New journals in the shop and a bit of creative experimentation, too!

One of the very best things about journaling is that there are no limits. You can write as much or a little as you like. You can draw, you can collage, you can make audio of video recordings. You can delve deeply into the mysteries of your soul one day and record point-form snippets about nothing in particular the next.

I am in love with the possibilities that journaling brings. I love the search for meaning. I love gathering up all of the ideas and values that are most important to me and looking at them from as many different perspectives as possible. Most of all, I love the surprises, the discoveries about myself and the world around me, that happen along the way.

I strive to bring all of these elements to each of my guided journals and I'm thrilled to let you know that I've recently added a new spiral-bound journal to the collection in my Etsy shop -- Volume 4!

I've also been experimenting with the idea of adding a little something extra to a small number of my spiral-bound journals: a little piece of original artwork in the form of a hand-lettered quote (painted in gouache by me!) and an accompanying, hand-painted (and secret!) prompt -- all tucked into an envelope inside the back cover.

No extra charge, just a personal touch, created with care, from me to you.

These two sets were early attempts. Just to sort out how it might work:

After that, I created two more sets with two different quotes and I've just put them in the shop. (In the first one, the quote and the prompt are a surprise!)

I've called them Special Edition journals and you can find them here and here. If this is something you'd like to see more of, please let me know -- I'll get out my paint and paper and create additional listings.

Wishing you lots of inspiration in your journals and your travels,
Christie

Over on Instagram

Over on Instagram (and Facebook) I've been sharing oodles of doodles, as well as snippets of my journals from time to time.

I'm still hard at work on Journal no. 4 and I've discovered that a quick doodle is a fantastic way to warm up for a session of drawing and prompt writing. I've tested out a bunch of different pens and even tried my hand at a bit of yarn doodling.

Here's a sampling:

That's about it for now, but I've got a new yarn doodle on my crochet hook and lots of new pages to test out from journal no. 4, so I guess it's back to work! Happy Tuesday, friends!

Hello! It's always a bit of a challenge to return to the internet after an absence, so I'm starting with a little picture I drew with on the computer with my pen tablet.

I wish the new journal stuff I've been working on lent itself better to exciting, in-progress imagery, but it's all still books and summaries and prompts. On the upside, it's wonderful to take a break every now and then and try out a bit of drawing.

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Work in progress

I've assigned myself a journal-related side project that carries all the hallmarks of a good goal -- it's specific, difficult and time-limited. Over the last several weeks, I've been reading research papers and textbooks, gathering facts and figures, and making detailed outlines. It's slowly moving forward and, one day soon, I'm confident it will come together nicely and I'll be able to share it with the world.

Right now, however, it's a bit of a jumbled mess -- in my mind's eye and in my notes. I think this doodle from yesterday pretty much sums it up -- a little bit of everything, none of it quite complete, one thing right on top of the next.

Ever feel like that?

Pattern doodles

Doodled some patterns while I was thinking a little more about goals and journals, trying to fit it all together so that I can put something of value down on paper. Almost there, I think.

I loved making all those dots and lines -- so much so that I think I'll try it again next time!

Back and forth

I've been reading up on some of the recent research on goal setting theory. At one point today, I was flipping through pages and thinking about other things entirely when I came across an unexpected parallel between a bit of research and a couple of the diary excerpts I've found. (At least I think it's a parallel -- possibly I've imagined a link where none actually exists.) It has to do with the way people set goals when they're feeling sad. I needed to think about it a little, so I doodled.

And then I ran out of time. As it turns out, there are violins to practice and sports schedules to be kept. Looking forward to writing a little more about this tomorrow!

Doodling and thinking, thinking and doodling

Got out my watercolours so I could think a little.

I'm thinking that I may have overdone it with the journal excerpts. Except I can't even tell you how fascinating I find them. I was hoping that posting them as I encountered them might help me to make sense of them and, at the same time, offer an interesting journal-related tidbit or two.

If there is one common theme I've noticed, it's how the journal keepers seem to intend for their entries to turn their inner thoughts/dialogues/narratives into tangible things. (Perhaps so that they can pick them up, take a good look at them, identify shapes and patterns, put them in order, and maybe even start to take control of them?) They talk about creating a deep old desk, a receptacle, a tablet. Days have movement, and emotions and sensations are geysers.

