Planners Gonna Plan/Part 1 - Setting Up A New Planner

I am so excited to be sharing with you the new Everyday Life™ Planner from Close To My Heart - decorative planners are so on trend in the world of papercrafting and this one is very hard to resist...truly who could resist something as pretty and practical as this??!!??

- not ME!

Setting up and decorating a planner is a huge part of the fun for planner addicts and there is nothing quite so appealing as a bundle of blank pages - they not only represent  a new year but new beginnings and a whole lot of "new" crafting opportunities. However, if you are new to this form of practical crafting they can also be a little daunting and with this in mind, I thought I would share with you my tips for getting started and a peek at my pages.

My first tip is to gather together your supplies -  pens, roller/date stamps, washi tape, post-it notes, stickers, Picture My Life™ cards, etc and store them together in easy  reach. My supplies are all bundled together in the My Acrylix® Mini Stamp Organizer  - they all fit in nicely and this is the perfect container to leave sitting out on my desk. While some of these decorative items  are optional -  I personally think they make the whole process so much more fun! - and yes, the pic  you see below gives you a little look at some goodies being released 1st Jan... that are going to add even more fun to embellishing your planner!

While I am a self-proclaimed "stationery junkie" and I have a huge collection of pens ( mainly pink )... highlighters, gel, fineliners, texta, erasable, correction - Yep!... you name it, I've got it!! I do however, find a single black pen is all you really need. Some people like to colour code events in their planners and write in a variety of different colours (eg. personal appointments in pink, sporting events in blue, housekeeping tasks in green etc). I find this a little time consuming and not so easy to keep track of. I never know if I will have the correct pen colour on hand when I need to write something and if I wait until I do; I know I will ultimately forget what it was, I wanted to write down! It is simply easier for me to write with my Black Marvy® Uchida® LePen™ Journaling Pen  - and use the stickers that are included in the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages as a form of colour coding for any events, I wish to highlight.

The next thing I like to do when setting up a new planner is to make time to sit down with my current planner and transfer across perpetual and annual events - such as Birthdays, Anniversaries, Public Holidays etc. Then I add those appointments and important events already scheduled for the new year  - eg. the 6 monthly visit to the dentist or the start of the school year, holidays etc. I also find another great way to stay organised is to start marking down reminders in my planner too. An example of this, is the annual medical appointment I have in October, that I can't schedule 12 months ahead. Often when I do remember to phone and make the appointment, most of the convenient times are already gone or I am so late the appointment gets pushed out until November or in the case of this year, December! I have learnt the best thing to do is to schedule a date a month or 2 months earlier in my planner as a reminder to phone and make the appointment. While I don't manage my husband's or my daughter's appointments I do want to add reminders in my planners for them as well - a reminder to remind them LOL! If you are a goal setter or have monthly or annual housekeeping tasks such as air-conditioner maintenance, pool cleaning etc add them to your planner at this stage too. Taking the time to sit down and include these things in your planner now... for the coming year, helps you keep on track and removes some of the organisational stress from your life.

This is a little preview into my month of January - I love that the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages come with both monthly and weekly views. I use the monthly view as a form of diary/calendar with everything I have scheduled for the month written beside the date. This is just so I can see at a glance where I may have a spare date to schedule appointments, workshops etc. I then use the weekly view to add in the actual appointment times and any extra details I might need listed, such as what I need to do to prepare, what to bring, goals etc. There is more space to write on the weekly view pages and this is where my real planning happens. You will see in my example below where I have colour coded events using the stickers that are included in the Everyday Life™ 2016 Planner Pages. I also like to add notes to the monthly view pages for events I would like to combine & schedule with family & friends for that particular month... this is so when we do get together to co-ordinate plans, I can see quickly where I have a day available. I do like things to be colour co-ordinated and as you can see any "decorating" I do does match the planner's colour scheme. I tend to store any unused stickers, papers and embellishments from my other projects into colour groups... and as you can see on these pages - I have used pixie and glacier stickers from the Fundamental Stickers Whimsy Pack and the Kaleidoscope Complements along with some gold stars from the Gold Fundamental Assortment. Planners are great place to use all your left-over or excess treasures! My stamped Happy New Year embellishment was created using images from November Stamp of the Month - called Cheers... I am so glad I collect each month's Stamp of the Month as each set is so universal they can be used over and over again. I make sure I never miss out on ordering these stamp sets!

One of my favourite additions to this Everyday Life™ planner system is the My Crush® Everyday Life Pages and pocket style Memory Protectors (they come in 2 sizes -  4" x 6" and 4" x 3"). I really admire the planner addicts that have the time to basically scrapbook their weekly diary spread but I am afraid for me to do this I would be spending way too much time making my planner look "pretty" than actually doing the things I have planned!! However, with the inclusion of the  My Crush® Everyday Life Pages and pocket style Memory Protectors I can incorporate a little creative scrapbooking, display my memorabilia and journal my thoughts, adventures and experiences - a perfect mix of everything I love to do! - photo below, courtesy of the Close To My Heart art department.

