Sharing some of my Japan junk journal pages, and some travel junk journal tips

I've always enjoyed documenting my travels. Even when I was a child I would fill notebooks with things that I collected on holiday - tickets, postcards, food labels and pictures cut out from tourist leaflets. Over the last few years I've sadly fallen out of the habit, but I was determined to make an effort on our holiday this summer to Japan, and I'm so glad that I did! 

Here is a look at the Japan junk journal that I put together with ephemera and notes from our trip. 

Some people like to make their own journals from scrap materials. But to make things easier I used a really simple sketchbook as the base for my travel junk journal, one from a pack of three from Hobbycraft. I removed the centre two pages so that I had enough room to add some extra bulk, and I glued everything in using a glue stick. In total my junk journal has a title page, back page, and fifteen double page spreads. 

I chose to work on my journal when I returned home rather than try and find time while I was away. I took with me a couple of plastic wallets so that I could collect things as I went along, and I did pack a small pair of scissors so that I could cut up leaflets and magazines while I was away to save on luggage space.

I'm quite a neat person, and so I have quite a tidy junk journal compared to others that I've seen online! Most of the items that I've glued in are completely flat. One exception is this paper crane which I folded as part of my Hiroshima page. Paper cranes are such a huge part of the Hiroshima memorials, and I wanted to reflect that, as well as the experience of folding my own crane for the journal. The crane and background are made from some lovely origami papers which I picked up in one of the stationery shops.

Sometimes I had a larger leaflet that I wanted to include so I added some fold out elements, like on this page from Osaka. I'm so glad that Japan still has printed tickets for many attractions, I really miss having a physical ticket to remind me of somewhere that I've been now that everything is done with QR codes!

One of my Kyoto pages features the wonderful Arashiyama Monkey Park. I also added the packaging from the fan that I bought, which barely left my hand during our visit during a heatwave, and a small folded paper fortune that I bought from a box by the side of the road. I didn't even unfold it because I was worried I wouldn't be able to put it back together, so I hope that it's a lucky one!

We spent two days at Tokyo Disneyland, which was amazing. My Disneyland pages have a little more journalling because I wanted to make some notes about the rides which are exclusive to the Tokyo parks. I found a couple of postcards that I could take from the hotel room, and I had a roll of stickers to decorate with featuring the most popular Japanese Disney characters, which I received once as a gift on a Disney cruise ship.

My page from our visit to Mount Fuji features some of the tourist souvenir stamps which are everywhere in Japan. A regret from our holiday is that I didn't bring a separate notebook to collect these stamps, although I think that I would have become obsessive about collecting them so it's probably a good thing that I didn't - we might have missed some trains while I was hunting for a station stamp!

Finally, I couldn't resist a page dedicated to cats, as they are so popular in Japan. I used the leaflet from the Cat Café that we visited, added some of the many cat stickers that I bought, and stuck in some of the little leaflets from inside the gachapon vending machines, where we spent far too much money and I was specifically hunting for cat themed items. 

I'm so glad that I invested a little bit of time and effort into putting together this travel junk journal. It's a really simple way to remember a trip and to have a home for all the little bits of paper and other ephemera that you collect when travelling.

Here are some (mostly free!) items which are perfect to collect and add to your travel junk journal:

Postcards

Tourist leaflets, maps

Stickers, washi tape, patterned papers, tissue paper

Food packaging, tea bag tags

Train tickets, attraction tickets, receipts (be aware that anything printed on thermal paper may fade)

Business cards from hotels, restaurants etc.

Napkins, straw holders, paper coasters, tray liners from fast food restaurants

Newspaper and magazine cuttings, especially if anything newsworthy happened while you were visiting

Hotel amenity packaging, key card holders, hotel postcards, writing paper and envelopes

And some things in my journal which are specific to Japan - souvenir tourist stamps (carry some sheets of blank paper with you if you don't have a dedicated notebook!), fortune papers from shrines, gachapon toy leaflets (look for machines with items local to the place that you are visiting), origami paper, newspaper cuttings

How I made an Everest notebook to track my niche interest

I have a large collection of notebooks and journals that I write in regularly. There is my day to day journal, my garden journal, my book recording notebook, a small notebook where I collect quotes and a rough notebook for general thoughts and ideas. I'm also about to start a media journal to keep track of my media consumption. 

Another new notebook that I've recently added into the mix is my Everest journal, and I thought I'd share that one today. I do love when people have a niche interest, maybe Everest isn't that niche, but I would imagine that most people in my demographic aren't that interested! 

Luckily I've collected plenty of blank notebooks, so I usually have one to hand when I need one. This is just a basic lined notebook, with a picture stuck on the front to cover up company branding. 

I always leave a few pages blank at the front of a new notebook, as I find this helps me to feel less intimated. I'm numbering the pages as I go along, so these front pages will become a contents page, an index, or a place to add stickers and random images. 

I've also started the journal from the front, the back and the middle! I add new information at the front as I go along. At the back I've started writing book reviews from my Everest bookshelf, and in the middle I've been making notes on the Everest films and documentaries that I've been watching.

