A Visual Tour Of My Journals

Little bound books for bullet journaling, sewing, ideating, attempting to paint, and more

In a plastic tub in my office closet, I keep my collection of journals. When our storage unit was robbed in 2021, they were one of the only belongings spared. My heart aches at the thought of the alternate outcome. One of the books is a small pink hardbound journal with plastic gems and ribbon glued to the cover. It latches with two little gold hook that, at one time, closed with a lock and key. Its cover and spine read “PRECIOUS MEMORIES,” and as my first journal, it certainly is. I was 7 when I started scribbling down my secrets. “Oct. 22, 2000: Today I lost my tooth. I just twisted it and pulled it out. It was bleading. I did not care.” A sticker at the top of this particular page reads, “I did it.”

My journals as an adult are not much different. I just have more responsibilities now. There have been periods in my life away from my journals, but then I start feeling like I’m floating, and I return to the pages. A phone will never replace the satisfaction of writing down tasks in ink and crossing them off, jotting down to-do lists, and marking up pages with doodles. At any given time, I have at least four journals I turn to for different reasons. Here’s a visual tour through them.

Daily Bullet Journal

Dingbats A5 Wildlife notebook, dotted

Where I keep my weekly, monthly, annual calendar and goals

Sewing Journal

Bindewerk Linen Journal, lined

Where I keep track of my sewing projects, measurements, and ideas

Bits of Wisdom

Insert from Flow Magazine

Where I jot down wise words from people, books, elsewhere

Little Book of Pitches

Moleskin Pocket Cashier Journal, blank

Where I scribble down ideas that can or cannot be turned into sellable stories

Sketchbook

Handbook Journal Co. Square Travel Notebook, watercolor paper

Where I thought I might experiment with gouache paint and gave up (for now)

Moon Lists

Volume 1 Workbook

Where I reflect on my week and month using prompts synced with the moon

Ideas Pocketbook

Field Notes Yosemite National Park Memo Book, gridded

Where I write down little ideas and encounters when I’m out and about

Creative Nonfiction Notebook

Moleskin XL Cashier Journal, lined

Where I start personal essays before moving them to my computer

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