was thirteen. Before that they were mainly silly diaries that I would write in a little bit then lose. Ever since people noticed I enjoy writing I’ve gotten a lot of journals and notebooks. I love every one of them and if I would have passed them by in a store there’s no doubt I would have gotten them. No matter how many I have, my love for journals never ceases. But with time they start to pile up, because my ideas don’t always come flying to me like I would want them to, so they stay empty sitting on my desk or laying in my drawer. Especially because I receive them as gifts from my friends and family so I want them to have a special purpose, not just something to doodle in. Here’s what I’ve come up with after months and years of thinking.
My Daily Adviser
A friend gave this to me years ago and, call me blind, but I honestly didn’t see right away what it was. I read it and loved it. I thought it was a simple sign, later it fell and I realized it was a notebook! I loved what I discovered and I instantly thought I would use to write my poems in. But years went by and I lost an interest in poetry, so I was back to square one . . . using it as a sign on my dresser. Until I realized it was a perfect notebook to use for a daily planner!
As you can see I already have a wonderful monthly planner, but it is a bit small. There’s not a lot of room to write. So I decided I would use my “chocolate book” to write any extra notes that wouldn’t fit in my monthly planner. I also thought this notebook would be the perfect one for a daily planner because it looks like it belongs in a kitchen. Doesn’t it?
This is how I converted a notebook to a daily planner.
First thing first. Leave two rows on the top before the first marked line. I use this space to write the month and the year, along with the days in the week I will list. Then I draw lines every second row. This leaves plenty of room for notes, plus this way you have one cross overlook for one week. A few lines are left on the bottom this way, giving you room for any extra notes.
This works perfectly! I left a few blank pages so far and I’m sure I’ll leave plenty more for stuff like grocery list, sticky notes, food menu ideas and so on. I clipped the shopping list in the book so I could take it out easily when I want to go shopping, yet wouldn’t lose it when I open the book. You could also use empty pages to write down ideas for girls night out, date nights, or family nights. Because, speaking for myself, when I write something down I’ll remember it easier. Often when I’m hanging out we have no idea what to do, yet just that week I had great idea.
Add a bookmark! I added an old postcard from an awesome trip I took a couple of years ago. Just another way to “make it your own”.
My Recipe Book
I have a lot of recipe books, but the problem with those books: they don’t have my mom’s recipes. My talented mom memorized all the traditional German recipes her mom taught her; for the past four years she’s tried teaching them to me, except I can not seem to remember them. Yet, they are way to tasty to put aside so I write them down in my “Mom recipe book”. My friend gave this book to me for my seventeenth birthday and I loved it! I also wanted it to hold a special purpose, so I decided this was the perfect book for the recipe job. And don’t you just love the cover!
I don’t have that much to say about this book, for recipe books are quite simply–in my opinion. I do write bible verses every now and then because I’m sure life won’t always be a picnic. So one day when I’m cooking I might read it and it might lift my spirits. It does have bible verses at the bottom, which I really love. I do think I picture of Mom and I working would be a lovely marker. You can always experiment on your own.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
If you want to know what God wants you to do–ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. James 1:5
And now . . . my Journal
I absolutely love this journal! It speaks Me from the front cover to the back cover, and on every page in between. All my journals do I suppose. There are plenty of ways to make this happen. Here are a few.
Memory Pieces
If you have old pictures, postcards, ribbons from old dresses, friendship necklaces, rings, cards from friends, letters, newspaper clippings, put them in there. In all my journals from five years ago I’ve put loose keepsakes in there–even roses. It is easy to see what interest I had then and do now. This is the beauty of keepsakes in a journal. But before you do this you’ll want to make sure you have a journal that will hold them. A band journal or a tie journal work best for this kind of stuff.
Verses, Poems and Quotes
I open my journal and I see my favorite bible verse. This is a really good start to making your journal, your journal. And the date that you started this journal on the next page. This gives the first few pages, that no one really likes because they’re just not fun to write on, a purpose.
If you read a good poem in your poem book, tear it out and put in your journal. This will be more meaningful than if you just mark it in your poem book. Also if you hear one that you love, write it down and write down where you heard it. If you have a favorite quote write it down. If you have a favorite old song, make a copy or tear it out and of the hymn book and put it in your journal. Why not create an artistic page with mod podge. Or simple . . . glue stick. Or if you don’t have the song–if you heard it on the radio or somewhere else, right the lyrics down and draw pictures around it, illustrating the song.
Stickers
Who doesn’t love stickers? You can put these anywhere and they add color to everything. I found an awesome set of stickers at Hobby Lobby with bible verses. If you have these put them in your journal to brighten your pages.
That’s it.
Oh well, that’s all I have to give about journaling for now. I hope I have given you a bit of an insight of all the unique ways you can use your journals. I would love any ideas you’d like to share in the comments below. If you liked this then keep an eye out for more creative ways to make your stuff your own.
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