Two Ways to Express Gratitude this Thanksgiving Season

I am so blessed.

I have recently read two different novels giving insight into the differing perspectives of WW2. I also watched a movie about the genocide in Burma. I cannot relate. I am safe and secure. I have food. My needs are met. I am content in my life.

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, I am reminded to be grateful. Having much to be grateful for, I want to share that message with those around me. Studies show that exercising gratitude improves one’s psychological and physical health, self-esteem, mental strength and more. I am taking mindful steps towards gratitude this month (and throughout the year).

Here are two ways that I am exhibiting gratitude in this fall season:

By hanging this print on my wall as a reminder to me and all my loved ones…

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By writing down all that I am grateful for in my journal…

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I have been keeping a Gratitude journal since the beginning of 2019 and I can truly say that it keeps me grounded and constantly aware of all that I am blessed with in this life.

How are you preparing your heart for the upcoming Thanksgiving season?

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Through the Tough Times

This summer was hard.

Our weather was not overly sunny or warm. There were very few days worthy of pulling out the patio furniture cushions. I did get to do some travel so that was nice, but my heart was as heavy as the clouds hovering over my head most of the summer.

Why, you ask? Well, several of my people were struggling and it weighed heavily on me. Two of my cousins (who are as close as siblings) are wading through divorce. A very close friend lost her father-in-law. One of my daughters who lives eight hours from home due to her job is missing home and desiring some changes. The other daughter is stressed out preparing for her CPA (accounting) exams that are three days long (how is that even a thing?). And then returning back to work I found out that one of our office personnel died from cancer after being diagnosed less than a year ago. Ugh…

So, yes, life is tough.

But it is not insurmountable or hopeless. Life does knock us back on our heels sometimes, but this summer made me reflect on the things that I have already overcome in life. And how they felt hard at the time. And how I struggled, but made it through. I had to be tough.

And you are tough too.

If you can relate to life being tough today, then this quote is for you! Let’s stand side by side and show life just how tough we can be…

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How I Improved My Calligraphy Skills

I have been doing calligraphy for nearly 5 years now.

It takes a lot of practice and a lot of patience. Along the way I have made many ugly pieces that will never make it to social media! For a long time, when I would come across offers for calligraphy classes I promptly passed. I didn’t need more instruction, I knew the basics and I just needed to practice. Slowly I saw improvement. Eventually, over time I have improved in the smoothness of my letter formation and I am getting better at composition. I am not there yet, but I am seeing a difference.

With this growing confidence I began to look at my calligraphy with a more critical eye. I could see that I was getting better, but I still was nowhere near many of the ladies that I follow on Instagram. I knew I was improving but I couldn’t quite put my finger on how to make my pieces look amazing, you know? It was then that I realized I needed more training. Very specific training. And feedback. On my work. So I went searching…

One of my calligraphy heroines is Amanda Arneill. I don’t remember how I got on to her IG feed, but I am sure glad that I did. Over the years I have taken a few different classes from her, but I was only at the beginner stages of my calligraphy. And then I noticed that she was offering a new class: Intermediate Masterclass and in that moment it sounded perfect for me. I wasn’t a beginner anymore, but I am clearly not a pro either. So ‘intermediate’ caught my attention.

The experience I had in this Intermediate Masterclass left me challenged, encouraged and re-energized toward calligraphy. Amanda has staged out the class so that there is a clear goal in each lesson. She provides the learning through worksheets, an instruction video and even live videos of her doing a calligraphy piece and talking us through it! I benefitted from her knowledge, her experience and her encouragement. Every lesson I found myself pausing the video and jotting down notes of wisdom and insight into how to letter better. Each week we uploaded samples of our own work into a private Facebook group for the class and Amanda went through each of our pieces and gave feedback on our work! This impressed me. Not only did I learn where my areas of improvement lay, but Amanda taught us how to look at any piece and see where something may be amiss and how to fix. This helped me tremendously.

