Inspiration: how to keep journals

What do you know about the journals? I'm sure that anyone has at least one journal, for example it is a planner or scheduler for everyday use, isn't it? I know some people who keep the diaries. Also sketchbooks, artbooks and scrapbooks are really great way to record life's experiences, feelings, emotional reactions or one's own inner voice.

I did a little list of some journals, that give me a lot of inspiration and share them here. All pictures are clickable and link to the source. Start with the planners, look at this pretty weekly planner:

.. or monthly planner:

The travel journal:

.. one travel journal more:

The cooking journal with visual recipes:

The visual journal of emotions and feelings:

Keeping To-Do list in a journal:

The diary with scrapbook elements:

Just the page from a diary:

The scrapbook for the photos:

 The family budget journal:

If you think that you can't draw, that is false! Everyone can draw! Just take the pencil and paper and start drawing all the things you see around you:

The Elvie Studio blog is very helpful to starting with drawing and feeling you are an artist:

View this funny picture and tutorial by Elvie Studio:

The artist's journal for drawing with watercolours:

Who hasn't any journal, they are drawing in the books:

The scripture journal:

The doodling journal:

Doodling with colors:

Also it is possible to glue in some pockets, envelopes, stickers, labels..

..and make some journal arts:

You can do with a journal everything your heart desires: to glue on your favorite pictures and photos, draw, paint, doodle, tweet, write all important and unimportant things, to travel and make sketches, collect your favorite recipes and even sketching the ingridients or just keep a journal in complete secrecy under your pillow :)

I have 3 journals: family budget journal, sold and custom orders journal and inspiration journal. Some days ago I started with 4th journal and try to draw with my new watercolour pencils. My mom keeps 2 journals: a garden journal and our house repairs journal. One day I will share some pages of our journals.

Do you have any journals too?

journals for romantic person

 These journals are made of natural linen fabric and embellished with cotton braided lace.

The journals are filled with blank paper in white or beige, great to write stories, make notes or draw sketches. 

Size approximately 4.1 x 6.3 inches (10.5 x 16 cm).

More journals on Etsy via ArtStitch

leather journal as birthday gift

This leather journal was sent to birthday, included small bookmark with the custom text of birthday wishes and the names:

children make

One day my daughter (12 years old) told me that she wants to learn some handcraft technique. I've teached her a little crocheting and knitting, she have tried embroidery and sewing too. Then she told me that she is ready to start with a doily. The pattern we get from a handcraft magazine "Minu Käsitööd", and here it is Kristina's first pink doily. The doily is crocheted of cotton thread, size approx. 13" or 34 cm.

When the doily was done, Kristina saw this beautiful white handbag in the internet and was very inspired:

Source: shortylamcrochet.blogspot.com

We bought a wonderful cotton thread in blue color, black satin ribbon, leather handle with the wooden rings and a magnetic clasp. 

Size of handbag is 10 x 14" or 25 x 35 cm. Inside the handbag is cotton lining in blue color with the pair of pockets to hold a phone and some little items. I'm so pleased that my daughter wants to make and does so beautiful items.

pocket size leather journal

This pocket size journal was made of natural leather in brown, filled with upcycled lined paper. Contains approximately 90 sheets or 180 pages counted both sides. Great to take everywhere because of it's small size.

The journal is available on Etsy HERE.

leather journals with old maps

We made 2 similar journals with a suede tie closure and a hook clasp. 

Both leather journals are filled with 160 sheets (320 pages counted both side) of lined paper, included some pages from old maps.

Size is approximately A6 or 4.1 x 6.3 inches or 10.5 x 16 cm. The journals are great for everyday use - keeping diary, writing stories, making notes or taking the journal on the travel trips.

The journals are available on Etsy, in ArtStitch shop.

bird in a garden

This bird is looking into my window. Every day since the last week.
Does she want come in? :) 

cat and dog

Our new dog is adapted now. She knows who is a family member and who is an alian. She is friendly, clever and good guard dog.

But our cat is thinking that we don't need the dog. He says: "Return the dog to the place where you took from!" Really angry cat..

Great Finds: children wooden toys

1. Carousel by SmilingTreeToys 2. Play with a shadow by Dominna 3. Tractor by friendlytoys

4. Cars by littlesaplingtoys 5. Chunky numbers by TymbaToys 6. Solid puzzle HowellsProducts

7. Alphabet blocks by BannorToys 8. Noah's ark by OohLookItsARabbit 9. Ferris wheel by asummerafternoon

I love wooden toys! It is always funny to play with eco-friendly toys, that are non-toxic, natural and safe for children. We have a wooden domino and memory game, that we plan to play today. Have a playful weekend! 

crazy patchwork journal

This journal was made to order. The customer wished to buy a journal made of striped fabric. But unfortunately we had only a little piece of these. So we make an arrangement about journal with crazy patchwork cover. You can see there is a piece of striped fabric, that Igor sewed to the bottom of the journal. The cover is embellished with a little lace.

Filled with assorted paper: white blank paper, lined and squared paper, color paper, vintage maps and pages from old calendar. The journal is went far, far away from Europe, and it is in Hong Kong now.

