216 IHeart: Gadanke & a Giveaway!

Sure, here on the blog we chat all the time about organizing the objects in our lives, but what about organizing the stories of our lives?

Objects are just objects, but stories and memories have true meaning and if ever lost, there is no replacing....

Today, say hi to Katie, who shared a story with me on how an incredible idea was born:

"A couple of years ago, NPR's StoryCorp was in town.  It was also my grandma's 90th birthday.  The two of us decided to hop into the recording studio to capture some pieces of her story.  I had all sorts of prompts to help her with her story telling.  {I was always the listener, the one who asked question after question.}  The only problem?  My grandma couldn't remember.  Too much time had passed.  Later, my dad turned to me and said, "Katie, I need you to write down your story."  I knew he wished he had his mom's stories.  So I started writing.  I started wondering about all of the other women who have stories deep inside of them, and I started thinking about how my tendency to just listen and ask could help put those stories onto paper.  Gadanke was born with fabulous writing prompts and recycled papers.  I feel so lucky to be living my dream."

That's why I couldn't wait to share a new idea and website, unlike anything I have seen out there before!

Gadanke.com is a journal shop loaded with beautiful handmade journals, which are filled with writing prompts to help you draw out stories.  They have bindings that open and close so you can organize your story or add more pieces {like letters, photos, and postcards}.  Then to make them extra fun, they're filled with old school library cards, pockets, envelopes, tags, and other fun embellishments!!

Document who you are and what you crave and believe.  Handmade journaling products at Gadanke are filled with creative writing prompts and tidbits to make you think {and laugh!}  These baby books, prayer journals, travel books, and diaries make your writing process more meaningful and fun!  Plus they're totally eco-savvy with 100% recycled papers.

Here is what you will see when you pop over to Katie's adorable website, Gadanke.com! 

There are oodles of journals to browse through:

You can take a peek at the contents received with the journal package:

Most even have different covers and options!

With the pages of this handmade journal, you’ll find yourself reflecting on and defining who you are and what makes you feel alive. What are your passions? Your dreams? The things that make your heart soar and skip a beat?

Here's how this journal works:

• Writing prompts help you step away from the traditional day-to-day documenting and really dig into the fun stuff. You’ll find yourself thinking back on childhood favorites, creating fun lists for the future, and laughing about the stunning secret things about yourself that you never really told anyone else.
• Capture the senses like taste and touch with spaces for mini sketches or phrases with other prompts. Document what makes your world beautiful.
• The details make it extra fun. Pockets, shipping tags, hand-stamped envelopes, and even old school American library cards are the perfect enclosed embellishments for tucking away details.
• Hand-cut Italian patterned papers add texture and color. Use them for dividing your book into sections or pasting on photographs and memrobelia.

It’s a nice place to journal, to tell stories, and to dream. It's the kind of book you can pull out years later and say, "This is who I was, not just what I was doing."

Each journal is 4x5.5 inches (10 x 14 cm) - perfect for many standard photos and postcards. So add your own; insert more pages; organize to suit you.

All 52 pages of writing prompts are printed on a colorful mixture of recycled papers, the most of which are 100% recycled.


Wanna see more?

Adore what you see?  Want to start recording your stories in a lovely journal?  Today, Katie is offering you a $25 Gift Certificate to Gadanke.com!!

Sounds completely fabulous right?  Here is how to enter:

•  Hop on over to Gadanke.com, browse through the incredible product selection and leave a comment here on the blog with the product you would choose to celebrate your stories!
• For an extra entry, you can follow Katie on Twitter and leave a separate comment here that you are!
• For an extra entry, you can follow Gadanke on Facebook and leave a separate comment here that you are!
• For an extra entry, you can follow Katie's Blog {a blog about creating a simple, handmade home}, and leave a separate comment here that you are!
  
•  Giveaway is open from Tuesday, 4/26 through 9 p.m. central time Monday, 5/2.  One winner will be selected using random.org and will be announced here on this post on Tuesday, 4/26.
• Leave your email or blog address so I have a way to contact you when you win.
• Anyone is eligible to enter!

Thanks everyone and good luck!