I’ve seen so many people talk about starting something new during lockdown; a new hobby or a new craft. I don’t think me joining Tik Tok and spending ages scrolling and making videos with the grem really counts do you? This issue is I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time for anything huge. I barely have time to do my hair, unless it’s the weekend. I thought about digging out my scrapbook kits but I knew the girls would want to get involved, which is fine but not fab when time is so limited. I also realised I wanted to document something about this time; this Covid-19 pandemic, our lockdown and that’s when the idea of journalling through lockdown seemed like the perfect answer.
Finding a Journal
I knew I had plenty of custom adhesive front stickers and bits and pieces from my scrapbooking days but I wasn’t sure whether or not I wanted to choose a diary, a notebook, a journal or a planner! One of my friends suggested a planner but I wasn’t sure enough space and I already have one of those for all my current plans (er none!).
I browsed for ages. Journals seemed to be so specific; for weight loss, for mental health, for kids! Notebooks didn’t have the date and I kept coming across so many academic diaries and nothing else really.
I finally found a diary on Amazon which was quite pricey at £20 (but now down to £10) from Busy B. It was a January 2020 to January 2021 edition, so I could scroll forward and write in it from the start of the pandemic.
I loves anything bright coloured and simple so it was perfect for me.
Journalling Through Lockdown – Supplies
As I said I do have quite a lot of scrapbooking supplies – so stickers, dots, letter stickers and pens and pencils.
What I did really fancy was some gel pens (like I used to have in school) and I found a pack of 48 on Amazon. I thought they would be perfect for underlining, writing, doodling and colouring.
So I was ready to get cracking.
The Process
What I didn’t realise was the process was quite harrowing when going back, especially writing about that week; the week we discovered our lives were going to change massively. My eldest’s daughter’s teacher left as is expecting and needed to be safe but then the schools were closing. We were going to be locked down. I was going back to work and my husband would need to look after the girls.
It was quite triggering for me and I realised how stressed and anxious I was. It was probably one of the worst weeks of my life and re-visiting it was weird. Like opening an old wound that I have already tried to forget about!
I did have to go back and try and remember the previous three weeks, as I wanted a memory, something I could keep for many years to come hopefully.
I wanted to note it all; how I was feeling, how crazy the shops were, what was said on the news, the quietness of the evenings, the amazing weather we have had.
Home-schooling, Easter without family. The good and the bad.
Journalling has made me smile, made me feel creative and given me something to do when my brain can’t blog and that feels like all the time right now. I’m the least productive I have ever been and not getting a lot done right now (which I’m sure is the same for a lot of us!)
Have you taken up a hobby during the Covid-19 pandemic? I’m loving journalling thorough lockdown and it maybe a new hobby for me.