A Gentle Journey from Pixels to Paper // Jenny

A Gentle Journey from Pixels to Paper // Jenny

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In a world where technology and analogue often feel opposite, Jenny beautifully blends the digital sphere with analogue mindfulness in a way that’s both deeply intentional and refreshingly relatable. Over the past decade, she has quietly cultivated a creative community, through her illustrations, journaling practice, and thoughtfully designed digital tools. Jenny invites us to slow down and reconnect with our own creative pulse. In this conversation, she opens up about embracing the shift to focus on going from digital to analogue, cultivating gratitude, and how creativity has continued to evolve alongside her life. - Eunice

BK: Jenny, so lovely to have you here with us today. To begin, could you share a brief introduction to your journey and background?

Jenny: Oh hi! It’s such an honor to be here!

I balance my busy life of full-time work and family life with my passions for illustration, writing, and of course, stationery and journaling. I’ve been fortunate enough and have worked hard to launch and grow my small side business, Hello Brio, over the past 10+ years by sharing various parts of my creative journey.

In 2013, I began blogging about things that truly brought me joy. Hello Brio evolved with my interests over the years, allowing me to grow an active hand lettering community, teach online courses on digital art, talk about bullet journaling, and create digital templates and stickers for iPad journaling and planning. Hello Brio is now a place for me to share insights on journaling, creativity, mindfulness, and mental health.

As far as my TN story: My husband gifted me both of my Travelers Notebooks for my birthday in October 2023, and I became a daily TN user in September of 2024 after many false starts. Now, I find so much joy in sharing my love for my EDC TN on my YouTube channel as well as platforms like Reddit and Instagram.

BK: While many see tech and analogue as opposites, your platforms show how they can complement each other. What are some surprising intersections where technology has supported or inspired your hands-on creative practices?

Jenny: Yes, thank you! I believe that digital and analog practices support each other—when used intentionally.

My digital tools, especially drawing on my iPad, enhance my traditional practices. My latest obsession is creating printable stickers using my own art to use in my Travelers Notebook, especially when these stickers help me add flair to my default of just ink and paper.

Also, whether we like to admit it or not, there’s tons of inspiration on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube! There have been many times where I’ve found an illustration style, a journal prompt, or a TN layout and saved it for later, especially when I feel stuck. My new favorite way to collect ideas from the internet, however, is to print it out on sticker paper and put them into a commonplace book. I find much more satisfaction in revisiting inspiration when flipping through my Traveler’s Notebook!

BK: You often share about digital simplicity. In a world overflowing with content and notifications, what does it look like for you to truly unplug and come back to yourself?

Jenny: Digital simplicity, for me, involves creating intentional spaces to reset my dopamine and pause for reflection. When I minimize my screen time, I reconnect with my personal growth, creativity, and spirituality. This usually looks like screen-free weekends, where I put my phone and other distracting tech away in a drawer. The longer I go being tech-free, the better my focus becomes.

Honestly, this no-screen intention follows an ideal-world scenario. What this typically looks like is keeping my phone on greyscale mode and using it only for the necessities, like camera and maps. I am a tech geek, too; I recently got a cellular watch, which allows me to stay connected to texts and calls during these screen-free times without becoming pulled into the world of endless scrolling. I also love my Boox Palma, an e-ink device on a wireless connection only; I use it for music, reading, updating my Fable account, and very occasionally checking email.

My typical screen-free practices include meditation, reading, and journaling. But what matters most for me when I unplug? Mindfulness. I’m so grateful to have a beautiful family and amazing friends, and I aim to put practices in place to be fully present for all of it. I want to experience and absorb every facial expression and every peal of laughter. I aim to be an exceptional listener for all of my loved ones. This practice helps me manage stress and keep my mental health in check in a constantly connected world, especially since I am 100% in front of a computer for my day job.

BK: What does your creative process look like on a typical day, especially when balancing the role of also being a mom? How do you make space for inspiration?

Jenny: Balancing motherhood and employment with creativity requires flexibility. It’s not something I learned overnight. However, with a lot of practice, being creative is easier than it used to be. And, I’m still evolving as my life expands.

So, one of the major reasons I switched back to drawing and journaling on paper was because I want to model an analog lifestyle for my family. If I draw on my iPad, my boys want to draw on their iPads. If I use my journal, my boys want to use their journals. (This is a great place to mention that they both love their own leather TN-like notebooks, too!)

I’m so lucky—my kids are a constant source of inspiration. We often draw and journal together, each of us using our tools and stationery of choice. I admire my 6-year-old’s uninhibited creativity; he recently wrote and illustrated a dozen mini fan fiction books in one weekend. My 9-year-old and I share a love for everything kawaii, so we aim to draw things to make each other say, “aww!” I find that a lot of the content they consume is based on creativity, too. For example, Cat Kid Comic Club (a spinoff of Dog Man) inspires writers and illustrators young and old—and it’s been fun to marry their love for Pokémon with a “DTIYS” exercise for the characters.

Finally, I try to wake up earlier than everyone to journal and get space for quiet reflection. This doesn’t always work out, though, so my husband and I have a good rhythm of supporting each other’s creative endeavors by gifting each other solo time!

