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Chocolate Musings

Set your goals - make the plans - artfully create your life - live it beautifully. Grab the good chocolate and find your muse.

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Home » Blog » Page 3

September Random Holidays

August 24, 2023 Leave a Comment

September Random Holidays – Add a Few Fun, Creative, and Random Holidays to Your Calendar

September Random Holidays - add some fun, creative, & random holidays to your calendar | ChocolateMusings.com #septemberrandomholidays #randomholidays #celebrate

With fall right around the corner and school back in full swing, schedules start filling up quickly. Here’s a little reminder to add some fun and enjoyment to your calendar with a few of these September Random Holidays.

One of the fun things about random holidays is that you can add these mini-celebrations to your schedule. They don’t require an entire day to celebrate. Sometimes, these random holidays might help you plan dinner or plan your family outings. Whatever you’re doing during September, you can fit in a few random ways to celebrate and create memories.

When I take the chance to look back on the month or year, it’s amazing how busy life feels, and yet, there are few distinct memories. I find that using these random holidays slows the rush of time and allows my family to create memories. These are the moments I want my children to remember. These memories are the times I’ll cherish the most. This is why I celebrate random holidays – to break up the constant hyperactive schedule and create lasting memories.

September Random Holidays - add some fun, creative, & random holidays to your calendar | ChocolateMusings.com #septemberrandomholidays #randomholidays #celebrate

September Random Holidays – Categories

There are so many more random holidays for September, and I don’t intend to feature them all. In fact, I compile my list from several different sources. If you want to check out their list of holidays, I include a link to the websites below.

I also created a Google Calendar (below) featuring the holidays, which I share for free. I included instructions on how to add the calendar to your view. You can toggle it on and off so it doesn’t clutter your regular schedule.

In addition to the daily list of random holidays, I like to break the days into categories like food, outdoors, indoors, creativity and games, and then the catch-all category – “random holidays.” Let me know which Random Holidays are your favorites!

Daily List of September’s Holidays

  • 1st Friday of September – National Lazy Mom’s Day
  • 1st Saturday: World Beard Day
  • 1st Full Week in September: National Waffle Week
  • 3rd Week in September – National Indoor Plant Week
  • 3rd Full Week in September – National Keep Kids Creative Week
  • 4th Monday in September – Celebrate National Family Day
  1. World Letter Writing Day
    National Forgiveness Day
  2. Hummingbird Day
  3. Skyscraper Day
  4. Wildlife Day
  5. –
  6. Read a Book Day
  7. –
  8. International Literacy Day
    Ampersand Day
  9. Teddy Bear Day
  10. –
  11. Make Your Bed Day
    Swap Ideas Day
  12. Video Games Day
    Day of Encouragement
  13. Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day
    Roald Dahl Day
    Positive Thinking Day
  14. Eat a Cream-Filled Donut Day
    Eat a Hoagie Day
    Live Creative Day
  15. International Dot Day
  1. Chocolate Milkshake Day
    Play-Doh Day
  2. –
  3. –
  4. Talk Like a Pirate Day
  5. Fried Rice Day
    Pecan Cookie Day
  6. Miniature Golf Day
  7. White Chocolate Day
    Ice Cream Cone Day
    Elephant Appreciation Day
    Hobbit Day
    Dear Diary Day
  8. Checkers Day
  9. Punctuation Day
  10. Comic Book Day
    World Dream Day
  11. Pancake Day
  12. Chocolate Milk Day
  13. –
  14. –
  15. Chewing Gum Day
  16. –

Did you know? There are a lot more holidays to celebrate. I chose these random holidays to feature but if you wanted more – check out the links to all the ‘official’ pages that list out even more ways to celebrate.

September Random Food Holidays

1st Full Week in September – National Waffle Week

12 – Chocolate Milkshake Day
13 – Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day – What would your kids make if they took over the kitchen?
14 – Eat a Cream-Filled Donut Day – You’re welcome for this holiday! Cream-filled donuts are my favorite. Who needs to follow a diet, anyway?
14 – Eat a Hoagie Day
20 – Fried Rice Day – I love it when the random holidays make my dinner plans for me.
20 – Pecan Cookie Day
22 – White Chocolate Day – How do you feel about white chocolate? I know there are strong opinions for and against it. I’d like to see where you stand. It’s only recently that I truly started enjoying white chocolate.
22 – Ice Cream Cone Day
26 – Pancake Day – Looks like it’s breakfast for dinner day at my house!
27 – Chocolate Milk Day
30 – Chewing Gum Day

Celebrate Donut Day! 1st Friday in June & November 5 + Celebrate Cream Filled Donut Day - September 14 | Find more fun, creative & random holidays to add to your calendar on ChocolateMusings.com #donutday #doughnutday #creamfilleddonutday

Outdoor-Related September Random Holidays

2 – Hummingbird Day
3 – Skyscraper Day
4 – Wildlife Day
21 – Miniature Golf Day
22 – Elephant Appreciation Day

4th Monday in September – Celebrate National Family Day

Whether you celebrate the outdoor holidays by playing miniature golf or at a zoo for Elephant Appreciation Day, or you stay inside and doodle skyscrapers and other wildlife, the significant part is that you make time to do something.

