I remember when I was a kid I used to get excited for the end of summer holidays...not because I was thrilled to be going back to school (although, confession time, I was a bit of a nerd) but because it meant hopefully I would get a new pencil case and new stationery. The anticipation of trying to find a unique, but affordable pencil case that was different from your friends, which was cool but also big enough to fit in your collection of pens and pencils - what a mission. It would be a lot easier nowadays, I would just have to spend weeks scouring the internet instead! I loved the smell of the new pencil case. It was a feeling of starting again - a fresh start. I've never really shaken that feeling or love for stationery. If I see a gorgeous notebook I have to have it even though I probably have about 30 nearly empty ones at home. Its the process of adding that first note, so neatly and carefully, using a ruler to underline the heading. The new beginning, like how you feel about your new year resolutions that last a few days but feel so positive at the time. Stationery is fab what more can I say. Your day just feels better when you have that lovely, colourful notebook in your handbag.

These days my love of stationery has expanded to love of self-development and attempting to be somewhat organised juggling a full time job with looking after my little family, and trying to do work on side businesses too. I need to be organised and I need to write things now, I'm a list person. My husband is always encouraging me to manage my diary online and our shopping lists etc but I just find physically writing a list much more satisfying. I recently made two further discoveries: Bullet Journaling and a new found love of Fountain Pens.

It is still quite early days in my bullet journaling experience but it is a brilliant tool to get organised, stay productive and a place to make notes of those things you do not want to forget. Read about other peoples love of Bullet Journaling here. I've started to explore other types of journaling such as gratitude and art journaling, freewriting and travel journaling etc. When I started my Bujo I really struggled to find the supplies in Perth, Western Australia. We have the usual office stationery shop and book stores that sell stationery but I felt there was a gap in the marketing for Journaling Starter Bundles that I could post anywhere in Australia which was the inception of Journal Boutique. I have set up this store to create a place where people can go to learn more about the benefits of journaling, share their experiences of journaling and also buy some cool journaling supplies and starter kits.

I have recently rediscovered fountain pens too, there is something magical about them. The ink flowing, the sense of history, of craftmenship, ballpoints do just not have this feeling when you use them. Fountains pens are art in themselves.

I want you to feel that new, fresh beginning again, the joy of writing those first lines and now adding that touch of washi tape or stamp here and there. The feeling of accomplishment when you tick that done box or add in that cute little doodle which just makes you smile. The sound of your nib touching the paper and the ink flowing, as well as your thoughts and feeling.

If you do not know where to start with your journaling why not try a starter kit to get those creative juices flowing, click here.

Lover of stationery, Natalie xxx

Feel free to drop me an email at natalie [!at] journalboutiqe.com