Simple Stories

Hello, Simple Stories Fans! It's Jana Eubank. With four children and several commitments, like most couples, my husband and I can have a hard time finding one-on-one time with one another. But the great thing is when we do have time together we just pick up right where you left off. I feel lucky and blessed to have built a life with my best friend and wanted to record my feelings on this page using the beautiful Kissing Booth collection.

The florals in this collection are incredible! I fussy-cut the largest floral from the Always Be True paper to accent the top left corner of my photo.

I cut out the "LOVE" tiles and the "Every Love Story" quote from the 4x4 Elements paper to use as a title and subtitle, accenting them with Bits & Pieces die cuts and stickers from the Combo Sticker sheet.

I placed everything on a large block of Love Day paper (pink text) and then capped off the top and bottom with strips of the black and white ticking stripe from the 4x6 Vertical Elements paper. I then added computer-generated journaling strips below.

This Valentine's Day be sure to grab a selfie with your sweetheart and then use the Kissing Booth collection to create a page about how thankful you are to have that person in your life!

I've gotten a little behind on documenting my family's stories recently, so I've decided to try something new this year.  At the end of each month, I plan to go back through the month's photos on my phone and print my favorites. I want to keep it simple, so I'll put these photos into an album and document each month's highlights.  January came together super quick!

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Hello friends! It's Jennifer on the blog today to share a layout I  created using the very fun Freezin' Season collection! With the recent negative temperatures in the Midwest we've had a lot of freezing going on!  Before it got too cold, my kids indulged me in a little snowy photo shoot (I  may or may not have had to bribe them). 

I  love all of the cut files  Simple Stories has to offer in the Silhouette shop! Using a white piece of cardstock, I  cut a 10.5x10.5 square of the Crosses Background. Before adhering it to the B side of Frosty Friends, I  used my circle punch on multiple patterns to back the negative spaces behind the crosses.

Once I  adhered my white cardstock down, I  stitched around the edges with my sewing machine. I  then added a strip of color at the bottom using the beautiful teal of Brrlow Zero and Snuggle Up.  It is here that I  affixed my title using the die cut words from the Bits and Pieces pack. You can also spy pieces of the coordinating Washi Tape as well as a cute typed sentiment sticker from the 4x6 Stickers.

For my journaling, I  cut apart two of the 3x4 Elements to layer next to my photo. I  love that there is always one that has a ledger or notebook print since its one of my favorites! I  then pulled in some accents from the 6x12 Chipboard as well as additional Bits and Pieces and stickers from the Combo Sticker sheet. I  am a fan of using dimension, so I  will usually affix two or more elements with pop dots.

Simple Stories' collections never fail on the variety or amount of embellishments to choose from when constructing your projects!  Even a simple sticker tab, such as the one shown, is a nice accent to give additional color and contrast to your page. 

Here, at the top of my layout, I  used the same plaid print in the Washi tape along with two of the mini pennants from the 4x6 Stickers.  It's a good technique to break up white space as well as add color.

Thank you for stopping by the blog today! Be sure to check out the entire Freezin Season collection as well as what is  new for Simple Stories! You can see everything by visiting the Products page! Have a great day!

Hi everyone! It’s Tara here with Secretbees Studio  When I was a little girl, my mom made me the most wonderful busy book! I loved that book and played with it for hours on end! My book was made from fabric and had the most fun activities inside of it. I still have the book and will definitely be passing it down to my grand baby who is due very soon!

Since I am a paper crafter, I wanted to make one of these from paper and the 'Dream Big' paper collection from Simple Stories is a magical collection perfect for a girly busy book! Its full of whimsical unicorns, cats and fairies in bright and pretty colors that will delight girls of all ages.

The covers and spine of the book were cut from chipboard and covered in the beautiful patterned paper. The book is chunky to hold three pages that are extra deep for the activities. The first section of the book has an embellished pocket to hold stickers and a cute drawing/writing pad along with a pencil holder made from the patterned paper. I added in chipboard and combo stickers for extra cuteness!

Memory matching games are super fun and I included one in this book! I simply cut out these adorable 2x2 elements and layered them over more sweet patterned paper before applying sticky velcro to the backs as well as to the page so no pieces will be lost. There is also a magnetic board cut from a vent cover and adhered to the page. I cut strips of magnet and foam and glued those to the backs of the whimsical Bits & Pieces images for hours of endless fun!

Puzzles are a great activity and these are perfect sized for a little girl! I double layered two of the 4x4 journal cards for thickness and then using a puzzle die, cut them into puzzle pieces. One page has pockets with twine closures to hold the puzzles and I gave each pocket a clear acetate front so the inside contents can easily be seen! The other page has a chipboard frame covered in patterned paper to hold the completed puzzle in place! 

