Root: Five Minute Friday

September 2, 2022September 2, 2022 The Ameri Brit Mom6 Comments

Happy Friday! I’ve been less present than usual as I’ve worked to settle in to a new school year. Now that August is in the rearview, I hope to return to my usual writing routines. This week I’m excited to be back with my Five Minute Friday community. Our prompt is Root.

vase with a plant inside that has a long root.

I’ve struggled the past few weeks to stay disciplined. My favorite hobbies and activities have taken a backseat to the school year as it unfolded. Much of the free time that I’m used to having for ME was spent preparing (or surviving) the beginning of a new school year. Now that the calendar says “September”, I can begin to put down roots and return to the activities that bring me joy.

-Writing/Editing

-Reading

-Bullet Journaling

-Meal Prepping

-Working out

-Art

-Organizing

August is usually spent carving up and assembling a foundation for the next nine months of the school year. Extra energy goes into planning and implementing strategies for student learning to take root. I come home exhausted each day and my vocal chords are always aching.

As for this year’s students, I am very pleased. They come to class eager to learn and ask great questions during lessons. Their roots have been planted and now is the time to return to my roots. To writing. To editing. To reading. To bullet journaling. To meal prepping. To working out. To art. To organizing.

How can you return to your roots in this new month?

The Ameri Brit Mom

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May 2022 Bullet Journal Downloads

April 24, 2022 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

For the first time in the history of The Ameri Brit Mom, I am offering an exclusive download for bullet journals. I created this month’s layout using Canva. I wanted to give my supporters the opportunity to print their own, easy-to-use calendar for the month of May. If you are interested in downloading your own version of the May 2022 calendar pages (13 total pages), join my Patreon site…and it’s all yours.

Each of the pages below can be printed on your own paper. For my bullet journal, I printed on sticker paper. Additionally, you can adjust the page size for printing in your printer’s settings. On Patreon, you are able to print each page as an image or PDF.

Cover Page

The first page of the calendar bundle is designed according to the color scheme of The Ameri Brit Mom’s logo and brand. It’s a simple layout for recording upcoming appointments and events.

Fitness Tracker

The Fitness Trackers is a one-spot location for all of the physical activities you engage in during the month of May. I like to use one line per day when I track my workouts, and I hate seeing gaps, therefore it pushes me to do some sort of exercise each day.

Diet Tracker

For those who are observing specific diets or who have diet goals, a meal tracker is also provided in this calendar kit. Having to write down the foods that I eat each day cuts back on my mindless snacking and poor diet choices.

Weekly Spread

This weekly calendar spread is a digital version of the one I use each month. On one page, there is a spot to list out specific events or things-to-remember for the week and then I add another page to the spread for tracking habits and tasks.

Interested?

If you are interested in downloading these pages for your own journals or notebooks, check out the terms of my Patreon. For $5, $10, or $20 a month you can support this growing business and receive perks like this without additional charges. You can also support The Ameri Brit Mom by subscribing to the newsletter which is delivered monthly to inbox of my supporters and fans.

Join the free Newsletter Subscription

The Ameri Brit Mom

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April 2022 Bullet Journal Setup

April 4, 2022 The Ameri Brit Mom2 Comments

Just in time for a new month’s spread, I received my Amanda Rach Lee Acrylograph markers (from her collaboration with Archer & Olive). If you are not familiar with Amanda Rach Lee, she is basically the queen of bullet journaling and has her own brand online. She partnered with the famous stationery brand, Archer & Olive, to create exclusive colors for their Acrylograph paint markers. Not only are the tones aligned to Amanda’s muted pastel aesthetic, but she also designed a unique tin for storing the markers with her signature doodles. Aren’t they beautiful!?!

Cover Page

After polling my Instagram followers, I used their feedback to decide on the theme of “April Showers.” This theme worked well with my new Acrylographs. I did the title in Rustic Brown. The clouds were outlined in Mellow Tangerine, the sun and its rays were done in Pastel Sun and the rain was done in Vintage Denim. Faded Pear was used on grass and flower stems and the florals were done in several of the brighter hues like Lilac Fields and Pink Quartz. I left a lot of negative space on the page to keep it clean and to make sure that the center of the cover page was the illustration with my new favorite markers.

