Take Note: Upcoming Summer Paper Adventures

Summer is around the corner. Want some ideas for things to do? Here's a list of some adventures for my fellow paper lovers: 

• Enroll in a Letter Writers Alliance Initiative Response. As an LWA member, I have enrolled in the "Out of the Box" Initiative Response. I'll be on a mission all summer to complete three assigned tasks in order to be rewarded a new patch for my growing collection. Ever the Girl Scout, I'm a sucker for the patch reward system. I'll be sure to share updates. Stay tuned. 
• Attend a Midori Traveler's Notebook MeetUp. Find your tribe! These types of creative journaling meet ups and gatherings are popping up all over the place. Look for one in your area. Many are listed as Facebook events or on Meetup.com. I'll be attending this one happening in Tampa, FL. 
• Beat the heat with a Fountain Pen Show. Pen shows are a great way to learn more about fountain pens and meet other writing enthusiasts. There are several shows happening over the summer including the big one in Washington, DC. If you are in the south Florida area in mid July, I'll be teaching a Mail Art class at The Miami Pen Show. Check it out and come say hi. 
• #GetOutside with Letter Boxing. Heading to a local, state or national park this summer? Letter Boxing can make your adventure all the more fun. For more information on Letter Boxing check out the video I made earlier this year. 

Stay cool, have fun and continue to create. 

Journal Prompt: How Do You Give Back?

When I sat down to journal about my vision and goals last year, I organized my thoughts into four different categories: Mind, Body, Soul, and Earth.  The Earth category includes any and everything I can do to give back to the universe. I feel it is very important to give back.

Over the years, I've found many ways to give back. Mostly it's been through volunteering my time or giving financially. But, this year I'm taking a different approach. I am working hard to give back to the earth. 

My home sits on two lots and the yard is quite large. When I first moved in 8 years ago, I did what most people do when they buy a home. I started taking care of my precious green lawn. The house came with a really nice sprinkler system. And, I hired someone to come each week to maintain and care for this lawn. Over time, I started to notice a few trends. 

First came to constant need to seed, fertilize and water the beast. As I watched patches die, I wondered what I was doing wrong. I was told to water more. This immediately bothered me because I felt like I was already using too much water. Add to that, I was learning more about Florida's fresh water challenges as we are seeing sea level rise around the coastal areas. 

A few years ago I decided to stop watering and let nature take it's course. The weekly lawn service was reduced to just cutting what grass managed to grow. Here's what happened. Half my yard turned into dirt and mud during the rainy season. The other half turned into mostly weeds.  

Then something magical happened. New neighbors moved in beside me and I watched as they slowly ripped out their lawn and turned their back yard into the most beautiful butterfly garden. No grass. Just gorgeous plants, shrubs, trees and natural walk ways. I loved it so much I started spending several evenings just sitting with them in the garden and enjoying wine. Not only was it beautiful, it took less water and maintenance than a lawn. Many of the plants they used are drought tolerant. Their garden also gave back to nature, feeding the butterflies, bees and other beneficial critters. 

So this year I'm working hard to turn my back yard into something that gives back to Mother Earth instead of just taking her resources. The project is a slow one because I'm doing all the work myself and I have a limited budget. But, it is so rewarding. If you are interested in what has happened so far, I've shared some highlights in my most recent journaling video below. 

Journal Prompt: How Are You Working Toward Your Goals?

Each week I try to take an hour and create a weekly layout in my personal journal. Many people find it hard to believe it only takes me an hour to make these weekly entries. My secret to tackling the blank page is having a process.  

On the right side of the layout, I do something creative like sketch, collage or practice calligraphy. There is power in doing something creative on a regular basis and I consider my weekly journal to be a great outlet. 

The left side of the page is for journaling. My journaling prompts are simple. They are tied to my goals. I look back on each day of the week and ask myself "How did spend my free time working toward my personal goals?"

Do I do something productive everyday? No. I'm human. So on the days when nothing happened or I have blanks, I try to find an inspirational quote and remind myself to keep moving forward. My journal helps me to check in each week. I can see areas where I'm succeeding and areas where I'm falling behind. 

When setting goals, it's important to make them measurable. For example, I know my spirit is made happy when I seek out and support the art of others. So I try to take advantage of at least one arts and cultural event each month. This can be anything from attending a book reading, going to a performance or visiting an art museum. 

 If you are interested in how I worked toward my goals this past week, I've included a video below. How have you worked toward your goals lately?