No busy book would be complete without coloring so I made a pocket on one page to hold coloring book sheets and on the opposite page I doubled up a strip of the patterned paper and scored it in sections just large enough to hold a set of colored pencils! There is also a small ledge made from chipboard and patterned paper to hold the pencils in place. 

A 4x6 journaling card is layered with a pretty doily and more of the colorful paper along with chipboard stickers on the cover of the book for lots of girly details! To keep everything in place I added in a piece of pink tulle that can be tied in a big, pretty bow! To see this book in all of its wonderful detail, be sure and check out my YouTube channel for a walk-through video.

Hello again! Is it really that time again?...blimey that’s gone quick! Anyway!  Shall we take a look at what I’ve been up to since last time?  I’ve set up my A5 Blush with the dividers I made with the ‘heartsbyemma’ twist!! If you’re not sure what I mean, check out my last blog and all will become clear! 

So, if you remember I was saying how I’d picked out the beautiful floral papers as I wanted a set up that could be used all year round, not just valentines! 

I’ve used the floral papers in my pockets, which is a great way, and let’s face it, easy, way to tie it all in together! I’ve then softened with light pink doilies and grabbed every floral die cut and chipboard piece I could to add even more flower power!!

I have even popped a couple of sticky notes in from the bloom collection to look vaguely functional!...which we all know by now, I don’t do functional!...I do PRETTY!!

I made enough dividers to do six months and then I’ll move the last six months of the year over to the front...if that makes sense?! Have you seen the washi tape with the Kissing Booth Collection? Oh boy!! The floral!! I have to admit! I went a little washi wacky and covered February’s monthly spread in it!! What do you reakon? Too much?? 

I also used the number sticker tablet to number the whole of the month, picking out the gorgeous pink! That’s what’s so great about the number sticker tablet, there’s every colour and size sticker you could possibly ever wish for!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed having a peek inside my planner, and if you love floral prints like me, then I’m sure you’ll have definitely feasted your eyes on those beautiful papers! If you would like to see more pictures using Simple Stories products then checkout my IG account

Hi there!

Nathalie with you today with a new layout right on time to celebrate the season of LOVE.   Well, after twenty years together, it seems my husband and I are yet to learn how to take a good picture together, but that has not stopped me from capturing us through the years.  The new Simple Stories Kissing Booth collection was the perfect mix of colors and sentiments to help capture our story.

For the background, i used the Crazy in Love paper as the base for the page, then fussy cut a piece of the banners in the 3x4 Elements paper and a large strip of the Hugs and Kisses paper and attached them to the top of the paper.

I used a bit of mixed media (VIcki Boutin Art Crayons and Gesso) to add a bit of color to the backgrond just on the areas where the title and picture will be placed.

A fussy cut a few of the florals from the Always Be True paper, while the background dried.  I layer a few 4x6 Vertical elements behind the picture and attached it to the  page using foam adhesive.  I then  decided to use the large fussy cut floral as the top cluster on the picture.

I added a few die cut roses (SIlhouette Cutfile) around the picture as well as elements from the stickers sheet, bit and pieces pack, and puffy stickers to help frame the picture.

To create the title of this page, i pulled a cut file from Just Nick Studio and backed it with papers and pieces of ephemera from the Kissing Booth collection.   I placed it at the bottom of the page and completed the title by adding a chipboard sticker and one of the phrase stickers.

I really love how this turned out!  even when our selfie is not perfect, I  still love that reflects us.  All the details and colors from the Simple Stories' Kissing Booth collection are perfect to  make the picture that much more special.  Remember to check the collection, and have a great Valentine's Day!

I’m a big pet lover! I’ve had a furry friend in my life as long as I can remember.  Being a card maker, and official photographer of the family means I’m responsible for documenting all of life’s special moments, including those with the family pet.

I’m always excited when a friend adds a new pet to the family.  Pets teach us so many things.. compassion, patience, and responsibility.

My furry friend is my constant companion.  She’s my protector (everyone has to get through her before they say hello to me),  my comfort  and joy (no one is ever happier to see me than her).  She keeps me in shape (making sure I walk her every day), and even saves me a few extra calories every meal (because the last bite of everything is hers).

The Simple Stories Life is Ruff 12” Collection Kit has everything you need to make all the cards I’ve shared today.  They’re perfect for celebrating a new family member, or thanking your vet or friend for keeping an eye on your fur baby while your away.

