Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Part 1 of 5

Mini-Journal Cover from Greeting Card by Papaya Arts, embelleshed w/paper

Spring fever anyone?

Want to start (and finish) a new project that will serve your creative process?

For the next 5 weeks, every Thursday in April, I’ll be walking you through one of my most favorite creative practices: making and using Mini-Journals.

Mini-journals are quick and easy to make, using supplies you likely already have in the house, (or office — should you decide to play in your cubicle!). With a few scraps of paper and a few minutes, you can put together a booklet-sized journal, and then use it to capture and test all manner of creative ideas.

In today’s post, I’ll share why Mini-Journals work so beautifully in support of the creative process, and give detailed instructions on how to make your own. Then, you’ll find some journal prompts to get you started filling up your Mini-Journal.

Every Thursday in April, I’ll post some more prompts, techniques and ideas. It’s essentially a workshop given in a 5-part series. You’re invited to share links to your work in the comments, and of course, ask me questions. Ready to rock?!

Why Mini-Journals?

Mini-Journals are a great way to hone your powers of observation, capture ideas, and clarify your vision—all practices that ultimately serve to maximize your creativity. Observation, in service with a daily (or at least highly regular creative practice) is a kind of super-hero tool for achieving creative results whatever it is you’re doing.

Mini-Journals can be used for:

• trying to figure out your creative calling;
• taking notes and pasting in business cards at a conference;
• sketching out a new project or business plan;
• taking notes for your book, film or other project;
• lightweight and portable travel journals
• holding your strategic plan at-a-glance (here’s mine for 2010)

Mini =Good + Happy!

Mini-journals are a delight to behold and work in. Their very essence beckons creative acts in regular, organized, simplified fashion. Mini-journals are a tactile splendor for both sides of your brain, which is important for getting ideas out of the head and into the world of possibility and action.

The first step is to construct a mini-journal. Then I’ll share some tried and true processes for keeping your creative channel open, alive, happy, and well-nourished by developing your own super-hero powers of observation.

Make a Super Easy Mini-Journal with a Greeting Card Cover

My favorite way to make a mini-journal makes practical use of one of my obsessions: collecting beautiful, funky, unique greeting cards, which I use for the covers.

1. Start with a greeting card you like. Set the envelope aside for now.
2. Open the card and measure the height and width of the open area. Subtract 1/2″ of each dimension to get your paper size. A card that is 10″ wide by 6″ tall (open) will need paper sized 9 1/2″ by 5 1/2″.
3. Collect your papers for the inside. Six to ten sheets is a good amount, depending on the thickness of the paper. Any kind of paper is fair game. Consider colored paper, construction paper, graph paper, and notebook paper. Add a few of your prized decorative papers for interest. Trim your pages to the size needed. Save your scraps—these are great for adding to your journal later. I like to save my scraps in the clear plastic sleeve the card is packaged in, and then share full packs of scraps with friends who journal.
4. Organize the pages in an order that pleases you, and then fold each page in half. Staple to the card to create a simple pamphlet. If you don’t have a long-reach stapler, thread a string through two holes on the spine and tie on the inside or outside. If you don’t want to bother with needle and thread, simply tie a colorful ribbon or piece of string around the spine.

5. A few things to do with the envelope:

1. Paste the envelope in a larger journal and keep the mini-journal inside.
2. Add the envelope to your paper scrap bag and share with your friends.
3. Use the envelope as a pocket in a different journal.

Interior pages made of construction paper and stationary

Journaling Prompts

Now that you’re journal is constructed, you can write and paste images in it to your heart’s content. Here’s this week’s journal prompt to try if you want some ideas on how to start working in your mini-journal.

Take a Vacation

Daily life is where everything happens.

Nothing is ordinary.

When you are on vacation, everything is vivid, because it is new to you.

Things people do on vacation:

• take photos of stuff
• take photos of themselves
• write postcards
• keep a travel journal
• try new food
• explore the unfamiliar
• relax the everyday routine
• notice their surroundings

Do these things and document them in your mini-journal and you will find yourself on vacation in the middle of your daily life.

Frequent flier miles, anyone?

Show us your stuff!

If you make a mini-journal, please leave a comment with a link to some photos. Even though I make tons of these, I learn so much about constructing journals by seeing the work of others.

Have fun! Go play with all that paper in your recycling bin! Make a work of art out of all those birthday cards you’re too sentimental to throw out.

Here’s a list of all the posts in this series. And hey, if this inspired you, I’d really appreciate it if you’d share this through tweets, links, trackbacks, and all that good stuff.

Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Part 1 of 5

Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Fear Itself, Part 2 of 5

Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Love vs. Fear, Part 3 of 5

Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Strive for Imperfection, Part 4 of 5

Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Completion, Day 5 of 5

Related posts:

1. Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Strive for Imperfection Part 4 of 5
2. Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Completion, Day 5 of 5
3. Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Fear Itself, Part 2 of 5
4. Mini-Journaling to Max Your Creativity: Love vs. Fear, Part 3 of 5
5. Ultra-mini booklets, CHA class