I am so excited this week I get to share a new video from my new Sony Bloggie! I have been gone from monday mingle for a bit, but now I’m back (you can thank MadHatterMom). If you are new to Monday Mingle, it’s a fun little meme from EightyMPHMom.com. You get to answer three questions submited by other vloggers. Please forgive my poor little camera my bad job of using my lighting correct and sitting too far away from the mic! LOL

On the top five of my lists of things to do once I start getting funding going on my design site is to buy a laptop. But until then I’m going to have to do some of my work away from the computer. I have found some tools that really help me and I would like to share those with you.

While I am hanging out with Zane and watching him play I have three items at hand: a small notebook, a nice pen clipped to it, and a magazine.

I use one side of the notebook to try and jot down at least a page worth of blog ideas. I brainstorm blog titles, subjects, and themes. If I come up with a great idea I will jot a few notes next to it. If I feel really inspired I will find a blank page and start writing. Making a rough draft of thoughts and maybe of the entry.

I use the back side of the notebook to sketch out my ideas. I sketch web design layouts and scrapbook layouts. I put ideas down that I have for titles, web side tables, journaling blocks for scrapbook pages, and so much more. You don’t have to be a good drawer to do this either you are just jotting down basic shapes and ideas. I also right notes on the side pointing to certain items to explain what they are. And if I’m working on a design for a client I can just doodle out my ideas on my downtime.

I use the magazine for inspiration. It can be any kind of magazine. I browse the layouts of the ads, the typography, the articles, and the sidebars.  I look for design elements that I can use for blogging or scrapping. Just the other day jotted down 2 pages of side table layouts I could try and create for layouts from the inspiration of one small health magazine. Some of those I could use a journaling blocks also.

I try and keep my notebook in my purse so if I have some downtime then I can jot ideas. While I’m at a doctors appointment or at my MIL house waiting for dinner to be finished I can pull out the notebook and start writing and sketching. I can also write my to do lists in the notebook so I have it right with me.