Right now! is the perfect time to get your hands on the Everyday Life Planner™ - not only are we getting ready to commence another new year of plans, events and appointments but Close To My Heart have an amazing bundle offer available until the 31st December - click HERE for more details -  you can save over 15% off the retail price and get your 2016 planning well underway!

Over the coming months I will share some of my "not so personal" planner pages with you and pass on more tips and tricks for bullet journaling, memory keeping and embellishing your Everyday Life™ Album... stay tuned for this creative journey - planning your year has never been more FUN!



 

A Creative Distraction

Two blog posts in less than a day is a bit of a first for me LOL!! It seems when the crafting mojo is in full force other priorities take a back seat!

Last night I finished off another floral card using the December Stamp of the Month. I am a bit addicted to this design and painting with Watercolours at the moment. This is the third card in the series and this time Canary Yellow was the feature colour along with a few slight variations. I used  different paper patterns from the La Vie En Rose Paper Pack, some Kraft Cardstock, Black Fundamental Assortment ( for flower centres ) and Kraft diecut shapes found in the La Vie En Rose & Zoe complement packs.

I also used a different sentiment from the Candlelight Garden stamp set - if you missed out on seeing the other cards?... you will find them by clicking here.

One of my tasks today was to tidy my craft room. My desk was buried under lots of pretty papers, embellishments and a barrage of tools. I started with really good intentions and as I was "slowly"  putting everything back where it belonged - I got distracted by all these goodies. This distraction resulted in another little card using the December Stamp of the Month!

If you are a regular visitor to my blog you will notice the design and papers used, are similar to cards I shared last week ( you can view them here ).

This time I used the candle image from the Candlelight Garden stamp set and placed it inside the mason jar image using the paper piecing technique. The candle was stamped onto the yellow paper from the Kaleidoscope Paper Packet and the flame section coloured with the ShinHan™ Touch Twin™ Golden Yellow Marker,  the lid of the jar was stamped onto Slate Cardstock. The fern coloured leaves were left-over pieces from one of the layouts I created for my Convention presentation...and if you missed that post you can see that too by clicking here. The other piece of green is a small piece cut from a White Pines Picture My Life™ card. The large heart and label embellishment can be found in the La Vie En Rose Complements and the scallop circle is from the Whimsy Fundamental Sticker Pack ,with a heart shape in the centre also from the Black Fundamental Assortment.

I love how this card came together from all the little bits and pieces left-over from my previous creations and while I didn't get to clear away everything on my desk... the few pieces that would have been thrown out (with the rubbish) have creatively turned into a special card for a friend... and tomorrow, I really should finish the tidy up I started!!

I know those of you who follow my Facebook page have seen all the wonderful bonus offers Close To My Heart have recently released, but have you seen the gorgeous new Planner... that has made me giddy with excitement?? I've ordered mine already and can't wait to have it delivered - you will love this 2016 diary that also gives you the experience of “memory keeping on the go”. In this planner/diary you can also track your weekly menus and shopping lists, decorate important reminders with stickers & stamps, and tuck away precious memories in especially designed pocket and My Crush® Everyday Life Pages. More details can be found in my Online Shop...simply click here.
 
Right up until the 31st December you can order a Everyday Life™ album, the accompanying Everyday Life 2016 planner pages, and the coordinating
Everyday Life Perfect Plan roller stamp in an exclusive product bundle for only $45.95 AUD. That’s over 15% off the retail price!

Happy Planning!

Stamp of the Month - You Are Wonderful

... for those of you who follow my Facebook page and/or are regular visitors to my Blog / Online Shop you will be aware that Close To My Heart have a list of retiring products - all in readiness for a new range of products to be released on the 1st September. It's at this time of year I start my "spring cleaning". I go through all my crafting goodies and use up any leftover papers, stickers, etc to make way for a new batch of awesomeness to take their place! - and that is exactly how this card came together -  co-ordinating bits and pieces!!

This square 6" x 6" card features Chalk It Up Papers and a scallop trim of a chevron patterned paper from the In the Pink My Crush Book. The sentiment was created by combining the Wonderful image from the July Stamp of the Month (stamped in black ink) with stickers found in the My Besties My Crush Assortment. Gold Bling Gems and Glacier Extra Thick Twine were used to embellish the finished card.....and I have a little secret for you - if you are a fan of the Extra Thick Twine?? (as I am!!) - stay tuned for the 1st of September, where I get to introduce to you some gorgeous new colours added to this range.