In my own journals and here on the blog, I often feel like I'm grasping at something I urgently need to figure out, and I can almost touch it, but not quite. Like some of the journalers in the previous posts, I hope that when I look back, it will all miraculously make sense. Sometimes, when I look back, I do see a pattern and I can start to understand why I went this way or that. Then I can evaluate whether it was a good choice and whether I can chart a better course going forward. When that happens, I feel a little less lost, I feel a sense of purpose, which is a welcome relief from the ever-present intensity of forging one's own path in the world.

So what's next? I'm not entirely sure at this moment, but I'll keep moving forward (probably with fewer quotes from old journal entries) and keep looking back for clues and good ideas and new paths.

I wish the zeal may but last

I love today's quote so much that I made a little watercolour note of it in my sketchbook.

Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott wrote in his journal on November 21, 1825 at age 54:

"I am enamoured of my journal. I wish the zeal may but last."

Wishing you much zeal in the keeping of your journal!

Previous journal excerpts:
C.S. Lewis
Ralph Waldo Emerson 
Virginia Woolf

Work in progress

A lot of the time, Illustrator is my sketchbook. I've been experimenting with patterns, but I'm finding I'm a bit stuck. Here's a pic of my screen today:

I'm still thinking about how I might add it to my journal work. Hmm. I'll keep you posted.

On my desk

Today I'm writing lightning round questions and doodling purple and yellow wildflowers.

What are you up to?

A little sketch

This one's teeny, only 3.5"x5". I tried a new approach today with lots of water on the paper before I started painting. It wasn't at all what I expected, but I thought I'd post it anyway. Now, back to work on that new set of journal pages.

Springtime doodles - part 3: A new inspiration page!

As soon as those springtime doodles arranged themselves into a page border, I thought it might be fun to add them to an inspiration page. This one is all about joy. The good stuff, big and small. The stuff that delights you in the moment and the stuff that nourishes you over a lifetime.

The thing I like best about lists is that the more I write, the more things pop to mind. You can write it up all at once or add an entry here and there, as the mood strikes. If you find that there aren't enough lines, just print out another copy and keep right on going. And don't forget to look back on your list from time to time. It might just brighten your day.

As always, there's a colour-free version . . .

and a colourful one:

You'll find them here (colour-free) and here (colourful). Happy Friday, friends!

Springtime doodles continued

I've made a few additions to those doodles from yesterday and turned them into a page border. Here's a sneak peek screen capture from my computer:

It's a little different than my usual journal page border design, but it has been fun to try something new. Best of all, it has given me all sorts of inspiration, which I think I'd like to pass along. As soon as I can manage it, I'll post a little something new with these doodles, just for you. I hope you'll stay tuned!

Springtime doodles

After a long winter, it finally feels like spring in my little corner of southern Ontario. (Just in time for summer, of course.) There are blossoms and blooms everywhere I look. It's warm outside and the sun has returned from wherever it goes all winter.

I was sitting at the computer, working on the next set of journal pages, and I felt like doodling. I felt like doodling about spring -- even though it's almost over -- and I thought I'd show you what I've come up with so far.

I drew a dainty little "spring" . . .

... and a few flowers. (I tried them in a line, then in a group, then with colour.)

So far, my favourite combination is below. I'm going to play with it a little more, add some leaves and some different shapes and see where I end up. It might be fun to add a journal prompt. What do you think? I've got a couple of options in mind. I'll keep you posted!

Happy Friday!

Still working on those new journal pages for kids. Also still doodling here and there. Hope your weekend is lovely!

A little bit of colour

I've almost finished a new set of journal pages for kids. This set will be a lot like my starter kit, but for kids! If all goes well, I'll be posting it in the shop next week.

In the meantime, I'm still fiddling with watercolour when I need a break. Happy weekend, friends!

Still playing with watercolour ...

Happy weekend, friends!

On my desk

Experimenting with watercolour lines and landscape today in my sketchbook.

On my desk

I've been working my way through a new set of journal pages. At one point, when I needed a breather, I took a stab at drawing some paper clips that have been on my desk forever. I keep meaning to put them away . . .

Then I wondered if I could paint more paper clips. Turns out, the top two were enough. I wasn't happy with the watercolour bit at all, but it gave me some ideas for next time, which is at least one good reason to experiment, don't you think?

What are you up to these days?

On my desk

Dreaming up lightning round questions today and drawing some windows, too. What are you up to?