June 2017 Blog Posts

Howdy friends!  Layle here with you today for day 2 of our week long Simple Stories & Maya Road Product Swap! 

Both design teams have swapped products & teamed up for some great inspiration all week long!

Today creative team member Meredy Vranich joins us with her Carpe Diem planner & our Cabin Fever collection -

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Hi Everyone, Its Meredy (aka @myplanningadventure) and I am here to show you my June set up for my Carpe Diem Planner using the Cabin Fever collection.  I know the theme of this is for outside adventures, but I actually found it perfect to keep me motivated on my current adventure, a home renovation!  We are managing the project ourselves and I have loved the elements and inspirational sayings as they have really helped me stay energized over the last few weeks.

One of my favorite things to do in my planner is make dashboards.  It is a quick and easy way to give your planner a fresh new look.  I also love patterned paper but I don’t scrapbook so this is a perfect way for me to utilize those papers I collect!  

Next, I move on to the pockets.  I like using journaling cards and Bits & Pieces in the pockets and I always tuck in some of my favorite larger size journaling cards into the back pocket.  I also like to put in clips that I can use throughout the month.  I love these number paper clips from Maya Road.

Here is a close up of my dashboard.  It’s fun to layer a bunch of different elements.  For the dashboard I used Under the Stars paper, then added items from the Bits & Pieces pack and a journaling card from 4x4 elements paper.  Alpha stickers are my new obsession and I used some to spell out June!

The back of this paper was too pretty to leave blank, so I added another journaling card from the 3x4 Journaling Card elements paper.

I also made some charms to remind me that the key to the success of this project is to keep moving forward.  The Maya Road pieces were perfect for making the charms!

Another way to use pretty paper is to make a pocket insert--It is really easy to do!  Find a 12 x 12 paper you love (this one is Nature Hike) and fold up the bottom portion of the pocket until the paper is the same height as an A5, then fold in half with the contrasting bottom portion facing out, glue the inside together, trim a bit, punch and you have a pocket!  Put on some stickers, ephemera and embellishments, like the Maya Road metal arrow that I used, and you have the perfect companion to a new dashboard.  I have been loving the 4x6 sticker packs Carpe Diem releases for each collection--they easily make your planner look gorgeous!  I put them right into my pocket pages and I am ready to decorate on the go.

The back of the pocket page is stuffed with Alphas from Simple Stories SN@P! line (did I mention I was obsessed with alphas!?)  I also decorated the pocket with stickers from the 12 x 12 Combo sheet.

Next up is my monthly layout.  This month is all about the work happening at my house and home life.  I used washi folded in half to mark out my construction schedule and brightened up the rest with decorative elements.

Last up is my daily planning—one of my favorite things to do!  I break up my To Dos into three categories using Alpha letters and then just have fun with the rest.

I used this Maya Road number paperclip for the date, so fun!

Thanks for stopping by and viewing my project.  I hope you are inspired to use this collection to motivate you on your own adventure whether it is outdoors or just on a project you have going on at work or at home!

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Now for even more fun!!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below and we'll draw one lucky winner next Monday to win both a Summer Days & Cabin Fever collection kit!   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you enter, head on over to the Maya Road blog to see what their team has created.  

Want to follow Maya Road and keep up with all of their great projects & products?  Here you go!

Join us again here tomorrow for more inspiring projects!

Supplies

Howdy friends!  Layle here with you today.  We've got a fun week planned for you - a Simple Stories & Maya Road product Swap! 

Both design teams have swapped products and will be sharing on our blogs all week long.  Join us for some great inspiration all week long!

Today creative team member Lisa Abbott-Saunders  joins us with layouts from our Cabin Fever & Summer Days collections -

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Hello, it's Lisa with you today.  I would love to chat about multi photo layouts with you.  I know some people are put off by these. I used to be on the 'One Photo Per Page Team', but have more recently switched sides and find myself scrapbooking more and more with smaller but multiple photographs. There's always the worry that by adding lots of photos it can feel too busy and the photos can dominate the page so you have less space for fun designs. A one photo layout just seems cleaner and neater, so today I want to share some tips with you. How to create multi photo layouts and still have space on your page to breath and have fun.

I'm going to start with my Explore layout that I've made with the Cabin Fever collection.
 

