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Chocolate Musings

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

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Home » October

Functional Book Dutch Door Bullet Journal Theme October 2021 Plan With Me

October 14, 2021 Leave a Comment

Bullet Journal Extended Monthly Log + Dutch Door Book Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

In this post, I’ll share how I turned a Dutch-door monthly log-type layout into something I hope to be quite functional. And as a bonus, my bullet journal theme this month is books that complement my bullet journal quote list.

I occasionally return to this style – trying to marry more form and function into the monthly log layouts. But first, let’s back up and answer a few questions you might have. The only thing consistent throughout my years of bullet journaling is that I like to try (and re-try) new things. I decided long ago that I was not looking for the perfect layout. My perfect layouts were ones that I didn’t tire of and used.

I discovered I was not too fond of the same layout every month. So I decided to experiment with different themes and combinations of techniques. Since I gave myself ‘permission,’ I have enjoyed using my bullet journal each month.

Bullet Journal Dutch Door Book Theme | ChocolateMusings.com

Table of contents

  • What is a Dutch Door Layout in Bullet Journaling?
  • Beyond Dutch Door – Why a Book Theme?
  • Product Links
  • How I Used Dutch-Door Layouts This Month
    • Habit Tracker
    • Monthly Log
    • Weekly Pages
  • Using Books in My Dutch-Door Theme
  • Things I Learned While Creating a Book-Themed Dutch-Door Bullet Journal
  • Your Thoughts on Dutch-Doors

What is a Dutch Door Layout in Bullet Journaling?

“Dutch Door” in bullet journaling removes part of the page by cutting or folding pages. In functional bullet journaling, you can leave a piece of the page stationary throughout the month (or part of the month) and still turn the pages like usual. For instance, if you have a cleaning list every week and don’t want to copy over the cleaning chart, you might cut your weekly pages so you can always see the cleaning chart graph but mark it off on that week’s page.

For purely aesthetic reasons, you might use a dutch door to reveal part of a design. Such as cutting out a window to show a pattern on the next page. Or cut the page to look like falling leaves like I did in my November 2019 bullet journal.

Beyond Dutch Door – Why a Book Theme?

I don’t know about you, but the turn of the seasons from Summer to Fall makes me want to curl up under a cozy blanket, sip some hot chocolate, read a good book, or watch a great series. Last year, I also did a book theme for October, but that’s when I went through a tough time, and the theme never made it into the world. I guess this month was to revive that idea because I liked it so much.

You can, of course, use this theme any time of the year. The colors I chose to paint the books on the welcome page are deeper and classified as more ‘fall’ colors. That’s one way you can modify a theme to be more seasonable – change the theme’s colors.

By the way, if you’re looking for other great theme ideas for Fall – check out this post.

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

Product Links

Plan With Me October 2021 Supplies
  • Acrylograph Acrylic Markers – Archer & Olive
  • Archer & Olive Notepads
  • Craft Knife
  • Cricut Basic Tools
  • Cutting Mat
  • Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints
  • Dr PH Martins Iridescent Calligraphy Ink
  • Kimberly Watercolor Pencil Neutral
  • Lemome Notebook A5 Dot Grid
  • Metallic Acrylograph Pens
  • Papermate InkJoy Pens (all versions)
  • Pentel Touch Pen
  • Princeton Heritage Synthetic Sable Paint Brushes
  • Sakura White Gelly Roll Pens
  • Scribbles That Matter A5 Notebook
  • The Pigeon Letters Paint Brushes
  • Tumbitri Meri A5 Dot Grid Notebook
  • Washi Tape – Black & White Striped
  • Winsor & Newton Fineliner Pens – Pack of 5 – Waterproof (Assorted Sizes)
Video Set-Up
  • Blue Yeti Microphone
  • Canon PowerShot G7x Mark III Digital Camera
  • Photography Lights (I use these for my everyday drawing!)
  • Scissor Arm Mic Stand/Video Camera Stand

How I Used Dutch-Door Layouts This Month

I may or may not have gone a little crazy this month with the dutch doors. The thing is, I want them to work practically. I know there are a few ways I can improve them in the future, but I think I’m onto something.

Habit Tracker

For the habit tracker, I must admit that the form exceeds the function on this page. I stuck a black page behind a stack of books I cut out for the welcome page and liked it so much that I had to figure out a way to keep it. I love the peek-a-boo effect for the habit tracker. Now let’s hope I use the tracker.

