We are on the countdown to Sunday morning's (that is the the 29th) giveaway of a Nomadic Flap Type Pencil Case (picture from JetPens as well as the pencil case) giveaway. It will be crammed with items for your portable planner needs. All you need to do to be eligible to win is follow my blog and my Instagram account...that's it!!!! By following my blog you will get notification of AMAZING, FANTASTIC posts on using your Traveler's Notebook to add joy, happiness, peace, focus, and fun to your life....for free - that is a great deal...don't you think? If you know of someone who might like to be entered please share this post with them...
Feelings, my friends, are not Facts...
When I first realized this many years ago, I was quite shocked by the truth of the statement. As human beings, it is our job to assign emotion to everything and everyone in life. The connection of emotion is what makes us human. Our emotions filter our interpretation of truth and fact. If I was to say: the sun was a bright pinky-yellow this morning as it rose, many of you would conjure some type of emotion associated with a past sunrise that you encountered, thus your interpretation of past sunrises is painted with your version of the truth of those sunrises.
It’s pretty harmless to have your own filtered version of a sunrise, however, where we can get in to trouble is when we take life affecting moments, immersed in emotion, and consider our emotions around those moments’ facts. It is easy to get in a 
cycle of over-thinking about a person, event, or issue when there are a lot of conflicting or overpowering emotions involved. We get sucked in to thinking our reality-filtered by our emotions-is fact. Our reality is not necessarily the reality we should be taking in to account. Our emotions tug us in the direction of a heart’s desire or a financial need or a family burden. The need or want attached to those things give us a distorted version of what is. Our minds trick us in to thinking the feeling-filtered perception is fact because that is easiest to believe. Face it, as humans we are very attached to our feelings and we are all, to a degree, egocentric. “My ideas, ways of doing things, beliefs are the best…” If we didn’t buy in to our own beliefs and patterns we would be wrecks.
What do you do then, when you may be in a cycle of over-thinking or uncertainty over some emotionally charged issue? You aren't sure what is fact and what is your emotion-induced fiction, swaying you in the direction of your heart? You journal. Get out your Traveler Notebook and start writing down the emotions you are feeling, the raw facts you know for sure, your perceptions of the facts, and any feedback you might garner from close associates. Add it all up, sum up the information, write from a third person perspective, dispassionately with neutral observations, then take a step back. Leave it, walk away, let the thoughts settle. Ponder them on a long walk, over a hot cup of tea, remember to believe in your own best self and return to your written words. You will, I promise, have gained a perspective. Write it down, the unfiltered perceptions and why your emotions tugged at you so much. Remember however, even though feelings are not facts, they are what make us gloriously human, so beautiful and fragile, and each emotion is worth feeling and savoring.
Using your Traveler Notebook to Reach Through Time....
Near the small village of Montignac, France is a complex of caves called Lascaux. The walls of these caves have amazing primitive artwork dated to over 17,000 years ago. The artwork is primarily large game known to have lived in the area at that time. The artists 'signed' the paintings with their hand prints...extraordinary hand prints, reaching through time to tell us they were there and created the depictions. The hand prints
are far more extraordinary to me than the animals.
I was thinking about those very caves years ago when I decided to start keeping 
a zibaldone or hodgepodge book. Some of you may also know these as commonplace books. I've always been rather fond of the idea of leaving a 'memorial' to my children, a snapshot of who I am, my daily life, my hopes, dreams, passions - and the zibaldone was the perfect way to accomplish this.
The zibaldone is in essence an information management device, a way to keep a collection of loosely related ite
ms, a way to keep track, in 
hardcopy, of your life - quotations, thoughts, inspiration, poems, pictures, recipes, article snippets, life observations....each book is unique to it's creators perspective on his or her life.
I've been keeping one for many years, I've put some snapshots in this post of old ones and of my current one in one of my Traveler Notebooks. I have four children, and I know, one day, when I am gone, they will be going through my possessions and they will come across these books and will have something akin to those handprints on the walls of Lascaux, my effort 
to reach
through time and show them who I was, what I was about, how much I loved them and thought of them, those books will be my hand print.
