Chocolate Musings

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

Home » Blog » Page 33

A Deliciously Simple Layout

4 Comments

A Deliciously Simple Layout – Minimal Spread

The week of Thanksgiving. We are deep in fall and this week can sometimes be rather hectic depending on what your holiday plans are. If you are traveling long distances or you are hosting this festive holiday, a big, elaborate weekly plan is probably not going to happen.  What you need is a minimal spread. Then add to it only the essentials. A weekly tracker, shopping list, sleeping arrangements, travel itinerary. Weeks like this need some versatility, and minimal designs add a lot of versatility.

Weekly Plans

For me, this week is low-key. I will work Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday (maybe) but then off on Thursday until the next Monday. My kiddos are off school for the week. My husband is working from home the first part of the week (maybe – he might just take the week off). I created a deliciously simple layout and then I doodled my anticipated Thanksgiving menu down the center of the page. What a fun way to dress up this minimal weekly spread.

I really wanted a minimal weekly plan without a schedule so we could enjoy some time off as a family. I have no set plans other than Thursday, so I think we will play everything by ear. On Thursday, Thanksgiving, we will celebrate with some friends – who by the way is a trained chef. So excited to see what she cooks up for us. I am bringing muffin cup stuffing. So delicious! And some desserts because #yum.

A Deliciously Simple Weekly Bullet Journal Spread Vertical Open Squared Weekly Bullet Journal Planner Layout with large center margins

Watch the planning video, click through to YouTube and hit ‘Subscribe” for more videos. Be the first to know when a new video is available.

I’ve loved the other week’s layouts for November. The minimalistic style has been great for some much-needed time to ponder and plan without being overwhelmed with the ‘to dos’. That has been so good because this month has been a pretty hectic one emotionally, which turns into pretty taxing on my physical well-being. It’s just one of those months that I have to ‘muscle through’.

Next Month’s Plans

I think that I may include more painting and whimsy next month for my planner spreads. Whimsical seems like a great word to describe the month of December. But one thing I have learned from this month’s minimalistic style is that it creates a creativity all on its own. It is very interesting how that works out.

Below are the measurements for this weekly spread. I did not include a timeline, but one could be easily added – they are 12×12 boxes just like the other weeks in November. I left the boxes open to the side just to change-up the design. Sign up below for a free printable of this measurement guide.

A Deliciously Simple Weekly Bullet Journal Spread Vertical Open Squared Weekly Bullet Journal Planner Layout with large center margins

Thanksgiving Menu Planning (or drooling over the plans)

What is your menu for Thanksgiving? This is what I plan (hope) to eat on Thanksgiving. Just a bit of each, not a heaping plateful. I realized after I finished doodling and started to paint that I included two sets of pea dishes. Or I just forgot what the one on the left was under the gravy. I turned it into a salad. Maybe it was cranberries. I don’t really like cranberries, so that’s why I forgot about them.

Thanksgiving Dinner Planned out in my Deliciously Simple Weekly Bullet Journal Spread Vertical Open Squared Weekly Bullet Journal Planner Layout with large center margins

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

Life is Happening Now – Layout Your Planner To Keep it on Track

2 Comments

Life is Passing by so Fast! Keep Life on Track.

Ah yes. November is zipping by. November is great here in the states because the focus seems to shift to gratitude. A whole month dedicated to gratitude. And food.  But it really is a nice time to reflect on the year gone by.

One thing I am thankful for – my planner. It keeps my life on track because I don’t just watch it pass by. I may seem like I have my nose stuck in my planner all day; but in reality, I plan at night when the kids are in bed as my creative release. My planner actually reminds me to put down my phone and have ‘kid time’ and enjoy their moments.

Life is Happening Now Hand Lettered Quote

If We Could Just Pause Time

My husband was talking to my two oldest children – they were trying to both climb on his lap. He told them that they were getting so big that they weren’t going to fit anymore and he would like for them to stop growing up right now.  Needless to say, the 6 and 8-year-old were not agreeable to that notion. They look forward to all the things in their life. They have so many possibilities to look forward to! But as their parents, we know that this time is all too fleeting.

I included ‘kid time’ as part of my habit trackers. This has spurred me to play outside with them, invent games, read with them, I remember to put my phone down and live in the moment as their childhood flits by. I am not missing it and for that I am grateful.

Squared boxes for the month of November - Minimal Row Layout with mini time-blocking - Keep Life on Track

Weekly Spread Design

I created this layout in kind with the other weeks in November. Minimal with a lot of white space. The 12×12 boxes seem to work well when I want enough room to plan for each day’s activities and still leaves ample space for doodling or writing in between. The extra box on the bottom right is just for symmetry. Last week I was all about the asymmetry. This week, the rows are nice and even and very symmetrical.

One thing I would do differently if I were to use this spread again – is I would start with Monday and label the days across the two pages to Thursday then start with Friday under Monday. Instead of Wednesday underneath Monday (see the picture versus the digital measurements below). I think it would flow better. It’s what I get for doing a ‘Plan With Me Video’. Sometimes on video things are not as clear as they would be when it’s just you planning. View the video here in the monthly setup post.

