A million years ago— June 2022, I created an Instagram post, about purchasing materials for a commonplace book. My writing friend, Elayne Crain, wrote a post about having one. A simple notebook where she stored all her odds and ends, ideas, creative pursuits, etc. At the same time, YouTube began recommending to me endless videos about commonplace books. How to create one. Why to create one. Examples of people showing theirs. Video after video, after video.
I watched lots of them— it was a rabbit hole for sure! Organizational envy to the max. Some people were super involved, with drawings and pictures and organized with titles and chapters, etc. etc. Others were more like a scrapbook of interesting things. I thought I would do something in between. I went to Muji— one of my favorite stores— a Japanese stationery store, among other things, to buy some materials. They have relatively inexpensive papers, notebooks, etc. I bought a bundle of things. Brought them all home, and began putting my very own commonplace book together.
It was a fun process. I soon realized, the size I chose, was way too small for all the miscellany that I enjoy collecting! I then stopped. Lost in the overwhelm of the process— as so often happens to me when I start these types of projects in an effort to organize my creativity.
Recently I started following Carolyn Yoo on Substack, I believe another person I follow, Kara Cutruzzula, suggested her newsletter. Anyway, one of her recent posts was talking about organizing your notes. Putting all your ideas, things that you like, quotes that you find, etc. etc. in one place. I liked this idea, and went to another favorite Japanese store, Daiso, and picked up a sketchbook, basically a notebook with blank paper. My idea was to use it for everything. Cut and paste things inside, any drawings/sketches I wanted to do, notes from a webinar or a book I was reading, future project ideas, etc. In the hopes of condensing my various notebooks/sketchbooks/digital notes, etc. into one place. It has sort of worked— but it is still new, and I didn’t want to wholly abandon the other books/systems that have worked and are working for me!
So in the end, maybe my creative ephemera requires a creative solution. And not just one! I may continue as I have, or start anew, again. I do know that I want to remember to look through these creative placeholders to remember my creativity.
What creativity will you save?
Yours in Creativity,
Bridgitte
I so often think of that funny Homer Simpson quote, "Ah, beer! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems!" Only, in my case, it's notebooks instead of beer... 😂
January is a good time to reconnect with my commonplace book! I like having it but still haven’t figured out how (when?) to effectively use it! I did put mine in a small binder though, so I can add pages!