Planner Bootcamp at Studio Calico

Planner, planner, bo-banner...

Are you new to planners or just want a little boost when it comes to utilizing your favorite planner (or planners if you're a hoarder like me!)?  I'm super excited to be joining my girl-crush Marcy Penner in her new Studio Calico class, Planner Bootcamp!  This class isn't about fussing up your planner with stickers and such - nope... This class is all about HOW to make your planner work for you! 

Plan It Out at Big Picture Classes

Staying organized is key to managing the busyness of life and I'm so excited to share with you my newest class at Big Picture Classes - Plan It Out | 04!  Every month at BPC there's a new planner class to help you keep track of your everyday!  Join me this month as I share how to customize your planner for work, events, hobbies and more. You'll learn how to incorporate fun supplies and other useful elements into your planner so you'll never miss a to-do again!

 Hope to see you in class!! Happy planning!

My Month in Photos - January Planner

Hey hey!!

I have another fun video to share with you today! In this video, I walk you through how I'm using my Get To Work Book as a photo/thankful journal (and I pink swear that I'm not doing just planner videos)!!. I use my GTWB for most of my creative planning - blog, videos, classes, ideas, inspiration, etc.  I like to keep these ideas separate from my "home" planner because sometimes it just feels too overwhelming to have everything in one. This planner pretty much just stays in my studio and I use it for reference, ideas and more!  But, I didn't want the calendar pages from this book going unused, so I decided to mix things up a little and use it as a photo journal/thankful book! Check out the video below to see how easy it is to use your planner for simple memory keeping! And be sure to subscribe because I have tons more videos coming up soon!

So go print some photos and fill in your empty calendar pages! You'll love the finished result and it will be so fun to look back on throughout the year!!

xoxo

January in my Hello Forever Planner

Hello friends!

I know it's late in the "resolution" game, but I really want to try some new things this year.  Something I have really wanted to do for a while is make MORE VIDEOS. I love making videos. I love creating, so why not combine the two!  And....I am determined to get myself in front of the camera, as you will see in this new (and incredibly awkward) video today! Ideally, I would love to have you all over to craft together in my studio, but for now, I will have to settle on videos and pretend talking to people. So for 2016, my goal is 52 new videos just for you! One video a week for every week of 2016! I'm a few weeks behind the game, but I'm going to try my best to catch up and stick to my goal! 

Come hang out with me for a while today as I walk you through setting up my January planner! (And I also uploaded a few older videos to my YouTube channel, so come subscribe and follow along!)

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you join me on this video adventure!  If there's anything that you want to see or any particular project you'd love for me to create, just leave me a comment here and I will definitely add it to the list!!  Happy crafting (and recording)!!

Maggie Holmes january Planner

It's January and one of my very favorite things to do at the beginning of each year is to set up my planner and get all organized! Stop by Maggie's blog to see a quick tutorial for creating your own planner clips! 

Plan on It

I am super excited to be a contributor for the Plan On It class at Studio Calico!  If you've followed along with me this year, you probably know by now that I love my memory planner!  I'll be sharing two lessons in the class - one about how/why I use my memory planner and than a more detailed lesson showing you how I set up my weekly pages!

The class is jam-packed with amazing contributors who all have a different take on planners! Eri Suzuki is the main instructor and her style and so amazing!  I can't to see her lessons and get lots of new ideas for my planner! 

Class is still enrolling, so come join in the fun!  See you in class on August 3rd!

Memory Planner: June 2015

Well, June sure did come and go in a flash.  I knew it would be quick since our summer is shorter now (because Anna is in year-round school), but wow!  I swear it feels like June just begun.

Anyhoo...on to July we go, so I thought I would share a look at June in my Memory Planner!  This planner is still the bees knees to me.  I love adding in bits and pieces of everyday life, as well as my to-do lists, thoughts, quotes, etc..

There really is no rhyme or reason to my pages.  Sometimes I work on them in advance (if I know we have certain events on certain days - like swim team, etc..) and then sometimes I work on it throughout the month.

