You are currently browsing the Journals and Papers weblog archives for May, 2008.
My dad loves to write anything under the sun. He can go on the whole day just writing about anything that comes to mind, he finds a sense of fulfillment knowing that he didn’t miss any thoughts he had in mind and kept it in a journal.
That is why I was thrilled to find a nice assortment of fine leather journals at this online store. Since father’s day is just around the corner, I couldn’t think of a better gift than this to give to my dad who has a great passion for writing.
It has always been part of my everyday routine to update my personal journal. For me, this is my own private way of expressing emotions from life’s daily experiences. It was great to find quality journals at your online store. The variety offers different styles for every journal needs.
I love the idea that I get to keep my journals in fine elegant papers, all bundled in a nice and durable leather; perfect to ensure that my journal would surely last a lifetime.
Penmanship otherwise know as handwriting is defined as the art of writing with the hand and writing with an instrument. Handwriting styles existed based on the period when the writing was done and varied in script formats (see calligraphy). Our English has changed from formal to a somewhat slang version and is changing rapidly with the onset of Internet, email and instant messaging.
Have we lost the art of penmanship and writing on paper? Do people still write letters, or has email taken over for communication? For those that still do write and consider a quality piece of paper worth investing in to send their message, there are several choices available.
There are many crafters who make a decent living at creating 
their own papers for use with handmade cards and tags and some are great for writing on. Acid free paper has become a norm when doing scrapbooking; of course there are hundreds of thousands of different types of papers used in the printing industry.
If penmanship is something you delve in, be sure to take note of the handmade papers from Italy. The ancient duchy of Amalfi, Italy is one of the oldest and most renowned papermaking centers in Europe. Cartiera Amatruda has produced fine stationery since 1380. From that area, the tradition has been to watermark paper with cities’ coats-of-arms, and some religious and heraldic symbols.
Today’s Amalfi Paper is crafted using traditional methods originally created in the middle ages. Made of the finest cotton rag, each deckle-edged sheet is crafted with penmanship and calligraphic writing in mind. For those wishing to create a lasting piece of writing, or to incorporate penmanship into a memorable event, then the Amalfi papers are something worth looking at.
When trauma, tragedy, life’s passages get us down, there seems only one way to cope with our feelings and thoughts. Keeping a journal through some of life’s more serious events helps us sort through our emotions and relieves some of the stress.
If you are grieving, angry, sad or depressed, spending quiet time writing in a journal can help ease the burden of your emotions. Some people use their journal to record events that happen during a traumatic event, such as going through a divorce, abuse, and health issues like cancer and major surgeries.
When you find it hard to let your feelings out with family members, friends or the clergy, talking to your journal can help. Start with free writing – write whatever comes to your mind. Don’t censor your thoughts. Let your pen take over and even if you end up with a scribbled mess that you can’t even read afterward, you will feel better having thrown your thoughts to the pages.
You may feel the need to write for several days, months or years. You will know when the time has come and you won’t feel the need to delve into those heavy feelings anymore. Then you can switch to a fresh journal and continue writing simply for the joy of it. Happy thoughts will come your way.
Does the type of journal you write in censor your inner voice? I’ve had journals that are bound 
so professionally, that I am afraid to crack the spine and really get into my writing mode. I try to write neat and tidy, thinking this might be the one journal I share with friends and relatives.
Then I find I can’t write at all. I sit there and stare at the elegant pages and try to figure out what to write. Sometimes, this is the case even when the journal is well worn, ragged and almost full. I’ve had times where I really want to write. I grab a pen, open up my journal and then end up sitting and chewing on the end of the pen for awhile before chucking the whole idea and tossing my journal back into the drawer.
I’ve discovered a few tips to free your inner voice and let your thoughts flow into your journal:
And finally, when thinking about writing in that intimidating journal - just go for it. Scribble a little. Even if there’s one mark on the page, it becomes a little less fearful to let go.
When I first started using Cavallini & Co.’s Moderno leather journals, I opened one up, after removing the cellophane and loved the smell of the new leather. I fondled it and thought, “Oh, this is way too nice to write in.” But then I thought that was quite silly, and went for it. Now I can’t wait to fill up my journal, just so I can get another one. It might make for quite a collection of thoughts a few years from now. My inner voice had full rights to the pages of this journal.