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Sept. 1: Introduction, Idea pages, September Doodle Challenge
Sept. 8: "Currently", Various layouts to adapt
Sept. 15: The Pensieve
Sept. 22: "I Love" (reject, fight, live without...), Banners
Sept. 29: Tracking with Washi Tape
Oct. 6: October Doodle Challenge, Grouping with Post-its
Sept. 13: No class
Sept. 20: "I Am" (...not)
September 27: Bookshelf (films, TV, comics, ...)
Nov. 3: Revisit or create new
Nov. 10: Study Hall
Nov. 17: Free Choice

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Learn how to draw simple banners for your bullet journal in this step-by-step photo tutorial. Use them for dates, collection, and tracker headers, or just as decoration.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information. *UPDATED: 1/28/2019
Looking back at this post, I really am astonished and humbled by my progress. This was one of the very first posts on The Petite Planner-at that time, Bujos and Java.

But, because it's been 2 years and my drawing skills and tutorial/teaching techniques have improved, I also wanted to update this post. Plus, if you stick around until the end, I made a free printable step-by-step banner drawing guide for you.

The original post (washed away into the internet landfill now) showcased six banners for your bullet journal. They were a mix of curly, wavy, back and forth banners. And at the time, they were my best work and I am not at all ashamed of them.

However, as time has progressed, I want to give you the best experience here on The Petite Planner. And that includes more structured tutorials that you can follow along and grow with.

With that, here are the major changes made to this post:

There are now only 5 instead of 6 banners.

All of the banners in the updated post are straight lines. I will be creating a second post that will be linked here to go into the more complex, wavy and spiral style banners. But for this post, I wanted to keep the tutorials beginner friendly.

There is now a free printable included!

Each banner section includes visual and written steps and tips to follow along with.

Beginner Friendly Banners for Your Bullet Journal

1). Basic Banner

This is the most basic banner there is. Start with two horizontal parallel lines, taking into account how long your word or phrase inside the banner will be.

Then, draw your tail ends. In the photo, the tail is split, with an arrow shape pointing in. However, you could also reverse this shape to have arrows that point out from the ends of the banner. Or, you could create your own ends.

2). Single Fold Banner

The number one concept you have to learn when drawing banners is the fold or crease. But once you learn how to do it, you can create any banner you want.

Start with a large rectangle where you will write your header. Then, choose one side to add an underturned fold and end. From that side, draw one horizontal line about halfway down the rectangle. Then, keeping in mind the width of your banner, draw a parallel line below that line, extending it a little ways further than the end of the rectangle.

Connect the lowest line to the rectangle with a short vertical line and then draw the tail end of your banner.

The last step is to create the fold in the banner. To do this, draw a diagonal line from the lower left corner of the lowest banner section to the lowest right corner of the higher banner. When you do this, it will create a small triangle shape.

To add depth and dimension, fill in the triangle with a line pattern or a solid color fill.

3). Multiple Fold Banner

This banner may look complicated, but if you followed the steps for Banner #2, this one will be a breeze.

Just like before, start with your rectangle and then draw your parallel lines for the first dropped section of the banner. On this banner, do it on both sides.

Now, instead of adding your tail, you are going to connect your horizontal lines with vertical lines. It will resemble a smaller rectangle with the upper corner being hidden behind the main rectangular portion (see step 3).

Next, you will add the last dropped/folded section of your banner. Similarly to the step 2, draw your horizontal lines extending from the sides of the banner piece above. Again, keep in mind the width of your banner and try to keep it the same.

Now, draw a vertical line on each side to connect the lowest line to the folded banner above. Then add your tail.

Finally, just like in Banner #2, create the folds in the banner by drawing diagonal lines from the inside-bottom corner of the lowest banner section to the outermost bottom corner of the section above.

You will have a total of four folds for this banner. Fill them in with a pattern or solid color fill to add contrast and dimension.

4. Wrapped Banner

Now that you have worked on adding multiple folds in Bannens #2 and #3, we're going to move on to this wrapped banner.

Start with a rectangle and then draw another rectangle that is slightly shorter below the other banner, leaving a gap roughly the width of your banner.

Draw your tail ends as you have in the previous banners above. For the top rectangle, draw your end above the banner. So, start with your horizontal line halfway down the rectangle and then draw your parallel line above the rectangle and extending a little way back behind it.

