You know when you have important, difficult, unavoidable tasks to do, suddenly doing the laundry feels urgent – inspiring even? Yeah. I’m quitting that habit. Big life time goal for 2017.

Instead, this week, when I had important, difficult, unavoidable tasks to do, I decided making notebooks was what was missing from my life. And what better reason than… uuuuu… oh! My second cousin’s 6th birthday!

To be fair to myself (another life goal, being fair to myself dammit) I wasn’t procrastinating so much as adding more to my agenda for the week. I did in fact get my important, very effing difficult, unavoidable work done and then felt giddy making this lil bookie poo while half watching a movie. It was blissful really.

I recently set an intention to give my hands more meaningful work to do. Not that food, driving, computer, laundry, cleaning, shopping, laundry, driving and personal hygiene aren’t meaningful work. Nothing is more meaningful than a good tooth brushing. But maybe more – fun work.

Part of what made this project fun is that I didn’t do all of it at the same time or at the last minute. I did it a little at a time over several days. I let myself enjoy the process of making decisions, considering size and shape options, digging for other fun bits, admiring it on my floor and allowing it to take shape.

Keeping my hands busy kept old mental habits at bay which was refreshing. Holding the resulting gift was gratifying. And, I finished it on time – mini goal accomplished! Little gust of wind in my sails!

Maybe I’ll make a couple more. No hurry though.

I bought this sweet stationary at my favorite (now defunct) whatsit store in New York, Pearl River. So many years of finding treasures there!

One side is printed with a partial floral design, the other side, the rest of the design. When you hold it to the light it makes a complete color image.

Oh the joy of half watching Harry Potter while you poke holes through dense, fiber matter and then stitch it together.

Super simple 3- hold stitch binding. The cover is a craft card stock of some sort from the depths of my supply closet. Cut 3 covers per one 8.5 x 11″ sheet.

Added a couple slices of sticker sheets from the scrap drawer and added my name on back. Book final size is about 3″x3″

Thanks Busy Hands! You’re awesome!