Festive Fast and Easy Paper Christmas Banner

Christmas patterned paper, ribbon, a few buttons, and some quick stitches on the sewing machine! That's all it took to make a festive little banner for my entry way.

 I started with cutting out these little 3X4 vintage holiday images from a 12X12 sheet in a Christmas scrapbook pad.

My banner is hanging on a display cabinet, so I only needed three, but it could be longer. Then I chose three coordinating patterned papers from the pad, and cut six 4X5 squares. I stitched those squares together, three sets with wrong sides together, on the sewing machine with just a straight stitch around the border. So each one will have the image and a button on the front, and a cute backing of coordinating patterned paper.

 A little star corner punch in each image made them look a little more finished. Each one was then stitched in the center of each 4X5 piece.

I stitched a red button on each one, and then stitched all three to a length of red ribbon, and it was ready to hang! The whole little project took less than an hour, and I used what was in my stash. You could also use images from old Christmas cards or photos. Merry Christmas!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

So Many Planners, So Many Days...The Planner Girl Dilemma...What to Do with My Franklin Covey

Planner Progress in my Midori

I have always loved paper, pens, doodling, listing, planning, and knowing what tomorrow holds. Why?

1-I like to be organized...I think I have the organization gene

2-Paper, paper, paper love...when I was in high school, and this was the late 1970's people, I bought the pink and sometimes multicolored notebook paper. Everybody else had white.

I am on the computer a lot for both my day job and personal business. Ink on paper is a respite from that. Therapy. Like my stitching and knitting is therapy. Scrapbooking is therapy. 

But pretty much since the 1920's, it has been predicted that our society would be paperless by now, and we are anything but that!

Maybe we don't really want to live our entire lives digitally? 

I don't know. But what I do know is there is nothing like a gorgeous, brand new crisp planner in your hands. 

In the past, when planners came in black or brown with very officey pages, I was making my own planners out of things like those fabric covered journals, notebooks covered in fun paper and stickers, and making my own custom pages for the ring bound planners I had.

Over the last few years as the planners have gotten pretty and more creative, I've tried different ones. The planner community calls it "planner peace" when you arrive at just the right combination for organizing your days, months and years. There are many who have upwards of four, five, or six planners at a time.

My homemade home planner

I don't find that peaceful or practical. For my daily planner, I like having all my stuff together in one place. My planner operates as if it's my personal assistant, and I really like that. I call it "Planner Progress." It's something that works well if you have a ring binder with different sections and plenty of room, or a Midori Travelers Notebook, as I prefer, with my five booklets inside dedicated to different purposes, and a nice six-pocket folder.

I actually made an 8 1/2X11 home planner. It is big and bulkly on purpose. It could be a life planner as I first called it, but it became my home planner. It has folders for mail, bills, recipe clippings, a recipe section in the back and everything to do with the business of running my home. I made planner pages for it, but they are all about life at home, and it still works really well. You can read more about how I made it here for part one, and here for part two.

I turned two older planners into an art journal.

But back to why so many planner girls like so many planners! I think on YouTube it is their job. They review them, so they have to buy them, sometimes getting them to review for free, try them, and set them up for the camera. And that's understandable. And I doubt they actually use most of them. Many end up having giveaways which is especially nice when they receive free product from the company. I love planner videos!

In real life, I think there are people who are sort of addicted to all the pretty planners and they divide up how they use them. And this is really what you would have to do. Here are my ten ideas for some of the things you could use different planners for:

• Memory Keeping/Scrapbook Style of the days
• Travel Planner
• Journal Planner--writing down a sentence or two about each day
• Homekeeping Planner (like my big homemade planner above)
• Craft Planner--perfect to keep in your crafting area, keeping track of your makes, supplies, crafty wish list, craft shopping, and crafting business
• Diet/Exercise planner
• Bible Planner--sermon notes, favorite verses, daily inspiration
• Recipe Planner--menus, recipe notes, shopping lists
• School Mom Planner--everything having to do with children's activities and schedules
• Happy planner--writing down something you're thankful for every day, something that brought you joy, and your future plans for happiness!

