Beautiful Blank Books & Guided Journals

Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude

by: Sarah Ban Breathnach, Sarah Ban Breathnach

Amazon Price: $4.95 (as of 02/18/2012)

IdeaMom says, "I simply love Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance. And yes, the gratitude journal is a life changing experience. I would recommend it for anyone. This book is also nice if you can sum up your daily gratitude in a few words. I have a few friends who feel 5 lines for 5 daily seeds of gratitude is sufficient.

However, if you are like me and enjoy journaling. If your 5 items that you are grateful for turns in to 7, 10, even 20 items each day (believe me, once you get into the habit of the gratitude journal, you will become grateful for everything) -- then you need to purchase another journal. I would recommend buying this book for the inspiration, but buy a beautiful blank journal later as your gratitude grows!"

My Life According to Me (Klutz)

Amazon Price: $8.67 (as of 02/18/2012)

A journal for girls, with inspiring little questions, fun quizzes, drawing and writing ideas, and plenty of blank space, all on jet-black paper. Comes with a silver pen, a bound-in page of photo sleeves and zippered vinyl pouch for keeping mementos.

The Decorated Journal: Creating Beautifully Expressive Journal Pages

by: Gwen Diehn

Amazon Price: $8.49 (as of 02/18/2012)

Zoe says, "A new book by Gwen Diehn is like freshly discovered wine: rich, pungent and colorful. Not only does Ms. Diehn know how to make a book, she excels at writing one. I spent an entire hot summer day savoring the words and images in Decorated Journal.

This book is a feast for the journal maker and perhaps a lifesaver for the novice. From page one, you are taken on a journey that covers materials, journal writing and the history of journaling. The breadth of Ms. Diehn's "The Decorated Journal" is nearly encyclopedic. Early chapters include such tidbits as a new way to use absorbent ground. Sprinkled with fascinating trivia, but never trivial, you discover in "Brains on Paper" about Tupperware's Mr. Tupper's journals and rediscover in "Patterns Lost and Found" how others make a journal personal. The book's concluding chapter is filled with impressive instructions on journal making. If you are not familiar with Ms. Diehn's work, look for her other books and find her instructions on the coptic stitch in Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, And Turn: Books for Kids to Make (don't let the title fool you); no other book binding instructor or writer describes this stitch as well.

This book is a must have for any journal reader or maker, newcomer, late bloomer or daily record keeper. It's intelligent and written intelligently, the way I've come to expect from a book by Gwen Diehn."