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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 » beginner friendly

Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal When You’re Low on Time and Inspiration

October 31, 2022 Leave a Comment

Easy Bullet Journal Themes when your Low on Time and Inspiration - ChocolateMusings.com

Need some ideas for quick and easy monthly themes in your bullet journal (creative planner)? Has your inspiration run dry? I’ve got some great ideas for you! These bullet journal theme ideas are easy and quick and might help restore your inspiration.

Creative Planning – It’s Not a Need, but I Like It

I sit here tapping one finger on the keyboard. What to write? I hate when the inspiration is slow. The same goes for creating monthly themes in my bullet journal. I know I don’t need a monthly theme, but I like it.

Sometimes the monthly theme is the inspiration behind new products or other creative ventures. But what happens when you sit with your head in your hands, tapping the end of your pencil with nothing squeaking through the inspiration pipes?

If you like to use a monthly theme, you get it. If that inspiration pond runs dry, it’s hard to feel motivated in your bullet journal. I compiled several simple yet creative theme ideas for your bullet journal.

Table of contents

  • Creative Planning – It’s Not a Need, but I Like It
  • Why Do I Use Creative Bullet Journal Themes?
  • Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal
    • Wreaths
    • Circles
    • Rectangles (One of the Easiest Themes for Your Bullet Journal!)
    • Stripes
    • Torn Paper
    • Papercraft Skyline
    • Washi Tape
    • Super Simple Connected Line Cursive
    • Easy Shadows
    • Color Theme – VERY Easy Theme for Your Bullet Journal
  • Why Creative Monthly Themes
  • When All Else Fails In Your Pursuit of an Easy Bullet Journal Theme

Why Do I Use Creative Bullet Journal Themes?

For me, a monthly theme spurs other ideas. I get to try creating something that I might not normally try. And since I create monthly, weekly, and a lot more for each month, it pushes my creativity beyond what I might find by painting a single piece. Sometimes I like my little bullet journal doodles enough to paint something bigger or better.

Here are a few of my products that have come about because of creative monthly themes. Ironically, most are functional planning stickers because I wanted to spend time creating the theme side rather than writing numbers.

(trucks, number lines, etc., flower wreaths).

Easy Themes for Your Bullet Journal

When you’re stuck for inspiration, here are a few ideas. First of all, these ideas are easy. Secondly, they don’t take much effort for a big impact. So go ahead, give them a try.

Wreaths


Here’s the thing with wreaths – you don’t have to add anything to them if you don’t want to. Make them scribble-y or perfect circles, and add leaves, flowers, dots, or nothing. Circles without flowers or leaves or other designs are great, too! I drew in florals for the August 2022 post and then added very loose watercolor on top. No need for precision!

Check out these posts:

  • 3 Simple Ways How to Draw Circle Wreaths
  • August 2022 Loose Floral Wreaths
3 Simple Ways How to Create Circle Wreaths Tutorial | ChocolateMusings.com #circles #howto #floralwreaths
Minimal Weekly Bullet Journal: Floral Wreaths Theme | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreath #bulletjournal #weekly

Circles

I love circles. You can turn the circles into so many other things (wreaths, buttons, bubbles, paint drops, and so much more) or leave them as circles. You can make perfect circles with a circle maker or messy, imperfect circles. Either way, circles are a great choice for an easy bullet journal theme.

Check Out These Posts:

How To Create Circles in Your Bullet Journal

365 Day Tracker - Yearly Tracker for Goals and Habits in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com

Rectangles (One of the Easiest Themes for Your Bullet Journal!)

Stay with me for a minute on this one. The basis of most planning designs is rectangles or squares. But if you vary where each top of the rectangle starts – you can create a fun yet very simple (and easy!) design in your bullet journal.

I used uniform rectangle boxes in these layouts and added circular wreath stickers to dress up the page.

How I use my floral wreath planner stickers | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreaths #plannerstickers
How I use my floral wreath planner stickers | ChocolateMusings.com #floralwreaths #plannerstickers
Even when the week is rough like this one - I love seeing whatever effort I made. Recording completed tasks gives a sense of pride and motivation to keep moving forward | ChocolateMusings.com
Blending and pen test with acrylic markers | ChocolateMusings.com

Check out this Plan-With-Me, where I used the same size boxes each week but changed the placement and layout. I used various rectangles in these spreads to create the week’s layout. You can add other decorations or not. These are quick and easy weekly layouts. As you can see, some of my favorite methods.

