Go Big or Go Small?

Creativity comes in many forms. From photography to watercolour painting and sculpture to stop motion films, the range is very wide. Even within art journaling, scrapbooking and those who keep planners, there are numerous preferences and outlets. And then there is the size of format that varies from one artist to the next. Some prefer to go big and some prefer to go small.

Did you know that the brain is stimulated by novelty? Something new or out of the ordinary or unexpected actually fires the neurons in our brain! If you have ever experienced ‘creativity block’ then you know how hard it is to come up with ideas or inspiration in those moments (or days. or months), but all the brain needs is a kickstart and that can be achieved by novelty or moving outside of your comfort zone. The writer who stares at a blank page could watch and listen to the birds to be flooded once again with language. The sculptor can try playing with paint, the collage artist can try stepping out to take a few photographs… in each case, the brain will suddenly awaken instead of tuning out the ritualistic motions of working in one’s preferred medium.

TN book covers from vintage books

Many scrapbookers, art journalists or planner addicts have a preferred size of book in which they consistently work. Right now, the trend for scrapbookers is the traditional Traveler’s Notebook size (8.25in x 4.25in) and many planners or bullet journalers are using an A5 or 8x6in or larger notebook. But it all depends on the artist.

Herein lays the challenge. As a scrapbooker, art journalist or planner addict, have you tried working in a different sized book? In doing so, you may uncover new inspiration, new talent and at the very least, a new challenge. Perhaps I can give you some insight…

Repurposed Book and insert from rePaperedShop

Reasons To Go Big

• you are used to the Traveler’s Notebook size

• you like to write a lot

• you want to add extra lettering, photos, ephemera

• you are documenting a longer time frame

Reasons To Go Small

• you can still do scrapbooking or journaling or planning!

• you like bullet points - keep it simple

• you want to carry it in your purse

• you want cuteness!

• you are documenting a shorter time frame

Two sizes of book covers and inserts are available at rePaperedShop

Regardless of size, there remain similarities in both big and small sizes:

• you need a system of productivity or documentation

• you need a catch all for important stuff

• you are a die hard for analog

• you are a creative

So, will you take up my challenge and try a notebook in a new size in 2020?

You may discover a favourite new size!

3 Reasons Why You Need Pretty Pocket Folders

You know when you find that special item that just makes sense? It’s like…where has this been all my life? Or…finally someone came up with the perfect things that I have needed! Well, that’s what I felt when I first made these folders. They just make sense. There are so many little bits that life offers and that we have to pass up because there is nowhere for them to go. But often they are the little reminders that take us back to a special time and place. The ticket that reminds you of your first concert. The receipt from the ice cream store that you first went to with your boyfriend. The drink coaster from the cool pub that you recently discovered. All of these seemingly insignificant bits make up the pieces of your life and who you are. But without a purposeful place to put them, they often get lost or left behind altogether.

However, when I travel, I now find that I grab those maps and brochures because when I get home I am going to put them in my pretty little folder for safe keeping. Then one day, when my granddaughter is flipping through my journal and asks where this bookmark is from I can tell her it came from a bookstore in Italy on my 25th anniversary trip (and then continue to draw on that little tweak of my memory and tell her how we had climbed the 66 arches in Bologna and after making our way back down we dipped into this little bookshop on such-and-such street where I bought an Italian fairy tale book and they tucked in this bookmark as a freebie)!

If you find yourself nodding here, then I encourage you to read on to find out the 3 reasons why you need one of these pretty pocket folders…

1. You like pretty things

Not only are these pocket folders pretty, but they will help to keep all your items visible and arranged in an organized way - and that is pretty too! Now, when I am out and about, I look for all the pretty things because I know that I have a special place to keep them all. And I love looking back through these folders as reminders of what I have done in past days.

2. You will have all your important ephemera in one place

Last spring Hubby and I went on our Bucket List trip to Italy. Of course I created a personalized journal to document the entire experience. But it was these folders that took it from just a journal to a beautiful display tool! Every event that we attended, every shop that we entered, every restaurant that we ate at and every tourist station that we inquired at yielded maps, business cards, drink coasters, receipts, pamphlets and brochures. Well, I grabbed them all! Having a place to tuck all these reminders of the little things (and big things) on our trip made it all worthwhile. And now, when I share my travel journal with friends and family, all of the ephemera is in one place neatly organized and prettily displayed. And that’s what a girl wants, right?

3. Your friends will all be asking where you bought it

Not only will you be organized, but others will be looking over your shoulder when you whip out your little pocket folder to produce the movie tickets you have safely stored for this moment. Not only will they be impressed that your tickets are not crumpled, but they will feel a little pang that you have something so cute to store them in. And then they will want to know where you got this lovely folder. Of course you will tell them at rePaperedShop!

