Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Fifty-Eight

Merry week of Christmas, Journal Gang! Who’s ready to celebrate?

How are your holiday preparations going? We spent this weekend wrapping up some last minute to-do’s, in hopes to enjoy a relatively relaxing week ahead. What sorts of things have you been up to this season? Did you do any holiday baking? Soo many recipes, so little time! We’ve been sharing snail mail, baking, decorating, wrapping gifts, working on hobbies, making paper snowflakes (so fun!) and just trying to embrace the spirit of it all along the way. 

One of the best things about the holidays is the fact they are centered around nostalgia and traditions. It’s a reminder of years past, and a lively way to embrace the current stage of our lives as well. Making gifts for our children, to cherish in the future. Looking back on things we made as kids. Some gems always emerge when rummaging through the ornament bin, no!? Meeting up with old friends, and growing closer with new ones. It’s about food, sharing, love and thoughtful gestures. Embracing spirituality and the long-standing traditions surrounding it. These are the things that make the holidays so wonderful.

The idea that we take pieces of where we have been, where we come from, and then merge them with where we are now, and where we aim to be - it’s just such a sweet aspect of life. It’s a comforting thing. We absolutely love hearing about others’ traditions! Recently, a friend shared that their family makes dried fruit slices each year and hangs them as ornaments. They look like little stained glass pieces - so pretty! That’s just one example of how sharing traditions can spark ideas and inspire you to integrate new ones into your own celebrations as well. 

So..what are your favorite traditions? What thing(s) from your family have you carried on with you through life, into later years? Have you integrated any new traditions? What traditions would you like to start? Write all about it! (We'd love to hear about some of them, too!)

We hope you all have the most wonderful, happy, merry Christmas. Like, ever. I have had a wonderful time dreaming up and sharing prompts with you. This year has been a doozy, but we’ve just about made it through. I hope your journaling practice brought you comfort, throughout the hardest of the times this year - of which there have been no shortage. I appreciate you reading these posts, and sharing along in this journaling journey! I hope your 2021 brings the glow of a bright future as it approaches. Good things await. ❤

Merry Christmas, and Happy Journaling! 

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Forty-Three

Hey Journal Gang, 

Happy Labor Day! Hopefully you’ve been able to embrace some time over this holiday weekend  to unwind. What are your favorite ways to decompress, find your equilibrium and ease your mind of stress lately? It’s so important to strive to find that delicate balance within your headspace - and your schedule. Often easier said than done! We feel a work/life balance is super important; we always try to keep the big picture in mind.

It seems this year the scales have been thrown all out of whack, across the board. No matter your circumstances, if you live on planet earth, you’ve probably experienced disruptions of some sort on the work/life/mind spectrums in 2020. Our normal strategies and routines have had to adapt and shift. Anyone else felt a learning curve there? 

The path to success is not a straight line. Some days will be hectic, you’ll be tired, running late with too much to do and not enough time to do it. Other days you’ll have nothing to worry about (and nothing on the to-do list!) except puttering around the house. That’s the best, no? As long as your average balance-ratio is feeling good and true to yourself, that’s what’s important. :)

What have been your go-to techniques for releasing worry and allowing yourself to take a breather? What has your work life been like this year, is it different? How so? How do you strive for balance in your life? What does that look like for you?

Take some time this week to recharge and pat yourself on the back for doing your best and truckin’ through this tough year. 

Happy Journaling!

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Forty-One

Hey There Journal Gang, 

How did your journaling go last week? Did you struggle or feel a particularly nice burst of inspiration? Hopefully the latter, but if the former..never fear! For today is Monday, and that’s a fresh new chance to start a brand new week. We are feeling determined to make it a particularly good one, despite wading through these rough dog days of late Summer. “Dog days..why the heck are they called that, anyway?”, I wondered.

There are many common colloquial phrases we all know, but the origins themselves are often more obscure. Here’s a little fun fact to start off your week:

The dog days of summer are the hot, languishing days of summer. Historically, they followed the rising star system, Sirius. Sirius, also known as the dog star, is the brightest star visible from earth and is a part of the constellation Canis Major. 

