Journals & Commonplace Books - 5 Easy Tips

[@Got_Journal]

I just got my art journals back out. My husband told me that when I am doing art I am more me, less stressed, more happy, and that he loves to see me doing it. I had no idea that doing art and journaling is also important self-care.

[@mm-qm9zh]

It really is!! 😊🩷 Meline

[@amytangerine]

Yay! So glad even he notices. That's wonderful!

[@susansmithey5317]

Last year I started art journaling. At some point I decided to paint some pages black. I then started doodling with basic Posca paint pens. It was transformative. I’ve mostly used the white paint pen because I love the sharp contrast.

[@crafty_campbell_scraps]

I started journalling (memory planning, whatever you wanna call it) at the start of 2023 (and scrapbooking since about 2018 or '19) and I definitely feel the difference in myself when I struggle to carve out time for it (such as when my son's on school holidays) - I feel a kind of creative withdrawal! 2 things I found help: 1. Finding the format that works for me - I switched formats this year compared to last because I felt too restricted and when gaps grew, back-filling felt too overawing. Now I've found my format of choice, it feels much freer and easier (and gaps still happen but I find them easier to back-fill). 2. Finding ways to sneak in whatever I can when life takes my regular time away - I keep a prompt book so I can scribble a short one-line reminder what happened that day that I want to put in my journal if I know I won't get to it right away. I also took a "scruffy book" away on vacation this year so I could scribble some notes but not have to worry how they looked, then I was able to copy them into my journal when we got back and add the photos, momentos and decoration alongside at leisure (this might seem like duplication but it worked for what I wanted).

[@amytangerine]

Awww, this is wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

[@gmt5664]

I love how simple some of your pages are. I never set aside time to journal because I feel like I have to finish everything with 5 layers and colors and stamping, so I never start. I horde supplies and they just sit there. I think if I kept is as clean and simple as some of your pages, I could do it.

[@JacquieLineStudio28]

I too love the simplicity of Amy's pages

[@amytangerine]

Thank you so much! Simple is key... so is just allowing yourself to start

[@howdydoodles]

I do the same thing.

[@ArtwithVikkiC]

I started back journaling in 2019 , glad I did .

[@amytangerine]

Amazing!

[@charmaineneverson2134]

I always loved your videos!!! I have a stash of stickers, journals, magazine cutouts and markers that need to be used. 😂😂😂

[@amytangerine]

Love that! Have fun!!

[@annette681]

Thank you for this very helpful video, it definitely inspires me to get creative. I really like how you leave white space around your blocks of writing - it makes the page look more pleasing to the eye - because I tend to start writing in the very topmost leftmost side of the page so as not to waste the page but if you leave white around it- it looks better so it’ll motivate me to create more. 👏🙌🙏

[@amytangerine]

I'm so glad!

[@BecScribbles]

I love your journals Amy!! Oh my goodness they are beautiful 😮

[@amytangerine]

Thank you so much!

[@chiaotan5151]

Love all your amazing journals❤️😘😘

[@amytangerine]

Thank you!!

[@pattimcclelland6635]

I am having a hard time getting started up again. I like the quote about failing to start is failing... something like that...😉. Okay, I will start today. I owe it to myself. Thank you for your encouragement and tips.

[@amytangerine]

You can do it!

[@theycallmethequeen]

I just loved this video! So inspiring! I've been in such a creative slump. Now I want to dig out all my stuff and play!!

[@amytangerine]

I'm so glad! Have fun taking time to pause & play!! Oh and if you ever want me to come up and teach again, it would be fun to do something more collage-y/vision board/goal setting/mixed media :)

[@TheMennomilist]

I love the twin stars so much! There was a character in Japan mainly on stationary in the 90s I loved called "White" who was a little girl and had different pretty or cool outfits.

[@amytangerine]

I don't remember that one!!

[@tezntweet]

Tfs Amy. I guess I've been doing common place journaling too.

[@amytangerine]

YAY!!!

[@jesusc6215]

Thanks x Sharing ❤great tips

[@amytangerine]

You are so welcome!

[@julieannestaub1502]

Amy, I love your joyful, positive artwork! Can you share where you got you bright colored traveler’s notebooks? Thank you!

[@amytangerine]

Thank you!! I am not sure which ones you're referring to, but most of my actual TNs are either Traveler's Company or we made some years ago too.

[@blackgirlhappyplanner3482]

Thank you for sharing. Very inspiring!

[@amytangerine]

You are so welcome!

[@KellysCreativeDreams]

Hi Amy Great tips. built my studio I used a journal to dream what our house remodel 18 years ago and again when we10 built the studio almost years ago. Now, it’s all about how studio is changing. Hugs and Creative Blessings

[@amytangerine]

That is awesome! Evolving and changing can be a wild ride. Enjoy!!