For me, it’s not necessarily the holiday; and it’s the fact that we take time as a family to pause our regular schedule and do something that will create a memory.

I created some animal wall prints to celebrate Wildlife Appreciation Day and Elephant Appreciation Day. What is your favorite animal, and does it have a random holiday?

  • Shark silhouette Wall Art Printable | Chocolate Musings.com
    Shark Silhouette Wall Art Printable {Various Colors}
    $12.50
    Select options
  • Tiger silhouette Wall Art Printable | Chocolate Musings.com
    Tiger Silhouette Wall Art Printable {Various Colors}
    $12.50
    Select options
  • Penguin silhouette Wall Art Printable | Chocolate Musings.com
    Penguin Silhouette Wall Art Printable {Various Colors}
    $12.50
    Select options
  • Fox silhouette in Color Wall Art Printable | Chocolate Musings.com
    Fox Silhouette Wall Art Printable {Various Colors}
    $12.50
    Select options
  • Elephant silhouette in Color Wall Art Printable | Chocolate Musings.com
    Elephant Silhouette Wall Art Printable {Various Colors}
    $12.50
    Select options

Indoor-Related September Random Holidays

1 – World Letter Writing Day
6 – Read a Book Day
8 – International Literacy Day
9 – Teddy Bear Day
11 – Make Your Bed Day
13 – Roald Dahl Day
22 – Dear Diary Day

3rd Week in September – Nation Indoor Plant Week – I can’t keep my succulents alive, but I sure do like to doodle them.

I think you could combine Read a Book Day, Roald Dahl Day, and Teddy Bear Day into one big celebration. It’s a perfect excuse for choosing a good novel and cuddling with your favorite teddy bear. Or I could skip reading altogether and see a movie in the theater to celebrate National Cinema Day.

For “make your bed day,” I hate to admit this, but I hated to make my bed for years (even as an adult). When I started bullet journaling a few years ago, I also began studying habits that lead to making and breaking behaviors. Every month, I include habit trackers. I’m happy to admit that making the bed every morning is now a habit. Check out my other posts on habits & habit tracking.

Randomly Celebrate World Book Day March 5 & April 23 #bookday, Book Lovers Day, August 9 #nationalbookloversday & Read a Book Day on September 6 - Find More Fun, Creative & Random Holiday Suggestions on ChocolateMusings.com #randomcelebrations #randomlycelebrate #randomholidays

Looking for More Inspiration on Habits?

Habit tracking is one of my favorite things about bullet journaling. Find more inspiration for habit tracking and creating habits from these posts.

Here are my Favorite Books on Habits:

Here are some books I’ve read on organizing, decluttering, and habits. I’d love a recommendation and add it to my list. Let me know if you have more to add in the comments below.  

 

Creativity/Games

8 – Ampersand Day
11 – Swap Ideas Day
12 – Video Games Day
14 – Live Creative Day
15 – International Dot Day – created to celebrate creativity. Check out the link in the calendar for more information! It sounds like a lot of fun. Take advantage to reignite your creativity.
16 – Play-Doh Day
23 – Checkers Day
24 – Punctuation Day
25 – Comic Book Day
25 – World Dream Day – What would that look like if you could change your dreams into reality?

3rd Full Week in September – National Keep Kids Creative Week

We seem to celebrate Video Game Day quite often. I’m pretty sure July also had a video game day. While researching random holidays, I found that anyone can submit a request to start their own holiday. Creating duplicate holidays is easy since there isn’t one registry for random holidays. Not that I mind, but I thought I’d share that fun fact.

My kids don’t mind celebrating Video Game Day more than once during the year. It’s certainly an excuse to goof around. Of course, you could list all the games you used to play or what you want to play. What an excellent idea for a bullet journal collection!

Random Holiday Celebration - Ampersand Day #ampersandday | Find More Fun, Creative & Random Holidays on ChocolateMusings.com #randomlycelebrate #randhomholidays

September Random Holidays (Holidays That Don’t Fit in My Other Categories)

These holidays don’t fit nicely into my other categories, but I do like these random holidays. I include links to the original sources below, so if you’re interested, you can always check out the origin of the holiday & find other ideas to enjoy the day.

1 – National Forgiveness Day
12 – Day of Encouragement
13 – Positive Thinking Day
19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day – Check out my Pirate-Themed Bullet Journal post for creative ideas in your planner.
22 – Hobbit Day

1st Friday of September – National Lazy Mom’s Day
1st Saturday of September – World Beard Day

Talk Like a Pirate Day is the holiday that started all the random holidays for our family. It’s been years since we started celebrating this random holiday every September 19th. That’s partially why I love random holidays. Add them to your calendar, celebrate them year after year, and let them become ingrained into your family’s memories. Before you know it, you have traditions all year long instead of just on the big holidays.