During this period of the Summer, the Ancient Greeks took notice of Sirius rising and setting with the sun. Forever curious and ponderous, they developed the theory that it was this blazing bright star which was amping up the heat of our own sun in July and August. Hellenistic astrology then associated this star pattern during “dog days” with heat waves, spells of drought, summer storms, lethargy and more lovely things of that nature. These official dates vary, but it’s typically from July 22-August 22.

Pretty interesting stuff. Hopefully, we are on the downswing of the dog days! How have things been in your area? What are you doing beat the dog days blues? Colorado is in a drought right now and we've been dealing with some pretty intense forest fires and hazy smoke over the past week or so. Grateful for all of the firefighters that are bravely battling the blazes, and we are hoping for rain. The ever-so-valuable 2020 outdoor outlet of relaxation (gardening, hiking, walking, etc) has been taken off the agenda for now, so we are mentally reviewing simple pleasures to enjoy to power through this last rough bit of Summer.

Maybe you are feeling in need of a boost too. What are your favorite simple pleasures to partake in? Take a mental inventory, jot them in your journal and try to do some of those things this week!

Excuse us while we go drink some fruit infused ice water, eat some ice cream, tend to our houseplants and read a book in the most comfy chair in the house. :)

Happiest Journaling to You,

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirty-Seven

Hello there Journal Gang!

Happy Monday to you all. How did your journaling go last week? As we find ourselves winding down this hot July, over halfway through the year, it felt like a good chance to review the year so far and reflect; on the goals we’ve reached (yay!), ways we’ve adapted, goals we’ve completed, things we've struggled through, ways we can improve, and new goals to strive for. It always helps to take a step back and check in on how you’re doing and where you stand. What was your number one proud point or goal you’ve reached so far this year? 

This week we want to revisit on of our very favorite prompts we’ve done throughout the course of Journal Club so far. We seriously had SO much fun doing this prompt and found ourselves mentally crafting poems on the fly! Describe your day with a Haiku. What’s a haiku? A haiku is the essence of minimalism in poetry form. Refer to this post for a throwback to week twelve and for the inside scoop on haikus! It’s easy to be a little intimidated at the thought of having to craft a poem, if that’s not something you’re in the groove of doing, but we promise that anyone can join in and write an amazing haiku. 

The formula is simple | 5-7-5

• Three lines
• First line - 5 syllables
• Second line - 7 syllables
• Third line - 5 syllables

and you’ve got yourself a haiku! Fun and easy. We love this form of poetry because the simplistic format forces you to slow down, ponder and carefully choose your words to convey your desired message. You can be playful and funny, conceptual and poetic, emotional; leaning into metaphors and nature-based imagery. The tone and personality of your Haiku can be absolutely anything you want, so have fun with it!

We can’t wait to start writing more haikus and hear some of yours as well♥

Happy Journaling!
xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirty-Six

Journal Gang! Hey there. Thank you for dropping by to check out this week’s prompt! How is your journaling going lately? Bailey just started a new book (yay!) and Sarah has been experimenting with paint again on the mixed media paper Midori journal insert. It’s definitely felt really good to be revisiting leaning into a quiet creative mode when the world feels a little too..much. Which can happen rather often these days!

How did the mood journaling go for you, were you able to give it a try? If so, we hope it was fun, insightful and a bit cathartic. It’s always interesting to see how moods and feelings will manifest in a visual way. The end result can be a useful gauge as an honest self check-in. 

Speaking of check-ins, we are halfway through this crazy year. What. Even. Is. This. Year!? It’s been a topsy-turvy ride, that’s for sure. This realization had us thinking back to December, January, even February, and how much things have changed. Specifically, thinking back on some of our earliest prompts and the perspective we were holding at that time. When we crafted our intention lists for 2020, so many things we not even on the radar at that time, for better and worse, and so many circumstances have shifted. Curious, we wanted to refer back to that list. Which intentions do we still hold? Which are still possible, or even priorities at all? Which ones have we accomplished so far? Maybe some of them aged like wine, and maybe some aged like milk. (Travel more...yeah, right!) But that’s life! We can’t predict the future, and this year has been a blunt reminder of that fact.

So what do we do when things don’t go according to plan? The best we can with what we have, where we are, one day at a time. Learn, stay informed, speak up, work hard, take care of ourselves and try to be excellent to one another. Always retain a base of positivity (even if we tend to cope with cynical humor at times, ha!)

