It’s Friday and that can only mean one thing on the blog–Five Minute Friday! This week, I am joining friends from the link up to write according to our prompt which is Spontaneous.
Do you ever feel the urge to restart?
Right now, I wish I could crawl back in bed with my husband (and our daughter who made her way into our bed at some point in the night.) I woke up this morning after hitting snooze a few too many times. My preset coffee pot didn’t work and I think it’s actually broken this time. My head’s a little fuzzy from having stayed up too late watching Grey’s Anatomy last night. And my preplanned outfit for teaching on Constitution Day is wrinkled because my daughter saw it laying out last night and messed it up.
Despite all of my efforts to produce a smooth Friday morning it’s already shaping up to be anything but smooth.
I’m already running behind and I’m going to have to stop and get a coffee on the way to work. I need to iron my t-shirt, but I probably won’t if I’m being honest.
I just want to curl up in bed and restart.
It’s days like these that can make teaching a difficult job. I am an Enneagram One, and when my well-planned mornings don’t follow routine it can throw me off. I depend on the order and efficiency to start my day and when those things aren’t there I can get moody quickly.
Studying the Enneagram taught me many things about myself. It allowed me to recognize my habits and gave voice to my inner dialogue. Because I read about the Enneagram in Ian Morgan Cron’s book I also know that spontaneity is not natural for me. I thrive on planning and organizing my life as much as possible. But one thing I have learned about being a One is that as unnatural as it may be that being spontaneous every now and again can breathe life into the routines.
Today, I will seek out ways to be spontaneous in the midst of the chaos. Maybe I’ll try a new food or go for a stroll on a new path. Whatever may come today may opportunities to deviate from my plans bring the restart that I so desperately need.
If you are anything like me, then starting the day off with a plan is the best way to get motivated for what lies ahead. With coffee in hand (and my favorite Papermate Flair pens), I like to schedule or plan out my day and set intentions before the sun has risen.
The way I plan out my day differs throughout the year, but I’ve found that the easier my method is to use–the more likely that I am to actually use it. That is why I created a one-page My Day at a Glance worksheet. Everything that I need to know for the day is collected on a single page, and it takes five minutes to get all of my tasks on paper.
For $2.00, this download is available to you. You will receive the file as a pdf, which can be printed or converted from your device into a digital file (using Kami or similar apps). Getting organized can be difficult, but when you have a cute and simple strategy the likelihood of follow-through is also increased.
When you join my Patreon page, you will receive downloads to help you stay organized each month along with exclusive short stories and content.The price of these downloads are included in the monthly Patreon pledge.
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.
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?
You can now purchase these summer-inspired August 2022 Bullet Journal Planner downloads for $5.00.
This set includes 16 pages:
Meal trackers
Fitness Trackers
Customizable Habit Trackers
Bullet journaling has been a hobby of mine since 2017. Over the years, the process has evolved to fit my needs and lately that includes creating my monthly spreads digitally and printing them on sticker paper. It’s so easy to fit these stickers to my A5 notebook. These pages are customizable and easy to size depending on the notebook you use. When you purchase and download pages from The Ameri Brit Mom, you receive a beautiful collection of spreads in a single PDF file.
When you join my Patreon page, you will receive these downloads each month along with exclusive short stories and content.The price of these downloads are included in the monthly Patreon pledge.
You can now purchase these fireworks-inspired July 2022 Bullet Journal Planner downloads for $5.00.
This set includes 14 pages:
Meal trackers
Fitness Trackers
Customizable Habit Trackers
Bullet journaling has been a hobby of mine since 2017. Over the years, the process has evolved to fit my needs and lately that includes creating my monthly spreads digitally and printing them on sticker paper. It’s so easy to fit these stickers to my notebook. These pages are customizable and easy to size depending on the notebook you use. When you purchase and download pages from The Ameri Brit Mom, you receive a beautiful collection of spreads in a single PDF file.
These are available as part of the Patreon page for my members. If you are interested in helping this small business thrive you can check out the monthly perks (like this) of becoming a patron.
