Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Fifty-Four

Hey Journal Gang,

Happy Monday, and welcome to the week of Thanksgiving! One of the coziest (and busiest!) weeks of the year. We always look forward to this holiday. All of the traditional foods and sharing them together - what could be better? This year of course, (saying this yet again!) it’s going to be a bit different than we’re accustomed to. Smaller celebrations, staying closer to home, and perhaps even some changes to the menu. That being said, just because it’s different, doesn’t mean it can’t still be special! How are you planning to make Thanksgiving 2020 memorable, despite the circumstances? What dish are you most excited to make? Let us know in the comments!

We’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude, how our perceptions have changed throughout this year and the importance of finding reasons to be grateful, even in (especially in) challenging times. Pondering the array of things we potentially took for granted in simpler times (sorry for anything bad we said about you, 2019!), silver linings of this year in our lives, the importance of social relationships and keeping strong connections; the blessing of our most basic needs being met. All of these things come to mind! Being grateful isn’t blind to hardships or struggles; it’s more like seeing everything through a wide lens, and building a solid foundation of gratitude to weather through the storms.

How has this year changed your perception of the things in your life that you’re grateful for? What are you feeling most thankful for this week? It will be interesting to refer back to our entries from last Thanksgiving, and see how our new reflections compare. Take a few moments this week and enjoy spending time with your journal.

We hope that you have a wonderful, safe week full of rest, good food, gratitude and warm feelings.

Happy Journaling and Happy Thanksgiving! 

xoxo

The Antiquaria Team 

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-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-Five

 

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."

Hello Journal Gang, and welcome to the first week of the best month of the year (in our opinion!) Once the moon sets and the sun rises, it will officially be Autumn, and the approach has made itself apparent on these cooling nights. The transition of the air is so refreshing and we feel the internal/external shift happening. The days are still beautiful and warm, perfect for venturing back outside after hiding away from the heat and haze. In short, being outdoors in this season brings a lot of joy. 

Working in the yard this weekend, I noticed a few of the cherry tree’s leaves have started shifting into dappled fiery tones; a sure sign that sweater weather is on its way. As I worked to plant a new rose bush, I admired the tree and noticed an increase in fallen leaves on the ground; dotting the mulch with their unique crispy curled forms. Earth doesn’t resist the natural changes of the seasons, but embraces them with beauty and grace, transforming and evolving in new form. Forever striving to be more like this. 

Getting outdoors is like an escape from expectations, deadlines, screens, the news and stress. It’s active meditation. It’s an attempt to emulate the cherry tree, by letting things gracefully fall away for awhile. What activity is your escape in this way? We hope you are finding time for it these days.❤

As we move further into this year, some changes have settled in and we’re adapting, well enough. Other changes, the ‘what ifs’ that haven’t quite happened yet, are the most difficult to deal with still. This year is causing a lot of uncertainty and anxiety, especially as we fly towards the election. Can you relate? Not knowing what will happen, and how it will affect things..it’s so easy to cling to fearful thoughts and worry.

Knowing what to hang onto and what to let go of and action steps you can take can be such a helpful skill, not only for bettering your mental/physical/spiritual health, but for living a life you want to live and contributing to a world you want to be a part of.

We recently did a prompt on letting go/embracing change and felt this was a good time to revisit that theme. Can you relate to hanging onto worry or stress? Struggle with the lack of control of it all? (because same). This is the perfect time to do a self check-in your journal and focus on how you can reprioritize, revitalize and take action.

Wishing you all a wonderful first week of Fall!

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 Forty

Hey Journal Gang, 

Were you able to dive into your toolkit and channel some creativity last week? We had so much fun letting all of our washi and supplies guide our journaling experiences. It’s always so interesting to see what comes together when you let the materials inspire you! There are so many cool and unique tapes, stickers, stamps and writing instruments out there. Endless inspiration. Did you find a theme coming through on your page? 

Themes..if there was a ‘theme’ for your Summer this year, what would it look like? Ours would be different than a typical Summer, but there have still been some bright moments and progress along the way. That said, we can’t help but let our minds wander towards what lies ahead in the traditional comforts of the Fall season. Here in Colorado, there have been wildfires, temps in the 90s, and we desperately in need some rain. This makes the crisp chill of Fall more alluring than ever. There are still unknowns and hesitations about the end of this year..with the pandemic, schools back in session and the election looming. Lots of uncertainty to be found. Still, the days will cool, the Fall harvests and flavors will start appearing as our hemisphere winds down and shifts towards winter. Perhaps we can find moments of comfort and normalcy along the way. We remain hopeful.