Refer back to your list of intent for this year, and see how it’s changed. See what you’ve been able to accomplish despite one of the most collectively stressful times in decades. You could even make a revised list for the rest of the year, with a ‘new normal’ in mind. What things have you accomplished that you are proud of this year? Even if it’s “waking up each day”, give yourself some kudos for keepin’ on keepin’ on throughout this whole deal. Because you’re doing great.

Happy Journaling! 

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirty

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, 
but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
~Maya Angelou

Hey Journal Gang,
Another week, another prompt and 7 more days of journaling await us; 7 more chances to explore the benefits of keeping a journal. We hope last week’s prompt helped you channel your experiences after navigating through each day. Sometimes just summarizing things in a few strong words speaks volumes. The past few weeks have held so many emotions. As a country we’re experiencing so many things: Sadness, fear, anger, uncertainty, solidarity and even traces of hope as our collective voices ring louder and more persistent than ever, across the political and social landscape. It can all be a lot to process; time and time again we find refuge and healing through creative outlets, like journaling. We hope the same is true for you.

Have you found that your journal process has changed over time? If so, that’s normal! We’d be interested to know how your journey has shifted. Change - the only constant in life. Change as a concept has been on our minds a lot lately. As a country, and individuals, we have collectively come together to demand racial justice and sweeping changes to the systems in place. Even international communities are gathering to show support in our struggle. Covid continues to linger, as question marks '?' hover abound. Within our own lives, we seek to make personal changes, or ask for the strength to accept changes that we have already had happen.

Some change is transparent and clearly defined; easy to understand and interpret in a context we can relate to. Other changes are more abstract, complex or difficult to define. Change in motion tends to fall under this hazy category. This type is more difficult to deal with. Does the caterpillar know what will become of it, while it’s in the chrysalis? 

That is 2020 in a nutshell so far. We can plan all the plans, and expect all the expectations..but sometimes we just have to ride that wave (or those waves!) that comes towards us, as best we can. By the time this year is over, we’ll all be professional surfers. ;)

So think to yourself…what changes do you want to see in this world? In our country? In your town? In your own daily life? You can focus on all of these, or choose certain areas that are the top of your values and priorities right now. Try writing steam of consciousness (whatever comes to your mind with no editing), or if lists are more your style, give bullet journaling format a go. You can later break these things down into small actions steps by asking yourself, “How can I, today, be a part of the solution to this problem, or contribute to this change? What action can I take?” Even the seemingly smallest actions can ultimately create huge momentum.

Self-reflection is healing and can change the world when the insight from that reflection merges with action. Use the power of journaling to collect your thoughts, and empower you to contribute to the changes you seek.

Stay Strong, Stay Safe and Happy Journaling,
xoxo,
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty-Eight

Hey there Journal Gang! Happy Memorial Day to you all. Our thoughts are with all the men and women that have sacrificed everything in the line of service for our country; their families, friends and community. True grit. 

Memorial Day represents the ‘unofficially official’ start of Summer. This year has been a rollercoaster ride so far..with everything unfolding and changing quickly, it can be tricky to know how to feel, what to do or when to make plans. Can you relate? It’s the unofficial start of Summer, but we’re left wondering - what will Summer even look like this year? In a typical year, right around this time vacations would be beginning to pop up on our studio calendar. Trips to gardens, museums and breweries would grace the weekends. Sadly, this year...they aren’t! So..what should we do instead?

Let’s think on it! Summer is typically such a lively and adventurous time of year. We thought it would be helpful to make lists of revised goals and plans for Summer 2020 - quarantine edition. How can we still feel like we’re enjoying the spirit of Summer when many traditional activities are off the table for now? 

So what sorts of things can we put on a list? Think of things that you’d like to do, but maybe typical wouldn’t follow through with, if all of the traditional alternatives (vacations, outings, etc) were available. 

Drive-in movie theatre 

Get out of the house, fully reclining seats, your own snacks, movie, fresh air and personal space? This checks all the win boxes. 

Join an Online Book Club

Or make a list of all those books you’ve wanted to read, but never had time to..and then read them! There are SO many good books. Reading a book under a shade tree is just really…nice.

Sketch, Draw or Paint Outdoors

This is another great way to get some fresh air and practice a craft too! Your reference objects right there at their very best, in living color. 

