Inconsequential Journals

  This weekend many will be celebrating the Fourth of July. Events in modern times may bring you complicated feelings about our nation and the idea of patriotism. However, the day is still worth celebrating. The ideals of the Declaration of Independence are good ones if we truly strive to apply them to everyone . So lets think back to simpler times in our youth. What was your favorite Fourth of July event growing up?  I have many happy memories from those long ago summers. One that sticks out in my mind is the neighborhood fireworks watch. The trees have long since grown too tall but when I was in my early teens, we could see the town fireworks display from the bottom of our street. Each year all the neighbors would gather together to watch the show. It was never an official planned event. I don't even remember bringing chairs. Everyone would simply come out of the homes and congregate in the street. We would talk to people we often only waved to driving past and laugh with ones w

 We can all think of times when something really spoke to us. It may have been a time of hardship or it may have been a time of celebration. Certain phrases stay in our mind long after the event. What quotes do you hold in your heart? Are they meaningful for what they say or for the memory they invoke? Perhaps they simply express feelings that you experienced but struggled to describe in words. Think about one of those quotes and design a journal page around it today. Make sure the page reflects the source as well as its special meaning to you. Be it lyrics to your child's favorite lullaby or the phrase that kept you going when you changed careers, you'll give yourself a lovely reminder of special moment in time.    Sources for meaningful quotes... 1- Songs 2- Novels 3- Poems 4- Religious Texts 5- Famously Witty People 6- Loving Friends and Family

Painted rocks are everywhere these days. You can find all sorts of creative ideas for paper weights, accessories for your garden, or kind messages to leave for others to find. In fact, I bet you have several of your own in mind. Make a page today where you can keep track of all these amazing ideas. You can write out your thoughts or make a drawing of the rock you'd like to design. Not only is it fun to think creatively but it may also help you plan out paint colors or themes you'd like to focus upon. Then, we you get some supplies you'll be ready to spread love, sunshine or a cute little ladybug.  

 Okay, I admit it. I over use those cute little smiley faced emojis on my phone. I let them express my exasperation, surprise, doubt, and appreciation to name a few. Sometime a comical face expresses my thoughts far better than words ever could. What are your favorites? What do wish was an option? Make a journal page today devoted to those pictures that we depend upon for easy communication. It can be a single image or a set of  your most used. Explore all the ways you enjoy using a picture in place of sentence. Ideas for your page... 1- You favorite emoji large and proud 2- Your own design 3- Cover the page with duplicates or a selection of icons                                                                                       4- Use as a border then write in some of the words that picture replaces

When I picture the perfect summer outfit, it almost always includes a cute hat and a great pair of sunglasses. What would a sweet sundress be without a pair of strappy sandals? Accessories make the outfit in any season but I think that summer has some of the most creative. Let's use our journal page today to celebrate our favorite embellishments of summer. Recreate the pattern from a tropical cover up . Use the colors of your favorite swimsuit to write out a beach themed quote. Draw out your favorite flip-flops or the logo on a ballcap. Let your warm weather style lead the way!  

 It is easy to fall into the same old routines. We order our favorite menu item or flavor of ice cream over and over again. Our money won't be wasted because we know we'll enjoy our food. It's comforting and satisfying to eat. It's also a little boring. Take a moment and think about some of your favorite foods. What is it that you truly love to eat? Then, make a commitment to branch out a little. Next time you order a burger or pizza, try something you wouldn't ordinarily eat. One of my favorite ways to experiment is to order "the special". Restaurants of all kinds offer items that are unique and popular.  Put a little trust in others and try that chicken sandwich topped with spinach and artichoke dip. Savor an eggs benedict waffle. You may be surprised how much you like it. If you are lucky enough to live an area with several of the same type of restaurant make a goal to visit each one to indulge in their own specialty item. AND this time be sure to draw

 One of my favor things to do on a summer evening is sit outside by the fire pit. It's so relaxing just to watch the flames dance while sipping a lemonade or glass of wine. In that spirit, we are going to fill our journal page with a plan for a fun night by the fire be it at camp or in the back yard.  It doesn't matter if you actually achieve this perfect evening. It can be nice to daydream a little. What would you love to do? Have a sing along? Cook an entire meal? Host a S'mores Bar for all your neighbors? You are mostly just brainstorming so don't confine yourself with things like budget limits or willingness of your family to sing in the backyard. Taylor it to your specific wishes and enjoy contemplating all the possibilities.

 The lucky of us will hit the road this summer for vacation. Others of us will try to enjoy a staycation...again. But, imagine if you will, someone coming to your state or town from far away. What would you suggest to them for activities and sites of interest? Take a few minutes to think about it then draw out a brochure on your journal page. Have fun with the format. Try mixing up some different types of hand drawn fonts like tall and skinny with big and fat.  Use boxes or creative borders to set sections apart. Highlight all those places you once found interesting or still love to visit. Let it remind you of some of your best homebased adventures.               Themes You May Like to Choose                           1- Locations of historical importance                2- Parks and gardens                3- Zoos, farms, and museums                4- Art Galleries and murals                5- Lakes and hiking trails                6- Theme parks                7- Restaurants and shopp

 Like many of you, I spend a lot of time in my car. Over the years, I've tried lots of ways to make it more interesting especially on longer road trips. Sometimes, it's a sing along. Sometimes its hunting a certain type of vehicle. We've all shouted "cow" or "punch bug" from the back seat. In that spirit, let's devote a page today to all the silly, fun, repetitive things we do to keep ourselves from losing our minds in the car. Make a list of your go to listening preferences be it a song list, podcast or book. Draw a picture celebrating that time you spotted the Oscar Mayer Frankmobile (Wienermobile).  Recreate the license plate that caught your attention as you waited in traffic. Take those positive minded stories you tell when you get home and find a way to them put in your journal. May you enjoy Happy Travels!