The I Am Very Busy List Book

I have to write down my to do lists every week. I do love my phone and making notes on my phone, Instagram, and plenty of other social media and apps. And yet, I love paper more. (That's why I'm also a planner lover) Nothing digital could ever replace my good ole paper to do lists. I have been known to jot them down on cute list pads, calendars, and journals. But when I saw this notebook, which is 9X11, I decided I wanted, needed, and deserved a big beautiful sturdy notebook with really good paper to keep my beautiful to do lists at home--this is not a take-it-with-you kinda thing like my Midori--and these master to do lists can be in effect for a week or even a month. Also, let's face it, the sight of a big white clean sheet of lined notebook paper is perfect for back-to-school time and makes me happy to fill it up.

 This particular notebook has almost hard covers on it--it is super nice with its pretty gold coil and meant to be used for quite a long time. The notebook paper inside is a nice heavy stock, brilliant white, has a place for the date on each sheet and inside the pockets are made of a glossy, sturdy and heavy stock. The whole notebook, by Ban-Do, feels heavy and smooth and would make a great gift as well. I happened to find it in a little bookstore that was carrying Ban-Do products, but you can get it online.

I have my system figured out! I have a cute clipboard notebook folder with a fat paper pad inside (from Hobby Lobby)--this is where the grocery list lives, and then each sheet inside is dedicated to house lists, crafting lists, and ideas that are not dated lists with due dates. There are sketches of card ideas, pillows I want to stitch, etc.

Then my big new list book is simply meant to hold my to do list for the week--but if it lingers on a few weeks, that's okay. And when I'm ready, I'll copy over whatever is left and make a new list at the beginning of a new week! Oh...the lister in me is so happy, I don't even want to hear anyone say "I never make a list, what a hassle, or lists are silly." Listen Boo, you do you, and I'll do me. And me...likes paper and lists!

My markers tuck nicely into a cubby shelf

So here's the other part I like. What I use to make the lists: color!

Yes, those are chakra rocks on the shelf above

Part of the fun of making a list that is essentially going to live for several days is making every item a different color and including some doodles.

These fine point markers just make me happy.

I hope they last a long time! I use them in my coloring books too.

And another option is of course a multi pen. So when my beautiful list book is filled up with every page full of lists and doodles, then what? The cover is so pretty and sturdy on this, I don't think I could just toss it like you would with a normal notebook. So my plan at that point is to, of course, upcycle it! All those colorful lists will make a gorgeous background to lay on top some art journaling. Then it will have a second life as an art book. All my lists will live on and be a little hidden too. And yes, I'll still be very busy.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

A Second Life for Your Outdated Planner - A Forever Art Journal

Well it's that time of year when you may be splurging on a new planner! I have to tell you, I've been a planner girl since the only planners out there were boring ones! I made my own from those cute cloth-covered journals back in the day...that's how desperate I was for planner peace before I ever heard that term. Now, you can find beautiful, colorful, fun planners in all colors, shapes, sizes, and prices! I think it is a little hard to spend on the luxury priced planners since they will be outdated next year. And what if you get tired of it before that? What if you didn't find "planner peace" and you spent eighty bucks on an Erin Condren?

So think about it before you rush out and buy the latest planner trend. Think about its function in your life, if you'll really use it, and what you will do with it later? Toss it? Keep it for decades? Do you have the space? It is worth shopping around and thinking about it long term.

I often use an Orange Circle Studio planner, and the one I was carrying in my bag for a few years in a row was small, but the pages were art journal themed. I thought it was gorgeous, and it cost just twelve dollars for the weekly page layout and it was filled with places to write and journal things. So when its time was up, I couldn't bear to toss it. After a couple of years, I took two of these journals and upcycled them into a forever art journal. I stitched and glued some of the unused pages together, added beads, ribbon, and now after having this homemade journal for a while, I realize how much I love it. I keep my favorite bible verses in it, thoughts, and ideas. It's like an inspiration book. But I like to call it, a forever art journal.

See how I upcycled my planners here

So I wanted to remind you, that your planner can have a second life, a restaging, a do-over. Just pick the right one in the first place, and you could enjoy it for longer than it was meant to be. When its time is up, you could rip it apart, take the best of it, and stitch together your own forever art journal. Get out the glue, floss, glitter, buttons, ribbon...whatever you like, and have a great time knowing you spent your planner money well.

In the meantime, Orange Circle has come out with a new version of their gorgeous planners on Amazon, and I've got one preordered that starts in August for around eleven bucks I think it was to preorder. I have no idea what the inside actually looks like, but I have faith because I love their designs. This is going to be my office planner, and after that, well, you know what!


Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

Stitching Together An Upcycled Junk Journal - Part 2 - The Diva of Junk Journals

As Mary Poppins says, "Begun is half done."
My junk journal proved it. All I had to do was start stripping out pages from my old art journal-style planners and the next thing I knew, I was stitching them together and the diva of art journals was born.

See Part 1 of this blog right here.