Random Holidays  - International Talk Like a Pirate Day - Find highlights of interesting, fun, creative & random holidays for your calendar on ChocolateMusings.com #randomholidays #celebraterandomly #talklikeapirateday

What do You Want to Celebrate?

What Random Holidays this September do you want to celebrate? Choose a few and add them to your calendar. Or subscribe to my Google calendar below (it’s free) and always have fresh ideas waiting for you.

Random Holiday Archives

*Balloons totally optional.

Do you need more reasons to celebrate? I know I do! Find my random holiday archives here, PLUS find more ideas & ways to celebrate random holidays. Browse through all of my hand-picked holidays grouped by month. Give your family a reason to #randomlycelebrate.

By the way, if you’d like to find out more about a holiday, check the links in the random holiday archive. You’ll find all the random holiday sources I used to compile my favorites list. Click on one of the entries in the Random Holidays Calendar for even more details!

By the way, you can add the Google Calendar to your calendar list and always have random holidays at your fingertips – each calendar entry has a direct link to the original source and the social media hashtag recommendation. (Tip: You can toggle on and off the calendar as needed!) Check out the random holiday archives here!

Skip Right to a Month to Start Celebrating:

  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

Random Holidays – Google Calendar

After celebrating different holidays for over a year, I decided to create a Google Calendar to see all the holidays I’d love to celebrate. It makes it easy to share creations, words, and ideas on social media and with friends and family. The best part about Google calendars is that you can toggle them on and off when you don’t want to see them.

If you click on the calendar item, it has a link to the source & relevant hashtags! I’m always evolving this calendar – and I will add calendar days or corrections all the time.

Tip: The calendar will show the current month, you can navigate to the month of your choice by using the arrows or dropdown.

If you want to add my calendar to your Google calendar:

  • Go to your Google calendars and click the + next to other calendars
  • Choose ‘add other calendars.’
  • Then click Subscribe to Calendar
  • After that, paste the text below in the “add calendar.”
  • Toggle the schedule on and off when you want to access it – that’s what I do.

chocolatemusings.com_q316ucpnldal611fs2q2nnk7v0@group.calendar.google.com

I won’t list all the random holidays, but just the ones that work with ChocolateMusings.com – so, of course, you’ll see a lot of food, art, creativity & some miscellaneous holidays are thrown in as well.

Random Holiday Links:

Choose The Holidays Right for You

What if you don’t like the holidays I choose? Below are links to the other random holiday sites I found – pick your favorites and celebrate the ones that resonate with you! It’s about breaking out of the monotony and creating your happiness.

Find more to celebrate – I compiled my random holidays from the websites below. There are so many holidays to enjoy! If you find a day you’d like me to feature – leave me a note below!

  • Nationaldaycalendar.com
  • Nationaltoday.com
  • daysoftheyear.com
  • checkiday.com
  • heywhatday.com
  • Timeanddate.com
  • holidayinsights.com
  • wildcalendar.com
  • thereisadayforthat.com

Need Some Ideas for Creating Using Random Holidays as Your Inspiration?

That sounds fun. Here are some ways you can be creative!

  • Letter the name of the holiday (want to learn to hand letter? Here’s where to start handlettering.)
  • Write it in funky fonts (check out this post for ideas.)
  • Take a picture (I heard selfies are a thing 😜).
  • Doodle the holiday
  • Paint a picture of the holiday or you celebrating the holiday.
  • Write a blog post or journal entry.
  • Create a planner spread.
  • Create a color palette inspired by the holiday.
  • What imaginary character or Disney Princess would most likely celebrate this holiday?
  • What colors should we choose for this holiday?
  • Make a favorite dish or create a new recipe in honor of the day.
  • If the holiday had a mascot, what would it be?
  • Don’t let my ideas limit you. Find something that inspires you, and create!

If you don’t create anything – spend the time with your family or friends! It’s all about creating a better, more fulfilling life. I believe these silly, random holidays help add a little smile to your face and a bit more laughter to your days. Choose to add joy to your life.

September Random Holidays - We all need our day to sparkle every once in a while - add some fun, creative, & random holidays to your calendar | ChocolateMusings.com #randomholidays #celebrate #septemberrandomholidays

Originally Posted August 2021, Revised August 2023

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Filed Under: Blog, Find Your Happy, Randomly Celebrate Tagged: monthly holidays, random holidays, randomly celebrate, september

Creative Challenge: Back-to-School Words

July 31, 2023 Leave a Comment

Creative Challenge: Back-to-School Words

August Welcome Page School Building - Watercolor old fashioned school with a big bell | ChocolateMusings.com

This month’s creative challenge is all about words that make us think about going back to school. I have to admit, this time of year is my favorite. Don’t you agree that something about a fresh start to a new school year amps up the excitement? And of course, I can’t forget about buying new school supplies (one of my favorite pastimes)!

