An Orange Journal

I like orange-- but for some reason it didn't occur to me that a journal could be orange-- so here is my first orange journal-- it makes me think of Orange Crush-- maybe next I will have to try a sunny yellow journal.

Recent Journals

 4x4 Refillable Journal

with Lunar Phases collage

 9x7 Refillable Journal

with Moon Collage

8x6 Refillable Journal

Handcast Butterfly

Indigo Day

Handmade Journal 6x4 Lunar

Handmade Journal 9x7 Spiral

Using Sections: Time Management

I use my journal for everything-- and I want everything in one place so I don't have to drag around a sketchbook, daytimer, journal, poetry journal, general notebook, lists, art journal etc. All of my journals have separate signatures[sections] of folded paper so I use each section for a specific area. Once I fill that section, I archive it, and refill the section with new paper. My personal favourite journal size is 9x7 because I can use legal size 81/2x14 paper in it. I make up alot of my templates on the computer to work in my journal. I love Excel and make most of my templates using spreadsheets. Over the next while I will try to post pics of some of my templates.
This is a pic of my Week at a Glance template:

It has 8 columns-- one for each day of the week and one for general notes I need to remind myself of for that week. I mostly use my week at a glance for appointment/ committments and to block out time to fit in studio time/ shipping/ computer time and the other things I need to do to try and maintain a balanced life. So my week at glance is more about creating structure for my week. I use post-it notes for my day to day list-- so if I don't get something done one day, I can just move it forward to the next day easily.

Background on Making Journals

Fairly regularly I get questions about how my journals work, so I thought I would do a post on it.

I've keep a journal in one form or another for over 20 years. I've used many types [notebooks/binders/spiral bound/hardcover/coptic]-- but none of them were quite what I needed... so eventually I set out to design a journal that would meet all my needs. I use my journal as a sketchbook, art journal, notebook, daytimer & place to write poetry so I wanted one journal to accommodate all these things instead of carrying around 4-5 separate journals, so I determined it needed to have distinct sections. I also wanted it to be refillable because sometimes one section fills up faster than others & I wanted to be able to add new paper to that section or just move pages around if I needed to. My journal goes everywhere with me and spends alot of time banging around in my backpack, so it also needed to be very sturdy.
I use canvas panels for the covers and make my own cotton bookcloth for the spine. After several years of trial and error, I have developed a pulley system for the binding so it can be refilled. It takes about 10 seconds to change the paper, so it is very fast and easy. I include refilling instructions with each journal. You cut the paper to size and fold it in half then slide it into the journal. You can use any kind of paper you like [I use plain paper for most of my sections but like watercolour or printmaking paper for my art journal section] -- depending on the paper thickness-- each section holds 6-10 papers folded which means 12-20 pages per section or 24-40 sides per section. Compact journal sizes from 4x4-up to 4x6 hold 2 sections. 5x7/ 6x6 and 8x6 hold 4 sections. Journal sizes 8x8 up to 12x9 hold 6 sections of paper.

One of the other advantages of my refill system is if you were painting or using wet media, you can slip out the paper you are working on--- paint and let it dry and reinsert it into the journal without having to worry about getting paint/glue or moisture on your other pages. This is another one of the reasons I designed this journal as I tend to be a bit messy when I am art journaling lol!

Oddly enough, the journal I designed for myself has turned out to also be useful to other journal keepers!

Lettering Samples

I am posting some of the lettering I did in my journal recently-- usually whatever words pop into my head or a sort of word association. Sometimes I take a photocopy of my lettering samples and reuse them in my artwork-- you can also resize them if you want them larger or smaller or add in colour with markers or gel pens.

Lettering- Create Your Own Font

Alot of people don't seem to like their own penmanship. So to get over your handwriting, create your own font. Try using a short quotation, a poetry fragment or words that inspire you to play with lettering. I like to use a black ink pen. Try adding spirals, dots, doubled lines, filling in, flourishes, elongating forms etc. Think Crazy Calligraphy! Doodling with words! Word Art! Beware, this can become addictive... even meditative...

Rust Runes Journal 8x6

This journal was made with 2 sturdy canvas panels as the covers. It has a flexible spine made with handmade book cloth so it opens flat for ease of writing or sketching. It has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use or for travelling.It arrives with 20lb bond paper and has a unique binding that makes it refillable with any type of paper you choose (water colour paper, sketch paper, scrap booking paper). This is a great size for a sketchbook, journal or notebook.

Size: 8x6x1 1/2
Pages: 96
Cut Refill Paper to: 7 1/2x11 [ 7 1/2x 5 1/2 folded]

This journal has been decorated with a piece of text with runes, collage and painted with acrylic paints. The inside covers have been painted copper and distressed.

Black and Copper Journal

This journal was made with 2 sturdy canvas panels as the covers. It has a flexible spine made with handmade book cloth so it opens flat for ease of writing or sketching. It has an elastic to keep it closed when not in use or for travelling.
It arrives with 20lb bond paper and has a unique binding that makes it refillable with any type of paper you choose (water colour paper, sketch paper, scrap booking paper). This is a great size for a sketchbook. Because this size uses Legal size paper it is also a great size for creating your own pages/ daytimer/ lists and templates on the computer and using them in your journal.

Size: 9x7x2
Pages: 144
Cut Refill Paper to: 8 1/2x14[legal] [ 8 1/2x7 folded]

This journal has been decorated with collage and painted with acrylic paints. The inside covers have been painted copper and distressed.