I enjoy these weekly layouts, just like I am enjoying life right now.

Guess what?

Life is happening now. And I am not letting it just pass me by. I am enjoying every moment.

I hope you remember to plan your life so you live beautifully and don’t let life pass you by either.

~Tricia

The Beautiful Why of Planning

2 Comments

Plan Your Life So You Live Beautifully – The Why of Planning

Someone very near to me (who will remain unidentified) questioned why I plan. They didn’t see a point to practicing my handwriting and my lettering. They suggested that I get my priorities in order. Um… Isn’t that what I am doing when I am planning? This conversation devastated me, and probably took a month or longer to shake off. It was with someone who I expected to back me up and to understand me – no matter if they understood what I was doing. Their suggestion stated that they did neither.

I don’t know what they were meaning when they told me that I should get my priorities in order. I took it to mean that they thought I was wasting my time. But the thing is…I have so many big plans and so many ideas! Tired of sitting, doing nothing but I had no purpose. It wasn’t until I started planning that I felt like I had a purpose to my life. Before I started planning, I was wandering blindly through life, not enjoying anything. To be completely honest, I was miserable and I made everyone else around me miserable too.

I realize a lot of people out there who might not understand what I do or why I do it.

I came up with a list of reasons why I plan:

  • I plan so we, as a family, know what we need to do.
  • So we don’t miss an appointment.
  • Personally, I plan so I can have more time to carry out what I want to do.
  • I plan so I can get my errands done in record time so we can do other fun things like go to the park, go on walks, so we can play outside, or watch a movie as a family.
  • I plan so we have more quality time together.
  • I plan so I can live better.
  • I plan so I don’t spend as much money on eating out.
  • I plan to save money.
  • I plan because I like feeling accomplished.
  • I like to set goals.
  • I like to see how far I’ve come.
  • I plan because it helps balances me emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

I plan so I can live more beautifully.

This has become my planning/life mantra when I came up with it a couple of months ago. You may have noticed in earlier blog posts. Now you know why.

The beautiful why of planning | Reasons why I plan. Plan your life so you live beautifully.

There are lots of different ways to plan.

There are many planning systems to use: hardbound, traveler’s notebooks, spiral bound, pre-dated, disc bound etc. Styles of planning are endless – minimal, art journaling, weekly, monthly, daily and a mix of these. Add accessories such as stickers, washi tape, doodling hand-lettering, or stamps. None of these options is wrong if it works for you. I like the bullet journal because I can change it to suit my needs. One week I may need a very clean, minimal layout, the next, I may need to immerse myself in a full-color water-painted page with pretty lettering and motivational quotes. Creating is part of my ‘why’ for planning and I like a variety.

Re-discovered Talent and Passion

I used to paint and draw every day. Then life happened to me and I forgot. I literally forgot that I liked to draw and paint for 12 years. When I started keeping a bullet journal as a planner, the pages were open for my interpretation. I started doodling again. Then I started drawing again. Shortly after, I found a paintbrush and I tried something new for me – water coloring. I had never attempted to watercolor before. What was this magic I had missed? Not long after this, I started seeing this concept of hand-lettering words and phrases that looked like calligraphy.

I practiced calligraphy a long time ago, but this looked different to me. I started trying to make the thin and thick lines that were so clear in this newfound version of calligraphy. And quickly fell in love with it.

Personal Changes Accompanying the Filled Pages

As I filled up the pages of a dotted notebook, I realized that I was changing too. I had passion in my life and I loved more deeply, not just journal-related things, but the people in my life as well. I found that I wanted to improve – as a person. Setting goals became a regular thing in my life; I haven’t liked to set goals before I started planning and keeping a journal. I do now and I enjoy it. Seeing the improvement is addictive.

What’s more, is I have started to accept myself as a person. I have started to see my worth.

This change is the most significant change I have seen in my life. Ever. Because there were times that I questioned if I belonged anywhere.

So to the anonymous person that questioned me and told me to get my priorities in order. I am. I am more than you know. This little book has brought me from the lowest of lows in my life to a place where I enjoy living again.

So friends, ask yourself why do you plan? And be honest with your answers. Certainly, you’ll discover some real gems in your life.

I plan so I can live more beautifully.

I hope you live your life so you can live more beautifully as well.

~ Tricia

Read: Give your Goals & Plans a Defined Timeline or View my November 2017 set up

Give Yourself a Little White Space – in design and life

3 Comments

Good morning! Well, its morning here and the start of a new day. Thank goodness for fresh starts! It is amazing what can happen when your baby doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night.  But I did have a terrible dream at the end of the night – it involved two of my old bosses. In the dream, they were Nazis and had to go through all my stuff and claim anything of worth for forgiveness of their own sins. I really didn’t want them to find my laptop but I was most upset that they were making my husband do the dirty work. The psyche is an interesting space, especially in dreams.

