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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 » page layout

Begin Your Bullet Journal – Don’t be Afraid to Start

May 24, 2018 6 Comments

If I could open up a drawer of all planners past, there would be an excellent collection. You’d find all different kinds of planners. I tried them, and I didn’t use them. I liked the idea of them, but then I’d neglect them for a month or so and have all these blank pages in the middle of my book. Then I faced a with a problem. Do I tear out the pages? Do I leave them blank? Usually, I would abandon the planner altogether.  I found the bullet journal system and haven’t looked back. Here’s my advice to you as you begin your bullet journal.

Bullet Journaling is Versatile

Starting a bullet journal can be daunting and overwhelming. Maybe you’ve thought these before:

  • Where do I start? (If you haven’t watched video on the original Bullet Journal by Ryder Carroll here’s the link begin here, so you understand bullet journaling’s foundation)
  • What should I include?
  • I’d like all the collections, but what do I do with them? Where do I start?
  • Everyone has pretty lettering and how do I get that?
  • I need all the fancy on my pages.

The critical thing to know is that your bullet journal will morph with you. If you need to track appointments, start with a Future Planner of some kind, a Monthly Log or Monthly Calendar and a Weekly log. That’s it! Once you are comfortable with your journal, that’s when you start customizing. My journal has morphed into an art journal/art therapy notebook. MommaBearLife.com explains this concept in her blog post. Check it out!

Future Log: 1 month to a page - large goal planning areas & space for lots of to-dos

Recap: Where to Start:

  • Future Log – somewhere to put future appointments and plans
  • Monthly Calendar / Log – overview of the month
  • Weekly Log – if you don’t know how much you need, start here, if you have a lot to plan or keep track of on a daily basis, switch out with a daily log, you can also use the space to write a journal entry
Minimal monthly welcome page wreath with calendar

Begin Your Bullet Journal: Follow a Set Format to Start

Begin your bullet journal with the basics. Start with your monthly calendar in a log format which is simple, straightforward and easy. Start with weeklies and work in dailies if you need them. Find a simple, easy-to-create format for your beginning weeklies. Set aside 2-5 minutes every day to plan your day or the following day to make it a habit. Eventually, you’ll become comfortable with the style of a bullet journal and morph it into your own personal style.

I don’t have a lot of plans per se in the day both when I was beginning a bullet journal and even today. There are things I to do, but I don’t have an exorbitant amount of appointments I need to meet and tasks done weekly, rarely on a set day. So using weeklies has been my go-to planning style. If you are a lot busier and have tasks that need to get done on a specific day, use a daily log, either one page or part of a page for each day when setting up your bullet journal. If you use dailies, the needed space will expand and compress based on the day.

My Inspiration

I started watching planning videos with Alexis at strangecharmed.com and found my way over to Kara at Bohoberry.com.  Clark Kegley and his method of journaling also profoundly influenced me. Quickly adapting many ideas from these inspirational entrepreneurs and others and created a style to fit my needs. I started my own YouTube channel, and I love going through the planning process with you! Follow me on YouTube. To inspire you, I have a new series in the works creating headers for collections and other pages, and I am very excited to share it with you! Follow along!

Chocolate Musings on YouTube!

Need to Track Something Instead of Appointments?

Ani over at TheAniKay.com said that she started slow – with just an exercise tracker. Then eventually added more things in, she’s recently switched to a digital planner, and I love seeing the evolution of her planning journey.

My very first and most important recommendation if you are considering bullet journaling – choose the most important thing to track for you and track it. Need to track appointments? Start with a weekly or monthly calendar and add the dates there. If your goal is to lose weight – by all means jot it down! Start with that and add the other stuff in later.