What are you looking forward to about Fall? What are you concerned about? What are your favorite aspects of the season? Do you have an annual Autumn activity you always look forward to? What is your food of the season? 

When the heat is hot…find some comfort in your sweater weather daydreams.

Happy Journaling!
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirty-Eight

“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” 

Happy Monday Journal Gang! Grateful to start another week and continue to move forward with some plans and personal goals we have in motion. Things are crazy in the world right now, but aiming to find things to be thankful for helps keep the overwhelming thoughts from spiraling. We hope you’re feeling good and enjoyed exploring the whimsical world of Haikus last week! Did you have a favorite haiku? If so, drop us a comment - we would love to hear it! Not only is it fun to write Haikus, but it’s a treat to read them too.

The past few months have held a lot of changes and transitions, assessing and reflection. A phrase that has been on the radar quite a bit lately is ‘mental load’. The pandemic, uncertainty, unrest, politics, economics, relationships, huge changes in routines and social interaction - ahhh!  Having ALL of these components concurrently in states of constant flux can be…heavy. The result can be stress, anxiety and burnout. So we’re wondering…what are we ready to release and let go of?

How can we be productive and stay creative without burning out during all this? What is taking up valuable mental real estate that serves no purpose except to exacerbate abstract worries and doubts? It could be assessing the inner world of self talk, or changing how you engage with media. Which habits do I have that are not serving me well, and how can I  release those? Am I holding onto things from the past that no longer add value to my life? What can I let go of in order to help others more? What changes can I make to maintain my own equilibrium, while making a positive impact? These are some of the questions we’re asking ourselves for this week’s journaling sessions.

So..think of what’s been on your mind and how you’ve been feeling over these past few weeks. How is everything affecting you? What's changed or stayed the same? What habits, thoughts, actions or ideas are no longer serving you at this time? Taking a step back and doing some journaling about these things can help us figure out where to make adjustments in order to stay present and grounded. Easier said than done, but journaling is such a great tool to help us get there!

May you find peace in releasing all those things❣

Happy Journaling,
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-Two

Hey Journal Gang,

How was your Father’s Day?? (It feels like it was seriously just Mother’s Day!) Whether you have an awesome dad, know an awesome dad or are an awesome dad, we hope you were able to enjoy a relaxing weekend together with your people! Dads are golden. It’s always fun scrolling instagram and seeing everyone’s ‘old school cool’ photos with their Daddios. Mustaches abound!

Do you get the feeling that this Summer is going to go by as a blur? It sure seems that way…time seemed to slow during the shutdowns, but as the world begins to reopen and we try to find our way around a ‘new normal’, the pace has seemed to quicken again. The Solstice was this past Saturday, the very longest day of the year! The first day of Summer. It’s prime time for evening gardening and we took advantage of it this weekend. There is something so meditative about enjoying dusk outdoors in the summertime. One of the very best aspects of the season.

It has us thinking about the nature of life, rhythms and cycles. What would life be like with no change in the seasons, no visitation from both the sun and the moon, no moments of contentment and sadness alike? To our very core we are connected to the ups and downs all around us.

This year has been chock full of highs and lows both, and leeet’s be honest…many lows on the 2020 spectrum so far. But it’s important to seek out balance and, in turn, find more appreciation for the upswings when they appear. It’s ok to have low points and days of struggling. We sure have them. Everyone does! And it’s ok to be an uncertain hanging-out-somewhere-in-the-middle mixture, trying to navigate through it all.

This week take note of not only your most pleasant thoughts and moments, but some of the times you struggled with as well. We can learn from the dips just as we can find comfort in the crests; recording both can help us see patterns and make connections between actions and emotions. Feeling stressed, overwhelmed or having a mini existential crisis? Take a break from the news!! (It will be there when you come back - promise). Cranky and tired? Take a bath and make a plan to prioritize your sleep that evening. Did you laugh hard at something today? Who were you with and what was funny? Take note to remember the moment. Bake some banana bread and it was the bomb? Share a few pieces with a friend! Have a smooth, productive day at work? Tell yourself, “you did good, kid” and reflect on what went well.

The sweet and salty moments both have things to offer. There may be no ultimate perfect day - but there are plenty of pretty darn good ones.