Here is the sort of information that I've been collecting in my notebook:

Maps - both detailed and more general. It's a really good reference to be able to look at when I see a mention of a location.

Lists - like a list of all the 8000m peaks, a list of the highest mountains on each continent, and other facts and figures. This helps when a writer refers to other, similar peaks and I can remind myself about them.

Photocopies of interesting paragraphs from books I've read - for example I have a couple of pages from Ed Viestur's No Shortcuts to the Top when he writes about all the equipment that he uses.

Pictures and photographs - sometimes from travel guides but usually ones that I've printed out and stuck in.

Reviews of books, films and other media - sometimes written as I go along, sometimes when I've finished. I find that this really helps the information that I've learned to stick in my mind.

Anything else that I've found interesting - for example I did some reading about hypoxic tents that are used for acclimatising to altitude, and gathered information about famous climbers.

Planning for hypothetical adventures - I know that I'll never hike to Everest Base Camp but I still sent off for some brochures, researched different itineraries, and watched videos from people that have done it!

As the notebook has filled up I added tabs to some sections. I've also added a pocket at the back to store any loose pieces of paper before I decide what to do with them.

During the climbing season this year I enjoyed a daily ritual where I watched a short update video and made a few notes on what had happened that day. I enjoyed reading it back at the end of the season, and maybe I'll compare it to next year!

I've really enjoyed putting together this notebook. As well as being a good reference guide it's also helping me to remember and learn from all the Everest media that I've consumed. Now I'm thinking about making them for more of my interests!

Moving on from Goodreads - my new reading journal and notebook

Recently I wrote about how I had fallen out of love with Goodreads, and had started tracking my reading in a different way. So today I would like to introduce you to my new physical reading and book journal!

How I chose my reading tracker journal

I spent a lot of time looking for a reading journal. I wanted something that wasn't too intimidating, and one that didn't oblige you to write a full page review for each book. I wanted the basic info - title, author, dates read, a rating system and ideally a place to write a few notes. I wanted to be able to customise it, especially to add extra information about books that I had really enjoyed.

I eventually settled on this one - a simple book rating tracker. I like that it is small and light, has plenty of space for lots of books, and although there are only a few lines for each book you can add more space by covering up some of the review slots. It is quite expensive for what it is, and I will need to strengthen the flimsy cover at some point, but on the whole it is just what I was after.

What I intend to use it for

My main goal is to both help me remember more about the books that I've read and to be a place to make short notes on any topics that I might want to explore further. For example, one book that I read briefly mentioned the concept of psychogeography and when I looked it up I found it all really interesting! Even though it was only a few weeks ago, there's no way that I would have remembered the title of the book that introduced it to me.

How I've been using it so far

I'm only a few books in, but I'm already pleased with it. I've found that most books make enough of an impression on me that I want to fill up several of the individual book rating sections. This is messing with the pre-printed numbering system a little bit so I need to find a way to make a better table of contents.

I've been using washi tape and stickers to try and give a flavour of each book. For example, romance books get a heart sticker, books with a baking theme might get a cupcake. I've been printing out some of my favourite quotes from the book and sticking them in, I've also added maps and photographs of things mentioned in the books.

I'm really enjoying flipping through to refresh my memory on the books that I've read, and that's only going to become more enjoyable as it slowly fills up.

Consume less to create more?

There is a phrase that I often see shared on social media - create more and consume less. As well as going out and shopping, consuming also means the digital content we absorb, like scrolling social media feeds or binging television shows. It's a great motto to live by, because removing the clutter of consumption leaves your mind free for more worthwhile pastimes like writing, drawing, playing an instrument, gardening or baking.

I don't use social media a great deal, but one channel that I've recently rediscovered is Instagram. I've managed to curate my feed really well and it's filled with lovely scenery, tempting baked goods, pretty interiors and my new downfall which is craft tutorials. 

Recently I posted about how Instagram influenced me to buy a stamp punch and how much fun I was having with it. I'm pleased to say that it has not sat idly on my desk, I've used it almost every day to make little punched stamps from all my junk mail and food packaging. A recent travel brochure led to a page in my journal which I love.

As soon as I showed an interest in short videos of sewing projects I started to see lots of things that I wanted to make. I love the idea of this pen pocket which wraps around a notebook and is used to hold a pen - I have lots of lovely fabric and some basic sewing skills but I knew that I would need a pattern to make it properly. So I bought the pattern from the creator (you can find it here - Pen Pocket Bookmark) and I soon managed to make myself a couple.

I'm so happy with them, and I even managed to make them with the fabric going the right way up! I love making things that are both pretty and practical.

So even though Instagram has led to me consuming - both in buying the physical supplies that I needed for the projects and also the time that I've spent scrolling in order to find them - it has also led to me taking the time to create some lovely things.

And it's not just crafting. I often find myself thinking about the longer articles that I've read online and I've read many things that have spurred me on to learn more about a subject. Things that definitely wouldn't have popped into my head unbidden.

