Here are some more artsy links to keep you creating this week:

Barbara Brackman Designs Obama Fabric You Can Print from Quilting & Patchwork.

Artist Profile: Andy Stern from Layers Upon Layers.

Recycle Runway from Tangled Thread.

Valentine’s Day Projects from The Artful Crafter.

Wild and Woolie Spool knitted doll from Tottie Talks Crafts.

Win Printing by Hand from Junk Creation.

And I’ve shared the Background Pages Tutorial by Zura.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Pixelperfectdigital

There is an interesting TV show I don’t mind watching called The Collectors. They talk about different kinds of things people collect and often show the collections their viewers have at home. I’d like to learn if any of them keep a diary to log their collection as they make finds. In my mind this would be a really practical diary to create. It could be as simple as making an entry for each new item as it was acquired. Perhaps detailing the story of hunting it down as well as the obvious price and date of purchase; perhaps some collectors would care to share their own ways of logging their collections and any other ideas on keeping details of their fascinations.

Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from stock.xchng

There’s been a lot of talk about getting in shape for the approaching summer, not only in the media, but at our house. So, when I came across the article Personal trainers see benefit in keeping workout journal I simply had to read. There seems to be a lot of good sense in the idea. I’ve seen how writing down the food I eat makes a difference to my weight loss plans, so why wouldn’t noting down the details of your workout be just as effective?

Not that I have anything much of a workout going, but it might just be worth adding the details of my daily walk to the food journal and watching my progress. What about you. Do you keep a workout journal of any kind? Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

I’ve been keeping a reading journal for several years now. Not only is it handy for finding the title of a book you’ve read, or the author’s name, but reading through can give you insight into yourself. Last year I decided to reread through the lists of books I’ve read in my reading journal. I hadn’t read with the intention of seeing a pattern, but after only a short time, I did. Most of the books I’ve really enjoyed have been coming of age type stories. This helped me understand why the stories I’ve written often include this element.

Of course, I enjoy other books, but this was one theme recurring throughout my reading history. I spent some time writing in my journal about this and realised I feel I have something to share with young people facing the momentous changes that make up their daily lives. Perhaps writing my stories will help someone. I felt empowered to discover this about myself.

What about you? What themes do you tend to enjoy in novels? Is this theme somehow reflected in your own life? I’ve used my reading journal only as an example. Try looking for patterns in your regular journal on rereading. You just might be surprised what you see & learn about yourself.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Newscom

I’ve yet to see the film Into the Wild, but it comes recommended to me by my brother and sister-in-law. They both saw the film recently and were impressed by the sad tale. The true story is based on the short life of Chris McCandless. Apparently he kept a diary of his travels, which included photos, in particular of his time in the wilderness. Later he gave this journal away.

My reason for mentioning this film is because it fits into the movies about journal writing or that include journal writing, but also because the film sounds like one not to miss. Please leave any thoughts or comments on this film or any other journal writing related topic in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Newscom

My daughter has been keeping a different kind of journal just lately. Since passing the second phase of her learner’s permit she has to log 25 hours of driving time, pass another test on a computer, so she can move onto her probationary permit. Not only does she need to log the time driven, but make note of the speedometer reading, list the traffic conditions, the types of roads used, weather conditions and have it all signed by an experienced driver. It’s been an interesting exercise, especially when hubby volunteered to drive with her down south to make up some of the time needed.

They took off on Sunday afternoon around two thirty, rang me from Bunbury, and showed up around ten that night. It was a long day of driving, but she was able to add over six hours of driving and in various conditions to her log. I think it taught her a lot about driving, too.

Do you keep any kind of a driving log or journal? Please leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo by James Farmer, used with permission from Stock.xchng

While reading Inside Motherhood today I came across the entry, written by Heather, When Do You Start? Her question is on when do you start shopping and/or planning for Christmas. With only 140 days left I suppose it would be a good idea to start planning now if you haven’t already begun.

A small notebook or pretty journal would be good for your planning. You can list and check off presents and all those little tasks you need to get around to. You can have a financial planning section so you don’t get in over your head with debt. Why not cover & decorate a plain journal in Christmas colours to use each year? This could be a great way to use up some of those old Christmas cards. The previous years would be a great reference so you don’t leave anything undone.

I hope you found this entry useful. Please feel free to leave any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Stock.xchng

While reading and researching online I came across an interesting article on keeping a diabetes journal. The ideas are simple and known to many who keep a regular journal, but would be a great benefit to those with diabetes. The idea links in with keeping a food journal.

It seems the very act of writing down what you’ve eaten makes you feel more accountable. But for those suffering with diabetes the ability to look for patterns of behaviour is most useful, especially if you are monitoring your blood sugar levels throughout the day. You can check for the foods, situations and emotions that trigger a high blood sugar episode.

Have you used a journal as a diet or diabetes tool? Please share any comments in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

In today’s mail I received a lovely fat envelope which turned out to be a packet of postcards from my cousin. She’s been on one of those whirlwind world tours and has sent a postcard from every major city she visited, then put them into one envelope and posted them off at one time. It was like a rushed, excited letter, reading them one after the other. She had numbered them so I would read them in the correct order.

It struck me as good way to keep a journal of your visits, especially if you wanted only to make short entries. A postcard is a perfect size, too, and don’t take up a lot of room. By mailing them to me all at once, my cousin also had the room usually taken up by the address to write in. Her entries were filled with the best and the worst of wherever she went. You could use this theme or whatever other one worked for you. This idea would also work well for visual entries. You could cut up watercolour paper to postcard size and try for a quick sketched entry for each major city, similar to what my cousin did. Or find a sketch book already in this size.

Heather
Photo is my own

Yesterday I mentioned how I was throwing out some morning pages and night journals. Just in case anyone wanted to know what exactly makes up a night journal, I thought I’d write an entry about the topic. I’m pretty sure I got the idea from another of Julia Cameron’s books, but I can’t recall which one now. The idea was to spend a short time, perhaps only writing one page, to recap the day. I tend to list achievements and any significant event. I also jot down ideas for visual journal pages, jewellery I’m designing or anything else creative. Often some of my best ideas occur to me right at that moment of settling down for the night. Sometimes I’m way too tired for writing anything much. Some entries end with the scrawl of my pen down the page.

I do enjoy writing before going to sleep, too. Something about that act helps me take those last thoughts for the day and put them somewhere away from my mind. It’s also a signal to my partner that I am about to go to snuggle up for the night. Read into that whatever you like. It’s also a good way for me to see that I have done something, no matter how small. As a busy wife and mother it can feel too much like you’re busy but not really achieving anything. Listing what happened is one way to prove that untrue.

I hope you find some use for a night journal. If you already keep one please leave a comment in the section below, or on any other journal writing related topic.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile by Kevin Rosseel, Washington, DC.