2020... how to even start? Truth is my Bullet Journal was a savior. Not only did it help me organize my life, but it also became a very important creative outlet to me. The moments I got to sit down, plan and draw, were the exact kind of “me time“ that I needed, especially when things got really stressful. Since this might be a long post, without further ado, here’s my review of my 2020 through pictures of my favorite spreads.
THE YEAR WHEEL. Here’s my year in a nutshell. Yes, in this wheel you can see aaaaall the highlights of my year. This spread quickly became my favorite one and though it took a year to complete, the waiting was totally worth it! I already added it to my 2021 journal. As you can see I used from very fine liners to markers and was inspired to draw tiny doodles or sometimes just used different types of fonts... if you would like to give it a go this year use the hashtag #bujoyearwheel on Instagram! I’d love to see it!
JANUARY. For my first ever monthly spread I chose an inky floral theme with some accent colors which I ended up using to color code my mood tracker. Here you see a mix of that plus my gratitude log (which later became my “favorites” log). I had not been doodling for a while so this was not only fun, but also practice for my numb hand. The highlight of that month was that I got to go to the beach to see a dear friend whom I practically grew up with. So happy I got to include that precious memory in this year!
FEBRUARY. Ahhh, Alice in Wonderland! I LOVED this cover page (the polar opposite of January), and I also loved the layout of my habit/energy tracker, so I keep on using it until now. But... this month made me realize that maybe, bright colors on my journal are not really my thing, I gave them a try later on just to confirm I really rather have soft and muted tones, they help my mind rest and be inspired to journal away. The highlight was that after a ten year battle with fibroids the doctor declared me free of them! I cried of happiness.
MARCH. My beloved Rose Gold theme was possible thanks to the Coliro watercolors that I bought. I was obsessed with the result and I truly was enjoying my layouts until March 14... that was when the isolation period began (and I thought it would last for a month or two, so naive). And interestingly enough, I thought my journal would be useless if I stayed at home. I was far from right! My highlight was that I got my first collaboration on a blog named Creative Fabrica, I was honored and had a lot of fun recreating an April spread for them that was meant to ease the isolation period. You can read the post here:
And speaking of isolation...
THE STAY AT HOME SCHEDULE. After some days of seeing quarantine as vacations (watching tv, zooming with friends, painting all day, reading complete books and sometimes even just lying in bed), I started to realize the isolation could last longer and I could not go on like that. So I opened my journal to a page I had saved for an upcoming trip (which of course I had to cancel), and decided to put together an interactive schedule. This was a life saver, especially because time was passing by as fast as water runs through my hands. If you would like to see how this works, watch my YouTube video below:
APRIL. Hands down, the worst month. I spent a considerable time watching the news and stressing over the rise of cases and how the situation was getting out of hand. And my mood shows through my spreads. Though I made an effort to be artsy with that dotted technique, there was something about those pages that does not resonate with me... so the only thing I enjoyed was adding meaningful quotes that might help to cheer up my days. I guess the highlight was that we celebrated the first anniversary of moving cities, grateful that we got to ride the pandemic in a more tranquil area.
MAY. It was a much better month. I decided to stop watching that much news and only be informed of the measures taken in my area. It helped my peace of mind beyond compare. And then I was inspired by Amanda RachLee to do a Lo-fi aesthetic for my theme. And since I was tired of being at home, (honestly even a little bit adverse to it), I also decided to draw the spaces from home that I like the most and make them look cozy. Mission accomplished! My home became a true refuge, both physically and emotionally, I felt safe. And the cherry on top was that I even came up with a week of challenging myself to bake everyday. It was a most enjoyable week. Highlight was getting together with my artsy friends through zoom to paint together, I cherish those moments despite the distance!
JUNE. Music was (and is) paramount during isolation, so what better theme than one based on my favorite band, Coldplay. Especially because June was a bit stressful. We had a hurricane warning, so that was enough to loose the calm and quiet. Again it translated into my spreads which I ended up not liking that much, except for the one you see pictured above, based on the “Strawberry Swing”video. I drew it on Procrate and printed it. I love how it looks, but it was the definite “no” to bright colored spreads from then on. As for the highlights, not only did I get to see a “Toh” bird (google it, it’s a rare beauty), right outside my window, but fireflies were the highlight of each and every single night, right there in our garden!! Such a touching and unique experience!
