HomeSpunHealers

Last time we met, I spoke a little bit about choosing to keep your journal private or opening it up for the world to see. By now you have made your choice and are ready to start writing. If you ask around, I’m sure you will find most regular journal keepers have gone through a trial and error phase in finding the right journal(s) that works for them. You will pave your own path, but I can at least offer you a map of sorts for the journey.

If you prefer to keep a paper journal, there are so many options open to you. You can be as plain or as fancy with this journal as you wish. It helps to know what kind of journal you wish to keep. Do you plan to write all about your gardening and cooking experiences? Or, do you plan to delve deep into your soul and pull out the things normally hidden?

Other questions to ask yourself include:

• Will I be carrying my journal with me, or will it be kept in one place that I use each time I write?
• Will I need lined paper, or do I prefer the blank page?
• Do I want my journal to look official and serious, or would I rather have something playful and indicative of my interests?
• Will I need “chapters” to write about different topics?

Some great choices for paper journals include:

• Three-ring binder with dividers and loose leaf paper.
• One subject, spiral notebook.
• Multi-subject, spiral notebook.
• Composition book.
• Traditional leather bound with closing strap- blank or lined pages.
• Artist tablet- spiral bound is nice.

Once you’ve chosen the type, you can decorate it or leave it plain. You are only limited by your creativity. Some people use stickers, stencils, quotes, photographs, or other pieces of art to spruce up their journal.

Now, you may have decided that an online journal is something you would rather keep. There are many places that will host a journal/blog for you. You just need to surf around a bit and find the one that fits your personality and needs. If making friends and keeping up with other people who journal is important to you, you may want to choose one of the following:

• Live Journal
• Open Diary
• Dead Journal

If you like the idea of a more personalized journal that is less community oriented, you might want to check out:

• Blogger
• WordPress

All of the sites I mentioned are free to use in some basic form, but most offer a premium account that adds more bells and whistles for those who need them. I’ve found that I normally don’t need them, but you might enjoy the extras. It’s your journal… have fun creating your online presence.

I hear you. What if you want to keep both? Or, many? Then do so! I keep an online blog and several paper journals. I even keep one that is mostly art and other images with very few words. Some people keep a different journal for each area they feel compelled to explore. There is no right or wrong way, so don’t be afraid to get creative and do something unique.

Next time, we will stare that blank page in the face and win the stare down. If you find the blank page of your journal intimidating, you won’t want to miss the next piece.

Every once in awhile I get in a creative mood. Not so long ago, my youngest son found an old dump site while hunting in the woods. He found all kinds of colored vintage bottles in different sizes and shapes, and some brown glass vintage clorox bottles. He dug up a number of them and brought them home to me. I have spent some time thinking as to what I might do with these unearthed “treasures” to recycle them and turn them into gifts. I came up with the following ideas…

With a small drill suitable for glass, I have plans to turn the gallon size brown glass clorox bottles into lamps. I envision painting sunflowers on the bottles to dress them up a bit.

The various other bottles can easily become glass wind chimes, but I will need a glass cutter,and a pottery kiln to bring this idea into fruitation.

Did you know that if you have a butane torch, and a little creative skill, you can turn regular vegetable cans (once they are empty, washed,and the labels are scrubbed off) into beautiful “fairy lamps”? A quick once over with the flame gives the can a “pewter” type finish, and then you simply burn out your various designs on the can, then attach a metal hanger to the top, and put a votive candle inside.

It takes a little imagination, but there are probably many more things that we dump into landfills that could just as easily serve other purposes, and even turn up as gifts.

I would love to hear some of your recycled craft ideas. Please feel free to share!

It sounds fairly straight forward, but deciding to keep a journal is just the first step down that path. There are several things to consider before you throw caution to the wind and record your every thought, emotion, and experience. While it might sound charming to grab a pen and start on a whim, taking some time to think about journals will serve you well as you begin to record your own history.

Journals, or diaries, have been kept for a variety of reasons through the centuries. From the poor to the noble, from scientific theory to emotional upheaval, people have long had the desire to write things down. We’ve learned so much about humanity and history through the reading of personal journals. Some journals were written to document history. They were meant to be read by future generations for the purpose of gaining insight and knowledge. Some journals were penned in secret, never meant to see the light of day, but somehow they surfaced, and we are in awe of their brilliance.

What is your motivation? Do you wish to pen journals that will be read by others? Will you write with the voice of a story teller, or will you be brutally honest and keep your words under lock and key? Deciding this is important and should be the first thing you consider. Take some time to think about the good and the bad that comes with sharing yourself with the world. When I started to keep a journal for the first time, I was a young woman who didn’t want to share my thoughts with the world. As I got older, I decided it was a sort of adventure to open myself up and share my experiences with the general public. Choose what works best for your lifestyle and personality.

If you wish to keep your words private and plan to use a paper journal, begin looking around for a place to store your journal away from prying eyes. Consider, though, that should something happen to you, there is a chance your journal will be found and read. For this reason, I would suggest having one trustworthy person know the location of your journal. You can instruct them to either lock away or destroy your journal(s) should the need arise. Alternately, you may choose to write a simple note on the cover requesting that it not be read by whomever finds it in the future. Some people will respect this wish, but that’s always subject to their commitment to honor. If you are seriously concerned about someone reading your journal, consider placing it in a small safe/box with a key. These can be purchased without much cost and are fire proof.

If you choose to keep a journal online, privacy is as simple as a click away on most blog or journal sites. Setting entries to private with keep others from seeing what you’ve written, but will still give you the option to make them public later should you decide to do so.

Choosing to make yourself and your experiences available for the public is best served with an online journal or blog. Consider using a pen name, however, and giving people in your life nicknames that match their personalities. Share as much of your life as you wish, but always be aware that anyone can see that information. Posting information such as names, addresses, and other personal data are very risky. There is no need to be paranoid, but simple precautions are wise.

Next time, we’ll take a look at choosing the right journal for your purpose.