[@barbararivera2380]

Thank you

[@amytangerine]

You're welcome

[@henkesarah7147]

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of your sticker book! I can’t wait to add them to my journals and planner! Fun video, thanks for sharing! 🎨

[@amytangerine]

Yay! Thank you!

[@8randomprettysecret8]

Cool books! These are pretty lovely 🥰

[@amytangerine]

Glad you like them!

[@AxisOAnarchy]

I just got a new A6 pocket journal with kraft paper pages and I've been thinking of doing junk journaling and making it a commonplace book. I have some cut files to make ephemera for a junk journal and I'm thinking of going shopping for some cardstock to make things to glue in and collage with but I haven't figured out my budget yet. I might use some catalogs like you do as well.

[@amytangerine]

Sounds like an awesome plan!

[@AxisOAnarchy]

@@amytangerine I've already made my first marks and now I just need to figure out some organization to it. That's the tricky part with me and commonplace books is figuring out my system. I've been wanting to do a lot more reading too and I tend to use the highlight tool which then imports into Readwise and I believe it logs the date as well so I might do something similar and have little emblems or letters to mark whether it's a quote, note, feeling, or something along those lines.

[@CathyVongnaraj]

You inspire me so much friend!!!! Where did you get the honey comb / sequins stencil again??? I need that!!!

[@amytangerine]

I got it ages ago from a physical scrapbook store. I found this though - which is plenty but maybe we can split it or something - amzn.to/3XwcJNN

[@vickiebain6734]

Notes and texts from friends, visuals of unique furniture and rooms, visual images of pieces that show different emotions, on going goal setting and claiming

[@amytangerine]

Love the "claiming"!

[@ehrikalord1340]

OMG my first locked diary in elementary was Hello Kitty and I wrote from the first to the very back page ❤

[@amytangerine]

That is AMAZING!!

[@kiandra323]

Will your new sticker books have a supplier in Australia?

[@amytangerine]

As of now, no, but if you know of someone, please point them in my direction. We have had quite a few orders from Australia, but the shipping is super expensive!

[@27bbjutgvdfcgbbj]

Super!!! Schön!!!!🎉👍👍👍

[@leslieryan6300]

Love your little watercolour set in this video. Where did you get it?

[@amytangerine]

It's my collab with AC from a few years ago :)

[@robbieslater1951]

Great video. I've always struggled with journalling, as I don't want to have a permanent record of my thoughts and someone finds it and reads it esp if I died and there's an embrassing record my Intimate thoughts. This is what STOPS me from ever keeping one 😥

[@bevbellony]

I thought I.was the only one who felt like that!

[@amytangerine]

Totally understand how you feel. I think this is a topic worth exploring in a separate video. Thank you!!

[@NancyLiliG]

My tip is to try to stick with it daily at the same time each time, if and when you can (or weekly on the same day of the week each time). This way it becomes a habit and routine and you're more likely to stick with it.

[@amytangerine]

Great tip! So fun

[@melissafreed384]

Amy- I am launching a art journaling series at my library hoping to inspire more people and share ideas and time being creative. May I share this video to our library website?

[@amytangerine]

I would be so honored!! Thank you! Can you just send me the link once it's up?

[@melissafreed384]

@@amytangerine Absolutely! Thank you!

[@brenda5297]

I haven't journaled in so long and I feel like I want to restart, but I'm afraid to write the very bad stuff my family and I are going through. What should I do?

[@andalltheangelssay212]

Write about what makes you happy, things you love, things you like doing, favourite books, movies, music, write your favourite song lyrics and quotes that speak to you, uplift you or give you hope for the future, write about happier times-special memories, childhood memories, doodle, draw- anything- what you’re eating/ drinking/ doing, pets, people you love- the pictures don’t have to be good as it’s the process that counts, not the end result, collage , stick in stickers, sweet and chocolate wrappers, magazine cut outs, scribble or paint, embrace making art, allow yourself to make bad art, just have fun with it , write stories, anything that puts you in the flow , in the present moment . I really hope things improve for you soon , sending lots of love xxx PS. If you need help or support reach out to someone in your life that you trust xxx

[@brenda5297]

@@andalltheangelssay212 Aw 🥲 Thank you so so much for your help and kind words. I'm truly grateful! 💖

[@kalisue6573]

I had this fear too! I started with just focusing on good stuff, glimmers, daily events, making plans. I’d do more cathartic problem/sad journaling in a separate book and then immediately destroying it. Now I’m going through something and more open to putting sad stuff in my journal.

[@brenda5297]

@@kalisue6573 I'm so sorry. What do you do or feel when you read that part back?

[@kalisue6573]

@@brenda5297 I’m not reading it back right now. My father passed and I figured some day it might be helpful to see how far I’ve come in my grief journey, or the next time I god forbid lose someone I can remember my feelings were normal. If I’m writing about my grief I headline it “grief journal”