“gee Ms. A Bad Idea, how did you get so smart at languages, I keep trying but it never sticks”
The trick to actually really for real learning a language when you’re not immersed in it as the living language of your everyday life is to WRITE IT DOWN
ON PAPER. WITH YOUR HANDS
USE A BETTER PEN, THOSE CHEAP BALLPOINTS WILL INJURE YOU
JUST COPY A WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE IF THAT’S ALL YOU HAVE, IT WILL HELP
I'm currently trying out the PARA note organisation method and it seems really nice. I have it on my digital notes and now working it in on my analog ones. Not that I have alot of analog notes yet.. Haha the image is of some projects I've written down
PARA has 4 main categories:
Projects - whatever you are working on or plan to
Areas - extra long projects, we're talking years
Resources - gather relevant information
Archive - stuff you don't need right now
They are sorted by how actionable they are! Most actionable at top. Neat huh?
Projects are things you are activly working on, like a sewing project or building a green house for your garden.
Areas can be things like personal health, info about your house, things that needs to be kept track of. That greenhouse project can trinkle down here when finished. This contains more "active" info.
Resources are more information gathering. So you don't have to add it to all projects. This contains more "passive" info.
Archive is where you put things you don't have use for anymore but don't want to throw away. Maybe you want look to back or use it at another time in your life?
I have a plan for my future wallet and notebook combo! This is my fairly precise sketch. See images below.
I'll give it a Z fold with wallet on one side and notebook on the other.
The notebook part will have holes in the middle at the top and bottom where I'll attatch two elastics for two small notebooks. I might make them into one tho.
The wallet part will have a zipper all around and for the inside pockets I'll use fabric to reduce weight and thickness. The curves on the paper represent pockets so I'll have two on each side. I'm going to attatch them with a W shape so that I get a proper pocket in the middle.
I'm not sure what to do about the fact that leather has a front and back tho. I'd prefer to not have two layers to reduce thickness and weight.
Finally, the card-holder! Probably made with a variation on saddle stitch where I sewed first one side, then the other. Sewn with cotton yarn, not very elegant haha. It can hold 4 cards comfortably on each side.
And this is how it compares to the notebook holder I've shown before
I heard that you can make a finger protector in leather to use when sewing and that they work really great, so of course I had to try it. They DO work great.
I used a holepuncher intended for fabric to create the holes that i sewed in, with thin-ish yarn.
A while back I made this leather cover to fit a couple of A7 notebooks, also knows as travelers journal. It's made from scrap-leather, I did no sewing, the piece on the flap is glued on and the curved edge was from before. I just removed the stitches to fit the bottom leather under the flap on the inside.. I realize this barely fit as a leather craft, I hope it's okay anyway!
A while back I made myself a tiny travelers journal from scrap leather, elastic sewing thread and glue!
It's roughly the size of a card-holder or small wallet. It's not perfect, but it's mine :) When I bring it out, I usually have one of those small IKEA pens with it!
It has the size of A7 but because I decided to have loose pages I mostly use them as A6. Neat huh?
I have two sections, one more private and one less private.
Ohai! Welcome everyone to the Pen & Paper community! I am the one who created this community.
I'm 30, live in Sweden and I've recently started to use pen and paper more, which is part of me starting this community. I've liked the idea of having neat notebooks for a looong time but never truly had a reason more than "just because" so I never got started despite getting multiple filofaxes, even a handmade one (in pictures here), calendar inserts and other fancy stuff.
Oh well. I used to love computers and technology (still do tbh) but I hate what it's becoming with all the surveillance, selling our data, what AI is doing, social media, screen addiction and just enshittification everywhere. SO I'm moving away, slow and steady.
So, I mostly use my handmade A5 ringbound planner/notebook a la filofax style. I started with what I call a 'rolling todo list', something I learned when working as an electrician at an iron industry. So, you have a regular list of todos, as they get done you draw a line over and add new todo items at the bottom.
When you get to the bottom of the page and need to add a new todo, you simply write all the ones you haven't done yet on the new page.
I like to give those a squiggly line on the previous page, but this is not necessary.