Minimal and Functional Bullet Journal Plan With Me Set Up - Monthly Pages, Weekly Pages, Journaling Spreads, Cover Spread & Brain Dump in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #planwithme #plannersetup #bulletjournal
Minimal and Functional Bullet Journal Plan With Me Set Up - Monthly Pages, Weekly Pages, Journaling Spreads, Cover Spread & Brain Dump in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #planwithme #plannersetup #bulletjournal
Loose watercolor butterfly minimal bullet journal weekly layout | ChocolateMusings.com #watercolor #butterfly #weekly
Dandelion Weekly Bullet Journal Spread | ChocolateMusings.com


Stripes

Add your normal boxes or layout to your monthly/weekly bullet journal spreads, then use a highlighter or marker to add stripes to the sides and behind the box. This is a great way to add a bit of color.

How to Create (and Use) One Line Per Day

Bullet Journal Time Block Spread with Highlighter Stripes | ChocolateMusings.com #timeblock #weekly #weeklyspread
How to Create (and Why to Use) a One-Line Per Day Journal in your Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com #onelineperday #oneline #journal
Bullet Journal Time Block Spread with Highlighter Stripes | ChocolateMusings.com #timeblock #weekly #weeklyspread

Torn Paper

Create an easy color splash by tearing strips of colorful paper or scrapbook paper and gluing them in your notebook.

Not all thoughts are black and white - that's why we have grey matter - Bullet journal brain dump page | ChocolateMusings.com

Papercraft Skyline

Cut out rectangle shapes and arrange them like buildings on your page—very easy and crafty theme to add to your bullet journal pages.

Like the idea of creating a cityscape? Check out this post.

Layered City Scape Bullet Journal Set Up | ChocolateMusings.com
City at Night - Papercraft Bullet Journal City Skyline Theme | ChocolateMusings.com
Easy Buildings at Night Silhouette Weekly Bullet Journal Minimal Spreads | ChocolateMusings.com

Washi Tape

Using washi tape is another great way to dress up your bullet journal spreads without investing much time or artistry into your planner spreads.

October Bullet Journal Washi Tape Cover Page
October Bullet Journal Washi Tape Header Calendar Page

Super Simple Connected Line Cursive

Yep. I made up the name for that one, but I think the description is spot on. Write out the name, day, or whatever you’re using as a header – connect the line to the text, and you have a fancy yet simple theme in your bullet journal.

Super Simple Connected Line Cursive weekly - 2 weeklies to a page

Easy Shadows

Add your basic shapes or text, then use a light marker or highlighter to add a shadow to your words or design. Make this theme as easy or as complicated as you like. Add multiple layers for a retro feel to your design.

Check out this post: How to easily create faded drop shadows with Tombow markers.

Boxes for appointments and to-dos, large spaces for writing and notes below - I love the flexibility of bullet journals! | ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #weeklies #weeklies

Color Theme – VERY Easy Theme for Your Bullet Journal

Choose two colors (or three) and make ‘swipes’ with a marker or paintbrush. Add the days of the week, and you’re done.

Minimal watercolor Weekly - Bright colors + drop shadows make the colors pop on this page | ChocolateMusings.com #weeklyspread #bulletjournal #bujo

Why Creative Monthly Themes

Technically, you don’t have to use a monthly theme. In fact, if you use the original bullet journal method, there are no calendars (other than a monthly log), weeklies, or themes. I think of the original method as more of a running tally of all the things. A running tally isn’t bad, but it’s not what I need. I need a place to be creative.

I certainly subscribe to the more creative side of bullet journaling (in fact, I would call it more creative planning rather than bullet journaling, but that’s a different story for a different time).

When All Else Fails In Your Pursuit of an Easy Bullet Journal Theme

When all else fails, stop looking for an easy theme for your bullet journal. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? But hear me out. Browse Pinterest, but not in your usual ‘Bullet Journal Theme’ search. Think of something that caught your eye recently, a bird, a flower, or a sign, and search for that object instead. While you’re browsing, look at the other elements that people use – maybe they use a starburst pattern or certain colors or geometric shapes. Jot down the things that you like about the art you see.

