April 2018 Plan With Me Theme
I’m excited to share my methods in this April 2018 Plan With Me post. I hope you’ll find something to inspire you in your bullet journal.
I chose a limited palette for this 2018 April Plan With Me and combined the colors with fun space elements. Using Crayola markers to watercolor loose space elements on the thin sheets of this notebook makes a whimsical effect, and I’m over the moon with this month’s theme. I love how a limited color scheme tied everything together throughout the month. Plus, I got to draw circles all month long – in case you didn’t know, I love using circles in my bullet journal.
April Monthly Pages + Video
In the video, I show the marker-painting technique I’ve grown to use and love in my bullet journal, plus do some real-time handlettering and quote making. Watch below! (You can also view it on my YouTube Channel – subscribe to my channel if you haven’t already (mouse over the little subscribe button in the corner of the video).
The technique for painting with Crayola markers involves a ceramic palette (in this case, a plate), Crayola Markers, a paintbrush, and very little water. Scribbling the markers on the plate creates a paint palette. Then with a barely damp paintbrush, run your brush through the marker on the plate to pick up the pigment. The key is to use as little water as you can. I love painting with markers like this in my bullet journals because it doesn’t make the pages feel stiff, like watercolor paint or gouache. Find more on the Crayola-Marker Watercolor Painting technique in this post.
Enjoy!
April 2018 Plan With Me Video Playlist:
- Pre-Planning – March Review & April Pre-Planning
- April 2018 Plan With Me: Welcome Page & Monthly Log (this video)
- April 2018 Plan With Me: Weeklies
Pages I included in the April 2018 Plan With Me:
- Welcome Page – Whimsical Planets Strung from the Sky
- Simple Monthly Log
- Weekly Pages (Moon Cycles, Watercolor Circles x2, Watercolor planets
- Habit Tracking by Number
Pages in the Plan
One reason why I love to bullet journal is that I can customize each month to suit the upcoming plans. For instance, if I’m short on time one month but have a lot of plans, I plan out easy, no-fuss spreads with large sections for to do lists or daily appointments. Other months, I may need a little more art and ‘fluff’ in my life when I’m feeling down. Like many others, I use art as a self-care device and find it a wonderful outlet.
If I don’t have a special reason to change my bullet journal for the month, I tend to stick with a welcome page, a monthly page, a habit tracker, and weekly pages. I think the theme is what makes this month so special and so much fun. Who doesn’t need a bit of whimsy in their lives?
For some reason, I didn’t end up with a good picture of the fourth week of April for this plan with me. For that spread, I arranged the loose watercolor circles at the top instead of the bottom for a little variety. That’s the other thing that I love about bullet journaling – I don’t get bored with the same layout every week.
Monthly Favorites
One of my favorite elements in this Plan With Me for April 2018 is the monthly badge I included on the monthly log page. The way the letters bend and curve around each other and the circle outline is so fun! I tried to make a badge with every month’s name, but September’s name is way too long!
Another favorite feature for this month is the unified color scheme. If you’re struggling with making a design cohesive, limit your color palette. Each element in your design will have a common element and better unify your creation.
One last favorite for this April 2018 Plan With Me has got to be the habit by number spread. With it’s flip out key, each habit is defined by a number. I find that giving my habits parameters (or expectations) I tend to try harder to meet those habits.
Question:
What’s your favorite theme you’ve tried (or seen) for the month? This circle one is high on the list for me.