When using a design on my dutch doors, much like the leaves, I love to use both sides of the page, and the stack of books is no exception. But hey! I’ve discovered that I won’t use my bullet journal if I’m not excited about it. It can’t all be about function with me. Many people wonder why others use themes in their bullet journals. This is why I love to use themes in my bullet journal.

Book + Dutch Door bullet journal theme - Habit tracker | ChocolateMusings.com

Monthly Log

How many times do you write down an appointment in your bullet journal? The idea behind this dutch-door monthly bullet journal layout is to eliminate at least one of those times. Instead of writing an appointment on my monthly calendar and a weekly page, I’ll use the weekly pages for specific to-dos and looser notes for the week. Meetings and day-specific items have their section, so I don’t have to skim through notes and to-dos to know that I have a dentist appointment on Thursday.

Using a clear numbered sticker down the left-hand side of the page, I split the page into sections. The first page keeps appointments, school notes, errands to run, and a cleaning chart. If I flip the next page over, I use the same numbering system from the previous page but track daily notes and goals and have space for one line per day.

These pages keep all the things that are either calendar-related or that I do daily. That way, I don’t have to copy those items over and over to a weekly page. This reason right here is why I love the idea of a perfect dutch door theme.

Bullet Journal Dutch Door Book Theme - Flip Out Pages | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Book Theme - Flip Out Pages | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Monthly Log Pages | ChocolateMusings.com

Weekly Pages

Since there is no need to record appointments on my weekly pages, I wondered if I needed them. But I’ve tried eliminating weeklies in my bullet journal, which didn’t go well. Even if I skip a week of using my bullet journal for one reason or another, I always return to it and use the weekly pages for journaling, ideas, task lists, and general information specific to those weeks.

I continued the scalloped book dutch door theme, indenting the pages a little more each week and adding stickers to the first week’s left edge. These pages will be primarily task-related instead of appointment-based. I left them open and did not separate the pages into specific days. I’m trying to follow Laura Vanderkam’s advice to focus on a week instead of a day.

Bullet Journal Monthly Log Pages | ChocolateMusings.com
Bullet Journal Weekly Log Pages | ChocolateMusings.com

Using Books in My Dutch-Door Theme

Beyond the first dutch-door book stacks featured on the welcome page in this month’s bullet journal, each page in the monthly log and weekly pages has a scalloped edge that reminds me of stacked books.

Yes, I could have cut the pages in a straight line and achieved the same function. But I trimmed the indented pages into the curved outline of book spines. So I could continue with the book dutch-door theme in my bullet journal. The scalloped edges add just a little flair to the pages and, quite frankly, make me happy.

There are many possibilities to combine a book theme and dutch-doors in your bullet journal. It’s like a bullet journal book inception. You could go deeper and deeper.

Things I Learned While Creating a Book-Themed Dutch-Door Bullet Journal

While creating this dutch-door bullet journal theme, I learned the number one thing: I need some serious practice using an Exacto Knife. Especially with those curved edges I added for the book spines. After cutting out the dutch-door on the welcome page, I reverted to scissors for all the weeklies.

The second thing I learned while creating this theme, I love using templates for repeating shapes. Since the scalloped book edges for the weeklies, I cut out a template from a notepad and used that edge to create all of the weekly pages.

I learned this month that I need a visual calendar when using a monthly log. But I ran out of room on my page, so I added a flip-out set of books with a calendar.

The fourth item I learned about this month’s theme was to use flip-out pages when you run out of room on your page. What’s nice about the flip-out pages is that you can also use them on subsequent pages. So if you don’t want to cut pages like a dutch-door, a flip-out page is a great alternative.

The fifth and final thing I learned when creating this theme is not to be afraid to cover it up. I covered up a messy mistake on my brain dump page called “Not all thoughts are black & white. That’s why we have grey matter.” I love the look of the torn pages and the contrast on the page. Some of my favorite pages have come from trying to figure out how to fix a mistake.

Your Thoughts on Dutch-Doors

What are your opinions on Dutch Doors in your bullet journal? What concerns do you have? If you’ve tried it, I’d love to know what worked and what didn’t.

Oh, and by the way, if you have ideas on more ways to use books and dutch-doors together as a bullet journal theme, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Organized & Start Planning, Plan With Me 2021, Planner Spreads Tagged: book, Bullet Journal, dutch door, October, pirate theme, plan with me

Wooden Directional Sign & Apple Orchard Inspired Weekly Layout

October 5, 2021 2 Comments

What do a bullet journal, a weekly layout, wooden directional signs, and an apple orchard have in common? they are my inspiration for this fall weekly layout in my bullet journal.

