Today’s the first day! Welcome to the The Lil Journal Project.
I’m glad you’re here.
For years I kept journals full of stories, lists, sketches, quotes….they were dumping grounds for anything and everything. I find myself flipping through them almost daily for inspiration or to prompt a memory.
As we start on this journey it might seem fragmented at first but I promise as we keep going you’ll find yourself flipping back and forth, filling in spaces as memories are triggered, and running for your journal when you want to write something down for the future.
Today’s prompt is easy and simple but it has an important purpose: to get something, anything, down on paper as a starting point. You won’t even have to figure out what to write….unless you want to.
Open up your journal to the first page, and with your non-dominant hand (i.e. your left if you are right-handed) write the following:
this is my journal.
there are no rules.
it’s imperfect.
and perfect.
all at the same time.
Doesn’t look quite how you expected your first page to look, right? Worried about the punctuation and lack of caps? Messy and “wrong” can be liberating….I promise.
Now, for a quick intro into sketching…..draw your pen or pencil, with your non-dominant hand. Take as long as you need.
Write today’s date next to it.
If you have blank space at the bottom of your page…..don’t worry, we’ll use it for something else later. We’ll skip around from page to page and revisit old ones weeks later.
Just remember that writing with your non-dominant hand can unleash creativity. Our dominant hand knows too many tricks and will write exactly how it is expected to……but sometimes, the unexpected is a much welcome surprise. Whenever I have a creative block or I’m unhappy with a painting or drawing, I switch to my left hand, and I’m able to work through it with a new perspective.
See you tomorrow! And we’ll start to dig in……
You can get your daily prompts at the following places:
Right here on the blog
@lilblueboo on Instagram (#theliljournalproject)
@lilblueboo on Pinterest (The Lil Journal Project board)
I think you are brilliant. And I read your 911 to my husband and we both cracked up from laughter. Please keep sharing.
This project is perfectly timed for me, thanks so much for your inspiration! I had an empty journal book with a beautiful black leather cover sitting on top of my closet for more than a decade, waiting for the right purpose – and just when I decided to finally use it for creativity notes, you come along with this great project 🙂
Let’s see how my left hand will cope with the first prompt…
I didn’t read the preview to this journal, and I won’t be home until later today but I think I Have a blank journal and and definitely going to take this project up! I need it right now too.
so far… so good.
can we decorate our composition notebook covers?
Great idea Ashley! I had a journal I had been wanting to use, but never did. I saw this “project” and decided to do it! It was a little strange drawing the pencil because it has the lines, but I did it! Also, I drew a pencil rather than the pen I used today because the pen would have been much more difficult (carved wood), and I probably won’t use the same pen/pencil twice (our cats steal them)…
I forgot to buy my journal but will get one tomorrw – this is a geat way tostart – i can’t wait to join in! 😀 I’ve told my friends on Facebook about this – hopefully some of them will come and have a look and join in the fun!
A perfectly imperfect start! I always like to start my journals with a declaration page like that. One of mine read: “This journal is going to be ordinary and unimpressive.” And immediately, it silences the inner critic and frees up our inner child to let loose and play. Now, I’m ready!
My aunt sent me a journal when I was first in the hospital for my cancer… But I blogged on-line so never got around to using the journal itself… But this is great….I wanted to start journaling and sketching again since I have nothing better to do but never got around to starting… So I am excited about this… And thanks so much, because there are things I want to get off my chest but don’t want my family to hear. So thanks for helping me get started…
You are definitely starting us out right. I love office supplies. I love blank pages and pretty books. I hate to write on something so pristine. Not only are you making me write on the page, you are almost guaranteeing that my first page will not be the pretty page I envisioned BUT you are making it okay and making me comfortable enough to let this just be me in all of my imperfectness… You are brilliant ;). Thank you!
Just finished, whew that was hard with my left hand but a fun challenge at the same time. This is such a great idea, i am really looking forward to this journal project.
So excited to start! And what a great start it is! (my darn dominate hand took over, though, and accidentally did my sketch instead of my left hand. By the time I realized what it had done it was too late. Good thing there are no rules!) My son is excited to join me and immediately made it is own by only choosing to write: this is my journal. there are no rules. Perfect for a 9 year old!
This is exactly the type of challenge & project I’ve been needing! Writing with the non-dominant hand wasn’t too bad; just fatiguing. However, sketching was awful! Yikes!
