Have you ever felt the itch to break free from the lined confines of your planner pages, to colour outside the lines and make something uniquely yours? If that’s a ‘heck yes’, then you’re in for a treat! Today, we're mixing mediums and bending rules with a sprinkle of Easter joy. Who says stickers are just for sticking? And who wrote the rule that scrapbook paper can only grace the pages of, well, scrapbooks? Not us!

Welcome to a world where your planner spreads bloom with possibility, and Easter isn't just a holiday—it's a season of creative awakening. Let’s tear down the walls of traditional planning and hop into the vibrant realm of custom layouts. In this post, I'm peeling back the curtain on my personal “Gratitude Garden”—a whimsical spread crafted from the heart, using a kaleidoscope of Easter stickers and a canvas of rainbow hexagon patterns. It’s here we’ll scribble down our happy moments, and let our gratitude grow amidst the charm of Cute as a Bunny aesthetics.

This isn't just about decorative planning; it’s a creative planning journey to a place where bullet journal inspiration meets the joyful art of gratitude journaling. So grab your foils and your favourite pens, and let’s jump right in!

Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Gratitude Spread

Embrace Your Inner Artist

Start with a Vision: Before you even uncap your markers and pens, envision what gratitude means to you. Is it the quiet moments with a book, the laughter of family, or the fresh scent of spring? Let these feelings guide your design.

Design with Colours that Inspire You: In this spread, I used Adobe Illustrator and designed a rainbow pastel hexagon background and then printed the pattern on 110 lb white cardstock paper. This formed the vibrant backdrop of my spread—a hexagon hive of happiness.

Precision Meets Craftsmanship: I brought my design to life by letting my Cricut machine work its magic, transforming my printed piece into a fun, custom-cut shape that fits snugly in my planner. I just ensured I started off with a canvas size of 7" w by 9.25" h to ensure the paper fit my Happy Planner.

Layer with Love: The egg washi I used is from the Cute as a Bunny sticker kit is not just an embellishment; it’s the foundation of my gratitude hexagon. I adhered this to the back of the hexagon cardstock pattern for a fun layered look.

 

Shine with Foiled Stickers: Next, I used one of the Gratitude Prompt stickers, "Today's 3 happy moments" sticker, foiled it in rainbow foil to help it catch the light with every turn of the page.

Date with Destiny: Next, I mark the month and date using one of the 13 font options from the Days of the Week and Month sticker kit and then foiled them in pink to echo the blush of Easter blooms.

Dot Your Joys: For the bullet points where joy takes shape in words, I used the art deco stickers from the "Cute as a Bunny" Easter kit as they naturally aligned really nicely with the spread's aesthetic. They’re not just decorative; they’re the placeholders for your thankful thoughts. Alternately, I could have used these cute little Easter chick stickers as they're the right size for little bullet points.

Infuse Your Planner with Personality

This process isn’t just about sticking to the script; it’s about writing your own. Your planner is a personal haven, and you should feel empowered to tailor it to reflect your soul’s palette. Whether it’s the tactile feel of the sticker, the visual dance of a foiled sticker, or the emotional resonance of the moment, each element is a brushstroke in your masterpiece of mindfulness.

Mixing stickers with scrapbook paper breaks the mold, inviting an eclectic mix of textures and designs into your planning process. It’s about the freedom to craft a layout that isn’t just effective—it’s essentially you. And, I love using my Frankenplanned planner that I designed using Happy Planner discs so it's easy to add and remove pages from the planner.

The Joy of Journaling

Gratitude journaling in your planner isn’t just an act of reflection; it’s a celebration of the everyday. Each bullet point becomes a confetti of contentment, each foiled font a whisper of whimsy. This Easter, let your gratitude journal be a garden where joys, no matter how small, blossom in full colour.

The Benefits of Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude isn’t just for Thanksgiving or special holidays. It’s a year-round journey that enriches our lives in every season, especially at the start of each new month when you can reflect on the prior month's successes and happy moments. When you take a moment to pause and note down the moments of joy throughout your day, you’re doing more than just remembering—you’re re-living. I especially love this process as I find it helps to reflect back on those happy moments when I'm having a rough day or need a bit of inspiration or even a reminder of what I should be thankful for. I like to use these Happy Moment script stickers as headlines in my journal, as my handwriting needs a little work....

Cultivating Contentment: Each note of gratitude is a seed planted in the fertile soil of your mind. As you water it with acknowledgment and sunshine it with your attention, you grow a more contented heart.

The Ripple Effect: Gratitude is contagious. When you regularly jot down your ‘happy moments’, you're not only boosting your own spirits but also inspiring others when you share your planner spreads online or with friends.

A Reflective Retreat: In the hustle and bustle of daily life, your gratitude spread becomes a sanctuary. It’s a place to retreat, reflect, and recognize the beauty in the ordinary, the silver linings, and the unexpected blessings. Here's one of the monthly views I've created in my planner to help me highlight three happy moments from each day. I used the A Winter's Night bullet journal kit as I felt it had a really pretty January aesthetic.

Fostering Flexibility in Your Planner

Not every planner comes with a built-in gratitude section, and that's where your creativity shines. The spreads you create don't have to conform to pre-made layouts. Your gratitude spread is your canvas, and you’re the artist.

Mix and Match: Feel free to mix sticker themes and textures and colours. It's fun to use multiple sticker kits for one gratitude tracker spread. Contrast and variety add depth to your spreads and to your daily reflections.

Go Beyond Boundaries: Don't be afraid to venture outside the lines of your planner or bullet journal. Extend your planner spreads onto cardstock, use templates from cutting machines, like Cricut and Silhouette, and design shapes that resonate with your personal aesthetic. Here's one that I designed using the Watercolour Washi Nature Border Scenes. For some added shine, I also added a silver foiled film strip sticker from Geometric Abstract Shapes & Layering sticker kit.

Planner Spread Inspiration

As we wrap up our creative exploration, remember that your planner and bullet journal is more than just a tool for organization. It's a personal tapestry, woven with the threads of your experiences, hopes, and joys. It’s a testament to the fact that we can find wonder in the simple act of planning our time.

This Easter, let’s embrace the spirit of renewal and creativity. Let’s turn the page on the ordinary and start a new chapter where every day is an opportunity to create something beautiful, both on our pages and in our lives.

Happy planning, and even happier moments!