Review of Writing Down Your Soul
Are you thinking about using your Traveler's Notebook for journaling? I have always been a firm believer in journaling and recording moments of your life. Writing down quotes, perceptions, observations, keeping paper ephemera of your life is an excellent way to connect to your true self, understand your personal truth and leave a lasting memorial for family if you so choose to do that. One of the best books I have read on the subject is Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Connor. If you have ever had a hard time knowing where to start, how to start, why you should even bother, this is the book....Janet helps readers connect with the 'inner voice' in a very easy way. If you were on the fence about journaling, she will push you over to her side and sell you on the importance of doing it. I have read a multitude of comments that call this book life transforming and I agree. One of my favorite parts was helping the reader give a name to their journal, I've always journaled but never with a directed name and now I do. You can find the book on Amazon. Used copies sell for as little as $7.99. I don't know Janet, get no credit for this, I just think this is a worthwhile resource. If you want to start journaling in your Traveler's Notebook, here is an excellent way to start.
Blog Planning Insert for the TN
I'm pretty new to the blog world and realized very quickly as I was planning the blog that I needed to organize my ideas (I have a zillion of them), publish date goals, resources for each post etc. I created a very basic TN insert for this specific purpose. It isn't complicated and can easily be printed out, covered and stapled into an insert. You can download it here if you would like a copy of it. It is formatted for the regular size TN. You will need to crop it as with almost all printable insert files. Enjoy! Inserts I am in the process of creating:
- Family History
- Gardening
- Recipes
- Book/Movie Reviews
- Health Record
- Wine Log
- Knitting/Recipe
- Gratitude
Keep checking back for new inserts, they will be posted on the free download page.
52 Different Uses for Your Traveler's Notebook
I've seen a lot of people asking about ideas for using their TN's. I've been compiling a list of ways you can use it. Some are self explanatory.....most won't fit your needs but maybe some of these will ring a bell for you! Enjoy!
- Blog - Keeping it up, starting a new one, ideas for one
- Planner - Work schedule, appointments, tasks, projects
- Travel - Where you want to go, where you've been, pictures, paper ephemera
- Baby - Your pregnancy, baby's first year, baby care for babysitter
- Cooking - Recipes, great meals, recipe ideas, learning a new skill
- Pets - Taking care of your pet, pets you want, names, medical care
- House Remodel - Who your contractors are, plans, problems, schedules
- Job Hunt - Companies you want to apply to, skills to highlight, interview questions, networking
- Scrapbooking Ideas - Resources, websites, supplies, ideas, page designs
- Books To Read - Authors to follow, reading/book blogs, great books you've read
- Family - Family care, medical care for each member, stats for clothing purchases, school needs, food likes/dislikes/allergies, birthday/holiday present ideas
- Movies - You want to see, you've seen, reviews, favorite actors/actresses
- Wine - Favorite wines, upcoming wines, inventory in rack/cellar
- Medical Diary - Health care, specialists, diagnosis, medications, procedures
- Craft Projects - Websites, supply list/needs, project pages
- Writing Ideas - For blogs, books, articles you are writing
- Sewing Projects - Patterns, sources for materials, supplies, sketches of design ideas
- Knitting Projects - Patterns, sources for materials, supplies, sketches of design ideas
- Exercise/Marathon/Workout Plan - Accomplishments, weights, schedule, races
- Diary - Daily diary
- Dreams - Dream Interpretation
- Sketchbook
- Disneyland Trip - Plans, rides, hotels, food, packing for it, tickets
- Camping Plans - Campgrounds, food planning, supplies, dates
- Your Boat - Repairs, trips, upkeep
- Your Business Plans - New ideas, growth, hiring, resources, needs, repairs
- The Beach
- Fashion and Makeup
- Finances - Bill paying schedule, goals, investments, savings, stock, credit card paydown schedule
- Your History - Writing down your life history for your family and children
- Gratitude - At least three things you are grateful for each day
- One Good Deed a Day - Do one good thing a day and record it
- Note Taking for School
- Quotes - Favorite quotes, what they mean to you
- One line a Day - In a year you will have an amazing snapshot of your life
- Spiritual/Faith - Prayer Journal, spiritual goals, yoga, meditation
- Wedding - Plans, dress, reception, ceremony, vows, shower, bridesmaid/groomsmen plans, food
- Weight Loss/Food Diary
- Dating Ideas with Your Partner - Special memories, where you want to go, restaurants
- Your Bucket List
- Hobby Journal - Resources, ideas, pictures, progress
- Your YouTube Channel - plans, videos, schedules
- Photos/Instagram
- Your Garden - Planting schedule, goals, harvest, best/worst crops
- Home Decorating Projects
- Astrology
- Inspiration - for goals, life, hobbies, children, family, parenting, food, exercise
- Your Politics
- Doomsday Prepper - Supplies, locations, emergency bugout plan
- Elder Care - Medications, drs, appointments, therapies, foods
- Tea
- Family Traditions - So your children, grandchildren know what they are and why
The Traveler's Notebook....42 different sites for all your Notebook Needs!