Or at least what I think an apple orchard should look like since I haven’t ever been to an orchard. I think they would be slightly magical, the apple scent forever lingering in the air. Juicy, ripe fruit hanging so low on the bowed branches begging to be plucked from the green canopy of leaves.

The wooden directional sign & apple orchard weekly layout is perfect for celebrating fall’s cool, crisp nights, and dreaming of delicious, hot, steamy apple strudel with vanilla ice cream. Or change it up and use directional signs in a travel theme. Whatever you do, directional signs don’t have to be perfectly drawn, and by the same token, you can adapt them to your unique style.

Previously Published 10/11/2017

Apple orchard weekly bullet journal theme - fun, easy and adaptable to your style. | ChocolateMusings.com

Table of contents

  • Apples, Apples Everywhere
  • Apple Orchard & Wooden Sign Weekly Layout Sketches
  • Wooden Directional Signs Weekly Layout
  • Even More Inspiration

Apples, Apples Everywhere

Inspired by the apple pie on my October monthly welcome page in my bullet journal, I decided to continue the theme on my weekly log with an apple orchard feel. 

Can’t you just hear the sound of the first bite of a crunchy apple and taste the sweet juice as it coats all of your taste buds? Yep. I’m salivating. Though I need to still visit an apple orchard, I think they have big wooden signs (with pretty handwriting on them…because that’s a thing…right?), wooden apple buckets, and apple creations everywhere the eye can see. If that’s not how an orchard really is, then I might just have to live in my fantasy world.

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 & Wooden Sign Weekly Layout Sketches

Sometimes when you want to recreate it’s easier to see how it all started so here are the sketches for this week’s layout. As you can see, the directional signs I chose to create for this weekly layout were really rough and varied, as though they’ve been outside in the elements for ages.

I love adding dimension and shading to my pages, so any time I can add the effect of dimension to a drawing, I will. Adding the sides/bottom to the sketch makes it easier to add shadows later as well.

Weekly Bullet Journal Layout Sketches - Wooden Directional Signs & Apple Orchard Inspiration| ChocolateMusings.com #bulletjournal #weeklyspread

Wooden Directional Signs Weekly Layout

First, I used directional signs point towards each day of the week. This layout is a clever way to fit two weeks to a page if that’s what you need. If you like to keep one week to a spread, use the opposite page for weekly task items, to-dos, or notes.

Using the shape of a tasty apple is a good place to record your meal plans. While using squares/rectangles is fine, keep in mind that it’s ok to change it up every once in a while.

The apple basket acts as a mini-tracker for laundry or workouts (or insert your own goals – I struggle with completing those two tasks – so everybody else does too right?). The cut apple focuses your to-do’s right to the ‘core’ of your weekly tasks. Another directional sign points you in the way of next week. Only good things can come when exiting the apple orchard.

  • Apple orchard weekly bullet journal theme - fun, easy and adaptable to your style. | ChocolateMusings.com
  • Apple Orchard Bucket Doodle in my Bullet Journal | ChocolateMusings.com
  • 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

More Ideas to Use Wooden Sign Doodles in Your Bullet Journal – Not Just Weekly Layouts

The directional signs can definitely be used for weeks at the beach or camping. Modify the colors and shape a little and you have a directional sign pointing to the North Pole!

The basket could be for hanging laundry on a sunny day, or gathering leaves. Or it could be the gathering spot for a collection of toys on a toy-themed page! It would be absolutely perfect for a bucket list collection. I love a versatile page. Modify a few things and voilà a theme that looks completely new!

What other ways could you see adapting this theme through the year?

Feel free to choose the elements you want to include – any or all. I don’t mind. I would love to see it if you post it on Instagram! Tag me @ChocolateMusingsCreates.

Apple Orchard Ideas

Here are some more ways to include apple orchards into a fall theme:

  • First of all, who has a fall bucket list? I love these seasonal lists of things to do, food to try, and places to visit. Use the apple bucket as inspiration for detailing your fall bucket list. What a fun spread idea!
  • No Bad Apples – use it as a brain dump page. I LOVE different names for my brain dump pages.
  • Doodle an apple with increasing bite marks as the header to a weekly page
  • Apples are still all the rage with back-to-school themes.
  • Apples + Bookworms for a clever reading page. Although, you might not want to eat any of those apples.