Perhaps it’s a bold header or a certain font. It’s not about the object you searched for. It’s about seeing inspirational elements through everything (although if you like the object enough – you might have stumbled upon your next bullet journal theme without realizing it).

Here’s what I recommend: Keep a list of themes you’d like to try. That way, you have ready-made, easy bullet journal themes at your fingertips.

Fast and Easy Bullet Journal Themes when your short on time and inspiration - ChocolateMusings.com

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Filed Under: 5 Minute Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Planner Spreads, Planner Theme Ideas, Simple Planner Spreads Tagged: beginner friendly, Bullet Journal, bullet journal ideas, ideas, planner themes, themes

Painting Adorable Mushroom Houses with Chalkola Gouache – Beginner-Friendly Project

August 26, 2022 Leave a Comment

Paint With Me: Whimsical Gouache Mushroom Houses Featured Image | ChocolateMusings.com

Here’s a great beginner-friendly paint project – whimsical mushroom houses.

Gouache Mushroom Houses + Tips & Tricks Video | ChocolateMusings.com

Whether you paint with watercolor, gouache (like I used), or acrylics, these adorable, whimsical, brightly-colored mushroom houses are sure to add a smile to your face.

Full Disclosure: Chalkola sent me the paint & I received some compensation to make content using the products, but all opinions and creations are my own.

With autumn right around the corner, I started thinking about how I could use the changing season as inspiration. Well, one large rabbit hole later, I knew I wanted to paint some colorful mushroom caps. And what’s better than forest-inspired mushroom doodles? Definitely whimsical mushroom houses.

These houses are beginner-friendly for drawing and painting. And as a bonus, they also provided the perfect subject matter to try out the gouache paints I got from Chalkola.

Table of Contents

  • Paint With Me – YouTube
  • Painting Mushroom Houses with Gouache – Tips from the Video
  • How to Start Painting Your Mushroom Houses? Beginner-Friendly Tips & Tricks
    • Choose Your Media
    • Choose Your Colors
    • Mix Your Colors
    • Start Painting!
  • Supplies Used:
  • How to Create Your Own Mushroom Houses
    • How to Transfer the Design to Your Paper
    • Find Inspiration and Style for Your Mushroom House

Paint With Me – YouTube

Painting Mushroom Houses with Gouache – Tips from the Video

I usually paint with watercolor, but trying new media is always fun! Spoiler alert: I also used gouache paints in my bullet journal (not in the video), and loved it.

In the meantime, here are some tips from the video that I learned about using Chalkola Gouache:

  • Mix the right consistency of water and paint.
  • The right consistency and a brush full of paint will go a long way.
  • With gouache, do not keep adding water as you do with watercolor. This helps you keep the same water-to-paint ratio consistent.
  • Gouache dries much faster than watercolor.
  • Blending colors isn’t as easy with gouache as it is with watercolor.
  • Creating hard-line shadows adds to the style and is easy to do.
  • Wait for each layer to dry thoroughly.
  • Be careful not to add too much water on top of dry layers, you can stir up paint from previous layers.
  • Unlike watercolor, you can paint light colors on top of dark colors since the paints are more opaque.
  • Gouache dries matte, so there is no shine when taking pictures.
  • To lighten a color, add white instead of water.

How to Start Painting Your Mushroom Houses? Beginner-Friendly Tips & Tricks

Whether you are a beginner or not, it’s always good to have a general game plan. Here are some great tips for getting started with the paint and brush.

Looking for inspiration for your mushroom houses? Keep reading I’ve got an entire Pinterest board linked below exclusively for mushroom house inspiration. (LOL – it’s funny and true!)

Choose Your Media

Depending on your media (meaning paint), you can start with either dark or light colors. Generally, watercolor begins with the lightest colors and slowly builds to darker shades. However, if you paint these mushroom houses with gouache as I did, you can start with dark colors and layer lighter colors on top.