Add in stamps, washi and stickers is super fun - but adding in photos of our week is still my favorite! I think this planner has become kind of like an ongoing-work in progress-mini album.

The July Planner kit from Studio Calico got LOTS of use this month!  Love the washi and those cute little paper flags! Perfect for adding in notes and details!

And of course, some type of collage HAD to make an appearance in my planner.  I wonder if I will ever tire of collages??  Doubtful...

The days of the week notepad from the A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail a few months back is such a lifesaver for super busy weeks!  Sometimes it feels like everyone is going in a different direction and being able to have ONE visual of the week is super cool.  It might be a little redundant, but it is definitely very helpful!

And that's a look at June.  July is well underway right now and my month is already pretty full!  I'll be back to share a look at those finished pages in a few weeks!!

Are you still addicted to your planner??  I sure am!

Memory Planner: May 2015

I'm pretty sure this is the longest I've ever "kept up" with a planner.  I always have a running calendar of some sorts, but this planner has kept me motivated and energized for this entire year so far.  I love taking a few minutes here and there to fill in the details of our lives, as well as our daily activities.  

I love that there are no expectations and no rules.  I can stamp here and there; add journaling cards or sticky notes - you name it!  

I keep the majority of my planner supplies in a few wire baskets in my craft room, but I usually find myself pulling out my extra Studio Calico supplies when I work in my planner.  Using my alpha stamps and inks is my new favorite (as you can probably tell by looking at these few weeks).  Once I get started on something, I usually can't stop!  :)

I've found that our Saturday/Sundays aren't as "list-y" as the rest of the week, so I usually print off a few photos of our week and add those in on Saturday/Sunday.  The mix of photos, stamps and lists just makes me super happy!

It's a super simple way to work in a planner, but it's a great outlet for creative play!  I'm still curious if I will be able to fit an entire year in this book.  I kind of stopped adding in extra inserts in hopes of being able to keep everything in one binder, so I'm staying hopeful!  :)

Memory Planner: February & March

My Memory Planner has sort of turned into my "go to" when I have the urge to create.  I love that it really it encourages me to keep my photos current/uploaded/edited.  I tend to take quite a few photos, and I'm sure I would become pretty overwhelmed if I didn't get those off my camera or phone.  

My favorite part of my Memory Planner is adding in photos, cards and extra little pieces.  They add a little bit of character and personality, which I love!  Plus, there is nothing better than flipping back two months and seeing snippets of the previous month.  

Along with daily events and scheduling, I'm also using my planner to keep notes of memories, quotes, activities, etc.  Having a "one stop place" to write ALL of this stuff down is awesome.  I'm a lister by nature, so I usually had a zillion little lists going on at a time.  Now, they all reside here in my cute little binder!

The smaller 2x2 cards from Heidi's Memory Planner collection are perfect for adding into those (usually empty) weekend boxes.  I usually then jot down a few notes about our weekend.  

I'm continuing to end each month with a photo collage.  I typically pull this directly from my Around Here posts, so it takes about two seconds to compile the photos and print.  They aren't perfectly centered or square, but I'm totally ok with that!  I just love having a peek of our month on one page!

Each month in the binder starts with a page for two photos and then a page protector for additional photos.  I've been completing this at the end of the month as sort of a "reflection" activity.  It's nice to sit down and think back on all the amazing things that happened in a month!

Alpha, cards, stickers and stamps are my best friend when it comes to daily events.  If I know I have a big event coming up (like going to the beach), I usually add the alpha title right into that box!  It's like a bold reminder that something awesome is coming.  Any "extra" or empty space I have at the end of the two-page spread, I fill with whatever I have lying around - stamps, gold foil stickers, rub-ons....

I've started incorporating this cute little Memory Planner envelopes into my album to hold special notes or extra photos.  Just like in my mini albums and layouts, I love to have hidden extras sprinkled throughout my books!

