No, I didn’t gain weight but I’m back to making another Moleskine notebook fat once again.

This notebook is for my bucket list.

This is an art I lost for sometime. I found myself one random night where I stayed up just coloring away and being messy with my oil pastels. It’s great to be back into making these things. It will be challenging to compile neatly as I see myself having quite a collection of these little notebooks filled with artworks. I’m talking massive collection that is almost like a library! Haha.

I also took a blogging hiatus while being busy with amazing projects for equally amazing clients. I almost quit, too, just because sometimes thinking and rethinking things can mess with your head. There’s nothing to be ashamed about. My mom has always been worried about me running my own business as both of my parents worked as employees- you know, the benefits and security of being employed by a big company. Here’s what I told her: “Mom, if I work as a graphic designer then the highest position I will get is Art Director and that is not even guaranteed. I aim for higher things like being the President.” Lol. But I was serious no matter how funny I sounded. The truth of the matter is, I am the President of my own company and I’m living my dream. Anyway, the conversation with my mom ended on a positive note because it renewed my faith in what I wanted out of life. And so the journey continues, in creating my bucket list, I am getting creative not just in a crafty way but in mapping out my life as well.

Drawing is a valuable exercise for graphic designers. It is a sacred time to unwind and step out of the face-frying rays of the computer monitor. There is something about holding a pencil and experiencing the effect of each stroke on the paper. We are also advised to treat paper with reckless abandon, to not be afraid of making lousy drawings, to capture something as it is, to watch the world and draw it blissfully and imperfectly. This way we not only learn to draw, we also learn to see.

Booni is an excellent subject even if he’s all white and fluffy like a cloud.

I turned twenty seven a couple of days ago and I spent half a week quite lost about the things I want. I buried my face in books trying to look for answers, I tried to write my dreams down and ended up falling asleep. Then, it suddenly occurred to me to try drawing for a change. I spent one whole rainy afternoon drawing my biggest desires and the activity left me feeling good and hopeful. I found myself on a very exciting journey.

That’s me in all my girly glory.

One of my greatest desires is to go to Egypt and be in the presence of the pyramids and all the fantastic Egyptian art and architecture. I want to see a falling star, to go to the United States and attend the HOW Design Conference 2010, to see New York and Texas, for Passionistta to take me places, to grow my garden of love, friendship, knowledge, gratitude and um.. savings! I carry a big bag filled with love, with beloved Booni the rabbit always with me on my life journey. But for now, I just want to start and embrace with my art since it’s what I truly love. And to be a proud and responsible Filipino or Noypi, of course.

Drawing what I want keeps my visions clear with strong determination to get them. And in the words of Deepak Chopra: Release the list of desires to creation, remain willing to accept something better. In putting my desires on paper, it’s like I am drawing the fulfillment of each closer to me. It is like setting the wheels in motion. In every line, in every exerted effort, I am starting to receive the things I seek. And most importantly, I start by genuinely doing and giving.

Little wants are fun to draw too.

So what’s not to love about drawing, right? To top it off, I get to improve my drawing skills (even just a little). Do you have a visual journal? Share some drawings if you do, or if not, it’s time to make one, my friend!

My visual journal is a Moleskine Volant Extra Small Notebook. Read about my other adventures with pretty Moleskine notebooks here.

So it’s been two months since my last post. Things (good things) have been happening left and right here in Passionistta headquarters. I’m extremely busy and I am very happy to be busy. Well two months in Passionistta time can be pictured like this:

Meet the new kitten. His name is Mouse.

From a sleepy baby, he is now a playful kitten. Notice his cute gloves and socks, thanks to his Mom for passing the cute genes.

Now onto the moleskine. I finally gave in a few months back and bought two mini notebooks. I’ve always wanted to do a collage of my goals and dreams and I thought it would be nice if I can carry it around easily. Well I was new to the art of making collages, and I could say I enjoyed every minute of it. And now allow me to share them with you.

Just be. I also wrote my affirmations on the next page.

I’m amazed how bits of random pieces of paper can create a theme.

These pages inspire me everyday.

Here are some parts about travel. My top destination will always be Egypt.

And of course, for Passionistta. Someday I want to be like Diane von Furstenberg. I admire her wisdom and passion.

Some pretty things and artists I want to see perform live someday.

My moleskine is obese!

I hope this post was able to spark some inspiration. So how about you? How do you visualize your goals? :)

I have always been drawn to notebooks. And the very moment I came across Moleskine, I knew it was match made in heaven. Moleskines are simple, covered in leather, has a small envelope at the back to hold some stuff. Other than the fact that the paper is divine I thought I’d magically be the next Van Gogh or Hemingway just because they used moleskines as well.

I bought it initially so I would doodle in my spare time. Numerous design publications say that it’s a good exercise to draw things. I believe that. It’s an opportunity to great creative and somehow it’s therapeutic.

So I did.

This is my attempt to draw my brother’s dog.

Then, I got busy and forgot about drawing. So I had this what seemed like a brilliant idea at the time to make my moleskine as a crafty organizer. What I liked most about the idea was that I could have as much space as I want in a day. And sometimes, I could skip some days, too. Here are some pages I have made:

Very edwardian. But really I just had to use those dried leaves.

You can tell that sequins and glue are my best friends. The pink and green streaks are actually nail polish.

I gave wings for my World of Warcraft character. I had some cotton lying around that day and these great, oddly-shaped sequins.

A crazy dress. I wanted it to look like a closet.

I found these cute stickers and the colors were quite fitting to use in my birthday page.

Wildlife in rubber bands. The background was made of animal print scotch tape.

I also thought I would dedicate a page for the books that I have read this year.

Don’t you love those crazy eyes? I just want to shake the page again and again so the eyes will move.

After gluing just about anything to my notebook. It got fat.

I couldn’t close it anymore.

It became too bulky to be carried around and it smelled of rubber (haha). I must say it was fun until it lasted.

I have now moved on to Backpack. No more hating crafting disasters. No erasures. I can check it anywhere, birthdays are on repeat every year, my projects’ milestones are incorporated into the calendar, customizable pages, color-coordinated entries. It’s just perfect for me.

I still miss having a regular, non-fat moleskine sketchbook. I will probably get one again but I sincerely promise to stick to filling it with drawings. Or at least not glue too much stuff in it.

Happy Friday, everybody.