So I find that I need to consume in order to create, and that's something that I'm completely happy with!

Things I've written about recently in my journal

Over the last year I allowed myself to get out of the habit of regular journalling. I'm not sure why exactly, but although I often thought of something that I would like to journal about, I couldn't encourage myself to pick up a pen and start writing.

But I have recently been inspired again, and here are some of the things that I've been writing about:

* I found a diagram in my daughter's Geography textbook which I found really interesting. It was very similar to this one on BBC Bitesize, and it explained how caves, arches, stacks and stumps are formed. I don't know why, but something about it really appealed to me, so I made a copy and stuck it in!

* We bought a new side table which matches some of our existing furniture, and so I glued in the page from the catalogue. It will remind me in the future which range it is, in case we want to add to it, and as I'm hoping to own the furniture for a good while yet I think it will be interesting to look back on.

* I wrote about a walk that I took on a sunny day over the weekend, and painted the background green to match the lovely green fields that I walked through.

* I documented a positive technology experience - using ChatGPT to find out the name and author of a science fiction short story that I remember enjoying years ago and then finding a free public domain copy on Amazon which I could download to my Kindle ("The Poison Belt" by Arthur Conan Doyle if you are interested).

* Before Christmas I bought some beautiful poinsettia plants which still look lovely, and I pressed some of the leaves. I then painted a page green and glued in the leaves, I love the papery texture. It didn't capture the true colours that well, but it's a reminder of how much I enjoyed the bright red leaves before they start to fade.

I also have a couple of other notebooks/journals that I update regularly. I have a Gardening Journal, and I've been making notes of how the garden is coming on this spring, things that I've planted and so on. I also have an Everest Journal, although it is slowly expanding into a more general Himalayan, mountaineering journal. This week I watched 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible and I've been making notes about the things that I found interesting.

Photo credit lilartsy via Unsplash

I'm so glad that I've picked up the habit again!

Journal prompts for bloggers and other types of content creators

Whether or not you are a blogger, journalling is a really good way to help you get your thoughts in order. For bloggers in particular it can be helpful both as a creative outlet but also to help you think about your blog and its direction, and to brainstorm new ideas for blog posts.

I've come up with a list of journal prompts which are aimed at bloggers, and I've split them into two lists. The first are personal prompts to help you think about your motivations for blogging and to think about how it fits into your life. The second list contains prompts which help you to think about your blog and hopefully come up with some new content ideas.

I hope that you find it helpful!

Personal journal prompts for bloggers

Why did I start blogging in the first place? 

How has my blog changed over time?

What parts of blogging do I enjoy the most?

Which areas of blogging do I find most difficult?

What would make me consider my blog to be a success?

When do I write my best posts?

How do I fit blogging into my daily life?

What would I write if no-one was going to read it?

What has blogging taught me about myself?

What pressures would I like to remove from blogging?

Where would I like my blog to be this time next year?

What causes me to find blogging difficult?

What do I do when I don't feel like writing a blog post?

What has made me proud in my blogging journey?

What would make blogging more fun?

Journal prompts to help brainstorm content ideas

Which are my favourite blog posts and why? 

What type of blog posts do I most like to write?

What type of blog posts do my readers enjoy most?

What questions do people often ask me that could become blog posts?

What topics do I find myself returning to?

What posts would I write if I wasn't worrying about my readers finding them interesting?

What posts from my archives could be updated or expanded?

What have I experienced in my life that could help or inspire someone else?

What is unique about my life that others might find interesting?

What else might people be interested in about my life?

What regular topics could I return to again over time?

What seasonal events are coming up that might inspire a blog post?

What is an ideal posting schedule for me, based on the time that I have available?

Photo credit Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

How to use these prompts

Choose one, and write for five minutes without stopping

Use them if you are suffering from a creative block and don't know what to write about

Think about which of these journal entries could be adapted into a blog post

Come back to prompts to see if your thoughts have changed

Further reading

If you enjoyed these prompts then you might also like these posts:

How to use images as journal prompts

Christmas journal prompts and ideas

Why I like to keep track of the books that I've read

I've been tracking my reading for a long time now - I joined Goodreads back in 2013! I have tried other ways of remembering the books I've read but they just didn't work for me. Before that for a short time I used a physical reading journal but I felt obliged to offer some insightful thoughts about each book, and that put me off. 

When I record a book that I've read I very rarely add a review - instead I just want to keep a note of the title, author, dates read and a vague star rating. My Goodreads star ratings are quite skewed because I don't think I've ever rated a book less than three stars - if a book is that bad I just stop reading it!

I usually have too many books in my to be read pile to keep track of them separately. Instead I only add a book when I start reading it and I don't update my progress as I go along, I just log that it's finished and select my rating. I like the idea of sharing the information with friends and family like a social media account, but I only have a few friends that use it!

I usually try not to read the reviews that others have left on a book. Often I think that someone will write a provocative review in order to get more views/comments and raise their own profile. I also don't like reading the bad reviews of a book that I've really enjoyed as it makes me wonder if I was just too stupid to notice something negative about it!