And that's a quick look at some of my February and March planner pages.  As you can see, some weeks are full and detailed...and other weeks have lots of photos and cards!!  I'm good with either!  I'm just so glad I have a place to "keep" all of these things - and it's a bonus that I can mix planning with memory keeping!  That's a win-win to me! 

Memory Planner: Creative Jumpstarts 11

Happy Monday!  Marcy and I are back today with a BRAND NEW Creative Jumpstarts challenge!  With all of the planner craze lately, we've decided to switch things up a little and add in a planner challenge.  Saying that Marcy and myself are a little obsessed with planners would be an understatement....I blame her, by the way, for my obsession.  :)

Our planner challenge for you this week is to add a photo into your planner.  Get those everyday photos off of your camera and into your planner!  I bet you will become obsessed too!!  

I'm a big fan of adding photos to my planner, but I usually slip them into the page protectors that came with each month in my Heidi Swapp planner.  Most of my daily boxes are full of notes, to-dos, reminders and written memories.  Last week, though, I was sunning it up in lovely St. John, USVI (and I decided not to take my planner with me) so my week was pretty bare and blank.  My trip happened to exactly fall over a double page spread in my planner, and I knew that photos would be the perfect way to dress up my pages!!

I sized and printed out five photos to fit in the daily boxes (and I've got a free template for you too if you want perfectly sized photos for your memory planner)!  I adhered them with some adhesive right into the daily boxes and then added a few little details about each days events to the left or right.  It was the perfect way to add in our memories so I can remember them later for my Project Life album and mini book!

I found the easiest way for me to get my photos the right size was to create a template in Photoshop.  I've tried eyeballing it, guessing it and winging it, but they never really came out the way I wanted.  I was wasting some of precious photo paper trying to size them down, so a template was a must!!

With the above template, you can drop three photos onto a 4x6 canvas, send it to be printed or print it at home!  Easy peasy!  I like a white border on my photos, so the boxes are sized to include that with trimming, but if you want them larger, just increase the photo boxes and you should be good to go!!  

Grab your memory planner photo template HERE!

What would have been "empty" boxes in my planner are now full of photos, words and memories!!  And if you aren't obsessed with how awesome and versatile these planners are yet, I don't know what else I have to do to try and convince you!  Ha!  :)

So that's our Creative Jumpstarts challenge for you this week!  Add a photo to your planners!  Be sure to tag us on Instagram and use the hashtag #creativejumpstarts !  We cannot wait to see your planners!!

Creative Jumpstarts were created by Marcy Penner and Stephanie Bryan to challenge each other with their paper endeavors. Delivered in the form of bimonthly challenges, they encourage us (and hopefully you too) to stretch supplies, think outside of the box and to remain intentional about the memories we capture.  Challenges are posted on the first and third Mondays of every month.  Projects are shared on our blogs and on Instagram using the hashtag #creativejumpstarts. We'd love it if you'd share along with us at either of those places and be sure to tag us (@helloforeverpaperco and @stephaniebryan) if you do!

Memory Planner: My Favorite Supplies

Oh Memory Planner!  You continue to be my newest obsession.  I seriously love you. xo-

I'm still (obviously) so obsessed with this planner!!  I write my lists in here, add in little notes, staple in photos, keep grocery lists, record memories, etc...  It's kind of like a "catch-all" for my life.  I love having a two page monthly calendar and then individual daily boxes.  My life just doesn't fit onto one  basic calendar.  

I love adding in fun photos, cards and stickers to my planner and today, I thought I would share some of my favorites with you!!

I use small transparent stickers, Heidi's washi tape book and post-it notes everyday.  I loooooove post-it notes!!  I probably write about 20 a day (for both work and home), and my favorite part is tossing them out at the end of the day!!  Nothing like checking things off of the list!!  I usually use just plain white post-it notes for making these "reminder" notes.  They have more space and I need that.  I use the smaller post-its for adding in dates/times/places to my daily boxes.