To create the connection between the two forward facing rectangular banner portions, you will want to start with pencil.

From the uppermost right hand corner of the top rectangle, use your pencil to draw a diagonal line connection to the uppermost left hand corner of the bottom rectangle. Now, draw another diagonal line from the lowermost right hand corner of the top rectangle to the bottommost left hand corner of the bottom rectangle, using your pencil.

Now, use your pen to trace over the lines where between the two rectangles. Then use an eraser to erase the pencil lines left inside the rectangles.

Finally, add your fold to the tails as you have done in the precious banners and then add a line pattern or solid color fill to add some dimension.

5). Two-Face Horizontal Banner

This is the final banner in this short doodle tutorial. And I saved the hardest for last.

By now, I believe that you have the lines down and have a good grasp on folds. So, don't be intimidated by this 6-fold banner. You got it!

Start with two rectangles on the same horizontal plane, with a gap between the. Now, just as you have done, you are going to add your horizontal lines for the tails.

For the center connection, about halfway down the height of your rectangle draw a horizontal line that connects the two rectangles. This is a dropped/folded piece of the banner. So, for the bottom line, which falls below the two rectangles, you need to extend that line out a little past the end of each rectangle. This gives you enough room to put a fold on each side.

Then, follow the same steps you took in the Multiple Fold Banner (#3) to create the ends of your banner.

And finally, you will add in all of your fold by connecting the dropped sections to the next section above it with a diagonal line. If you are confused at all, go back up to Banner #3 to try the folds.

You will have a total of six folds in this banner. Two on each end of the banner and then two in the middle, connecting the lower middle dropped portion.

Free Banner Practice Printable

As I revamped this post, I realized how great the need was for a printable practice sheet.

This printable includes all of the banners and steps shown in this post, as well as space for you to practice on your own.

Print this out on a plain piece of US Letter Size Paper as many times as you need to practice. I just ask that you don't redistribute it or try to profit off of it.

Simply fill out the form below to get your printable immediately. You will be added to my list of subscribers. I send out about one email a week with updates, news, exclusive freebies, and coupons for my printable shop. And You'll gain access to the VIP Resource Library which is where all of my free printables are housed. Pretty sweet tradeoff, right?

I hope this banner drawing tutorial has helped you to feel more confident when creating headers and doodle decorations for your bullet journal. In the near future, I will be sharing another banner tutorial for more complex banners, so be sure to connect with me on social to keep up to date on new posts-all of my links are below my signature and in the top menu of my site.

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Beginner Friendly Banner Tutorials + Free Printable

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Learn how to draw simple banners for your bullet journal in this step-by-step photo tutorial. Use them for dates, collection, and tracker headers, or just as decoration. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information. *UPDATED: 1/28/2019 Looking back at this post, I really am astonished and humbled by my progress.

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https://thepetiteplanner.com/how-to-do-a-brain-dump/

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So one thing that's always been constant in my life is that my mind goes a mile a minute. Becoming a parent and being self-employed only seemed to magnify that. I'm always running ideas and to-do lists through my mind. The day I discovered the brain dump, my mind was blown.

For me, learning how to do a brain dump has been huge in terms of mental health and self-care. If you're not sure where to start or you've never done a mind dump before, read on! I've got tips for how to get started and I'm sharing why I think it might help you!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information.
HOW TO DO A BRAIN DUMP

How many thoughts do you have running through your head at any given time?

Pretty sure mine is somewhere around 938503940238409318. Is that even a number? I don't know, but it's definitely how it feels sometimes!

I make lists. I write things in my calendar spreads. But I still find myself laying away in the middle of the night pondering how old kids need to be to visit the orthodontist and what I will do if I end up having to be baseball team mom this season. Those questions lead to running lists of what I need to do to handle them.

I think you get the point. And if you do, then I hope trying to dump it all on paper will help!

WHAT IS A BRAIN DUMP?

To get started, let's talk about what it means to have a brain dump bullet journal spread or page. (Or in my case, multiple pages.)

A brain dump is just what it sounds like. It's a way to dump everything that is on your mind onto paper to help you clear your mind.

It helps you release and look at everything you're worrying about, thinking about, needing to get done, etc. By getting it all out of your head, you can take charge of everything and get organized. Plus, I often feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders as soon as I'm done writing.