Work on Your Living Space

No matter your budget or current space, there are always small touches you can do to jazz things up. Very rewarding to improve a space and make it feel more cozy. 

Gardening

Even if you only have a small balcony! If you have a yard, amazing! If not, you can totally still garden. Herbs and tomatoes are great for a small balcony or window garden. 

Fancy Cheese + Wine Picnic 

Even wear a pretty dress if you like! Lift your pinky finger high as you drink for the full effect. 

Sidewalk Chalk Art 

Just for kids? No way. Have kids? Make and epic sidewalk mural together!

Lawn games 

Grab some beer and hey, pretty much at the brewery..right?

Hiking a local trail 

Do a little research on your local area to see what trails would be best. So so many great trails and parks out there.

Take an Online Course or Workshop
Choose something fun and engaging that makes you feel excited!

Do you have an idea for something we could add to the list? Let us know in the comments! This is definitely going to be an unconventional Summer. But who knows - maybe we’ll find some joy along the way, spend some nice time outside and have a few stories to tell? That’s the spirit of Summer, after all. 

Hang in There, Be Well and Happy Journaling!
xoxo,
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty-Six

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made,

What's a sundial in the shade?”

-Benjamin Franklin

Hey Journal Gang! How was your Mother’s Day Weekend? Hopefully it was lovely and you were able to connect with your mom and the other special mamas in your lives, one way or another! It’s more difficult - if not impossible - to see our families these days, but that’s just making us all-the-more grateful for the mail service and ways to stay connected through technology. I mean..quarantine, without internet, in 2020? Hard to even imagine! 

How would you fill your time? How would you stay connected? What hobbies would you dive into? What talents or skills would you embrace and develop? What would you change about your daily routine? What would you learn about yourself? What are you good at, what do you love doing? 

Hypotheticals aside, we can still ask ourselves these questions! Something about the upheaval of our settled-into lives has a way of shifting the perspective. Maybe you’ve been working from home, had extra time and an opportunity to dive into a project or engage in a novel and refreshing hobby. Maybe you’re working harder than before, leaning into your strengths and skills, reinforcing your love for what you do, even if it’s difficult right now. Maybe you’re in an in-between phase, re-evaluating and asking yourself ‘what’s next?’ No matter where you find yourself on the spectrum, it’s always a good time to think about what you value, what you excel at and give yourself credit where credit is due. Listening to the inner voice and exploring things that draw you will bring joy and fulfillment.

So what are your strengths? What are you good at and what do you love doing? Do these things align? If not, what actions can you take to align them? This week, take a few minutes each day to do something feel passionate about, and jot it down in your journal. If you aren’t sure what you’re good at, ask your family and friends for their take on it! Sometimes it’s difficult to see ourselves objectively or avoid only focusing on shortfalls, real or perceived. Don’t be shy! Lean into your strengths and take a moment to acknowledge and admire them. You are valuable! 

Keep on keeping on, and Happy Journaling!
xoxo

The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty-Two

Heey there Journal Gang,

It’s Monday, (or is it? Honestly can’t be too sure these days!) so that means we’ve got a fresh journaling prompt to ponder over this week. We hope you had a wonderful Easter, and that you all continue to find bright moments in sprinkled throughout your days, despite all the strangeness and uncertainty. It’s been really beautiful outside recently, and that's definitely reflected as a highlight in our journals. As we creep forward in the calendar, one numbered box after another, things shift and settle like sand beneath the feet. The adaptations of routines, evolving emotions; a total change of most aspects of our daily lives. As we navigate this “new normal” perspectives shift, we reflect and adapt - as humans tend to do!  Doing the best we can in a situation we’ve never experienced during our lifetimes. A large part of anxiety is fear of the unknown - what will happen? We can approach this ‘what if’ from multiple angles.

A letter, to you, in the future. Take some time to envision what your normal, everyday life was like. What do you miss and love about it? What has changed? What do you not miss about it? What about it do you look forward to doing again? What about it did you take for granted? What are you grateful for about your current days? We can further understand the present by relating to the past! Perhaps this massive and sudden shift in the world is a chance to reflect and make changes for the better, not only on a cultural and political scale, but in a personal capacity.