The challenge this month is to create something every day using these back-to-school words. Paint, letter, draw, doodle – it doesn’t have to be large or perfect. And you don’t have to do the same thing every day. The object is to create and build a creative habit where you let your mind relax for a few minutes. I know my mind functions better when I give it a creative rest every so often.

If you’ve ever heard of the 7 Habits by Stephen Covey, he talks about sharpening the saw – and that’s exactly what a creative practice does – it renews your mind and gives it a chance to rest between all the other activities you throw at it. So take a minute, sharpen your saw, and make time to create!

Make Time to Create Quote | ChocolateMusings.com #maketimetocreate #create #artwork

Back to School Words Challenge List

August 2023 Back to School Creative Challenge Words - Daily Lettering/Drawing Prompt
  1. Yellow School Bus
  2. Backpack
  3. Pencils
  4. Chair
  5. Chalkboard
  6. Eraser
  7. Lunch
  8. Playground
  9. Teacher
  10. Principal
  11. School
  12. Pencil Case
  13. Paint
  14. Table
  15. Calculator
  1. School bell
  2. Hallway
  3. Classroom
  4. Art Class
  5. Gym
  6. Sports
  7. Crayons
  8. Degree
  9. Books
  10. Glue
  11. Alphabet
  12. Shapes
  13. Desk
  14. Highlighter
  15. Eraser
  16. Calendar

For more tricks about doodling different back-to-school-related words, check out these posts!

  • 6 Fun & Easy-to-Draw School Doodles
  • Planning: School Lunches
  • Have too much on your mind? Do a brain dump! What is a Brain Dump?
  • Plan With Me: Dutch Door Book Bullet Journal Theme
  • Planner: Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas

How to Participate:

Not sure how to participate in a creative challenge? No worries. These are not hard or fast rules – the challenge is to inspire you and remove the art block we sometimes feel when creating.

  1. If you’re on Instagram – find me & follow me @ChocolateMusingsCreates
  2. Download the creative challenge prompts list (right-click on the image to save it and print it for reference). Or do a screenshot on your phone to save the prompts.
  3. Every day letter, draw, paint or create something to do with the daily prompt.
  4. You can use your regular style or add a bit of flair and try a new doodle or style!
  5. Snap a picture and post your creation to Instagram – tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates and use the hashtag #FindYourCreativeMuse – I’ll choose a few of my favorites and share them!
    • I’m also on Facebook so that you can post and tag my page. Find me at facebook.com/ChocolateMusings.
  6. Follow the hashtag and like and comment on others’ creations as well. I LOVE the community that these lettering challenges create.
  7. Choose a few back-to-school words from the challenge, or do them all! It’s meant to challenge you and expand your creativity.
  8. Most importantly, have fun!

Bonus Back to School Words Not in the Challenge

Here are a few bonus back-to-school words that didn’t quite fit into the challenge (there are only 31 days!) But that doesn’t mean you can’t use these words in a challenge of your own. What other words make you think of freshly sharpened pencils, new school supplies, and heading on that bus to go back to school?

  • Education
  • Writing
  • Flask
  • Computers
  • Drama
  • Tape
  • Folder
  • Recess
  • History
  • Clip Board
  • Composition book
  • Library
  • Journal
  • Cafeteria
  • Elementary
  • Pens
  • Chemistry
  • Music
  • Literature
  • Poetry
  • Geometry
  • Chalk
  • Bookcase
  • Science
  • Magnifying glass
  • Language
  • Clock
  • Homework
  • Reading
  • Office
  • Geography
  • Grades

What to Do & Ideas for Creating

Here are some ideas to get you started with this challenge creating using these back-to-school-themed words.

Remember: you can try to create all or some of them, or choose one prompt that inspires you and work on it all month. The idea is to expand your creativity and inspiration and get you to try new styles or techniques that you might not use regularly.

Use the challenge word as a background for your art or lettering. You can always use art as an overlay for your other creations. Try to create as many as you like or spend a few days experimenting with a particular word.

Create monograms with the various back-to-school words painted or drawn embedded as a design or create an overlay for another design like squares or circles.

It’s not all about handlettering. These prompts are perfect for doodles or full-page creations. These prompts are the ideal starting point if you’ve ever wanted to improve your drawing skills. Because it doesn’t matter how they turn out, what’s important is that you tried something new. And you don’t have to sit and wonder what to draw because the prompts are provided for you!

For the challenge example below from a few years ago, I set some additional rules for myself.

  • I used only black ink
  • Each doodle would be (mostly) contained within a circle frame
  • One part of the circle would be part of the design
  • The design would extend beyond the circle’s outer edge in another part.

