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ideas || #MyJournalStory | From blogging at 9 years old to going live on TV and YouTube: my 7-year bujo evolution

IoanaMay 7, 2020

First published on the Washi Tape Shop on May 6, 2020.

A couple weeks ago, @thewashitapeshop reached out asking if I’d like to write a guest blog post to share my story. I decided to put it into a visual journey about how I got into blogging at 9 years old, took up bullet journaling, and started a business pursuing my creative passion right here on Mistral Spirit. It just went up yesterday and it would mean so much if you gave it a read!

You can see the full blog post on their blog, or the beginning excerpt down below!


Hello! My name is Ioana – 20-year old student studying economics and accounting at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. When I’m not drinking coffee, reading, studying, or exploring the city, I dabble in creative projects like my blog and YouTube channel, Mistral Spirit.

My mission since 2009 (yes, I started a blog when I was 9 – I’ll explain shortly) has been to inspire others to live a motivated, organized and healthy life. I develop practical strategies that incorporate planning, bullet journaling and creativity – all while authentically sharing my own story in the process.

So, in the spirit of visual art, creative journaling, and nostalgic browsing of old photos while social distancing (we’ve all been there), I want to take you on a visual journey through my own story!

From a nine-year-old’s hobby blog to a digital business that got on TV at 19, eye-opening partnerships with brands like Crayola, Skillshare, Leuchtturm and Pearson Canada, and a physical planner notebook in the works, this blog has inevitably become the one common thread throughout my own coming-of-age story.

Let’s rewind the tape, shall we? We’ll keep this interesting.

I’ve always loved reading, writing, and drawing. If you were to suddenly drop me in a big city, I would instinctively gravitate towards the cutest independent café, sketchbook in one hand and pen in the other.

One of the earliest dreams I can remember having was to be an author and illustrator. Thanks to some really great teachers, I also loved school from a young age and always sought out some new challenge or adventure I could learn from.

As a result, when my dad first suggested that I make a website using a cool new thing called WordPress, I was thrilled about the idea. At nine years old, I loved writing little stories and poems (some of them even got published in children’s anthologies), and putting them online was like playing pretend at already being an author. It also meant two things: that anyone could accidentally discover my writing like a treasure chest buried in the backyard, and that I could have a place to archive my own learning adventures to look back on as I got better.


Continue reading the full story on The Washi Tape Shop blog!


View this post on Instagram

A couple weeks ago, @thewashitapeshop reached out asking if I'd like to write a guest blog post to share my story. ✨ It just went up today and it would mean so much if you gave it a read! From a nine-year-old’s hobby blog to a digital business that somehow got me on TV at 19, eye-opening partnerships with brands like Crayola, Skillshare, Leuchtturm and Pearson Canada, and a physical planner notebook in the works (among other things 😉), this blog has inevitably become the one common thread throughout my own coming-of-age story. In the spirit of visual art, creative journaling, and nostalgic browsing of old photos while social distancing (we’ve all been there), I turned the post into a visual journey of how I started the blog, got into bullet journaling, and pursued my creative passion. ✨ Hope that keeps it interesting and that you enjoy it! ❤️

A post shared by ioana | bujo & organization (@mistralspirit) on May 6, 2020 at 11:08am PDT

View this post on Instagram

thewashitapeshop.com The journey of Ioana @mistralspirit. From her first desk with makeshift cashier drawer to going on TV to talk about bullet journaling. You don't want to miss our newest #MyJournalStory . Read the full story at thewashitapeshop.com or link in our story! . The Washi Tape Shop is your online destination for everything stationery and everything washi tape with free international shipping. . #washitape #bulletjournal #showmeyourplanner #planwithme #bujo #bujoideas #plannercommunity #planneraddict #plannerlove #planningtime #bujocommunity #bujoaddict #bujojunkies #studygram #studyblr #studyspo #studyinspo #planner #bulletjournaladdict #bulletjournalers

A post shared by The Washi Tape Shop (@thewashitapeshop) on May 6, 2020 at 9:03pm PDT

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Comments (5)

  • PedroL

    May 7, 2020 at 4:41 pm

    Dear Ioana, more than amazing it was truly inspiring to read your story 🙂 I am also a blogger, I started a few years ago and I love it, I totally believe that if we work hard on it we may succeed, so that’s what I am doing 🙂 will follow you from now on 🙂 stay safe and greetings from Portugal, PedroL

    Reply
    1. Ioana

      May 11, 2020 at 9:35 pm

      Hi PedroL! Thanks for the kind comment. I totally agree – and it’s all about doing it for a reason that’s completely true to you and about a topic that matters to you. That’s what keeps me going the most. 😉 P.s. Love your photography blog posts also!

      Reply
      1. PedroL

        May 12, 2020 at 5:10 am

        That’s very kind Ioana, thanks 🙂 have a wonderful day, all the best, PedroL

        Reply
  • parneetsachdev

    June 16, 2020 at 12:33 am

    This is an inspiring story. A wonderful blog

    Reply
    1. Ioana

      July 3, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Nice to meet you!

Hi, it’s Ioana! I’m a blogger, brand marketer, and recent Queen’s Commerce alumni. When I’m not drinking coffee, reading, studying or exploring the city, I dabble in creative projects like this one!

