Pretty Journals for Writing, Reflecting and Expressing

I have always loved writing in a journal. I usually have more than one going at once and have filled up dozens over the year. Buying a new journal is an exciting event for me. I love to examine the covers, to feel the pages in my hand, and to imagine my thoughts penned on the clean pages.

Journal writing is the kind of writing you don't share with others -- it is to help you discover yourself and others. As a teenage girl, my diary often felt the burden of my latest crush and my deepest disappointments.

As a teacher, I shared my love of journals with my class, usually buying them each a journal at the beginning of the year: a place where they could write freely, and express themselves on a regular basis.

Journals, notebooks, diaires -- whatever you want to call them -- can be used for a variety of purposes. Carry one in your purse to jot down gift ideas, record a special event, journal your food and exercise. They are also a wonderful place to capture impressions of your life. Many women like to keep a gratitude journal and others like to journal their prayers and answers in a beautiful notebook.

For this article, I want to share some of my best journal finds for women with you. These are diaries for the girl in us: delicious little books perfect for your most precious thoughts or for your most meaningful doodles. These are pretty journals -- luscious to write in, and a delight to be seen with. Enjoy!

I have had a couple of leather journals over the years and I really appreciated them. A leather bound book is soft to touch and feels comfortable to write in.

The leather looks very attractive. There is something about a leather book that makes you think of elegance and substance. And this material is very sturdy and is likely to last for the long haul. I really adore the leather journals I have shown here.

1. Eccolo Leather Journals: Eccolo has produced several beautiful leather journals. These are all of the same sturdy construction but feature different designs and colours. The 256 heavy stock pages are lined, and made from acid-free paper. These journals are very attractive and easy to carry around in a purse or bag. At 5"x7" or 6"x8", these journals are not for writing essays but they are nice for jotting down ideas, some poetry lines or anything relatively short. For under $20, these would make a lovely gift for your favourite female or a nice gift for yourself.
2. Italian Leather Journals. This is a more upscale product line that also creates a journals. These books are more heavy and feature a very thick ornate cover with handcrafted stitching. If you are a lover of old books, these books have a romantic, old-fashioned look. A wonderful feature of these products are that the notebook can be replaced after you have filled the pages. Please be aware that the leather is not genuine leather but it is still very beautiful. The price point for the Italian Journals are around $30 and they would make a lovely gift for someone who likes something with an old-fashioned touch.

Do you remember writing in your diary about that boy that you liked, but being afraid that someone might find out? The traditional image of a diary is that is under lock and key, all of the writer's secrets kept safe and secure. Therefore, journals that come with a magnetic closure are keeping that tradition alive. The magnetic closure is also nice because it keeps the pages from being ruined by a spill or crinkling.

1. Peter Pauper Press produces some very lovely looking notebooks featuring the magnetic-closure. These little books are so sweet and really look like the diary from our girlhood. They are so pretty to carry around, and at under $15, they are not a big investment. The only caution with this product is that there tends to be a bleed when using certain types of pens.
2. Punch Studio has a very fresh, modern feel to their products. They make two journals with the magnetic closure, both with gorgeous, bold graphics. These books are a bit less thick than some of the other choices with 100 lined pages.

I was introduced to the idea of a prayer journal several years ago. The idea is to write down your prayers, with a date, and then write down the date that your prayers were answered. This is an effective way of increasing your faith and seeing how God is working.

Any notebook can be used as a prayer journal but I have selected some beautiful journals made specifically for keeping track of your prayers.

1. Structured Prayer Journals are designed with a structure for your prayers. These journals include some guidance from the author as to who to pray for, as well as organizers to keep things in order. These journals are a good choice for someone who is looking for some ideas to structure their prayer life. Check and see if these structures work for you and your walk.
2. Blank Prayer Journals are journals that feature an inspirational verse on the cover but do not have an inherent structure to aid in your prayers. Although any journal will work fine for keeping track of your prayers, a lovely verse or prayer quote will inspire you when you pick up the book and it is a good reminder of what the book is for.

I was introduced to the idea of gratitude journals several years ago by a colleague who was going through a difficult time in her marriage. "But I always remind myself of what I have to be grateful for," she told me. Gratitude journals are books in which you write down daily, the things for which you are grateful. The practice of daily practicing gratitude is good for your health and your well-being. Being thankful helps us to cope with life and make the best of what we have been given.

I have selected some of the prettiest gratitude journals for your viewing pleasure. Any notebook will work as a gratitude journal but these ones are designed to give you some structure in your journey to cultivating gratefulness.

Finally, I am going to showcase more of the prettiest journals that I found. These are all books that I would love to receive as a gift, and would be proud to give as a gift.

Whether you are thinking of getting a new journal for yourself or as a lovely gift, it is nice to know there are more options than a boring scribbler! There are so many beautiful options out there that the hardest part is deciding which one you like best.

And whatever book you choose, I encourage you to write. Journals can be such a source of joy: they are a place in this world that is yours, to use as you please.

Just as I bought my students their own little journals, I would love for everyone to have their own beautiful place to write, pray, record, express, reflect. Enjoy!