So think to an imagined future, when all of this has passed (and it will pass, eventually!) and things are some semblance of our normal lives again. What would you like your future self to know? What small blessings came out of this experience for you? Who do you value most and how did you connect with them during this time? What aspects of humanity gave you hope? Were you able to learn something that propelled you forward emotionally or professionally? What advice would you give? What kind words do you have for your future self? You could tell yourself how you were feeling and what thoughts you were having, what you were doing for fun, or about something you created.

These are just a starting point to inspire your letter writing - you can write absolutely anything! It can be a short letter, a long letter, a few sentences, a haiku, or your letter can be represented visually with imagery! We’re experiencing history in real time. Having a personal letter to yourself is a one-of a kind insight to what you’re going through now, and in the present, can broaden your view towards better days. Better days will be here again!

Sending you (and your future selves!) love♥
Stay Strong and Happy Journaling,
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Sixteen

“Grateful for where I am

Excited about where I’m going”

Hey there Journal Gang, Happy Monday! How did your bucket list pondering go last week? What was your top priority must-do item that emerged? Are you feeling pumped about it? We’d love to know!

We definitely enjoyed thinking about our lists! So we’re using the winds of inspiration to guide the sails into this new week and prompt. EXCITEMENT! It’s something that everyone needs a bit of in their lives, in whatever way suits you best! Gratitude for the now, and excitement for the new; words to live by. We find it’s always nice to have things to look forward to dotted on the calendar, serving as little beacons of fun waiting for us to arrive. 

Having plans made and goals in action is very motivating and can help you through times where the struggle starts feeling pretty real! A trip to the ocean, seeing family, a coffee date with your best friend, taking a class, Spring blossoms emerging, starting a DIY project, trying a new recipe, a new museum exhibition, planting a garden, lazy Sunday, Friday night sushi date, the heart of Summer. Nothing is too minute to be excited about!

This week we hope you find reasons to be excited and are energized by all the good things on your horizon. If there’s nothing on your calendar that’s making you say YES!..then it’s a perfect opportunity to set some fun plans in stone!



Happy Journaling!
xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Fourteen

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire; it is the time for home.” 

Edith Sitwell

Hey Journal Gang!

Was your past week filled with thoughts of self-love and rituals of self-care? Hopefully so! After reflecting on ways to nurture the self and live a little more simply, we are feeling motivated to make more time to sustain a balance within. Life happens, things get busy and the scales can get tipped, but reflecting on ways to slow down and just ‘be’ is always helpful for some mental perspective. Let’s keep it up throughout 2020! *Adds to 2020 intentions list*

Speaking of 2020…How are we almost into it’s third month already?? Spring is just a little over a month a way, and the sun lingers a little longer each day. It seems like around late February, daydreams of greenery in Spring start creeping in. In our Journal Collage Workshop last week, we noticed green coming through as a collective theme among the collages; we suspected our subconscious thoughts of Spring were playing a role in that! With that in mind, we thought we would take some time this week to lean into the remainder of this season we’re in, and end on a high note by reflecting on all of the things we appreciate about this time of the year. After all, there are many joys in Winter!

So, what aspects of Winter do you look forward to or revel in? All the cozy hobbies? Skiing adventures in the mountains? The mountains in Colorado are majestic in every season, perhaps even more so in Winter.  Do you love how quiet and sparkly the world feels after a fresh snow? (That's the best!) Soup and candles? Maybe you enjoy the vibe of being indoors and the overall tone. Winter wardrobes maybe? All the layers - so many fashion opportunities! For those in warmer climates, what are your favorite Wintry things?



No matter your favorite season, there is beauty to appreciate in each one. So let’s think positive and reminisce on all those lovely things while it lasts. For next thing we know, it will be Spring!



Happy Journaling!!
xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirteen

"Never give from the depths of your well, but from your overflow."

Rumi

Hey Journal Gang! We hope you’ve had a great past week with your Journal and exploring the world of Haikus. How did your experience go? Do you have a favorite Haiku from the week? If so, let us know about it in the comments! 

