Recently, I made some notepad pages for 2023. Each page features a small year reference in the corner, which is something I really appreciate. I hand-trimmed each page, to get three pages from a single 8.5×11 sheet, using the same size I’ve been using for the past 19 years (3.5×6 inches). While I plan to write a tutorial on how I make my notepad pages in the future, I just wanted to share that I’m excited to start using a notepad again.
Despite loving the act of writing in a notebook, I must admit that in recent years, I haven’t done so as often. It’s something that was on my mind as I printed out the pages for my 2023 notepad today.
I used to write in a notepad when I was away from my computer, like when I was out to lunch or on the train. However, now that I work from home, I’m not often out to lunch, and I don’t ride the train anymore, which is something I miss. Even when I have the notepad by my computer, I tend to opt for typing out my notes because it’s more convenient.
Today I was reading Austin Kleon’s blog and listening to a podcast interview with him (“Life on Creativity” from the Good Life Podcast). What an awesome dude. He blogs every day. He fills up notebooks with cool ideas. Now I’m back to trying to use a notepad again.
Looking through my 2022 notepad, it was encouraging to see how I tried to use it last year. I would handwrite a verse every day. I did that for a week or two. I’m going to pick that habit up again for 2023. To get my pencil moving across paper and good thoughts in my head.
Heh, normally when we write something down, we call it “getting thoughts out of my head”. But really, when you write, you are putting thoughts into your head.
Ooo, that sounds poetic, let’s make it into a quote.
“Writing is not only about getting thoughts out of your head, but also about putting thoughts into your head.” —Matt Maldre
I’ll occasionally create custom notebooks as gifts and to fit my Traveler’s Notebook. A saddle-stitch stapler is one of the best investments I made for such projects. I used to trim completed notebooks with an X-Acto, but now that I’m dealing with diabetic neuropathy in my sausage snappers, I find cutting easiest with a guillotine cutter. I’m considering getting one of those corner-rounder things to eliminate perpendiculars. Prices range from less than 10 bucks to over 100. Have you used one of these, Matt?
Whoa, some of those corner-rounders have giant powerful levers. I’ve only used the handheld crafting versions.
For trimming, I use an X-Acto. There are times I thought about getting a guillotine cutter. It would seem faster.
What I’d really like is a die-cutter that can punch out 2.5″×3.5″ rectangles for ACEO. But I don’t think those are sorts of die-cutters are produced.