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Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas

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Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com

Autumn is in the air, with crisp air settling in and color-changing leaves on the horizon in the upper hemisphere! With it comes caramel apples, pumpkins, spiced lattes, and sweater weather. And, of course, it’s time to decorate your bullet journal for fall! If you’re looking for fall bullet journal theme ideas, get out your pen & notebook. I’m excited to share with you this list of fabulous autumn bullet journal theme ideas.

In addition to bullet journal theme ideas for fall, I also compiled a list of bullet journal collection ideas & color schemes to try for the autumn season.

Look for my Halloween-specific bullet journal theme ideas as well!

Table of contents

First on the Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas: Leaves & Trees!

I can’t write about fall theme ideas in your bullet journal without mentioning fall foliage and all the leaves shapes.

It seems that nearly every year, I do a colored leaf-themed bullet journal in the Fall. I’m not mad, but I am surprised. Fall really is my favorite season! I went back through all of my journals to find fall 2018, and I have a gap between the end of one book, August 2018 and November 2018. Oh well! I guess I make up for it by having two in 2017.

September 2017 – Fall leaves weekly – still one of my favorite spreads, and it makes me want to use more colored pencils.

November 2017 – Aspen Forest Welcome Page

November 2019 – with bright colors and semi-dutch door feel on the monthly. Maybe I should try this again. I really like the effect.

September 2020 – Acrylic markers blended from green leaves to fall colors for a beautiful effect.

I feel like Forrest Gump. I could go on and on. By the way, if you like puns, ‘leaf’ is an excellent start to a pun-tastic fall bullet journal theme. I’ll just ‘leaf’ that idea right there. I’m sure you could blow me away with all your colorful puns. Don’t let these ideas dry up. I really should stop now.

Suppose you’re looking for more ideas for an autumn theme. Keep reading. I promise there are so many good ideas.

Journal Page - I love how these acrylic markers blend & create a bright, functional journaling page in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
November Bullet Journal Set-up Fall Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #fall #leaves #bulletjournal
Autumn leaves sketch for the weekly planner spread in my bullet journal. I can't get enough of September and Fall.
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread
Fall Bullet Journal Planning - Monthly Log | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #monthlyplanner
Fall Bullet Journal Planning - Cut Page Border | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #monthlyplanner
Close up of the color changing leaves for my September Plan With Me in my Bullet Journal - Color blends done with acrylic markers on the monthly log & September Cover Page in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Ideas: Idea Tree Instead of Brain Dump | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #bulletjournal #ideas

Second on the list for Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas: Apples!

Of course, you are free to choose your theme but remember you don’t have to include only images of apples. For instance, a few years ago, I created a bullet journal spread with signposts and apple buckets as though I was in an apple orchard.

In fact, here are some apple-related brain dump page names. Because I love to name my brain dump pages something other than ‘brain dump.’

  • Fill the Orchard / Fill the Bucket
  • Orchard of Thoughts
  • Apple Bucket
  • No Bad Apples
  • Ripe Thoughts
  • Thoughts for the Picking
  • Wooden Directional Signs Weekly Bullet Journal Layout - Fun, whimsical signs point the direction to each day of the week, leaving plenty of space for appointments, to-dos and notes. | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Apple orchard weekly bullet journal theme - fun, easy and adaptable to your style. | ChocolateMusings.com

More Fall Food Theme Inspiration:

  • Apple Cider
  • Candy
  • Candy Corn
  • Caramel
  • Cinnamon
  • Coffee
  • Comfort Food
  • Corn on the Cob
  • County Fair Foods
  • Food
  • Mason Jars
  • Oktoberfest
  • Popcorn
  • Pumpkin
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • S’Mores
  • Spiced Lattes & Pumpkin Spiced Lattes
  • Cups of Hot Tea or Spiced Cider
  • Vegetables
  • Wine Bottles
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread

Happening in the Fall

Find some easy to doodle Halloween headers in this post, or check out how to create mummy-wrapped text in this post. If back to school is on your calendar, check out these back-to-school doodles.

Gratitude Wall for November Instagram Challenge | ChocolateMusings.com #gratitudewall #bulletjournal #bujo #grateful
August Welcome Page School Building - Watercolor old fashioned school with a big bell | ChocolateMusings.com
How to Draw Mummy Text great for bullet journaling & planner headers video tutorial with complete step-by-step walk-through
6 Fun & Easy Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal or Planner | ChocolateMusings.com #doodles #howtodraw

Fall Outdoor Fun Bullet Journal Inspiration

My family used to attend a local ‘witches night out’ around Halloween. We loved the crafts & food and witch costumes! They sponsored a fun run, as well! If you’re into running, look for any themed half-marathon or runs in your area and do them as a family.

