I am delighted to see this, some of the best newsletters being recommended in one of the best newsletters. This is how it's supposed to work and the shape of it feels like a beautifully written page of a notebook, connecting everything together perfectly.
I have nothing more to say except maybe a shout-out for Anna Brones and Candace Rose Rardon, both doing beautiful things in notebooky ways.
Ah, I knew I'd forget some brilliant people! I love Anna Brones work! I'm going to check out Candace Rose Rardon right away. A part 2 is definitely in order. And, Mr. Sowden, if you have some notebook pages to throw my way, I'd love to include you too 🙂
That’s a huge hospitality key in the Substack community - thank you Jillian! I wish I could put mine here but we couldn’t comment with photos and I don’t have the money for writing a photo essay every year 😳😱
Thank you for understanding my hard notebook boundaries! Though I must admit, I do love seeing my pile of notebooks in your newsletter, with is one of my absolute favourites :)
Genius curriculum idea that sets them up for life. Hope you win a teaching award. There is too little such craft teaching in our MFA world and in my experience, students hoover it up. 👏👏
Thank you so much, Jillian! Waking up to see that I've been noted in Noted was truly wonderful, particularly as I'm in the middle of revamping Feed the Monster to incorporate more paper, ink, and journaling. It's a good day :)
Wonderful notebooks. I realized that as a Notebook newbie, I need to have mine in sight at all times to remember to use it. It's been in a bag for a week. Now released.
Ha! You should see my desk. I have 4 notebooks on it right now. Out of sight out of mind for sure. But it's also fun to take one's notebook on a field trip--so sometimes the bag is a good place for it to be.
Thank you Jillian! Such an honor to be included on one of my favorite newsletters, and in such fine company. ❤️ I will never tire of notebooks — buying them, filling them, and of course, seeing how others make use of them.
It’s by this company called About Blanks. They recycle vintage book covers and make them into beautiful handmade hardcover notebooks. I have a few and they are wonderful!
Thank you Jillian! This post, and seeing others' notebooks, makes me want to share more about my writing notebooks! Like Caroline, I have one for thoughts and organization, and another for my writing. Such a great list, and I am glad to be among such fine writers. 🙏
Ooh! I’ve found some new arty accounts to go check out, thank you. I love notebooks and note taking and art making and art journaling, and that’s what I share on my Substack. I also love seeing Sue Clancy’s notebooks — her sketches & musings are such a delight!
In the Garden of My Imagination by David E Perry - gorgeous photos with gorgeous prose that inspires me to look more closely at what’s happening in the natural world right outside my door.
I'm looking forward to checking out all the ones you mentioned here. I have a thing for sketchbooks and notebooks / journals. So many ... way too many!
Really enjoyed this glimpse at these notebooks, I have always had sketchbooks but in the past months have been working with a notebook...it's a scrappy mongrel next to these beauties. Also stoked to see a shout out to my talented partner BA Lampman.
I love journals and have a few that I use in different ways. I have one that's more diary-entry style - I just write what's going on and how I'm feeling. The best outlet when I'm processing something or want to document how I feel in a moment. I have a "one line" type journal that I use at the end of the day to document favorite memories and adventures with my son, who is 7 months old. This is fun, light and easy to do right before I get in bed. I love looking back over the last few months to see how much things have changed and all we've accomplished! My third, and favorite, journal type is a cross between scrapbook and free form journaling. I create pages with items collected during travel, tickets from events, drawings with different memories. This is the most fun to compile over time and work on - it's my favorite creative outlet!
I recently had a baby and my journaling has stalled significantly while I learn a new routine. This inspired me to get back into it and put together pages I've been thinking of for a while!
Your notebooks sound so wonderful! I've noticed a lot of brilliant people do the 1-line journal thing as a way to make it less onerous. All those 1-line entries add up! And your scrapbook/journal sounds beautiful! And it must be so gratifying to create.
Thank you!! I've actually been thinking of filming a video tour of all my target language notebooks & journals. I'm not sure when that will be but hopefully in the spring time 😊
I am delighted to see this, some of the best newsletters being recommended in one of the best newsletters. This is how it's supposed to work and the shape of it feels like a beautifully written page of a notebook, connecting everything together perfectly.
I have nothing more to say except maybe a shout-out for Anna Brones and Candace Rose Rardon, both doing beautiful things in notebooky ways.
Ah, I knew I'd forget some brilliant people! I love Anna Brones work! I'm going to check out Candace Rose Rardon right away. A part 2 is definitely in order. And, Mr. Sowden, if you have some notebook pages to throw my way, I'd love to include you too 🙂
That’s a huge hospitality key in the Substack community - thank you Jillian! I wish I could put mine here but we couldn’t comment with photos and I don’t have the money for writing a photo essay every year 😳😱
You can post images of your notebooks on Notes and tag me if you'd like!