 
I have used a free editing website called PicMonkey to create a photo mosaic. It's really easy to do and a great way to add a few photos to your page without the page looking cluttered as you can see here.
 
 
I like the white border giving the photos a clean look. It's then really fun to embellish around your photo grid. I've used stickers and the 'Bits and Pieces' here.
 
 
I wanted to create a fun title. I have layered up one of the Die Cut cards that I cut from one of the coordinating 12x12 sheets and added a couple of the 'Bits and Pieces' and the 'Explore' is from the 12x12 Sticker Sheet stuck across the center.
 
I continued with the embellishing around this area. I also added a few Maya Road stamps which I thought were a really fun addition.
 
 
I think it's important to allow some white space on a page to give it a less cluttered feel. To break this white space up a little I used this Die Cut tag from the 'Bits and Pieces' pack and added some word stickers. I love how this kind of acts as a sub title to my page.
 
I also added some of the washi tape from this collection around the whole edge of my layout. It's a great way to add further decoration without over doing it.
 
My next layout for you is called 'Our Summer'.  I've used the 'Summer Days' collection here.
 
      
I've created a grid design in the center using 12x12 patterned paper cut down and also using some of the Die Cut Cards cut down to fit within that space . The idea was to contain the photos and design within this area.  I've gone for white space surrounding my center art work here, so again having some clean space on my page, tricking your eyes in to thinking that it's not 'too' busy. 
I have printed off my 2 inch photos individually this time and once again with a white border. This really helps to stand the photos away from the patterned paper backgrounds. Sometimes they can disappear in to the background if you aren't careful. The white background really helps the photos to POP!
 

 
I've cut one of the die cut cards from the 12x12 sheet to use as my title. The design was looking a little busy, so I've gone around everything with a black pen and this includes the wording on this Die Cut card. Once again it's just something that really helps things to stand out. I added a little heart sticker to the 'R'. So Cute!!
 
 
I loved the 'hello sunshine' which was on a larger die cut card. So I cut it out and stuck it on with a 3d foam tape pad. I love how I'm saying 'hello sunshine' and the August photo that was taken in Wales last year was cold, rainy and so blowy. Oh how I love our weather!!!  : )
 
I love the little packs of brads. These are adorable! I used one of the clouds from the 'Bits and Pieces' pack and the other is one of the brads.
 
 
I also used some Maya Road flowers. They are rather bulky and I don't want my pages to bulk out my scrapbook albums so much, but I really loved the flowers and the colour matches perfectly, so I took one to bits. I removed the flower head from the stem and removed the larger petals from the back of the flower to give me these three individual flowers. I stuck them in place with a little pva glue and them added 3 more of the brads. I love the colour and added texture these add to my page. A perfect finish to my Summery layout.
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Now for even more fun!!  Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below and we'll draw one lucky winner next Monday to win both a Summer Days & Cabin Fever collection kit!   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you enter, head on over to the Maya Road blog to see what their team has created.  

Want to follow Maya Road and keep up with all of their great projects & products?  Here you go!

Join us again here tomorrow for more inspiring projects!

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Hi again, it's me Emma, I'd like to share with you today what I have been doing with the Summer Days collection which is one of the fabulous new simple stories releases. Now, I'm from the U.K. and you may be aware that we are all pretty much obsessed with the weather! Mainly I think because we often manage to have all four seasons in one day! I myself am at my happiest when the sun shines and that's why this Summer Days collection is perfect for me to use in my summer planner! 

 

 

There are so many items that come with this collection, papers, stickers, washi tape, bits & pieces, brads and chipboard stickers. This is what I find so wonderful about simple stories as you can find everything you are looking for, all co ordinating and working so beautifully together! 

 

As always I set up the front pocket of my planner first. I have used an assortment of the bits & pieces, chipboard stickers and cut out some of the elements from the 12x12 collection kit, they are full to bursting and I think look fabulously summery! 

 

 

I've then made a dashboard using paper & elements from the 12x12 collection kit and adding extra details with a black fine liner. 

 

 

I like to tie everything together by tucking papers into the Large side pockets and I use a border punch to just pretty up the edges. I have also slid the sticker sheets in here so I always have them at hand. 