  • At the Farm/Barnyard
  • Camping
  • Cookouts
  • Corn Maze
  • County Fair Silhouette/Outlines
  • County Fair Rides & Prizes
  • Farmer’s Market
  • Hay Bales
  • Hot Air Balloons (found on my whimsical travel theme post)
  • Pumpkin Patches (here’s a pumpkin themed weekly spread.) I don’t know about you, but sometimes I like to create my page and then add doodles later. That’s essentially what I did with that spread – substitute the pumpkins for other doodles and change it out all year.
  • Scarecrow (you could even go all out and do the Wizard of Oz!)
Bright fun watercolor hot air balloons - weekly bullet journal layout travel themed | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #weekly #watercolor
Planet Balloon Weekly Layout With Planet Orbits | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #bujo #space #weekly
August Welcome Page School Building - Watercolor old fashioned school with a big bell | ChocolateMusings.com
Watercolor Farm Theme & Quote - Welcome August - Bullet Journal Welcome Page | ChocolateMusings.com
Fall Minimal Weekly Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com #bujo #bulletjournal #weeklyspread
Weekly Horizontal Bullet Journal with mini-time blocking and cute pumpkin doodles

Night Sky

  • Cabin in Woods with Smoke
  • Full Moon
  • Harvest Moon
  • Moon Cycles
  • Night Sky
  • Stars
  • Tree Silhouettes
  • Witch across a moon
  • Cat sitting on a fence in front of the moon

Moons and galaxies are some of my favorite things to paint outside of my bullet journal. I’ve seen a lot of moon phase layouts as well. Some use glistening glittery paint. Others are just outlines of each shape. Whatever you choose, I’m sure a moon theme would be spectacular.

  • Watercolor Moon & Forest Painting | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Full moon above the trees watercolor painting | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Watercolor Moon Painting with galaxy background | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Weekly Bullet Journal Spread - Moon Cycles - Watercolor Painted with Crayola Markers- fun and simple weekly spread and layout | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Nighttime Sky with Moon and Stars Hand Painted Watercolor Greeting Card | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #moon #nightsky

Warm & Cozy Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas

  • Candles
  • Cooking
  • Firewood
  • Flannel
  • Knitting
  • Plaid
  • Movie Nights
  • Sweaters
  • Tea Lights
  • Warm & cozy
Argyle Sweater Bullet Journal Cover Page | ChocolateMusings.com

Enhance Your Fall Bullet Journal Theme – Fall Collections

Beyond The theme in your Bullet Journal for fall, here are some great ideas for collections to include during the fall months.

Clothing & Accessories

  • Bag Wishlist
  • Bags I have
  • Clothing Size Lists for Family
  • Coats I Own
  • Fall Outfits
  • Ideal Outfit
  • Sweaters I Own (list colors/patterns)

Keeping a list of clothing items that you currently own sounds like a great way enhance the nostalgia when you flip back through your bullet journal. When you start including snapshots of your life, it brings a sense of who you are at that very moment and keeps that time as a memory. It’s not just about schedules and to-do lists. It’s recording a snippet of your life. At least, that’s how I use my creative planner.

Fall Self-Care Practices

  • Bath Bombs to Try
  • Self-Care List
  • Favorite Shops
  • Favorite Coffee Houses/Diners
  • Things that Motivate You

I know during the fall, life gets busier, schedules take over, and sometimes self-care suffers. Make a list of what you do to make yourself happy in the fall and winter months. Make sure to carry this list through winter to help prevent feeling glum.

Food

  • Bulk Cooking Ideas
  • Fall recipes
  • Favorite fall foods
  • Hot Drinks to Try
  • Restaurant Meal Menus

Here’s a post on recipe tracking – especially when you get a new fall recipe book!

Try New Recipes - Bullet Journal Tracker

Things to Do in the Fall:

  • Fall Bucket List
  • Family Hikes
  • Local Fall Activities Map With Dates/Times
  • Local Farmers Markets
  • Night Sky Tracker
  • Knitting Plans
  • Places to see fall leaves
  • TV Show Tracker
  • TV Time Tracker

If you’re looking for more things to do and celebrate during the fall season, be sure to check out my random holiday list. Select a few miscellaneous holidays and celebrate in fun, interesting ways. I also find fun fall bullet journal theme ideas hidden in the list of random holidays.

Holiday Preparedness

  • Cold Weather Travel Packing List
  • Decoration List
  • Decorations to Replace
  • Family Records for Health, Dental & Medical
  • Holiday Planning Ideas
  • Tools I Own (or your significant other – maybe you found the perfect gift!)

Sorry to tell you, but the holidays are on our doorstep. Now is a great time to make some lists in your bullet journal of things you need for the holidays. Get prepared early so that you can enjoy the upcoming season!

Journaling

  • Favorite Fall Memories
  • Past Halloween Costumes for you or your kids

I love to keep a list of past fun in my book. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a list of all your kid’s yearly Halloween costumes? The thing with this type of list is that you don’t have to sit down and compile it all at once. Add to it as you remember or as Facebook memories remind you. I can’t believe that I’m going to thank Facebook for something, but here we go, thanks Facebook for the memories!

Sports

  • Football dream team
  • Football Tracker
  • Soccer

I know I’m missing more sports-related trackers during the fall. What other fall sports would you track in your bullet journal?

Color Inspiration for your Fall Bullet Journal

  • Oranges, reds, purples
  • Tans, browns, and yellows
  • Deep reds like burgundy
  • Transitions from green to yellow to red and finally purple

I love the color of mulled cider and cinnamon. There are more than one reasons why I love fall, and the colors don’t disappoint. I adore the rich, vibrant colors associated with fall foliage and the autumn season.

