My first typewriter was an Adler Tippa. It was gifted to me by my aunt who had purchased it new a few years before. The typewriter was made in Holland in 1972 by the Triumph Adler company. While not the best typer out there (I prefer my Olivetti Lettera 32) it is extremely portable, as it is only 2.75 inches thin in the case. I also adore the colour!

Luckily the storage case also kept the manual with the typewriter. You can download a PDF copy of the manual here.

And here is the story of the typewriter:

I first discovered the travellers notebook concept through Jane Davenport, her “butterfly” book is designed to be a travellers notebook for artists and I thought it was genius that you could have different sections with different types of paper - making it the perfect “sketchbook” for notes, sketching and watercolour. But I also stumbled onto a whole world of travellers notebook journalers. And through that a world of bullet journaling. Bullet journaling is based on the concept of designing your own journal. Many people use it for a calendar which doesn’t appeal to me as I am a heavy user of shared Gmail calendars - one for each member of the family. However mastering a To Do list and all those little snippets of information floating around in your head appeals to me. So I spent some time thinking about these tools and how they could work for me and eventually came up with a solution in part influenced by @HoneyRozes (Instagram, Youtube), a bullet journaler.


Rather than using my Butterfly book - which is set up for art - I decided to purchase a leather travellers journal from the Travellers Notebook (‘TN) company (formerly known as Midori). This is really just a cover for the notebook inserts to be stored within it but works the same as the Butterfly book where you can add your own notebook inserts. I used the default insert that came with the TN. I love the smell of the leather and the way the cover gets more and more worn with time. 


On the cover I wrote the date the notebook was started (June 2017) so I can easily identify the date range for each notebook. Inside the notebook I created a calendar so I could reference dates when planning To Do’s. I also wrote out 12 Questions for Change taken from the “Change Your Life, Change Your Questions” book. 


I made a mistake with the calendar as I didn’t have enough space to have a full year of planning - instead I only had room for 10 months instead of the full 12. Yes, I should have measured everything out in advance. Got to remember that for the next one!


The next layout in my journal was to create a monthly planning list view. This time I had space for all 12 months! This enables me to add items in advance for each month - if they are due on specific dates I add the date in the square - if not, the square remains blank. If the item is a project that spans months then I draw a horizontal arrow leading into the next month. As I add weeks into the journal I reference this page to make sure there aren’t any items to be transferred in for the week.  Here’s how it works... at the beginning of the week (usually on Sunday afternoon or evening) I plan the upcoming week.


First I set up the page layout....


Then I add the section titles.... the titles I came up with are work, not (i.e. not work stuff), home (for home maintenance items), and kids (for things I need to do for my kids). These sections are for my To Do’s for the week. 


Next I add the date range for the week, along with the week number. The week number isn’t really important but it’s kind of nice to know how far we are through the year already. These go at the top of the page.


Next I add additional section titles. I am still playing around with these but I think I’ve settled on Lessons Learned, Successes, Notes and Next Week. I use the lessons learned to record things I want to do better in the future, successes to record and celebrate my successes, Notes for anything I need to write down for the week - phone numbers, messages and so on, then lastly Next week to write down anything for next week. This section isn’t really required as I could use the monthly planning list view. I highlight these headings to make them stand out and easier to read.


Then I transfer in all the To Do’s from the previous week....


Each item transferred has a box next to it. Let me explain how I am using these.

• An empty box means it isn’t done,
• A box with a date means it needs to be done on a specific date,
• A box with a cross in it means its cancelled,
• A box with a > in it means it’s incomplete and transferred to the next week,
• A filled box means it’s complete (yay!).

I have been using this system successfully since the beginning of June. Initially I used the system to collect a “brain dump” of everything floating around in my head that I was worried would be forgotten. Each week I have many to do more items that I collected and gradually everything that was “non-urgent” has been accomplished and my To Do list has gotten shorter.  Is the system perfect? I doubt it... but it has the advantage of being portable, doesn’t conflict with my gmail calendar(s), isn’t overwhelming (weekly seems the perfect length of time for planning) and is always there for me to write quick To Do’s and notes. I haven’t filled out all the remaining “speads” in the notebook in case I want to tweak the weekly layout in the future. I hope you have enjoyed this quick tour of my personal organization system and you are inspired to create a system of your own.   

As you've probably realized, I still use fountain pens over ballpoints (although I confess to drafting outlines of longer documents with my beloved Pentel mechanical pencil).

One of the things that has always posed a problem is that  moment when someone asks to borrow a pen, and I have to quickly evaluate whether or not I want that person to use whatever pen is currently being rotated. Gold nib vintage pen, erm, no I don't think so. Lamy Al-Star, sure.

But surely as a fountain pen lover I should be trying to "convert" everyone and evangelize the joys of fountain pen usage. How do I do that? So I've been looking for a cheap fountain pen option that provides a good quality experience but won't break the bank. And I think I may have found it. This option is perfect for giving as a gift or keeping a spare in a desk drawer at work should someone express an interest. It is also a great option if you are intrigued and want to learn more about fountain pens without investing into something if you are unsure.

The Jinhao X450.



This pen is made in China. You can currently pick them up on EBay for as little as $4 CDN including shipping. The pen is quite heavy - one of the heaviest I own - so not a great option for a carry around, but it feels solid and sturdy in the hand. The finish is beautiful. There are several colours (mine is green marble) to choose from. Trimmings are gold coloured.



The nib is a large size 6 and has some flex providing some line width variation). My pen also included a cartridge converter so I can use either an international sized cartridge or can install the converter and use bottled ink.

Here is a writing sample using the Jinhao X450 Medium nib with Diamine Raw Sienna.