I love these benefits of doing a brain dump and they motivate me to take time to do one, especially when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A BRAIN DUMP

When it comes to organizing a dump page, my advice is - DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!

The point is that it's a place to dump your thoughts and get them out of your head. It's not about spending a ton of time obsessing over what it should look like.

What I like to do is use some of my current favorite colors and make a heading on a blank page. Then I switch to the writing pen I'm loving at the time and START WRITING! Or even start doodling! Whatever helps you and is on your mind!
MATERIALS FOR MY EXAMPLE
For this page I used, Tombow Twintone Markers to add some color to the page before I started my dump. I also went through my washi tape and chose one that went along with the marker colors.

The key is to just write. You can set a timer or you can just write until your brain hits the end. Some people do daily dumps while other people might just do a weekly or even a monthly mind dump. For me, I do them when it feels like I need one.

It's pretty normal for people to include a weekly or monthly brain dump page as part of their bullet journal planning. They might use it for one big dump or just to drop things on their mind. But just like bullet journaling in general, you can do whatever works best for you!

You might do yours as a list of thoughts. Maybe you make a mind map with connected thoughts. Maybe you just scribble away in one big paragraph. It's about whatever works for you!

And you just do it. Yep, I just add a page right in the middle of my bullet journal and do a dump.
ADDING ORGANIZATION TO YOUR PAGE
Once you've written as much as you can to clear your mind, you can take some time to look for patterns in your thoughts and add some order to your page. There are a few things you might do once you're done writing:

Walk away. Once you've finished your brain dump and cleared your head, you can turn the page and continue on in your journal. Sometimes the act of getting it all out of your mind is enough!

Sort thoughts. You can start another page and sort your thoughts in groups or categories to help you see connections between things that have been on your mind. If you don't want to start a new page, use highlighters to sort the thoughts into categories using color!

Prioritize thoughts. If you notice your dump has a lot of things you need to get done. Turn the page and start a to-do list. You can prioritize the thoughts so you have a list that can help you make a plan of action! You can even add them to your bullet journal calendar spreads!

If you're going to sort through your thoughts, I recommend stepping away and taking a break after you do your initial brain dump to give your mind a break. Then come back and do a bit of organizing to help turn it into something even more helpful.

I also think it's important to mention another thing - You don't have to do something with every item you put on paper in your brain dump!

In fact, you can even cross things off your dump if you want. I've done this in the past if I'm working on developing a to-do list from a mind dump, I'll go back and cross out things that aren't related to what I want to focus on.

BRAIN DUMP TRIGGER LIST

If you find yourself wanting to do a dump but then just staring at a blank page, consider some of these prompts to get you started!

Are you worrying about something?

What went wrong today/this week/lately?

What went great for you?

Is something or someone bothering you?

What do you need to get done?

What do you need to get done around the house?

What do you need to get done at work?

What do you need to get done for your family?

What do you need to get done for yourself?

What do you have coming up in your life?

Do you have any goals you want to reach?

Is there a new habit you'd like to develop?

How are you feeling?

It's really just about letting go and letting the words flow. Don't judge yourself. Just get it on the paper and breathe.

FREE PRINTABLE MIND DUMP TEMPLATE

To get you started, I created a star-themed mind dump printable template for A4 sized journals. Use the directions below to easily print it on letter size paper and then trim to fit in your journal!
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE
1. Download your printable using the link above.

2. Open the PDF and choose the print icon.

3. Print with paper in landscape with default set as the scale.

4. Once you've printed your calendar, cut or trim on the light gray lines to make it small enough to fit in your journal. I use a craft paper trimmer now which makes it extremely easy to do!

5. Place in your journal using double-sided tape, washi tape, or Tombow adhesive.

6. Personalize with color, washi tape, or stickers.

7. Then start dumping all of those thoughts onto the page!

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How to Do a Brain Dump & Why You Should ⋆ The Petite Planner

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So one thing that's always been constant in my life is that my mind goes a mile a minute. Becoming a parent and being self-employed only seemed to magnify that. I'm always running ideas and to-do lists through my mind. The day I discovered the brain dump, my mind was blown.

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Become More Creative with These 5-Minute Drills + Free Printable Practice Pages ⋆ The Petite Planner

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Do you want to become more creative? These 5-minute drills will help you open up places in your brain that you didn’t know existed. And they only take 5 minutes.