Tracking my reading helps me in two ways. Firstly I enjoy looking back on the books that I've read. I don't keep a count for the year or have any other kind of reading goals, but I do like to look back at the end of year summary that Goodreads provides and see some stats about what I've read. My favourite insights are my most and least popular books as shelved by other users, and the average book length.

Secondly, I've lost count of the times that I've gone to add the book I'm reading into Goodreads and discovered that I've already read it. On one occasion I had finished it just three months prior! I'm terrible at remembering the titles of books that I've read, especially if I've read them on my Kindle. Without having a physical book in front of me I'm often not even quite sure of the title of the book that I'm currently reading!

Do you track the books that you've read, and if so how?

Reasons to start a journal in the New Year

With a fresh new year around the corner, it's the perfect time to start a regular journalling habit! I've written many times on this blog about how I love writing in my journals - I use a bullet style journal to plan my week and a blank journal which I fill with my thoughts, ephemera and simple sketches. I find that journalling is a great way to keep those superfluous thoughts from running around inside my head, and it's also a way of bringing a dose of creativity to my daily life.

Why start a journal in the New Year?

It's a great time to start a journal. When a new year begins it's natural to want to reflect on the year just gone and to plan the year ahead. Everyone else is doing the same thing so there is plenty of motivation, and after the excess of Christmas you are in the mood to clear some space both physically and mentally. 

What do you need to get started?

Recently I wrote an article on how to journal when you don't know where to start and it contains plenty of advice to help you get over any block you might have to starting. All you need is something to write on and something to write with, and you don't need any expensive supplies. You probably already have a blank notebook around that has been waiting for a purpose! 

When it comes to physically putting pen to paper, I always start a new journal a few pages in. Then I can come back and fill the first couple of pages at a later date, or else I fill them with stickers and ephemera as time goes on. 

Photo credit Daria Shevtsova via Unsplash

What are the benefits of a regular journalling habit?

I find writing in my journal an enormous help to my wellbeing. When I have too many things running through my head, writing them down helps to clear my mind and organise my thoughts. It helps my anxiety to get things down on paper, and it's also really relaxing. 

Journalling helps me to work through and solve problems, for example a tricky decision that needs to be made. Often writing out a pros and cons list can help to find the answer that I'm looking for.  

In the new year I like to think about the things that I want to work on and achieve. For example changes that I want to make to my lifestyle, or things that I want to do. A journal can help to keep a record and track progress, or be a list of places to visit, recipes to make, activities to try. 

Recently on social media I've been seeing examples of dopamine menus. I don't like the name but I do like the concept - it's basically just a list of things that you enjoy doing. I had a similar list in my first bullet journal and I'm definitely going to create a new one for my next journal. 

Writing regularly can create a lovely record of things that you've done, especially when going through a life event that you will want to look back on. For example I've been journalling about the building of our house extension, both a factual account of what has been happening and also how I've been feeling about it at the time. 

Keeping a journal and pen handy is a great way to reduce screen time. You can fill a few minutes by jotting down some thoughts, or else settle down for a longer session away from the screen with a hot drink and a good view. 

Journalling is also a great way to improve creativity. I like to try out different layouts and styles, accessorise pages with stickers and washi tape, or try some simple sketches and start an illustrated journal. 

Finally...

One important thing that I want to mention is a reminder that your journal is personal to you. Don't feel the pressure to share it on social media - when you see beautiful journal pages online they have been created for that purpose and are designed to gather views and interaction. They can be great for inspiration, but can also make you feel inadequate and feel like stopping when you've barely begun.

Start with some cheap supplies so that you aren't intimidated by a beautiful journal that you don't want to ruin, and just take it from there!

Christmas themed bullet journal and journalling supplies

This post contains Amazon affiliate links

I regularly write in both my bullet journal and my everyday journal, and one of the things that makes it enjoyable for me is decorating and accessorising the pages to match the season. With Christmas well on the way, I thought I'd share some journalling supplies which are perfect for brightening up a journal now that the days are feeling gloomy!

Photo credit Alisa Anton via Unsplash

I get through a lot of stickers in my journalling! I use them as accents in the corners of pages, to decorate a themed journal page, and sometimes as image journal prompts.

Sometimes I like to use a large Christmas sticker (affiliate link) for some emphasis, or else I also like to use smaller Christmas stickers (affiliate link) as tiny accents or to create a border around the page.

Another way that I like to decorate my pages is with washi tape. I have quite a collection now since I first bought washi tape back in 2013! I love this colourful Christmas washi tape (affiliate link), or else this simpler vintage Christmas themed washi tape (affiliate link).

Finally another addition to Christmas journalling supplies is a set of Christmas paper punches (affiliate link). You can use them for either the punched pieces themselves or to add interest to the edge of a page by cutting away a line of outlines. You could also look for a larger paper punch like this paper punch Christmas tree (affiliate link) which could be used to decorate a festive journal page.

Try working on entries with some cheerful coloured gel pens (affiliate link) or some glittery highlighters (affiliate link) and bring some festive cheer to your journal pages this season!

