Merry Xmas & Happy New Year
I can't believe that another year is coming to an end! This has been another incredible year for me, both personally and professionally. I still can't believe that so many of you follow along my journey and I’m so very grateful for each and every one of you. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to be creative and I hope you find this blog to be a place that inspires you to create as well!
I can't believe that another year is coming to an end! This has been another incredible year for me, both personally and professionally. I still can't believe that so many of you follow along my journey and I’m so very grateful for each and every one of you. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to be creative and I hope you find this blog to be a place that inspires you to create as well!
I’m taking a little break to enjoy some time with my family and I hope you will be doing the same. I’ll be back January 8th with a ton of new and exciting posts (and videos) on bullet journaling, hand lettering, and blogging. 2018 looks incredibly promising with new projects, posts and so much more that I can’t wait to tell you about!
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
xoxo
Christina x
Last Minute Christmas Shopping Ideas (digital)
Christmas shopping can be a nightmare. I know. I’ve been there too many times.
You start in November thinking, organising and planning, promising yourself that this year you’ll manage and finish buying all the presents on time, but for some inexplicable reason, you find yourself on the 23rd of December still not having all the Christmas shopping done.
If you still haven’t crossed off everyone on your list—or maybe you just realised that you forgot aunt Becky’s xmas present—there’s still time to get something for them.
At times like this digital products can be a life saviour!
Christmas shopping can be a nightmare. I know. I’ve been there too many times.
You start in November thinking, organising and planning, promising yourself that this year it'll be different. That you’ll manage and finish buying all the presents on time. But for some inexplicable reason, you find yourself on the 23rd of December still not having all the Christmas shopping done.
If you still haven’t crossed off everyone on your list—or maybe you just realised that you forgot aunt Becky’s xmas present—there’s still time to get something for them.
At times like this digital products can be a life saviour!
Amazon e-Gift Cards
A lot of people might think that gift cards are kind of the easy way out, but when you’ve run out of time, it becomes the perfect solution! The amazing thing with Amazon is that they can choose from millions of items storewide and there’s no expiration.
They also have some cool features, where you can send an animated e-gift card or you can even use your own photo to personalise it.
You can click here and shop my favourite Bullet Journaling, Writing and Drawing goodies. All these can make really nice presents or stocking stuffers!
Kindle book
You can purchase a book as a gift to anyone, as long as you know their email address. This is the perfect solution for book lovers. I would personally love for someone to buy me a series that I was planning to read.
To see exactly how to do this, follow this link.
Etsy
Etsy is an amazing market place where you can find almost everything you need. In this case, that you need a gift as soon as possible, your best bet will be the printables.
You can find anything from art, to wedding planners, stickers and handwriting guides.
Just take a look around and I’m sure that you’ll find something that will put a smile to the person you’re buying the gift for.
e-Courses
E-courses are the new in thing and can make a pretty cool gift. So, if you know that someone is interested in learning something, you can buy a course for them in a matter of minutes.
One of the best places to look for is Udemy, where you can find courses almost about anything, from photography and personal development to drawing and health and fitness.
In order to see how to give a course from Udemy as a gift, click here.
Brush Letter Practice Guide
Learn how to brush letter like a pro. Click here for more information.
I hope the above ideas help you to find the perfect gift, even at the last minute. If you have any other last minute xmas gift ideas that might help someone else, please leave a comment below.
Happy Holidays!
6 Christmas Spreads for your Bullet Journal (+ video)
I love when December comes because apart from my normal monthly spreads I get to play around and create my Christmas spreads as well in my bullet journal. Today I'm going to show you the 6 spreads I've created for Xmas.
Make sure to scroll down and watch the video as well, where I show you step-by-step how I created each one.
I love when December comes because apart from my normal monthly spreads I get to play around and create my Christmas spreads as well in my bullet journal. Today I'm going to show you the 6 spreads I've created for Xmas this year.
