Greetings BPM Fans! One of the resolutions worth following up on is "leading a more organized life." The TV series "Tidying Up" on Netflix hammered this concept home, that if your surroundings are organized, one would lead a less stressed life. In researching of general organizing, bullet journaling came up as a great way to time manage. After all, organizing one's life is just as important as keeping your living space tidy.
Google Calendar is amazing, but perhaps these daily-weekly-monthly calendars might be a better approach for scheduling my time better.
The Bullet Journal was created by Ryder Carroll. In his words, the Bullet Journal is meant “to help you track the past, organize the present, and plan for the future.” It's a very analog (non-digital) way to write everything down with an artistic flair. As someone that is just learning this technique and approach, this post will be focusing on one of many aspects of the Bullet Journal -- the Monthly Calendar.
Supplies:
Small Notebook, blank no lines 5.57 x 8.25 inches
Distress Oxides [Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Carved Pumpkin, Broken China, and Blueprint]
Blending Brushes
Alphabet Stencil
Post-it Notes
Archival Black Ink
Ruler
Black Ink Pen [Micron]
Instructions:
1. Since this is a three page spread, organizing the pages is the first step. Pick out your header title page, then on the other side of that page, the two page calendar spread should be saved.
2. Add Post-it notes to mask off 1" of the edges of the paper making a border, leaving a open square of paper.
3. Begin stamping inside the open square using the curved flower stamp, stamping them like a frame within the inside square using the black archival ink.
4. Stamp in the center Flower Bunch so that it is surrounded by the curved flower images. Allow ink to dry.
5. Color in the stamps with the blender brushes and oxides. Once all blended, remove the Post-it notes.
6. Taking a stencil (or if you prefer, write it in yourself), add the month title above the stamped and blended square.
7. Flip to the blank double page and start measuring your actual calendar. On this version, the standard Sunday through Saturday, 7 days grid was used, with roughly a 1" border left empty. Using a ruler, measure out your calendar, using a pencil first. Once you have the calendar measured out, lay ink across the pencil. Erase the pencil lines once the ink is dry.
8. Measuring 1" from the right side of the double calendar page, fold over two pages on the edge of paper and cut off. This creates a "Dutch Door" so you can write notes and lists outside of the calendar (on the next pages) without cluttering up the calendar margins, because we're going to be stamping all over that and there won't be room.
9. Flipping pages to the first full page after the Dutch Door, add Post-it notes block out the main page leaving the 1" margin uncovered. Begin stamping using the curved flower stamp.
10. Flipping back to the calendar double page, cover the drawn out calendar, leaving a 1" border on the top and bottom margins. Stamp the flower bunch stamp across the top and across the bottom, making sure not to over stamp over the right margin.
11. Start coloring the stamped borders with the blending brushes and Distress Oxides.
12. Once all blended in, remove the masks. Now your calendar is ready to be filled in with activities and any future planning.
Using the Blank Page Muse stamps to decorate calendars really gives the ability to personalize and add something special to your day.
More ideas & crafts by Mercy
