Noteworthy Notebooks

It's all about notebooks today!

Even if we have the technology to go all digital, I still prefer old school pen and paper. There's nothing like the joy of filling blank pages and the feel of cursive handwriting.

Here are some of the notebooks that I use on a daily basis:

My Bullet Journal which I told you about last week.

This notebook is for blog ideas. The pages are filled with an editorial calendar, sketches and lists, and a pocket for magazine clippings that I use for inspiration.

This is a date book that I like to use as a birthday calendar. I like to keep it for quick reference and as a back-up if digital reminders fail (ex. Facebook alerts me of friends' birthdays but not everyone publishes their birthdays and not all of my friends are on Facebook).   

One of my favorite authors, Curtis Sittenfeld, mentioned a smart tip: use an address book to keep all your passwords. You can write your G-mail password under "G", your Instagram password under "I", and your Twitter password under "T". And because the idea of a paper "Address Book" feels outdated, no one will think this is where you keep your passwords (but I recommend that you still hide this in a safe place)!     

It's not easy to find Address Books these days. They still have it at Barnes and Noble and Rifle Paper Co. makes really cute ones. 

But look, there are special address books for all our digital addresses now! Like a traditional address book, it has alphabetical tabs on the side.  

Here's what it looks like inside...lots of space for the password because we have to change them often for our security. Just remember to update them here, remove the label from the book, and hide it in a secure drawer.

I also like to keep sketch journals and watercolor pads so I can practice my drawing and painting. This is my low commitment way to "do something creative everyday", the promise I made since I did the "100 Day Project".

I hope to continue filling the pages with these:

Painting ordinary things that I often overlook.

Positive words as I practice my brush lettering and calligraphy.

And using it as a travel journal for journeys near and far.

These are just some of the ways to turn blank notebooks from blah to TADA!