Don't forget during the month of July, when you purchase $32.50 in current retail priced stamps, you qualify to receive either the July Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix^® Life Is Wonderful, FREE or any one of the Hostess Rewards stamp sets featured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 or Seasonal Expressions 2 for only $6.50 That is a savings of up to $27!! The July Stamp of the Month is a lovely, versatile stamp set that is a great match for your cards and layouts that celebrate all the wonderful things—big and small—that life has to offer.
Additionally, the Hostess Rewards stamp sets have previously only been available as part of the Hostess Rewards program, which means now is the perfect opportunity to get those special stamp sets you’ve had your eye on! To get your FREE stamp set or your $6.50 Hostess Rewards stamp set, simply place an order for $32.50 of any current, retail priced stamps. This offer is available only during the month of July and applies only to the July Stamp of the Month and current Hostess rewards stamp sets, so spring into action place your order here and jump on this deal before it’s gone

 

My Crush Love

During the month of June, when you purchase any My Crush® book and its accompanying assortment pictured in Annual Inspirations 2014–2015, you will receive the coordinating stamp set FREE! That is a savings of at least $15 AUD - Choose from five lovely My Crush® book offerings... each My Crush® book also features unique details... glossy print, vellum pages, gold foil patterns and ink-resistant patterns... that make displaying your personality easier than ever. Plus, once you add the artistry of the coordinating assortments featuring sticker sheets, envelopes, alphabets, cards, and journaling spots, along with your FREE stamp set, you will be well on your way to your own gorgeous mini book creation!

I also love using the My Crush® book's outside their intended use ... the  60 – 10"x 7" printed cardstock-weight designed pages are acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered making them perfect for traditional scrapbooking. Combine them with the coordinating assortments and you will be creating gorgeous pieces of art work in no time at all.

I used pages from the My Crush™ In the Pink Book to create this layout. I teamed the paper patterns with Slate, Lagoon and Hollyhock cardstock and a combination of fun embellishments - Glacier Extra Thick Twine, Oceanside & Silver Sequins, Boardwalk Washi Tape. However, the majority of the decorative elements come from the My Crush™ In the Pink Assortment that includes journal spots, sticker sheets, alphabet sticker sheets and envelopes some of which were altered and layered to create this layout. The rose embellishment was also fussy cut from a page in the My Crush™ In the Pink Book... so many great possibilities that you can't help but fall in love with the My Crush Collection of products... be sure to check out the full range in my Online Shop.

 

Colour your World with Friendship

The Paper Doll Stamp Set was one of my very first Close To My Heart purchases and has been one of my most used stamp sets.....I could hardly contain my excitement when the co-ordinating set Shreddin' the Slopes was released this month and I knew instantly that combined together they would form a beautiful bond of friendship!! The images also pair very well with our new range of ShinHan Markers which also includes Skin Tones... that make your character images come to life!

 Colours Used:
Cherry Pink, Tender Pink, Barley Beige, Pastel Peach, Clay, Peacock Green, Turquoise Blue, Bronze and Mahogany

 

The pink and blue tones of markers I used are a perfect match for the colour palette featured in the pages/paper of the My Crush - In the Pink Book and I used the adorable patterns in this book to create my Friendship Card. The turquoise coloured gems are actually the Clear Sparkles coloured with the Peacock Green ShinHan Marker ... love how applying a little colour to embellishments can add the perfect finishing touch to my projects.

I also used my black Marvy Journalling Pen  and Watercolour Pencils to scribble a bit of definition into the hair of the dolls...it just adds a bit more realism into the images.

The sentiment for this card was created by once again combining 2 different product ranges - the pink stickers spelling out "Sweet Friend" come from the My Crush - In the Pink Assortment and the stamped sentiment is one of four found in the stamp set You Mean the World to Me. This stamp set is the ideal companion for the Cut Above Collections and if you haven't seen these card and gift making kits? - check them out here.

If you would like to see more of the new products released this month or would like to add some Paper Dolls to you collection?....simply visit my Online Shop - remember if your purchase totals $75 or more you are also eligible to purchase the $27 Stamp of the Month for only $5  - super value :)

A Sneaky Little Preview

I have been struggling to sleep ever since returning from the Close To My Heart Annual Convention in the USA. I was so inspired by my fellow consultants and now have millions & millions of ideas buzzing around in my head! I've also found it difficult to contain my excitement about all the new products being released on the 1st August - and today that excitement has burst it's bubble LOL! - well just enough to give you a "sneak peek" of some of my favourites - old & new combined together.

I'm a huge fan of the Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program a product jam packed with 122 double sided cards in 2 sizes -  3" x 4" and 4" x 6" and while they are a fabulous embellishment for this slip in style of album making, I also LOVE creating cards with them - even altering the size to showcase a particular design element or sentiment...but my biggest "Ah Hah" moment at Convention was when the amazing Extravaganza Teachers suggested altering the My Crush Books and treating the pages as decorative papers....Oh My! a whole new world suddenly appeared. This card uses papers from one of our original Crush Books and one of the new ones, to be released in just 4 short days!! I love how well they co-ordinate together. I'm a "tool collector" and as you can see I used my trusty Corner Rounder and Scallop Border Punch to create this card...and I am thrilled to say "watch this space" as I will have 2 new Border Punches to introduce to you in the coming days....they make very cool borders too!!....and how sweet are the metal flowers I used to embellish this card?? - I can see plenty of these flowers coming my way in future orders!! Stay tuned for further information on these ( and so much more!! ) in the coming days....and remember time has almost run-out to order your favourite products from the Feb - July 2014 Ideas Book, if there is anything you can't live without?? - you are best to visit my Online Shop Today!!