Remembering the Days...and a Giveaway too!

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ands down, the most satisfying new "habit" that I have made during the past year has been the decorated journals where I log my daily life. These are easy-peasy and give me not only the delight in looking back on what was on my heart at any given time, but also are an inexpensive piece of beauty on my desk.


These are simple artists hard-bound sketch books, decorated with pictures I've rescued from old magazines and artwork from cards, embellished with pens, rubber stamps and odd doodles. I have two of these notebooks right now. One I keep open on my desk with current "to-do lists." The other is my thankfulness journal, containing an ongoing list of things I am thankful for. There is certainly no rule stating that you couldn't combine both a thankfulness list and a desk journal into one book. I have considered doing just that and may in the future.


In my desk journal, I keep current lists of ongoing projects. I like to list: "To Do" "To Call" "To Go" (errands to run), "To Blog" and "To Make." During the spring and summer I also tend to keep a gardening task list as well. Those lists are interesting to look back on, but the pages that
are the most meaningful to me also include quotes that I found (or heard around here), Bible verses on my heart at the time, poems, etc.

My thankfulness journal simply contains an ongoing list of blessings found. Purposefully adding to this list has brought about an attitude transformation in me. My ordinary life is abundantly filled with grace-given gifts. And to think, if I hadn't begun to list, I never would have known! Next to spending time in God's Word each day, this would for sure be the daily habit that I would most recommend (ok I'd also have to add scripture memory!).


The two journals that I am adding to right now are both about 8 1/2" x 11 1/2". One is spiral bound and the other is not. The advantage of the spiral bound one is that it can handle more bulk if lots of papers are pasted in it. The advantage of the other journal is that when the pages are open there isn't a gap between the pages.


I have found lots of magazines for free... some at our library as it periodically (witty, huh?!!) gets rid of old magazines, my sweet mother has passed many along to me and I've even seen some listed for free on Craig's List. Some favorites: Country Living, Cottage Living, Country Living Gardens, and even ones like the Missouri Conservationist or Arizona Highways.

When I am given a new magazine I try to go through it pretty quickly, tearing or cutting out pictures and words that appeal to me, then filing them into labeled folders. Some of the folders I use are: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, White, Pink (Valentine's Day), Floral/Gardening, etc. Then when I am ready to create a new page, it is easy to pull out my folders and go to work.

Here are some pages, ready for the documentation of life here:


I like to choose one or two colors from a favorite picture and include other pictures with those colors as well... I think it adds cohesiveness to the page. Lots of unrelated (by color) but favorite images are pleasing as well though.


And now the giveaway! I'm so excited! This will be the first giveaway that I've done here on my blog and I am really looking forward to blessing someone with one of these journals! Just leave a comment here on this post and next Wednesday (May 5, 2010) I will randomly choose a winner. The recipient will receive a hard bound artist's journal with several pages already decorated and ready to receive your handwritten thoughts, lists and quotes. Such fun!

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If you are reading this on Facebook, you'll need to come to my actual blog to leave a comment if you want to be entered in the drawing, ok?

So there you have it! Hope this is helpful. I know that these decorated journals have really enriched my days here.