I Tried Bullet Journaling with KMART Stationery

[@draigwen88]

My first bujo was from Typo and I used a mixture of Kmart stationery and Typo stationery 😜

[@ErinSmith]

Ohh I love that! Did you love using them? My first bujo was a Leuchtturm, there were no dotted notebooks almost anywhere in 2017! 😅

[@draigwen88]

@@ErinSmith the stationery yes, the notebook no. I wanted to get a feel for what my style is and didn't want to spend a ton of money. Towards the end of the journal's "life" which was about 7 months, I got really tired of the ghosting and the bleed-through, no, alcohol markers were not used at all, the paper was just not to my standard at that point. I have the exact tube of washis you used too, lol. I got mine about 2 yrs ago

[@isabellebise8440]

Im from the US and growing up there was a kmart basically next to my house. I remember loving the stationery section even though there was an office supply store a few doors down. Unfortunately it closed but i have fond memories of it

[@ErinSmith]

It’s so funny how it closed down in the US, but is one of the biggest stores here! If you ever get to visit Australia you will have a great time in our Kmart stores 😍

[@melissaowens0321]

For the water color markers- if you color with them on plastic, then you can pick them up just like watercolors with your brush. You can use a plastic plate, or even a paint palette made of glass, or a glass plate or something similar- tombow’s blending palette works well too- just scribble a square with each color, then pick it up from THAT with your water brush, THEN use the water brush to put it on paper. Also brush pens in general work much better if you know how to letter properly with them, like to get the thin upstrokes and thick downstrokes, instead of just writing with them as you normal would. They will last longer this way too, and should also only be used on this soft paper, not thick paper.

[@sassypigeonhq2814]

Kmart for the win!! Maybe Officeworks next? You look AMAZING in that jumper too, makes your eyes POP!!

[@ErinSmith]

Aww thanks Bek! It is my very favourite jumper!

[@anya425]

Yes office works would be great.

[@tinatimos6959]

5.10pm Erin you are the best. Thank you for doing an Aussie bullet journaling KZbin clip with Kmart products. Keep it up & please do more. ❤😊🧚‍♀️

[@ErinSmith]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it Tina! 🥰

[@brookeroe9604]

Such a helpful video! I’m just trying bullet journaling out and was quite overwhelmed with all the pen options! I’ll definitely be off to my local Kmart to grab some of these 😍

[@ErinSmith]

Obsessed with your profile pic Brooke! 😍😍

[@freefree.falasteen]

Love this video!!! For the water colour pens, i’m sure the pen itself creates the water-colour effect, and the watery pen (what you used to make the effect) is used for blending!!

[@anya425]

Hi Erin, this was great and very useful! Thanks so much. I use the washi from kmart and am very happy with it. My sister bought me some stickers from kaiserkraft which seem very good also. Hello from South Australia. Anya.

[@ErinSmith]

Thank you so much Anya! I definitely need to check out Kaisercraft 👀

[@moonlightdreamer4523]

My first bujo was with a knock off dot grid journal I found at Walmart, some crayola markers, a pencil, and a pen. That was like 5 years ago. Now I have a HUGE stationary collection but uh I now do strictly digital journalling (I find it easier for me to have everything I need in one app on my ipad). But honestly I think that bullet journaling can be started with a normal school notebook and a pencil and/or pen. I realized that even though i now own all the markers, pens, fineliners, washis, and stickers I could ever need, I didn't use them all that much. I prefer simpler lay outs with 1 or 2 colors and maybe a strip or two of washi. All of this is to say, for anyone looking to start bullet journaling, it's okay to start with what you already have. You can build your collection over time as you learn what style and design you like and want. And you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars and have all of the "fancy" branded tools. Any tools you want to own and that you like using are valid for your journaling journey. A bujo is about what you like and what is useful to you. You don't have to do anything to please anyone else. It's all about you. Don't stress trying to get it perfect or just like anyone else's. Do you and enjoy your bujo! Don't stress over it. Have fun. I learned that's the most important part of bullet journaling.

[@ErinSmith]

I couldn't agree with this more! Mine was 100% erasable Frixion pens and one single washi tape for the first year. I like to use ALL the things now but I totally get that isn't everyone's ideal.

[@zanderg7048]

My closest Kmart closed down a while ago and I'm still in mourning for my childhood but it was mostly home decor and clothing

[@ErinSmith]

All the Targets near me have been turning into Kmarts and I’m a bit sad about that too 😅

[@missbilbybadinage1199]

the whimsical tube of washi is my fav so far

[@ErinSmith]

I looked at that one, it’s so gorgeous! Love a pastel washi moment!