The outcome of that challenge is one of my favorites, even now. It’s interesting how guidelines help create a more creative environment.

School Time Doodles Challenge - black ink doodles in a bullet journal
School Time Doodles Challenge - black ink doodles in a bullet journal

Handlettering Styles to Try

If you handletter or want to start handlettering, here are some new styles to incorporate into your challenge. Focus on one type all month or use a variety of lettering techniques!

  • Angled
  • Art Deco
  • Black Letter
  • Block
  • Bold
  • Broadway
  • Brush Lettering
  • Bubble
  • Calligraphy
  • Cursive
  • Decorative
  • Faux Calligraphy
  • Floral
  • Geometric
  • Graffiti
  • Grunge
  • Illuminated
  • Interlaced
  • Modern Calligraphy
  • Monoline
  • Negative/Reversed
  • Ornate
  • Outline
  • Overlapping
  • Patterned
  • Polka-Dots
  • Reflection
  • Retro
  • Ribbon
  • Rounded
  • Sans Serif
  • Serif
  • Shadowed
  • Short
  • Sparkly
  • Stripes
  • Tall
  • Textured
  • Watercolor
  • Western
  • Wide

What I Love About Creative Challenges

What I love about creative challenges like this ‘back-to-school’ words challenge – even if you happen on this challenge after it’s posted and finished on Instagram, nothing says you can’t use these prompts as inspiration later on.

Using a combination of daily and style prompts is one of my favorite ways to experiment and try new techniques. A few years ago, when I started to handletter, prompts like this got me to try flourishing when I never would before.

Use this ‘back-to-school’ words challenge to look at color, patterns, and values and add a bit of flair to your projects.

Happy creating, and remember to have fun!

Find Other Creative Challenges

Supplies Perfect for this Creative Challenge

Crayola Markers

  • Crayola Super Tips 100 Count | 50 Count | 20 Count
  • Crayola Broad Line Markers

Here are a few of my favorite watercolor papers.

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Filed Under: Blog, Challenges Tagged: art challenge, creative challenge, lettering, lettering challenge, what to draw

Creative Challenge: Summer Words

May 25, 2023 Leave a Comment

This month’s creative challenge is all about those summertime words that make us feel like we are on a permanent vacation. Follow along with the prompts and create something related to the day’s prompt every day. If you can’t create something new every day, choose a handful of prompts and create something more significant with your chosen summer challenge words. Try something new, create with a new medium or in a different style.

The point of these summer words is to creatively challenge you!

If you post on Instagram – be sure to tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates and use the hashtag #FindYourCreativeMuse I love to see how you’re inspired by these challenges!

Summertime Words Challenge List

Summer Words Creative Challenge - Art Challenge - Doodle Challenge - Lettering Challenge - Use the prompts to draw, paint, letter or create something inspired by the day's word.

  1. Hello Summer!
  2. Lemonade
  3. Hot
  4. Fireworks
  5. Sundress
  6. Road Trip
  7. Backpacking
  8. Beach
  9. Lazy Days
  10. Boating
  11. Hiking
  12. Swimming Suit
  13. Sunglasses
  14. Surfboard
  15. Pool
  1. Family Reunion
  2. Airport
  3. Swim
  4. Summer Camp
  5. Sunny
  6. Picnic
  7. Vacation
  8. Camping
  9. Tent
  10. Canoe
  11. Sleeping Bag
  12. Friends
  13. Relaxing
  14. Breeze
  15. Watermelon

For more tricks about doodling or creating Summer-related words, check out these posts!

  • Getting Started Handlettering – A List of Posts to Get You Lettering
  • Ice Cream-Themed Bullet Journal
  • Surfing-Themed Bullet Journal

How to Participate:

Not sure how to participate in a creative challenge? No worries. These are not hard or fast rules – the challenge is meant to inspire you and remove the art block we sometimes feel when creating.

  1. If you’re on Instagram – find me & follow me @ChocolateMusingsCreates
  2. Download the creative challenge prompts list (right-click on the image to save it and print it for reference). Or do a screenshot on your phone to save the prompts.
  3. Every day letter, draw, paint or create something to do with the daily prompt.
  4. You can use your regular style or add a bit of flair and try a new doodle or style!
  5. Snap a picture and post your creation to Instagram – tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates and use the hashtag #FindYourCreativeMuse – I’ll choose a few of my favorites and share them!
    • I’m also on Facebook so that you can post and tag my page. Find me at facebook.com/ChocolateMusings.
  6. Follow the hashtag and like and comment on others’ creations as well. I LOVE the community that these lettering challenges create.
  7. Choose a few summertime words from the challenge, or do them all! It’s meant to challenge you and expand your creativity.
  8. Most importantly, have fun!

Bonus Summer Words Not in the Challenge

Here are a few bonus Summertime words that didn’t quite fit into the challenge (there are only 31 days!) But that doesn’t mean you can’t use these words in a challenge of your own. What other words make you think of summer?