Even More Inspiration

Check out my travel Pinterest board for more directional sign ideas. I hope you find something to inspire your planning and motivate you to create something fun.

2 Comments
Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Plan With Me, Plan With Me 2017, Planner Spreads Tagged: apple, apple orchard, Bullet Journal, bullet journal spread, October, plan with me, Weekly Layout, weekly spread

October Random Holidays

September 21, 2021 Leave a Comment

October Random Holidays -Here's your invitation to turn a regular day into a celebration - add some fun, creative, & random holidays to your calendar | ChocolateMusings.com #randomholidays #celebrate #octoberrandomholidays

Originally Published September 2019

Welcome to October! I’m looking forward to celebrating some fun random holidays in October. Check out the month-long holiday celebrations in addition to the fun individual days throughout the month. Choose your favorites & add them to your calendar. Then involve family & friends (or not) and celebrate each random holiday in your own style.

By the way, if you’d like to find some great October Header Ideas for your bullet journal, check out this post.


Table of Contents

  • What are Random Holidays?
  • What random holidays are you looking forward to the most in October?
  • Food Holidays in October
  • I’m Celebrating Homemade Cookie Day!
    • (Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe)
  • Creative Random Holidays in October
  • Positivity/Self Care Random Holidays in October
    • Monthly Holidays
  • Animal Celebrations
  • More Fun & Random Holidays in October
  • What Will You Celebrate?

What are Random Holidays?

Random holidays are not national holidays. Sometimes a company creates a holiday to promote their brand or product. (Like have a Coke day). Some holidays support a cause or charity. Most of the random holidays I chose for my Random Holiday Calendar are related to creativity, food, words, traveling (each state’s holiday is the day it became a state), and other fun holidays such as “International Talk Like a Pirate Day.”

At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a calendar with all of my curated Random Holidays. Don’t worry, I’ve included instructions so you can add this calendar to your Google calendar list so you won’t miss a chance to randomly celebrate! Toggle on/off the calendar as needed in your calendar list.

I hope you’ll join me in finding joy and good moments instead of focusing on worldly negativity. Choose a couple of random holidays to celebrate in the month with me and focus your attention on something that brings you joy.

Want ideas on how to celebrate? Check out this post.

Random Holiday Suggestions for Your Planner | ChocolateMusings.com

What random holidays are you looking forward to the most in October?

I know I’m looking forward to National Homemade Cookie Day, National Be Nice Day/Do Something Nice Day, No Bra Day, National Dessert Day, and of course, National Chocolate Day.

This month is also National Sarcasm Awareness Month. Since sarcasm is my native language, I look forward to celebrating that all month long for sure!

To celebrate national homemade cookie day, I thought I’d share my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe if you can keep yourself from eating all of them, save a few and savor them on the chocolate day at the end of the month. FYI, they freeze really well as uncooked dough or after baking them. 

I promise you’ll want to pin this one! Find the recipe below.

  • Celebrate Random Holidays with me! National Taco Day October 4 | ChocolateMusings.com #nationaltacoday #tacoday #randomholidays
  • Celebrate how you want! National Apple Day October 21 | ChocolateMusings.com #nationalappleday #appleday

Food Holidays in October

I love to celebrate with food. In addition to homemade cookie day here are some more food holidays in October:

1- National Homemade Cookies day – see below for my favorite homemade cookie recipe.
4 – Cinnamon Roll Day
4 – Taco Day
13 – M&M Day
14 – Dessert Day
17 – Pasta Day – seriously, I love when national days make my dinner plans for me. What kind of pasta would you eat on pasta day?
18 – Chocolate Cupcake Day
21 – Apple Day
24 – Food Day – this random holiday is more than it seems. Rather than stuffing our faces full of food, it focuses on eating healthy and cutting back on unhealthy foods.
26 – Pumpkin Day – I’m not particularly eager to eat pumpkins, but I sure do like to decorate them. October is a perfect month to celebrate this decorative fruit!
28 – Chocolate Day
30 – Candy Corn Day
31 – Caramel Apple Day

If you’d prefer to celebrate all month long, satisfy your sweet tooth with National Caramel Month. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, try celebrating National Pizza Month instead.

