2018 Everyday Journal Set-up

I announced this past week (here) that I am co-leading a group with my friends Bernice and Valerie about using an Everyday Journal. After some great discussion in our Facebook group about how we are going to use our journals, I thought I would share my journal set-up and how intend to use it - or rather, them, as I have two! I started using a Traveler's Notebook last year and I am hooked! So in addition to using one for my calendar and life and work/ministry planning, I am also going to use one for my creative life this year.

The Traveler's Notebook system was designed by Midori in Japan and is composed of using a variety of inserts held in place by elastic bands that are attached to the spine of the notebook. I am using the standard size which has inserts that are 4.24 x 8.25". My current set-up in my Everyday Journal has 3 inserts - one with blank stationary paper where I am keeping track of notes and ideas for my art journaling. I ALWAYS need an insert for dumping notes and ideas in. Sometimes they spark like fireworks in my head and I just have to get them down on paper for future reference.

The other two inserts in my Everyday Journal are made with a heavy sketch paper. It's about the weigh of cardstock. I have a third which is the one I am working in currently. This is another feature I like about the Traveler's Notebook - you can take the inserts out which makes it easier to do art in.

Here is my plan for my Everyday Journal:

• I like blank pages because I don't like to plan too far ahead. I do art as the mood strikes and I don't want to be hemmed in with pre-printed and ordered pages. I use the sketch paper insert or, sometimes, a watercolor paper insert because I don't like white pages. Although I am drawn to the pages with white backgrounds I see on Instagram and Pinterest, in the end I usually cover my pages with painted paper or ephemera, so I need the heavier weigh paper to hold it all.
• I am going to do a hodge-podge of thing in my Everyday Journal: art journaling, memory keeping, nature journal, travel journal, commonplace book. I am going to keep notes and progress on my word for the year (flow), notes about spiritual formation and soul care, Bible study notes, quotes from books I'm reading, etc. What you won't find in my Everyday Journal is a calendar. That is what my other Traveler's Notebook is for. More on that later.
• It will be eclectic in style. As I've said before, I have creative ADHD. I like a variety of creative mediums and I go with the flow! In it you will see: lettering, art journaling, mixed media art, lists, collage, paint, photography, and on and on. 

That's pretty much how I will use my Everyday Journal. Not too structured - I save that for the other journal. In my other Traveler's Notebook I have four inserts: a monthly calendar insert.

A commonplace insert where I write down notes from various places - things that are significant and that I don't want to forget.

Then I have an insert for details. I keep track of what needs to go on our church website, my blog, details for my Etsy shop, etc. I have these great little stick on, writable tabs that I found at the office supply store. They keep my notebooks organized!

And finally I have the workhorse insert. This is an insert with a page spread per week where I jot down the details of what needs to get done each week. This is mainly for my job/ministry. This insert has taken the place of all the post-it notes I used to keep so I wouldn't forget things!

That's my set-up for life and work. It's highly organized and helps me juggle all of the balls I have up in the air in my busy ministry job. My two notebooks are a contrast of my personality! I am an INFJ on the Myers-Briggs Type. In my work world I function quite a bit out of the J (judging) - I like things orderly and structured. I like that at home also but because I am an Introvert and I work in a people heavy job, I restore my energy with things like art, where I can be creative and by myself. And I have found over the years that when I play I don't want to be as structured - although quite a bit of structure still exists by my nature! 

Later in the week I will post about my word for 2018 and my intentions with it.

Here are some of the products I use:

I get my calendar inserts and some other inserts from Yellow Paper House on Etsy.  Other products can be found on Amazon:

A note about Amazon links on my blog:

I am giving Amazon affiliation a try, which means I receive a small percentage off slals made through clicking on the Amazon links found on my blog. There is no additional cost to you.