We’re officially halfway through Winter, and it’s been snowing a lot here in Colorado recently. As the season goes along, it can be easy to start missing the sunshine, warmth and greenery of Spring and Summer days. Are you feeling that way? With Valentine’s Day coming up this week and Winter weather going strong, we’ve got our mind on self-love and self-care.. Often Valentine’s Day is love focused outwardly; expressions of love for others being the central theme. This is definitely something to appreciate and it’s important to let people know you care! But expressions of self-love and self-care are also important, and a big key to feeling content, empowered and confident. With busy lives and caring for others, it’s all too easy to let it fall to the wayside. This week, we want to get in touch with those little things and make way more time for self-care.

So, what are some of your favorite ways to nurture yourself? Maybe it’s embracing the Hygge lifestyle, especially in Winter. Hygge: “A quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being, and is regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture.” Think candles, warm blankets, mood lights, hot tea, and a general cozy, simple living vibe! If you’re extroverted, maybe your self-care involves making time to be social and relax with friends. If you’re more of an introvert, maybe it’s allowing yourself time to be alone, rest and recharge, free of guilt. Maybe it’s getting a manicure, getting into skincare, or indulging in various small simple pleasures. A gourmet chocolate bar, buying nice sheets, getting yourself flowers, less screen time, reading a book, spending time with pets, finding time for physical activity, or working on a passion project that you’ve been pushing to the back of your mind.

There are SO many ways to take some time for yourself and make your own wellbeing a priority. Take some time to reflect on the ways you’d like to embrace self-care, and explore those things in your journal! So this week, treat yo self. Buy yourself those flowers, eat that chocolate, take that nap. You deserve it! Enjoy the small things.


Happy Nurturing, and Happy Journaling!

xo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twelve

creative outlet 

pages fill with memories

journal club is grand

Hey Journal Gang! We hope you are having a wonderful start to the new month and enjoyed last week’s prompt! Did you find the mood tracking to be insightful? It’s a great thing to incorporate into journaling as an ongoing element. Staying in touch with how you’re feeling, and why, is a key to being mindful and living in the moment - one of the intentions we set for 2020. Pretty neat how things build and give you momentum when you’re keeping a journal!
This week we want to continue building on those things and growing as people, so we’re going to try incorporating another element into this prompt - poetry, specifically Haikus! “Poetry - but I can’t write poetry!?“ If you just had that thought -- don’t worry! Absolutely anyone can write a Haiku, including you!!

What is a Haiku, anyway?
A Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. They are short poems that use very few words to capture a moment in time, create a mental image, or convey a message. Traditionally, a Haiku is composed of three lines, and broken down into syllables - 5 in the first line, 7 in the second line, 5 in the third line. 5, 7, 5.



For example:

1. creative outlet   (5 syllables)
2. pages fill with memories  (7 syllables)
3. journal club is grand   (5 syllables)

See? Not so intimidating! You can be literal with your Haikus and keep them very straightforward, or go for more conceptual and imagery-based content. Many Haikus are inspired by nature and the seasons. You can write one about a moment or event, a feeling you had, about a memory, or as a summary of your day as a whole. You would be surprised how much can be conveyed in just three short lines of text! Since there is a simple and set format for these little poems, anyone can approach them and add a little poetry to their life. Once you get into the swing of it, writing them is so fun and easy! So we encourage you to think outside of the box, try something new and 5-7-5 your way through the week!

Happy Haiku-ing, and Happy Journaling!!
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Eleven

Hey Journal Gang!! We’re back with a new prompt, as we enter into our eleventh week of The Antiquaria Journal Club! Can you believe it’s been almost THREE months since we started? We’re super grateful for this community that we’ve bonded with through journaling, and truly look forward to seeing the things you make.

Last week we were feeling all kinds of the blues, in the best possible way. Did you enjoy this take on the prompt? We can’t wait to see how you all interpreted the color-theme! As we worked on our spreads, the notion of how much color can effect your mood was in the forefront of thoughts. Just seeing all the soothing and vibrant blues on the page inspired a certain emotional vibe. Color is essentially a visual emotion!

So this week, we wanted to take a deeper dive into the world of moods, by tracking them each day. Various trackers are a great thing to incorporate into a journal, and are ubiquitous in bullet journaling - for good reason! Keeping daily tabs on our moods, goals or tasks can help us analyze trends and make changes where needed in order to succeed. Sounds good, right?

