Hello, I'm Jolyn and I love making journals.
Handmade journals are my favorite to use because you can make them exactly how you want — who doesn't love a secret hiding spot to stash that private love note or to conceal the code breaker for your ciphered letter?
Trying to find unique papers or unexpected treasures to add to your next journal can become like a daily scavenger hunt - think cereal boxes, candy wrappers and printed napkins!
And you must always add lots of pockets! You need pockets to store the little "pickety paper bits" of life. You know... little pieces of paper you gather like movie stubs, love notes, receipts, fortunes from cookies, etc. — the little "bits" of life.
My journal story...
I’ve been writing/drawing in diaries and journals for over 40 years. My love of them stems from my grandmother, who passed away when I was only ten years old. I wish I had more time with her when she was here, but until we meet again, I dedicate this to you, Grandma Porter:
When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I had my one-and-only sleep over at my grandma’s house, just me and her.
After washing the dinner dishes, we sat down to enjoy our dessert. While I was eating my pie, my grandma opened up her diary and started writing. I asked her what she was doing. She said, “I am writing down what happened today.” I asked her how often she wrote in her diary. “Every day,” she said.
I was amazed at her structure and dedication!
I asked her how long she had been keeping a diary. “Oh, a long time,” she said.
“As long as I have been born?” I asked, challenging her.
Instead of replying, she got up and walked to her floor-to-ceiling cupboards and opened one. On every shelf there were diaries, with a year written on each of the spines. She reached for one that read 1970 and opened it. She found the page she was looking for, then handed me the diary.
On the pages she showed me were the notations she had made on the days that surrounded the day that I had been born, September 9th, 1970.
The notations were nothing extraordinary, but the words that were written forever changed my life! The very next day she took me to the Hallmark store and bought me my first diary.
Today, I'm deeply passionate about journaling, so much so that I create my own custom journals to capture my experiences. I also love teaching others how to make their own journals to document their journeys.
—Happy Journaling, Jolyn
Photo: My Grandma & Grandpa Porter