We Manage What We Monitor - handlettered quote #change #habits #handletter #quote #handlettered
Unfinished Projects Bullet Journal Spread

Creative Outlet

In desperate need of a creative outlet? Choose a drawing or doodling challenge, map out a week at a time with seven boxes and doodle one thing every day. Start small. Do not try to do everything at once and do not expect perfection. My bullet journals have at least one mistake per spread, and it’s one thing I’ve learned to accept. Sometimes a whole spread, but the benefits to me of this little book for me outweigh any mistake. Begin your bullet journal adventure without a lot of frills, and begin your bullet journal for you.

Who I am & what I like to do, a definition of me, Bullet journal Collection

Collections

My VERY FAVORITE thing to track in my bullet journal are collections. Collections in your bullet journal are where you can get into a lot of fun. These are things that are uniquely you. Books read, books to read, movies watched, movies to watch. Oh, the possibilities are endless (my ultimate personal favorite is my 10-minute task list). But here’s the deal: Don’t start with everything.

My collections have come out of need. Check out AsARye.com and her array of collections starting the year. Take ideas from sources and turn them into something that works just for you. By the way, I recommend crediting anyone who you reference, they will love it for one thing, and it’s just nice.

Random thoughts and great ideas bullet journal spread idea tracker brain dump

What if You Don’t Want to Mix Them?

So then there’s the age-old question of ‘I don’t want my collections mixed in with my monthly and weeklies – where do I put them?’ A simple answer for me is in the back of the book. One idea is to start on the back page and worked forward, so your planner and your collections meet in the middle.

In March, I started a separate book for my long-term collections and enjoy it. But that is because my journal has evolved with me, don’t try to start too much all at once. Beginning a bullet journal is an ongoing process,  it is not going to all happen at once.

Moving to a New Bullet Journal - in the middle of a year

All the Fancy – Begin your Bullet Journal Simply – the Fancy Will Come

There are gorgeous spreads out there, some that are jaw-dropping. I can tell you, mine did not start out that way, and not all of mine end up picture ready (I have quite a few planner-fails under my belt). The pretty lettering and the gorgeous spreads took time; I had to get used to planning out my days before I could use bullet journaling as a hobby.  And it took lots of time and lots of practice.

Though I have studied fonts and writing styles for nearly my whole life, I still forced myself to learn the fundamentals of brush lettering so I could make the ‘pretty’ letters on my own. It’s still developing, and I know this: it won’t come overnight, and it will require time, effort and patience.

November Called for Structure

I love the bullet journaling system’s versatility, and you can make it adapt to your needs. For a while, I needed a very structured week/month – see November – Plan with me. I had a theme – it was 12×12 boxes. Really. That was my November theme.

Whimsy Defined December

December was all about free-flowing spreads; there were lots of sketches, lots of open spaces. December was A Christmas Story-themed.

January Used the Best of Both (in my opinion)

My yearly theme is Grow. I fully intended to do flowers and other growing items like leaves all the way through, but sometimes you have to go with what comes to you. That’s my tip now. Don’t try to force it. January’s theme was all about transportation. But I used essential elements from both November and December to have structure and art. Each page uniquely reflected a new mode of transportation. I tried out new ways of creating as well. (Watercolor with markers? Yes. – I show you how I do it on my YouTube Channel). I think the combination of November’s function and December’s form created a cohesive feel that met both my planning and my artistic needs.

January Review - Whats Changing in my Bullet Journal next month

The point is when you begin your bullet journal, it seems scary but if you start with my recommendations of a future log, monthly calendar, and weekly log and then the pages won’t stay blank for long, and soon you’ll find a unique style that fits you. In the meantime, you are welcome to use any inspiration you need from me.

February

The second month of the year tried too many things, and it flopped. Many of these tried-and-not-yet-true details didn’t even make it to the blog (yet), but I learned a lot from them.  I hope to revisit some of the ideas, tone them down, and use them later.

March Gave Birth to Two New Journals & April started a Color-Trend

As mentioned above, in March I separated my planning journal from my long-term collections journal. At the rate I was going, I’d start a new journal every six months. The books in my bookcase tracker would hardly have enough time to gather dust before I flipped to a new book!