JULY. Since I enjoyed the baking challenge a lot (because it gave me something to look forward to every single day), for July I decided to challenge myself every week, every day. Needless to say, I did not fulfill each and every challenge, but I had so much fun. Waking up to a daily venture really gave me further motivation which I was needing a lot! The challenges were pretty simple, from self care to taking breaks to doing things I had been postponing. So July was no doubt a productive, encouraging month! My theme was cherry blossom, very simple to focus on the tasks of each day. As for the highlight, ever been through a virtual tour of this world’s museums? Google it, SO worth it!!
AUGUST. This month revived my artsy side, I put further effort on my theme, which was inspired by a blue whale (because I had ordered what would be my 2021 journal: the Tsuki Gentle Giant from Notebook Therapy). Doodle Challenges. I rediscovered my love for them (I had only made one back in December 2019), and this time I took my time to “color” the doodles with washi tape! So there I was every morning tracing over the washi (good thing it’s see-through), and then using my tiniest scissors to cut the right, minuscule shapes to fit my doodles. Such good therapy! I loved it! And though I did not repeat the washi thing, I definitely kept on doing these challenges. Highlight was, my friend surprised me with a bunch of my favorite Lindt chocolates!!! (she dropped them with the security guy). It’s the details like this that make you feel special!
SEPTEMBER. To the left you can see my inspiration for the month, the movie “Up”(this was one of my favorite themes). And to the right, my new found obsession: water based inks. I just love, love, love the retro vibe they gave to my drawings and so I am still using them for that purpose. The highlight was that we started getting the most beautiful autumn sunsets by the end of the month, a daily gift that makes me feel grateful for creation.
OCTOBER. For this month I decided to make my own prompt list for Inktober which was a really fun activity, drawing this huge cheese with its little mice citizens was the highlight of my mornings. At the same time I entered an Instagram challenge by Alinailustra where we were supposed to combine prompts to come up with a painting related to the space and Jupiter, at the end of the month, my painting got first place!
And I have mentioned all of this before, but sometimes, I’m not too sure about what I create and putting it out there is daunting, so getting such a positive response is a huge pull in my creative life! It makes all the doubts disappear and the effort worth it! This painting also saw the birth of ”Moonie”, my brave astronaut girl who would inspire my January 2020 spreads. My highlight for October was yet another challenge, this time I did one every third day and it was an Autumn challenge, full of pleasant activities like drinking hot Cocoa and making caramel apples... bliss!
NOVEMBER. I aimed for a cozy theme (that picture of my friend’s dog really inspired me), and so I used a very soft palette and Kraft paper. The highlight, like the month before, was a gluten free recipe for lemon cookies that I found at www.rhiansrecipes.com That site saved my life, I really really recommend it if you are a gluten free person!the highlight was not only winning the Instagram challenge, but the prize: a one on one chat with the very Alinailustra. She’s such a friendly person, she gave me a lot of tips to go further in my art as well as on finding my style. It’s teachers like her that make learning a beautiful experience, I was truly grateful for my time with her.
DECEMBER. My Enola Holmes inspired month is also house to another one of my favorite doodle challenges, the winter doodles. It is amazing what one color can do, I’m obsessed! The highlight of the month was that my followers on YouTube reached +4,000 (after a year of not going further that 2,000 something), and the comments I was getting lifted up my spirits. I honestly believe the bullet journal community is mostly made up of people who want to organize their lives and they appreciate any inspiration or tip they can get, so we cheer each other up in our road to a better and improved life. I feel fortunate to belong and be accepted in such a supportive community (by the way, thank you if you are still reading this!).
THE CHERRY ON TOP OF THE CAKE. I am always taking pictures, so I had material to choose my top 12 monthly highlights. And I really wanted to include this spread to be happy about the good things of 2020. From zoom meetings, to having donuts, sunsets to green roads... there were great things to be grateful for through this ugly year. I feel the deepest gratitude for all my blessings and continue to count them each day to remind myself that life is a gift and we should never ever give it for granted.
My first year bullet journaling taught me a lot of things. I am still on the road to discover my preferred style of doing it and I am loving every second of it. If you enjoyed this review post and would like to see a complete flip through of the whole journal watch my youtube video below.
Thank you for being here and I hope you continue to follow my bullet journal journey!
Thanks a lot for reading me,
Nala 👩🏼🎨