Dive into Decorative Planning

If you're tight on time and only have a few minutes to design a new planner spread or bullet journal layout but still want a stunning layout? Unlock the potential of your planner with this step-by-step guide on creating a modern gratitude planner spread. Perfect for decorative planning and creative planning, this tutorial will show you how to use our decorative mountain washi border stickers and simple geometric shapes to enhance your daily planning. Whether you’re tailoring a bullet journal layout or a DIY planner spread, these techniques will bring a unique touch to your journaling routine.

Materials and Preparation: Gathering Your Creative Toolkit

A great planner spread or bullet journal layout starts with the right tools. Here’s what we used to create this DIY journaling spread:

• Watercolour Nature Scene Washi Border stickers: Don't have these stickers? You can use any type of border washi scene, whether that's floral borders, large beach waves for a summer planner spread, fun black and white or foiled Halloween spider webs, or even winter nature border washi scenes. Opt for designs that have a continuous design or pattern, which can easily be cut off on the ends.
• 110 lb Whisper White Cardstock: Chosen for its heavy-duty quality that prevents ink bleed-through. I get it: you want as many pages in your Frankenplanner as possible, but it's not quite the same when the ink bleeds through. This cardstock is definitely my favourite for decorative planning as I can use any marker, felt, or watercolour ink and nothing bleeds through.
• Cutting Tools: An Xacto knife to help create precise cuts on your border washi stickers. You can also use a washi cutter.
• Drawing and Writing Instruments: Pencil for sketching, Micron pens for outlining, Tombow markers for bold edges, and a ruler for alignment.
• Eraser: To clean up any preliminary marks.

Sketching Your Triangles: Laying the Foundation for Your Planner Spread

Leverage the basics of geometry to create a balanced and visually appealing bullet journal layout:

1. Draw a Base Line: Use a ruler to draw a horizontal baseline on your page.
2. Find the Center: Measure and mark the center point on the baseline to guide the apex of your largest triangle.
3. Sketch Triangles: Draw three triangles of varying sizes starting from the center point. Use a pencil for adjustments and an eraser to correct any missteps.

Outlining and Cutting: Defining Your Geometric Design

Transform your sketches into vibrant features of your DIY planner spread:

1. Outline with Micron Pens: Trace over your pencil lines with a Micron pen to define the shapes clearly. I used a ruler for mine as I wanted straight, clean lines. To ensure your line doesn't bleed when you lift your ruler, I lift the ruler very slowly and carefully and avoid dragging it across the page. This is trick helps to ensure the line is clean each and every time!
2. Apply Washi Border Scene Stickers: Carefully place your first nature washi border sticker along the base of each triangle, using a ruler to ensure it fits within the borders of your shapes.
3. Cut Precisely: Use an Xacto knife or washi cutter to trim the edge of the sticker following the edges of your triangles closely.

Adding Functional Elements: Enhancing Planner Usability

Merge aesthetics with utility by incorporating functional aspects into your gratitude tracking:

• Functional Lines and Gratitude Prompt Stickers: Essential for gratitude journaling, these prompt stickers help maintain focus and organization in your planner spread. I also really like using these because they help give me ideas of what to write in my journal and what to track.

Personalizing Your Spread: Making It Uniquely Yours

Tailor your DIY journaling spread to reflect your personal style and needs:

• Sticker Alternatives: There are so many different types of stickers you can use for this layout, so have fun with exploring different looks to ensure your spread remains personalized and functional. I'm going to try out using these fun rock and boulder wall washi border scenes for my next planner spread!
• Simple Decorative Touches: I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many foiled stickers in your planner. So, feel free to add these beautiful shimmery accents to your bullet journal spread for some added sparkle. 

Final Touches: Perfecting Your Planner Layout

Assess and adjust your planner spread to perfection, adding final details to polish the overall look. Want a top border for your spread? Add it! Need a little extra flying hawk inside of a triangle? Keep those extra scraps and fussy cut out the eagle. This spread is so simple that it allows you a ton of different ways to customize it.

Sharing Your Creative Planning Journey

You’ve now crafted a DIY planner spread that’s not only practical but also a testament to your creativity in gratitude journaling. This easy journaling spread not only organizes your thoughts but does so with style and personal flair. Share your gratitude journaling stickers-enhanced creations in our VIP Facebook group, and inspire others with your approach to decorative planning and creative planning!