If you’re keeping a bullet journal, a mood tracker is a very intuitive incorporation. You can color code things, make graphs and embrace an almost scientific approach to tracking your moods. If your vibe is more art journaling and improvising, taking an art therapy perspective on it could be right up your alley. For example, you could paint a visual representation of how you felt that day, using colors to signify certain feelings. Of course, mood tracking is a natural fit for reflective journaling as well! Simply writing out how you felt, what happened and how your moods ebbed and flowed throughout the day can be enlightening in retrospect.

Having a catalog of moods can give a greater insight into how events, habits and actions affect us. It can be a guide to allow yourself to rest more than you thought you needed to, or show you where your trouble points are. Maybe you realize your mood shifts when you need to sleep, when you get hungry, when things are out of balance, or if you haven’t seen friends in awhile. Awareness is power!


Wishing you a wonderful week filled with all the good vibes.


Happy Journaling!


xoxo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Ten

“Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight.”

John Ruskin

Hey there Journal Gang! This week we’re shaking things up a bit with a different take on the prompt; a ‘blue’ perspective!
It’s tempting to feel intimidated by something a little more open-ended, but don’t worry! That’s part of what makes this week’s prompt extra magical - you interpret it in absolutely ANY way that feels right to you in the moment.

As fellow humans we largely understand the world around us through our visual comprehension. Colors deeply resonate with us on an emotional level and each hue is associated with a number of traits. Red. Yellow. Green. Blue. You probably envision certain moods and scenes by just reading the words! We tie colors to our feelings and see them in our dreams.

This week we’re giving blue some love, and redefining what it means to have the blues!
Blue, in all its forms, is a complex, enduring and beloved color. Sensitive, serine, strong and soothing; from pale and dreamy to steadfast and deep - its beauty is undeniable. It’s experienced on many levels and in many ways. It also happens to be Pantone’s color of the year for 2020 - ’Classic Blue’!


There are endless angles from which to approach a color theme. Let’s think about some of them! Through the lens of:

via unsplash

Emotions
How do various shade of blue make you feel? What personal associations do you have with this lovely range of color? Do you like to write poetry? You could go that route with your color theme week!

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Thoughts
Feeling more reflective? Researching color psychology is fascinating. Not only can it give you personal insight, but it’s enlightening and very helpful with many types of creative work, including art and design! Win-win.



Inspiration
Cards, calligraphy, paints, ink, paper, fashion, textiles, interior design, jewelry, art…Try collaging or illustrating your very favorite blues from whatever inspires you most!

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Nature
Nature’s beauty knows no bounds. Seriously. Skies, seas, gems and minerals flowers, berries, flora and fauna. Did you know blue is actually one of the rarest colors found in nature? And it still seems to be all around us!
Are you excited to get started? Which shade of blue inspires you most, and why? We can’t wait for all the dreamy hues this week!







All the very best, and Happy Journaling!


xoxo,
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Nine

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” 

Mahatma Gandhi

Journal Club friends! Warm greetings to you all, as we enter our ninth week of Journal Club. We’re moving ever-forward into the new year, our goals and aspirations pleasantly lingering in our thoughts; thoughts of all this vast world has to offer, and all we may have to offer the world in return!

With our 2020 intentions fresh and shining in our conscious minds, and our Workshops starting this weekend (YAY!), we’re keen to engage, acquire/expand upon knowledge and fearlessly follow through! Every week, every day, is another opportunity to learn something new. Taking on an unknown skill or engaging in a challenge helps us grow as people, gain perspective, build confidence and discover ourselves in a new way. It can connect us with one another, and foster new relationships. There is literally NO downside to being a lifelong learner! We are all for diving into a new subject and adding to our skillset - let’s do this!!

Our intentions and our learning aspirations have some overlaps, for sure! Our team wants to explore a wide variety of subjects: outdoor gardening and permaculture, adventure photography, trying new drawing techniques - plus MANY more! The intentional choice to explore and learn carries us towards fulfilling intentions, which is SO satisfying. It opens a whole new realm of opportunities!

So..what topics come to the forefront of your mind? What activities or subjects have you always wanted to try? Maybe you've already begun learning something, but want to elevate your level of expertise. If you aren’t quite sure what you'd like to learn - refer back to your intentions and goals! Breaking it down from there is great inspiration point if you aren’t sure what to try first. Determine what goals are most important, what your priorities are and then ask yourself - what do I need to learn to arrive there?