Make sure to scroll down and watch the video as well, where I show you step-by-step how I created each one.
The first spread is a Christmas To-Do List. I did a similar one last year and I really enjoyed crossing off all the things as I was doing them with my kids. It's more like a family tradition now. And since one of the most important things for my kids every Christmas is the hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, I had to create a drawing about that!
The next spread is a very important one, and that is the Christmas Cards List. I always make a list of the cards we need to send to the people we love. Especially since we moved to Cyprus, is very important to me to send cards to our families in Greece and in the UK. I didn't want to create a two pages for this, so even though you can see 5 envelopes, each line represents one card. I chose the little penguin for this spread's drawing and I love how cute he looks!
The next spread is connected with the Christmas Cards one. It's actually a list with Christmas Wishes that you can write in the cards. Sometimes I like to have some inspiration, so that I don't write the same thing in all the cards! I have some other similar lists written in other notebooks as well, so it's nice to have them around when it's time to write 20 or so Xmas Cards!
Moving to the next spread and possibly the most important one of all - The Presents! Since I'm doing most of my Xmas shopping for presents online, it's nice to have a list to write down my ideas and where I found them. It makes it easier to decide and also to see how much you spend and what presents.
Next comes the Christmas Menu spread. Since I'm hosting the Xmas lunch at our house this year, I wanted to create a spread in order to remember the menu and I love how it turned out. It looks like a restaurant menu! I'm already thinking of all the yummy food I want to create for that day.
The last spread is a Christmas Countdown Page I created. I changed it up from what I had last year and instead of doodles I only added numbers in various fonts. Of course I've left it in pencil and I'm going to colour each day as I go along. I can't wait to see the finish page in the end!
Christmas is a celebration of love and joy, and it's always nice to create lovely memories with your family and your loved ones that you'll always remember. For me, that's one of the main reason for these spreads as well.
I have created the FREE printables for you of the Xmas To Do List, the Presents and the Xmas Menu. You can find them in the Resources Library, when you subscribe to my Newsletter.
JOIN THE GANG!
Subscribe now to my Newsletter to download the FREE Printables.
Plus get access to the Resources Library!
You can now watch the video to see exactly how I created each spread:
Have you added any Christmas spreads in your bullet journal? Let me know in the comments below.
Bullet Journal: My December Set Up in my Bullet Journal (+ video)
In today's post I’m going to show you how I've set up my bullet journal for December. December is a very busy month and I have to create lots of spreads. Today I’ll show you the basic monthly spreads and there’ll be another blog post with all the xmas spreads separately.
Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the post, because there's also a video, where I'm showing you exactly how I've created each spread.
In today's post I’m going to show you how I've set up my bullet journal for December. December is a very busy month and I have to create lots of spreads. Today I’ll show you the basic monthly spreads and there’ll be another blog post with all the xmas spreads separately.
Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the post, because there's also a video, where I'm showing you exactly how I've created each spread.
Since I had space, I thought to create a page to say goodbye to November and I continued the theme with the leaves that I started that month. For all the spreads, I’m using my Tombow markers as watercolours with my Pentel water brush.
When I'm using watercolours, I prefer to add the colour on the page first, before I go back and retrace the image with my black pen. But make sure to leave everything to dry well first, so that you can avoid smudges.
The next page is the first page of December. For the last 3 months I'm using a month from my Penguin Calendar as the first page of that month. You can print and use it as normal calendar, but what I like to do is to print it on a sticker paper, cut it to size and add it straight on the page. I like to use a ruler to make sure the sticker goes on straight and there are no bubbles..
You can find the 2018 Penguin Calendar in my Etsy shop.
The next page is my Month at a Glance. I decided to use the traditional monthly calendar grid for this month and I added a cute little snowman at the top of it. I've found that this layout works better for me.
I also have to sections at the side of the calendar that are for things I want to remember to do this month and next month.