I'm sure we all need more reasons to buy more planners! (of course I'm kidding...remember I'm the frugal one who made her own planners) Planning isn't what it used to be, remember that. You don't have to have daily appointments to have a reason to have a planner. If you love pretty paper, stickers, diecuts, washi tape, and being happy...you could have fun with a pretty planner.

Check out where I turned my past planners into an art journal/junk journal--I still love it.

So the other day I was going through a box and found some of my old planners, including this Franklin Covey compact style planner. I remember loving this fat little thing! And I had everything in it. I still like it, and would love to use it. I'm just too happy with my Stitchydori to convert it over to a daily planner.
 

New setup for an old Franklin Covey planner

That won't stop me though. This red compact planner was last used in 2006, and it is in excellent shape! I'm not even sure if it's real leather or faux! I don't think I paid that much for it though. Franklin Covey planners are America's answer to the Filofax, and you can still get them. And they sell this particular one on Ebay because they don't make it anymore. The rings are high quality and the cover is durable. I love the zipper pocket too.

So I'm setting it up. Using scrap paper (I'm still stash busting this year), and I have to say my little corner rounder punch does very well for this kind of project. Check back later in the week and we'll see how this old-to-new-planner setup is going and what I plan to use this guy for!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch  

Remember to Upcycle Your Scrap Paper with Your Old Punches

Only have ten or twenty minutes at your craft desk? Grab some of those punches you bought long ago, some scrap paper, and make dozens of diecut embellishments. Keep them handy in a little sectioned organizer box--like the kind you can get at the Target dollar spot for example. You won't need to buy diecuts when you have your own around to decorate scrapbook pages, cards and planners.
I remember when those little punches were all the rage for scrapbookers and crafters...but then we moved on to our diecut machines and left our punches in the dust. They are still so handy when you only have a few minutes and some scrap paper lying around, so let them help you make the most of your craft table time, and upcycle those scraps too. If you have a tray or a cookie sheet where you keep your patterned paper scraps, keep a few punches in there and it will always be ready to go.

Visit my original Stash Dash 2015 right here.

These little organizer boxes are perfect to keep diecuts in.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch
 

Decorating Planner Booklets for Your Midori

The reason I love Midori traveler's notebooks is, of course, all the booklets you can carry inside! The booklets may be planners, listy books, art journals, or anything you need. Whether you make your own or order your booklets, they start out pretty plain. And they are fun to decorate. Recently I got out my planner booklets I downloaded from a free website and got to work decorating the 2016 booklets. They give me six months in one booklet in a weekly format.

You will know what you like when you start playing around with your papers, stamps and stickers.

 When you make or receive your Midori booklets, just get out your favorite patterned papers, scraps, stash, and start having fun. I use stamps, washi, stickers, and journaling cards too. I like to use different patterned papers on the front and back covers. After measuring them to fit the cover, using the booklet itself, I glue them on, and then add washi tape to the spine.

After I finish decorating, I add packing tape to laminate the spine and the front edge so that my booklet won't get frayed or come apart over its months of use.

I used letter stamps for the planner cover

 Then I worked on the inside cover. I look at my planner every day, so I like using my favorite papers and themes. I had these Lucy stickers, and once I decided to go with Vitametavegimin, I had a little 50's advertising theme going for this inside cover. I used some clippings from my mothers vintage Workbasket magazines and they were perfect, and also remind me of my sweet mother.

Inside front cover

 You can just have fun with your scrap papers, sparkly washi tape, and stickers. I always love a good cupcake sticker too!

The inside back cover of my planner

 Decorating the booklets is as much fun as using them I think! It's a great way to use your scraps and paper stash, because anything goes. Make what you want to look at all the time.

 Click here to see a recent walk-thru in my Midori.
 

I made a Stitchydori with my favorite matryoshka doll fabric!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

Magical Monday Organizing - Stash Dash 2015

Coffee + Planning = Magic

Isn't organizing a magical thing?
I hope so, since I spent my extra time this weekend trying to get scraps of paper, this and that off my desk and into a place where I could find what I need when I need it.
After you're all done it does indeed feel like you waved your magical organizing wand. Ahhh.

