2018: Bullet Journal Plan with Me January & December Wrap-Up

December 29, 2017 7 Comments

January 2018 Planner Walk-Through

Planners rejoice the time has come for New Year Bullet Journal Planning! This is like the Christmas for planners. But most planners I know get planner items for Christmas. It’s a whole thing. There are a lot of bullet journalists who are moving into a new notebook at the start of a new year. Alas, I look longingly at the new notebooks lovingly set aside for such a momentous occasion and know that I will be continuing in my current notebook for another two months.

I did not let this dissuade me from planning out 2018 complete with a future log and everything. Like December, I decided to plan the whole month out in advance rather than week-to-week. I liked the grand overview of everything complete for the month and then the snippets of art and creativity are woven throughout the month.

Sneak Peek

Let it be known, I am not good at keeping surprises or secrets. I like to be told what is going to happen. The video below gives sneak peeks, but the image below does even better and the peeking. I don’t give too much away in the images below but just enough. Be sure to visit back as I update each week’s spread with a new video and a walk-through.

New Watercolor Techniques

I’ve been trying some new techniques for watercoloring with markers (yes, I said it – watercoloring with markers. Crayola Supertips to be exact) – and I really like it. I get the colors and the look of a watercolor piece, but I don’t end up with the watercolor paint texture on the pages which can also result in the watercolor paint chipping off the page because the pages bend.

The other thing I really like about this technique is that I can write over the pages much easier. With watercolor paints, I could only write on them with certain pens afterward because there was only a select few that would ‘stick’ to the paint. If I desire watercolor in my bullet journal, I will most likely use markers. Yes, good old-fashioned Crayola Super Tip Markers.

Plan with Me Video: January 2018 & December 2017 Wrap- Up

Here is the planning video reviewing December 2018 and revealing the January 2018 set-up. Let me know how you’ve set up your 2018 in the comments below.

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

A Christmas Story Bullet Journal Theme

November 26, 2017 6 Comments

Do you love holiday movies? I have a few favorites that I love to watch every Christmas season. A Christmas Story is one that I enjoy, it’s lighthearted and even more applicable now that I have kids. I had to try using A Christmas Story as a Bullet Journal theme.

Extra elements for weekly themes in your bullet journal + movie quotes | ChocolateMusings.com

Movie references from a themed bullet journal weekly spread - A Christmas Story | ChocolateMusings.com

I’m a fan of themes in my bullet journal. I love to change the colors, doodles, and style month-to-month. It’s a fun challenge to take elements from a favorite movie, such as A Christmas Story, and weave them into your bullet journal throughout the month.

If you’re looking for a way to add a little fun to your holiday spreads, here are some ideas you can apply to your bullet journal themes. I decided to highlight different scenes of A Christmas Story throughout the month.

Other Ways to Dress-Up the Bullet Journal Theme:

sprinkle handlettered-titles throughout the month
add a few snowflake mandalas
paint with markers, plus a little sparkle from shimmer watercolor paints
and add iconic memories from the movie
include some well-placed quotes from the film

Here are a Few Hilarious One-Liners and Classic Scenes from A Christmas Story:

Pink bunny costume
The Fragile Lamp (and the enormous box it came in)
Flag pole and frozen tongue
Broken glasses
Decoding in the Bathroom
Changing the Tire
Christmas Dinner at the Restaurant
Santa at the Department Store
Bullies
A+++++++++/C+

If you’ve seen the movie, images of the scenes probably popped into your head, and hopefully, left a gigantic smile on your face.

How to Start Making a Themed Bullet Journal

When creating a movie-themed bullet journal month, list your favorite scenes or iconic moments to determine what you want to include. Then distill those scenes into a few elements that tell the story without having all the details.

Tips When Creating a Themed Bullet Journal Spread

Something to remember when creating a themed bullet journal for the month or even just a single spread: you don’t have to create an entire scene. Use classic pieces from the story to create a fun theme. Such as fonts from the opening title, famous one-liner quotes from the movie, iconic line-drawing illustrations of memorable scenes (like the leg lamp) all create a unique interpretation of the story.

Leave yourself space for to-dos and appointments, especially during a busy holiday month. However, if you get carried away with graphics, don’t be afraid to write over your illustrations. After all, I created it in a notebook intended as my planner. If you can’t bring yourself to write over the doodles, then keep your theme illustrations to the side margins, so you have plenty of space to work in your bullet journal.