From bright orange pumpkins to the deep rustic orange of mulled cider. Golden yellow, tan, and brown present their rich, flavorful hues during the fall months. Dark Reds like burgundy paired with dark purples lend comfort and a sense of warmth.

  • Journal Page - I love how these acrylic markers blend & create a bright, functional journaling page in my bullet journal | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Welcome Page - November Bullet Journal Set Up | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #plannerinspiration #bujo #welcomepage
  • Autumn leaves sketch for the weekly planner spread in my bullet journal. I can't get enough of September and Fall.

Fall Bullet Journal Themes Inspiration & Ideas

I hope this list of fall bullet journal theme ideas turned on the idea factory in your head. I can’t wait to see what you create. If you use any of these themes, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram @ChocoalateMusingsCreates #myplannermuse

  • Fall Watercolor Leaves - Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas + Collection & Color Scheme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Fall Bullet Journal Theme Ideas | ChocolateMusings.com

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

September 2021 Plan With Me – Skyline Paper Craft

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For September 2021 I chose skylines for my theme in my bullet journal. I imagined the plan with me would start with browsing some famous skylines and trying to duplicate them with watercolor in my notebook. Well, as it turns out, I took a detour. I stuck with skylines but went about creating them in a completely different way.

Confession: I NEVER thought I’d create paper collages in my bullet journal – even though they are all over Instagram and Pinterest right now. A quick Google search brings up hundreds of pictures and ideas. Many of which are very intricate and involve tearing paper.

This design, however, does not require any tearing. Most buildings are square and boxy – and that makes it easy to create from paper – especially dot-grid paper. I used a variety of methods to cut paper this month, a paper trimmer, scissors, and even my Cricut.

If you feel like you fit into the category of people who are not artistic or creative, then let the spreads this month inspire you. You can create many different effects depending on the shape of the buildings and if you decide to layer the buildings.

Papercraft City Skyline Bullet Journal Theme - September 2021 + VIDEO Plan With me | ChocolateMusings

Table of contents

September 2021 Plan With Me Layouts

  • Page Welcome Spread – facing a small monthly calendar + split monthly log for events.
  • Habit Tracker Page + To Do List
  • Weeklies using the same basic layout, then altered to have their own unique flair
  • Brain Dump Page (using PH Martin’s Iridescent Calligraphy Colors + Glass Pen)
  • Cityscape bullet journal welcome page + monthly calendar log Bullet Journal Theme for September 2021 + Plan With Me Video | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Tall Buildings Habit Tracker - Papercraft City Scape Bullet Journal September 2021 Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Blocks and buildings at night - city scape bullet journal weekly easy layout | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Shimmery Shiny Ink Building Outline Drawing | Chocolatemusings.com

Products Used:

September 2021 Plan With Me Video

Watch the plan with me video for September 2021 below. Then make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I hope you find some inspiration from the design, tips and tricks, and some of the mistakes and solutions I used.

September Welcome Page

The ONLY lettering I did this month was on the welcome page with some watercolor paints and I made a big “To Do” page next to the habit tracker. Other than that, The whole month is pretty simple.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to letter all my headings. It helps me quickly find pages as I’m flipping through my book. But I also enjoy trying something new. And I see a lot of people who want to have ‘pretty’ pages but who don’t draw or paint or have developed the lettering skill – yet.

  • Layered City Scape Bullet Journal Set Up | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Easy Peasy City silhouette bullet journal theme + Plan With Me Video | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Paper cut buildings at night bullet journal welcome page | ChocolateMusings.com

‘September’ Lettering Process

To letter ‘September’ on the welcome page, I used shimmery Coliro (Finetec) watercolor paints. This Pheonix color is one of my favorite colors ever. It’s got gold undertones and glows red and orange and shimmers with gold.

Tip: The best way to activate this paint is to drop a bit of water on each paint well and let it sit for a minute. When you’re ready to paint, use your paintbrush to mix up the colors a bit. Look at those shimmery colors!

Painting over different levels created by the paper was a little difficult the paintbrush tip kept catching on the different levels of paper.

  • Coliro Watercolor Paints - Mixing Close Up | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Building Papercraft Welcome Spread with Iridescent Watercolor Handlettering | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Watercolor Handlettering Bullet Journal Welcome Page Title | ChocolateMusings.com

Monthly Log

I normally create a two-page monthly calendar, but this month, I created a small calendar and a simple two-column monthly log.

I messed up and started the month on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday. This happens to me a lot, so I habitually check the dates early when I start inking. Generally, when I pencil in the calendar, I add Sunday’s date listed in the calendar so I have a reference and can correct mistakes easily. It’s amazing how writing sequential numbers is so difficult!

For the monthly log section, I used these handy-dandy stickers that I sell in my shop to list out 1-30 (or 1-31) for the days of the month. They fit perfectly in a 5mm dot grid. In this case, I used clear stickers, but I also have white stickers.