Minimal monthly welcome page wreath with calendar

Hoping to slow the speed at which I flew through the pages in my notebooks, all long-term collections claimed a new house; I have to say, I like it. In April, I started color-coordinating my designs. It developed into a whole Pinterest board (one of my very favorites), and I love it.

 

April Monthly Plan With Me, I limited my color palette to create a greater stretch of creativity. Love the results! The circular April Monthly will be available in the Chocolatemusings.com shop!

Condensed May + Traveler’s Notebook

Conserving more space (because I didn’t need it), May’s spreads took up all of 10 pages, two of which are welcome pages. Two weeks to a spread works well for my free-spirited summer-itis.  Keeping a condensed version of my standard planning style keeps me in the habit of planning and journaling and keeps my conscious guilt-free as I’m not leaving blank pages or too much empty space.

June has a few month-related collections, but the planning is very minimal. That’s what happens in the summer, and I am pleased because I know that when I need more planning space, I add it back into this little notebook and when I don’t need as much space, I consolidate.

May Monthly Layouts & welcome pages - ombre watercolor fades using Crayola Markers - Plan With Me

Sometimes I want to have a template and print it rather than creating it over and over. That’s where my traveler’s notebook came into play. I built one for about $12 and use it for collections or lists and change them out regularly. Over the last couple of months, I’ve used my Alphabet inspiration booklet insert to create new typefaces and practice styles. It’s available in my shop!

ChocolateMusings.com shop

What’s the point?

The point is this little system is entirely up to you. Do what suits you best, find your style, experiment, let yourself have fun and know you can change it. Don’t get so stuck on making it perfect or doing too much. The evolution of my first bullet journal to now is eye-opening and utterly fantastic. The bullet journal notebook is the first planner I’ve fully completed, and I look forward to creating many more. I hope you bite the bullet and begin it.

The ultimate point is to begin your bullet journal and put aside your fears of starting. I promise the hardest thing is to make that first mark in your book. Once you do that, you’ll never look back, or maybe you will, and smile because it’s a grand adventure.

Remember to plan your life, so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

6 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Creative, Get Inspired, Get Organized & Start Planning, My Muses (My Favorites & Inspiration), Start Planning Here, Tutorials & How To Tagged: beginning a bullet journal, beginning a journal, beginning journaling, Bullet Journal, how to start a bullet journal, inspiration, Inspire, page layout, starting bullet journal, Weekly Layout, weekly spread, welcome page, where to begin

Planning May: What’s Staying vs Changing + April Flip-through

May 10, 2018 1 Comment

Planning May: What’s Staying vs Changing from April

What’s staying vs changing (and why!) in my planner for May. My favorite thing to see from other’s journals are the flip-through segments. I decided to slow it down and do a flip-through of the pages that I like and what didn’t work out for me.

what's changing vs staying in my bullet journal from April to May 2018, video flip through

Sneak peeks from the video:

  • After the pen for “All the Things” page
  • Journals for my kids (one for each!) and a little flip-through of those
  • Circle Badges for all the months and days showing off the preview sketches – coming soon to the shop! Thanks to @Darknss (find the handle) for the recommendations!
  • ‘After the pen’ weeklies
  • Writing on spreads that are ‘too pretty’ – spread from the eclipse after the pen
  • Habit by number 
  • Declutter my life two spreads (Initial & Updated)
  • How I bookmark/tab pages with washi tape

Watch the video below and hit the subscribe on the lower right-hand so you’ll be notified when a new video comes out.

Welcome Page

Welcome pages are funny things to me, it took a while for me to start using them because they just seemed like ‘fluff’ pages. They might be ‘fluff pages’ but other planners have welcome pages or monthly separators. It’s usually where the tabs are attached. Last July was my first-ever welcome page and I’ve used one ever since. It almost became a summer seasonal welcome page, but I combined it to the Welcome May and Summer page.

