Hello! I’m Lea Rose—a freelance writer and journal fanatic. I’ve been writing and creating journal spreads since I was a little kid and can proudly say it’s what’s led me to my current career. I love quotes, anything travel-related, and putting my creativity to use, so you’ll definitely see these influences in today’s blog post. If you’d like to check out some of my writing, work with me, or just say hello, head over to my site, Written World!

There’s nothing quite like a good quote. Words have a special way of summing up feelings and experiences in the most perfect way. Quotes can come from anywhere—books, movies, songs—even a loved one’s own saying. You may have a few lifelong favorites, or you may pick up new ones each year. You’re probably thinking of your favorite quote right now. Luckily, quotes and journals are a match made in heaven, and today I’m going to show you how to use quotes for a quick, easy, and beautiful journal spread.

Today’s AO Supplies For A Quote Page:

• A5 Dot Grid Notebook

• 3 Pan Watercolor Set: Pearlescent

• Calliograph Pens - Jewel Collection

To receive a discount on your A&O order, be sure to use my code “writtenworld10” at checkout!

What Else You’ll Need:

• Paint brushes 

• Pens or pencils

• Washi tape, stickers, or anything else decorative (optional)

• Paper pieces (optional)

Instructions:

Find a quote (or quotes) you love

This can be anything from a motivational quote, to an inspirational or love quote—whatever speaks to you! It can be a short song lyric, or even a long excerpt from a written passage you love. No matter what kind of quote it is, choose something that’s meaningful to you. If you’re feeling a little lost and need help finding a quote, I recommend browsing Pinterest for some inspiration. 

For today’s blog post, I created a journal spread using a quote that I keep coming back to:

“There’s no such thing as being completely ready. You’re never going to feel like you’ve got everything sorted and all figured out. If you get to the place where you’re just a little bit more excited than afraid, that’s when you go for it. That’s when you go all in.” 

• The Better Man Project

Think about what your quote evokes

Part of what makes quotes so special are the feelings, images, and associations they evoke. These elements help turn the quote from a simple series of words, to something that makes you feel seen and heard. 

This is why quotes are a great way to create simple, yet beautiful journal spreads. You can write the quote down like a keepsake in your journal, and then fill the rest of the spread with things related to the quote and how it makes you feel. 

Here are some ideas to keep in mind to help you create a beautiful journal spread around the quote of your choosing: 

1. Aesthetics

Think about what the overall feel of your quote is and if it lends itself to certain colors or aesthetics. The quote I chose makes me think of taking a leap of faith and stepping outside my comfort zone, which made me want to incorporate bright colors and shimmery tones, like the ones in my pearlescent watercolor and jewel calliograph sets. Whatever aesthetics your quote reminds you of, use that as a starting point to create a kind of theme.

2. Design elements

There are endless ways to get creative with your journal designs, and playing around with different design elements like lettering (font, uppercase/lowercase, size of lettering, etc.) and illustrations is a great way to personalize your quote spread and make it unique. 

I added a cityscape illustration and weaved the quote throughout the drawing. You can also add in Washi tape, stickers, paper pieces, and anything else that helps bring your quote to life. 

3. Reflection

You probably feel a connection to whatever quote you’ve chosen, so leave some space in your journal spread to write a reflection on why exactly it speaks to you. You can save some space in a certain part of the journal spread, write on a separate piece of paper to glue in, or even utilize whatever blank space is left over after you put your quote in. I glued in a separate piece of paper to serve as a little foldable with my reflection written inside. 

Creating your journal spread…

Now for the fun part—making your journal spread! I made a full, 2-page spread, but you can easily make this a one page spread if you’d like. As a general rule, start with the quote itself, and create the rest of your journal spread around it. 

Overall, using quotes for journal writing and journal spreads is an easy way to add a little something special to your pages. There are an endless amount of quotes to choose from, and you’ll always be able to find one that reflects how you’re feeling. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it either—just pick a quote, put it in your journal, and create whatever speaks to you.

For some extra help with your quote spread, use my planning sheet to help you outline the different parts of your journal spread beforehand!

Happy journaling!