So in previous years I’ve used my bullet journal to make bullet points of how my day went. I’m doing the same again this year but I also wanted to have a journal where I could write a bit more. I mean when I travel, I keep a journal to document everything I see and do but I don’t do it for my everyday life which admittedly can be a bit boring at times but I don’t write my feelings in my regular bullet journal so I decided to have a daily journal to do exactly that.

I was worried that I wouldn’t have much to say each day so I didn’t want to use a day-a-page journal/planner like a Hobonichi Techo so I started checking out Youtube videos and Pinterest for ideas and I got inspired by Heba who I follow on Instagram and Youtube. The way she does her daily planner is exactly what I was looking for. Having the fun creative side like I had in a previous bullet journal and having just the right amount of space to journal without feeling overwhelmed.

You can check out her Youtube playlist for her 2021 daily journal here – link.

The planner in me, knew I had to plan this one out so first things first, I had to come with my game plan. I used Heba’s daily planner as a basic guideline.

The first thing to figure out was to pick a notebook to use. I wanted to have one in A5 size with dot grid paper and with paper that was thick enough that my ink stamps and Tombows would not bleed through and have minimal ghosting. I ended up choosing an Archer & Olive A5 dot grid notebook. It has 160 pages and the paper is 160 gsm.

Next, I needed to figure out the overall “concept” of the journal. I decided that each month would have it’s own section and it’s own theme. Each monthly and weekly layout is to be spread over two pages. For those weeks in the month that weren’t a full week, I would still have them over two pages with possibly having to use a “filler” if it was only one day. This will be come clearer when you see my later posts of my monthly layouts. The design for the monthly layouts will be pretty much the same throughout except of the theme part. Full week layouts will have the same basic layout design throughout the year but will seem different thanks to the various stamps I’ll be using and the monthly themes. Those weeks that are not full weeks, will have different layouts.

After working out how many pages I needed for each month, I still had enough pages for a title and end page and 4 collections.

Here’s my title page. I stamped out the year, created a blended background using 3 ink pads and blending brushes and then I stamped the feathers on top of the blended background.

Here is my first collections page. It’s the monthly themes. I went through my stamp collection and I have a number of stamp sets from the Sweet Stamp Shop which were typically themed. So I based my themes on those stamp sets. I had enough of their themed stamp sets for 11 months so the month of October is created using stamps from two different brand stamps sets. I would have loved to have all 12 months using Sweet Stamp Shop sets but they closed their business at the end of 2019 and even though I hardly use these stamps, I couldn’t bear to get rid of them. Thankfully I didn’t because now I get to use them.

My second collection page is for new books I read this year. My goal is to try and read 80 new books. There is enough room on these two pages to record down 120 titles but then I may use more than one line if the book title is too long. I usually read during my commute to and from work and it’s usually contemporary romance books. Nothing too thought provoking and something just to sort of “zone out” with.

My third collection is page is to record down all the new movies I watch in the year. Again this spread allows me to record down 120 titles which is easily accomplished by me as I’m a huge fan of tv movies (especially movies from Hallmark, Lifetime, GAC and Uptv), and I include them in this list. It won’t surprise me if I completed this entire list before the end of the year.

My final collections page is entitled “A Year in Photos”. I love to take photos with my iPhone so I thought I’d go through photos I had taken for each month and pick one so put here.

I will do separate posts for each of my monthly sections.

This is a long list so I will group them together by type so that I don’t end up repeating myself.

Notebook
Archer & Olive A5 dot grid notebook [Crystal Vibes] – link
* the actually notebook I have is not longer available so I linked their collection

Ink Pads
Versafine [Onyx Black] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Sky Blue] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Postal Blue] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Midnight Blue] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Surfboard] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Guacamole] – link
Scrapbook.com Premium Hybrid Ink [Mixed Berry] – link
Ranger Archival Ink [Jet Black] – link
Soramame [409 Kamenozoki] – link
Soramame [408 Hasu] – link
Soramame [405 Zouge] – link
Soramame [402 Lemon] – link
Soramame [408 Moggi] – link

Stamp Sets
Studio Calico  [Jack Numbers] – link
Studio Calico  [Brady Solid] – link
Studio Calico  [Brady Outline] – link
Studio Calico [Photo Evidence] – link
Couture Creations  [Filigree Feathers] – link
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Cuppa Coffee] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Balloons] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Nod to Mod] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Smart Cookie] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Drive By Sweet] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Campout] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Beach Bum] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Hedgehog Kiss] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Fancy 40] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Treats] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Little Cooler] – no longer available
Sweet Stamp Shop  [Gnomes] – no longer available
Studio G  [Alphabet #6] – link
Penny Black  [Live it Up] – link
Lawn Fawn  [Flying By] – link
Feed Your Craft [On My Shelf] – no longer available
Scrapbook.com [Bold Caps Solid] – link
Scrapbook.com [Bold Caps Outline] – link
Scrapbook.com [Mini Caps Solid] – link
Scrcapbook.com [Mini Caps Outline] – link
BGM [Kirok Clip] – link

Pens
Pentel EnerGel RTX Gel Pens, Needle Point, 0.5 mm [black] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [991 Light Ochre] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [817 Mauve] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [192 Asparagus] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [452 Process Blue] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [126 Light Olive] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [673 Orchid] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [515 Light Blue] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [772 Blush] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [603 Periwinkle] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [993 Chrome Orange] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [977 Saddle Brown] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [277 Dark Green] – link
Tombow Dual Brush Pen [N75 Cool Gray] – link