September has 30 days, and since I’m splitting the month into two columns instead of one tall column on the page, I cut the 31st off and then sliced the sticker between 15 & 16. Viola! Now I don’t have to write the numbers again. (And probably mess up the number sequence – like I always do!)

Tip: Once the ink dries (completely!) – don’t forget to erase your pencil lines.

Simple Monthly Calendar + Log Layout - Minimal Bullet Journal Monthly | ChocolateMusings.com

Habit Tracker

On my habit tracker page, I created tall, slim buildings. Each building is 2.5 cm (5squares) wide and at least 15.5 cm (31 squares) high. I’ll fill in the 2nd and 4th squares across when I complete a habit for the day. Since September has 30 days, I split the tracker into two columns. Each day, I can mark one of the squares as a window to check off the habit. In the end, it will look like a building all lit up at night.

To add variety to the page, each building has a different ‘hat’ topper and is a different height so I could add doors at the bottom. I numbered each window in pencil so I could easily find it and reduce mistakes during the month. It’s not saying that I won’t still make a mistake and mark the wrong day, but I can try.

Pro Tip: Use your Cricut or Silhouette Machine to cut out building shapes instead of cutting them by hand.

I hope you had a chance to check out the September 2021 plan with me video above. I have to admit that this is one of the easiest habit trackers I’ve ever created. Now, I can’t wait to fill in all the windows.

September 2021 Plan With Me Cityscape Bullet Journal Habit Tracker + Set Up Plan With Me Video | ChocolateMusings.com

Weeklies – Easy, Minimal Rectangle + Vinyl Sticker Layouts

I decided that I wanted to use paper strips to define the day sections in my weeklies. I was going for a minimal graphic grid layout. After one glorious failed attempt at gluing the strips to my journal, I switched to cutting out the strips on my Cricut machine using removable vinyl.

Now, there are not many times that I claim to have above-average intelligence, but this solution was pure genius.

  • Minimal Blocky Black and White Weekly Bullet Journal Layout | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Easy Building Silhouette Weekly Bullet Journal Minimal Spreads | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Easy Buildings at Night Silhouette Weekly Bullet Journal Minimal Spreads | ChocolateMusings.com

Brain Dump Page: Wander Through My Wonderings

The brain dump page is a main staple throughout most of my notebook planning pages. This September 2021 Plan With Me is no different.

I love to use alternate names for “Brain Dump.” This time, I called it ‘wander through my wonderings’.
Every month, I use a page like this to catch all the extra thoughts, random ideas, experiences, and anything that I need to jot down.

Since I love using different names for brain dump pages, I figured you would, too. So I created a list of 150+ different names that you can use to replace the name ‘brain dump’ in your bullet journal.

I tried to use a silver pen to do building outlines, but it showed up even less than the pencil lines where I sketched out the buildings on the page. I knew I didn’t want black outlines because I wouldn’t be able to write over them. So I dusted off the glass nib and iridescent ink colors from DR. PH Martin. Controlling the ink flow in some cases was a little difficult, but I love the way this page turned out and I know that it will be a favorite page to review.

Building Outline Brain Dump Spread - Wander Through my Wonderings | ChocolateMusings.com

Summary

I hope you’ve gathered some inspiration from my September 2021 Plan With Me post.

If you’d like to add a bit of creativity to your bullet journal spreads but don’t feel confident enough to draw or handletter, I hope these spreads give you the inspiration to try something new. It was so fun to see these buildings rise up on my page from nothing. I can’t wait to use these spreads.

Layered Note Paper + Gold Pen Accents + Vinyl strips = easy peasy Bullet Journal Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

6 Fun & Easy to Draw Back-to-School Doodles

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Here are 6 fun and easy-to-draw back-to-school doodles for your bullet journal or planner! Add a weekly art or doodle box to your bullet journal or planner so you can try them out when inspiration strikes. You can also use them for headers or note spaces. These doodles are super easy and fun to try! Try all sorts of variations once you get the hang of drawing these simple school sketches.

Originally Posted September 19, 2019 – Edited July 22, 2021

Back-to-school Doodles Header

Table of contents

  • How to Draw a Pencil Planner Doodles | ChocolateMusings.com

Supplies

All you need to doodle is a pencil and some paper, but if you want to outline your drawings with a pen, use an archival pen so it doesn’t smudge when coloring. Keep in mind that you need to let the ink completely dry even when using an archival pen. Sometimes it’s a couple of minutes or it might be more. It really depends on the pen & the paper you’re using.

I drew all of these in pen because it’s easier to see in the picture examples, but I would draw them in pencil first and then finish off with pen & coloring.

Crayola Supertip markers are some of my favorites to color with because they have such a variety of colors, and they are relatively inexpensive. But you can use colored pencils, Tombow markers, or anything else you have on hand or leave it uncolored if you want.

Archival Pens I Recommend:

These are archival pens I’ve personally tried out and use. I always recommend doing some experiments on your pen test page in your notebook to see how long it takes for each pen to dry.

Back-to-School Art Doodles: How to Draw a Pencil

The pencil doodle is one of my favorites! And you can customize it in so many ways.