The thing which started all this was very simple: one of those accordian files from the Target dollar spot. Yes, it cost one dollar!

I didn't know what I was going to use it for, and then I realized. It's the perfect size for the little pieces! Stickers, scraps, die cuts, etc. These are the things I use all the time for my planner, scrapbooking, art journaling, tags and cards.

When I cut up a pretty piece of patterned paper, I like to use it all. What has been happening is, those little scraps I'm not using right away get piled up into a tray. Lately, that tray has been out of control! Enter the dollar accordian file.

 Once I started sorting my scraps and bits and bobs, it was very clear what my categories should be. The little file came with a label sheet for the tabs. I decided that my labels did not need to be in alphabetical order -- I'm such a rule-breaker! Instead I put them more in the order of how I would use them. I put the kiss-cut store-bought stickers under the general tab of "stickers" and my planner stickers, which I usually download from somewhere and print on a shipping label sheet, under the tab "planner stickers." Then I had some cardstock scraps which were nicely trimmed, some were die cut, and others were clearly just scraps and they were sorted accordingly. Here's how it ended up looking.

 I plan to die cut lots of flowers and hearts soon, so I made a section for those. Nice, eh?

Kiss-cut Stickers, Planner Stickers, Scraps and Diecuts all organized!

I packed this organizer full to the brim, and yet it still closes up very nicely! It fits right into one of my cubby shelves, so it is at the reach for any project. It would also travel well. Mission accomplished.

So here we are in October, and every month I've made an effort towards the 2015 Stash Dash I started way back in January, tips and all. You can see it here: 2015 Stash Dash

 I've upcycled, recycled, repurposed, and tried to make the most of what I have. This year I've probably done the least craft shopping ever. Once I get my latest project, my beautiful stitched Midori Traveler's Notebooks finished and selling, you can be sure I'll be doing a Michaels-Hobby Lobby-JoAnn run (they are all within a couple of miles of my house, I literally could run!). But I think this time, I'll be a smarter craft shopper--buying what I'll need and use, and not what will collect dust in my stash.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

 

Planner Peace in My Midori - Scrappy Stash Busters

Love, love, love planning in my Midori.

I didn't think this was going to happen, but then I found a free printable planner on MyLifeAllInOnePlace.com, and decided to try it.

Inside cover of my Midori planner

Que music. Planner peace!!

The weekly planner layout, 6 months per booklet, gives me plenty of room to write my lists, to-do's, add stickers, and write in appointments.
 

A blank week where I've already added a few planner stickers

Outside cover of my Midori planner

 The most fun thing about making booklets is decorating them with scrapbook paper, washi tape and stickers!

This baby goes everywhere

My Midori always travels in my bag, so why not have a planner in it! What really makes it work for me is the other booklets inside. Next to my planner is my list book. I just made it with a pad of yellow lined paper, and I feel free, because the paper's not fancy, to just scribble all kinds of lists: apps I want, recipes to try from Pinterest, craft shopping, very specific to-do's, household project...you get the idea, no list is off limits!

 My pretty patterned paper stash is getting a workout with my Midori booklets - love that. Next, after my planner and simple lists book is a booklet I made with nice lined paper called Random Notes, Thoughts & Quotes. I'm a quote collector, and too many times I've written these things in my planner on the go, and then they get lost. This is why this book is a perfect companion, but it all stays together and doesn't get dated. 

Next is my booklet dedicated to my Side Hustles. So when I have an idea or thought pertaining to my craft selling, Etsy, or writing projects, it has its own special place and I know where to go back and find it. If I'm planning a due date for something, then it's right here next to my planner. Perfect and peaceful. And by the way, I love this new Post-It tape!

My art journal is the last booklet, and it's made of watercolor paper. I also carry a small palette in my  bag, so I can paint and draw whenever and wherever. I love having an art journal in with my planner, lists, and side hustle booklets because sometimes my art relates to something else, like creating my new logo, or inspired by a quote.

