One Book July 2020

So, the online journaling/planning community has this thing called “One Book July” and it is exactly what it sounds like.* The goal is, in the month of July, to only use one book to plan and journal and whatever. This year (2020) was my first year to participate  and it was also the perfect opportunity to begin my love affair with my Hobonichi Cousin. 

I made a total of five videos to document my experience through the whole process, so there is a lot of content here. Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel, or just check it out, so you can watch at your leisure,… you know, if you like. 

I’m using this book (the Hobonichi Techo Cousin Avec) currently as a memory keeper/art journal. It is a Japanese planner that is divided into months, weeks, and days, so there is plenty of space to play. The version I have, the Avec, is split up in half year sizes, so I’m working in the July to December book. The paper is Tomoe River paper, which is super thin but with a coating, so almost nothing bleeds through it. It’s amazing. 

My favorite thing about it is that there is a page for every day. I feel like it’s an invitation to play every day. I do not do it every day. I want to stress that. I open it up an average of 2-3 times a week to really work in it, but it’s also there for a quick note or doodle, or to write down what my kids are doing these days. 

My main reason for telling you about it: It has helped me to be a better artist. That is such a simple sentence, but it has seriously changed my life. I am not exaggerating!

*They’ve added different projects and challenges every year, and also do a read-a-long of a related book. Search “onebookjuly” on instagram or YouTube to find out more! I’m not an expert.