 

 

I've used lots of the stickers and bits & pieces on my May monthly spread and the gorgeous washi tape...I'm a sucker for washi tape and I'm never disappointed with the choices that Simple Stories release, you will nearly always find that you can mix and match with all their other collections! 

 

 

 

I decided to make some fun paperclips with the decorative brads, it was super easy, just poke the split pin through the top end of your paperclip and then squeeze tightly once you've opened it. They actually hold in place really well! 

 

 

You'll notice on my monthly spreads I like to use the monthly date stickers, I also add these on my weekly pages, I find it handy when I'm planning things that I don't have to flip through to find dates, it's all there at the top of my page for me. 

 

 

 

I pretty much always have a doc it journal tucked into the back pocket of my planners, I like the idea that they are always at hand if I want to quickly do a couple of pages. 

 

 

A fun way to add some base colour to the pages is by using watercolour, I like to get a piece of clear cellophane and add splashed of paint to it, then press it onto the pages and it leaves an awesome organic splodge!!...yep! that's my technical term for it!! 

 

My handwriting is dreadful so I tend to journal in pictures, avoiding having to write!...I use pictures I print out, bits & pieces, washi tape and have fun sticking it on the pages. 

 

 

I hope I've given you a few ideas on how you too could use the Summer days collection in your planner or for journaling. 

 

If you would like to see more pictures of how I use this collection over the summer months then please pop over to my Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/heartsbyemma

Supplies

Hello friendsIt’s Dorymar back on the blog today with a fun project I am very happy that one of my favorite seasons of the year has arrived, Summer! Summer for me is a time for sharing and enjoying my family to the maximum, no school, no homework, my girls are hometime to enjoy the outdoors! I am from Puerto Rico so for me, there is nothing more fun than enjoying warm temperatures, the beach, the sand, the sun, refreshing drinks, etc. So, when I saw the beautiful, bright, and fun Summer Days collection I wanted to create something that reminded me of those elements that I love so much.  These amazing memories took me to the Summer of 2016, when my family had the opportunity to visit Kona, Hawaii!  What a wonderful trip! I decided to create an altered project: a super cute beach barthose we find at the sea shore -  and inside a beautiful hexagonal flip book mini album. 

 

¡Saludos a todos! ¡Por aquí Dorymar de nuevo en el blog con un proyecto muy divertido!  Muy feliz y contenta de que ya llegó una de mis estaciones favoritas del año, el verano. El verano para mi es ese momento de compartir y disfrutar con mi familia al máximo, no clases, no tareas, las chicas en casa, en fin, momento de gozar.  Como soy de Puerto Rico para mí no hay nada más divertido que disfrutar esas temperaturas cálidas, la playa, la arena, el sol, bebidas refrescantes, etc. y es por todo eso que cuando vi la colección de “Summer Days” quise crear algo que me recordara esos elementos que tanto amo de esta época y por supuesto lo que para mí fue el verano del 2016.  ¡El pasado 2016 tuve la oportunidad de visitar KonaHawaii ¡Un viaje maravilloso! Pues decidí crear un proyecto alterado de una barra de esas que encontramos a la orilla de mar y en el interior de ésta un mini álbum en forma hexagonal estilo “flip book”.   

 

 

As a base, I used a hexagonal box that I got in a dollar store with a diameter of about 6 ". Then in the center I drew a circle that allows me to detach the lid easily, besides simulating the center of the bar. On it I made a 5 inches tall wall with cardstock that I supported with two paper straws. After this, I covered the entire exterior of the project with the brilliant papers from the Summer Days collection. 

 

Como base utilicé una caja hexagonal que conseguí en una tienda de dólar con un diámetro de 6” aproximadamente.  Luego en el centro tracé un circulo que me permite desprender la tapa con facilidad, además de simular el centro de la barra.  Sobre ella hice con cardstock una pared de 5” de alto la que apoyé con dos sorbetos de papel.  Luego de esto, forré todo el exterior del proyecto con los brillantes papeles de la colección Summer Days. 

 

To make the bar roofI made a circle of 10 ½" in diameter and removed a small piece of its sides to form that pointed shape of the ceiling.  With two "Lazy Days" papers I covered this piece, cutting ¼ x 6 stripes. As you can see they are not evenly glued to make it look more real. Then with the beautiful elements of the collection I decorated the whole ceiling. 