Calendar Page

When I set up my current planner in March, I made the future log pages very large, one month to a page, two months to a spread. I intended to drop monthly pages and just jump straight into weeklies. That lasted all of one month. I need visual planning!

In April I tried again to create a monthly ladder layout, I really love the concept of listing everything in linear form (that’s why I keep going back to it). I think that’s what the original bullet journal was designed with, but a calendar grid works better for me at a glance. In May I’m experimenting with smaller boxes and larger notes areas.

Coming soon! All the months in circular badge format! April’s creation inspired me so much that I sketched out (and started working on the months in this format.

Monthly comparison - ladder style monthly log vs. calendar. What's staying vs changing April to May in my bullet journal

April Weeklies

In April, I chose a common color scheme and theme for the weekly pages. Using a common color scheme across the pages was definitely challenging. It was a fun challenge that I’ll accept month after month. Space and circles dominated my weeklies, I do wish they had a little more structure but that is something I can do in the future. Space is always a fun theme and I like using circles too! In fact, if you didn’t see, I have a whole post about using circles.

give each week in your bullet journals a common theme and color scheme - create variety and unity within your spreads

May Weeklies

The weekly layouts are the biggest changes for the month. I didn’t foresee using a spread per week as summer nears. So I decided to condense two weeks to a spread. Each day still has space for events and notes, it’s just condensed. So far, so good. The boxes are the right size for all the things I need to do, including tasks and events. This just might be a thing when I have less to plan.

For the month of April, I switched to a Sunday start on the weeklies. In May, I am switching it back to Monday start. The May monthly calendar page shows Sunday-Saturday, but the weeklies are Monday-Sunday. The biggest reason is to keep the weekend plans together, it just seems easier (and I like to make my weekends feel bigger).

Trying out: two weeks to a spread - will it work or will I miss all the space?

Collections

All the Things

I created an “All the Things” page to replace the failed “One Line Per Day” page. It is my new favorite page of all, perhaps ever. It was rare that I wrote on the ‘one line per day’ page daily. Instead, I write in spurts when I have a moment to reflect and think. So I would end up with several blank lines and missed details. “All the Things” uses categories instead of days. One section I’m going to add a “to journal” to keep a blurb for the things to add to my kid’s journals.

My new favorite bullet journal page - replaces one line per day

Habit Tracking by Number

I started “Habit Tracking by Number” in April. Using numbers to define my habits made a huge difference in tracking them, but not just tracking, but the motivation to do them. Each habit had a definition and something measurable!

That shift plus the shift in perspective that I needed to give these habits priority instead of trying to do them all in the last moments before I went to bed made a significant difference in my attitude towards these acts I am trying to form into habits.

Personal Habits & Business Habits

I’ll track the same personal habits for May as I did in April and add a section for habits for chocolatemusings.com. Also staying: flip-out habit definitions. I might use that idea on other pages too. And I just realized that I forgot to add a quote to my habits page, that is something I miss. I like motivational quotes on the habit tracker page. Especially the one I created in January.

Things I Miss Already & Things I Love So Far

I loved April’s theme – space, circles and the colors. Lavender fields inspired May’s color scheme, and I really enjoy it, but maybe I need to do a lavender space theme. I enjoyed the whimsy and the free-flow of the different pages. I’m looking forward to the structure of the May boxes because I tend to write until I run out of room. Maybe that’s why I like circles, they are whimsical, but have edges to keep me inside, If I want to.  I really like the two-to-a-spread weeklies so far.

question mark - chocolatemusings.comQuestion:

What pages in your journal do you change-up every month and what do you keep?

plan your life so you live beautifully

~Tricia

1 Comment
Filed Under: Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Organized & Start Planning, Plan With Me, Plan With Me 2018, Planner Spreads Tagged: #BuJo, Bullet Journal, bullet journal spread, bullet journaling, Circle, circles, collections, creativity, habit tracker, leuchtturm1917, may, may 2018, month end review, monthly review, page layout, plan with me, staying vs changing, Weekly Layout

