Sometimes Crafty Inspiration Repeats Itself

So, if you are already on my email list you can use the free class, adjust the dimensions and make yourself one of these little cuties yourself.  If you aren't on the list you can sign up at the end of this blog post or over there on the right, in the side bar.

If you aren't in the crafty mood.  I have added a few to my etsy shop.  You can choose the style and size. I'll be adding new patterns in the next few days.   There are also a few of my original take along memory keeps available too.

My ETSY shop

A Look into my Memory Planner: January Pages

It's easy to have fun in a planner that I know works perfectly for me! That is exactly what I'm teaching in my practically perfect planner class, finding your perfect planner to end frustration and finally have a system that serves you the way you need it to and keeps you organised. We are having so much fun in class as the ladies are starting to find out what kind of planner they need.  It's not too late to join us, but hurry because registration closes tomorrow.  More info here:

thehootingpirate.com/practicallyperfect

 

13 things you can do today to make your Pretty Planner Bits work for you!

You can find my adversary here: Domesticraft.com

Here are the links to the previous challenges :D

Challenge 1 - Create a cover to your planner using only a composition book, washi tape, doilies and your sewing machine
my take
Nancy's take

Chanllenge 2 - Create the 'guts' of your planner using planner pages
my take
Nancy's take

Here are my 13 ways to keep yourself organised all the while keeping your planner pretty:

First up, I used plain old paperclips, gussied them up and put them to good use in my planner!

1.  Use pretty paper clips to hold loose planner pages together.

2.  Use pretty paper clips to hold invites, coupons, appointment cards and other papers that you need to take action on, in your planner.  Sometimes when I put little bits of paper in the pockets in my planner I forget that they are there so I need to see them so I can take action on them.  Paper clips are a great way to keep them in sight but still tidy.

Next up is washi tape... good ol' washi :D

3.  Here my friend Connie from clickychickcreates.com uses washi tape to stick a project list to a page in her planner that she wasn't using. What a fantastic way to use those extra pages!

 

4.  I use washi tape to highlight important things in my planner (important, or something that may be new or not quite a habit yet, to bring my attention to them).  Just like I did in the handwritten bit at the beginning of this post, to bring your attention to the challenge.

5.  Along with a bulldog clip, I used washi tape to make this fun pen loop.  I saw this one on pinterest but it seems the tutorial is no longer there.  It was at poochie-baby.com  Basically, make a loop with washi tape (she used patterned duct tape) doubled over on itself so that the inside of the loop isn't sticky. then, stick it to each side of a bulldog clip. I used red line tape to hold it securely.  You can move the whole pen loop around since it's on a clip and it can go anywhere you need it, to any planner or book or anything else you want to clip it to.

6.  I made a tab for my book with washi tape.  Even though these are pretty, they tend to be flimsy and I only use them for tabs that won't need to be handled too often.

7. Another way to make a tab is to take 2 identical sized and shaped stickers and stick them back to back, sandwiching the page (or divider) in between.  I also used red-line tape to make sure they stick forevah!

8.  This last tab is super simple, just a piece of scrapbook paper with the top corners rounded and simply stapled to the page.  You could also use red-line tape here.

My next 'little pretty' is trim.  I love ribbon and trim.  See if you can guess who inspired this first one ;)

9.  Again, with red-line tape (that stuff is FANTASTIC! -that was said in the 9th Doctor's voice btw) I stuck a line of pompom trim along the edge of a page that I want to be able to find quite easily.  This is my master to-do list. I visit this almost daily to decide on what action steps will get me closer to finishing these bigger to-dos and I add some of those actions to my daily to-do list.

Did you figure out who inspired the pompoms?  Click here for a hint ;)

10. Trim also makes pretty bookmarks.  At the back of my book, using... wait for it... red-line tape ;) I stuck down one end of the trim to the top of the front of the last page, then I used regular double sided tape and stuck the last page to the second last page, sandwiching the end of the trim in between.