Moving on to the next spread which is my November review and my December focus. I tend to do this at the end of almost every month, but since it’s the last months of the year, and they are the 2 busiest months as well, I want to reflect on what I’ve accomplished in November and also to focus on specific tasks for December.
The December focus page I separated it into 5 sections: one section with all the things I want to do this month, and then 1 section for each week, where I basically take all the things I want to do and I allocate them in one of the weeks of the month. That makes it easier to do tasks and I know exactly what I have to do each week.
For last month’s review I create sections for my big wins, what didn’t work and how I’ll improve.
Moving on to my Mood Tracker for December. I decided to make it a bit more fun, so I created a polar bear that seems to be having some issues with the xmas lights. I created 1 light for each day of the month that I’m going to be colouring depending on my mood.
I’ve created a FREE printable for you of this page. You can find it in the Resources Library, once you subscribe to my Newsletter.
JOIN THE GANG!
Subscribe now to my Newsletter to download the FREE Printable.
Plus get access to the Resources Library!
The next spread is my Sleep Log. I really enjoyed doing last month and I’m going to continue it this month as well. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised that I kept up with this tracker. Every time I’ve tried in the past to use a tracker, I always forgot to go back and fill it in. But with this one I did it. I’m doing a similar design with before with the little stars, but I chose pinks and purples this time for the colours.
I’ve also decided to start tracking my sleep from 9pm instead of 6pm, because clearly I’m not going to be getting any late afternoon naps any time soon. I also left some space next to the times to record exactly when I wake up and when I go to sleep. I’m not sure if I’ll keep up with that one, but I’ll give it a try.
And the in the last page I wanted to add a list with all the things I have to do before the holidays.
I wanted to make it a bit more interesting and so I made it look like a binder. I don’t know if that happens to you too, but when I draw and create things on my pages, then I want to go back to them and finish all the tasks. It’s a bit weird, but it works.
You can watch the video as well to see exactly how I've created each spread:
So, this is how my December looks in my bullet journal. Which spreads did you add in your December set up? Have you used a mood tracker or a sleep log before?
Instagram Challenge: #doodlewithusindecember2017
Once again I'm excited to announce our Instagram Challenge for the month of December! It's the #doodlewithusindecember2017 Instagram Challenge created by me and Alexandra (from @alexandra_plans).
It's going to be 31 days of doodles that will hopefully get you to be creative and have fun! The theme of December's prompts is 'Christmas'. This theme is perfect for this time of the year and I seriously can't wait to start drawing!
Once again I'm excited to announce our Instagram Challenge for the month of December! It's the #doodlewithusindecember2017 Instagram Challenge created by me and Alexandra (from @alexandra_plans).
It's going to be 31 days of doodles that will hopefully get you to be creative and have fun! The theme of December's prompts is 'Christmas'. This theme is perfect for this time of the year and I seriously can't wait to start drawing!
As we did before, all the doodles are part of one big comprehensive picture. Imagine each day to be one piece of the puzzle. So, at the end of the month you will have one big doodle picture! :)
If you decide to follow this way, you'll have to create a table with 5x6 +1 boxes and you shouldn't add the days on the top. You can also make the boxes and dates in pencil, if you don't want the lines to obscure the end result. It's totally up to you.
Of course, if you prefer to draw the doodles in the traditional way, that's absolutely fine as well. The important thing is to have fun!
You can also download a free printout with the daily prompts here.
If you want to join us then:
- Follow me (Christina) @christina77star and Alexandra @alexandra_plans over on Instagram.
- Download the prompts below.
- Draw something according to the day's prompt, take a photo of it, and share it with us on Instagram.
- Don't forget to add the hashtag #doodlewithusindecember2017 and spread the word.
- Everyone is welcome!
We're excited to see what you'll share!
Thank you for joining in!
Bullet Journal Ideas: Weekly Spread (+video)
Today I’m going to show you how I’ve set up my weekly spread in my bullet journal.