Calendar

This simple calendar layout is my go-to. I’ve been using a 5×5 grid spacing calendar throughout 2022. I like the way I have plenty of space for writing out upcoming events. The margins are for more detailed planning or things to be remembered for this month. I alternated between several Acrylograph colors when numbering the days of the month.

Fitness and Diet Tracker

Each day gets a horizontal line in this spread. On the left hand side, I numbered the dates vertically and then left space to fill in workouts and notes. On the right side, I wrote out my eating goals and left space to mark off the foods from my diet that I consume in their respective categories.

Blog Spread

Another very simple spread here. Just a basic drawing using the Acrylographs and the dates fill this half-page spread. I use this space to track the posts that I publish throughout the month and to plan upcoming posts.

Weekly Spread

This rolling weekly layout was inspired by The Plant Based Bride. On the first page, there is space to record upcoming events for the week. Additionally I used this space to jot down things to keep in mind. On the second page, I use the task migration system and habit trackers to make sure that I am productive and efficient throughout the week. These are great spaces to quickly make note of what needs done and any tasks that have been completed.

Supplies

Amanda Rach Lee and Archer & Olive Collab Acrylograph Set

Papermate Flair

Tombow Fudenoske (Black)

The Ameri Brit Mom

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February 2022 Bullet Journal Setup

February 2, 2022 The Ameri Brit Mom2 Comments

During the first month of 2022, I re-established my bullet journal habits. I like to use my journal to reflect on and plan out my life. The journals that I have filled over the years have served as memory books, and I have enjoyed the creative outlet that they have provided as well. I am influenced by many different bullet journalers on Youtube as well as my own Pinterest board. Be sure to check out the supply list at the end of the post if you are interested in what I used to create this month’s pages.

January Review

Photos of my new English degree, Date Night, and my daughters after Covid.

My January review page contains my Top 3 photos from the month. I used my Sprocket to print directly from my phone onto sticker photo paper. This was also the month where I launched my brand and so I included both the front and back of my new business cards. Additionally, I enjoy keeping a list of things that I am currently reading, watching, listening to and loving. For all of the rest of my spreads from last month, check out my January 2022 Bullet Journal Setup post.

Cover Page

My February theme is Harry Potter. This is one that I have wanted to do for many months and I was inspired by photos from my Bullet Journal board on Pinterest. My lettering was in a serif font that mimics the style of the official Harry Potter logo.

Calendar

The calendar for February was created using a traditional 5×5 box setup. Colors were selected to correspond with the monthly theme and in the same font used throughout these pages as well. The minimalist style of adding color to just one side of the elements was used for shading in letters as well as on the wand below the title.

Fitness and Diet Tracker

Inspired by the Marauder’s Map, I created a way to record my exercise and diet journey. These pages are a great place to track my progress toward my health goals. This is a functional spread, and probably my favorite this month.

Weekly Spread

As usual, I used my weekly spread which is modified from the Plant Based Bride’s Rolling Weekly spread. The colors used on this page align with the Gryffindor house colors. I also drew a picture of the Sorting Hat, and I plan to carry on the Harry Potter theme with the house colors for the remaining weeks of the month.

This month, I doodled a little more than usual. Whenever my illustrations become the focus, I tend to limit my color scheme and supplies so that I do not get overwhelmed. The minimalist coloring style also helps to save time while also keeping up a uniform look throughout all of the spreads.The supplies I used in this setup include:

Amanda Rach Lee A5 dotted notebook

Crayola Supertip Markers

Tombow Fudenoske pen in black

Sprocket

If you have any ideas for a March theme I would love for you to leave a comment. I would like to do something a little less on the illustration side in order to balance out this month’s doodle-heavy theme. Happy February!

The Ameri Brit Mom

bullet journal · Uncategorized

September Plan With Me: Bullet Journal Updates

September 5, 2018September 3, 2018 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

August was a big month for me. I returned to work after a lengthy maternity leave, I arrived back in the USA after a month abroad, and my oldest daughter started kindergarten. With all of these additions to my schedule over the past thirty-one days I am pleased to say I stayed pretty consistent in my Bullet Journal routine.