[@benderw1187]

My 4 year old daughter has a bujo and she uses supplies from kmart rather than my supplies and to be honest i have taken some of the kmart washi for myself. Anyways, she uses her journal (stickers and washi and 4 year old writing and lists etc) and i get to at least look at my notes for the day

[@ErinSmith]

That is so wholesome!!

[@zanderg7048]

I just found ur channel! I wish u had tried to write over the washi with pens and markers! To me that's vital to tell if it's cheap and worthy lol a cheap it will let u wipe and smear the pen or marker but a great one will let u label and it will obsorb it in AND not peel up!!

[@ErinSmith]

Ohh that’s so interesting Zander - I never write on my washis so it never would have occurred to me, I don’t use them for headings!

[@louiseyvette2261]

I found my first and only bujo at Officeworks. I can feel a trip to Kmart coming up.

[@ErinSmith]

They likely have even more cool stuff now! 😍

[@louiseyvette2261]

@@ErinSmith Great! Thanks :)

[@Kirsui]

With those Copic-like alcohol markers, you ran into a common phenomenon among knock-off alcohol based markers like that, and that is that the colours very often do not match the name, nor the colour on the barrel. The ink quality itself is fine with those, assuming they have not gone dry somewhere along the way, but the colour lottery game is indeed real.

[@ErinSmith]

Oh man, that's so reassuring to hear. A few people have suggested the lids might be on the wrong pens, which might also be true but even then... it's almost a whole pack of grey!

[@Kirsui]

@@ErinSmith I bought one pack of knock off markers once too since I needed them for school and copics were very expensive and out of the rainbow of barrel colours I ended up with almost exclusively green colours. It was kind of frustrating but also somewhat hilarious. I bought some copics in colours I didn't have afterwards and have been using them all, though I always refer to the swatches I made beforehand.

[@hillarybigham5872]

We used to have Kmart in the US, but I think they all closed. 🥺 My niece and sis-in-law have started bujo as well! I’ll have to let them know about looking for more inexpensive stuff to get started!

[@Mythosidhe]

Target or Walmart might be a good alternative?

[@hillarybigham5872]

@@Mythosidhe thanks! Definitely going to check them out for my niece!

[@Somebodyelse141]

Just a reminder to anyone watching this: the only things you need to start a bullet journal are a pen/pencil and notebook (which does not need to be dot grid)

[@ErinSmith]

That’s absolutely true!

[@rotzfrosch0970]

Yesssss! Agree! Thanks.

[@alkiq00]

Great video!

[@ErinSmith]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@teddybeeandme]

Hi Libra twin 🤣 I missed Mitsu this video 🐈 (I'm a northern hemisphere dog lover so definitely the 'evil ' twin 🤣) We don't have Kmart but similar stores. Great to see how someone can start with cheap supplies and invest in tombow and A&O etc if they start to love bujo.... rather than spend a lot on supplies never used. Great example of how you don't need to break the bank to be creative 👌 ❤

[@ErinSmith]

Hey Twinsie! I’m not sure why Mitsu wasn’t keen on this one, he must have expensive taste 😂 it always breaks my heart a little when people spend big $$ to start a bullet journal - what if you don’t like it? 😱

[@DittoAPokemon]

The US used to have KMart but most of them closed. But I would compare it more to TJ Maxx/Marshall’s/Homegoods than Target tho, for my US friends lol

[@ErinSmith]

That’s fair, I’ve never been to the US 😂 we’ve had lots of TK Maxx stores open over here in the past few years, they’re very different to our Kmarts!

[@mystlady85]

I really miss going to Kmart. I don’t think they have any stores left in the U.S.

[@ErinSmith]

It’s so wild how they disappeared in the US but are thriving here!

[@jessicah7002]

wish i had seen this before i bought the dual tip markers 😢

[@ErinSmith]

You can always return them 😉

[@des971]

The way your supposed to use the watercolor pens is by painting them on a pallet and then using a brush to pick up the paint c:

[@ErinSmith]

Omg 🤦‍♀️ I’ll try that next time! Could they not write that on the box somewhere?!

[@mythicalwatermellon5254]

Btw the watercolour brush pens u r supposed to dip them in water

[@ErinSmith]

I wish they’d write that on the packaging 😭

[@shelleylund1985]

I think the caps got mixed up on the pens maybe?

[@ErinSmith]

I reckon you’re right Shelley!

[@chibiarts9029]

Half of the alcohol markers are colorless blenders

[@ErinSmith]

I feel like they should write that on the packaging

[@SapphirasMama]

I bought pastal brush pens and half of them didn't work. The rest that I have bought seem to be good. Hi from Lake Macquarie area NSW

[@ErinSmith]

Aww hello from Brisbane! I’m sad half your pens didn’t work. Did they let you take them back?

[@ravengh.0st]

Just 15 minutes late :D

[@ErinSmith]

Not late! #first! 😘😘