How to journal when you don't know when to start

I've written diaries since I was a teenager. Writing a page before I went to sleep helped a lot with my teenage angst, even if now I can't bear to look back through those old entries! When I stopped regular diary writing I always made holiday scrapbooks to document my travels, and I made baby journals to record milestones. Recently I started writing again, and this time I call it journalling. Instead of a regular diary I write dated entries in a blank book, and I don't feel the pressure to write every day. 

Sometimes I write about what I've done that day, but most of the time I just write about what's on my mind. Maybe it's something that I've seen in news, a thought sparked by a book I'm reading, or just a stream of consciousness.

Many people want to start a journal but have no idea where to start, and so I thought I'd share a few tips in case you think that journalling might be for you!

What do you need

Social media would lead you to believe that you need a huge amount of journalling supplies. But all you need to get started is something to write with and something to write on. I like a pen which is comfortable to hold and writes smoothly, and paper which has a pleasant writing surface. It's best to start with cheap supplies, because then you don't have the pressure to do something worthwhile. A beautiful journal filled with handmade paper and bound in fine leather feels far too precious and so will probably end up never being filled!

I personally write in a journal with blank pages. I can write in straight lines, and I enjoy sticking things in alongside the occasional sketch. But you might prefer lined or gridded journals. 

How to start

The first page of a new journal can be terrifying! I always start a new journal by writing my name, phone number and e-mail address inside, in case we become separated. I turn over a few pages before I start writing properly and use the blank pages at the front to add stickers and ephemera as I work through the journal. 

Photo credit Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

Then just take the pen and start to write! If you are really stuck, then a good place to start might be an introduction to yourself - your name and other factual information, where you live, who you live with, what you do for work, what you do in your spare time, why you want to start a journal. You will probably find that once you make a start you'll find that you have plenty to write!

Some other ideas for daily entries - Write about what you've done that day. Make a list of things and people that you are grateful for. Write about goals that you are working on and how well you are doing with them. There is plenty of inspiration online for journal prompts, or else just write whatever comes into your head.

How to keep going

Some people want to stick to a routine and write every day. If this is you, then find a regular time during your day that you can dedicate to the task. Maybe after you drop the children at school, in your lunchbreak, after work or just before bed. Try to write something, even if it's just a few lines, just to keep the habit going. But don't worry if you miss a day or two, just pick up where you left off. If you are worried that missing a day might throw you off completely then try an undated journal or a diary with a blank space for the date that you can fill in when you have chance to write.

If you want to use the journal to record your travels then make sure to work with supplies that are easy to pack up and take along, and keep things simple. If you want to keep a journal of a special event like your wedding or the birth of a child then you might want to start a collection of ephemera like business cards, photographs, menus and so on that you can stick inside. If you want a keepsake, you might prefer to make notes in a rough book first, then write it up when you have the time to create an attractive entry.

Give yourself a small reward every time you write, and turn it into a ritual. For example sit down in a quiet place with a cup of tea and a biscuit, cuddle up with a soft blanket, play some favourite songs. Put the phone down and have a break from the screen. As you continue the habit you can treat yourself to new pens in different colours, a journal with better quality paper, or some fun supplies like stickers or washi tape. 

Avoid hunting out too much inspiration online. It can be a source of inspiration, but it can also be overwhelming and lead to unrealistic expectations which can put you off making a start in the first place. Likewise think about whether you want to share your journal pages online. It's fine if you do but be aware that you will write differently for an audience than for yourself. Most journal pages shared online have been created specifically to share.

How to take it further

As you begin to see yourself as a journaller you'll feel more confident taking the journal out and about with you, and perhaps making the act of writing in the journal the purpose of a trip to a café or a beautiful outdoor spot. Writing in a different location might help you to see things differently and gain a new perspective. 

Journalling can be a powerful tool. As you work on the habit you'll learn to turn to your journal to help you work through difficult emotions or to help make a tricky decision. You can also use the journal to plan your goals and to work on your personal development. 

Photo credit Ashlyn Ciara via Unsplash

I hope that this has inspired you to think about starting a journal! I love writing in my journal and I find it really helpful for dealing with a cluttered mind as well as taking some time for myself for quiet reflection.

How to use images as journal prompts

I love writing in my journal. I write about all sorts of things - what I've done that day, things that I'm worrying about, things that have caught my eye in the news, basically just anything that has been on my mind. Something that I've been dabbling in recently is using images as prompts for a journal entry. I've not done any creative writing since I was at school, and I have no desire to publish any of my creative writing. But I enjoy the process of creating, and using writing to express myself. I thought I'd share a few ideas on how to incorporate an image prompt into your journal writing process.

What types of images to use?

A place - either somewhere familiar or unknown. Somewhere that reminds you of somewhere that you've been, or somewhere that you'd like to go.

Faces and people - either that you recognise or of strangers. Close up individual portraits or family groups. Sitting still or taking part in an activity.

Natural images - plants, flowers, water, sky, landscapes.

Objects - modern or historic. Things that you own or would like to own. Something that reminds you of someone or something in your past. A single object or a large collection.

Seasonal - images that remind you of a certain season, either a season of the year or a season of life.

Where to find suitable pictures?

Postcards - ones that you've been sent or ones that you spot while out and about.

Your own photographs - favourite photos with memories attached to them, or pictures that you've taken of things that caught your eye and sparked your interest. I recently found an old photo in my parent's things that I couldn't help but write a journal entry about!

Magazines and catalogues - inspirational and aesthetic images or mundane advertising shots.

Online - I source my blog photos from Unsplash, or if it's for your own personal use then you can just do a Google image search and print. If you want to save potential writing prompts then Pinterest is a great way to group images that you've found online.

Photobooks or other collections of images - I recently bought a little book of tiny stickers and realised that they would be ideal for journal prompts!

What sort of things could you write about?

Describe the image as you see it, and write about where you found it. Why did it catch your eye, and why did you choose this one over others? Is there one part of the image that particularly draws your attention?

How does this image make you feel? Think about the emotions that you feel when you look at the picture. Are they positive or negative? Does it make you think of something that you'd like to change about your life, whether that's a place you want to visit, an experience you want to have, or a change that you'd like to make to your surroundings.

Is there something that you've noticed in the image that isn't obvious at first glance? Maybe something seen in reflection or something in the distance. An expression on a face that doesn't feel quite right. What have you seen that a casual viewer might miss?

What happened just before or just after this photo was taken? What might have happened in this place in the past, or might happen here in the future? Why was the photo taken at just this time?

Why was this photograph taken? What else could it be used for?

What are the relationships between the people in a photo? Or the subject and the photographer? How do they feel about each other, are they friends, acquaintances or strangers?

What does this image remind you of in your own life? Something in your past, a dream, a memory or even something that hasn't happened yet.

Write from the perspective of a person in the photograph or even an object. What can they see, how do they feel, what are they thinking about?

Use the image as the starting point for a short story or poem. Maybe a location, a character or even just an emotion. This might even help you to learn something about yourself, maybe some challenges that you are facing or something you need to overcome.

Photo credit Thought Catalog via Unsplash

Things that I've written about in my journal recently

I took a bit of a break from my journal over the summer, I'm not sure why but I just got out of the habit a little bit. But when the work started on our extension I wanted to pick it up and write some entries about what work had been done and how things were going. So that has been the main focus of my journal over the last few weeks, just to have something to look back on in the future. Not just a factual account but also how I've been feeling about it, and things that I'm looking forward to about the new space.

But I've also found time to write about plenty of other things! I made this very simple collage after feeling a little bit sad at the state of my poor garden, which is now a big muddy wasteland. I used some botanical collage elements and pretty floral washi stickers to remind me that soon I will have a beautiful garden!

For the first few weeks of term the road outside the school was closed and so I had to drop the children off in an adjacent street. I've walked this way plenty of times before, but sitting with them in the car when we arrived early gave me the time to properly notice the abandoned church which has been decaying slowly over the last few years. It is up for sale but it's really big, which is probably why it hasn't sold as a conversion project. I quickly drew a very small part of it to remind me, I'll be interested to see what happens to it over the next few years.

A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to receive a Lakeland Christmas catalogue through the post. I  like looking through the catalogue more than visiting the shop, which is good as there isn't one that I can easily visit. But a Lakeland concession is opening soon at the garden centre down the road, and I'm very much looking forward to having a look round. In the meantime I spent a lovely quiet evening cutting out my favourite aesthetic Christmas photos and gluing them down to create an inspirational collage.

And finally I was helping my parents sort through some things at their house and I came across this amazing photo! It was in the 'throw out' pile so she's not a relative of mine, and no-one knows who she was or why they had the photo. I must admit that I've partly shared it here just in case someone might find it as part of an image search and be able to give me some more information! I just love it, that expression on her face. I wrote a little bit about why I liked it so much and who I imagine she might be.

Journalling and bullet journal supplies for Halloween

This post contains affiliate links

I love writing in my notebooks, and I have two journals consistently on the go. I use my bullet journal to plan my weekly schedule and keep track of my tasks for the day, then I use my illustrated journal to write down my thoughts and also as a creative outlet for small sketches and collages. I enjoy theming them both to the time of year, and with Halloween coming up I thought I'd share some Halloween themed supplies which would work really well for all types of journalling. 

Photo credit Michelle Gordon via Unsplash

Almost all of my bullet journal pages are edged with a strip of washi tape, I just love it! I have a pack of Halloween themed washi tape that I bought a few years ago and it's the perfect way to give a page an instant Halloween look. If you want something similar then you might like this big pack of cheerful Halloween washi tape, or you might prefer something darker like this huge set of magic and witch themed washi tape. 

When I'm working on a themed journal page, I often use some patterned paper as a background or as matting for a piece of ephemera. Something like this Halloween paper ephemera would work perfectly, or for a less bulky look some Halloween tissue paper would also work really well. 