Over the past few months my journal has been a refuge for me. Planning, scheduling, and making lists as a form of creative release has benefited me in so many ways. I worried that getting back into a busy routine would cause me to use my bullet journal less, but as I look back over my August pages I can tell that I still kept it a daily priority.

August Recap

I filled in my Habit and Anxiety trackers everyday! I also added a page for Arianna’s soccer season statistics and another for Bible Study notes as I read through the book of Jonah. I love the way these pages all turned out.

September

This month my pages were made using the following tools: PaperMate Flair pens, Veritas metallic glitter pens, Tombow Monodraw pens, brown and navy Cardstock, images from the Cricut Design App, and the Cricut Air 2.

September Theme: Football Friday Night

On my title page for this month I used some metallic pens in gold, brown, and blue to create a sketch of my theme. The school colors for my local team are gold and navy so I used those colors to set the scheme for the month. This is a simple title page that highlights my lack of sketching ability.

My weekly pages follow the color scheme for the month and include space for planning each day, journaling, and recording my meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I want to make sure that as the school year starts that I am still eating well and one way that motivates me is to keep record of what I am eating. Having to write down a horrible meal is reason enough to skip it for me. I used my Cricut to create embellishments this month. I’ve never used cardstock in my journal so I will see how well I like it.

This month my Anxiety tracker takes the shape of a goal post. I added the cardstock football to help clarify what shape I was intending for the anxiety tracker. Each day of the month has a line on the goal post and I will color each according to my level of anxiety each day throughout the month.

My fitness log follows the same outline as the past few months. It’s working well for me to track this way so I’m going to stick with it.

I love the way this Weekly Review spread turned out. Each week this year I have recorded highlights from the week and something for which I am grateful.

One of my goals this month is to create a recycling plan for my family. Once I’ve established that I will post a picture. If your family recycles I’d love to hear tips and ways to make it fun for kids. I’m also looking for ideas for my October pages.

The Ameri Brit Mom

bullet journal · Uncategorized

2018 Bullet Journal

July 9, 2018July 6, 2018 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

In January of 2017 I started keeping a bullet journal. A bullet journal is a self-created planner and organizer. I love bullet journals because they are created and customized by their creator. When you buy a planner from a store there are always features that don’t fit every planning style.

Not only does bullet journaling help to keep me organized, but it also helps me to expel some creative energy. I’ve enjoyed building up my art supplies this year and dabbling in the use of washi tapes, watercolors, Tombow brushpens, stickers, and all sorts of paper crafting goods.

I used to give updates on my early progress with bullet journaling. If you are interested check out these posts:

One Month of Bullet Journaling

Bullet Journal Updates

March Updates

Bullet Journal February Updates

I want to give you a peek at what I’ve been working on so far this year in my newest bullet journal. As you can see above, I decorated the outside of my Leuchtturm 1917 notebook with Cricut vinyl cut using my new Cricut Explore Air 2 machine. I used to own a Cricut about ten years ago, but they have come a long way and the extent of its uses is now unfathomable. Since I received it in June I have made tshirts, cards, wall art, and magnets with my new machine.

Collections

Bullet journal Collections are pages that are ongoing throughout the time you use a particular notebook. There are so many ideas on Pinterest of things to track in your journal. I’ve chosen to track things like book lists, home improvement ideas, sports statistics for my daughter, blog schedules, Netflix shows I’m watching, a future log, and movies I’ve watched this year.

Creatives

Creative pages are ones in which I play around with creative techniques. This year I’ve been focusing on hand-lettering and calligraphy. I’ve started quite the collection of Tombow brushpens, Mildliner pens and washi tapes. I use these pages to work on skills and play around with ideas.

Monthlies

Something I started this year is using a monthly theme. Every month I start with a title page that introduces the theme and then I include those ideas in my habit trackers and anxiety trackers for each month.

Weeklies

Every week I use a similar layout to the one below. The weekly pages are where I break down my daily tasks and oftentimes I journal on these pages as well.

How I Use It

Every night before bed I open up my bullet journal and update the weekly page with tasks and journaling. Then, I record in my habit tracker what I was able to accomplish that day. Finally, I evaluate my anxiety level for the day and track that appropriately. Doing this at night leads me to self-reflection on a daily basis. This practice has helped keep me focused and organized.

