Bonjour BuJo (n°2): Journaling Essentials (and extras)

Whether you are totally new to bullet journaling and gearing up for my spring/summer Bonjour BuJo set up series, or you already love to journal and just want new ideas and recommendations, this is the post for you. Today we talk bullet journal supplies: essentials and extras. 

If you stay true to the original concept of a bullet journal, you can technically start with any pen and any notebook. That said, the creative in me was looking for a way to integrate art and design with the practicalities a bullet journal provides. I knew that for me, bullet journaling was not only about streamlining my calendar/planner/various journals/lists, but also about the ability to design a journal to suit my specific tastes and aesthetic. 

There are a wide variety of supplies on the market that are great for bullet journaling. It can be overwhelming to decide which supplies are the best quality, what you really need, and where to start when setting up for your first journal. On top of that, you want to be kind to your wallet - it would be really easy to spiral out of control buying fun colored pens and adorable embellishments! Here, we are going to try to keep it pretty simple. I'm in to this whole capsule trend (capsule wardrobe, capsule make up collection...). There's something that comforts me about having exactly what I need, not too little, not too much. With that idea in mind, we will consider this list a "capsule" bullet journaling supply list of sorts. 

The Essentials

1. The journal.
My first journal was done in a soft cover, large (5x8.5in), dotted Moleskine. This lasted me a full 9 months. It was thrown into various totes and purses and held up incredibly well. I loved the durability, the size was easy to carry with me, and I've just always been a Moleskine fan. This journal didn't disappoint. I liked it so much, I've committed to the same journal for BuJo n°2. This time I added a special detail - my initials on the cover embossed in gold (Moleskine has a free personalization promotion going on right now). 

A lot of journalers speak highly of the Leuchtturm1917 journals. These come in a wider range of colors and have the added benefits of pre-numbered pages and a built in table of contents (I will talk more about this in a future post). I've considered trying one, but I'm sticking to my Moleskine because I love the entirely blank slate. I enjoy adding each and every detail to my bullet journal by hand, down to the numbers on the pages. You just have to decide what works best for you. :) 

2. Black pens.
I use these on every single page in my journal. Faber Castell black fineliners in various widths are my favorite. This allows you to create different lettering styles with ease.

3. Colored pens.
A must for bringing your pages to life, Staedler Triplus fineliners are my favorite. I started with a 12 pack but quickly realized the 36 pack was worth the investment. The best part about purchasing both of these pen sets (black and colored) is that even if you abandon your BuJo you will be left with some really nice pens that are great for every day use. 

4. Washi tape.
Just a few rolls of fun colored or patterned washi tape for spicing things up. :) 
(Michael's and Hobby Lobby both have fun options!)

For a long time I stopped at these four essential supplies. I was just getting started, and I didn't want to invest too much into my bullet journal if there was a chance of not sticking with it.

Of course, I did stick with it... and so my "capsule" supply collection has grown a bit. Here are a few of the things that can take your page designs to the next level, still without going overboard. If the essentials are your staples, these extras are your fun accessories. 

The Extras 

1. More washi tape. 

I don't know why this stuff is so addicting. I feel like I can't ever get enough, but I also try to keep myself in check. I bought a small plastic three drawer set at Marshall's. I vow to keep one drawer for washi tape. If I can't fit my rolls there, I know I've gone overboard and rein it in. 

2. Highlighters.
These Midliner highlighters are almost turning into an essential for me. The soft, muted shades aren't your typical highlighter fluorescents, and they are great for adding small details and making things pop. 

3. Acrylic stamps and ink. 
This was a splurge for me, but as dedicated as I am to my journal, it was worth it. I use this acrylic stamp block with these stamps (also lots of cute options for these in the Create365 section at Michael's). Versa Magic inks come in beautiful shades, dry quickly, and won't bleed through the page. I went with a classic navy that would look good on almost all of my pages. Again, I don't want to get too crazy buying tons of colors.

4. Gellyroll pens.
I am a lover of metallics, especially gold and copper. I love these for adding some shine to my pages, but beware, they smudge if they aren't completely dry. 

5. Fun paper clips and binder clips.
Check the dollar bins at Target and Michael's. These are awesome for marking favorite pages or keeping track of your current spot in your journal.

As you can see, these extras doubled my supply collection, but I assure you this happened over time, and all of this fits in a small basket under my coffee table. I'm a big proponent of buying that which I will truly use (in all aspects of life) and I stay true to that with my bullet journal as well. 

I hope these suggestions are helpful! Do you have any favorite supplies that you think my list is missing? Even though I try to keep it simple, I'm always open to new ideas. Let me know in the comments!

Warm wishes from me to you,

Lauren 

Wellness Wednesday (n°1): Thank God it's Monday?!?!

The Sunday blues are a very real thing. It isn't that we don't enjoy our jobs or feel accomplished as we work through our to do lists and busy schedules. But Mondays can be challenging. It's difficult to relinquish the sweet freedom of the weekend and get back into a routine that offers fewer moments for relaxing and losing all track of time in favorite hobbies and activities. 