  • Start by drawing two parallel lines
  • Then add a point where you connect the two lines with diagonal lines.
How to Draw a Pencil Part 1 - Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #BTS #backtoschool #doodles #backtoschooldoodles
  • Add curved lines to separate the body and show the sharpened part of the pencil and a curved line for the lead.
  • On the other end, add thin rectangles at the end of your first parallel lines
  • Then add shorter parallel lines for the eraser.
  • Cap it off with an oval or curved lines for the eraser.
  • Add some additional lines down the center of the pencil
  • Finish it off by coloring your pencil sketch.

You can see that I added a little darker color on the left-hand side of the pencil. This shows that the light is coming from the right-hand side. You don’t have to add shadows, but they add a little dimension to the drawing.

How to Draw a Pencil Part 2 - Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #BTS #backtoschool #doodles #backtoschooldoodles

Back-to-School Doodles: How to Draw a Chemistry Flask

Since most flasks are see-through, you will have to show the outside and inside of the container.

  • The top opening is an oval with a lip, so start by drawing an oval inside another oval.
  • Once you draw your top ovals, add parallel lines down from the center oval, but don’t extend them too far.
  • Draw the curve of the bottom of the flask. If you’d rather draw a larger oval you can do that in pencil. Sometimes it’s helpful to follow the same curve as the top oval as they have similar shapes.

Note: The bottom of the flask is another oval, but that oval won’t connect all the way through. This is when it’s helpful to draw with a pencil so you can erase unnecessary parts before inking in your doodle.

How to Draw a Chemistry Flask Part 1 - Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #BTS #backtoschool #doodles #backtoschooldoodles
  • Connect the bottom oval and the parallel lines with two diagonal lines.
  • If you didn’t draw this line initially, add the second curved line showing the inside bottom of the flask. I usually don’t connect the bottom lines, but you can if you want!
  • Finally, you can add measurement lines and color the flask. You’re done with this fun back-to-school doodle!
How to Draw a Chemistry Flask Part 2 - Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #BTS #backtoschool #doodles #backtoschooldoodles

Back-to-School Doodles: How to Draw a Clipboard


Idea: use this clipboard art doodle for the notes section in a weekly planner spread or as the day/date indicator for a week.

  • Start by drawing a rectangle, but don’t close off the box at the top middle (or draw in pencil and erase later).
  • Then draw a short line on the inside near the top for the clip part.
  • Add a curve in between the unconnected lines at the top.
  • Add two curved lines to connect your center curve to the straight line and add a circle at the top.
  • Include some details like paper (or several sheets stacked on the clipboard). Draw the sheets of paper under the clamp, but on the inside of the clipboard.
  • Finish off your adorable clipboard with color or details!
How to Draw a Clipboard Part 2 - Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #BTS #backtoschool #doodles #backtoschooldoodles

Back-to-School Doodles: How to Draw a Ruler

You might not think about sketching a ruler since usually, it’s one of the tools you use to draw! But you could use this doodle in so many ways in your planner or bullet journal. Add curved edges instead of hard, rectangular edges, and adding the metal tip as you find on some wooden rulers, it really dresses up this little back-to-school doodle!

  • Start with horizontal parallel lines
  • Add vertical lines to the ends of the two original lines.

Tip: If you want curved corners, don’t connect the two sets of lines and draw little curves before connecting them.

  • Add a longer set of marks then add shorter lines between each of those long lines to create measurements.

Optional: If you want the metal tip, add a thin line to the top and connect it to your ruler.

  • Finally, color away! You don’t have to stick with the traditional brown if it doesn’t go with your color scheme!

Back-to-School Doodles: How to Draw an Open Book

I have to admit that this is one of my favorite back-to-school doodles. And you could use it as part of a reading log if you wanted, as well.

  • Start out your doodle with three vertical parallel lines. The centerline is the middle of the book.
  • To make the pages, draw a curved line on the top and bottom connecting your parallel lines.
  • Curve up near the center and curve down on the edge, similar to a slight S turned on its side.
  • Add a curved line for the spine of the book at the top and bottom of the center.
  • Draw two more vertical parallel lines on the outside of the book.
  • For the next step, add the outside box for the cover.
  • Add additional curved lines to add more pages to the book, following the original lines.
  • Color in your doodle!

This one may take some trial and effort to get the page curves and the cover to look right. But once you do, I’m sure you’ll find some excuses to use this sketch in your planner!

Back-to-School Doodles: How to Draw a Sticky Note

Aaaah the sticky note or Post-it ® note. I use these all the time in my planner, not just the doodle, but the real thing. Where would we be if we didn’t have sticky notes? You can answer that if you like, but I’m just being silly.

This sketch is one of the easiest, and it has ample space to write in, so you can use the area for so many options in your planner!

  • Start out by drawing a square and leave the bottom right corner unfinished. (Of course you can draw in pencil and erase it later)
  • Next draw a diagonal line connecting the two corners (see step #3). I went out of order from the illustration below. It’s easier to draw the diagonal line first then draw curved lines.
  • Now add two very curved lines to a point showing the page is curving up.
  • Erase any unnecessary pencil marks and color it in if you wish!