 

Para hacer el techo, hice un circulo de 10 ½” de diámetro y eliminé un pequeño pedazo de sus lados para formar esa forma puntiaguda del techo.  Con dos papeles “Lazy Days” forré esta pieza cortando franjas de ¼ x 6.  Como pueden observar no están pegadas de forma uniforme para que se vea más real. Luego con los bellos elementos de la colección decoré todo el techo. 

 

 

For the mini, I used the bottom of the box as a measure.  It is a hexagon of 5 3/8 diameter that I traced in two pieces of "chipboard" to give it firmness. On the cover, I used the collection’s "Chipboard Stickers", "Decorative Brads" and "Bits and Pieces", to add bright colors and highlight the the summer theme. To give it a personal touch, I used liquid pearl, leaves, and flowers in combination with the papers. 

 

Para el mini utilice como medida el fondo de la caja.  Es un hexágono de 5 3/8 de diámetro que tracé en dos piezas de chipboard para darle firmeza.  En la portada utilicé “chipboard stickers”, “decorative brads” y “bits and pieces” todos llenos de brillantes colores y muy a todo con el verano. Para darle un toque personal, utilicé “liquid pearl”, hojas y flores en combinación con los papeles.   

 

 

The inside of the mini album is super fun because each page houses an element to search inside it. In the first pages, you can see a pocket where you have space to add journaling. When you open it, you can see that fun way of flip book where you can open one side and another. All has been decorated with the collection’s "Bits and Pieces", "Decorative Brads", "Chipboard Stickers" and "Enamel Dots". For the journal, used 2 of the 3 x 4 cards of the "Journaling Cards Elements" paper. 

 

El interior del mini álbum es super divertido porque cada página alberga un elemento para buscar dentro de él.  En estas primeras páginas puedes observar un bolsillo donde tienes espacio para guardar tu journal, al abrirla puedes observar esa forma divertida de flip book donde puedes abrir hacia un lado y hacia otro.  Todo decorado con los bits and piecesdecorative bradschipboard stickers y enamel dots.  Para el journal utilice 2 de las tarjetas 3 x 4 del papel Journaling Cards Elements”. 

 

 

 

I love to use the paper to the maximumthat is why I always do banners or elements with scissors to add dimension to the pages. On this page, I used the scissors to make fringes to give this fun touch. On the next page, you can see how with one of the 4 x 4 cards of the 4 x 4 Elements paper I made a flap that opens and inside you have space for two photos. On each page, you can see how all the beautiful elements of the collection enhance the design of the project. 

 

Me encanta utilizar el papel al máximo, es por eso que siempre hago banderines o efectos con la tijera para añadir dimensiones a las páginas.  En esta página utilicé la tijera para hacer flecos para darle este toque divertido.  En la página que le sigue puedes observar como con una de las tarjetas 4 x 4 del papel Elements hice un flap que abre hacia arriba y en su interior tienes espacio para dos fotos.  En cada página puedes observar como todos los bellos elementos de la colección realzan el diseño del proyecto. 

 

 

 

I continued with the flip book design pattern but in this case, I made a small waterfall to place 2 ½ x 2 ½ photos where you can place 6 photos. Inside I used a 3 x 4 card and with the Good Vibes Washi Tape, I made a pocket that holds two cards to use as space for journaling.  In the center, I made another pocket with more space for photos and journaling 

 

Sigo con el patrón de diseño de flip book pero en este caso hice una pequeña cascada para colocar fotos de 2 ½ x 2 ½ donde puedes colocar 6 fotos.  En el interior utilicé una tarjeta 3 x 4 y con el “Good Vibes Washi Tape hice un bolsillo que alberga dos tarjetas para utilizarlas como espacio para el journal y en el centro hice otro bolsillo con más espacio para fotos y journal.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you move the pages you still find hidden spaces that, when you open them you find a lot of space for photos and journaling. I made a side pocket with a 6 x 4 card from the Horizontal Elements paper.  Also, I made an insert that when you open it, you find photo and journaling. At the bottom, you can see a flap made with a 3 x 4 card and inside more photos. With the elements of the collection and part of the designs of the cards, I decorated all around. 