The collection kit includes sheets of journaling cards, as well as a sticker sheet with images and sentiments.   I usually dust the back of the stickers with baby powder (or powder from my embossing buddy) so they’re not so sticky.  This makes them easier to work with because I can move them if I stick them in the wrong place.  Later when I’m ready to commit I secure them with liquid glue.

Celebrate the special friend in your life (yes there is a collection for the kitties too.. Life is Purrfect!).

Hello Simple Stories fans.  It's the month of celebrating love, and I'm so in love with the Kissing Booth collection!  I made a sweet layout celebrating my guy and me.  

We were just out a random day at brunch, but I really loved these photos of us that I printed out with my Instax Printer.  I knew this would be a paper heavy layout because I love so many of them, but I didn't want to overwhelm the two photos, so I made them the center, with everything pointing inwards.  

Inspired by some of the cut-aparts that have a wood print background, I picked the Hickory paper from the Snap Basics as my background.  I randomly cut the papers into wedges and arranged them in a circle around the central point, leaving a few open wedges.  I also cut the pretty floral scallop border sticker from the combo sticker sheet to add more interest to the mostly angular design. 

I machine stitched down the middle of each paper to secure it down, and in three of the open areas that are roughly the same distance from each other, I did a messy stitch back and forth in shades of pink and red.  I really love how that adds so much texture, and gives the eye a few spots that are further in the background to rest on.

Two more open areas I I filled with hearts from the puffy stickers pack.

For a title I used the XOXO stickers from the combo sticker sheet on top of the largest stitched wedge.  This sits next to a tab from the 4x6 sticker pack where I stamped the date. Originally I used a tab from the combo sticker sheet, but didn't like the size in relation to the photo. I love that the Simple Stories collections come with several size stickers, giving options to find something that fits just right. 

This design already had so much visual weight, so I added just a few more embellishments to give it depth.  A couple of floral stickers peek out from behind the photos, and on top I made a small cluster with a birdy sticker and the adorable tree trunk from the chipboard set.

Also I used a journaling spot from the bits & pieces pack, topped with a puffy heart stapled on with a tiny staple. The finishing touches are a couple word strips and arrow along the wedges, and a small sprinkling of white mist. 

This collection is the sweetest for scrapping all about the sweethearts in our lives!

Hi everyone, it is Kelly here today on the Carpe Diem blog. Today I will show you how I have decorated my February planner spreads with gorgeous florals from the Kissing Booth collection by Simple Stories. I am still using my color wash A5 Carpe Diem (one of my absolute favorites) and the ‘Hello’ monthly inserts.

I used the ‘Always be true’ paper from the collection with some gorgeous florals as a background. I cut the paper to size and used the planner punch to punch six planner holes. Next, I layered some pieces of papers on the bottom of the page, including a little journal card to write on. I added a vacation sticker so I can make a list of some fun little things I want to do in my vacation week.

I fussycut a few florals from different papers from the collection and glued them on the ‘this month’ page. I also cut a row of little envelops from the ‘4x6 Horizontal Elements’ paper and glued them on the middle of the page. I decorated the page with some stickers from the Combo stickersheet and the planner basics sticker tablet. I use this page to get a quick overview of important to do’s, appointments and goals for the month.

I created a fun little corner bookmark by folding a piece of paper in a triangle and adding some florals and stickers. I also added a few enamel dots to make it more dimensional. Happy news: in some of the new Simple Stories collections they added matching enamel dots again. Love to use them in my planner because they do not make your planner too bulky! I can put the corner bookmark on the page of the current spread and can easily flip to it.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog, you can find more fun planner inspiration on my instagram account. Have a nice day!

Hello Simple Stories friends!

Marcia here today with a layout all about LOVE that I created with the Simple Stories Kissing Booth collection. This collection is so gorgeous!!!! When I saw those beautiful floral pattern papers I knew I was going to be doing a lot of fussy cutting! I wanted to display those florals in a rustic setting so I chose a woodgrain pattern paper from the SN@P! Basics paper pack for my background. Every layout about love needs a heart too, right? I found a gorgeous heart digital cut file in the Handipaper Etsy shop. Here is how my layout turned out ...

I backed the heart with the Crazy for You pattern paper. I really like how the black and red contrasted with my black and white photo. There are more gorgeous flowers in the Bits and Pieces die cut packs. They are great for layering. I added a little sticker bird here in this cluster. Isn't he adorable. Those fussy cut flowers are tucked behind my photo as well as peeking out from around that big heart cut file.

The Be Mine die cut was perfect to use for my title. You can see more of those fussy cut flowers peeking out underneath it. A few scattered chipboard hearts helps to add some dimension.

