I make to do lists every day. Usually, they're just scribbled in a notebook or put on Google Keep for easy access. When I was going through my art supply stash a few weeks ago, I found a sketchbook with black paper that I haven't really used and decided it might be fun to put my to do lists there for a while. I have several Sakura Jelly Roll gel pens I love that show up fantastically on the dark paper.
Once I started putting my lists there, I found myself doodling flowers around the page. That inspired me to doodle flowers on entire pages of the book. It's very relaxing and satisfying to see those bright colors bring the pages to life.
Last week, I got a new set of Jelly Roll pens in more subdued colors to complement the set I already had. Since I had put trying out the pens on a to do list, I thought it might be cool to kill two birds with one stone and make my to do list for today with the new pens.
I started out making the list with separate categories for work and home. Something about the black paper and the fancy pens makes me want to take my time and write in my best handwriting.
Then, I drew boxes around the lists so they would stand out better on the page. I started drawing flowers all around the boxes using a variety of colors. At first, I planned to stick with just my new set of pens, but I later added the brighter colored pens for more variety. Over the years, I've developed a basic style of doodled flowers I can use again and again so I don't have to think too much when I'm drawing.
After I had drawn all of the flowers, I went back in and added lines and dots to embellish them. This was probably my favorite part because it makes the simple doodles so much more interesting.
This isn't a practical way to make a to do list on a regular basis, but it was a fun and relaxing way to spend an hour on a Sunday evening. It also made it a lot more pleasant to accomplish the jobs on the list on Monday.
While I wouldn't make something this intricate every day, I think I'll continue putting my lists on the black sketchbook paper for now. I like how it looks and find myself taking time to really meditate on what I'm planning to do each day. And if I doodle around the lists, so much the better!