Are you not craving for trying designer notebooks, Mike 🥳🤧
Thank you for understanding my hard notebook boundaries! Though I must admit, I do love seeing my pile of notebooks in your newsletter, with is one of my absolute favourites :)
How kind, thank you, Katherine! I have my own private pages, so I get it!
I have grad students keeping commonplace books for a seminar I’m teaching this semester - will be sharing this post with them. So many great examples!
This makes me so happy!! I'm going to share them with my students too !
Genius curriculum idea that sets them up for life. Hope you win a teaching award. There is too little such craft teaching in our MFA world and in my experience, students hoover it up. 👏👏
Thank you so much, Jillian! Waking up to see that I've been noted in Noted was truly wonderful, particularly as I'm in the middle of revamping Feed the Monster to incorporate more paper, ink, and journaling. It's a good day :)
You know how much I love Feed the Monster--and with more journaling! Oh my! It'll be even more exciting.
Thanks Jillian 🩷
Wonderful notebooks. I realized that as a Notebook newbie, I need to have mine in sight at all times to remember to use it. It's been in a bag for a week. Now released.
Ha! You should see my desk. I have 4 notebooks on it right now. Out of sight out of mind for sure. But it's also fun to take one's notebook on a field trip--so sometimes the bag is a good place for it to be.
Thank you Jillian! Such an honor to be included on one of my favorite newsletters, and in such fine company. ❤️ I will never tire of notebooks — buying them, filling them, and of course, seeing how others make use of them.
Thank you for sharing them with us, Caroline! ❤️
Would love to more about the blue one! Did you make it?
It’s by this company called About Blanks. They recycle vintage book covers and make them into beautiful handmade hardcover notebooks. I have a few and they are wonderful!
Thank you!
Thank you Jillian! This post, and seeing others' notebooks, makes me want to share more about my writing notebooks! Like Caroline, I have one for thoughts and organization, and another for my writing. Such a great list, and I am glad to be among such fine writers. 🙏
Please share more!! I'd love it!
Ooh! I’ve found some new arty accounts to go check out, thank you. I love notebooks and note taking and art making and art journaling, and that’s what I share on my Substack. I also love seeing Sue Clancy’s notebooks — her sketches & musings are such a delight!
Yes! I love Sue Clancy's notebooks! Thanks for the reminder!
In the Garden of My Imagination by David E Perry - gorgeous photos with gorgeous prose that inspires me to look more closely at what’s happening in the natural world right outside my door.
Oh yes, I love Perry's work! Thanks for the recommendation!
I'm looking forward to checking out all the ones you mentioned here. I have a thing for sketchbooks and notebooks / journals. So many ... way too many!
Oh, I know the feeling well 😂
Wonderful wonderful! I could look at other people's notebooks all day
Me too! I seem to have made a career out of it!💛
As soon as I read the introduction I said out loud "Austin Kleon" just so I could prove I guessed it right before scrolling down haha!
Of course! How could I not include him! 😂
So chuffed to be at the top of this list!!
Thank you for sharing so much of your note-taking process with us! It's been so inspiring for me.
Really enjoyed this glimpse at these notebooks, I have always had sketchbooks but in the past months have been working with a notebook...it's a scrappy mongrel next to these beauties. Also stoked to see a shout out to my talented partner BA Lampman.
Scrappy mongrel notebooks are the best ones in my opinion. There's so much energy in them. So much possibility And BA Lampman IS talented!
Okay, this is awesome and so inspiring!
I love journals and have a few that I use in different ways. I have one that's more diary-entry style - I just write what's going on and how I'm feeling. The best outlet when I'm processing something or want to document how I feel in a moment. I have a "one line" type journal that I use at the end of the day to document favorite memories and adventures with my son, who is 7 months old. This is fun, light and easy to do right before I get in bed. I love looking back over the last few months to see how much things have changed and all we've accomplished! My third, and favorite, journal type is a cross between scrapbook and free form journaling. I create pages with items collected during travel, tickets from events, drawings with different memories. This is the most fun to compile over time and work on - it's my favorite creative outlet!
I recently had a baby and my journaling has stalled significantly while I learn a new routine. This inspired me to get back into it and put together pages I've been thinking of for a while!
Thank you! xo
Your notebooks sound so wonderful! I've noticed a lot of brilliant people do the 1-line journal thing as a way to make it less onerous. All those 1-line entries add up! And your scrapbook/journal sounds beautiful! And it must be so gratifying to create.
I love this post! Now I have a list of new writers to check out and get notebook inspiration from 😊
Ah, Victoria!! Your notebooks are beautiful! I will definitely include you in a part 2!
Thank you!! I've actually been thinking of filming a video tour of all my target language notebooks & journals. I'm not sure when that will be but hopefully in the spring time 😊