Any other bullet journalers out there? I’d love to see your pages!

The Ameri Brit Mom

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March Updates (Bullet Journal)

March 28, 2017 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

Three months into my bullet journal and I’m feeling more organized and productive. I’ve nailed down a weekly spread that works for me and I’ve added all sorts of collections that have allowed me to dump my mind. I used to carry around these lists in my brain and now I have a place where they belong. It’s been very freeing and allowed me the chance to relax in ways I hadn’t before.

There are times I have to jot something down while it’s on my mind, but there are no more worries about whether or not I will forget it. Every list has a place in my bullet journal. It is a customized book that I am filling constantly. No more wasted space in a planner created by someone else! I am utilizing every page and making it work for who I am and the types of lists I incur.

Here is a look at some of my newest pages in my bujo:

The Ameri Brit Mom

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Bullet Journal (February Updates)

February 21, 2017February 19, 2017 The Ameri Brit Mom1 Comment

I’ve been an official Bullet Journaler for two months now. In February, I took on the February Journal Challenge where I created a new page or idea each day based on a prompt. I also started some new pages and added to ones from last month. I have been really pleased with this new hobby. It’s been a nice way to use my creativity and it helps keep my life organized as well.

Here is a look at some of my newest editions to my Bullet Journal in February:

The Ameri Brit Mom

Faith · Uncategorized

Bible Journal Update

August 23, 2016August 20, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

A few weeks ago I purchased a new Bible Journal and shared some of my earliest studies and artwork with you. Today I wanted to take some time to share some of the things I’ve been reading and creating lately as an update on how I’m using my Bible. At the end of July and beginning of August I studied the book of Daniel. Using the She Reads Truth app I read through the book and was challenged by many of the ideas presented. Through studying Daniel I was pointed to other scriptures as well such as 1 John 2:15-16 and 2 Peter 3:9.

IMG_3230 (1)

After I wrapped up my study of the book of Daniel I began another study which walks through the life of Moses beginning in the book of Exodus. Currently, I’m still reading through the this study using She Reads Truth as a guide for my daily reading and devotions. Here is a look at some of the major ideas that have spoken to my heart in Daniel and the beginning of Exodus.

Each day that I sit down to study God’s Word I bring my Bible, journal, and a plethora of art supplies. I read through my daily passage and devotion. Then I pray over what I read. Some days that time of reflection leads me to a specific image or work of art. I spend another twenty minutes or so focusing on what the scripture says and how it applies to me as I create my works of art. In the pictures above I’ve used pens, colored pencils, crayons, water color paints, stickers, and stencils. I am an artistic-minded person and so I get so much joy out of this time interacting with God’s Word and my illustrations help me to remember the passages and tattoo them on my soul. I’m excited to branch out with my illustrations and try some new tools and materials in the future. I’m also learning so much as I walk through the Old Testament.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Faith · Uncategorized

Journal Bibles

April 13, 2016April 13, 2016 The Ameri Brit MomLeave a comment

One of my favorite blogs which I follow is by Rachel Wojo. She is a creative and inspiring person who posts about her faith and journey through God’s Word. Lately, Pintrest and Rachel’s blog have been capturing my interests with this new phenomenon in Bible study methods.

Essentially Bible Journaling is an illustrative approach to memorizing or dwelling on scripture.With this practice you turn your Bible into a visual scrapbook of your faith. You can journal within the margins of any Bible, but the exercise has become so popular that many Christian publishers now offer Journal Bibles.

After a few months teetering on the edge of the practice and attempting to journal within the margins of my NIV study Bible, I think I am ready to take the plunge. I would like to purchase a Journal Bible. I’m reaching out to my community for help.

Journal Bibles are a large market.

Not only are there different publishers, but there various translations, styles, and font sizes to choose from. I want to find a Journal Bible that is affordable, but that will also last. I’d like the pages to be thicker than a standard Bible and plenty of space to write and draw. There are so many choices that I’m completely overwhelmed.

Below are my top three picks. If you are experienced in the craft and have better options to suggest please do so. Otherwise, I’m looking for opinions 🙂