Did you ever create a theme in your bullet journal that you just didn’t like… even though you loved it in your head? This Blue Lanterns setup was the complete opposite for me—in the best way. In this January 2026 plan with me, I’m setting up my month with a cozy, monochrome blue palette using two lantern PET tapes I’ve been saving forever. I start with a cover spread inspired by the idea of looking up on a street and seeing lantern strings across buildings (with a little nod to an old Amanda Rach Lee January). I mix-and-match both tapes, draw the “strings” with a blue fineliner, and keep the titles elegant and flowy. I also add my quote page: “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.” Since the tapes aren’t available anymore, I show how you can recreate the theme by drawing your own lanterns. I test an Arrtx watercolor sketchbook (300 gsm, 100% cotton) with a bunch of mediums and—surprisingly—my alcohol markers hold up really well with minimal ghosting and no bleeding through. Then I build out my classic monthly calendar, my monthly tasks spread (so I’m not rewriting long tasks in every weekly), a “January in review” page to make journaling more fun, and my favorite weekly layout: a Dutch door. I finish with a brain dump (aka “Mind Unwind”) and a full flip-through to kick off 2026 with a bang.