I use stickers in both my bullet journal and my illustrated journal. For my bullet journal I like to use something small and fun, like these simple Halloween stickers. I especially like the small icons which you could use as bullet point markers. The stickers below are part of my Aesthetic Planner Stickers set which covers holidays and occasions throughout the year. But for my journal I want something a bit more dramatic, so I often go for some printed collage images which you can have fun cutting out and arranging on the page. I love this Vintage Halloween Ephemera Collection which is packed with spooky illustrations for all sorts of paper Halloween projects.

Until recently I always used the same fountain pen for writing in my journal, but after buying some new pens in gorgeous colours I've started to mix it up a bit. I use a new pen colour each day to make my entries stand out, and at this time of year I'm really drawn to autumnal colours. I have a set of these lovely pens - Zebra Sarasa gel pens - which come in a range of muted, vintage colours and are really comfortable to write with. It's difficult to choose a favourite colour but at the moment I'm really enjoying the golden yellow and the dark red.

Halloween usually calls for more muted, darker colours, so you can reflect this in the other accents that you use in your journal. For example coloured sticky tabs as bookmarks or to help find a certain journal page. I also love these fun Autumn leaf sticky notes which really stand out, both to use in a bullet journal or as a quick reminder around the house. 

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for bringing some Halloween fun to your journal pages this month!

Starting my second journal

Around this time last year I began to write regularly in my journal, and I soon progressed to adding ephemera along with a few illustrations. I've mentioned my journal a lot on my blog.

I've written about how I use my journal, shared some of the things that I have stuck in to my journal, and how I use my journal to help me notice the things around me. I've also blogged about overcoming my fear of journalling in public, and how I use my journal to spark my creativity. A regular journalling habit has become really important to me, and I always feel better after getting my thoughts down on paper.

My journal is a very simple Amazon Basics notebook (affiliate link), and it's slightly smaller than A4 size. I always look out for this notebook on Prime day as they are often reduced to half price. The pages aren't the best quality but they hold up well to my fountain pen and even some ink and watercolours. The paper is really smooth for comfortable writing and although the pages are thin they are still sturdy enough for plenty of gluing. There's also a handy pocket at the back for loose odds and ends.

I was running out of pages in my original journal just before we went away over Easter, so I decided that it would be a good time to start a new one. I removed the last few blank pages to try and make it a little flatter. I love this photo comparing my old and new journals - you can see just how much I stuffed it full with tickets, pictures, postcards, stickers, cards and all sorts of ephemera!

Now I'm starting again with a lovely empty book of clean pages. I love writing with my fountain pen, or cartridge pen as we used to call them back at school. I'm thinking about treating myself to some different coloured cartridges so that I can have a really colourful journal!

An update on my Bullet Journal

I started my first Bullet Journal nearly a year ago, and it's an organisational system that is working really well for me! I wrote in January about how I was trying out a Bullet Journal, and as I've just migrated to my second journal I thought I'd write a little update with how I'm getting on, and what has changed since I started using it. 

My first Bullet Journal was an A5 Seawhite Journal from Hobbycraft and I paid £8.50. This is a really thick journal with lovely sketchbook thickness pages. Unfortunately it was rather wasted on me as I was only using it for writing, and I found the ink didn't flow very well. It's much more suitable for people that want to get a little arty with their journals as it holds watercolour paint very well.

For my second journal I bought an A5 Bullet Planner in store from Flying Tiger which cost £5. It's very slightly smaller but the pages are much thinner and smoother to write on. It also has a pen holder which the Seawhite one doesn't have, and two place marking ribbons. I much prefer it! 

What worked and was carried over

My daily/weekly/monthly planning system - this still works really well. I make it a habit on a Sunday afternoon to transfer tasks from the nearly completed week to the next, and to make my weekly page for the following week and a monthly page if needed. 

My yearly calendar of regular dates - I've really kept on top of birthdays this year by making it a habit to check important dates that are coming up.

My list of passwords and registration details - These are written down in a coded format in case I lose the journal. I've referred back to it many times!

The Household Tasks planner - This is a list of regular household tasks with a highlighted checkbox to show how often they need to be done, things like cleaning out the lint in the tumble dryer, a maintenance wash of the dishwasher, defrosting the freezer. This has been so helpful, and I've really kept on top of these boring jobs that get worse if you don't do them regularly.

The To Watch page - I like to keep a list of things which I want to watch or which have been recommended to me. I trimmed it a little for the new journal, as it was a good time to see what was still relevant.

What didn't work and has been left behind

The Exercise Tracker - I very quickly lost interest in this! I just didn't find it useful, I can tell by how I'm feeling whether I've exercised recently or whether I need to go out and do something.

Monthly habit trackers - I still use these occasionally but not as often as I was intending to.

My To Be Read pile - This was useful when I started the journal as I had a whole page of books that I needed to read. Now that I've caught up with it (following these tips - How to conquer the To Be Read Pile!) I only have 5-10 books at a time which is more manageable. I read so quickly that I don't want to keep going back and adding/removing books, and I track my reading in Goodreads. 