The pattern paper with the tickets is fun to cut into strips. I combined it with a border sticker to ground my journaling spot. This embellishment cluster has another bird from the puffy stickers pack. The puffy stickers are a great way to add dimension as well.

Put the Kissing Booth collection on your must have list. It is perfect for documenting all your love stories and more.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Enjoy the rest of your week.

Hi! Odessa here with some SN@P! pages using the Kissing Booth collection. I just love Valentine’s Day collections so much. They’re always full of pinks and blacks and reds and hearts which are some of my favourite things to use in a layout. Other than the things that actually say Valentine’s Day on them I find they can work all year for me. I had intended to do some cute lovey layouts with Kissing Booth and had photos all ready to go but my pages took a different turn. My older son’s birthday just passed and when I sat down to scrap them I really wanted to use this collection with them. I had no trouble putting together some non-Valentine’s Day pages with Kissing Booth and still have more than enough supplies left over for those cute lovey pages I had planned to work on.

I started my layout with a 6x8 full page spread. I had a great picture I wanted to use to start off with that I thought would be great for a focal point. I started with it in the middle and worked my way around with layers of paper and stickers of all sorts. Puffy stickers, chipboard stickers, border stickers and phrase stickers. All the stickers! 

I used the back side of the Crazy in Love cardstock  as a base because the simple fine dot pattern goes with anything. I used a few more prints as a layered base under my photos and then all the embellishments! The love you chipboard sticker was a great title for the page with the cute fringe cardstock sticker behind it. To balance it on the other corner of the photo I cut down the scalloped border cardstock sticker and added a pretty floral chipboard sticker. I then added some hearts all over, a tab and a bit of journalling. 

On the other side are some fun photos from his birthday celebration and some more journalling. I cut down one of the sheets of 12x12 cardstock and added a journalling spot cut from one of the 3x4 journalling cards and embellished with some of the chipboard and puffy stickers. I added some phrase stickers to the photos and some cute hearts. 

The second page has more fun birthday pictures along with some 4x6 journal cards. I stuck with more simple embellishing because there is a lot going on in the photographs. With the 4x6 cards I added some phrase stickers and bits & pieces for more words on them and added some stickers. The floral with black and white stripe combo in Kissing Booth is so good! Like the page before I added some simple phrase stickers along with heart stickers all over the photos to pull them together with the journal cards.

Love is in the air...it’s time to remind those special people how much you love them!! 

Jackie G here on the blog today to share a simple little mini album using the collection Kissing Booth!!  This little project is perfect to share with that special person!!  I decided to keep it more “love” themed than Valentine’s Day so it could be used anytime of the year. 

To start off I made a simple 4.75” x 7” folio with chipboard.  I wanted my cover to be super over the top…because why not?!  So, I made a fun little shaker that I filled with lots of different kinds of glitter, sequins and even some of the hearts from the puffy stickers.  I then popped up lots of the stickers and chipboard elements to decorate the frame.  Lastly, I took one of the journaling cards and cut the sentiment out “to love a person is to see all of their magic, and to remind them of it when they have forgotten.”

The inside of my folio is pretty simple.  It has lots of room for photos and journaling though!!  I used the bits and pieces, stickers and some flowers I found in my stash to decorate my pockets. 

I did make two of the journaling cards into tags so I use some cute ribbons!!!  All the photomats and tags are blank on the back so you could put either photos or journal on them!!  With a 1” spine, there is lots of room to stash additional photos inside the pockets. 

I hope you enjoyed this project!!!  Have a wonderful day!!

Hello Friends!

It’s Kristine with you today and I’m sharing a little LOVE today! I created a layout using the Valentine’s day collection called Kissing Booth. I used a photo of my cousin and her husband for this layout and a cut file from Paige Evans. The cut file allowed me to use several pattern papers and then I was able to add some Bits & Pieces!

Creating layers on layouts always gives such beautiful dimension and even a bit of texture. Add some adhesive that is dimensional under your diecuts and stickers and see what effect this gives your page. You can add layers to titles, photos, diecuts and even your entire cut file on a piece of cardstock!

I added my cut file on a piece of white cardstock and then to add interest and color I added it to the bottom right of my page. The cardstock is cut 10”x10” and gives me space to add some pattern paper on the edge of my layout.

A few enamel dots and some paint splats adds interest to your page and eliminates a bit of that white space. Some prefer not to use splats and that’s okay – why not try some of the small puffy stickers we have. Those are super cute and you can add them anywhere ;)  I added some hearts to my layout and love the little punches of love all over my page!