I keep the Memory Planner pouch in the front of my planner, and it's stocked with cards, tags and some extra stickers.  It does add a little bit of bulk to my planner, but that doesn't bother me.  The bigger the better!!

I have a few mini alpha, journaling cards and stickers in the front pocket of the planner.  When I need these, I just slide them out, use them and then pop them back in.  When I run out of "a" and "e", I'll just rotate in a new pack.  (Anyone else feel like they need a set of just extra a's and e's???)

The things that don't fit into the pouch are kept in this little basket (from Target).  Having everything in one place is a must!  It definitely saves me time when searching for supplies.  I'm also in habit of working in my planner on Sunday night (for meal planning, blog planning, general to-dos), and I usually just bring this basket downstairs and work on the couch.  

And that's it!!

Everything is together and easily accessible!!!  And I love it!!

How's your planner coming along???  Are you as obsessed as me??

Memory Planner: January

My obsession with this memory planner continues!!  I seriously can't believe I didn't start this sooner.  I'm a list maker at heart, and I've always had tons of lists, but they were usually scattered about in books, journals, notepads, etc.  I remember trying out a Project Life planner book that I made a few years ago to keep up with our week's events, but that quickly fell by the wayside.  It was just too much work to keep up with multiple books/calendars/journals.  

Having everything in one place has been a game changer for me.  I love that I can add notes about our day, clip in a tag, and keep up with our activities.  This planner gives me a place to "create" when I want to make something, but don't really have it in me to create an entire layout or Project Life spread.  This book has become my "art journal" so to speak....  It's become my go to for creativity when I have a few minutes to spare!!  It's quick, it's easy and I always have it on hand!!

I went back and forth about whether or not to share my planner pages.  I'm not sure I will continue this every month (because, seriously, who really cares what my planner even looks like), but I figured, what the heck...maybe I can inspire someone else to add memory keeping into their daily planner!  So here goes....

As you can see, my planner consists mostly of lists, notes and activities.  I use the larger daily boxes to keep up with the daily "to do" list, but I also use this space to write in little details about our day....quotes, notes, things we did, etc.  I love having these sections to look back on (again....I'm wondering why I didn't do this earlier)!!

I use the smaller (lined) daily boxes to keep up with my blog posts and our meal planning.  

I'm finding my "groove" with my planner and as the weeks have gone on, I've discovered what works best for me.  I really like adding important events (like lunch duty that I almost forgot a few weeks ago) into the planner using mini alpha.  It pops off of the page and makes it easily recognizable as I'm glancing at the week.  

I also really like printing out my favorite photos from that week and adding them into my book.  

Here, I used a divided 4x4 WRMK page protector to include four photos of our week and two journaling cards (for notes/details).  I'm sure these photos will make it into my January Project Life book too, which may seem a little redundant, but having them with me everyday is priceless.  I don't carry around my Project Life album, but I do carry this little gem everywhere.  These little extras make me super happy.....and redundant or not, you just can't beat that feeling!

I've also gotten a little creative and busted out my stamps and inks (say whaaaat??).  I swear I am determined to become a stamper this year!!  I'm staring small with this planner!  :)

There's no real rhyme or reason to the stamps.  I usually just pull them out when I have that "creative itch" but don't really want to make an entire project.  

I continue to use a divider to mark the current day (and a paper clip on the top of the calendar month so I can easily flip to see the whole month together).  The divider with my One Little Word (shine) is my favorite!!  Like the photos, it makes me super happy (I'm weird). 

And what would a post of mine be without a photo collage, right??

To finish the month, I decided to print out a photo collage of all of our January photos.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love this!  For starters, I'm a sucker for a collage, BUT.....now I can see all of the photos I've taken for the month.  Score!  I will absolutely be printing a collage of our pictures each month!!  Total game changer.  No more searching my hard drive for a photo!   

So what do you think?  Do you incorporate photos and memories into your planner??  If you happen to post yours to a blog, gallery or what not, link it up here!  I would love to see yours!!