It is already time for our March bujo! Join me in doing this orange blossom theme! We'll create a fun weekly layout, a beautiful calendar, and so much more. Always remember, it's never too late to get into bullet journaling. So if you missed a month or haven't created this year's, it's the perfect time to start.
Follow along with the video and see how I recover from mistakes:
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Marker Colors
Tombow Brush Pens: Holly Green #312, Green #249, Asparagus #192, Hunter Green #249, Blush #772, Sand #992, Opal #910
Our March cover page is in full color! I am sticking with my dutch door, marking 8 squares in on each page and sketching a rough circle as a guide. To create the "m" in the center I printed it out, put some graphite from my pencil on the back, and traced it with a sharp pencil. It creates a transfer of a letter that is better than what I could have hand drawn. Then it is just a matter of adding a few circles for the oranges and filling it in with blossoms and leaves. Don't be afraid to draw over the "m", you can always erase the lines after.
I didn't get the design right on the first go, just keep at it until you are happy. I ended up adding an extra orange and some smaller leaves for contrast. The rest of the contrast will be added in color, so next up is picking a color palette. While it is essentially orange and green, I used a few shades of each to add contrast and create highlights. The blossoms I left white but shaded with beige and gray, and they really pop with the darkest green behind them.
I used an 04 nib to trace the "m", and a smaller nib to add a sketchy black line to the rest of the illustration. You may notice that I mixed things up this month by having the calendar directly below instead of on the page underneath and showing through. This is where different nib sizes really come in handy as well, the 01 is perfect for the tiny numbers. After cutting it out the page is complete!
Beneath the dutch door cover page I create my month-at-a-glance, with lists of goals, to dos, or affirmations. Normally I create those lists, have my calendar peaking out, and have a small illustration. This month I am switching it up! I created a full pattern across the entire page, the gray will go really well with the orange and green and compliment the cover page where you will be able to see it. I'm getting out of my comfort zone and using lots of color and patterns this month!
After filling the page I taped in a piece of ripped craft paper for my lists. I thought it could use a little more color so I drew a few flowers in my same color palette and cut them out. I like the way it almost looks like a homemade sticker.
I blocked my calendar out in pencil first and then traced over it in fineliner. By pulling the pen towards me I can keep the lines relatively straight and avoid using a ruler. I brought a little color over to this page using the beige from the white blossoms. With some simple lines I've created a space to list out important dates.
Do you see my mistake on this page? I put the numbers on the first row of the calendar on the left hand side before switching to the right. Sometimes, it is better to just go with it. I don't think this was worth ripping out a page and it looks fine. Don't be afraid of your mistakes.
I created the border on the left hand page while drawing the calendar for my simple illustration. It is the same forms and colors that I used on the cover page, and it really succeeds in its simplicity. There is a lot of negative space, just a small illustration and a hand drawn border. The final look is so sophisticated and helps carry our theme through. Let your illustration breathe - white space can be such a good thing in a journal.
This weekly layout is also something I have never done before! But, it is simple and fun to draw. It starts with four rectangles in pencil, then I found the middle to split them into eight. I blocked off the middle area of each one, lowering the placement for the days of the week, so I would have room for the illustration.
I took out the orange and added in a pink, but otherwise stuck with the same color palette. Using the beiges and pinks I started sketching out my favorite florals in marker. I included some five petal flowers, spirals that can be roses and small leaves. I love the way the minty green looks with my cinnamon peach marker, and the dark green makes all the lighter colors pop. A thoughtful color palette can bring sophistication and success to the most simple of illustrations. Remember to always try out your colors first and pick ones that really speak to you.
This month I wanted to create another mood tracker. I created the ring on my computer and traced it the same way I did with the "m" on the cover page. Both the cover page and this mood tracker are available on Patreon.
As carefully as I could, I traced the perfect circle. For the most part it worked out, and the 31 spaces for the month are all even. I didn't want to switch my color palette now, so I kept the orange blossoms for an illustration in the center. This can be as simple as you want, and is hopefully more comfortable after drawing it a few times already.
I used my Tombow brush to write March across the top, it's perfect to create a prominent title and add a little shading using a small nib fine liner. At the bottom I used the color swatches to create a key for my mood tracker. Mine is very pregnancy-focused, but you can use as many and whatever moods you want to track.
I hope you have fun with the March layout! There is lots of new material, colorful spreads and ways to get creative and personalize your journal.