BK: What are your favorite tools, both digital and analogue, that support your creative flow?

Jenny: When I use my iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil, I rely on Notability for journaling and Procreate for illustration. These apps offer the versatility I need for various projects, including handwriting, drawing, and creating illustrations for content. I design my digital planning and journaling templates in Figma.

On the analogue side, I appreciate the simplicity of a solid <EF> fountain pen with permanent black ink and a Traveler’s Notebook, which provide a tactile connection to my thoughts and ideas. My current favorite paper-and-pen combinations are the Kaweco Brass Sport or TWSBI Diamond Mini, inked with Tom’s Studio Pigment Black, with Tomoe River Paper.

When I get “fancy,” I often reach for a pencil and ruler to help me lay out a more complicated spread. I’m a recovering perfectionist, but I still don’t do well with ink smears or line jumps, especially in tracker spreads.

My favorite tools for illustrations are simple! As much as I’ve tried to branch out to try different brush tip pens for illustration, my go-to is still the lovely Tombow Fudenosuke soft brush tip pen. Colored pencils provide the most control and portability on the rare instances when I add color to my drawings.

When I’m on-the-go and need minimal supplies, I have my Regular-sized TN customized by the Baum-kuchen Truly Yours service! When I bring all the supplies mentioned above, I pack it all in my canvas Yuruliku Flat Tool pen case.

BK: You've mentioned noticing more moments of gratitude and serendipity on your YouTube. What role do these play in your creativity, and how has your perspective evolved over time?

Jenny: Embracing gratitude and serendipity has deepened my creative practice. After reading (and re-reading) Big Magic and The Artist’s Way, I realized how much creativity and spirituality intertwine. I’ve dabbled in—and have had success in—manifestation techniques. I have a growing spirituality practice both through reading and therapy programs, which helps to solidify my belief that there is an underlying abundant force of creativity around us at all times. As woo-woo as it might sound, recognizing these moments of serendipity with a daily practice encourages staying in the moment and opens me up to unexpected inspiration.

I used to think that creativity came solely from inspiration. Over time, I’ve come to understand that “you can’t steer a parked car.” I notice that when I’m doing anything creative, it begets more creativity. For example, if I sit down and start a writing project, I open the flow of ideas once I step away. If I doodle something simple, I start to notice more beauty in the world.

By learning to focus on the positives and beauty of life, I seem to manifest more and more positivity and creativity. It is a wonderful and serendipitous cycle.

BK: There's a gentle honesty in how you share online. How do you maintain authenticity in a space that often rewards performance or perfection?

Jenny: Thank you—that means a lot to me!

With each piece of content I create, I aim to speak or write as if I’m talking to my best friends. Minus many expletives. There is a… casual and “unprofessional” side of me that I try to avoid bringing to the internet in order to keep my content appropriate for all ages. 

Anyway… I try to show up in an authentic way by being transparent and honest about my experiences. We don’t gain anything as a society by showing up wearing a mask. We are real people who love to connect with real people: flaws are beautiful! I know it can be difficult to be vulnerable online, but I believe it helps me foster a genuine connection with people who come across my stuff who also value honesty.

When writing, like in this interview, I try to sit on pieces for at least 24 hours before hitting publish. This gives my brain time to process everything I’ve said, and it helps to make sure I’m not showing up in an inauthentic way.

BK:  Looking back, was there a creative risk or pivot that felt terrifying but ultimately paid off?

Jenny: Yes! There have been so many creative risks I’ve taken that have paid off! Internet communities—and the folks who have been so amazing to follow me over many years—are very forgiving.

The biggest one is this: Before my first son was born, I was fortunate enough to quit my stable full-time job in UX Design to ramp up my business. During my pregnancy, I created an online presence that still brings me passive income today—9 years later. Even though I’m now working again full-time, the work during that time allowed me to build a solid foundation that I can return to when I get the space now as a busy mother.

The latest creative pivot is this: Shifting my content platforms to talk about digital planning and journaling to analog. I knew that following changing interests has worked for me in the past, so I went with it, despite my worries of alienating my iPad-loving audience. Now, I’m rewarded with interactions amongst a strong analog journaling and planning community, including being here to tell my story!

BK: Who or what is currently inspiring you creatively? Are there any voices, books, or rituals that are fueling what is next for you?

Jenny: I’m not shy to revisit my mention of Big Magic and The Artist’s Way here. Both books and authors are inspiring, providing me with the reminder that creativity is within us all. I have Big Magic in both paperback and audiobook, and I re-read both books often.

I'm continually inspired by minimalist principles and the practice of intentional living. Engaging with communities that value simplicity and creativity fuels my work. Additionally, daily journaling and reflection rituals help me stay connected to my creative goals and aspirations.

BK: When someone comes across your work, what lasting feeling or message do you hope they walk away with?

Jenny: I hope they feel empowered to embrace simplicity in their own lives. The world moves fast, and it’s easy to be bombarded by notifications, distractions, and to be reactive to external forces. My goal is to encourage others to find inner peace and contentment through intentional living and authentic creative expression.

Where to find Jenny: 

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