I hope you’ve enjoyed some of these back-to-school doodles and will try them out in your planner! I’d love to see your creations, post on Instagram, and tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates. Here are some other recommended posts you might enjoy!

6 Fun & Easy Back-to-School Doodles for your Bullet Journal or Planner | ChocolateMusings.com #doodles #howtodraw

5 Tips to Get Back to Bullet Journaling

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5 Tips to Return to Bullet Journaling and Create a Useful, Functional Planner - tips for starting fresh when it's been a while | ChocolateMusings.com

Are you trying to get back to bullet journaling after a long absence? Me too. I want to get back into it, and know that I need to, because it was the only method of keeping a planner (aka my life together) that’s ever worked. So to give you ideas for jumping back into bullet journaling. I’ll include the things I do to ‘get back on the wagon’ after an absence, no matter how long.

I know I’ve neglected this blog and so many other things, including my planner and bullet journal. But I knew I had to give myself time. It is time to adjust to the new reality in my life and time to form all the changes in my life. Because heaven knows I’m burnt out.

If you’re trying to get back in the swing of things after a long unintended break, we are in the same boat. I believe everyone will agree that the past 12 months have been life-altering in some way, form, or fashion. For me, I became the sole income earner in our household. My husband lost his job early in April, and boy has it been a struggle for me.

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Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

Let’s stop for a minute, and I have to say kudos to you. Yes, you, the one reading this post. Kudos to you for holding your head high and taking that next step when you don’t feel like you can go on. Good job for making it this far in whatever struggle you’re going through. Because I feel it, the struggle is physical, emotional, spiritual, all the -als. (is money an -al word? If not, it should be!) All of this nonsense has hit us in our wallets, too.

I crave something consistent in my life. I yearn for some element that I know I control no matter what. Then it came to me. I wanted this before I started bullet journaling. It’s the same feeling! I need to return to my roots when I discovered this method. The process and implementation may change, but the fundamental approach is there.

I decided to include a page called “Give Credit Where Credit is Due” in my bullet journal this year. It’s a page where I write down the good things that I do and often write them off as ‘luck’ or try to downplay accomplishments.

Give yourself credit where credit is due - Journal Page in my bullet journal to recognize achievements both big and small. | ChocolateMusings.com

When You Get Back to Bullet Journaling

Your bullet journal might not look like it did when you left. Meaning, you might not need to include the same things you did before quarantine, and our lives were turned upside down. That’s when I get overwhelmed and don’t know what I need to do. Here are some tips to help you get back to bullet journaling – modified now to fit your current needs.

#1 – Go Back to the Beginning, The Basics

Start over. Start again. That’s my first tip to get back into bullet journaling when you’ve lost the momentum for a while. Remember when you first started with your planner – what did that feel like? What were your ambitions and intentions? Even if the method changes, your overall purpose might be the same.

For instance, for me, I have a few items on my weekly schedule. But I have many to-dos, and I love to record the random thoughts and my past experiences. I also use my bullet journal as a creative outlet. None of those things have changed for me.

So the way I carry out the bullet journal might be a little different, but I intend to do the same thing with it that I started.

How to do it:

Take an inventory of the reason behind your bullet journal. Have your basic needs changed? What do you need to track?

P.s. Don’t feel guilty for starting a new book. Chances are you have an empty notebook in a drawer or shelf calling your name. Use the opportunity for a fresh start.

#2 – Review and Eliminate – Include Just the Essentials

New year, new bullet journal setup for 2021 - Index Page Organization with Washi Tape | ChocolateMusings.com

If you haven’t done so already, make a list of the things you need to track. Review your list and make sure that you do not include items just for the sake of including them. If you did them in the past, great. You don’t have to do them now if they don’t fit your current needs.

I’ve learned over the past year that when I feel overwhelmed, I have to eliminate anything that isn’t necessary. So if you used to track 20 habits every day, and now the idea of monitoring that many habits seem entirely overwhelming – stop. If you feel compelled to track habits, start with one or two or even the top three. Ease back into it. Make them habits you will work on. After all, tracking habits is a habit as well.

Take Away: Your bullet journal should never be overwhelming. It should absorb all of those to-dos, those thoughts, those schedules running amok in your brain and give a central place to maintain them. That gives me a sense of relief, and I hope it does for you, too.

If you don’t feel relief and instead feel stressed when using your notebook, well, then it might be time to change the way you’re using it. Eliminate the things that stress you out. Streamline your process. Focus on using the book to your advantage instead of creating an obstacle.

#3 – Add Pages or Trackers Back in Slowly

Once you’ve figured out which essentials you need to track or include in your bullet journal, start adding the other items back in, one by one. Add a new habit next month—experiment with making adjustments to your bullet journal to help you get back into it.

Remember: if it doesn’t feel like it’s working and it feels more like you’re fighting with your journal, don’t do it.

#4 – Make Your Bullet Journal Convenient to Use

November Thankful welcome page in my bullet journal - heart wreath with watercolor | ChocolateMusings.com

If you have to dig around for your bullet journal, chances are you won’t use it. An essential part of getting back to bullet journaling is to make it convenient. Set it out at night, so it’s the first thing you see in the morning. Review your to-dos, review your schedule. Make your planner a part of your plan. Nothing will ever help you if you don’t use it. So make it convenient to use.

