Whether you are new to journaling or have been keeping a journal for a while, it can be easy to run out of ideas for what to write about and how to decorate your pages. In this blog post, I am sharing ten ideas to hopefully give you some fresh inspiration for your journaling time. I do hope you enjoy it.
Idea No.1 - Seasonal Doodles
On the journal pages above I added some quick seasonal doodles to my left-hand page using a range of Tombow ABT brush pens. I feel it really helps to set the scene for the month ahead and they're lovely and quick to do. I then used the same colour brush pens to add a heading to the other page, to help tie everything in together. For my writing I spent some time thinking about my plans for the month ahead. I always feel better when I can put a bit of stucture to how I plan to spend my time.
Idea No. 2 - Circular Pockets
On these journal pages I created some circular pockets on black and kraft paper, which I used to write some positive messages to myself. I decorated the pockets using a black Muji gel pen and white Uni-ball Signo gel pen. You could of course use bright patterned papers instead if you prefer. I love using my journal to add some quick notes of positivity that I can read through on more difficult days.
Idea No. 3 - Document Your Hobbies
One thing I love adding to my journal pages is photos of other creative projects that I've been working on. This can include sewing, knitting, baking, gardening, painting or anything else that I have on the go. It's such a great way of your documenting your creative makes and progress over the years. For my photo printing I use a Brother Colour Label printer.
Idea No.4 - Loose Watercolour Florals
If you enjoy playing around with watercolour, then loose floral designs might be something fun to try out. For this page, I used my set of Prima Marketing watercolours to add some blobs of paint to my page. I then added some floral and leaf doodles on top. For the writing I reflected on all the different areas of my life that I'm currently experimenting with and trying out new things. I love to be a continual learner and experimenting plays a big role in this, so it's great to have it documented in my journal.
Idea No.5 - Junk Journal Pages
If you enjoy creating collage and vintage style pages, then a junk journal might be perfect for you. I love looking through my paper stash to find images that go well together and playing with them to arrange a satisfying collage on my page. I also use coffee-dyed paper to create writing spots on busy pages. I have a YouTube video all about creating your own junk journal here.
Idea No. 6 - Use your Journal to get Organised
I love using my Hobonichi journal to get organised and plan out all my tasks. It brings me peace of mind and mental clarity once all of my tasks are written down. I also use the extra space on my page to reflect on my day, consider what went well and where I need to focus my energy the next day. Having a good planning system in place can really help you to build in time slots for creativity and other important areas of your life.
Idea No. 7 - Handmade Decorated Papers
If you are running low on decorated papers, why not try creating some of your own? I find it really satisying to add watercolour and mark-making to old book pages that I can then use in my journals. It adds a really personal touch to your designs as you can pick and choose which colours and elements you wish to use. On this journal page I created a circle out of patterned papers, gelli plate prints and hand decorated papers. I used the writing to reflect on areas of my life that need more focus.
Idea No. 8 - Express Yourself through Bright Playful Collage
On some days you might find that you want to express yourself creatively, but don't have much to say. For me, expressing myself through colour, texture, marks, quotes and imagery can be a really great way of still doing something in my journals without worrying about adding lots of writing. You can see inside this art journal here.
Idea No.9 - Create Lettering Tiles
Something else I love doing is creating lettering tiles for the month and using this to create a little motto or motivation for the new month. It's a fun way of creating a cover page and you can add some extra decorative elements to brighten up your pages too. You can also tie in the colours and decorations to the season so that each month looks different as you progress throughout the year.
Idea No.10 - Handmade Washi Tape
As a fun creative project, you could try creating your own strips of "washi tape". I made mine by using watercolour and gel pens on watercolour paper. I then glued two strips to the side of each page, along with some other decorative elements. I was so pleased with how these turned out and there are so many opportunities to try out different designs and colour palettes.
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Finally, I recently shared a flip through of my latest creative journal, which will hopefully give you lots of extra inspiration for your own pages.
If you would like more journaling inspiration, including weekly videos, livestreams, printables, journal prompts, creative challenges and tutorials, then I would love to welcome you to my journaling club over on Patreon.
It's a wonderful community full of lovely people and it's a great place to learn all about the wonderful world of journaling.
Thank you for being here, Helen x
I get very excited when you share a blog Helen, because there is always something for me to try. I love these & have several ideas for my journal pages in the next few weeks. Thank you