Revive - Revise - Recover

Revive & Revise

My RE- word for the month changed. Revive seemed to sum up what was needed. October often has themes of death and darkness, but my theme is opposite: life and light - also coffee, since that is my morning cup of revival.

The last week of August or so I came down with the dreaded disease and became deathly ill. For a week, the possibility of dying became a reality and my priorities became very clear and single-focused. Making journal and calendar pages were not a possibility. I needed to revise how I was going to do things for the month. This caused me some anxiety because of the Plan with me Premium course commitment. Each month, as course participants, we meet in a monthly Zoom gathering. It’s amazing how we’ve grown closer as we’ve met. When I shared my predicament they encouraged me to rest and extended such grace and kindness. I don’t have words to express my gratitude. It has been a sweet part of my healing and creative connection with like-hearted people.

Included in this post is a video tutorial of the monthly cover watercolor painting and a flip through video of October’s pages. Because I needed to cut back and rest, I have not included the rest of the set-up as a tutorial, but you can find the techniques in the pages in previous months’ blog posts for 2021.

Welcome to October… and a flip through of this month’s journal pages

Watercolor tutorial for cover image

Below the cover page for October is a video tutorial of how I painted this watercolor painting for this month’s cover.

The following journal set-up videos includes setting up planner journal pages

Recover

I am thankful to be alive! In the night, during my near-death experience in the bleak gray fog of sleep, over and over I recited the first Psalm I memorized in fourth grade:

Psalm 23 KJV

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me:
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

As I repeated this, I began to experience it, God walking with me through the valley of the shadow of death. I didn’t need to fear because He was with me. He led me into healing and I began to breathe again, getting better...

One thing I experienced throughout this is:

At the end of myself God is there.
I am loved by God and He will never leave me,
so I don’t need to be afraid.

I wrote about my experience in the interior pages behind the Dutch door page shown below. I had written the quote and the RE definitions on the left side before I got sick. They seem even more relevant to me than when I wrote them.

RE- meaning: again and again in a different way, anew, once more, renew, back to original intended condition

“ It’s so hard to get up again -
although of course the harder it is
the more satisfaction you have when you get up,
haven’t you?”

- Lucy Maud Montgomery
Ann of Green Gables

Pages from October’s Plan with Me journal

Here are some questions to consider:

• What Scripture and/or quotes have you found that revive you, your life, your dreams?

• Words are so powerful. What are you telling yourself?

• What are you going to refocus on and retell yourself that aligns with what you want for your life?

• How can you revive your word of the year during this month of October?

I’d love to hear your answers in the comments section

Each month during 2021 on this blog

2021 Planner journal set-up videos. Sign up for my newsletter, at the bottom of the page to receive notice when the monthly tutorial comes out and watch Ad-free on this blog!

Plan with me E-course available

To find out about how you can live out a word of the year with the visual theme of the comforts of home click on the button:

Materials used in October’s 2021 journal set-up

Stencils used:

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencils-valerie-sjodin-s/2044.htm 

Planner Banner Ribbons #L832

Script Sans Serif Planner Alphabet + Grid #L833

NOTE: Of course you can use any stencils you like. I am demonstrating in watercolor and pen, but you could also use other media like colored pencils, pens & Gelatos®.

Supplies used:

• 160 gsm dotted notebook

• Pentel P205BP2-K6 Sharp Mechanical/Automatic Pencil, 0.5mm, Black, 2 Count: https://amzn.to/3m3lPgX

• Kneaded eraser: https://amzn.to/3m0wDwp

• Staedtler permanent pen set: https://amzn.to/3yQ2Ixy

• Micron pen set: https://amzn.to/3jpWOup or other waterproof pen set such as STA pigment liner set: https://amzn.to/396GX2h

• White Posca paint pen/s: https://amzn.to/3hhmV75

• Cosmetic wedges: https://amzn.to/2IVno1J

• MT Gold Washi tape: https://amzn.to/34w8Jls

• Misc. Washi tape

• Tombow double sided tape: https://amzn.to/3aRmnDI

• Color M600 Artist Mica Watercolor Paint, Metallic: https://amzn.to/337mfvp

• NOTE: If the above metallic watercolors are listed as 'currently unavailable'. If you want to order from Amazon, there are a few other choices that include gold like this one: https://amzn.to/3gZDqEU . I also saw some that look like they might be the same pigment but in a rectangular shape on Blick: https://www.dickblick.com/products/finetec-artist-mica-watercolors/ . You can also copy the name and google it to see other options.

• Silver Brush 3000S-6 Black Velvet Short Handle Round Size 6: https://amzn.to/339sEq0

• Silver Brush 3000S-2 Black Velvet Short Handle Round, Size 2: https://amzn.to/2UVEZtq

• Silver Brush set of large wash and small pointed brushes: https://amzn.to/37Si4Xb

• Watercolors: (Qor brand used) Indigo, Diarylide Yellow, Sap Green, Titanium White, Quinacridone Gold, Raw Umber, Orange

• Acrylic White gesso

• Ruler

• craft knife

• 140 lb hot press watercolor paper Fabriano Artistico

• toothbrush

• spray bottle for water

• rock salt

• Small Scissors - https://amzn.to/2U7BgeS (comes in set of 5)

I only recommend and link to products I've used and am happy with. The above links are affiliate links, meaning if you click from here and order, I get a small commission. It costs you nothing. Win/Win! Thank you! Please email me with any questions or concerns.

Plan with me Premium

Plan with me Premium e-course is a separate e-course running throughout 2021. In addition to the videos above, each month Plan with me Premium includes a how-to video on how to make the dutch door page (shown below) with downloadable pattern, and devotional videos that includes a personal devotional activity for the interior of the Dutch door, PLUS accompanying PDF downloadable devotional pages and patterns. There is also a live Zoom gathering each month.

Plan with me Premium includes the following for the 2021 year:

• All of the free Word of the Year videos and materials easily accessible in one place, our virtual classroom - including past Word of the Year videos, and downloadable PDFs on how to do a word study of your word and a Scripture study of your word of the year.

• Being part of a private in-class community where you can ask questions, share & connect with others, and share pictures of your pages.

• Monthly exclusive video of making the Word of the year ‘dutch door page’

• Monthly PDF of Dutch Door page line drawing of Re- word art that can be adapted to use for your word of the year.

• Monthly video of interior Dutch door process with prompts & practice inspired by the devotional

• Monthly PDF download of the Word of the month re-words devotional, beautifully designed with images & photos to inspire us with a metaphor of the month, and questions & prompts for living your word of the year, as well as Scripture

• Monthly PDF download of cover art for each month with the option of the month’s name or symbolic message like Come Unity & community - what we need so very much right now.

• Monthly live Zoom meetings where we meet and share together about our year so far, and answer any questions

Featured Word of the Year Blog Posts

For more how-to videos for your word of the year planner journal scroll through these blog posts and read more for inspiration!

For more Word of the Year Inspiration check out: https://www.valeriesjodin.com/word-year-calendar-everyday-journals