I have a stack of notebooks and journals that I use throughout the day. I have my written journal, or diary if you will. I have two different bullet journals, each a different size. I have several composition notebooks for various tasks, taking notes for classes, notes on seminars, article ideas, that sort of thing. Right now, I am in need of a new notebook for my Grimoire.

I am looking to set up a Grimoire of Self. This is for more than a spiritual work, more than Shadow work, more than a Tarot journal, more than a mere diary. This is going to be a notebook where I come to do healing works on myself, in whatever form necessary. I need a safe place to record everything I try and everything I do. That is what I am looking for.

I plan to write in this journal, using a variety of pens and markers. I plan to draw and paint as well. So the pages will need to be able to withstand wet media. I plan to also glue collage materials down onto pages. I might need to sew heavier pieces down inside the journal.

I need the journal to have a sturdy spine that is a bit flexible in order to accommodate all the ephemera I will be sticking in it. I prefer a hardcover. I would like a fairly large journal, maybe an A4. It doesn’t have to have a huge number of pages. I can have multiple volumes of my Grimoire of Self.

I am also thinking that perhaps a journal with a variety of different types of substrates as paper might be an interesting idea as well. I have been thinking that a Dina Wakley Media Journal may be the perfect way to start. It has watercolor pages, kraft paper pages, canvas, and burlap pages mixed throughout. It also doesn’t hurt that I have a stash of these notebooks. I bought them years ago on sale. Come to think of it, I have never finished the first one I bought and I use it only as an art journal.

I could go with a Dylusions Dyan Reaveley Creative Journal. I have a couple that only has one or two pages painted on in them. That may work. The paper is much like cardstock. For the artwork I normally do, I have to gesso every page before I begin. This isn’t a deal-breaker for me in any way.

The third option that I have come up with is making my own journal. I have canvas fabric, burlap, watercolor paper, cardstock, denim, and all sorts of other random substrates. I could make my book as large as I want. A Coptic binding will accommodate any and everything I tip in to the book without harming the integrity of the book or anything else. Plus, decorating the spine will be easier if I am making my own book.

Honestly, I think for ease of starting right now and not sitting here and fussing over this substrate or that cover, every little detail of every page that a bookmaker goes over and through when making a book, I could use to stall and procrastinate starting on this project, I will start with the Dina Wakley mixed media journal. It isn’t as big as I would like, but for a safe place to begin, it works and it is good.

I think that is the way to go. This way I can be doing the work in one journal and then working on creating my own book for the next volume, and not have to worry about finding or making excuses not to begin.

*Read more about the Grimoire Of Self Journey here.

*Remember I publish a newsletter via Substack every Wednesday.