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ioana.pitu

ioana | mistral spirit | organization & creativity
Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market t Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market this Saturday for another @usktoronto sketching meetup! Always a great time with this group. 🥳 I’ll admit I didn’t do much sketching this time around… was *very* busy making the rounds at the farmers market. 😜

#usktoronto #torontosketching #evergreenbrickworksmarket #urbansketching #travelsketch
little cup, GIANT smile 🥳 Totally in my elemen little cup, GIANT smile 🥳

Totally in my element at the @usktoronto exhibition reception event at @atoriginto a couple weekends ago. The exhibit showcases sketches by local artists that are primarily done on-location in places we travel to or live in. I’ve tagged a few of the artists so you can tap through to their profiles!

You might remember helping me choose which two sketches to submit to the show application back in December. Check them out hanging right there on the wall in slide 3! 

And HUGE thanks for helping me narrow it down. 🥰

If you’re in the area come check it out. (Or better yet, let’s go together!) 👯‍♀️

#urbansketching #travelsketching #urbansketchers #usktoronto #usk #travelsketchtoronto #urbansketchersexhibit
Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketch Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketchers meetup this Sunday in Toronto at @theonlycafe!

Instantly loved the interior of this cafe. 👌 I feel like maximalist interiors speak to my soul. Its late and maybe this isn’t quite it, but … they sort of remind me of my favourite people.

#urbansketchers #torontoart #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #watercolor #urbansketching #sketchjournal #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #moleskinesketchbook #watercolortraveljournal #watercolordrawing #traveljournal #travelwatercolor
The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup w The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup with @usktoronto at @theonlycafe 🥰 Art + chill + new friends + coffee = happy soul

Thanks for organizing @satori3000! Check out these talented artists: @deshpande.shardul @maragulens @aish_cj @april.sketchedthis @sarawenn17 @beverleydaniels5 @hirtescufineart @sonalipraharajarts @satori3000 @sonyapadovani @michaeltsouras
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Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market t Caught the @evergreen_brick_works farmers market this Saturday for another @usktoronto sketching meetup! Always a great time with this group. 🥳 I’ll admit I didn’t do much sketching this time around… was *very* busy making the rounds at the farmers market. 😜

#usktoronto #torontosketching #evergreenbrickworksmarket #urbansketching #travelsketch
little cup, GIANT smile 🥳 Totally in my elemen little cup, GIANT smile 🥳

Totally in my element at the @usktoronto exhibition reception event at @atoriginto a couple weekends ago. The exhibit showcases sketches by local artists that are primarily done on-location in places we travel to or live in. I’ve tagged a few of the artists so you can tap through to their profiles!

You might remember helping me choose which two sketches to submit to the show application back in December. Check them out hanging right there on the wall in slide 3! 

And HUGE thanks for helping me narrow it down. 🥰

If you’re in the area come check it out. (Or better yet, let’s go together!) 👯‍♀️

#urbansketching #travelsketching #urbansketchers #usktoronto #usk #travelsketchtoronto #urbansketchersexhibit
Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketch Some more photos from our @usktoronto urban sketchers meetup this Sunday in Toronto at @theonlycafe!

Instantly loved the interior of this cafe. 👌 I feel like maximalist interiors speak to my soul. Its late and maybe this isn’t quite it, but … they sort of remind me of my favourite people.

#urbansketchers #torontoart #urbansketch #sketchbook #sketching #artjournal #travelsketch #drawyourday #watercolor #urbansketching #sketchjournal #finelinerdrawing #moleskine #moleskinesketchbook #watercolortraveljournal #watercolordrawing #traveljournal #travelwatercolor
The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup w The most perfect Sunday morning sketching meetup with @usktoronto at @theonlycafe 🥰 Art + chill + new friends + coffee = happy soul

Thanks for organizing @satori3000! Check out these talented artists: @deshpande.shardul @maragulens @aish_cj @april.sketchedthis @sarawenn17 @beverleydaniels5 @hirtescufineart @sonalipraharajarts @satori3000 @sonyapadovani @michaeltsouras
So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward th So glad I overcame my initial hesitation toward this book being about video games. It’s a delight for my brain so far and I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent all of this morning and afternoon reading (it was glorious) and I’ve learned 3 new words I adore:
- dilettante
- Weltschmerz
- palimpsest

Pls note: photos taken “while reading” are obviously not as impromptu as they may appear on Instagram. They’re usually when (a) you’re on a reading intermission because you either haven’t started or are getting a bit tired of reading for so long or (b) there’s a long period of descriptive text that doesn’t necessarily represent the quality of the book and is a good time to hashtag let-me-take-a-selfie. So don’t read this one page and form an opinion about the book. Instagram isn’t reality. 😜

Pls also note I’m only 40% through the book so my review isn’t definite. I’ve been burned before by jumping too excitedly to recommend a book (in this case, TV show) to everyone around me before realizing it gets WEIRD later on. So take my moment of excitement with a grain of salt - more thoughts to come!
Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and Just received this new pen from @bulletjournal and @leuchtturm1917 @leuchtturm1917canada! 👀 Here’s a closer look!

Can you tell I had so much fun unboxing this 😅 It’s my new desk pen for days that I want to feel a little ✨fancy✨

#gifted #pen #amwriting #bulletjournalleuchtturm1917 #gelpen #journal #journaling #planner #studygram #aestheticstudy #bujo #bulletjournal #bulletjournalpen #bujopen #minimalistplanner #bulletjournaling #bulletjournalcommunity #penlover
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