Still, I love the challenge! Thanks so much and I look forward to digging in tomorrow.
Blessings,
Dena
Day One – Done. First journal ever. Can’t wait for tomorrow! Thanks for the inspiration. You are an amazing person! I’m Blessed to have come across you & Lil Blue Boo. 🙂
Okay, I am going to buy myself a journal first thing tomorrow morning (after I drop my son off at school)! I can’t believe I don’t have a plain one laying around somewhere. Must remember, because I totally want to join in. Such a great idea Ashley!
I laughed so hard on this first assignment. It was even quite painful to write with the non-dominant hand, but a very interesting concept, considering that first page is always so darn intimidating! Loved every minute of it!
Ok, so I started my journal and it’s only 8×10. I hope this is ok. I decided to use these crazy pencils with animals on them that my husband sells at his shop. I picked the on with an elephant on it. So after drawing my elephant, it looks like a cross between and flying bird and anteater. I’m so happy that you did this. Thank you in so many ways!!!! xxoo
Thanks so much for starting this! I love the first prompt. I am right handed, my almost 9 year old daughter who I homeschool is left handed. I don’t know why I didn’t try writing lefty sooner to see what she has to do to adapt to our righty world.
Ok, I am dying a thousand deaths with this first page! (Is it just me?)
I SO want to “fix” it. But I am trusting you! Looking forward to what is to come.
Yeah! I did my first page and I’m really excited to follow along on this project!
I need this badly as I am so critical of myself and never seem to make any progress on my projects because of “stumped” creativity or self-loathing.
I’m really hoping this will help me overcome my anxiety about “making mistakes” and “messing up” and will just let my creativity FLOW!
Ok first page done. Not bad with using left instead of right hand (dominant) but didn’t know what to do with right hand! It sort of hung about in the air! Weird.
Went out and got 4x journals today and am forcing( with love) my whole family to do it with me.. Forgot how much i love to create… Allowed my kids to jump ahead with a personal page of who they are cause they didnt want to stop on what they called messy writing lol. They cant wait till tommorrow… Also shortened statement for miss 8 and master 11….
I wish I could draw a pencil like yours with my dominant hand!!!
SO very excited for this! Mind me asking, what type of pens/pencils you are using? What did you use for the yellow pencil? Do tell.
Just a number 2 pencil I took from my daughter….and crayola crayons! I have a nicer black pen that kept to myself……I think it’s called a precision pen….it came in a set from the craft store 🙂 Hope that helps!
This is the first project I’m going with LBB…..I love it! Can’t wait to get to the finish line and look back at all the pages. Until then, I’m going to make the most of every entry!
I always loved journaling as a young girl. It was a escape for me. It allowed me to put away my fears, my worries, my pain, and also my happy momments and dreams. After going through a divorce and a remarriage. Yes, I said remarriage my exhusband stold my journals and read them and marked in red ink horrible thinks on my sacred thoughts. I have not written in a journal since. I am going to bravely pick up my journal and my colored pencils and pens and embark on this journey you are taking me on. I have loved reading your journals and thoughts and gain daily from them. Wish me luck……
I’m just joining in today. Better late than never! Writing and drawing with my left hand was so hard! I’m looking forward to participating. Thanks!
I have just started the lil journal project and had to tell you how much I enjoyed drawing and writing with my left hand! It felt free and I love the result – may have to do it more often! On to day 2 now! Thanks! have a great weekend!
Rebecca
I am having trouble finding an unlined journal to use for this project. Any suggestions on where to purchase one?
I just found your blog the other day and my younger sister and I are starting at Day 1 today!!!
Hi Ashley,
My name is Janet and I stumbled on your blog and I’m inspired. I’m a teacher and I feel that if I can journal especially like this then I can inspire my students as well even if they are first graders. I actually started with your first day and that alone will capture my students attention. My question to you should I start at day two or start with the rest of your followers? I created my journal from the composition journal. Which I am having so much fun creating as I go. Modge podge, matte,gesso,water colors, and gel pens are new best friends:) Thank you for your inspiration and creativity.
Hi Ashley! I don’t know how I stumbled upon your blog but was excited to see the Art Journal prompts, even though we are now in another year! I’m not an artist – more of a doodler and quilter but strive to create. It’s so fulfilling! Anyway, bushels of thanks for dreaming this stuff up and enriching our lives! I’m on the second page trying to remember my kindergarten room after 54 yrs. What fun!1