What if there was a way to kick the Sunday blues? To make Monday amazing? Luckily a few of my favorite podcasters explore this idea on their fun and engaging wellness podcast. Sisters Gretchen Rubin (you may know some of her best selling books such as The Happiness Project and Better Than Before) and Elizabeth Craft go live every Tuesday with a new episode of Happier (search Happier in the Apple iTunes store). Episode 48 explores the Sunday blues and gave me an incredible idea: plan something each Monday to look forward to. Plan to make Monday an amazing day. 

For me, these Monday plans don't have to be big. Some of the things I plan to make Monday amazing are quite small, but knowing I have something to look forward to when my alarm sounds to ring in the new week changes my outlook and sets me up for a great day and week ahead. 

Here are some ways I make Monday amazing:

1. Trader Joe's Almond Croissants 
These flaky, buttery, sweet treats bring the pâtisserie right to my apartment. They take 6-7 hours to rise, so I set one out on a sheet of parchment Sunday night. Then, I preheat and let bake while I am getting ready and brewing a fresh cup of coffee (Ronnoco hazelnut is my at home favorite). Knowing I have a delectable petit dejeuner ahead is just enough to put some extra pep in my Monday step.

2. Podcast and power walk with The Simple Sophisticate
Shannon Ables' podcast, The Simple Sophisticate, goes live every Monday. I always save the episode for a Monday afternoon walk as soon as I get home from work. It's the perfect treat to look forward to, it gets me moving in the fresh air, and it gives me a moment of mindfulness as I transition from work to home. 

3. Take a yoga class.
I am very fortunate to have a lovely studio, Yoga in Demun, just a block down the street. Monday nights offer a yoga for strength and flexibility that boost my strength both inside and out. 

These things are very simple, but they do so much for my outlook toward the new week. Other simple ways to make Monday amazing might include planning a coffee date with a good friend, setting aside time for a favorite Netflix episode, hitting the local library to check out new reads, etc. The sky is the limit. 

Do you have ways that you make Monday amazing? What are some new things you might try? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Warm wishes from me to you,

Lauren 

Bonjour BuJo (n°1): Logging Your Reading

Today I'm launching my first series on the blog, Bonjour BuJo. This will be a series dedicated to all things bullet journal (often nicknamed the BuJo by avid journalers). Bullet journaling has taken the Internet by storm. You can find information about bullet journaling on Pinterest, Instagram and many blogs. But for those of you who aren't familiar with bullet journaling, it all began with a simple concept that you can read more about here. Along the way, journalers have put their own spin on the system, customizing and creating to meet their own personal needs. 

Often times our greatest inspiration comes from our closest friends. I have to credit my bullet journaling journey to my best friend Alex. She introduced the bullet journal to me about 8 months ago, and now I can't imagine life without it. My bullet journal has truly become my "home base", my hub for weekly plans, upcoming events, dates to remember, habit trackers, lists, ideas, thoughts, and beyond. On top of all of that, it is the perfect creative outlet that I had been craving. 

Coming this summer, I will outline the entire process of beginning and keeping a bullet journal starting with a completely blank slate. Until then, I will be sharing some of my favorite ways to use my bullet journal. I hope you are inspired to try some of these things too (or to create your journal in a way that works for you)!

Now to the topic of the post: using your bullet journal to log your reading. I am a lover of Goodreads and I still use this as a place to keep my "to be read list", connect with other readers, and track my yearly reading goals. That said, I still wanted a pen to paper, personal spot to keep my reading record. After listening to an episode of What Should I Read Next? that discussed logging your reading, I was inspired to begin. When logging reading, different readers prefer to record different things. In addition to the title and author of a book, you might mark the date started and the date finished, the genre, the number of pages, your rating, your favorite quote, or even abandoned books. The information you wish to keep will be based on your preference. 

I decided to go with a simple layout that included title, author, start date, finish date, genre, number of pages, and favorite quote. I wanted to track how frequently I was finishing a book, to notice patterns in genre so that I might expand into new territory, and to keep page numbers so I could have a concrete record of how much ground I covered over the course of a year. I think the quote has become my favorite part of this log. I feel that in searching for a favorite quote I read more closely, and when I select a favorite quote at the end I make sure it sums up what that particular book meant to me. When you read book after book, it is hard to remember every detail. However, remembering the feeling that book brought you can be incredibly powerful. 

 (my bullet journal reading record)

(the picks I plan to read to finish out this log, plus book darts from The Novel Neighbor to easily keep track of favorite quotes as I read) 

My goal this year is to read 24 books. I wanted to increase from my goal of 16 in 2016 (which I surpassed), but keep it reasonable enough to fit in with my busy life filled with teaching, family, friends and travel. I only made space for 12 books in this journal as I am so close to beginning a fresh one. I will continue my book logging there. 

Do you have a favorite way to log your reading? I would love to hear about your ideas in the comments!

Warm wishes from me to you,

Lauren