I had a few different blog posts I was working on this week, but I really just wanted to write about something that I'm loving right now, so I'm going to do that. As I've written before, I'm getting a lot out of keeping up with a regular writing habit. Writing in a journal consistently helps me to cut down on my anxiety, identify patterns and things that are coming up over and over, and get my ideas down on paper.
I think something that makes this type of writing enjoyable for me and helps me to do it consistently is adding some kind of decoration, color, and interest to the pages. I DO NOT want it to be too elaborate or take up any time at all, because I would rather spend the time I'm working in this journal writing and the rest of my creative time making art, but I feel like making the pages look a little bit interesting and spending a minute adding some stickers or collage to a page can help get my brain going as I figure out what to write. So here are my favorite quick and easy ways to add some visual interest to my written journal pages.
1) Stickers! - If you're anything like me then you have a bunch of stickers that you've been hanging on to but not using. I buy them, get them free with online orders I make from other artists, receive them in the mail from my Feminist Sticker Club subscription (gifted to me by my lovely friend Hannah) and I can only put so many on my laptop and sketchbooks, so my journal is the perfect place to use them up. Sometimes, I find a use for a sticker that I previously didn't have a place for previously, but is perfect to go along with whatever I'm writing about. Stickers are also super easy to include. Literally just peel and stick - it takes about 3 seconds to add something interesting to my journal.
2) Washi Tape - This is another thing that is super easy to use and that you probably have on hand if you are at all like me. I bought a ton of this a few years ago and it feels great to have another use for it (I actually want to buy more but I"m trying to control myself). There are a few practical ways that I use it, like to patch things up if a page tears or gets loose, or to tape in an index card, but I also just use it for decoration. It is great for filling up space, to create a divide between entries, or just add some color.
3) Labels - I bought a bunch of labels in different colors and sizes on clearance from Paper Source. I write dates on the smaller ones and write whole entries on the longer ones.
4) Other Labels - I had seen several people using these old school label makers and became obsessed for some reason, so I got one. I love using them for dates and titles. I cannot explain why, but these labels (and making them with the clicky label maker) bring me so much joy.
5) Photocopies - Lately I've been photocopying all kinds of things and adding them to my journal. Photographs, tarot cards, artwork, and more. It's great for things that I don't want use the original of (old photos, cards from my tarot deck), etc. but is also a lot quicker and easier to hit the copy button on my printer/scanner/copier combo than to set up a printable with a bunch of images on my computer (especially because my computer is struggling to connect to the printer these days).
6) Block Letters - Writing in block letters takes the most time out of all of these options. I love the way it looks and sometimes it can be meditative to fill in the lettering. I use it for dates, words that stand out, and, once, a long quote when I just wanted to zone out and letter.
Other tools I'm loving are: my fave pen for writing, a roller date stamp, index cards, highlighters, paint chips.
Do you have any favorite journaling embellishments or techniques? These are making me so happy right now.