From Drab to Fab #1 – Headers, Calligraphy & Outlines – How to Make Fancy Headers Part 1

April 12, 2018 3 Comments

Turn a Drab-Looking Collection into Something Fabulous by Adding a Fancy Header

I love to make pretty headers for my bullet journal. Here’s a guide to dress-up your collection. Organizing the information in the journal is another way to make it pretty. I like lists, but I also enjoy variety (thus a huge reason why I like bullet journaling – I can change things up every single day for variety). Here are some ways to make your lists ‘pretty’ or just change-up the format.

But I also know that another key part to refer back to information is to make it look amazing. Making fabulous headers is a very easy way to dress up the page – especially if a majority of the content is a list. I realize that a lot of lists are day-to-day tasks compiled on Daily Spreads or Weekly Layouts. Not every list needs a fancy header. Personally, I just list those out and check them off when done. Because the next day or the next week, I turn the page and rarely refer back to that page again.

Dress up your Bullet Journal Collections with Fancy Titles - step-by-step instructions to create this one + Printable

A Collection is Different

A collection is something that you’ll probably refer back to time and time again and probably won’t be recreated regularly. These are the ideal page to dress up the titles and organize your lists into unique spreads. A collection is a little more special than a calendar spread. So it can look a little more special.

Side note: I have (for over a year) kept my collections intermingled with my weeklies and monthlies. Since starting my new journals, I have a planning journal and a permanent collections journal and I love it!

Learn to create fancy titles like this in your bullet journal, includes step-by-step instructions + a printable

10-Minute Collection – Title

I created the “Have 10 Minutes?” collection page in my Bullet Journal on a whim. I started making a list in Google Keep on my phone (you can read the post here and a follow-up here) but then I decided to move the content over to my collections in my Bullet Journal because I knew I would use (more) it if I wrote it down.

My ideas are best started in pencil. Just like a rough draft when writing a paper, the pencil provides a good outline, but you can change it easily as the ideas develop and progress.

Ways I Dressed Up the 10-Minute Collection:

  • Title – added a fancy-schmancy title with blended colors outlines and swirly-twirly flourished fonts
  • Sub-Titles – separate sub-titles for each area of my room help organize the page
  • Organized Lists – Classify each item and list them under the correct sub-title
  • Mind-Map Layout – Change up the layout – the title doesn’t have to be at the top. Put the title in the middle of the page and spread the sub-categories out and around the title.
  • Uniform Font List – use a uniform font to write out all the items in the collection

Dressing Up the Title:

The Number

Starting with the number – I wanted that to be big and bold but have a unique look. I looked through my font list on my computer and chose Algerian. I think this is a pretty standard font on most computers. If not – you can find it on fontsgeek.com or myfonts.com or a variety of other font websites. I chose this font because it was thick in parts, thin in others, I liked the flip on the 1 (the serif) and the line on the right side kind of like a shadow.

I sketched out the number and made it bolder than the referenced font so I could blend colors from lightest at the top to darkest at the bottom and have more space to color it in.

Tip: draw inspiration from fonts, but if your font doesn’t look exactly like what you see – now it’s yours.

Create fancy titles - start with a pencil outline in your bullet journal and add the words

Blending Colors

Start with the lightest color as the base when blending. Then add the next darker color slightly overlapping the lighter color and so on. I added black to the bottom in this case. Use the lighter color to smooth the edges. Then use the colorless blender or a water pen to further even-out the color. Don’t blend too much or you might make the paper pill.

Tip: Blending colors can sometimes make messy edges on the outside. Outlining the text after blending can ‘clean up’ the lines or disguise uneven edges.

