The Giving Journal 2016

With the cool Christmas breeze and scouting for gifts comes another thing I look forward to each year: the search for the perfect planner. There's something about putting pen to paper that just makes me remember things better. I also love how paper planners can archive special memories while at the same time be personalized according to my liking using pretty pens, craft paper, and washi tapes.

This year's planner of choice: The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® Giving Journal 2016.

If that lovely teal color doesn't instantaneously cheer you up then I don't know what will 

Let me show you the inside pages so you can decide whether you want it for yourself as well.

The inside cover pages stamped with coffee cups provide a nice background for doodles, sticky notes, and Instax photos

I will set aside a day in December to envision how I want my 2016 to be and fill out these boxes accordingly

I haven't decided how I'm going to decorate this yet, but I'll probably use watercolor pencils

2012 was The Year of Living Bravely; 2013 was The Year of Indulging My Inner Fangirl; 2014 was The Year of Discovery. I have decided that when I recap 2015 I will dub it as The Year of the Extraordinary. As for 2016, I think I'm calling it The Year of the Big Magic, as a nod to Elizabeth Gilbert's book of the same name.

As such, my entries here will be filled with Big Magic-inspired art and key words

The Flavorful Moments of 2016 page is an easy and convenient way of listing down my favorite moments from each month, while My Travel Plan section will hopefully inspire yearning for new destinations

Each month is prefaced with pages like these

Monthly View
Perfect for marking important dates and milestones

Daily View
The fields per day are spacious enough for noting down meetings and important things to remember, and I am also loving the blank page opposite it

More blank pages towards the end, decorated with pretty watercolor artworks of CBTL products

Coupons :)

The Giving Journal has an inside pocket at the back that contains free watercolor-print stickers
I love that it has a safe place where I can stash my favorite photos and postcards just in case

What I like about the Giving Journal is that even though it's from a brand, CBTL's branding is not too blatant and gives a lot of room for creativity. Of course I also love its overall watercolor theme, and I can't wait to add my own stamp on it to make it truly my own.

I got these pamphlets and worksheets from the launch of the Holiday Drinks and the Giving Journal back in October, and now I'm applying the things I have learned from that crafternoon to my current artsy projects

It is the hope of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® to help their customers brew their best year by encouraging them to explore their talents, pursue their passions, and achieve their goals through a journal that is designed not only to organize work, but to motivate and energize its users to realize their dreams. Did you know that through the support of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf® community, The Giving Journal has already made the dreams of numerous scholars come true through The REAL Life Foundation? It is very heartwarming to see it living up to its name The Giving Journal, yes?

The Giving Journal is also available in purple, yellow, and brown. You may view more information about their advocacy as well as how to claim your own by going here.

2015 has been amazing so far, and I am looking forward to seeing what the new year brings. One thing I know for sure, it's going to be magical. Can't wait.