After The Pen - Bullet Journal Weekly Theme: A Christmas Story - creating a theme doesn't mean you can't use the page! | ChocolateMusings.com

Here are the theme elements I used in my bullet journal – A Christmas Story:

Opening movie title font & wreath – Welcome Page
Santa’s List, C+ grade, and Little Orphan Annie Decoder – Monthly Log
“I can’t put my arms down” illustration – Habit Tracker.

To enhance the theme, I chose a different “A Christmas Story” component or each of the weeks in my bullet journal during the month:

Movie quote & pink bunny pajamas
Leg Lamp + Fra-gi-le Box
I double-dog dare you flag pole
Official Red Ryder Outfit & Cracks in Glasses
Whoopie! A Zeppelin! & Oooooooh Fuuuuuuudge!

Busy? But want a bullet journal theme? Add a few elements from your theme and leave lots of space for your calendar, appointments, and to-dos for the week! | ChocolateMusings.com

A Christmas Story Bullet Journal Theme: Welcome Page

A Christmas Story Bullet Journal Theme: Use font inspiration from your movie theme for extra elements! | ChocolateMusings.com

You don’t have to create the movie title exactly in your bullet journal. Use the font as an inspiration for your own title. In this case, I wrote ‘Hello December in the recognizable font used in A Christmas Story.

In case you’re wondering, the title font is ITCBookman Swash. I found the font on a couple of websites:
Fontsgeek.com
Myfonts.com – this one has a great resource called “what the font.” Use it if you need to identify a particular font.

Side note: if you use a font in graphics to sell or anything other than personal use, make sure you have the commercial license for that font.

Trace the font or freehand draw it into your journal. Pay particular attention to the special extras a font has. In this case, the swashes (like the curl on the H, D, m, and r) are an essential part of this font.

Change it up! Use Movie Quotes to Enhance Your Theme

Incorporate quotes into your bullet journal theme. Luckily, A Christmas Story’s script is chock-full of U short quotes.

Infamous scenes like the pink bunny outfit or leg lamp are so memorable partially due to the comedic one-liner quotes like: “Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl.” And “he looks like a deranged Easter Bunny” immediately brings to mind the pink bunny costume scene.

Elements from the Theme

You don’t have to create elaborate layouts for a theme. I drew a starburst shape on Ralphie’s glasses on the main illustration for this weekly layout. Then repeated the starburst shape marking each of the days.

What are some other quotes from A Christmas Story would you use?

Official Red Ryder | You'll Shoot Your Eye Out Weekly Bullet Journal Spread - use elements from your theme to create a fun & functional spread | ChocolateMusings.com

Plan With Me Videos

Watch the playlist with all the plan with me videos for this December’s Bullet Journal Set up.

Bullet Journal Theme: A Christmas Story

I have to tell you what fun I had with this ‘A Christmas Story’ Theme in my bullet journal. Using shapes to represent the hole in Ralphie’s glasses, the Fragile box, leg lamp, and other subtle nods made this theme even more delightful.

If you were to use A Christmas Story Theme in your bullet journal, what other items would you use? For instance, the little brother’s scarf could be a mood/habit tracker. What else would you do?

Add extra 'Easter Eggs' to your monthly bullet journal theme so you discover them throughout the month. It makes your bullet journal theme extra fun! | ChocolateMusings.com

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

A Deliciously Simple Layout

November 13, 2017 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’.

Here are links to this month’s layouts:

Welcome Page | Planning for November Starts…Yesterday – November Title Page
November Monthly Set-up | November Plans – Focus on Simplicity and Gratitude
Goals & Plans | Give your Goals a Defined Timeline
1st week | And like that…It’s November – 1st Week of November – Minimal for Function
2nd week | Give Yourself a Little White Space – in design and life
3rd week | Life is Happening Now – Layout Your Planner To Keep it on Track
Habit Tracker (I will add a link once completed)
Christmas Shopping Plans (I will add a link once completed)

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.

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

Planning for November Starts…Yesterday – November Title Page

October 25, 2017 7 Comments

Hello November Welcome Page

An understated title page heading into a very busy period of time.

My best tip for the season is to simplify. Simplify your planning, simplify your tasks each day so to enjoy the season.

Simplify everything you can. Remove the fluff, remove all the extras because there are a lot of things to do, see, bake, care for etc that will complicate your life. Simplify everything else so when these extra things creep up into your life, you are not completely overwhelmed. Unlike October or September, I wanted a calming and simplified November’s title page.

