The Journal

The finished journal made from the fabric I won on our weekend away. It's for Coral, who put together the weekend plans.

I made the pattern. Basically, it's a quilted rectangle of fabric, pockets for the journal to slide into, and binding. It's like covering a text book, making sure there is enough give in the cover to be able to close the journal. The actual journals are from the discount store where I buy the pool shock. I happened upon them, they were dirt cheap so I stocked up.

Pages from my journal.

I'm a doodler. I try to doodle or sketch something out everyday. I put down ideas for projects, customer quilting designs, practice out those designs, or just doodle. Recently, I think it was on a PBS special, I saw something about how doodling can strengthen retention during informational lectures. Interesting. Something to do with using both sides of the brain in tandem without really thinking about it.

My journal is paper. I have several, actually. I like paper, I'm a paper person. I used to love to schlep my Smith/Corona typewriter around to do my reports, back in the day.... Until my husband, (boyfriend at the time) hooked me up with his sweet Mac. Woa, I was quickly addicted to technology. Gone was the dorky typewriter; in was the new Mac. I was hip, in, cool and I could cut and paste with out scissors and glue. Until- the canon ball of death. I hadn't learned to save stuff, yet. Back was the dorky typewriter and White-Out. Okay, so things eventually got better, I do use the computer for some stuff.

Again, I'm hip, I'm in, I'm tech savvy.....

(or at least trying)

Husband bought me a computer tablet last week, trying to keep me up to date and revolutionize what I do. I got myself all hitched up. It took awhile with a little frustration, but I did it. I was doodling and sketching on the tablet. Knowing that practice makes perfect, I played around with it quite a bit. I was doodling and sketching quite famously, but I couldn't get over the feeling of backwardness. How could this be? I was in the now, this was to be easier than my ancient concept of paper and pencil. Why did it feel so backwards? There was nothing natural about this, I was relearning to draw everything I already knew, I knew.... Then I realized - I had the tablet reversed. I was drawing backwards.

Anyway....