Hope you all have a great week!

Happy Journaling,
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Thirty-One

Hey Journal Gang,

Happy Monday to you all - it’s journal prompt day! Making Mondays a little better since November 2019. It’s a bit surreal that this is our 31st week since the inception of journal club. It feels about half as long! Time flies when...life gets..weird? Is that a saying? Because it totally seems accurate. :)

Hopefully you had a chance to do some journaling last week and ponder how you would like to see things to change for the better. It can seem like a long list! Over the past few weeks we’ve seen people come together and the wheels starting in motion towards enacting some of those changes. We’re staying hopeful and always trying to look for opportunities to make our little personal corner of the world more aligned with some of the changes we wish to see. Every effort counts!

Things we’d like to see..speaking of that, let’s, for fun, take a peek into our daydreams. Vacations are on hold, but that doesn’t stop us from planning and making lists of all the places we’d like to explore! Working in the garden during quarantine had/has us seeing all of the possibilities (and effort) that goes into a dream garden. All of the shifting of life lately has a way of making you take step back and perhaps wonder what your true goals are, what they look like and even how to reach them. The first step in reaching a destination is deciding where you would like to end up, no? 

Describe your dream ________

Job

What is your role? What does it entail? What do you love about it? Do you have your own company or work for a cool one that aligns with your values?

Lifestyle

Are you into the homesteader life or do you see yourself in the bright lights of the big city? What aspects of your desired lifestyle are you drawn to and why? Do you want a big family? Or maybe the nomadic explorer life is more your vibe. Write about where you see yourself on the daily in an ideal future!

Garden

What does it look like? What plants are there? Are you growing food, or maybe prized roses? What climate is it in? How do you incorporate enjoying your garden into your life?

Home

Tiny house life? On the road in a custom RV? Modern Farmhouse? Loft apartment in NYC? Small single family home with a garden and land? Historic Victorian fixer-upper? Cool Mid Century Mod house surrounded by trees? Where is it located? Envision your dream house!

Travel Destination

A faraway remote tropical island? Nepal? Alaska? Southern Italy? Australia? Japan? If you could go anywhere in the world, logistics aside, where would you go and why? What would you do while you’re there? 

Literally any other ideal dream thing that resonates for you

Journal all about it! You can choose one of the above examples, all of them, or come up with a whole new category.

Maybe you’re already living the dream in some of these categories, which is awesome. Heck yes! Maybe you feel you have a ways to go - that is totally relatable and ok too! Very much so. No matter where you are, take a little time to indulge in some of your ultimate goals and just have fun with it. Dream it do it babes.

Hope you all have a great week!

Happy Journaling♥
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty-Nine

Hey there Journal Gang, how are you all doing this Monday? Were you able to brainstorm up some creative Summer activities to look forward to? We’d love to hear some of your favorite ideas in the comments♥

At times, like recently, it seems as if each day, the weight of the world is a bit heavier than the day before. There is so much going on - things are changing at lightning speed. People demanding action, tides shifting, and situations constantly evolving. Uncertainty. It can all be so very much to process. We want to approach this week from the perspective of mindfulness and taking some time to decipher the events of the day, internal and external. Words are powerful - translating thoughts, fears, hopes and wishes and beliefs into them is a grounding experience.

This week, take a few moments to write a few words that come to your mind and encapsulate your experiences each day. What are you thinking about? What are you hoping for? What emotions did you encounter? How do things in your life or current events make you feel? You can approach this from any perspective that resonates with you on a personal level. If you haven't dabbled much in art journaling, now is the perfect time to give it a go - incorporating artwork can give you a boost in therapeutic effect! 

Sometimes the best catalysts for positive changes, are the hard times. You are all in our thoughts. Thank you for being a part of the Journal Gang and following along with our journey. We love daydreaming up prompts to share and love seeing your journals. Here’s to seeing more encouraging changes in the world; health, happiness, prosperity and equality for all.

Happy Journaling and Stay Strong!
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-Seven

Hey Journal Gang! We’re back this week with another prompt to inspire some journaling magic! How has your journaling been going over the past few weeks? For us, some weeks are more productive than others, but we enjoy doing our best to always come back and find solace in this creative outlet as much as possible. It’s a grounding activity with a lot of artistic freedom involved. At times, writing is more of a focus. Other days/week it’s more graphic and art journal based. You can make your journal 100% whatever you’re feeling at the time. Again - no wrong way to journal!