Choose Your Colors

Chalkola Gouache Paints in Action + Video Review | ChocolateMusings.com

Now that you’ve decided on your paint media, it’s time to choose your colors. I used bright, whimsical colors that contrasted well. For instance, the yellow stem with the purple house or the orange house with the blue ridges and door. Both sets of colors are complementary – meaning they are opposite on the color wheel from each other.

Want to know more about how to combine colors or determine what colors go well together? I found an article by Nayda Cruz – I love her simple graphics and explanations.

If you’re looking for more in-depth tutorials on color mixing, I compiled a list of Skillshare classes that are beginner-friendly.

Mix Your Colors

Since I was using gouache in the video, I needed to mix the colors consistently for a smooth texture. I found that gouache paint works the best for me if I keep the water-to-paint mixture the same throughout the painting process. Of course, that would be different if you were painting with watercolor. I also found that adding too many colors to my palette initially caused them to dry up before I was ready to use them.

Start Painting!

As a beginner, it’s hard to make that first brush stroke. Tell yourself ‘here goes nothing’ and put that brush to paper.

I’d love to know what you created and how your mushroom house paintings turned out. Don’t be afraid to try multiple styles! I know that I learned while filming that I preferred a hard shadow method with gouache rather than my typical style of blending colors.

Supplies Used:

Here are the supplies I used to paint these beginner-friendly mushroom houses:

Mushroom Houses Tutorial
  • Canson XL Watercolor Pads 140 lb Watercolor Paper (9×12) – other sizes avail. in the link
  • Ceramic Paint Palette with 7 Wells 9.5″
  • Chalkola Gouache Paint Set – 36 Count + Brushes & Palette

How to Create Your Own Mushroom Houses

Turn this line drawing into this fun, whimsical mushroom house painting | ChocolateMusings.com
Line Drawing Printable for Watercolors - Download, print, transfer to watercolor paper. Start painting! Easy! Whimsical Mushroom Houses | ChocolateMusings.com

The easiest way to start painting your mushroom houses is to use a ready-made design. Beginner or not, it’s fun to jump into a project and start painting without having to draw, erase, and redraw your scene. If you want to follow my video, you can get the exact design I used in my shop!

How to Transfer the Design to Your Paper

Print the design, use a graphite transfer paper sheet over your paper, and trace the lines. The graphite will transfer to your paper underneath. Or you can use a lightbox and place the printed paper under your watercolor or drawing paper to trace the outlines.

  • Whimsical Mushroom House Line Drawing for Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic & coloring books
    Mushroom Houses Line Drawing
    $3.00
    Add to cart

Otherwise, if you want to doodle a unique design, start with one mushroom at a time. Then slowly add the community of houses. Short, stout mushrooms seem to work well for creating mushroom houses. It’s easier to paint these cute-as-a-button forest dwellings when you have a lot more surface area to paint. Unless you’d like to use very small detail brushes.

Doodle some basic shapes – test out rounded roofs (caps), see if you prefer pointer roofs or rounded caps—practice different body shapes. There is no rule that you can’t mix and match a tall-skinny mushroom with a large, flat cap. It doesn’t matter if they don’t exist in nature. I’m pretty sure these mushroom houses don’t exist except in creative imaginations. However, if you need more inspiration, check out the Pinterest board I’ve gathered below.

Find Inspiration and Style for Your Mushroom House

You’re in for a treat. Doodling mushroom houses is very easy and ultra forgiving even if you are a complete novice at doodling.

Here is a Pinterest Board filled with mushroom and mushroom house inspiration. As you can see from my finished art piece, I went simple and bright. You can choose to add complex elements and designs, or you can choose to stay simple. I’d love to see what you create!

Turn this line drawing into this fun, whimsical mushroom house painting | ChocolateMusings.com
Line Drawing Printable for Watercolors - Download, print, transfer to watercolor paper. Start painting! Easy! Whimsical Mushroom Houses | ChocolateMusings.com
Beginner-Friendly Gouache Paint With Me + Video - Adorable & Whimsical Mushroom Houses | ChocolateMusings.com

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Filed Under: Blog, Get Creative, Gouache Painting, Paint Tutorial / Paint With Me Tagged: beginner friendly, gouache, paint with me

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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