Whether it’s the chocolate day on the 28th, or a random holiday celebrating chocolate cupcakes on the 18th, I know I’ll indulge a little in this sweet treat. There’s a reason why I named my blog ChocolateMusings.com. Though I won’t participate in Candy Corn Day (my teeth hurt just thinking about this overly sweet candy) I had to add this special Random Holiday to the October calendar for my kids. What are your favorite treats?

Celebrate Randomly - Homemade Cookie Day - October 1 -| Random Holidays curated by Chocolatemusings.com #randomlycelebrate #randomholidays #homemadecookiesday

I’m Celebrating Homemade Cookie Day!

(Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe)

  • 1 cup each butter, sugar, and brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 t vanilla
  • 2 1/2 c flour
  • 2 c oatmeal, measured, then chopped in a food processor (not too fine)
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 teaspoon each baking powder & baking soda
  • 1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 large Hershey’s chocolate bars chopped in a blender (freeze for easier chopping)
  • 3 c chopped nuts
  1. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
  2. Mix, in a separate bowl, the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to the butter and egg mixture.
  3. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, and nuts.
  4. Make golf-ball-sized cookies. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 11-12 minutes.

Creative Random Holidays in October

2 – Name your car day – what’s the name of your car?
6 – Mad Hatter Day
22 – National Color Day
25 – National Art Day / International Artists Day
28 – Animation Day

One idea to celebrate Name Your Car Day on the 2nd is to make a list of all the cars you’ve owned with their names in your bullet journal.

National Art Day/International Artists Day is on October 25th, and I’m excited to post some of my paintings on social media. Galaxy & moon landscapes are high on my love to paint list lately. There’s just something so relaxing about painting the night sky and watching the colors melt together.

Glittering Galaxy Watercolor Card Painting | ChocolateMusings.com
Full moon above the mountain and trees - watercolor painting | ChocolateMusings.com
Full moon above the trees watercolor painting | ChocolateMusings.com
9 Moons Card Painting - Full moon above trees & mountains | ChocolateMusings.com
Watercolor Moon & Forest Painting | ChocolateMusings.com
Watercolor Moon Painting with galaxy background | ChocolateMusings.com

Positivity/Self Care Random Holidays in October

5 – National Be Nice Day
5- National Do Something Nice day
7 – National Inner Beauty Day – don’t we all need a reminder to recognize our inner beauty?
13 – National No Bra Day – I’m not sure how many people would consider this day self-care, but I do! What’s your opinion about this day?
17 – Mulligan Day – seriously, look this one up. When I read what it meant, I knew I had to include it. Everyone deserves a second chance.
19 – Evaluate Your Life Day – enough said. Spend some time journaling or thinking about your goals. Then make your plans and live it out. Decide what you’d like to change. You could even celebrate Mulligan day a couple of days late and take a second chance!
29 – National Hermit Day – because sometimes you need a break from society to restore your mental health.

Monthly Holidays

All month long, you can celebrate “I’m Just Me Because…” and Emotional Wellness Month.

Every first Friday of October – celebrate World Smile Day
Every 4th Saturday of October – randomly celebrate Make a Difference Day

Get a handle on your finances during October’s Financial Planning Month. I don’t know about you, but when I have my finances under control, it’s always a reason to celebrate. I dedicate a lot of pages in my bullet journal to tracking finances but I also use an app called “You Need a Budget” (believe me, I’ve used many programs and have stuck with this one for several years). It helped save our finances during a year of unemployment. How do you track your finances?

Animal Celebrations

4 – World Animal Day
8 – World Octopus Day
20 – International Sloth Day – celebrate this day in two ways. The first by celebrating this slow-moving animal. The second way to celebrate is to slow yourself down and take a break from stress.
27 -Black Cat Day

All month long you can celebrate Bat Appreciation Month and Black Cat Appreciation month. I don’t know if there is a more perfect month than October for these Random holidays.

I love to doodle animals – to celebrate world animal day (and other various animal days), I created these fun animal outline pintables available in my shop!

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

More Fun & Random Holidays in October

10 – Handbag Day – what’s in your bag?
12 – Savings Day (this month is also financial planning month – just in time to prepare for the upcoming holiday season)
16 – Dictionary Day
18 – No Beard Day – we just celebrated beard day in September, so I guess we need an opposite holiday?
21 – Back to the Future Day – I’d love to celebrate by watching this fun trilogy. In case you didn’t know, the Delorean was set to go back to October 21, so it only fits to celebrate today!
31 – Doorbell Day and Knock-knock jokes day (of course to celebrate Halloween).