Last week we took a step back to view ourselves objectively for a little morale boost. What things did you reflect on and give yourself credit for? We’re sure the list was long - you have a lot to offer! This week we’re taking more solace in the little moments of the day, with a fresh spin. Our very first journaling prompt (can you believe we founded journal club over six months ago now?!) focused on recognizing and embracing the #1 best highlight of the day. It's a prompt we like to incorporate into different weeks, because it can incite gratitude and give some perspective. When times are uncertain or stressful it can be especially cathartic to find the little gems in each 24 hours we’re given. Every day has something to offer! Some days it’s a bit easier to recognize than others, but that’s life, and totally ok. 

Having positive things to anticipate can help you appreciate the here and now as well, make goals and enjoy planning. So many things have been disrupted this year because of Covid. Aside from all the of major disruptions to life and work, a lot of fun and life milestone plans - vacations, ceremonies, weddings, family gatherings, etc. - have also been put on hold. Disapointment is only natural. We remain hopeful that we can at some point carry on with our lives and find a new normal where we can safely do those things again. Won’t that be amazing? In the meanwhile, we’re looking to the every day experience and finding smaller things to look forward to.

Your morning coffee, taking a walk, video chat with a friend, an afternoon nap, 20 minutes peace and quiet to yourself, a journaling session, watching a movie, tending to your garden or plants, cooking dinner, baking bread, playing an instrument, writing a letter, receiving a package, going for a joy ride, getting some takeout, doing a fun activity with your kid(s). These are a few things that make these days better!

So what are your things? What moments of your day do you look forward to, especially now? Revel in those moments, and journal all about it!

All the best, and Happy Journaling! 

xo

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-Four

“Life is mostly froth and bubble,

Two things stand like stone.

Kindness in another's trouble,

Courage in your own.” 

-Adam Lindsay Gordon

Hey Journal Gang, Happy Monday! 

Hope you all are hanging in there. How did your nature walk journaling fusion go? A bit of time outdoors is worth it’s weight in gold these days! Seeing nature spring back to life as we march further into Spring is so pleasant to be able to indulge in. Can’t wait to see how you are bringing inspiration from nature alive in your journals.

Like a walk on a lovely afternoon, beautiful and striking it’s purity - kindness. This year our lives have changed suddenly, forcing us to adapt quickly and do our best to embrace the current reality we face. We’re navigating keeping distance while staying connected in new ways. This time hasn’t been easy for most; being apart from friends, family, concerns about health and facing economic insecurity. In times like these, even the smallest gesture of kindness can give someone else strength to make it through the day. The world can always use a few more random acts of kindness!

So this week, keep your heart and mind open. What random acts of kindness have you witnessed? How can you share that with someone? Whether it’s sending a card to a friend, dropping off a gift for someone, baking or cooking to share, checking-in with an elderly neighbor, kind words to the grocery store clerk, sewing masks to donate, decorating your windows with messages of solidarity — these small acts are like a rock thrown into a pond. The waves extend far beyond its origin in ways that can't even be fully quantified.

Remember self kindness, too! Depending on your phase and circumstances in life, this stay-at-home period has manifested in various ways for different people. So whether you are working daily, have less time free than ever, more free time than ever, or a curious mixture of the three…embrace the principles of self-care as much as you can, according to your needs. Keep on trying your best, and everything will fall into place. Better days shall return again.

Stay Kind, and Happy Journaling,
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty-Three

Hey Journal Gang!

Happy Monday to you! We hope your journaling last week was cathartic, relaxing and uplifting. Reflective writing has a certain magic about it in that way!

This week we want to try something fun and shift into the visual perspective, while getting outside to move our bodies and enjoy some some fresh air. An outdoor scavenger hunt, which we will then translate to our journals! After all, Spring is here and the weather is getting nicer each day. It’s good for your soul to move and get some sunshine, don’t you think? Definitely!

How does it work?

Nothing clears the head like a relaxing walk on a beautiful day. We want to merge journaling with the outdoors by enjoying the time outside, and then translating what we found into a journal spread! This is a perfect activity for when you’re feeling cooped up and just need a break. Taking alll the walks lately. Can you relate?