Additionally, this month I am offering these pages for purchase for $5.00. If you would like to buy this 14-page download for your planner, please complete the form below:
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.
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
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:
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!
Wow! Is anyone else completely blown away that 2021 is just about over? There were times when it felt never ending, but also times when the dates dropped off the calendar so quickly. I will be adding a few miniposts these next couple of days to talk about my 2021 goals and reflecting on the past 365 days, but today I have a fun post for you–so let’s jump in and see how I set up my 2022 Bullet Journal.
First, a disclaimer. I did not originate any of the ideas or terms used in this post. I am a HUGE fan of Youtube Bullet Journal channels and find so much inspiration from artists like Amanda Rach Lee, Caitlin’s Corner, The Plant Based Bride, Julianne Doodles and Shayda Campbell. In fact, I did a shout out to these five women a few months back. Check that out here!
Supplies: For this year’s bullet journal setup, I used…
Crayola Super Tips (Periwinkle, Light Gray, and Charcoal)
Of all the journals I have used in the past the Amanda Rach Lee notebooks are my favorite because the paper quality is fantastic. The pages do not bleed through or ghost. They are also a bright white which makes covering mistakes so much easier than off-white pages.
Title Page
The color scheme I chose for this setup is Periwinkle. For the past couple of years I have used the Pantone Color of the Year as a base to make all of the first pages in the journal feel connected. The accent colors I used were a light gray and a charcoal gray. The title page is full of Amanda Rach Lee doodles which I colored in my color scheme. I love the way this page turned out.
2022 Words of the Year
At the beginning of each year I like to choose words of the year that reflect my intentions and hopes for the next twelve months. This year I am focusing on the words Drive and Passion. This is a page dedicated to those words and how I plan to enter 2022 with drive for the things I am most passionate about.
Goals Page
Because I like to split my goals up into two categories, I used the entire spread for the writing of my goals in 2022. On one side I wrote out my personal goals which include fitness and family and on the other page I wrote out my work-related goals which include blogging, business, and reading. When I complete this page, I will write out a measurable goal for each category.
Grid Spacing and Wishlists
When I sit down to create a new spread I often refer to this page to help me divide my pages equally. I used a mix of Amanda Rach Lee and the Plant Based Bride’s methods on how to set up this page. If you like to make sure that things are lined up I would recommend checking out their explanations on their channels.
Beside my Grid Spacing mock-up I created a place for a personal wishlist as well as a place to record gifts that I give to others. Both of these lists come in handy when someone asks what I want for my birthday or when I’m struggling to come up with gift ideas for others. Also, because I have kept a gift list in my journals over the years, I like to look back and see what I’ve given people in the past to make sure I don’t repeat gifts or to simply reminisce.
Future Log 2022
One of the most tedious spreads to create, yet most aesthetically pleasing is the annual Future Log. This is a “dump” space for all upcoming events or appointments. The bullet journal concept focuses on month-to-month planning and so the Future Log is helpful for events or appointments that may be a few months out.
Brand Ideas
Because I have so many ideas for The Ameri Brit Mom in 2022, I dedicated a page to brainstorming my brand ideas.
Books of 2022
This is a spread to track the books that I read in 2022. One of my goals is to read and review at least two books per month. What I have created with this page is just a skeleton. I plan to put a picture of the cover of each book that I finish on the provided squares and so for now there are just placeholders waiting to be filled.
Quarter 1 Goals Tracker
I am a goal-oriented individual and so when I set goals at the beginning of a new year I truly intend to fulfill those goals and to track my progress. I’ve found that breaking each goal down into small steps helps me to make sure that by the end of the year I have realized all the goals I established in January. This is a page for breaking down my goals for the first three months of the year.
Female Health
Tracking my health and symptoms is very important to me and so I like to create an easy place for me to log all things related to physical health.
Thanks for taking a look at my 2022 Bullet Journal setup. I really enjoy taking time at the end of each year to reflect on previous journals and planning how my new notebook will serve me in the coming year.