I love colour, so it only makes sense that I love to colour code things as well.  Each of my children is assigned a colour, but you don't have to have 6 children to use colour coding!  you can use it for tasks, days, or for projects like Connie did below.

11. Connie uses a different colour for each type of project to keep herself organised.

 

12. You can use anything to colour code, paint, washi tape, pens... anything!  Here I used paint to colour in this chart, one colour per child.  It tells me what each child needs to bring to school on any certain day.

13. Last but not least, I used different coloured pens to write out our hockey schedule for one Sunday, we had 4 games plus one practice so I needed to colour code it by child so we knew who had to be where and when ;)

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If you like these tips I have an entire class over at Big Picture Classes all about making your planner Pretty and Practical, with 6 lessons full to bursting with ideas to keep your organised in a beautifully decorated planner. cleck it out at the link below:

Planning made Pretty and Practical

Happy Planning!

Round up your Printable Planner Pages in our Planner Challenge Round 2

domesticraft.com
my round 1 project
Nancy's round 1 project

There is soooo much you can do with printable planner pages from the internet besides printing 8.5x11, hole punching and sticking them in a ring binder.  Here are a few examples and Nancy will post her take on this challenge later today :D 

Month at a Glance page

I need to see my monthly page quickly and it needs to be able to hold up to some wear and tear since it will get handled at least once a day for a whole mont.  So what I did was print one of my printables (available for free immediately when you sign up for my Practically Perfect Planner class) at a smaller size to fit in my notebook.  Then I stitched it to 3 or 4 of the notebook pages to give it some resistance.  

TIPS:
1.  It's quite hard to stitch that side that's closest to the middle seam of the book.  I positioned my calendar far enough away from it so that I could get it to run through the sewing machine.  
2.  I also stitched on 'reverse' for one whole side that wouldn't fit through the arm of the sewing machine.
3.  It would have been a lot easier to maneuver the book in the sewing machine if I had done this page before decorating the cover.  The washi tape made the cover quite stiff.

After I stitched it to 3-4 pages I took the next page and glued it to the back page to cover up the stitching.  I'm not a fan of the back side of stitching on paper. I also added a bit of washi tape to make a tab, this and the fact that the calendar is 5 pages thick make it really easy find.

 

Mini 'Week at a Glance' booklet

I printed off a bunch of the week at a glance pages (get them here!).  The first half of the week on the backs, the second half on the fronts.  These are designed to have a margin down the middle for stitching or hole punching.  I printed them pretty small (4x5 inches), then cut a cover to fit from scrapbook paper and stitched up the side.

I made a pocket (tutorial in my free video series here) to fit, stuck it to the inside of the front cover and then had fun decorating it.

TIPS: 
1.  The stitching on the pocket is just for show.  I didn't want to sew through my pretty cover from challenge 1.  So, I just stitched around the pocket and stuck it down with strong adheasive.
2.  Remember when you measure your pocket, to leave enough room for adheasive and to get your book in and out.

 

Coral Loose Printable Planner Pages

Now, I said that didn't like 'daily dockets' but sometimes when things get busy, they do come in handy from time to time.  I just don't use them every day. This pocket would be great for pages like 'today's schedule' and 'to-do lists' as well. Since I don't use these types of pages everyday and I don't know when I'll need them.  I don't need them to be stuck in my planner just yet. But, having them handy inside the back cover is just what I need.

I made the pocket the same as the one for my week at a glance booklet... fake stitching and strong adheasive.

These are just some of the tips and tricks that you can learn in my upcoming Planner Class. It's designed to help you learn how you use a planner in the first place so that you can adapt or make one to suit your individual needs.  I will help you figure out various ways to make your planner work for you, be those crafty projects or not, depending on what you want.  With in-depth questions we delve into you needs and wants from a planner, then we come up with a plan to help you customise your practically perfect planner.  If this sounds like something you'd like to try with your planner click here for more information.  I'd love to see you in class!