You can take a walk around your neighborhood, on a trail, or even do a little scavenger hunt in your own backyard. As long as you’re getting outside and having fun, that’s what’s important! Here are some ideas for things to keep an eye out for during your scavenger hunt:

• A Spring bloom
• Something smooth 
• A texture
• Something shiny
• Something sharp 
• Something white 
• Something yellow 
• Something you hear 
• A unique shaped leaf 
• An animal
• Something you think is a treasure 

Snapping photos as you go is a super quick and easy way to record your findings. That way, you can remember everything you found, and have references later for lists or illustrations when you're working on your journal! If you're into collage, you could print the photos or use a polaroid camera if you have one. You could even take your journal along and record things in real time - no wrong way to do this, gang! We’re excited. Can’t wait to see what you all discover and share too!

Happy Hunting 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 Twenty-One

Hey Journal Gang!

How did having a daily or weekly mantra work out for you last week? It’s wild how grounding or motivating a short phrase can be! What was your stand out mantra or thought for the week? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to know so we can add it to our mental mantras repertoire too.

This week we’re going back to basics, with a throwback to our very FIRST week of Journal Club: reflecting on the highlights of our days. An oldie but a goodie! With life and routines essentially turned upside down right now for most, we’re all finding new rhythms and trying to settle into a new temporary normal. It’s a strange thing! But with the unexpected comes unexpected opportunities as well. Opportunities to experience the day from a new perspective. It will be interesting to contrast our journal entries from the very first week of Journal Club to now and see how our days have evolved with the change of circumstances and passage of time. SO so much has happened in this wild ride that is 2020 so far. Despite all the craziness, we hope you are finding silver linings and unexpected small joys in your days. Search for the magic in each day, and live that moment again through your journaling! Sounds good to us.

One highlight of our week that we’ve been really missing is our Journal Club meetup in the shop each Tuesday! It was always a bright spot, and an engaging way to start out the week and get together with our awesome Journal Club Gang. We’re working on getting a virtual meetup going (yay!) and will share the details on how to join in, hopefully by next week. Can’t wait!

Stay Safe, Be Well and Happy Journaling!

xoxo
The Antiquaria Team 

Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Twenty

Hey There Journal Gang,

Sending our love to everyone from afar this week as we continue to navigate our way through these strange new days. How are you all doing? Have you been benefitting from working in your journals lately? We definitely have. Bailey has been painting her daily sky watercolor journal entries throughout this past week. Such a simple and meditative way to find your center and appreciate the little things, like the way the clouds drift through the sky on a Spring day. On our Instagram account, she demonstrates her process, so follow along there for inspiration! It’s the perfect time to take a few minutes for yourself and just be in the moment, enjoying working on your journal. “Be Here Now”

This week we’ve got mantras on our minds. With an air of uncertainty shrouding so, so many things right now, finding a mental space that empowers and comforts you is vital. It’s super easy to get wrapped up in fear, stress or anxieties. Ruminating on a positive mantra can serve as a mental guidepost, to give you perspective, encourage you and give you strength.

A personal mantra is a phrase or word that resonates with you at any given time. It embodies your inner values and beliefs. It honors where you are now and where you would like to go. We all have mantras, whether or not we are conscious of it! That little subconscious voice or low-key inner monologue it always running..It can be positive, negative or somewhere in-between. This week we’re aiming to align with some positive statements that give us strength, comfort and help us to keep on truckin’.

Find something that speaks to you. It could inspired by a favorite quote, something you read in a book, a lyric from a song or a phrase you come up with yourself! Condense it down or use it verbatim - anything that empowers you and brings a sense of calm and encouragement is perfect.

Here are some simple mantras and quotes to get your wheels turning:

• Be Here Now
• Create Every Day
• Overcome and Grow 
• Patience is Power
• One Day at a Time
• I am peaceful and calm
• I accept myself as I am
• I am resourceful and strong
• This Too Shall Pass
• Keep on Truckin’
• Keep on the Sunny Side

“I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”

Shannon Kaiser

“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”

Albert Einstein

“Life is a balance between holding on a letting go.”

Rumi

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.“

Henry Thoreau

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.“

Corrie Boom

"Creativity doesn't wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones."

Bruce Garrabrandt

"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it."

Kurt Vonnegut

“You have power over your mind and not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.”

Marcus Aurelius

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” 

J.R.R. Tolkien

“One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” 

Shannon L. Alder

The mind is a powerful thing, isn’t it? We can’t wait to see what mantra(s) you embrace for yourself!


Stay Strong, Stay Awesome, and Happy Journaling!
xoxo
The Antiquaria Team