Breathe Memory Journal Spread Using Watercolor Lettering and Vintage Stamp

Have you been touched by lung transplant or know someone who has? Are you now struggling with loss and not sure how to cope? In this post you will find an inspirational story of coping with grief and loss through journaling expressed in this Breathe Memory Journal Spread.

There is a direct correlation between dealing with grief and loss in a healthy way by using journaling to cope. When you practice grief journaling you are given a safe, private space to process your emotions, explore memories and work through the stages of grief (more on this farther down in the post).

Journaling is cathartic and allows you to record precious memories not only for yourself but for generations to come. Technically all you need to start is a journal and a pen. But if you want to get more creative with your pages or have blank page syndrome, keep reading.

Getting started might seem like the hardest part but once you do, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is and how easily your emotions will flow on to your page(s). You just have to begin.

To prove this point, this Breathe Memory Journal Spread has just 5 easy steps to create a page ready to be journaled on.

Before we dive into the steps of how I created this journal spread, let me share a little bit of my story with you. It outlines how I’ve coped with my loss through grief journaling.

My Story

Thirteen years ago, today, my older brother passed away. He had cystic fibrosis and was listed for a double lung transplant. Sadly, he never made it to transplant and the Thanksgiving holiday that year was a somber one.

My brother faced a lot of struggles in his short 32-year life, especially breathing. There were things he struggled with (beyond his breathing issues) that just should not have been. I have so many mixed emotions about his struggle.

To this day, I still struggle sometimes to cope with losing him. For example, whenever I hear someone coughing fiercely, it makes me angry. It doesn’t matter why they are coughing and I don’t know why anger would be my response. But, I think my reaction comes from a form of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)? Or maybe it is simply a part of the lifelong grieving and coping process.

How I Cope

Even more difficult is living after loss. I know how deep the loss of my brother goes in my heart. But then I think of my mother and how heartbreaking it must have been to the depths of her soul to have lost a son. I try to keep that in focus as I navigate coping. One way I’ve learned to cope is through journaling.

Another way I cope is by throwing myself into something, a project, cleaning…anything. I guess you could call that avoidance but it does help me get through some hurdles. Especially cleaning my home. It gives me a sense of control over my sorrow.

We all deal with our grief in different ways. For me, I’ve learned over the years to create memory journal spreads. I first started with creating a Celebrate Life Butterfly Travelers Notebook Setup and then created the Garden of Life Memory Journal Page to raise awareness of Donate Life Month. Creating memory journal spreads is my safe space where I process my emotions and cope with my sorrow.

Now that you have a little bit of a background, let’s get started with the details of how to create this journal spread!

Supplies

• Sakura Koi Pocket Watercolor Set
• Pentel Sign Brush Pen (Black)
• Sakura Pigma Micron Pen 01 Black
• Wood Block Vintage Collage Stamp
• Ranger Archival Ink Black
• Pilot G2 Gel Pen .07
• Planner Perfect Journal

Breathe Memory Journal Spread

My latest work on grief journaling about my loss was creating this beautiful breathe memory journal spread. Unfortunately, I didn’t get process pictures along the way. But, it’s a super easy spread to recreate!

Step 1

I started by giving my bare page a little vintage, aged-look with a light wash of brown watercolor paint. Remember, the more water you add the more diluted the color will be.

Step 2

Next, I used my black brush pen to letter the word “breathe” across the two pages. If you aren’t too confident in your hand-lettering I would suggest using a pencil to outline your script and then use a brush pen to trace the sentiment.

Step 3

One of the central designs I wanted to incorporate was a trio of dandelions. To make sure I got my design correct I printed off a dandelion from the internet to reference. Then I hand-drew each dandelion using my favorite art pen, a Micron 01 archival ink pen in black.

Step 4

In this step I used black archival stamping ink and a wood-block collage stamp in the lower right side corner. Ironically, this stamp was called “time flies”. But I loved it for the butterflies and stop watches in the collage.

Step 5

The last step was to hand-letter a quote in the upper right corner and a few other word elements within the stamp collage. Now my page is ready for journaling.

You already know that butterflies represent lung transplantation. So before I go, I want to share with you an experience I had at work one day involving a butterfly.

My Butterfly Experience

You already know what a butterfly represents so imagine my surprise when at work today, I happened to find a very large monarch butterfly in a coworkers office. What makes this event so strange is the fact that I just can’t figure out how it could’ve gotten in there; and of all the things to find. I find a butterfly.

The irony of this story is the office I found this butterfly in happened to be the office of a coworker who had recently passed away after being diagnosed with cancer. I also had worked with this coworker for thirteen years; he was hired in the same year my brother passed away. Which was, in fact, only a month after I was hired.

I don’t know if this butterfly was a symbol of my coworker or of my brother. But when I realized what day is was, where I found the butterfly, that it was at work….the hair on my arms stood straight up. Some people would call these events, or “weird” things that happen, a coincidence and maybe that’s true. But, that doesn’t explain why I’ve had a lot of these “coincidences” throughout my life. It just makes you wonder.

Regardless of who it was, it filled my heart and gave me peace. After snapping quite a few pictures of this beautiful butterfly, I released it outside. I may have watched it fly away but its’ presence will forever be in my heart.

Have you had an experience with a butterfly? Or believed a loved one had come back to visit you? Please share your story in a comment below. I’d love to hear your lung transplant, transplant or butterfly story!

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