#5 – Craving Something? Include It.

Alright, you’ve now done some heavy elimination in your quest to get back to using your bullet journal. You started at the beginning, revamped the reason for using this hunk of paper in your purse. You’ve reviewed the reasons why you want to get back to bullet journaling and eliminated every unessential thing (and maybe added in a few items).

Now you’re itching to add some fun back in. Do it! Don’t try to limit yourself if you feel like you want to include it in your notebook. This sort of craving isn’t going to add pounds to your hips. But it is going to add joy to your planner. If you can’t tell by reading my blog or watching my YouTube channel, I don’t use my bullet journal for function only. Don’t get me wrong, it’s functional for keeping track of the things I want, but it is a lot of fun. I know I wouldn’t have stuck with something so long if it weren’t fun.

Make sure you include the fun things that you crave. Live life, thrive! Don’t just survive.

Tip #6 – Review (Bonus Tip!)

Goal Assessment - take time to review your intentions and see how things measured up to your expectations | ChocolateMusings.com

Lastly, here’s a bonus tip. Review what you are doing. Make a record of the new things you tried and rate them or evaluate how they served you. Add a short note of what you’d like to change, improve or include for the next month. You can even make these notes throughout the month, so your review is effortless when planning the next period or month. Allow your bullet journal to be dynamic and to change with your needs. Get back to the way you need your bullet journal to be and let it conform to your life instead of you conforming to it.

Conclusion

I hope these tips can help you get back to bullet journaling and make the most of those blank pages so you thrive, not just survive.

Tumbitiri Meri Notebook Review - Dark Numbers on each page | ChocolateMusings.com #productreview #notebookreview #bulletjournal

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand

August 2021 Plan With Me – Surfing into New Beginnings

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I’m excited to share with you my August 2021 Plan With Me in a new Scribbles That Matter notebook. I’ve missed sharing here on my blog and social media. And it happens to be perfect timing to start again, especially since I’m starting a new bullet journal this August.

But first, before I get into the new August 2021 Plan With Me Post, I need to know: do you start a new journal in the middle of the year?

I see many people who can’t seem to bring themselves to start any time except January. I’ll start one any time I run out of pages or if I need a chance to start fresh. I see this question come up a lot in various Facebook groups. People think they are doing something wrong by starting in the middle of the year.

Like Gretchen Rubin, one of my favorite authors, I believe in new beginnings around the start of school. However, I believe in starting over no matter the time of the year if needed.

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Surfboard & Beaches August 2021 Plan With Me Theme Set Up & Inspiration | ChocolateMusings.com

Start Fresh No Matter What Time of Year

I’m here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with starting with a clean slate whenever you need it. I needed a reboot like many others out there because Covid-19 did a number on my well-being and mental health. So I started a new journal in September last year.

But then my poor old cat died, which sent me back into a depression spiral. It felt like the end of an era (she was 18). That event compounded with all the other struggles we were going through. If I would have picked up another book and created a new beginning again, I think it would have shortened the time for me to come back.

There is No Place for Guilt Trips in Bullet Journaling

Instead of allowing myself the grace I needed, I gave myself ridiculous guilt trips for leaving an entire book nearly blank. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies. Don’t hold yourself back and think that you are doing something wrong. Give yourself a little grace and allow some breathing room, especially when you’re struggling.

Give yourself what you need, and pay no mind to the mind-numbing guilt trips. If you need to start a new book, do it. If you need to stop doing something you’ve always done, by all means, change it up. These actions will likely help you move beyond what was holding you back. The sooner you start anew, the sooner you can start to heal.

I’m not sure if that speech was for me or any of you out there. I hope it helps. Now, I think it’s time to start sharing my August 2021 Plan With Me now!

August 2021 Plan With Me Inspiration

Without further ado, I’d like to introduce my August 2021 Bullet Journal Theme: Surfboards. This plan with me post is filled with beaches and surfboards.

Earlier in the summer, we had a huge family reunion for my husband’s parents at the beach. Although his family planned this trip for about three (!) years, they were able to keep it a surprise. An incredible feat since there were 50 people who came from all over the United States and some from Puerto Rico to attend.

We enjoyed the beaches and surf at Cocoa Beach, Florida. Though I don’t surf, I loved watching the surfers. I’m also fascinated with surfboard art (not just the art of surfboarding). We also visited Cape Canaveral and walked among the rocket gardens and imagined ourselves blasting off to the moon as these seemingly larger-than-life astronauts did.

Don’t be surprised if you see rockets, moons, and outer space in the coming months. (Even though I already have used space/planets as a theme in April 2018, May 2020, and an Eclipse Weekly theme in 2017). I know I missed traveling during 2020 because I always get so inspired by my travels. I think that traveling is one of the best ways to overcome a creative block.

Traveling is one of the best ways to overcome a creative block.