  • Flip-flops
  • Hot Dogs
  • Hamburgers
  • Tan
  • Tent
  • Lawn Mower
  • Sprinklers
  • hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Umbrella
  • Breeze
  • Hammock
  • Snowcone
  • Tan
  • Diving
  • Poolside
  • Park
  • Roller Coaster
  • Ball Games
  • Sand
  • Staycation
  • Lightning Bugs
  • Park

What to Do & Ideas for Creating

Here are some ideas to get you started with this challenge creating using these summer-themed words.

Remember: you can try to create all or some of them, or choose one prompt that inspires you and work on it all month. The idea is to expand your creativity and inspiration and get you to try new styles or techniques that you might not use regularly.

You could paint a relaxing summertime scene to hang in your home for the season. Use the challenge word as a background for your art or lettering. You can always use art as an overlay for your other creations. Try to create as many as you like, or spend a few days experimenting with a particular word.

Create monograms with the various summer words painted or drawn embedded as a design, or create an overlay for another design, like squares or circles.

It’s not all about the letters. These prompts are perfect for doodles or full-page creations. These prompts are the perfect starting point if you’ve ever wanted to improve your drawing skills. Because it doesn’t matter how they turn out. What’s important is that you try something new. And you don’t have to sit and wonder what to draw because the prompts are provided for you!

Handlettering Styles to Try

If you handletter or want to start handlettering, here are some new styles to incorporate into your challenge. Focus on one style all month, or use a variety of lettering techniques!

  • Angled
  • Art Deco
  • Black Letter
  • Block
  • Bold
  • Broadway
  • Brush Lettering
  • Bubble
  • Calligraphy
  • Cursive
  • Decorative
  • Faux Calligraphy
  • Floral
  • Geometric
  • Graffiti
  • Grunge
  • Illuminated
  • Interlaced
  • Modern Calligraphy
  • Monoline
  • Negative/Reversed
  • Ornate
  • Outline
  • Overlapping
  • Patterned
  • Polka-Dots
  • Reflection
  • Retro
  • Ribbon
  • Rounded
  • Sans Serif
  • Serif
  • Shadowed
  • Short
  • Sparkly
  • Stripes
  • Tall
  • Textured
  • Watercolor
  • Western
  • Wide

What I Love About Creative Challenges

What I love about creative challenges like this summertime words challenge – even if you happen on this challenge after it’s posted and finished on Instagram, nothing says you can’t use these prompts as inspiration later on.

Using a combination of daily and style prompts is one of my favorite ways to experiment and try new techniques. A few years ago, when I started to handletter, prompts like this got me to try flourishing when I never would before.

Use this summer words challenge to look at color, patterns, and values and add a bit of flair to your projects.

Happy creating, and remember to have fun!

Find Other Creative Challenges

Supplies Perfect for this Creative Challenge

Crayola Markers

  • Crayola Super Tips 100 Count | 50 Count | 20 Count
  • Crayola Broad Line Markers

Here are a few of my favorite watercolor papers.

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Blog, Challenges, Get Inspired Tagged: art challenge, challenge, creative challenge, doodle challenge, instagram challenge, lettering challenge, watercolor challenge, word list challenge

Creative Challenge: Travel Methods

May 3, 2023 Leave a Comment

This month’s creative challenge is all about travel methods! Use these everyday means of travel to expand your creativity throughout this month. Check out the challenge list below, and if you’re having trouble with creative ideas, keep reading. I have lots of ideas to share.

Handlettering these words is fun if that’s what you always do. But consider adding another element to your challenge. Of course, it’s up to you, but you could always use this challenge to expand into another form of creativity. Use this month’s challenge highlighting travel methods to try something new. Who knows? You might learn to traverse another creative method.

For instance, if you always use modern calligraphy to participate in a challenge, maybe you will try your hand at urban doodling this month. If you use watercolor, use this creative challenge to study travel methods with watercolor mixed with ink. I’m not promising that everything will be perfect. But these challenges make it easy to try a new style or enhance your skills without feeling like you’ve wasted anything – after all, you were just taking on the challenge.

Travel Methods Challenge List

Methods of Travel Creative Challenge - Art Challenge - Doodle Challenge - Lettering Challenge - Use the prompts to draw, paint, letter or create something inspired by the day's word.
  1. Car
  2. Plane
  3. Toboggan
  4. Unicycle
  5. Sleigh
  6. Roller Blades
  7. Covered Wagon
  8. Shoes
  9. Tricycle
  10. Row Boat
  11. Subway
  12. Bus
  13. Gondola
  14. Blimp
  15. Zipline
  1. Motorcycle
  2. Train
  3. Scooter
  4. Hot Air Balloon
  5. Sled
  6. Ice Skates
  7. Wagon
  8. Bicycle
  9. Boat
  10. Bullet Train
  11. Hovercraft
  12. Cable car
  13. Trolley
  14. Elevator
  15. Broom
  16. Steamboat

How to Participate:

Not sure how to participate in a challenge? No worries. These are not hard or fast rules – the travel methods creative challenge is meant to inspire you and remove the art block we sometimes feel when creating.

