How I Use The Midori Passport Size Traveler's Notebook

Last month I attended a Traveler's Notebook meetup and one of the popular discussion topics was how to use the smaller Midori Passport size notebook system. At the time, I did not own the Passport version, but I had been thinking about how I could best make use of it as it's the perfect size for carrying in my purse. 

This weekend, I finally narrowed it down and setup what I'm calling my Small Business Notebook system. I use it to contain my business cards, business receipts, meeting notes, and mileage. I like the way it all fits together neatly. 

My system contains the following pieces:

• Midori Passport Starter Kit (which comes with camel leather cover and 1 blank notebook)
• Midori Insert 006 Free Diary Monthly
• Midori Insert 004 Clear Zipper Pouch
• Micron black pen
• Decorative charm purchased at The Paper Seahorse 

Of course I personalized everything by decorating the covers of the inserts. For more information on how I decorate my inserts, click here.  For more details on my overall system, check out the video below. 

All items were purchased with my own money. This is not a sponsored video. Please be advised that some of the links provided are affiliate links and I do receive a small commission if you make a purchase using those links.  This does not cost you any extra when you make a purchase. Thank you for your support. 

Intentional Closet Creativity

I am in the middle of a year long experiment. In an effort to live smaller and with intention, I've been experimenting with a ten item capsule wardrobe inspired by the book Lessons From Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott. 

Inspiration: Lessons From Madame Chic

In summary, the capsule wardrobe idea is to choose from only ten core wardrobe pieces throughout a season. The core pieces do not include things like shoes, jackets and t-shirts, but those items are to be limited as well.

I worked with a capsule wardrobe from January to June of this year and I learned so much about clothes and myself. Here's what I found out in the first six months:

• Fast Fashion is not a good thing
• I don't need as many clothes as I think I do
• Layering is best for Florida weather
• Fabric is key - I now look at tags and mostly go for 100% cotton or linen
• Buying higher quality items saves me money
• I should only buy what I know I will wear 
• I love wearing ballet flats so I should make those an investment piece (i.e. spend more on a quality item that will last longer)
• I have much more to learn so I'm repeating the experiment for the next six months

My investment piece this season is a nice pair of black ballet flats. I went with some simple, but classic, Sam Edelman leather flats. 

To kick off July, I built a new capsule wardrobe with more hot weather friendly pieces. I did keep one pair of dress pants and one pair of jeans from the first half of the year. The remaining items were stored away for the next winter season. I had one pair of old jeans that were worn out, thus they had to go. My ten item capsule now consists of the following:

• 3 cotton tops
• 2 linen pants
• 1 dress pant (leftover from Season 1)
• 1 pair of jeans (leftover from Season 1)
• 2 dresses (1 cotton, 1 linen)
• 1 linen skirt
• Extras: 4 cotton t-shirts, 1 light cardigan sweater, 1 pair of black leggings
• Shoes: black leather ballet flats, black leather sandals, brown leather sandals (I also have 2 pairs of heels I can pull out to dress up an outfit)

My extras consist of 4 cotton t-shirts and a cardigan

I'm excited to see how this all works out after a year. I must admit, I like the simplicity of a capsule wardrobe. It makes shopping much easier and my wallet very happy. 

Miami Pen Show Weekend

This past weekend I traveled to Miami to teach a Mail Art Workshop at the Miami Pen Show. The show and workshop were so much fun. I am so thankful for the opportunity. Per the request of several viewers, I took the time to vlog (video log) my three day trip. Below are daily videos highlighting the pen show as well as my love of family time, good food, and gardens. A big thank you to those who invited me to the show, attended the workshop, and filled my weekend with joy.