Too many lists of projects - I had lists of craft projects, home projects, long-term projects, goals for the year and so on. It was too many pages to keep track of, so I'm going to pick out the key ones and make just the one page in the new journal called 'Projects'.

Contact details - I never ended up filling this page in, I have all the information I need stored elsewhere.

Photo credit Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

I'm really pleased with how well I've kept up with the Bullet Journal system and I've found a way to make it work for me. I was a little over enthusiastic at first when I was seeing all the inspiration online and wanting to make pages for everything, but over time I've managed to pare it back to what I really need!

Do you keep a Bullet Journal? If you want to know more about the system this is a good place to start - The Bullet Journal Method. I'd love to hear how you use one!

You might also like this post - Things that don't go in my Bullet Journal

Journal prompts for bloggers

I love writing in my journal, and even though I don't write every day I find that it's a really good way of putting my thoughts in order. I like to write about what I've been doing, things that I've learned or researched, things that I want to do and just random thoughts about various aspects of my life.

I often find myself writing about things that have interested me or caught my attention that have later made it into a blog post. I thought I'd have a think about how keeping a journal has been helpful for me when it comes to writing my blog.

I've put together some journal prompts for bloggers, both for myself and to share. I think that they fall into two different categories - firstly journal prompts which are for your own private thoughts and secondly journal prompts that help you to explore ideas, spark creativity, and which may become useful when writing future posts.

Journal prompts for private reflection

Why did you start your blog? For me it was to share photographs and updates of the children with the wider family, but it quickly moved on from there.

Why did you continue blogging, what was your motivation? 

How has the look and feel of your blog changed over time?

What have you gained from blogging? Maybe online companionship or paid work.

What has blogging taught you? For example confidence in using social media, writing skills, how to edit HTML, photo taking and editing.

What challenges have you had while blogging?

What are your favourite topics to blog about and why do you enjoy writing about them?

What puts you into a blogging mood?

What gives you ideas for blog posts?

What are your blogging goals? Some ideas - to post more frequently, to update older posts, to improve photography, to improve sharing on social media.

Are you happy with your blog? What would you like to change?

Photo credit Jodie Cook via Unsplash

Journal prompts to inspire blogging

What have been your favourite blog posts to write and why? Are there any that could be updated or rewritten with a new perspective?

What subjects do you most enjoy writing about?

What have you never written about? What would you like to write about?

If you've been blogging for a long time, how has your life changed since you started? What new direction could you take the blog in based on new interests, surroundings or family situation?

What advice do you have for someone that is thinking of starting a blog? What blogging tips and tricks would you share?

What would you like to change about your blog?

How would you love your blog to look? Think about posting frequency, structure, images, design, colour scheme and so on.

If you are looking for inspiration when it comes to writing blog posts then you may find this post useful - an entire year of blog post ideas and inspiration.

Things that I have stuck into my journal

 Things that I have already glued in my journal:

Stickers, seaweed, photographs that I've printed of things that interest me, packaging from food and snacks, notes from the children, wristbands, printed quotes from books, washi tape, business cards, scraps of fabric, notes found in second hand books, printed information from things I've researched, photographs from leaflets, confetti, gift tags, sand, drink mats, teabag tags, seed packets, leaves, maps, wrappers from watercolour paint blocks, dried flowers, set lists from concerts...

Things that I have yet to stick in my journal:

Postcards, wrapping paper, greetings cards, photographs, dried earth, seeds, stamps, tissue paper, patterned paper, ribbon, jokes from Christmas crackers, tickets, recipes, envelopes...

Tips for keeping a journal flat when it is filled with ephemera:

If you are planning to stick lots of things into a journal then you might want to consider a spiral bound sketchbook. The pages will be thicker so they can hold heavier items, and as well as giving you a bit more room because of the spiral binding it will also be easier to remove pages.

Removing pages will mean that the journal will lie flatter and be easier to write in as it fills up. You can also try to stick bulkier objects to different areas of the pages to spread them out at bit and use photographs or scans instead of originals.

Or you can just embrace the look of a splayed out journal, overflowing with all sorts of interesting things!

Ways to attach items inside a journal:

PVA glue (be careful as this can make the page wrinkly and takes longer to dry), a glue stick (keeps the page flat, dries quickly, not so good for heavier objects like dried flowers or leaves), paperclips, staples, sellotape, washi tape (not as sticky as sellotape and can peel off easily), BluTack (will lose it's stickiness over time and is quite bulky), glue dots, double sided tape, sewing, storing items inside envelopes (good for more delicate items that you don't want to cover in glue).

Remember that many of these adhesive methods (and for that matter most of the things that you are sticking inside) are not archival and will not last forever. It all depends how long you want the journal to survive - just for your lifetime or for many generations to come! If you are very concerned about the longevity of your journal then it's worth doing some research on what supplies to use and ways to preserve it. There are some good tips here - Best supplies for archival journal making.

Personally I'm making my journals for myself so I'm not too worried, and as long as I can look back through them in a few years time then I'm happy!

If you want to read more about my journal then you might like this post - How starting an illustrated journal helped me to notice things