Empty Page, so we meet again.

I promised some folks I’d share how I was setting up craft/life related pages in my bullet journal, so here we are.

There are many places to get info on what BuJo/Bullet Journals are or fins super cute monthly/weekly planner layouts. This is not that.

I will say that this style of journal has helped me a great deal. And even when I’ve created pages and trackers that I have swiftly ignored it has taught me what DOES NOT work for me.

I’ll also stress that the arty-ness of my journal depends on my time and whimsey. I started planning and laying out these pages toward the end of the year when I had a lot of downtime at work. When I’m busy my journal becomes very minimalist.

We start out with my simple future log. This is where I write any info for upcoming events. I lay out each month in my journal right before it starts. This is that page I flip to to see if I have upcoming events or tasks to include on my monthly page. The journal I’m using (Rhodia Goalbook) has a space for future logs (in two styles) but no dotted paper on these pages. My mind finds mini calendar layouts helpful so I added them.

My contents page. I found that just listing contents in the order that they appear in my journal didn’t work for me, so I’ve tried making broader category sections. As you can see the ink I used to stamp made a mess. oh well.

Tracking my monthly expenses. This is a return to the first expense log I made two years ago. Last year’s log was more arty, less rigid, tracked more variables and I did not tend to it as well as I did this format.

Not shown are the next two pages, they are omitted for privacy reasons. The first one being my Medication page, listing all medications by English and Japanese name and what they are for (also in English and Japanese). Health issue stresses or even the stress of a new doctor tends to dent my Japanese skills so it’s great having this all in one place. The second page is outlining the yearly info about filing taxes in both America and Japan, the process and what I need.

Doll Ideas and Doll Work in Progress.

The Idea page will be repeated for knitting, sewing, dance and no doubt other themes. It’s a place to catch flitting thoughts about what I >Might< make. Towards the end of 2020 I asked friends on FB what dolls they might like to see in the future. This popped up in my memories towards the end of 2021 and I noted that I’d made a few of the suggestions. I copied those suggestions here and asked if anyone had other suggestions for my idea/inspiration file.

Oh, the WIP (work in progress) or UFO (Unfinished Object Page) how you haunt me. This will ALSO reoccur in knitting/sewing/dance… This is where I had to take stock on what I have started and not yet finished. It’s also a page I’ve added to each time I clean/organize my workspace and long forgotten WIP float into my vision.

I also have a page tracking which dolls I have for sale on Japan Mercari, when I listed them, and prices.

It is humbling to write down what dolls you have in stock to work on. Oh my. And as I sat down to start typing this I reminded myself to cross off two dolls, who I have since transformed…and add two dolls. That I’ve survived Craftsmas with only adding two used dolls to this stock is testiment of how this list keeps me from making too many impulse buys. I have enough dolls. In the past I’ve taken photos for stock dolls but I find this is more flexible for keeping track of things. This also forced me to know the names for many Monster High characters, but now that I do the names bring the specifics of each doll to mind quickly.

Same thing for knitting…I assure you these pages are no longer blank. I don’t have a stash yarn/stock page yet but it makes sense to make one soon.

This has already saved me so much time! It’s a page to keep track of what knitting needles I already have. Previous to this I would simply dig through a large box and search my apartment for wanderers. No more “Oh, I love this pattern, do I have the right needles to knit my gauge? I assume I do….” I know!

Yarn Yarn Info was where I planned to put info on yarn I’m currently using (a sample, label, notes) but I think I’ll also use it to put common knitting terms in English and Japanese…like yarn weights…because finding yarn substitutes in a second language in a country with different yarn makers is FUN. I started that list in last year’s journal as my winter knitting habit kicked in.

You know the drill by now. Just know that the WIP has grown…because I cleaned and semi-organized the sewing room yesterday and was diligent in writing what I found.

Part of what the WIP pages allow me to do is to set goals each month about what I want to focus on finishing. In my January monthly layout I have an area for “focus” to put 2-3 unfinished projects into. Then I can expand in the following weeks the steps needed to finish them.

A chart for my never ending crazy quilt. This project is at least 10 years in the making. This layout is fanciful but a reminder that I am more than halfway done.

The Holey Shit I Finished It!

A place to celebrate how many of my projects I do finish! I don’t do this enough. You probably don’t either.

Keeping track of all the bag patterns I already have. I’m never going to keep track of my fabric stash, that’s impossible, but I’m finding ways to keep track of my patterns. I make use photographs to show what clothing patterns I own/ have used.

To keep track of what I am teaching, when, and to how many students. I do keep a monthly list as of who attends each lesson. I’m only tracking four months at a time and them I’ll re-evaluate if this format is helpful. The 45 minute classes don’t do choroes but I have intro-level combos and moves that change each month and I have those spelled out on subsequent pages.

Since I set up this journal I’ve also added Dance Costume Alterations pages for better keeping track of time, expenses (taped reciepts) and steps when I take on alteration jobs. This month I have a pile of 5 costumes and this helps me stay on track and prioritize what I do each night.

And that’s the start of this year’s Journal!