This photo was taken with Instagram publishing in mind - a quick and honorary time stamp of the changing of the year, as first published at our sister couture branding agency Katie James, Inc.

ALBB has been in a winter break pause, finishing with travel and accomplishing things on our own Things To Do lists. May your new year be filled with the fresh air you need right now. Journaling is highly recommended ✍🏼 in any form: including rage journaling, sexy journaling, normal journaling.

This photo is dedicated to ALBB reader Carman Johnson, who also loves pens and is particular about her ball point or jell.

Check A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide for places in Beacon to find journals to your taste, including Binnacle Books, Zakka Joy, Stanza Books, and Another Door.

Sometimes ALBB does head up to Barnes and Noble on Route 9 to their journal section (but Stanza has many of the same styles), and most recently to Staples, who has a particular golden journal for $11.99 from the Martha Stewart stationery line. After writing through piles of journals with different prints on them, the pause of the single golden cover on repeat has been pleasant.

ALBB prefers buying office supplies such as HP LaserJet toner from an IRL location, and Staples is such a spot. You should see their office pen selection. Some of which can also be found in Key Food Beacon new Gift Wrapping and Stationery section.

Be well. ✨

The journal nook at Stanza Books in Beacon on Main Street.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth

As an avid journaler, I go through a journal a month at least. I journal every morning, and sometimes throughout the day, if things get extra sticky and need sorting. Thoughts need to be caught and captured on paper. The journals are like my best friend.

Paper is a very important component in journaling. Sometimes paper can be too thin; too slick; not lined. While several shops in Beacon carry journals, finding just the right one has been difficult. Therefore, I drive up to Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie, walk into the store, say hello to new books at the door, soak up the long magazine rack in the back under the escalators, sometimes ride the escalator up to second floor to walk past the Kids toy section, check on the Recipe book section, and then circle back down to the Journal section, where there are several styles of journals with usually dependable slices of lined-paper inside that are not too thin, not too see-through, usually cream, and feel just right.

The covers are the next component that have so far not been debatable. With so many words going into the journal, I like my covers plain, with no words telling me what to do or think. Even if they are very encouraging words. So Barnes & Noble has been my place to go for these things.

Until I took myself on a Walk To Nowhere last July 4th weekend. I walked all the way down Main Street - the full mile - and found myself at Stanza Books, 508 Main Street Beacon, NY. A bookstore that has been in Beacon for some time, but I just haven’t stepped inside yet.

Upon first walking in - there they were. All of my journal friends. The nook of journals was at the front of the store, with jars of colorful pens that I’ve not tried yet (one thing at a time…can’t go too wild). There was the Mushrooms In The Moonlight journal, with the silver moonlight glazing the evergreen trees. There was the other Midnight Mushroom journal with the vibrant orange and red variations. New journals were there, like the Gilded Rose With Honeybee, and Simple Wildflower.

These are names I made up for all of them, but you see the attachment. I’ve accepted that I’ll need to buy some of these journals on repeat, if there’s not a new one to catch my mood for that journal season.

But here they were. In Beacon on Main Street. At Stanza Books. With loads of other books of course. Next time I go in, I’ll need to pretend that I’m having a really hard time deciding which journal to buy, just to stay in there longer. Wanting to return soon, I was half-way through a murder mystery book my friend gave to me, and I hurried home to finish it that weekend while others watched the fireworks, so that I could finish the next book on my night stand, and then buy a new book at Stanza. And a journal of course.

Pictures below.