I usually have a certain layout for my weeklies that I prefer. Like the one I had for the previous week. However, this week I wanted something different, so, I’ve decided to create a layout that looks like a notice board.
Today I’m going to show you how I’ve set up my weekly spread in my bullet journal.
I usually have a certain layout for my weeklies that I prefer. Like the one I had for the previous week.
However, this week I wanted something different, so, I’ve decided to create a layout that looks like a notice board.
I always like to plan and sketch my pages in pencil first. I am terrible with making mistakes and I usually count my boxes wrong which leads to tears usually and I have to redo the whole thing again. So, in order to keep my sanity, I always use pencil first.
I’ve decided to use my Tombow markers as watercolours for this spread. To do that I use a little plate and my trusty Pendel Water brush. You can always use a plastic surface if you prefer, to add the colour and then pick it up with the brush.
You can watch the video to see how exactly I created this spread. In the description you can also find all the supplies I used.
If you liked the video, let me know in the comments below. What other types of video would you like me to make?
30 Christmas Spread Ideas for your Bullet Journal
With Christmas just around the corner there are a million and one things that you need to organise and prepare. One of them being your bullet journal set up for December and all the Xmas spreads you might want to include in it.
I've been looking around the Internet for more inspiration and I thought I'll share with you some really nice spreads I've found by some very talented fellow bullet journalists. I've put them in categories, so that it's easier for you to find what you're looking for.
So, grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get inspired.
With Christmas just around the corner there are a million and one things that you need to organise and prepare. One of them being your bullet journal set up for December and all the Xmas spreads you might want to include in it.
I've been looking around the Internet for more inspiration and I thought I'll share with you some really nice spreads I've found by some very talented fellow bullet journalists. I've put them in categories, so that it's easier for you to find what you're looking for.
So, grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get inspired.
December Front Page
@bujo_czechgirl
@christina77star
Link
Monthly Set Up
@feebujo
@bujobaby
@that_journal
@my.life.in.a.bullet
@banjobaby83
@malwal94_bujo
Weekly Spreads
@paperandinkco.heidi
@stephsupgrade
@alexandra_plans
www.christina77star.net
Daily
@christina77star
@bujo_czechgirl
www.christina77star.net
@bonjournal_
@christina77star
@christina77star
Christmas Spreads
@kassy_ivy
@nosleepforyou
@the_sisters_bujo
@alexandra_plans
@kobieta_z_pasja
The Momtastic
@christina77star
@doodledaydarlings
Kerry Anne Pearson
So, I hope all these spreads have put you into the Christmas spirit and have inspired you to create your own in your bullet journal.
Do you create Christmas spreads? Which ones do you usually add in your December layout?
How I decorate the First Page of my Bullet Journals + Video
In the following video I’m going to show you the different ways I like to decorate the very first page of my bullet journal. I usually like to add a quote or a drawing that means something to me on the first page of the notebook. I think that it’s nice to see something inspiring every time you open your bullet journal.
In the following video I’m going to show you the different ways I like to decorate the very first page of my bullet journal. I usually like to add a quote or a drawing that means something to me on the first page of the notebook. I think that it’s nice to see something inspiring every time you open your bullet journal.
As you'll see in the video, I’ve been doing this with all my previous bullet journals creating drawing and quote pages.
For my 4th bullet journal I’ve decided to go with a quote that I found online and I really like it. It’s a quote by William Ernest Henley and it says:
“I’m the master of my fate, I’m the captain of my soul’
This video is part of my online course: Bullet Journal With Me.
I’m starting a new bullet journal for 2018 and in this course I take you along and show you step-by-step all the process of how I’m setting it up. With this course you have access to 17 Videos and 31 Printables, as well as lots of useful Resources.
For more information click here.
If you follow the link, you can also get a printable of the design I’m creating in this video, plus some of my other quotes and drawings I’ve created in my previous bullet journals.
I hope you’ve enjoy the video.