  1. If you’re on Instagram – find me & follow me @ChocolateMusingsCreates
  2. Download the creative challenge prompts list (right-click on the image to save it and print it for reference). Or do a screenshot on your phone to save the prompts.
  3. Every day letter, draw, paint or create something to do with the daily prompt.
  4. You can use your regular style or add a bit of flair and try a new doodle or style!
  5. Snap a picture and post your creation to Instagram – tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates and use the hashtag #FindYourCreativeMuse – I’ll choose a few of my favorites and share them!
    • I’m also on Facebook so that you can post and tag my page. Find me at facebook.com/ChocolateMusings.
  6. Follow the hashtag and like and comment on others’ creations as well. I LOVE the community that these lettering challenges create.
  7. Choose a few travel methods from the challenge, or do them all! It’s meant to challenge you and expand your creativity.
  8. Most importantly, have fun!

Bonus Means of Travel Not Highlighted in the Challenge

Here are a few bonus travel methods that didn’t quite fit into the challenge (there are only 31 days!) But that doesn’t mean you can’t use these words in a challenge of your own. What other travel methods did I miss for this challenge? And which one is your favorite, either to eat or to create?

  • Hotrod
  • Handcart
  • Flying (as the birds do)
  • Escalator
  • Horse
  • Submarine
  • Motorcycle
  • Yacht

Why a Creative Challenge?

This quote from Leonardo Da Vinci defines the reason why I love to do creative challenges. You can sit for hours staring at a blank page begging for inspiration to come, yet it doesn’t. But give yourself a prompt, and possibilities for creating seem to blossom unexpectedly.

Art lives from constraints and dies from freedom.

– Leonardo da Vinci

I will sometimes add additional limitations during a monthly challenge. Such as drawing everything in a circle or only using two colors of ink. You’d think that these limitations would stifle my creativity. But to my surprise, I find that my ability to create expands when I have certain restraints.

So even if you are struggling to find a creative style for a challenge, try adding some constraints to your art.

  • Paint only in a circle but allow one piece of your art to break out of the frame – like the tip of a mountain or a single palm tree.
  • Use a new font style and master it.
  • Have you ever tried flourishing? Maybe it’s time to try.
  • Use two types of fonts and mix and match them for a quote.
  • Doodle the image that creeps into your head when you read the prompt.
  • Create a comic strip with the prompt as the theme.

That’s what these challenges are all about! Expanding your creative vocabulary and discovering something new.

What to Do & Ideas for Creating

Here are some ideas to get you started with this challenge creating using the travel methods prompts.

Create cards to send to a friend, or create a collection of these words and hang them in a frame. Use the challenge word as a start for your art or lettering. You can always use art as an overlay for your other creations. Try to create as many as you like, or spend a few days experimenting with a particular word.

Create monograms with the various funny words drawn out in modern calligraphy, or try your hand at watercolor lettering.

What I Love About Creative Challenges

What I love about creative challenges – even if you happen on this challenge after it’s posted and finished on Instagram, there’s nothing keeping you from using these prompts to create later on.

Using a combination of daily and style prompts is one of my favorite ways to experiment and try new styles. A few years ago, when I was starting to handletter, prompts like this got me to try flourishing when I never would before.

Happy creating, and remember to have fun!

Find Other Creative Challenges

Supplies Perfect for this Creative Challenge

Crayola Markers

  • Crayola Super Tips 100 Count | 50 Count | 20 Count
  • Crayola Broad Line Markers

Here are a few of my favorite watercolor papers.

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Blog, Challenges, Get Inspired Tagged: art challenge, challenges, doodle challenge, instagram challenge, lettering challenge

Creative Challenge: Colors from Nature

March 1, 2023 Leave a Comment

This month’s creative challenge is all about colors derived from nature. Feel free to doodle or letter the word or let the color/image inspire your painting or lettering! It never fails–right around the first of March, I get all the spring fever feels and can’t wait to see blooms and blossoms. So in commemoration of spring right around the corner, let’s celebrate with colors from nature!

Nature’s Colors Challenge List

Colors from Nature Creative Challenge - Art Challenge - Doodle Challenge - Lettering Challenge - Use the prompts to draw, paint, letter or create something inspired by the day's word.