I love this swing-out board I made with a grommet attaching it to my dashboard in my Midori. It has washi tape on the go! I made the board with an old planner cover trimmed up to the size I needed. Talk about upcycling. My dashboard is simply card stock patterned paper with stickers, a clip from a very old Workbasket Magazine from the fifties, and laminated so you can stick blank post-it paper to use on the go. Inside my dashboard is a folder I made as well with six pockets. Love, love, love it all!

 The moral of the story is, I obviously can't operate with just a planner. My planner has to have a lot of buddies that cover all the aspects of my day. The Midori solves all those problems. And bonus, I stitched this Midori myself with matryoshka fabric that I'm crazy about because I'm obsessed with those Russian dolls!

About two months ago, I didn't really know anything about Midori traveler's notebooks, and look at me now! And I'm old! I'm telling you that last bit because I've seen too many who think they have nothing to plan, so why have a planner. To that I say, celebrate your life every day. Plan things to do, watch, read, eat, drink, make, buy, cook...enjoy every minute.

Que music...planner peace!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch

Inside My Midori - How I Stuff and Decorate My Dolldori

Are you a Midori lover? I think this traveler's notebook traditionally known as the Midori, or Dori with a more descriptive prefix, is taking over the planet a little bit. It is definitely for pretty paper lovers...making and/or decorating your own inserts is a great paper stash buster. I stitched one up just for fun so that I could use my beloved matryoshka doll fabric, ceramic doll bead, include some embroidery just for myself on the inside, and now I'm completely in love.

I stitch my dolldori's to be the large cahier size--about 8 inches tall and 5 inches wide when closed

Next time I'll share how I made and decorated my notebooks, but for now, we'll just take a walk through my Dolldori. She's gotten quite fat with creativity, and that's why I love it.

At this point I have five notebooks, a dashboard, and a folder inserted!

Stitching up a fabric dori, which is traditionally made of leather, means it's just not going to be perfect--and I love that too.

Inside I stitched a front pocket and the first notebook is my art journal which will hold some drawing, coloring, and favorite quotes and verses. I used this cupcake scrapbook paper for the cover.

Here is the back of the art journal cover, and the front of notebook insert no.2, a writing and info journal.

Inside cover of notebook no. 2

Here is the back cover of notebook no. 2 and the front cover of notebook no. 3, dedicated to notes and info about my craft projects, Etsy shops, and writing projects. 

Inside cover of notebook no. 3

I made notebook no. 3 with a variety of colored printer paper, and I printed lines on it, so I really like how it went together.

Back cover of notebook no. 3 - front cover of no. 4

I decorated notebook no. 4 with polka dot scrapbook paper and a cutout from a scrapbook pad page, but inside is simply yellow notebook paper. It is a notebook just for lists!

This is the back cover of the list notebook, and the front cover of my dori planner! So here's the truth. I love my dolldori so much, I tend to want to carry it around in my bag. I have a little 2015 art journal style planner  that is just for my bag, but I love having a planner in the dolldori more. I wasn't really going to do that at first, but then I stumbled upon mylifeallinoneplace.com and was able to easily print out the planners for my dori for free. Each document makes a six-month planner booklet, so this one is June-Dec 2015. It has weekly pages, plenty of room to write, and still fits nicely with all the other notebooks.

Inside front cover of dori planner

 

One of the planner pages for an upcoming week--I've already added some stickers

I absolutely wanted a dashboard in my dolldori to be post-it note headquarters. I just laminated it using packing tape. Inside that folder is a six-pocket folder I made from a file folder, and still need to decorate it a little more. Important thing: it all fits!

Back cover of the planner, front cover of the dashboard

Inside the dashboard with the six-pocket folder

Inside back of the dashboard

The inside back cover is embroidered...you know how I believe in wearable art, so my dolldori is wearing it.

The best thing about my dori is how personal and original it is. It's true that you could have a plain leather Midori with standard, plain cover inserts and be happy with that. But, if you want to unleash your creativity on something that you get to carry around, look at, and use all the time, this is a wonderful way to do that. And the notebook inserts will fill up, and you get to decorate more and keep enjoying them and finding new ways to use them. I'll be posting soon about how I make and decorate my inserts--it's not too complicated, but really fun. Back to my stitching!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch