Tuesday Grace Notes – Notebooks (and Making Every Day Special)

There’s no getting around it. I am a collector of particular pretty things. Colourful things. Things that are lovely to look at – that hopefully have a practical purpose as well. My challenge – as I’ve also mentioned before – is learning to and being willing to use these wonderful things on a daily basis.

As in: not just saving them up for a “special occasion.”

Some friends are so very good at this, and to be honest, I’m sometimes a little jealous. The ones who carry the cute pens, smell beautifully of some fabulous new soap, or count graces and thanks in notebooks printed and decorated in bright colours and intricate prints. Now don’t get me wrong, I could be doodling, bathing, and carrying all of the things too. But I have such a hard time.



I have a hard time making the everyday special. That should be the least of my worries. Life is too short. There is not enough time. There is no reason to hoard (let’s just call it what it is, honestly) all of these things that could add little grace note to our lives until that perfect day that we think is special.

And don’t get me wrong – I’m not advocating against special days at all. I revel in the days where I can break out of the ordinary; shrug off my routine; kick up my heels and do something unexpected and delightful. I’m pretty sure those days are not special because I used a new soap or carried a bright notebook. But my every day? Why not perk up the daily routine with the fun things that make me (and you!) smile – that bring a small moment of pleasure? There’s plenty of worry and unhappy to go around.

Let’s let ourselves revel in the small indulgences. 

For me, one of those things is my notebooks. Big, small, and everything in between, I love to have one (or two, or three, or …) tucked into my purse. I have plain coloured Moleskines in black and every other shade of the rainbow; blank books from Chronicle press that mark the styles and trends over the years; a trio of Katie Daisy folios that you can’t help but smile at; and numerous flip books and note pads that look like French chateaus, butterfly gardens, and homes for nesting birds.

I need these smooth, inviting, blank pages to jot down a phrase of poetry when the muse descends; to capture and count my thanks in order to keep my perspective; and to create winding wending lists of the books that I just have to read. Sometimes it’s a common grocery list that makes its way into a book. Other times, I scratch down recipes or knitting patterns from books in a store or library. And every so often, I pull out my brush pens and attempt to sketch a scene or an idea that comes to mind.

It’s a simple, little thing, but when I dive into the dark recesses of my purse (yes, it really is that big), I love seeing the splash of colour from these little books tucked amidst my planner (technically another notebook), makeup bags, and pen case. It’s a reminder to me that I should celebrate even the small things and work a little bit of “special occasion” into every day.

I would love to hear about your love of notebooks, what you capture in yours, and other little fancies that you use to make the everyday special.


Tuesday Grace Notes are an opportunity for me to share a small bit of harmony amidst the other things I write about. Truly, they are meant to be shorter than my usual pieces (laugh with me here), and just a little something to add a touch of beauty to my life and yours. One week it might be a wonderful book I’ve read and can’t put down. Maybe it will be one of the movies I love (or its soundtrack). You might find a favourite recipe here. Or the new soap I’ve just discovered. You’ll find that many of them are inspired by my mother and the things she taught me about living a gentle, elegant life. I hope you’ll join me as more things are shared.

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