Looking at next week’s plans, I don’t have much on the agenda. For that, I am grateful. That dream was cause for some reflection. I think I need some downtime to organize and think about goals and priorities for the next year – just like I suggested in my last post. I like to call downtime ‘white space’. White space in design (also called negative space) is ‘the space between the design or the unprinted area’ (thank you dictionary.com). It allows your mind to rest and process the design. If you filled an entire page with ‘stuff’ in an advertisement, nothing would stand out and the message would be lost. Then it would become wasted space. The ad would fail and you would probably lose your job…eventually.

White Space in Design and Life is Necessary

White space is necessary for design. I would say it is needed for life. I refuse to call it ‘negative space‘ in context to my life – because it is anything but negative. Speaking in a design sense, the ‘negative space’ is probably the most positive space in my life. I would love to start a revolution to the term when referring to life from ‘negative space’ to ‘positive space’ because of the significant positive impact. But changing terms would be confusing and all the designers would be angry. I like what they do so I won’t start the revolution.

Leave whitespace in your life and in your planner to easily adapt to life's unpredictability and don't forget the whiteout

Correlations, Parables & Fables

I love these plays on words. I also love life correlations. In the New Testament, they are known as parables. Where there are but there are levels of understanding in a story. The more you study, the deeper the meaning. Aesop’s fables are another source for life correlations.  Open for life interpretation. If you haven’t read the fables in a long time, the Kindle edition is usually very reasonably priced. I’m not saying that I have incredible insights and you should read more into what I am saying but it sure is fun to look for alternative meanings and deeper insights in the everyday.

Add Margins to Your Life and Designs

I designed this week’s layout with a significant amount of margin keeping with the simple, minimal design. Filled with white space. In my previous week’s post, I talked about my horrible day. Here is a preview of that day on my mood tracker. I woke up the next day determined to see a better day because I don’t intend to have an entire mood tracker filled with red and burgundy. What I fully intend is to have a lot of purple, yellows, and greens. I have to allow myself to recover from these bad days and the only way I know how is to leave myself some breathing room.

Mood Tracking - First Day Flop - Tracking moods by activity

How to Bounce Back

To bounce back from a truly terrible day, I knew that I needed to take full advantage of the margins I built into my days. Scale things back a little, enjoy some sunshine, make sure I play outside with my kids, go on an impromptu mini-date with my husband. Slow down and enjoy the things in my life.

Adding margin to your life allows for the unexpected. If you have room to adjust for surprises in the day-to-day you’ll be more likely to bounce back.

While I was setting up this week’s spread, I completely miscounted the top boxes. If you look closely on Friday, you can see my whiteout (though I use correction tape, not whiteout) I don’t mind using correction tape. It fixes the problem and I move on.

In life and planners whiteout mistakes and move on!

Here are some questions for you:

I’d love to know what your response is. Or you can just use them as journal prompts.

  • How do you plan white space into your day?
  • Do you include intentional downtime in your daily activities?
  • What impact does this have in your life?

I hope you have enjoyed a little insight into my life, my planners, and my dreams. We are all journeying to something bigger & better – at least that’s what we hope. Journaling and planning have certainly propelled me on that course.

I wrote an early post on who I give credit to here. I’d love to know who you credit in your current journey’s progression.

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

Add margin and whitespace to your planner and your life

And like that…It’s November – 1st Week of November – Minimal for Function

9 Comments

And like that…It’s November.

What in the world? It’s November! I just got used to writing 2017 as the year. We are in the thick of holiday season (or very near to the thick – is that a thing?) and I am definitely relying on my minimalistic weekly designs to guide me through this busy time of year.  I decided this month to start at the beginning of the month instead of half the week’s spread from October and the other half as November. So I ended up with a couple of half-week layouts.

I had big plans for the start of this month

My big plans were to start this month off beautifully. I even went grocery shopping this morning to get ahead on…well.. life without having to drag my three kids along. All those good intentions were met at every turn with something just trying to bring me to my knees.

You ever have one of those days you know, the day that just won’t quit? That was today for me. I have worked very hard to simplify this next month and show more gratitude. I firmly believe that if I wouldn’t have tried so hard to include these two things in my life today could have quite possibly knocked me down for a good part of the month. It was that bad. I didn’t realize I would gain strength from simplifying my life and having an enhanced attitude of gratitude.

This week has just five boxes on this page plus a ‘to do’ section – it’s strange how a minimalistic design can bring such peace and tranquillity amidst chaos.

What do you do for tranquility?

So I would like to know what you do that helps bring tranquility to your life when your whole day goes awry.

  • Do you meditate?
  • Do you exercise?
  • Yoga?
  • Eat Chocolate?
  • Binge-watch your favorite show?

After I post this, I am going to go mindlessly doodle.  Maybe it will be amazing. Maybe not. Today it doesn’t matter because I need it to mentally recharge. Regardless of the outcome of my doodles, I feel like because I planned – not just my day but planned my month to live beautifully I am able to overcome and bounce back ready for a new day with renewed resolve.

Dimensions of the Spread:

Here are the dimensions of the single page plan – this could be used for a work week with just 5 days and fit two weeks to a two-page spread.

Tomorrow is a new day hand lettered quote

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

Tricia

Starting in the middle of the week with the beginning of a new month? Here is a minimalistic weekly design for your bullet journal, minimalism