My daddy died 26 years ago today. Twenty-six years. It feels hard to believe. Anyway, he has been in my thoughts and conversations recently...who he was, the era he grew-up in and those attitudes, what it was like to grow up with him and more. It seems that each year that goes by gives me something else to consider about my youth and my family.
I attended a funeral for a friend's husband last week. He lived a long life of 90 years. I was lucky to see some old time friends there. More moments of reflection.
Around the house, I've been off on another delve into something of interest. It began innocently enough. I began creating a way to carry the small note making/information holding items I need/want in my purse...while keeping it small, cheap and lightweight.
My first thought arrived with a memory attached...I'd like a short/small pen to keep in my purse I thought ~ Oh, yes! I remember those little mini-Lindy pens. I can still recall the Stationary Store near my childhood apartment...the open-tilted cylinders of these little goodies. I loved the purple ones (as seen in the link). The caps usually ended up rather chewed on. haha. Too bad they are no longer made.
The paired thoughts were that I'd like a way to have a note pad (and pen) of some sort with me...primarily used as a place to store the notes I usually make on each new Hallmark Datebook. Why do I write them over and over - again and again every New Year I wondered? Some of the information, like birthdays and anniversaries can be placed in their appropriate squares, anew each year. While other info I like/need to have with me can be written once and saved.
These two small thoughts...goals, have sent me on a long involved dive into the online world of "journaling" and all things stationary/paper. Boy, oh boy - what a new world.
I was going to wait til 2027, but instead began the slow process of creating what I want/need. So I started now. What a fine time I've had exploring and making.
Some of the most persistent thoughts have been my utter fascination with the whole new lingo connected to this world. Just as in any hobby or area of learning (I've been thinking of my ECE experience and the slow cloth world). Just as when I began Glue Booking, I've been fascinated. Here is just a taste of what I've noticed thus far in this particular 'sub-culture'. There are many kinds and names for the wide variety of journals. Many people keep 1, 2 ...7 or more journals at the same time - each one with its own designated purpose. This is not what I look to do, but it's been fun learning about it. There is a huge community of folks involved in journaling, planing etc. Here are just some of those journal names:
Planner
Memory Keeper
Junk journal
Diary
Bulet journal
Life log
Calendar
(Hoby) Tracker
Datebook
Commonplace book
Catch All
Rapid logging
EDC = Every Day Carry
Dump journal
Everything journal
Creative journal
A "journal eco-system" = all of your journals and their uses
I love the beautiful leather journals that I've been seeing, which can hold quite a bit. My goal remains: enhance my usual Hallmark Datebook to make it more effective for me. Express myself creatively to make it personal and fun. Keep costs low (remember those Datebooks are 'free with purchase' each Fall).
I made a cover out of old watercolor paper and used grocery store produce rubber bands (to hold the datebook & Field Notes booklets (called signatures) in the cover and to hold the whole thing closed). The pocket on the cover holds my Pomegranate Trail bird drawing from so long ago (I rather like how the paper looks now - how it is so aged!) and two recently found teeny feathers. I love how they are all soaring in the watercolor-blue sky.
*Note* The bird drawing is from 6-18-2011. It has held my heart and been kept nearby for 15 years. It took me forever to find this old post to make the story connection...what a trip down memory lane.
I added a Field Notes book and transferred a lot of the permanent information into it. There are still a lot of blank pages, but I've yet to decide how I will use them moving forward. I'm in no hurry. I do wish I'd thought of some of these ideas a few years ago, as it would have been useful during our many appointments. Oh well, moving forward. I do not have an urge to journal in the typical "diary" way, nor do I want to use these pages as throw-away notes/lists/etc. ~ so, we'll see what evolves next.
I am loving the personally creative aspect of this useful tool. The Field Notes came in a set of 3 - Part of the National Parks series. Mine came with the one seen above and Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree. Along with the clear pockets, I also picked up mini-envelopes. For some of the other goodies, the local dollar store is making this doable at a decent price. Yay! Additionally, a beautiful hawk sticker was of course a must!
There will most likely be other alterations and additions as time goes by.
I also began a new project using the new gifted watercolors. I painted both sides of two sheets of watercolor paper. One is from the old pad that I had and the other is from the new pad Dana sent me. I tried to notice the difference in how the water/paint took to the paper and how the paper felt. I think the new paper is softer and more textured. I'll keep exploring.
When I was looking for the bird drawing post, I came upon this one of the painting that my school friend Shawn did. This was a good reminder of another way I can play with the watercolors. But, for now I have the painted and torn squares ready for the next step. I'm not sure how interesting looking they are, but I am enjoying the process so far. Tearing them into the squares sure narrowed down the field of vision. This reminded me of part of Jonna Jinton's new post, where she makes a whole painting, which was prepped by cutting it into smaller squares - put together and painted as a whole - and then taken apart again...with each square to be given away individually. I really liked her idea of doing this when she first did it last year. Anyway, I digress. We'll see how my project goes. I have discovered that I do like having a project with some ideas in place before I begin, as well as just starting with a seed and seeing where that takes me.
There are so many ways to be creative.
How do you like to feel creative these days?
May you enjoy the gifts you are given
May you seek new ways to play
May you express your authentic self
Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026