Serenity, Peace & Confidence

The last couple months of the year also bring a time of reflection. I associate reflection with the word serenity, peace, and confidence. Serenity and peace to my soul closing out the year and confidence going into the next year. It’s a very exciting time to plan and decide what is important for the coming year. Looking at this page, I feel like the minimal design says all those things to me.

I do not plan on writing on this page but instead just keeping it the way it is. No more details.

I am putting together the monthly set-up for November but wanted to give you a sneak peak.

What do you do to deal with the hectic of the holiday season? Let me know in the comments below.

Plan your life so you live beautifully.

All my best, Tricia

P.S. Don’t forget to pin for later & follow me on Pinterest for more inspiration. I have a whole board dedicated to Welcome Pages and other boards dedicated to bullet journal and planner detailing. I kind of love it.
Follow @ChocolateMusingsCreates

I post more ideas and fun stuff on Instagram. Find me @ChocolateMusingsCreates

What I used for this spread: (contains affiliate links)

For this post – yep, that’s it. Black and white ink drawings sometimes take the most imagination.

Weekly Layout – Mini Time Block + Pumpkins & Mummy Text

October 21, 2017 4 Comments

Simple Weekly Horizontal Spread with Mini-Time Block with Pumpkins & Mummified text

It is nearly the end of October! What happened? This month went by faster than September! This month has had some ups and downs. I think I take on too much emotionally. I internalize everything. Journaling has helped me overcome this and get me out a slump or help me pull myself back up and keep moving on. I created a simple weekly horizontal spread with a larger place for daily ‘to dos’ and a small area for time-blocking.

This spread focuses focus on just the area of time that I am struggling with – the evening time, which is when I do a majority of my blog/video work. I find that if I am slipping into a slump of some kind simplifying gives me freedom, which reignites my creativity. This is a HUGE reason why I am an advocate for my bullet journal. I have the flexibility to change things week-to-week or even day-to-day based on what I need.

Weekly Horizontal Bullet Journal with mini-time blocking and cute pumpkin doodles

Last week I tried to time block my whole day but left little room for those pesky ‘to dos’ that creep up but don’t need a time-slot. If I start using dailies, I think that weekly overview of the time blocks would be more beneficial. I haven’t made the leap to using a daily planner yet.

Ways to use the time block

In the video, I thought I might write the tasks assigned to the time block below, using brackets to designate the tasks for the block of time. But I could instead use color to appoint blocks of time assigned to a task. Hmmm.

Left side weekly spread view, pumpkin details and time blocking are sure to warm up that inspiration | Chocolate Musings

Cohesive Weekday Plans and Off-the-Cuff Weekends

I start my weeks on Monday if nothing else to make my weekends look larger. But I like having my weekdays together – it makes things feel more cohesive. A little section for meals, general ‘to dos’, fill up what might be considered the un-scripted bottom part on the left page.

Saturday and Sunday nestle nicely together. I do not time block those days – we do lots of family things like going to the park or playing frisbee outside or in the cul-de-sac or building the tallest Lego tower ever so Lego Batman can scale to the top of the table or going to QT (QuikTrip – a local gas station that has fun drinks!) that are completely unscripted and usually spur-of-the-moment type activities. Sometimes, we just sit and watch a movie. Often times, my little girl (who is turning 6 tomorrow! – what???), will ask me to show her my art for the week and she will try out my techniques. She saw my ‘mummy video’ (see the post here on how to create mummy text) and immediately tried it out.

If I have errands or events, I will jot them down in the Saturday/Sunday slots – but those days usually stay pretty clear.

YouTube Planning Video

I created a video of my set up for this week. Watch the video below or on my YouTube Channel here. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for future videos.

Mummy Text and Script Hand Writing

I discovered that making Mummified text was so much fun – and completely appropriate for the nearing holiday, I added some mummy text to the weekday names. If you missed it, here is the tutorial for making mummy text or mummy pumpkins or mummied mummys. Whatever you wish to mummify. The orange washi tape is to mark my monthly calendar (see the set-up here). I love the sparkle!

Doodle Details

I love the days written over the top of doodled pumpkins and the swirls of the green vines on the pumpkins below. Just enough whimsy and doodle to keep the page interesting, but give enough space to write and plan and all the things.

Overall

Overall I love this Simple Weekly Horizontal Spread. It has enough space to plan and create and enough function to accommodate schedules.