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Have you heard of theĀ Wreck this JournalĀ book?
Me either, until my granddaughter Aubrey introduced me to it. This creative kid ordered the book for herself and couldn’t wait to show me this unique twist on journaling.
Not only did Aubrey want to share her journal-in-progress with me, she felt sure I’d enjoy owning such a book myself. I loved the idea of working through our journals together. To encourage our Yaya/grandchild adventure, Greg purchased the book for me!
Aubrey is right. This is not your typical journal. It breaks the rules and pushes us beyond our comfort zones in the process. And, it is extraordinarily fun!
About Wreck this Journal
Created by conceptual artist and author Keri Smith, this paperback book is part journal, part sketch pad and part scrapbook. On each page a suggestion offers ideas on how to use the book.
“Document your dinner. Rub, smear, splatter your food. Use this page as a napkin.”
“Poke holes in this page, using a pencil.”
“Write or draw with your left hand.”
“Hide this page in your neighbor’s yard.”
“Tear this page out. Put it in your pocket. Put it through the wash. Stick it back in.”
The idea is to free up creativity by doing things that may at first induce a bit of discomfort, especially for adults. As children, we are not taught to wreck books, and of course this journal is not teaching disrespect. Instead, it encourages free thinking, expressiveness and outside the box activities.
Wreck This Journal, Express Creativity
There are pages in the Wreck This Journal book for doodling and drawing. Colored pencils, markers, crayons and watercolor paints are perfect for completing these pages. One page encourages the use of lots of tape. Many pages come with instructions to tear out the page or rip or poke or cut through the paper. Others urge the owner to get messy….with food, liquids or dirt.
Beyond the simple instructions on each page, the book owner is free to carry out the mission in any way that she or he chooses. Part of the fun of this journal is letting the imagination run wild and being clever in completing the activities.
If you need inspiration there are a ton of YouTube videos and photos online in which journal owners share their own creative ideas. Aubrey and I enjoy doing some pages together and having FaceTime chats on our phones where we show each other what pages we’ve completed that day. We discuss ideas too or come up with some outrageous way to accomplish a wacky activity.
Wreck This Journal and Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone
I love that Wreck This Journal teaches the idea of going beyond, on several levels.
It encourages creativity, trying new experiences and getting out of our comfort zones. I know, from personal experience, that doing those three things opens up perspectives and broadens the mind. Expressing creativity is an invitation for inspiration to show up, with a continual stream of fresh ideas.
This journal delights me because as one who has always treated books with the upmost care, it’s very freeing to toss this one around and deliberately mess it up. I welcome activities that shake up old beliefs and ways of doing things. I’m enjoying the process of messy creation.
My intention is to carry Wreck This Journal to Scotland with me next week…and see what adventures I can have with it there.
My favorite thing about the journal, however, is that my granddaughter knows me so well that she knew I’d be intrigued with this book. Although I’m sure the author had kids and pre-teens in mind when she created the book, the journal is actually suitable for all creatives of all ages. I love the cleverness of it, and Aubrey knew that I would.
Pick Up a Copy of Wreck This Journal
I’m grateful for my granddaughter’s recommendation and for the fun we’ve already had, sharing this experience of wrecking a journal, together. Looking for a unique gift for a creative child, teen or adult? Or are you feeling the urge to express creativity in fresh new ways? Aubrey and I highly recommend Wreck This Journal.
Order your copy of Wreck This Journal by clicking on photo above. And enjoy!
Looking for a great inspirational read for this summer? Check out We Carry Kevan.
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More fun books by Keri Smith:
Well, this is the coolest thing ever! I need to get it to kick my creativity back in gear!
Itās a lot of fun and does fire up creativity!
What an interesting concept! I bet it really gets you to do things that you would never dream of doing in a journal.
It does! Iāve always been careful with my books. Itās very freeing and fun to step outside my normal way of relating to books.
This is such a cool idea! I especially like the page for sticking the fruit stickers haha
Yes! Itās been fun to work through this journal.
I have seen one of these before but never really bought one. I want to get one now because it seems really fun to “destroy” the journey in a creative way.
It is! Iām having fun with it.
This is so cool! My kids would love this. Thanks for sharing about it. š
Wonderful!
Wow! What a strange but clever idea! I think my 12 year old would love it. I’m going to add it to his Christmas list.
It makes a great gift!
I’m going to get one for my niece. I think she will love it!
Perfect!
How much fun is that? How amazing that your granddaughter thought about you creating a journal like hers!
I love that she recommended it to me!
This is so interesting. I have not heard of it before. Awesome!
I love it!
This is a cool journal! I’d seen them, but I really didn’t know how they were different from any other journal. I may have to give this a try!
Itās very fun!
This would be awesome for my 6 yr old, he would love it!
Yes perfect!
What a fun creative idea! I would have never thought of it!
Itās great fun!
Wow! This journal sounds like something I need to buy! I have 4 boys who would not enjoy traditional journaling, but I bet they’d love this!
Perfect for expressing creativity!
This is a very different kind of journal that would be lots of fun to do too! I can see some of my kids very naturally and easily wrecking their journal. lol I would love to try this journal but honestly would have a hard time putting food on one of the pages because of roaches…they’d probably want a taste of my journal. š
Itās a very fun journal!
What a fun & creative way to approach journaling! I had not heard of this one so thank you for sharing it!
I love the creativity of it!
This is the best idea ever!!! Amazing concept for them!
True! Such a good idea!
I absolutely love this!!! It just might be the thing that gets me to journal. Iāve never wanted to wreck a pretty journal with my scribbles and crossed our words and messy handwriting. This is such a very cool idea!
Itās so fun!
What a great way to get your creativity going, and step out of the “adult comfort” zone!
Exactly!
This is such a fun journal. Both my girls have it
Awesome!
So cool for kids to get creative in a new way! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!
Hmm interesting take on creativity. I like it.
Itās so fun!
This is soooo groovy! I must have one!
Yes!
THIS IS SO COOL!!!!! I think my kids would love this, and even my granddaughter. I can’t wait to get this and engage!!!
Yes! Itās fun to work through.
Wowzers! I’m intrigued! I’m trying to decide if I want my kids to tell me if they want one, or if I should just surprise them.
How fun to surprise them!
Well, now, thatās just cool. I have two girlies who would love to try this out. It might have to make it to the Christmas list this year!
Perfect!
How fun!!! I love that your granddaughter shared it with you! I wonder if my mom and daughter would be into this in a couple years!
Itās a great shared experience!
What a fun concept! I think it’d be a great gift for my kids for the trips we take, but I know they’d much rather be creative in this journal than actually write down what we did that day in their real journal, which would bother me because I do want them to actually write down what we do on our trips. Maybe I can call it a Wreck it Book instead of Journal…. Using a sharpie to change the title would just add to its mystery. š
Great idea!
I’ve never seen anything like this before! What a cool idea!
Itās a fun concept!
OH MY! This looks like a lot of fun. There is just something alluring about “breaking the rules”.
Thank you for sharing.
Itās so fun!
Certainly an “out of the box” journal!
Yes it is! Thatās why I love it so. š