Now, I don’t profess to be an expert after taking this class (after all I am still only an ‘intermediate’) but I learned more pertinent instruction for where I am right now in my learning journey. And for that I am grateful. Trust me, I still have a long way to go and I need much more practice on the things that I learned from this class, but I can honestly say that I am pleased with the difference this class is making in my calligraphy.

Amanda’s calligraphy class has taken me from here (don’t judge) to here (still don’t judge!)…

As I said, this class has given me more confidence and has allowed me to put some of my pieces out there. I have begun sharing more on my IG feed ( @repaperedshop ) and have even uploaded a few pieces for sale in my Etsy shop ( rePaperedShop ). And I welcome any feedback that you may have.

Also, I am in no way affiliated with any kind of promotion, I am just speaking from my heart and sharing my experience. However, if you are a calligrapher or are simply interested in challenging yourself to begin calligraphy, I encourage you to check out Amanda’s classes.

Cheers friends!

Recycled Paper TN Folders

New folders have just been uploaded to my shop!

These folders have been handcrafted from recycled shopping bags. These colourfully designed bags from Rocky Mountain Soap Co. make a perfect folder with two layers of pockets to hold all your pics, docs or whatever you need to keep track of!

Each folder is 8 in tall and 4.25 in wide in order to perfectly fit into a traditional Traveler’s Notebook, as well as one of the book covers you can find in my shop.

I had fun coming up with the design for this one. I was trying to create something that will allow you to hold many paper items as well as organize them visually. After carefully measuring and folding, I run each folder through my trusty vintage sewing machine to secure the edges and complete the look.

Don’t miss out on these fun and colourful folders. Grab one before they are gone!

Books I Make In My Shop

With a few new followers lately, I wanted to say hello! And a great big welcome to you!

I also wanted to give a bit of the story that I am trying to weave with the notebooks that I sell in my shop. First, I love vintage books, so I am seeking out the prettiest ones, gutting them and rePapering the inside.

Then I have created a number of notebooks, folders, and planner items to fill the book covers.

Are you the journaling type? Perhaps you have a family to keep organized? Maybe you are a planner addict or bullet journaler? An artist? Either way, these books are the perfect way to personalize your needs.

All of these have been designed by me and created for you with love!

Cutest Ever Library Pockets

Do you remember when you were a kid and it was Library Day at school? If you are like me, it was the best day ever! Not only did you get a break from the seat work in class, but it was so exciting to browse shelf after shelf of stories that would take you anywhere you wanted to go. Now, I may come off a bit nerdy here, but as much as I enjoyed a good story, I was also intrigued by the little library pocket at the back of the book. It always looked so perfectly important there, all official and organized, protecting the card holding all the names of the previous readers who enjoyed this very story. I used to check the pocket to see if anyone ever left something in the there (no, but I was always curious and hopeful) and every once in a while I would store my bookmark in that pocket until I started reading the book.

That little pocket made enough of an impression on me that I still hold the memory as an adult. So now, when I am creating items for my Etsy shop, and my goal is to make useful and beautiful things, the idea for a library pocket pops into my head. Even though the ones you’ll find in library books (only the old ones of course as now everything has gone to a digital scanning system) are so cute and tiny, I decided to make these ones long and sturdy.

This past spring, Hubby and I went on our Bucket List trip to Italy. There were 6 stops on our adventure and for each one we had collected all kinds of paper to keep us organized on track - and that was even before we left home! We had AirBnB reservations, train tickets, event bookings, restaurant suggestions, maps, itineraries, and ‘must do’ lists for each destination city that we were to visit. So, in a moment of need mixed with nostalgia, I had the idea to make a long library pocket to hold all of the pertinent pieces for each of the 6 towns on our list.