As a collector of fountain pens, I have amassed many vintage fountain pens. For many of these there is little information available to explain the features and benefits of specific models.



I recently pulled out a Pelikan Celebry fountain pen circa 1998 and inked it up to be a daily writer for the next few weeks. I have created a quick video review of this pen along with a writing sample.


Please leave a comment on this post or on my YouTube channel if you find this video helpful and want to see more fountain pen reviews :)

Wondering what to do with that lovely new fountain pen you just bought? Or maybe you feel guilty about that vintage fountain pen you inherited but has been lingering in a drawer....

Here are 12 things to do with your fountain pen:

1. Write a letter. Yes, really. People love to get letters. It doesn't have to be long but it shows that you care.
2. Keep a journal or diary. Feeling anxious? Write your thoughts in a journal. Traveling? Write down your experiences. 
3. Practice your handwriting. After several years of not writing regularly, I had to re-learn cursive. Your fountain pen will really help you produce beautiful handwriting.
4. Write a novel. I have 2 novels started. I'm not sure when I will ever finish them but they are like worlds waiting for me to join them - to pop in and out to see what the characters are up to.
5. Write a cheque. I can't remember the last time I did but signatures look so much nicer in real ink. Use bulletproof (permanent) ink if you are worried about forgeries/fraud.
6. Sketch drawings. Even a bad sketch looks better in ink. Try using a bulletproof (permanent) ink and add some watercolour washes.
7. Make a list. Shopping lists, to-do lists, honey-do lists, books to read, bucket list.
8. Notes. Class notes, meeting notes, self-study notes (for when you want to master a subject).
9. Write a greeting card, post-card or love-note. Handwritten love notes are more romantic than text messages ;)
10. Write an inspirational quote.
11. Draft a blog post or essay.
12. Use a planner or bullet journal.

I have been loving my new butterfly effect journal by Jane Davenport. The butterfly effect journal is an epiphany to me, it is the best notebook/journal/planner I have ever owned. Let me explain why.

I don't need a planner - I keep appointments on my iphone - using gmail for personal and microsoft exchange for work. But I hate using my phone for To Do lists and reminders. It seems to take more effort to enter them than to just do the item, plus I always forget to look at it.

So I like to keep To Do lists on paper. Usually I use a notebook of the lined variety and use a symbol to indicate "To Do", "In Progress", "Done". I scratch through the entire list in a diagonal directly when I'm done so I know I don't need to look at it anymore. I also like to art journal. This is a relatively new thing for me. It started out as individual paintings and then migrated into a journal. I use a watercolour Moleskine and a plain paper Moleskine. That's *two* Moleskines if you are counting. Oh, but wait, there's a third journal, it's for writing and has lined paper. But hang on a minute, I have another lined journal I use for poems (yes I like writing poems) and another grid journal for practicing lettering/calligraphy. So now we're up to 5..... but none of them are full. In fact, only 1 is even at the half way mark. It takes a long time to fill up a notebook with poetry because I'm not doing it all the time. And of course, I can't possibly carry 5 notebooks around with me and never have the one I want. This stalls my creativity (like I need an excuse).

So enter the butterfly effect journal. I know you're wondering "what's so great about the butterfly effect journal?" Well, this style of journal is entirely new to me. I feel like I have been living under a rock because it's actually quite common (at least according to YouTube).

My Jane Davenport mermaid "butterfly effect journal" *before*

The butterfly effect journal is a Traveler's Notebook (TN for the initiated) style popularized by the Midori TN. While the Midori TN is a leather cover notebook, Jane Davenport (mixed media artist from Australia) has created a canvas notebook that utilizes the same concept as the Midori TN. The notebook has no paper in it, and you purchase and add inserts into it as required. The inserts can be lined, grid, plain, watercolour paper, marker paper and so on, and there are other items available like plastic covers, business card holders and zippered pockets. Basically its a customizable notebook to suit your lifestyle. Also available are planners - month, week, day to a page or opening.

This means that I can add inserts using different types of paper for different purposes. In fact, I don't even have to buy inserts, I can make them myself or even use loose leaf paper folded down the center (cut to the right size, approximately 8x8 inches). Problem solved. I can go from 5 journal to a single journal and carry it around with me for when inspiration strikes. As each insert is filled, it can be removed and a new insert added to replace it.

So why "butterfly effect"? Jane noticed that when the book folds back on itself it looks like butterfly wings.... so cute!

My butterfly effect journal - being a butterfly!

I really enjoy looking through Pinterest posts recommended by my friends.

Today I saw the cutest Word Art Panel pinned by my friend Lisa, that I just had to have. Here is the original, created by Lauren:

What a great idea! (ok, maybe sharing my age might not be a great idea....)

1. What have you learned from your experiences? 
2. Is there any advice that you are known for giving? 
3. What special phrases do you often say? 
4. What advice do you have for your posterity? 
5. What kind of legacy have you created?

We are almost there in our journaling prompts series on Life.  This week we continue the theme about Special Memories.

1. Have loved ones sign on one page.
2. Write special memories, thoughts, messages for those same loved ones.

In week 10 of our journaling prompts series, we talk about: Special Memories.

1. What do you want to be remembered for? 
2. Did you create any fun traditions with friends or family? 
3. Who do you think of when you think of the good times in your life? 
4. What do you enjoy most in life? 
5. What are you most proud of? 
6. What memory do you hold most dear?

1. Where is your favorite place to visit? What is it like visiting your favorite place? 
2. What holiday traditions carried over from your childhood? 
3. Have you had any adventures as an adult? 
4. If you do not travel, do you have any dreams of traveling? 
5. Have you had any special reunions with family or friends?