Tracking... with Bullet Journal

Have you heard of the analogue journal system called Bullet Journal developed by a designer Ryder Carroll? One of my customer shared the system with me (thank you so much, Maggie!!) last year and I have been bit obsessed over it lately.

The video on Bullet Journal website was very easy to grasp... so when I first watched it, I was hooked to the idea. Beginning of this year I started incorporating the system into my day-to-day operation of life. But I had hard time taking my journal everywhere... It always seemed to separate from me (and from my wallet and phone)... when I transferred the essentials from the work bag (aka The Superior Labor Engineer Bag) to a diaper bag. So I felt less equipped when something needed to be jot down when I was with the girls along with our compact diaper bag.

Finally I stumbled upon a good solution! Combining my Bullet Journal with a MD Canvas Bag so I can carry my journal notebook, wallet, phone and a pen (literally) everywhere I go. When I take my MD Canvas Bag out at check-out counters, everyone looks at the bag, admires the quality of the canvas and asks me where I got it from... so I thought I would share some pics here:)

I combined my A5 size notebook with Traveler's Notebook monthly calendar refill by binding them together with a clip so I can manage future plans while tracking day-to-day happening on the A5 size journal. I need to find a better way to bind these notebooks together in the future... but it works for now. One of my favorite part of the Bullet Journal is... that it's a combination of task list with a journaling system. To me it feels more inspiring to devote a writing habit for journaling... than making a list of to-dos. So the system that allows for both purposes to share the analogue space together is a nice way to de-clutter what could end up being multiple notebooks lying around everywhere in the house or in my bags!

I have been writing tasks that need to be done, events that happen on the day and thoughts that come across my mind randomly as a part daily bullets. But when I have bigger thoughts I want to capture... I just write on the next open page. I am using Brass Index Clip to mark the most frequent page like the current date and month... and using Book Darts for pages that need to be revisited. Book Darts are much thinner so it doesn't make the notebook thicker even though I use a lot of them on many pages. I also stitched "everything happens for a reason" charm with a red string as a constant reminder to be thankful for what is in the present...

I am curious to see how the system evolves as I continue to add more pages to it. I will make sure to share when I get there!

 

k(not) leather clutch by clau... adding a new color to the shop!

Visual story telling has been one of my "thing" in life for last 15 years. Whether it's for trend research, family album or Baum-kuchen related... I love story... and I love telling it through visual connections.

This morning I got on the floor of studio/shop and did some photo taking of the new k(not) leather clutch Christine has designed. With my compact sony camera, natural morning light and exposed concrete floor... I could have gone for hours taking photos. 

I think that Christine's new "Cognac brown" is a lovely addition to what we were carrying before (nude and black). The clutch has a sense of ease and casualness. Little bit equestrian with the tan leather accented with evergreen stitching. I could imagine using the clutch with a pair of good jeans for everyday... 

Also I wanted to let everyone know (via pictures) that I specifically asked Christine to make sure that the clutch is big enough to hold Traveler's Notebook! Because nothing is worse than getting a beautiful bag and finding out that it's not big enough to carry the most important essential item, right?? 

You can find out more about the clutch here on our website!

From our drawing table...

Some pretty things I found on our project table for little ones. Flowers left behind... partially drying along with a stick from the nature walk. A Tropical Bird pencil holder we received as a gift from one of Frido's students (designed by SWBK in Korea).

Satchi's recent drawing of me and Coco. Everytime I ask her to draw the family, she draws me... then Coco in my arm. It's the way she sees her reality and the family dynamic right now. I try to feel neutral about it without placing too much judgement if it's good, bad, happy or sad...; though, it brings me a mixed feelings because I know how much she would still like to be a baby.

A blank space.

This corner of our bedroom has gone through quite bit of transition in last 9 months. It used to be my desk space for anything digital related when I worked from home (pre-coco), then it was a crib corner for the longest time until we moved Coco's crib in the girls' room. Then it was empty for quite a while... and now I put my desk back since I am starting to work more hours at home between kid's pick-up and evenings.

It's so nice to have one place where I can count on... it's somewhat organized and calm when wooden train tracks and baby toys completely take over our living room (and the rest of our house). When I see the corner even when I am not using it, it gives me a sense of little relief. It's not because I dislike all the wooden toys on the floor... but just because it's nice to have some space that has little bit of... well... space.

I am using a very utilitarian foldable table disguised with a vintage table clothe I got from my mother-in-law in Germany (thank you Heidi:)... Someday maybe we could get a table like this slim one from CB2. But for now... I am very happy with my little corner.

The moment...