-Tricia @ Chocolate Musings

August 2021 – Theme Plan With Me Video

Want to see how I created all of these spreads throughout the month? Watch the theme set up video below & be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Surfboard Art – August Cover Page

Throughout the month of August, I plan on filling in the cover page with different doodles on each of the surfboards. It’s a fantastic way to include a doodle page in your monthly pages. Once it’s filled, I’ll update the post with a completed version of my August cover page.

Tip: If you have a desire to start a drawing practice every day, include a doodle page with squares, circles, or other shapes (like these surfboards) already set up in your notebook. so you can just pick up your pencil and draw without an excuse.

'Before' August Welcome Page + Daily Doodle Page 2021 Surfboard Plan With Me | ChocolateMusings.com

Washi Tape to the Rescue – Covering Mistakes

I love to watercolor paint in my bullet journals. Even though the paper handles paint very well, sometimes I add a bit too much water, and that’s when bleedthrough happens even in a 160 gsm notebook. It’s easy to forget that these notebook pages are not watercolor sheets.

On my monthly calendar page – I was so busy trying to blend the colors on the surfboard that I didn’t notice how soaked the page was getting. Well, it turns out that my habit tracker page bled badly, and my cover page is splotchy in one area. Since the area on the habit tracker page was blank, I decided to use washi tape in the shape of a surfboard to cover the mistake.

Sometimes it’s the mistakes that trigger new, interesting ideas. If you’re looking for a fun way to swatch your washi tape, create surfboards sampling each washi tape. Surfboards come with so many designs. This would be a great way to feature each strip of tape! Need help dealing with mistakes in your bullet journal? Here are some ways to cover them up or overcome the need for each page to be perfect.

  • Surf inspired Monthly Spread -I love the mix of bright colors and minimal boxes on this monthly bullet journal spread | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Surfboard Habit Tracker + Notes Page - fun theme + simple habit trackers | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Surfs Up Habit Tracker Page - Marker, Paint, & Washi Tape Surf Boards | ChocolateMusings.com

Brain Dump Page – Thought Wave

I tend to get stuck on all the bad ‘what if’ scenarios or play negative thoughts on repeat in my brain. So I included the phrase in this month’s brain dump page, “Ride Only the Good Ones,” of course referring to riding waves on a surfboard and reminding myself to focus on the good things in life as well.

Thought Waves Brain Dump Page - Ride only the good ones - a reminder to focus on the good thoughts instead of the negative ones | ChocolateMusings.com

If you’re looking for more unique names for “Brain Dump,” find 150+ different names to call ‘brain dump’ in this post. Whenever I come up with new names, I add them to my ever-growing list of alternate names for brain dump.

Synonyms for Brain Dump - find 150+ alternate names | ChocolateMusings.com #braindump #collections #bulletjournal

Surfboards & Silhouettes – August 2021 Plan With Me Bullet Journal Theme

Here is a taste of each surfboard page this month. I loved the challenge of finding different ways to feature a surfboard throughout the month.

I love the personality of each page and can feel the excitement for starting fresh in a new month. Anticipating a fun theme in my bullet journal helps motivate me to use the book and keep going, which is one reason why I love including planner themes each month. So I declare the August 2021 Plan with Me a success! Let’s ride the waves.

  • Whose driving to the beach? Travel in style with this adorable van stacked high with surf boards. You'll make it to the beach in no time! Add a space for each day of the week in this Horizontal Weekly Bullet Journal Layout and you'll arrive in style! | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Loose floral rose surfboard design + Vertical Weekly Layout - a fun, yet simple layout with bright colors and simple space to record your week | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Surfboards and beach weekly horizontal bullet journal spread - bright graphics but a simple space to record weekly appointments and tasks - perfect blend of art & function- August 2021 Plan With Me | ChocolateMusings.com
  • View From Above - Add some color to your weekly horizontal bullet journal layout - view the beach from a bird's eye view and catch the surfers in action! | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Perfect day at the beach - watch the sunset silhouette the palm trees and surfboards - I can imagine the breeze blowing my salty hair on this horizontal weekly bullet journal spread! It makes me wish I were at the beach. | ChocolateMusings.com

Random Holidays to Celebrate

When completing my August 2021 Plan With Me, I always like to look through the upcoming random holidays for the month and jot down a few to celebrate. Here are the ones I’m excited to add to my calendar.

  • Simplify Your Life Week – 1st week of August
  • 3rd – Watermelon Day
  • 7th – Lighthouse day – I think I might paint a lighthouse this day!
  • 9th – Book Lovers Day – Let’s celebrate by reading a good book!
  • 11th – World Calligraphy Day
  • 15th – Relaxation Day – Yes! I’m looking forward to relaxing this day.
  • 19th – World Photo Day
  • 25th-31st Be Kind to Humankind Week – this is a week I think we should all celebrate. What random acts of kindness have you experienced?

These are just a few on the calendar. Each month I’ve curated a list of fun holidays that might just add a bit of joy to your everyday schedule. You can check out each month of my curated random holiday choices and add a few fun holidays to your calendar as well!

Habit Books I Recommend

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.  

 

Supplies

Here are the supplies I used for this August 2021 Plan With Me. All are affiliate links.

No Matter Which Notebook I use – You’ll Always Find These Supplies Close at Hand