Some other fun month-long random holidays to add to your October Calendar:

  • Go on a Field Trip Month
  • Roller Skating Month – my kids will be excited for this one!
  • Sarcasm Awareness Month – you’re welcome for this one.

Random Holiday Archives

*Balloons totally optional.

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

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

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

Skip Right to a Month to Start Celebrating:

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

Random Holidays – Google Calendar

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

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

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

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

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

chocolatemusings.com_q316ucpnldal611fs2q2nnk7v0@group.calendar.google.com

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

Random Holiday Links:

Choose The Holidays Right for You

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

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

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

What Will You Celebrate?

I hope you find something to celebrate that brings you joy this month. Do a little self-care or enjoy something new and break out of your regular schedule. I’d love to know what you’re going to celebrate randomly – leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @ChocolateMusingsCreates. And if you try my homemade cookie recipe, I’d love to know what you think.

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Filed Under: Blog, Find Your Happy, Randomly Celebrate Tagged: celebrate every day, holidays, October, random holidays, randomly celebrate

Keep the Function of a Monthly Calendar Spread with a Touch of Flair

October 6, 2017 1 Comment

October Monthly Calendar Layout

Near-Minimalist Monthly Spread with Rounded corners

I didn’t always use a bullet journal as my preferred method of keeping track of my life. I used other planners. In fact, I used a planner once as a journal so I would have just a snippet of space to write in. It worked, for a while. But here is the thing, I was flipping through my old planners and they were so boring. The function was there, but the inspiration wasn’t. I have many half-filled or abandoned planners – it’s really embarrassing. There were planners where there months where there was nothing recorded.  It wasn’t until I found the freedom of creating in the bullet journal system that I used it consistently.

Bullet Journaling = Flexibility and Variety

Part of the reason I have stuck with bullet journaling for so long is the variations you can add to your planner. You allow for as much space as needed any given month or week. Be as creative or minimalistic as desired. For me, This may not always be a priority, but now I need that space as a creative outlet. That being said, monthly calendar-style layouts offer the least amount of flexibility. I tried to create a gravestone monthly calendar layout. That didn’t work well because I use my monthly as a way to glance at the month and see what is coming and it was overwhelming to look at – so I just turned the page and did something different.

If having a monthly grid layout works for you, by all means, go, be productive and love the square you are in (I’ll only be a tinge jealous). Maybe someday you can teach me of your ways.

The monthly calendar is so incredibly functional, my month wouldn’t be complete without it! This start of the month page may just be the most functional page in the whole month’s layouts. Can you hear the accusing tone in my words? Don’t get me wrong…functional is essential but it’s usually so boring.

I like seeing a monthly calendar – I am a very visual person, so seeing the relationship between events helps me plan my days. Especially with the monthly calendar with its familiar boxed days. But sometimes, those boxes are just too boxy.

Whimsy and sparkle make a monthly calendar so nice

Just a little change to your monthly calendar makes it look completely new!

Round the corners for a change on the monthly calendar set up, add a bit of sparkle and whimsy with iridescent paints, a couple of cute spiders with webs and your (near) minimalist monthly spread is all dressed up. Keep function and add a touch of flair.

So if you find yourself bored with the same-old-same-old in your planner, tweak your functional layout ever so slightly, adding details that don’t scare you (see what I did there with the Halloween reference) by keeping function but adding some whimsy. It may not take much to brighten your planner and shake off the cobwebs (I did it again!) from your planning routine.

In review:

September’s monthly log was full of color and added elements.

I’d love to hear!

Leave me a comment below: What planner change-ups have you made to spice up your planner? I’d love to know what you’ve done!

Pin an image for your own inspiration and Follow me on Pinterest for inspiration and ideas!
Follow @ChocolateMusingsCreates

 

October Monthly Calendar layout - rounded boxes and combined weekend adds variety. A little cobweb and spiders and shimmery paint - viola! the calendar is all dressed up for Halloween.

 

Want to know what supplies I used? I’ll tell you – contains affiliate links.

This post contains affiliate links. The cost is the same to you but, I will receive a small commission to help support my blogging and creativity habits. 🙂 All opinions expressed were solely mine and from my heart.

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Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Plan With Me, Planner Spreads Tagged: change, DIY, halloween, Inspire, leuchtturm1917, minimal, modern calligraphy, monthly calendar, monthly layout, monthly log, October, page layout, plan with me, spiders, spiderwebs, spooky

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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