Create fancy titles - blend the colors together

Finishing the Blending

I find that I when I use the next lighter color to blend – it ends up looking more even. But sometimes you need to use the colorless blender to smooth out the edges. The blending marker I have has a stained tip, but if you clean it after each use (just rub it along some paper until it goes clear) it will be fine. I have noticed that the tips of the lighter colors will stain, but that doesn’t matter.

Flourished Text

After sketching the number, I wrote the text in script font. But I didn’t add all the flourishes. I wanted the word ‘have’ to mingle in and out of the numbers – so I could rearrange the text to adjust placement. Once I liked the layout, I added the flourishes with a pencil. After working through the flourishes, I added the thick and thin lines of the text.

Normally I’d have used a brush pen to make the thick and thin lines, but I decided to use a mono pen and thicken the lines on the downstrokes because I thought it might be hard going across the center of the two pages.

Tip: Anytime you pull the pen or marker down, that would be the thick line. When the lines turn up or are horizontal, those are the thin lines.

Create fancy titles - outline the main text, then fill in the downstrokes on your faux calligraphy

In the next fancy headers post, I will show you how to outline the text and finish off the spread.

If you’re just anxious to have the header, you’re in for a treat. I have it available in my shop! Click here to visit.

 

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully and don’t be afraid to find your inner muse.

~Tricia

Save this layout to Pinterest for later – while you are at it, follow me on Pinterest for more inspiration!

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Want to know what I used in this post? I’ll tell you. (Contains affiliate links – if you click-through and end up purchasing a product, I receive a small commission – though the cost is the same to you.)



3 Comments
Filed Under: #InMy10Minutes, Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Get Creative, Get Organized & Start Planning, Planner Header Ideas, Planner Spreads, Tutorials & How To Tagged: #BuJo, #InMy10Minutes, brush lettering, Bullet Journal, bullet journal spread, collection, collections, creativity, hand drawn, header, how to, how to blend letters, how to hand letter, how to letter, how to make a header, how to make your page pretty, in my 10 minutes, mind map, page layout, tips and tricks

Medicine Tracker – I Don’t Have to Remember Everything!

February 8, 2018 2 Comments

It’s So Nice to NOT Have to Remember Everything!

A few weeks ago, my baby was not feeling well. I took the poor little guy to the doctor and came home with 3 separate medicines 3 times per day for two weeks. I knew that I would have to wrack my brain to remember when I had given him the last dosage. Then try to remember if I gave him all nine dosages of medicine the day before. I just knew I was going to forget dosages. Then knowing when to stop was the other issue. So what did I do? Created a quick medicine tracker spread in my Bullet Journal of course!

medicine tracking spread, use your bullet journal to remember for you

The Medicine Tracker

Each column has the dosages per day and the rows were the dates. Each day I would mark off the medicine without too much effort to remember what I did or did not do. Except for maybe one day, I successfully administered all the dosages and thankfully, the little guy is feeling better.

Before I started planning with a bullet journal – I would have just tried to remember. Thankfully, now I don’t have to remember everything. I write it down, then out of habit, I check my planner and do the things I am supposed to. What a relief. Medicine tracker to the rescue!

medicine tracking spread, use your bullet journal to remember for you

I’d Love to Know: What uncommon trackers do you use in your planner or bullet journal?

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Remember to plan your life so you live beautifully.

~Tricia

2 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Bullet Journal, Planner Spreads, Trackers Tagged: #BuJo, brush lettering, Bullet Journal, bullet journal spread, children, clever, collections, Inspire, leuchtturm1917, medicine tracker, minimal, minimalistic, page layout, trackers, weekly spread

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.

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

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

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Filed Under: Artsy Planner Spreads, Blog, Bullet Journal, Plan With Me 2017, Planner Spreads Tagged: #BuJo, Bullet Journal, bullet journal spread, december, december 2017, leuchtturm1917, page layout, plan with me, quotation, quote, Quotes, tips and tricks, water color, welcome page

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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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