This morning... as I parked and stepped out of the car in front of our studio / shop, there was this air filled with amazing fragrance. I looked up... and there they were. Jasmine in a full bloom wrapped all around the banana tree. It was such an intense "moment"... and I am so glad that I didn't miss it.

Because you know... a moment to bring us back to the present is everywhere if we don't forget to pay attention.

A little glimpse of our studio/shop

Between fulfilling orders and helping in-store customers... I had little downtime today so I snapped a few photos from our studio/shop. I made small changes in the space... especially loving some of the vintage artifacts Frido recently found at a local estate sale.  So here is a post. A part documentation for ourselves, a part visual story to share from our shop...

I especially love the last few pictures where you can see a glimpse of our order fulfillment table and my work desk where I spend most of my time.

(alternative) to the way we give.

We love joining the celebration of friends' birthdays. Especially the little ones. They are so cute, festive and extra magical as the birthday girl (or boy) blows her candles surrounded by her little friends and family. 

Then there is an inevitable question of "What should we share as a special something to celebrate the birthday?"

We definitely don't want to show up empty handed... but at the same time... getting "things" to little friends who already probably have enough of everything feels outside of our comfort zone when it comes to the relationship with commercialism. So we have been twisting our heads for last couple years... There were some successful "alternative" gifts that did not fit on the gift table but brought a lot of smiles... and there were "others"... 

This weekend, we have been invited to two special birthday parties for Satchi's girlfriends. So I had this idea to make special head pieces with wild flowers using the colorful paper twins. (it feels like flower head piece is taking over the whole world lately!! at least Pinterest world:)  I had a blast making them and this afternoon before I rushed to the store, I tied a flower bracelet on Satchi's arm and gave another one to Frido to bring for a birthday girl. 

Well... I got a text an hour later that flowers did not make it because Satchi accidentally crushed them in the car while they were driving to the party. But watercolor cards with a mini bouquet tied to it made it to the gift table. Apparently I need to make sure that I accompany our (alternative) gift or need to make them away sturdier. 

We have to keep trying, right? 

Pardon our growing family and business...

Some of you might have noticed that we sometimes make urgent announcements on our Facebook page that we are closing our studio/shop space in last minute. Also some of you might have caught my recent update on our Facebook that we will be shifting some of our opening days starting March...

People sometimes give me surprise looks when they hear our opening hours (it seems random and very short to them...) and to find out that we will be closing completely when we travel.

The truth is that our opening hours are truly based on our family (aka. our girls). It evolves around the availability of Coco's beloved babysitter and Satchi's preschool schedule. It's a result of a complex scheduling arrangement between Frido and I as two parents... figuring out who picks up who and when. Some days of the week, I am with both girls all day... some day I am working half day or all day while Frido or our babysitter stay home with them. Some day girls catch cold out of nowhere...

Yesterday I decided to close our studio/shop with a very short notice after being there for the morning preparing and shipping all the online orders. Coco has been teething and had a bit of fever last night and temperature was creeping back high in early afternoon. Her stomach had been little upset also for previous few days. Her babysitter was sending me messages with a thorough description of what was going on at home. Frido was going to be home with her in the afternoon so I could have stayed at the shop as we usually open most of the day on Fridays... but I needed to be with Coco. My heart as a mother really needed to be close to her.

So I hope you would kindly pardon our evolving family and business as we go through this adventure. It's our first time growing a business... and raising two girls... all at the same time. Baum-kuchen is really close to our heart and we want both Baum-kuchen and the family to grow in a sustainable pace.

If you have a plan to visit our shop in the future, please check our calendar ahead of time and before you leave your home just to be safe... Please feel free to send me an email if you are driving from other part of town to ensure that we are here to welcome you.

Most importantly... thank you so much for supporting our very humble family business. I still remember the days (and months) when we had one or two orders here and there... barely getting started. We are so thankful for our first customer who believed in us nearly four years ago (thank you Ali:) as much as our lovely customers who just walked into our studio/shop searching for their very first Traveler's Notebook!

thank you...

xoxo
-wakako

The Superior Labor Engineer Pouch! (coming soon;)

Aside from their amazingly utilitarian Engineer Bag, I am excited to share that we are also stocking The Superior Labor Engineer Pouch at our shop! I use the one with orange paint to organize little things in my Engineer Bag.

Okay... confession.

I actually got this pouch for Frido to use as a toiletry bag but took it away from his bathroom cabinet because I wanted to use it. It's that good:) 

They are also expected to arrive in late Marcy to April with an option of red, orange, black, white and sky blue, grey and yellow paint. 

So please stay tuned!