 

Según vas moviendo las paginas sigues encontrando espacios ocultos que al abrirlos encuentras mucho, espacio para fotos y journal.  Hice un bolsillo lateral con y con una tarjeta 6 x 4 del papel Horizontal Elements hice un insert” que al abrirlo encuentras foto y journal. En la parte inferior puedes observar un flap hecho con una tarjeta 3 x 4 y en su interior más fotos.  Con los elementos de la colección y parte de los diseños de las tarjetas adorne todo su alrededor. 

 

 

 

The more pages you go through, the more fun you have with the colors, the elements, and the details of the project. What is so amazing about the Summer Days collection is that you have many elements in the bits and pieces, the stickers, and the chipboard but also the elements of the cards and the papers.  You can use them to decorate the project as you can see in the following pages. 

 

Mientras más páginas pasas, más te diviertes con los colores, los elementos y cada uno de los detalles del proyecto.  Lo divertido de la colección “Summer Days” es que tienes muchos elementos en los “bits and pieces”, los “stickers” y los “chipboard” pero también los elementos de las tarjetas y los papeles puedes utilizarlos para decorar el proyecto como puedes observar en las páginas siguientes.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy this Summer that just begun with your loved ones, enjoy the outdoor activities, and create many memories to document on your scrapbooks. 

 

Have a great week!  Blessings and happy crafting! 

 

Espero que disfruten este verano que aún comienza, a gozar de las actividades al aire libre creando recuerdos para tu Scrapbook.   

 

¡Que pasen una feliz semana! ¡Bendiciones! 

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Supplies

Hello friends! 

It's Kristine Davidson here today with two layouts featuring the Simple Set - Hello Lovely.  I used only the collection kit and some enamel dots for these layouts and it was so easy. I had a precut background all ready for me and I brought this to a crop a few weeks ago. It was easy to pack - just a kit, some cardstock and adhesive. A great way to create at a crop or a friends house! 

This is my first layout - called "Smile Big" 

 

As you can see I didn't use a large title for this page, I felt that the 3x4 element card was enough with a sticker on my photo. A nice easy title is something I like on my pages. I really don't like stressing about that too much. 

The colors are so nice in this collection - the navy is something i really enjoy with some pinks mixed it. It's really a beautiful kit. I used a Kraft cardstock for my background - something i used less of lately but really love the look. I layered some pieces of patterned paper and of course I used some dimensional adhesive on my die cut stickers. That's a given ;) 

 A few clusters around the elements card and photo just bring the entire page together.  Here is a sketch I created just for you based on this layout.

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My second layout is called - Hello Lovely

Yes that's me being silly of course. It was taken at an event last March and I was playing with the photo booth props. It's so much fun to dress up and be crazy for a few minutes.  This is my version of Hello Lovely. Sometimes you've got to ' let it go! ' 

I used a digital die cut for the background - created by Paige Evans. It was so easy to create this page even if it looks complicating. I created this page in a few hours and really loved piecing papers and doing an assortment of flowers on this page. 

I created journal strips and then added a bit of watercolor on top so you would see the journaling and it wouldn't be hidden under the white cardstock and variety of papers. It could have been colored a blue or peach, but the pink adds more color to my page ;) 

You can see the cluster of stickers and also some of the paint splats I created. 

I hope you enjoyed my reveal today and of course we can't wait to see what you create with this collection! Don't forget to tag us on instagram using #SimpleStories and you can come follow me as well at instagram.com/KristineDavidson

Thanks for visiting!

 

Supplies

It’s always an exciting time when new product starts arriving here at the Simple Story offices. The warehouse starts buzzing and it’s all hands on deck—even our owner and president, Kevin Crowell, gets right in the mix. You can oftentimes find him deep in the truck moving product and adding humor to the chaos.







We’re all thrilled that our Carpe Diem A5 Planner Punch is officially in the house (woot woot), and they are shipping now to local retailers near you. We suggest you get out to your favorite store quickly, or get your order placed online, because the news about these punches has had the Twittersphere and book-of-faces buzzing ever since our announcement at CHA.



Once you get your punch, getting organized will never be easier. Punch your kids ball schedules, shopping lists, or make your own custom dividers.







