Circle Journals

Have you heard of a Circle Journal?

My daughter and I have a notebook we write in and pass back and forth. It all started because I did something to make her mad and she didn’t want to talk about it. I wanted her to know how I felt and that I was sorry, so I purchased a cute notebook (it happened to say Angel on the front, which is what I call her). I wrote my feelings, then put the notebook under her pillow. She found it when she went to bed. She wrote back and put the notebook under my pillow.

Since then, we’ve passed the book back and forth. It contains some serious conversations, as well as lots of fun silly ones. It’s a place we can be ourselves, and we’ve gotten to know each other better throughout the experience.

Most important of all, it’s a keepsake we will have forever. It details the growth of our relationship as mother and daughter. I think I’ll have to make a copy for her, because I know I can never part with it.

A circle journal gives you a place to capture feelings and bits of real life between family and friends. Begin your Circle Journal by writing down a simple thought, idea or question. Now pass it on to a family member or friend. You can place it on their pillow, leave it on a doorstep or even mail it. They will read what you have written, add their thoughts and pass it back to you. The journal circles back and forth through the years, capturing relationships as they grow and change . . .becoming one of your most cherished keepsakes.

Start the circle between parent to child, sibling to sibling, spouse to spouse, grandparent to grandchild, friend to friend . . . the possibilities are endless.

Ideas to get you started:
- I love you because...

- When I was your age...

- What made you happy today?

There are many scrapbook manufacturers who have circle journals you can purchase. My favorite ones are from Pebbles Inc. But you can also just use any journal or notebook.

There is also a recent trend for scrapbook groups to create circle journals. They typically have a theme, and each scrapbooker makes a one or two page layout on that theme before passing it on to the next group member. It is a great way to get to know people before some type of event (such as a scrapbook convention) or a way to stay in touch with people you already know (like your best friends from college).

It would also be fun to create with family members. You could pass it around to all the brothers and sisters, each creating scrapbook pages of their family members, and then give it to Grandpa and Grandma as a gift.

However you decide to do your own circle journal, it will be uniquely yours, and will be a keepsake you will treasure always.