My name is Paulette Waltz, and I'm a photographer and educator among other things. I’m currently based in Tokyo, but I’m originally from the Washington, D.C. area. I’ve been using Paperblanks® loyally since I first discovered them about six years ago. At that time, I had just caught a severe case of the travel bug (which I still can’t seem to shake off). I was about to take off to Namibia and Botswana for Emory University’s Environmental Studies program, and I was searching for the perfect journal. Writing is experiential and that first Old Leather Handtooled journal contains an entry of my muddy hand print; it was the closest I could have come to capturing the experience of camping every day. Since then, I've gone through over a dozen Paperblanks® while visiting over 20 different countries.

Paperblanks® journals have been perfect travel companions, providing sanctuary wherever I go. They keep my memories of the places I encounter, in words, pictures, lists, or tidbits tucked away. Open my memento pouch and you’ll find ticket stubs, phone numbers, and adages in other languages. I have countless stories associated with these journals, like the time a very old Japanese man gave me a pink rose with a smile after seeing me writing fervently in my Paperblanks® Intricate Inlays journal. He was encouraging me to write, as he was a poet himself.

Having good space is essential for creating. From mind to hand to pen to paper, the connection must be made or the ideas get lost. For me, it’s the look of Paperblanks® covers and the texture of the paper that incites a desire to fill the pages. When I crack open a Paperblanks® journal, I instantly feel like pouring out my thoughts, ideas, and stories that have inspired me. The only problem is that my hand can’t move as fast as my brain does! The best part is looking back and seeing past entries – the way I perceived a place or person, how I’ve grown, or how I’ve stayed exactly the same. Paperblanks® have helped shape me and the way I see the world.

Paulette Waltz
www.paulettewaltz.com