Our 12x12 Paper Pads have also arrived in our warehouse and are now shipping. These paper pads are filled with colorful papers from our latest collections, with some gorgeous new options to choose from as well. The colors are beautiful, bold, and eye-catching, and having them in a pad makes for easy storage, options aplenty, and coordinating patterns a snap! Pick up one (or many!) of these pads and get to creating! They’re great for scrapbooking, card making, kids art projects, and home decor!



We can’t wait to see what you create with these awesome new products! And as always, if you’re looking for inspiration, be sure to check out our Pinterest boards here for ideas and eye-candy!

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Supplies

Hey everyone ! It's Mindi with you on the blog today. I have some pocket pages to share with you using the awesome All American Simple Set. This set is perfect for all of your Fourth of July photos and much more. It can be used for many other things as well. With July 4th right around the corner I thought is was time to get last years photos and stories documented. So let's get started. 
 
I am using the 6x8 album in black for this project as well as a variety of page protectors. It is so fun to mix up and work with the different variations of pockets. This first pocket page that I am using is a full 6x8 page and then some divided page protectors on the other side. I love to add in these full page photos into my album. 
 
 
On this first page I wanted to use either the big July or the 4th sticker to make sure that the reader would know what these pages are about. I went with the 4th sticker and added my journaling underneath it. I also added some embellishments up on the top of the page and some stamped stars on the photo. 
 
 
On the opposite side I have a photo and then some fun filler cards. I took this 4x6 card that has the outline of the states on it and spelled out Parade. Most of these photos are from our annual neighborhood parade on July 4th. You can add so many different things to this card including a big word like USA, or some journaling stripes. I just loved this card. 
 
 
The other side has more photos and a few filler cards that I custom made. 
 
 
This navy blue card I simply added a strip of red patterened paper to the bottom of to give it some color. I also added a firecracker sticker on the bottom as well as an enamel dot. 
 
 
 
I haven't really done much journaling about these photos I decided to add a journaling card on this next page. It also helps to break up the photos and filler cards on the spread. The word strip stickers were perfect to help tell my story about the neighborhood parade. 
 
 
This last set of pages is of what happened after the parade was over and the sun started to set. The fireworks show! 
 
 
We were fortunate enough to see many bigger fireworks that people were lighting off around us last year and so I snapped a few photos of them. This firecracker filler card was probably my favorite one of them all. I added the '16 to add in the year and then a word strip up above. 
 
 
They have these fireworks called smoke bombs and they are my kids favorites. I managed to get a half way decent photo of them playing in the brightly colored smoke. I added some journaling directly onto the photo and added a sticker as well. 
 
 
As I mentioned earlier that I used a lot of different sized pocket pages for this project. This last page has 2 4x4 pockets and a 2x8 pocket. I printed off 2 photos as 4x4's and added the July sticker to the top one. This whole simple set has these fun pinwheeled stars in it. I cut some out of the patterened paper and added a few to my journaling strip. It was a fun little touch and went well with my photos and theme. I kept this little strip pretty simple and finished it off with a few stickers and an enamel dot. 
 
 
Thanks for coming everyone ! I am so happy to have these fun memories now documented and look forward to celebrating again here soon. 

Supplies

Hi everyone!  Summer Solstice is fast approaching and where I live, the heat is already here.  Summer calls for bright colors, outdoor fun, and cool sweet treats and the Summer Days collection fulfills all of that.  

In my Ballerina  Carpe Diem planner, I stocked with 3x4 journaling cards, 4x6 sticker sheets, and ephemera pieces from this bright and bold collection. I also made a simple dashboard with the “Beat the Heat” cardstock and a few of the decorative brads.

For the calendar spread, I used the box stickers that fit perfectly in the monthly boxes, the Summertime Sweetness and Good Vibes washi tapes, and a few of the cardstock stickers.  I also glued a couple of the small sunglasses chipboard pieces onto paperclips to mark off pages.

To add some color and decor to my weekly pages, I mostly used the 4x6 stickers because they are smaller than the cardstock stickers and leave plenty for planning and scheduling.  I’m addicted to washi tape, so of course I added some along the punched holes to add a pop of color.

 
 

I hope you have fun planning your summer schedule with the Summer Days collection and it inspires you to capture more memories to come.91

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