April 2026 Blue Prince Inspired Journal Design
- Simply Jelly Jam
- Mar 24
- 4 min read
Inspired by my current video game obsession.
The video game Blue Prince served as my inspiration for this month's journal design theme! I am obsessed with the game, especially since I started the "Dare Mode."
I used archival ink pens, watercolors, paintbrushes, metallic pens, white gel pen, calendar stamps, archival stamp ink, acrylic stamp block, and pencils (for initial sketches).
NOTE: While the page layouts are like Bullet Journal (BuJo) setups you have seen online, I use this journal as a diary/memory keeper, not for productivity. The BuJo-inspired pages encourage me to make note of the good things in life, even on the worst days.
In case it's helpful, below are the main points covered in this post:
Calendar Overview Pages
I have been obsessed with the puzzle video game Blue Prince. I noted this obsession when I wrote about my current favorite games in 2026. I believed I would quit playing after I reached Room 46, but I realized there is still so much more that I want to do.
Since the game lives rent-free in my mind, I believed it fitting to make it my journal design theme. I filled the pages with items found within the game. I am not used to having 'floating objects' on my pages, but these looked okay in the end.
The crown and key are the most important items I wanted to include in the design. The key is essential for gaining access to the crown in Room 46. It took me many attempts to eventually get to that room, so both items are special in my gaming mind.
I included the following Blue Prince items on these pages:
Blueprint crown
Basement key
Ivory Dice
Key card
Salt shaker
Orange
Magnifying glass
Floppy disk
Stars
Gems
Coins
There are two items towards the bottom of the right page that I did not list. They resemble a pair of paintings consisting of a single letter that makes up a long message.
Hobbies & Dogs' Pages
There are many items in the game that I wanted to included. Unfortunately, I did not have the room or drawing skills to add them.
I regret not including the car keys, lock pick kit, gear wrench, and lucky rabbit's foot. Fortunately, I had enough room for a variety of items on these pages.
I included the following Blue Prince items on these pages:
Running shoes
Battery
Coin purse
Metal detector alert box
Mora Jai puzzle box
Silver key
Turnip
Red prince
Broken lever
Stars
Gems
Coins
There are two items towards the top of the right page that I did not list. They resemble a pair of paintings consisting of a single letter that makes up a long message.
Highlights and Mood Pages
The highlights page will be filled with good daily statements by the end of the month. I included a few items along the bottom for visual interest.
I drew the in-game blueprint that players access to see where to place rooms. I painted the Entrance and Antechamber in their permanent spots on the print. I also painted the Foundation in the permanent spot I placed it in my own save file.
I included the following Blue Prince items on these pages:
Compass
Blue bird
Banana
Secret garden key
Stars
Gems
Coins
There are two items that I did not list. They resemble a pair of paintings consisting of a single letter that makes up a long message.
Detailed Info About the Pages
The calendar overview is where I note important dates I want to document in my journal. For example, I will make a short note of something that happened on different days.
I also highlight the best and worst things to happen during the month. I primarily want to document positive things on the decorated pages, but I feel it is also important to document bad things, especially if it is a lesson learned.
While many journal enthusiasts track their habits, I track my favorite hobbies as a reminder to dedicate time for fun. I also track the things I want to do for my dogs to ensure their happiness and well-being.
The hobbies I track are:
art + crafts,
writing,
gaming, and
workout.
I also track the following for my dogs:
when they go for a joy ride (their favorite thing to do),
when they go for a long walk,
when I care for their coat with a brush, leave-in shampoo, or bath,
when they receive teeth care with brush chews or teeth brushing, and
when they get to relax with a picnic in the park.
I especially wanted to track my young dog's training progress. We will focus on mastering a few skills. I would love for her to become a Canine Good Citizen one day. Unfortunately, I am horrible with training. We have a long training road ahead of us.
The BINGO game is just a goofy activity to note and track a wish list of things I would like to accomplish during the month. I rarely complete a bingo (straight line or otherwise), but it is fun to track what I actually get done that month.
Every night, I write a line of text highlighting one good thing about the day on the highlights page (left). It forces me to think on the bright side, especially on the most challenging days when my depression hits hard.
I treat my mood tracker page (right) as a coloring page of sorts. Each night, I will color-in a part of an image or shape that represented my overall mood for that day.
What's Next?
Struggling to come up with a theme for your journal design? Draw inspiration from your favorite video games!
Have you set up your journal design? Comment below to share what theme you went with and the materials you used.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
~Simply Jelly Jam
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