Antiquaria Journal Club | Week Fifty-One

 

Hey Journal Gang,

How was your Halloween?! Did you find some creative ways to celebrate this year? So fun to see how people adapted and embraced the new circumstances. Candy scavenger hunts, fancy small spooky dinners and DIY candy delivery shoot systems. That’s a ‘new normal’ Halloween for you!

It’s always nice to have some lighthearted things to look forward to, especially these days. This week is a strange one, because as we all know, the election is tomorrow. It seems as if things have been building up to this for so long - the anticipation and uncertainty of it all is a little (ok...more than a little) overwhelming. Are you feeling that too? It’s a strange time; like a bizarre grand finale to this bizarre year. With all this can come some busy thoughts! Perfect time for some journaling therapy. 

This week we encourage you to use your journal as an outlet to filter through some of those vibes of..whatever this is. Sometimes it just helps to just vent and connect words to abstract thoughts and worries, as if somehow writing them on a page takes away a bit of their power. It also helps give some perspective. 

If you’ve already voted, heck yes! We love seeing so much engagement in the process this year - it’s so amazing and important, in every election! If you haven’t voted yet, coordinate with some friends and make a plan to - there's still time! 

We aren’t sure what the future holds, but we have hope it can be brighter, with more peace and progress for us all. 

All the best, friends❤

Happy Journaling,

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-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

They're Here! Creative Market Collections from Antiquaria

From our toolbox to yours. Emma has been working behind the scenes on our new shop at Creative Market and we're thrilled to announce that it officially launched last week!! 

What is creative market you ask? It's a marketplace devoted to resources that help designers design better. There are graphics, templates, fonts, and so much more! So without further ado, meet our debut vector graphic collections…

Yucca Valley Vector Graphics

The Yucca Valley Graphics Collection is a simple but modern collection of hand drawn graphics inspired by the breathtaking vistas of the southwest.

These clean, modern, hand-drawn vectors are so versatile! This collection includes hand drawn elements, pre-designed landscapes, abstract shapes, and custom brushes. All high resolutions, these designs are ready to be used in your next project for branding, stationery, fabric, social media, websites, art prints, you name it!

 

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 

Week Forty-Six | Antiquaria Journal Club

Hey Journal Gang,

New week, new prompt! How has your journaling been going lately? Have you felt inspired, or has it been tough to find the time? It’s totally normal to have ebbs and flows with a practice or hobby - we go through that as well. We always find our way back to journaling and channeling through other various creative outlets at some point. It’s especially rewarding when you revisit something and remember what you love so about that activity, don’t you think?

Speaking of revisiting..this weekend we felt the first full fall mode shift here on the front range. The first glimpse of the upcoming cozy months, and it has been so nice already. The weather was a little bit chilly and overcast, with dappled sunlight. Light a candle, clean a bit, work on a project and just enjoy. Those days are glorious. 

We wanted to revisit one of our previous favorite prompts this week, in honor of the shifting temps and season. How has the weather been where you are? Have you seen leaves changing yet? Have you brought out the fall home scents and candles yet? What do you love about the cooler weather? We like to use the colors and feelings of the season as inspiration..and then journal all about it! 

If you need some ideas, Bailey has a fun example of a weather journal spread she did earlier this year. You can find video examples on our instagram page highlights! She incorporated watercolors, stamps and pencils to create a custom art journal log of the weekly weather and skies. So fun!

We hope you enjoy exploring the prompt! Here’s to a great week ahead❤

Happy Journaling and Happy Autumn,
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-Four

Hey Journal Gang,

Happy Monday to you all! We hope last week you found some time in your schedule to slow down and indulge in a bit of journaling therapy, if only for a bit. Sometimes it can be intimidating to find time in the day to take some moments for ourselves to slow down and recenter. We find it helps to journal in spurts and try not to overthink the process (easier said than done sometimes; progress, not perfection!). Even if you’re only able to work for 5 or 10 minutes at a time..that’s time well spent!

Speaking of time..how have the past two weeks gone by so quickly? Maybe it’s just us, but we seem to be flying through September. Our routines and habits are slowly shifting into an Autumn mindset. Work focus and hobbies are making that ever-so-gradual shift into the cozier realm. The days are notably shorter now and the nights, cooler. Gardens are winding down, save for some colder weather crops. Lots of work on the kitchen, and forward thinking to next year's season already. Love to make plans and see things slowly, but surely, coming together. We’re working on new holiday designs and definitely feel the shift in season approaching. 

It has us reviewing the year so far and what lies ahead in the Fall. Who else is ready for sweater weather? How do you stay busy in this popular season? What are your favorite indoor cozy hobbies? Do you have something you’re planning or excited to do? How will being at home more this year change your Fall routine? Are you hoping to give a new hobby a try? We say go for it! Spend some time this week mentally gearing up (or down) for the slower pace and the crisp weather. Make a list of everything you’re hoping to participate in. It’s the perfect time to refine a craft or learn a new skill. 

Almost (hopefully) time to start digging out the sweaters and socks. Can’t wait. 

We hope you are staying safe and staying as content as possible, and we hope you find some joy in your journals throughout this upcoming week.❤

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