I get asked all the time where I got my planner. I go to meetings and trainings and it becomes a topic of conversation. Then the conversation naturally turns to…where did you get______ that you put inside it. I decided to take a day and compile all the resources I know of for my planner aka FoxyDori and here they are. First, most importantly, is my cover. There are many covers out there, the two I am using currently are both FoxyDori. Kelly Strong-Marco owns the shop and makes them herself. A good cover is the jumping off point for anything you want to do with your planner. I know there are other traveler's notebook covers out there. Some people may prefer a more flexible cover, I like the leather firm, it provides structure and support for the elastic that holds the inserts in.
Next comes the inserts. I can’t possibly cover every single resource out there for the paper inserts. Many are DIY (do it yourself) printables and many are pre-made. Some of my favorite pre-mades (all Etsy Shops) are:
2. May Designs
3. Molsmum
5. MarsiaBramucci (she has DIY but will also print them for you)
6. KiddyQualia
7. OnicaHanby
This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, there are many more sites out there that sell pre-made inserts. A simple search on Etsy or Google will give you a huge list. Of course you can also purchase inserts from Midori as well.
DIY inserts are as plentiful as the pre-made ones. DIY inserts do require you to cut and bind them yourself. This is usually stapling, although some people get fancy and sew them together. You can find a lot of YouTube videos on putting printable inserts together. My favorite Etsy shops that sell DIY’s are:
8. AndreaGomoll
10. JaneDIY
11. DIYfish
12. Essikulnserts
14. ButeoBunker (he also sells pre-made)
15. PapierMyDay.
Again, this is not an exhaustive list. There are many more on Etsy. Additionally, MorganLeFaesTrinkets has a blog and FREE printables you can download. I use a couple of them in my blog Dori…they are great.
Once you have your inserts figured out then you will want to accessorize…that can mean stickers, folders, stamps, pens, charms, clips…your imagina
tion is the only limit. Here is a list of some resources, again hardly exhaustive. My favorite go-to shops are
16. JetPens
17. MochiThings
18. SeeJaneWork
19. GirlofAllWork,
20. HappieScrappie.
21. AlexStudios
22. Yoobi
23. GouletPen
24. OliBlock
25. 3SpeckledFawns
26. LadyendeVagehond
27. MyPaperShoppe
28. OllieEmily
30. StickersKingdom
31. PrettyTape
32. CharlottesWeb86
I have a zillion pens, pens are my thing. My favorite pens however, are:
33. Lamy
34. Kaweco
35. Pilot
36. these Tombow pencils (love the color)
37. this Zebra Mini ballpoint pen
38. this Pilot mechanical pencil (again the color...)
39. these Pilot erasable pens
40. These Pilot Maica fine point pens (you can buy individual pens)
41. this Sharpie for writing on stickers and washi tape.
42. JetPens just posted these...a really nice alternative to Sharpies....
I know there are MANY more resources out there for Traveler's Notebooks...please feel free to list yours in the comments if they aren't here! Stay tuned for Part II....compiling another list of the best DIY sites for instructions on making folders, inserts and more.
The Amazing Technology of the Traveler's Notebook
You are probably wondering what the 'technology' of the traveler's notebook could be since it is just leather, cord, and paper....lots of paper. I've tried just about every planner out there and almost every planner 'app' as well. I stumbled across the brand 'Midori' a while ago. Being someone who likes lots of color in her life, the Midori brand didn't cut it for me....but I really liked the idea of flexibility in the TN. No planner will work if it isn't used or it is used minimally...then it is just a stack of paper bound by leather. I found a shop on Etsy that made colored TN's by hand to order.
Once I had the FoxyDori in my hands I new I had found the technology I was looking for to pull the different parts of my life together in to one neat amazing bundle. Wikipedia states the definition of technology is: from Greek τέχνη, techne, "art, skill, cunning of hand"; and -λογία is the collection of techniques, methods or processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives. That definition fits my Dori perfectly because daily I am able to accomplish my objectives with the help of this tactile leather cover enveloping my dreams, goals, tasks, quotes, recipes, blog ideas and appointments. If you use a planner...mosey over to Kelly's shop on Etsy, FoxyDori and check out what she makes. She doesn't know I'm telling you about her but you will love what she does...I guarantee it....and you will have a new home for your dreams and goals. If you don't want color or her cover isn't exactly what you are looking for a quick search of Traveler's Notebook, Midori, FauxDori on google or Etsy will help you find other variations.