In 2022, there are BIG things coming to The Ameri Brit Mom. Make sure that you join the subscription list to be the first to know what’s going on. You can join the subscription in the margin or by clicking below.
(This is a non affiliate post and based solely on my personally curated Youtube subscriptions.)
Since 2016, I have been a part of the bullet journal community.
This system has worked so well for me because I’ve been able to integrate my inner Ennegram 6 personality with my creative passions like doodling, word art, and painting. Each month, I plan to continue sharing my bullet journal spreads with you, but I must confess that I rarely approach a new spread without inspiration from one of my favorite bullet journal queens. Today, I want to share with you my FIVE FAVORITE BULLET JOURNAL YOUTUBERS. I recommend subscribing to each of these channels whether you are new to the hobby or well-practiced. It is always a breath of fresh air to watch how others are utilizing their creativity in functional ways.
I know that I said that these are in no particular order, but I must confess that Amanda Rach Lee is really my favorite. She is one of the first bullet journal artists to inspire me to get creative on the pages of my bullet journal. From her cute doodles, relaxing voice, and positive vibes, I am addicted to her channel. I think I’ve viewed every video on her channel and every time I get a notification that she has a new upload I get so excited. During the pandemic, Amanda’s channel has really helped me to keep my head up and to focus on the things I can control rather than the things that I cannot. Amanda also has an online shop and my newest bullet journal (which I will share with you soon) comes from her recent product launch.
I’ve only been watching Elizabeth of Plant Based Bride for a few months, but I really enjoy her channel. Not only does Elizabeth create beautifully functional pages, but she also is an avid reader like me. Her channel includes monthly bullet journal setups, art tutorials, life updates, and book reviews. Elizabeth is also a minimalist which has been a passion of mine over the past couple of years. I can’t believe I’ve only found her recently because her channel aligns with so many of my niches.
I think I am drawn most to Caitlin’s Corner because she is so authentic. Each video just feels like a chat with an old friend. Caitlin likes to use a lot of different mediums in her bullet journal and she inspires me to play around with supplies and layouts. Not only is she a creative journaler, but Caitlin also shares videos about life in general. This helps her followers feel like a friend–because we have glimpsed many different aspects of her life beyond just bullet journaling.
Julianne’s channel is unique because she creates stickers for each month’s spread which you can purchase. Her illustrations and doodles are always unique and her personality is very bubbly and easy to relate to. Like all the women above, Julianne is a doodler from Canada (Why are all the greats Canadian? Is there something I don’t know about Canada?)
Shayda’s channel is unique because her content goes beyond bullet journal videos and also includes art tutorials. Her expertise is floral painting but she also provides tutorials in hand lettering, drawing, water colors and many other illustrating techniques. Her voice is very tranquil and her overall vibe is very “chill” and perfect for an atmosphere of creativity.
I am always looking for new inspirations so please drop a comment if you have another favorite that I can add to my subscription list. Also, go show some love to these ladies and subscribe to their channels…you won’t be disappointed!
It’s been many months since I made a post showcasing my bullet journal, but I have been keeping it updated during the time I didn’t post. With the July pages filled I have now finished my Volume 1 of 2021. I look forward to sharing my new notebook with you starting next month as well as some new ideas and supplies I’ve acquired while on my annual trip to England.
Cover Page: Popsicle/Lollipop Themes
This month’s theme is inspired by several photos I saw on Pinterest as well as my newest set of Stabilo Highlighters in coral, teal, and purple pastels.
I am in the middle of PiYo and this page is especially designed with the elements of my meal plan here and plenty of space to track the foods I am eating every day.
Fitness Tracker
This is my fitness tracker–it’s simple and functional.
My supplies for this month’s spread were:
Stabilo Highlighters in pastel colors and Tombow Fudenosuke in black as well as a black Paper Mate Flair pen.
Let me know what you think of these simple, summery pages.
Meal trackers
Fitness Trackers
Customizable Habit Trackers
The Ameri Brit Mom 