Listen to your heart, try your best, learn from failures, be flexible, never give up - and you cannot go wrong!!


We can’t wait to hear about your interests!



Happy Dreaming, Learning and Journaling!
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | The Blank Page, Vol. 3

Hey Journal Club friends! It's Friday, and this esteemed day of the week is about to get even better..with a NEW Volume of The Blank Page! Today we'll be featuring Antiquaria Journal Club member Kim Lamberth. Her journal is really lovely, and it was a treat to read her responses. Always so insightful to see how other artists engage in a creative process. We know you're going to love her work too! So without further ado, let's dive into Kim's journaling experience!

Kim Lamberth

Journal

Stillman & Birn,  Zeta Series 7.5"x7.5"

Journaling Type

Art

Toolkit

Watercolor, pens, ink, parallel pens, brush pens, Inktense watercolor pencils, folded pen

What is your primary goal in keeping a journal?

I started art journaling a couple of years ago as a way to document my days and as a tangible way to practice sketching, watercolor and calligraphy/lettering.  I fell in love with the process of journaling and even though I am not always consistent day to day, I seem to come back to it when I need an outline for my creativity. We all have a story that is worth documenting, even if it's just for ourselves. 

How do you approach the blank page?

I almost always start by putting the date on the page. It's my way of getting past the "blank page" and overcoming the initial fear. While I rarely have a plan, I follow the path that the page seems to take on it's own. It seems to be the best way for me to capture what a particular day really feels like. The feel of the page is as important as the visual picture.

Do you use a certain paper or page style? What do you like about it? 

I typically use either Watercolor paper or Mixed Media paper. The square journal that I am using now is the first in the Zeta Series by Stillman & Birn that I have used. It has a smooth extra heavyweight paper that holds watercolor well without buckling.  It has been a change from the Beta Series that I have been using which has a little more tooth to the paper. I'm still learning how to get the most out of it, but so far I like it. It's easier on the fineliner pens and I love the square format.

What is your favorite journaling tool and why?

I love the Molowtow Blackliner pens because the tips hold up really well. But my #1 go to tool is always watercolor.  I have a small, travel sized empty case and half pans that I filled them with my own color palette. Earth tones are definitely my colors of choice, but I also like to pull pinks in to the mix, as well as anything sparkly! I travel a lot for my job and watercolors and pens go with me everywhere. Portability is important to me.

What drew you to the type of journal you chose to keep? (art, bullet, reflective, etc)

Art journaling gives me the opportunity to capture the colors in my world on paper and really bring them to life.  I love color in art, even though I tend to use it selectively. I like to play with monochromatic themes as well as other combinations.  Using complementary colors with a splash of a contrasting color makes the page pop, in my eyes.

Do you prefer to write at a particular time of day or place? Why?

Typically the evening are my art time. I wish I could create early in the morning before heading out the door, but I tend to be more of a night owl.

What do you love about journaling? 

Documenting my story is really what I love about it the most. Going back through past pages brings that particular event or day back to life for me. 

Do you consider journaling therapeutic? If so, why?

Yes! Journaling has a calming effect on me.  When I am having a creative block, journaling gives me the opportunity to go back to what I know or even to try something new.  It is truly risk-free because no one else has to see it, but because there is no stress behind creating it, usually the page turns out to be sharable. 

What is the most challenging aspect of journaling for you?

Writing my own words in my journal has been a long process for me. When I first started, I mainly sketched and painted, but I have grown more accustomed to putting my thoughts and feelings down on the page.

How has the way you’ve journaled changed over time? (If you’ve seen a progression so far)  In the beginning, my journals were filled with quotes or simple sketches. Now I tend to pull something that was meaningful out of the day/event and include it.  I love plants and flowers, so things found in nature will always be included.



How has journaling benefitted you?
My day is always better when I am making something and journaling has been a good way to do so. The Journal Club prompts have given me new ways to look journaling and I have loved following along with the prompts. 

Changing the world, one journal entry at a a time. 

We want to extend a warm thank you to Kim for being a featured member in our interview series! We look forward to what the future brings and can't wait to see what else you all create!



Happy Journaling!
xoxo,

The Antiquaria Team