I also want to practice my writing-skill, my spelling has become terrible (I don't even use autocorrect) and I used to love writing as a teen, Swedish was always my strongest topic in school. So, I decided to start writing down my dreams as an ease-in to writing. I just jot down the date and start writing.
I also have a section for mixed notes that is honestly just whatever I feel like. Both important notes, creative stuff, scribbles, ideas, notes from a call etc. Everything. This section is a part of keeping it simple. I don't see a clear category for these things.. yet!
For last, I have some maps, a page for cards and a note from those who made the filofax-styled notebook/planner.
The thing I like the most with writing by hand is the freedom, I can write however I like, whatever direction, add a little sketch. The only limitation is my imagination! And also all the benefits of using something physical, better memory, having a sense of where things are etc.
I plan on adding a section for reading-notes as the book I'm currently reading makes me write a lot of notes in it. So I think after finishing it I'll go over it all again and jot in down in my note-book.
Well, that's all from me for this time. So long, and thanks for all the fish!
This community is all about using pen and paper as a deliberate choice — because handwriting helps memory, deepens learning, sharpens focus, and unlocks creativity in ways screens often can’t. Whether you’re sketching ideas, drafting a to‑do list, or mapping out a semester, the physical act of writing slows things down just enough for the thoughts to really land.
All notebook and calendar types are welcome here: plain bound notebooks, bullet journals, Filofax systems, ring‑ and disc‑bound setups, sticky notes, legal pads, or whatever you throw together.
Privacy matters. With paper you keep control as your notes aren’t tracked, used to train algorithms or so. That sense of ownership makes paper a safe place for brainstorming, personal plans, and messy drafts that you don’t want floating in the cloud.
This is a place to share practical tips, clever layouts, before‑and‑after spreads, and what you’ve learned about staying organized (or unorganized) offline. Post pictures, ask for feedback, swap templates, or just brag about a perfect page.
Come as you are: Neat planner nerds, scrapbookers, list lovers, or anyone curious about slowing down. Bring your spreads, hacks, inserts, index systems, and the little rituals that make your setup work.
As a coffee-lover I mix (used and dried) ground coffee with an unscented shower oil that creates a light lather when rubbed in. I have previously tried with both olive oil and regular liquid soap. I like to use it on my legs as they often are dry, especially in the winter! Sometimes I use it on my arms and other parts of my body where I feel dry
Hello! I need some advice on how to alter these pants, any tips or do on how to make them larger? I'm fairly new to sewing.
I found these cargo pants this summer on a second hand and I could just get them on me! So I brought a second pair of similar fabric so that I can make them bigger.
Ive added a few pins on where I plan to make a dart as thats the only space with no pockets that go down the tights.
I think I need to add around 6cm by the waist and 3cm by the hip and then I'll let it taper down to the knee seam. Does that sound like an okay play?
Here are some more pics that are overly bright since the pants are black:
Ohai! If you live in Scandinavia I van highly recommend this schampoo & brand! It's really gentle but clenses good.
I don't have any visible issues with my svslp and hair but my scalp gets s bit itchy anyway and I have always needed to switch shampoo regularly. Until I fould Daxxin.
Simon is orange, and Smilla is blackish.
They were adopted at a cat rescue a couple of years ago when they were around 1 year old. They might be real siblings as they were found together as tiny kittens at a cat colony.
Haircare, skin routines, makeup, and a little bit of health that are aimed to be on the simple side.
It can be but is not limited to;
fewer ingredients
less intrusive and more gentle ingredients
food or non/lightly processed products
nopoo / lowpoo
‘no makeup’ makeup
homemade products
This community is intended for anyone and I will do my best to keep the official stuff genderneutral or include multiple genders as much as I can. Everyone deserves to feel beautiful.
Ohai!
I'm a bit confused, I wash my face (almost) every day and when I use moisturizer for normal/sensitive skin my face gets oily.
When I don't user a moisturizer (so just washing) my face will instead feel dry and a bit rough even, especially in the t-zone and it even gets itchy.
I am confused. Do I have dry skin? Oily? Halp plz.