She is a mixed-media treasure full of pretty pages, ready to write on or add things to, a key (just some random little key in a box of things), buttons, beads, stitching, stamping, and lots of love. Another beauty of this journal is that I actually had a lot of pages from those past planners where I had written things I would still like to be reminded of and add to. So now, here they are together with plenty of blank pages ready for creating. 

Of course, I could have just used adhesive to stick all the pretty pages together, hide the old weekly planner pages on the insides, and have nice, sturdy, reinforced pages for my journal. I actually did get out the ATG gun and do that with some of the pages. (Remember, part of Stash Dash 2015 Five Simple Rules, is use the tools you have!)

With a majority of the pages, I chose to stitch them on the sewing machine, and also hand stitch around them with pearl cotton floss--I think both techniques look and feel wonderful! Unique! Nobody else will have a diva junk journal like yours when it is done.

Yet another great thing about using my old planners was that the covers were ideal to still be covers. You can, of course, add anything and everything to them. My favorite add was the beads. There's the glamour with some big, sparkly, acrylic beads. Little glass beads would be adorable too, and I think my journal has some in its future.

front cover

back cover

Are you ready to get out your stamps, floss, stickers, ribbon, gelatos, and beads and have a ball?

The diva of junk journals is ready for her debut to share her inner-most pages. Thanks for taking this little journal journey with us, and I hope you are inspired to use your stash and create something beautiful and fun! Imperfection is beauty.

I cross-stitch hearts and applique them to everything!

See that piece of ribbon? It was just laying around and anyone else would have thrown it away!

A leftover diecut heart from making valentines with my nephew.

Used my wavy scissors on some pages!

There are plenty of pages still to write on.

My favorite zig zag stitch on the sewing machine.

That little piece of grosgrain ribbon was laying on my floor! Now, it's art.

I managed to keep some layouts from the original planner together!

I love that caterpillar with the cupcakes, and now it isn't lost in an outdated planner.

I trimmed down and stuck in some craft paper I had used on my gelli plate. Perfect!

Feel free to add an index card here and there! This journal will have some recipes in it.

I punched holes and added grommets to a piece of felt, just for fun. Going to stitch a quote here.

This might be my favorite little thing: a piece of the costume I wore from King & I.

I stuck in a cute little card I love! It came with a blog candy prize in the mail.

Adding pockets is good--just stitch them right in from scrap paper. Divas need pockets.

I used some steampunk style rings for the bind--found them at Michaels. They easily let me keep adding pages. I need to add a little wire bracelet of glass beads now that I think about it. The dressing up of this diva junk journal may never end! But that's why it's fun. I've already contributed lists, ideas, and plans that can be ongoing and don't run out at the end of the year like my proper planners do. Be creative, have fun, and express yourself. Stitch a junk journal!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch a Junk Journal


 

Stitching Together an Upcycled Junk Journal Part 1 - Stash Dash 2015 - The Diva of Junk Journals

If you love sewing on paper, junk journals, upcycling, stamping, gluing, and any of the above, this project's for you!

-Click here for my Stash Dash 2015 Five Simple Rules-

This year I'm upcycling more, shopping stash, and really using what I have, and this junk journal fits right in. Anything goes - really - you could use anything. I was grabbing a little lonely piece of ribbon I saw laying on my craft table and stitching it onto a page to my own delight. That's how this junk journal works!

Gelatos and ribbon stitched on the inside back cover

The basis for my junk journal is my old planners. Every year, I have been choosing a really cute art journal-style planner from Orange Circle. I love how the weekly calendar pages mix in with lovely, inspiring journal pages, and by the end of the year I should have written, colored, or drawn on every one of them! But, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Over the years, I have kept my little planners, and I don't know what it is, but you are not as likely to look back in old planners for thoughts, and lists and things like you do your regular art journals. So, my latest junk journal was born. It is, in reality, an upcycled planner that became a diva.

I had to add a random key in memory of all those girlhood diaries with a key.

My first task was to choose two planners from years past, grab the craft knife, and start cutting out the pages I wanted. That's when I decided that to really reinforce them for vigorous usage in this amazing junk journal, I would stitch the pages together, and at the same time I would be hiding the old calendar pages. I don't really want to see them anymore, and yet they are still there, all tucked inside the pretty pages.

Inside the front cover

Some pages were hand-stitched with pearl cotton floss, and a lot of the pages were stitched together on the sewing machine with a variety of zig-zag stitches. Whatever you like! I added a little embroidery to some pages, beads, buttons, ribbon, diecuts and stamping. You could also do sequins, and really any embellishment you like. Remember - this is the diva of junk journals. When you are done with your handwork, you will be holding a glamorous little mixed-media take-me-with-you-and-write-in-me one-of-a-kind book of thoughts, dreams, lists, quotes...book of you!

The front cover shows off with beads hanging on a cute paper bobbin.

I had some adorable paper bobbins made by Yarnology at Hobby Lobby...so one of them had to go on the front cover with beads hanging off of it. This tells the world, I'm somebody who threads a needle every day and paints with it.

Come back tomorrow, and the diva of junk journals will bare her inner-most pages and how she finally got it all together!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch a Junk Journal