So, do not be hesitant to collect the things that tell your life story any longer. Even though Marie Kondo may say otherwise, collecting gives us a sense of belonging and history.

Your future generations will thank you…

Traveler's Notebook Set Up 1

I love paper. And notebooks. And journals. And piles of it all.

So it comes as no surprise that I am always playing with different ways to configure my traveler’s notebook.

Here is a look at one way to customize your notebook…

Recycled Paper TN Folders

New folders have just been uploaded to my shop!

These folders have been handcrafted from recycled shopping bags. These colourfully designed bags from Rocky Mountain Soap Co. make a perfect folder with two layers of pockets to hold all your pics, docs or whatever you need to keep track of!

Each folder is 8 in tall and 4.25 in wide in order to perfectly fit into a traditional Traveler’s Notebook, as well as one of the book covers you can find in my shop.

I had fun coming up with the design for this one. I was trying to create something that will allow you to hold many paper items as well as organize them visually. After carefully measuring and folding, I run each folder through my trusty vintage sewing machine to secure the edges and complete the look.

Don’t miss out on these fun and colourful folders. Grab one before they are gone!

Books I Make In My Shop

With a few new followers lately, I wanted to say hello! And a great big welcome to you!

I also wanted to give a bit of the story that I am trying to weave with the notebooks that I sell in my shop. First, I love vintage books, so I am seeking out the prettiest ones, gutting them and rePapering the inside.

Then I have created a number of notebooks, folders, and planner items to fill the book covers.

Are you the journaling type? Perhaps you have a family to keep organized? Maybe you are a planner addict or bullet journaler? An artist? Either way, these books are the perfect way to personalize your needs.

All of these have been designed by me and created for you with love!

Cutest Ever Library Pockets

Do you remember when you were a kid and it was Library Day at school? If you are like me, it was the best day ever! Not only did you get a break from the seat work in class, but it was so exciting to browse shelf after shelf of stories that would take you anywhere you wanted to go. Now, I may come off a bit nerdy here, but as much as I enjoyed a good story, I was also intrigued by the little library pocket at the back of the book. It always looked so perfectly important there, all official and organized, protecting the card holding all the names of the previous readers who enjoyed this very story. I used to check the pocket to see if anyone ever left something in the there (no, but I was always curious and hopeful) and every once in a while I would store my bookmark in that pocket until I started reading the book.

That little pocket made enough of an impression on me that I still hold the memory as an adult. So now, when I am creating items for my Etsy shop, and my goal is to make useful and beautiful things, the idea for a library pocket pops into my head. Even though the ones you’ll find in library books (only the old ones of course as now everything has gone to a digital scanning system) are so cute and tiny, I decided to make these ones long and sturdy.

This past spring, Hubby and I went on our Bucket List trip to Italy. There were 6 stops on our adventure and for each one we had collected all kinds of paper to keep us organized on track - and that was even before we left home! We had AirBnB reservations, train tickets, event bookings, restaurant suggestions, maps, itineraries, and ‘must do’ lists for each destination city that we were to visit. So, in a moment of need mixed with nostalgia, I had the idea to make a long library pocket to hold all of the pertinent pieces for each of the 6 towns on our list.

I simply adhered one pocket in my travel journal every few pages (left blank for documenting the daily goings on while on our actual trip) to not only indicate the order of our trip, but to store and keep handy all of the important papers that we had to produce when we arrived at the next town on our list. Then, when needed, I knew exactly where to go to find the address for the AirBnB. It turned out to be a brilliant idea!

Each of the pockets is fashioned from recycled shopping bags. Not only does this offer a unique and varied characteristic to my journal, but the shopping bag paper is much sturdier than regular paper, making it durable and able to stand up to me reaching in to pull things out and then return them over and over again. And in a world where recycling is a household word now, I figure I am doing good by the environment to use up these pretty bags!

Perhaps you are not going on a trip anytime soon but you are intrigued with this library pocket idea. No worries, there are many other uses for them as well. They could be used in a baby book to hold birth stories or hospital information for new moms. They could hold love letters or pen pal letters (I know people still do that kind of thing because I’ve seen it on Instagram). They’re great in a scrapbook to keep archival documents that are too fragile to be glued in or that need to be read on both sides. And, if you love making lists, they could even hold the weekly shopping list on your fridge for you!

So, if you are interested, I’d love for you to go check out my Etsy shop at rePaperedShop.

I’d even love it if you were to leave me a comment here telling me your idea for how to use one of these lovely long library pockets. Or, perhaps you’d like to share your memory of the good ‘ole Library Days from your childhood - I’d love that too!