Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Fifty

Hey Journal Gang,

Happy week of Halloween! We just received our annual late October snow here in Colorado and had a cozy weekend indoors. These few weeks of the year always seem to be the true marker of a shift into the cold weather/holiday season. Do you feel that way too? 

The origins of Halloween vary depending on your sources, but for some it was a marker of the end of harvest season and a commemoration of the journey of life (and death). These days, it’s an excuse to be creative, resourceful, have fun with decorations, imbibe in sweets, maybe have some drinks and visit with friends. This year, of course, it will be a bit different (looking at you, covid.)  Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, how do you usually celebrate? We thought it would be fun to just have a general Halloween (or general Fall, if Halloween isn’t your thing!) themed journal spread!

There are still plenty of ways to be festive and safe this year. Pumpkin carving, making themed baked goods, watching classic movies, embroidering spooky cute designs, an outdoor candy hunt (like easter eggs!), socially-distanced outdoor festivities, or simply staying in, being cozy and journaling about party and costume ideas for, hopefully, next year.

Speaking of hope…To our US friends - if you haven’t had the opportunity to vote yet, now is the time!! Let’s get out there at some point this week (take some friends along!), vote early and use our voices to make the difference for a better future. 

Happy Halloween, and Happy Journaling!

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Forty-Nine

Hey Journal Gang,

Welcome to the third Monday in October! The weather is fully turning here, and it’s a lovely feeling. Were you able to reflect on some positive thoughts with last week’s prompt? Hopefully it lended some moments of gratitude by thinking back on times when people were there for you. And hopefully you found an opportunity to pay it forward in a small way! 

This month of the year is usually a busy one for us, and moreso this year as we figure out new ways of adapting to the world. Holiday snail mail season is gearing up, so we know the holidays are just over the horizon - starting with Halloween in just under two weeks! Always a fun holiday. School is in swing, lots of projects and new endeavors in the works, for the business, and in our own creative practices and homes as well.

How about your October? What things are filling your days as of late? Which are working for you, and which aren’t? Sometimes it helps to take a little mental inventory of what we’ve been up to and how we can adjust things in order to optimize our feelings of thriving. Sometimes we’re just hanging on in surviving mode (um, like most of this year!), and that’s ok too. It could be a sign of a need to rest and reevaluate. That's just a part of life sometimes! We're feeling hopeful and excited about the things we're working on, so that's a good sign. 

What is bringing you joy or making you excited lately? Do you have something you’ve been working on that you’d like to continue to pursue? An idea you have, but haven’t executed it yet? What activities are you most feeling these days, and why? Are things going well in your studies, at home, or at work? What things aren’t? Take a few moments to jot these things down and take note. If working in your journal is on your list of feel-good things..you’ll be ahead of the game! :)

Happy Journaling,❤

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Forty-Eight

“My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.”

Fred Rogers

Hey there Journal Gang!

May this Monday greet you with feelings of hope for the week ahead. How have you been feeling about your journaling practice lately? Hopefully it’s consistently been a useful tool to help you channel some creative energy and process emotions, no matter your journaling style. 

Did you catch the Fred Rogers, (also known as national treasure Mr. Rogers!) quote above? The concept of helping others, and being helped by others, is in my thoughts this week. No (wo)man is an island. We’ve all received help in various forms from those in our lives along the way to find ourselves at the point we are now. Our families, our friends, significant others, teachers, classmates, co-workers, doctors, workers of all kinds, non profit organizations members, and even occassionally, through random acts of kindness, total strangers in happenstance circumstances. 

Help exists in many forms and in a wide range of impacts. From foundational sacrifices our parents (and those that came before them) made to help us thrive, to the seemingly insignificant, like a friendly permissive wave in passing traffic from someone we will never meet. Emotional, spiritual, physical, financial, intellectual, and ways in between. None of us exist in a vacuum, but together in a society and as fellow humans! 

This concept is on the radar as the general feelings of divisiveness and tensions within our political discourse and throughout our cultural awareness are elevated. Mid-October feels like a liminal space; on the threshold of an unknown. Even so, the fact remains we are all SO much more alike than we are different. Embracing the mindset of service, helping when able and allowing oneself to humbly be helped, can allow for so much positive impact, improved relationships and overall feelings of unity. 

So, this week seemed like a good chance to think back to those in our lives who've helped us in any capacity, large or small, along the way. Goal for the week: Seek gratitude and opportunities to carry out acts of random kindness. Join us? :)

Happy Journaling!

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Forty-Seven

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

Albert Camus

Hey Journal Gang,

We hope October has been treating you well so far! How was your journaling last week? Recently we’ve been gathering some new journaling supplies and experimenting with those. It’s always exciting to incorporate some fresh colors and techniques into the journaling practice. Shaking up materials can bring some fresh inspiration, don't you think? What’s your favorite journaling tool or accessory these days? Drop us a comment below to let us know! 

Speaking of trying new things, we can’t wait for all the Fall themed festivities and plans on the horizon. The cooler days and anticipation of those things is energizing, and we’re feeling it. With so much time spent indoors this year, feeling cooped up, so it’s wonderful to have more excuses to get out of the house! What ways do you connect with nature and self in this season? Weekend drive to go see the leaves? A crisp hike? Visiting a local pumpkin patch? Making big batches of soup? Prepping the garden for winter? Finishing craft projects, or starting new ones? Sitting on the porch with a hot drink? How about all of the above - yes please! 

Make a list of all your very favorite seasonal delights and why you ❤ them - then hatch a plan to make it happen, and enjoy!

Happy Journaling friends,

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team