I simply adhered one pocket in my travel journal every few pages (left blank for documenting the daily goings on while on our actual trip) to not only indicate the order of our trip, but to store and keep handy all of the important papers that we had to produce when we arrived at the next town on our list. Then, when needed, I knew exactly where to go to find the address for the AirBnB. It turned out to be a brilliant idea!

Each of the pockets is fashioned from recycled shopping bags. Not only does this offer a unique and varied characteristic to my journal, but the shopping bag paper is much sturdier than regular paper, making it durable and able to stand up to me reaching in to pull things out and then return them over and over again. And in a world where recycling is a household word now, I figure I am doing good by the environment to use up these pretty bags!

Perhaps you are not going on a trip anytime soon but you are intrigued with this library pocket idea. No worries, there are many other uses for them as well. They could be used in a baby book to hold birth stories or hospital information for new moms. They could hold love letters or pen pal letters (I know people still do that kind of thing because I’ve seen it on Instagram). They’re great in a scrapbook to keep archival documents that are too fragile to be glued in or that need to be read on both sides. And, if you love making lists, they could even hold the weekly shopping list on your fridge for you!

So, if you are interested, I’d love for you to go check out my Etsy shop at rePaperedShop.

I’d even love it if you were to leave me a comment here telling me your idea for how to use one of these lovely long library pockets. Or, perhaps you’d like to share your memory of the good ‘ole Library Days from your childhood - I’d love that too!

rePapered Shop Stamp

For some time I have wanted to make a custom stamp for my shop products. The trick was that I wanted to create it using my own handwriting!

So, I set out to do some research on creating my own font. It is a complicated process for sure, but after reading about my options and the various processes I felt it was definitely achievable.

In the end I decided to create my font through Calligraphr. I chose the free version and therefore it had some limitations, but I just wanted to get started so I went with it. Their process is fairly simple…download their template, write your letters, scan or photograph the template and upload it to the Calligraphr site. Then they do the work of creating it into a font for you - and it only took a couple of days!

With the font created I could now make a stamp. First I typed out the lettering I wanted and in my desired size. Then I went to Staples and ordered a rubber stamp with my custom design. This was the longer wait but in two weeks I was able to pick up my finished stamp.

And of course I love it!

Now, the plan is to stamp all the products that go into my shop as a reference and to identify my shop link. I am so excited to have taken this next step in moving my shop forward. And a great big thank you to all of you who have supported me through this process already!

Cheers!

Tapping Into the Power of Quotes

Quotes are powerful.

The other day I was feeling sluggish and grumpy. Often in this state I will resort to scrolling through Instagram (raise your hand if you can relate). Suddenly Letterfolk popped up in my feed declaring, I am into fitness. Fit'ness taco in my mouth. I laughed out loud...one of those great big belly laughs. Needless to say it kicked my grumpiness to the curb. Bam!

Has this ever happened to you? 

Let's face it, life gets tough sometimes. Perhaps it is time to tap into the power of quotes.

For Guidance

Things may not be going your way or maybe just not how you expected. You need guidance to take that next step. Quotes have the power to help you be bold, courageous and determined.

For Motivation

Or maybe you are working towards a goal and you've lost sight of the end. It feels hard and you need motivation to keep going. The right quote in that moment has the power to help you push through and overcome the doubt or to remind you of how great you are.

For Inspiration  

Perhaps you are in a rut. There is a big deadline looming and you are at a loss. You need inspiration to help generate great ideas. Looking up to find a quote on the wall has the power to help you be inspired and see the possibilities once again.

For Joy  

Possibly you are feeling sluggish like I was. For no particular reason. You may need a shot of joy to feel good. With a little quote in front of you it has the power to help you smile or even laugh and remind you that things are going to be just fine.

Are you in need of a quote today? Or maybe a friend comes to mind who needs encouragement. Maybe you want to hang some inspiration on your office wall to help generate ideas. Or simply to make you feel good.

Whatever the reason, I encourage you to tap into the power of a meaningful quote.

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rePapered Story

All new beginnings have a story. Here is mine...