And here is the feedback: "It's perfect! I like it very much, both the colour and pattern (or combination of fabric pieces) are perfect match to my mind. You are so thoughtful that I could find a strip at the bottom of the journal. Thank you!"

Thank you to all our customers, we are happy and very inspired with your positive feedbacks :)

mother's day

The meringue cake with butter cream on the picture. I did 2 meringue bisquits using 3 egg whites and 150 g (5.29 oz) sugar. Put a bakery paper on the pan, bake in oven with 110 °C or 230 °F. When bisquits were ready and cooled, then I spread a butter cream between the bisquits, put them together and spread the top with the cream too. Then sprinkle with walnuts.

Happy Mother's Day to all my readers and guests!

leather journal with buckle closure

We tried to make a leather journal with buckle closure. Not so bad, as I was thought. And I like the result. I hope that Igor will continue experiments with different closures. 

handmade leather journal

Large leather journal in size A5 (approx. 5.5x8 inches or 14x20 cm) was made to order. Black leather is soft and has a light smell of leather. The journal with a suede tie enclosure, filled with lined paper, included some pages in brown color, 160 sheets, 320 pages counted both sides. 

new member of our family

She is Shera, the German Shepherd, 4 years old. So amazing and really wonderful dog! I'm in love :) We got her today from south Estonia and took home over 240 km or 150 miles. She is very clever, beautiful and playful dog.

She plays with children, executes the commands and understand everything we tell her. So gooood dog! Now she will live with us in our home =)

botanical serie journals

This is our new serie of handmade journals - Botanical. The journals are made of natural linen fabric with a picture, that is drawn with black textile marker. We tried different kinds of markers to be sure, that is waterresistent and long lasting on textile with good quality. We found that "Pilot" marker made in Japan is perfect for our requirements. 

On the picture above is the "Poppy journal" filled with blank white paper, that is great for writing and sketching, included some pages in brown.

Another journal named "Botanical" is inspired also from nature

.. and filled with lined paper, included some pages in ivory color.

Now we try to draw some beetles and insects.

large wedding album

This large fabric journal was made to order. Journal size is 5.5x7.9 inches (14x20 cm). The cover is sewn of thick felt and cotton fabric, embellished with a cotton lace. Inside 56 sheets, 112 pages counted both sides of thick paper in beige.

It is possible to write stories and add photos and pictures in most popular size 4x6 inches (10x15 cm), also there is a little space for adding a title and text about picture.

On the photo is my daughter, when she was 5 :)

frontpage on Etsy: mini mini

Yay! We are on the frontpage of Etsy! There is featured our journal from new botanical serie. All journals from this serie will come of natural materials like linen fabric and embellished with an artwork on the cover. The first one is "Poppy".

Congratulations and many thanks to Galina from galafilc for her awesome treasury :) Just click on the items and you will instantly find out more about each of them!

just the dogs

Fabric journals with dog theme. Sheepdog, dalmatian, black dog. These one-of-a-kind journals are great to jot down your notes, lists, goals, to-do's, stories and others. Available on Etsy in our shop ArtSticth.

our workspace

The journals packaging. These two fabric journals are ready to leave us and go to their new home. I always use craft paperbags (not shown on the picture), tie with string and then put a journal into bubble envelope. Also I add a pretty bookmark.

Once a week I keep a journal about all coming and sent orders. On the picture there are more journals, only one of them is mine :)

interview with me

What a nice day today! It was sunny too. The little interview with me is published in moncy3 blog. Many thanks to Claudia! :) 

And the couple words about picture, this is a cuff bracelet beaded in peyote stitch technique. The design is based from the fabric pattern. May be I will show my dress, sewed from that fabric, later. 

Great Finds: Happy Easter!

1. Chickens by SewWhatsNext 2. Easter Bynny by cherrytime

3. Easter Eggs by BasicDesign 4. French Easter Ornament by LaNiqueHome

It is a time to get together with friends, family and loved ones and celebrate this joyful time. Happy Easter!

how we make journals

- This journal will be so pretty, I think that is great for a little princess.
- Yes, it will be pretty and girly.
- So what kind of the paper we will use?
- Hmm, I think that this white squared paper.
- I'm not sure, I think that princess wants drawing in the journal, so we fill the journal with the white blank paper.
- May be the lined paper is better? What if princess wants not only draw, but try to write too?
- Hmm, you're right..

The journal is filled with lined paper, icluded some pages of pink color paper and white blank paper.

frontpage on Etsy: Finally Home!

ArtStitch is featured on the frontpage of Etsy with the large lace journal! What a great surprise! :) Many thanks to Olena from HandyHappy for the great treasury.

last snow

Today's view from a window. SNOW! Snow, snow, snow. Snow-snow-snow. Snowsnowsnow. I hope it's last this winter..

Location: Lahemaa - National Park in Estonia

el rubio de Estonia

We were traveled in Spain last year with my son. "El rubio! Muy bonito chico! Que hermoso!" - said spanish women*. And I was very pleased, as any mum, if you say that her child is so beautiful and cute. Now we always say "bonito rubio" when son is washed, coiffured and obedient his parents.

* The blond! Very nice boy! How beautiful!