If you don't have a notebook, where do you put the note to make yourself one? / Wenn du kein Notizbuch hast, wohin schreibst du dann die Notiz, dir eins zu machen?

Well, what can I say, after my first success in bookbinding with my pocket calendars my natural curiosity kicked in, and I just had to see what other different things I could make with paper and glue. So I took out the bookbinding instruction book my thoughtful mum had given me, and flipped through the pages. And since my new project wasn't supposed to be a big one, I decided on giving a notebook with a rather easy binding a try - only one layer of folded paper and no firm spine.

Nun, was soll ich sagen. Nach meinem ersten Erfolg beim Buchbinden mit meinem Taschenkalender, hat sich meine natürliche Neugier gemeldet und da musste ich einfach schauen, was ich noch für andere Dinge mit Papier und Kleber machen könnte. Also nahm ich das Buchbindebuch, das mir meine aufmerksame Mama geschenkt hatte, und blätterte es durch. Und weil ich kein großes Projekt wollte, entschied ich mich dafür, ein Notizbuch mit einer recht einfachen Bindung auszuprobieren - nur eine Lage gefaltetes Papier und ein weicher Buchrücken.

So eversince I made it, I am in love with my notebook. It is a constant companion, and I enjoy taking it out of my bag whenever a thought pops into my head that I feel is worth conserving. Most of the time that occurs when I happen to have forgotten the notebook at home, of course. Anyway, I think there is no better way to make to do-lists more enjoyable, make dull sketches stand out or remind yourself of long forgotten ideas than to capture it all in a simple but charming little book you call your own. Plus, I feel it is very soothing putting pen to paper instead of putting your fingers on plastic buttons and typing while staring at a screen. Can you tell I really like paper? ;) Well, dear readers, it is time for me to get some of that relaxing stuff called sleep. May we all wake up to a bright morning Fräulein Grit

Und seit ich damit fertig bin, liebe ich mein Notizbuch. Es ist ein ständiger Begleiter und ich genieße es, es aus meiner Tasche zu nehmen, wenn ich einen Gedanken habe von dem ich glaube, dass er es wert ist, ihn zu bewahren. Das passiert natürlich meistens dann, wenn ich mein Notizbuch zufällig zu Hause vergessen habe. Nun ja, ich denke jedenfalls, dass es keine bessere Möglichkeit gibt, To do-Listen angenehmer zu machen, blödsinnigen Skizzen Ausdruck zu verleihen oder sich selbst an eine schon längst vergessen geglaubte Idee zu erinnern, als das alles in einem einfachen aber bezaubernden kleinen Buch festzuhalten. Außerdem finde ich es sehr beruhigend, etwas mit dem Stift zu Papier zu bringen, anstatt mit den Fingern auf Plastiktasten zu hämmern, während man auf einen Bildschirm starrt. Habt ihr schon bemerkt, dass ich Papier wirklich sehr mag? ;) So, liebe/r Leser/in, es ist an der Zeit für mich, etwas von diesem erholsamen Schlaf abzukriegen, von dem ich schon so viel gehört habe. Auf einen heiteren Morgen Fräulein Grit

Everyone has to start somewhere

My dear reader, welcome!

I don't know if it is just me, but I remember year after year drifting through book stores and markets for office supplies and stores with really cute stuff, looking for a pocket calendar that would fit my needs. But I never really found one of a good size, that pleased my eye, and had a convenient partitioning. I might be crazy to think that functionality should be combined with cuteness, but hey, that's me ;)

So anyway, after my then roommate introduced me to the art of bookbinding, I thought to myself: If the big paper companies of the world won't fit my needs, I can do that myself! How hard could it be to make a planner anyway? As it turns out, for a person who never bound a book in their life, it's not as easy as I made it up in my head to be. But I like a good challenge, so I started to do it anyway. I decided on a format and designed the interior of my first calendar ever. Which took a long time and made me swear a lot, trust me, but unfortunately wasn't even the difficult part. Because then I printed the pages, folded them, had to cut them precisely, sew them together, glue them and I don't know what. And all of that without the proper tools, because why spend money on something you don't even know you can do, right?

Well, as you can imagine, the result was not exactly what I had pictured in my head, but for a first try I still think it turned out pretty good. It had it's rough edges and flaws, but I used it for a year and it didn't fall apart or anything. I was so proud :) But since I don't like to not get something done perfectly (yep, control freak, I admit), I wanted to get better. I was hooked; and out of a mere 'necessity' a great hobby was born. That was three years ago. I have made a lot more planners since that - for myself, for family and friends. As it turned out, I wasn't the only one who was bored with the off-the-shelf diaries after all...

So now I get to share my passion with family and friends, and thanks to the unlimited possibilities of the world wide web even with you.


Have fun browsing and enjoy life
Fräulein Grit