  1. Apricot
  2. Eggplant
  3. Lime
  4. Pine
  5. Plum
  6. Lavender
  7. Coral
  8. Orange
  9. Peach
  10. Cocoa
  11. Pearl
  12. Mint
  13. Lemon
  14. Moss
  15. Violet
  1. Cornflower
  2. Lilac
  3. Raspberry
  4. Mustard
  5. Olive
  6. Amber
  7. Periwinkle
  8. Cinnamon
  9. Marigold
  10. Honey
  11. Saffron
  12. Fuschia
  13. Ginger
  14. Indigo
  15. Jade
  16. Salmon

What other colors come directly from nature? Which ones did I miss? And most importantly, which is your favorite?

How to Participate:

Not sure how to participate in a creative challenge? No worries. These are not hard or fast rules – the challenge is meant to inspire you and remove the art block we sometimes feel when creating.

  1. If you’re on Instagram – find me & follow me @ChocolateMusingsCreates
  2. Download the creative challenge prompts list (right-click on the image to save it and print it for reference). Or do a screenshot on your phone to save the prompts.
  3. Every day letter, draw, paint or create something to do with the daily prompt.
  4. You can use your regular style or add a bit of flair and try a new doodle or style!
  5. Snap a picture and post your creation to Instagram – tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates and use the hashtag #FindYourCreativeMuse – I’ll choose a few of my favorites and share them!
    • I’m also on Facebook so that you can post and tag my page. Find me at facebook.com/ChocolateMusings.
  6. Follow the hashtag and like and comment on others’ creations as well. I LOVE the community that these lettering challenges create.
  7. Choose a few of nature’s colors from the challenge, or do them all! It’s meant to challenge you and expand your creativity.
  8. Most importantly, have fun!

What to Do & Ideas for Creating

Here are some ideas to get you started with this challenge creating using these nature-inspired colorful words.

Remember: you can try to create all or some of them, or choose one prompt that inspires you and work on it all month. The idea is to expand your creativity and inspiration and get you to try new styles or techniques that you might not use regularly.

Use the challenge word as a background for your art or lettering. You can always use art as an overlay for your other creations. Try to create as many as you like or spend a few days experimenting with a particular word.

Create monograms with the various colors from nature painted or drawn embedded as a design or create an overlay for another design like squares or circles.

It’s not all about the letters. These prompts are perfect for doodles or full-page creations. These prompts are the perfect starting point if you’ve ever wanted to improve your drawing skills. Because it doesn’t matter how they turn out. What’s important is that you tried something new. And you don’t have to sit and wonder what to draw because the prompts are provided for you!

Handlettering Styles to Try

If you handletter or want to start handlettering, here are some new styles to incorporate into your challenge. Focus on one style all month, or use a variety of lettering techniques!

  • Angled
  • Art Deco
  • Black Letter
  • Block
  • Bold
  • Broadway
  • Brush Lettering
  • Bubble
  • Calligraphy
  • Cursive
  • Decorative
  • Faux Calligraphy
  • Floral
  • Geometric
  • Graffiti
  • Grunge
  • Illuminated
  • Interlaced
  • Modern Calligraphy
  • Monoline
  • Negative/Reversed
  • Ornate
  • Outline
  • Overlapping
  • FPatterned
  • Polka-Dots
  • Reflection
  • Retro
  • Ribbon
  • Rounded
  • Sans Serif
  • Serif
  • Shadowed
  • Short
  • Sparkly
  • Stripes
  • Tall
  • Textured
  • Watercolor
  • Western
  • Wide

What I Love About Creative Challenges

What I love about creative challenges like this nature’s color challenge – even if you happen on this challenge after it’s posted and finished on Instagram, nothing says you can’t use these prompts as inspiration later on.

Using a combination of daily and style prompts is one of my favorite ways to experiment and try new techniques. A few years ago, when I started to handletter, prompts like this got me to try flourishing when I never would before.

Use this ‘colors from nature’ challenge to look at color, patterns, and values, and add a bit of flair to your projects.

Happy creating, and remember to have fun!

Find Other Creative Challenges

Supplies Perfect for this Creative Challenge

Crayola Markers

  • Crayola Super Tips 100 Count | 50 Count | 20 Count
  • Crayola Broad Line Markers

Here are a few of my favorite watercolor papers.

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Blog, Challenges Tagged: challenges, creative challenge, creativity, creativity rut busters, doodle challenge, drawing challenge, instagram challenge, lettering challenge

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About Me


Hi! I'm Tricia, the creative behind ChocolateMusings.com, I know how it feels to lose your inner muse. After years of darkness (which I call the dark ages of my life), I found my inner muse hiding in the forgotten corners of my soul, I vowed never to lose sight of her again.

Bullet journaling helped reignite the passion for art and living life again while organizing my days. I also discovered modern calligraphy and watercolor. Since then, my use of the bullet journal system has evlolved and I call it 'creative planning'. Here on the blog, I show you how to use your planner to ignite your inner muse and explore creativity and art while staying beautifully organized and living a joyful life.

I invite you to grab some good chocolate and dive into my musings. Let’s ignite your inner muse.

Read more on the about me page. You can also find my policies and disclosures here.

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