I hope you enjoyed my layout and come join us on Social Media @SimpleStories_ and myself @KristineDavidson

It’s Cara here today and I’ve been trying to manage my time a bit better in 2019. I discovered calendar blocking a few months ago and it’s been working well for me. To help me keep on track with this, I’ve added a laminated list of my routines to my planner. It folds in half so that I can easily slip it into my traveler’s notebook. On the back, I added a checklist from the one routine I’m having the most trouble completing, my lunch time routine. And because this folder is laminated, I can use a dry erase marker to check off each task as I complete it.

I used the Good Vibes collection for it’s fun colours and pretty, peppy designs, these are my happy colours so I know they will keep me motivated.

The front cover is a sheet from the Good Vibes 6x8 paper pad trimmed down. I used a TN insert for reference to help get the size right so that it would fit in my TN. I initially added quite a lot of stickers from both the Good Vibes Sticker Tablet and the Mini version, but there were too many and it overwhelmed the bold ‘make today amazing’ so I took some off. I love how easy it is to remove these stickers without ripping the paper, whether it’s to simply move them around or to take them off completely if you’ve change your mind.

The back cover has that pesky lunch time routine of mine, I mentioned above that I’m having trouble getting it finished. I put it on a sheet of white paper and mounted it on a pretty floral paper from the 6X8 Good Vibes paper pad. I used more stickers from the Good Vibes sticker tablets, but I also used some from the Home Sticker Tablet for the bullet points of my checklist because they matched the tasks better (dish soap for cleaning the kitchen and a basket for advancing the laundry etc). I love that you can mix stickers like that from other collections because the sizes are the same and the colour schemes are very similar and always match.

The inside of the folder houses all my routines mounted on the backs of the papers I used for the front and back cover. I chose my papers wisely so that the two inside papers would match each other, they are both black and cream. I added clusters of the Good Vibes stickers and then laminated the whole thing, being careful to keep the pages lined up as they went through my laminator.

I also created a daily spread in my Daily Insert, so that I could try out writing in those routines into my schedules today.

And what TN would not be complete without decorated pockets? This may very well be my favourite thing to decorate. I love the cream colour of the inside of the Aztec Traveler's Notebook. It really makes the colours in the Good Vibes collection pop!

I mixed in some chipboard pieces, Bits & Pieces die cuts, stickers from the Combo Cardstock sheet and the 4x6 pack, all from the Good Vibes collection. I added a few tabs to a another sheet of patterned paper from the 6x8 paper pad and tucked it into the long pocket in the back.

I’ve created a process video for all of these projects and if you’d like to watch the video, you can pop over to my YouTube channel and watch it at this link:

Routine Checklist Process Video

Happy Planning!

Hi creative friends! Karen here today to share a layout I created using the bold and beautiful Simple Stories Kissing Booth Collection. The gorgeous colors and fabulous designs in the Kissing Booth collection made it perfect for this darling vintage inspired black and white photo.

With so many stickers to choose from on the 12x12 sticker sheet I had a hard time deciding which stickers to use! I just love them all so much! I added pop dots to my stickers to give them little dimension. Hope you enjoy this simple but sweet project!

Hello again everyone! Leah here today and I’m excited to show you some different ways I’ve been using the Carpe Diem Planner sticker tablets to experiment with new weekly layouts in my Typewriter Circles TN.

I have been using the daily insert for my day-to-day plans for a while and I am still loving it. At home, decorating my planner pages is a creative outlet for me, so it’s important to me that whatever layout I am using allows space for the décor and the planning. However, one thing I’ve been missing with this daily layout is not having a weekly view. The good news is, there are lots of options to easily incorporate a weekly view into my TN. Carpe Diem Planners has a horizontal weekly insert which I may try out soon, but I decided to experiment with a couple of other formats this month within the inserts I currently have in my TN.

Because the daily insert is undated, one simple option is to use one day’s pages as a weekly view in between weeks. There are hours listed on the right page, but since the numbers aren’t super bold, I don’t feel the need to cover them up, although it would be easy to do so with a thin strip of washi tape. I like the ease of building my weekly view right into the daily insert I’m already using.

I used a lot of the January stickers from the A5 Seasons sticker tablet to decorate this layout. The color palette for January was pretty subdued with lots of wintery shades of blue. I really wanted to brighten things up by adding in pops of pink. I pulled a few pink functional stickers from my favorite sticker tablet, Planner Basics, to use on the layout. I tied the blues and pinks together by using a couple of my favorite colorful washi tapes that had similar blues and pinks in the design.

Carpe Diem Planners has a few basic sticker tablets that do not belong to any particular collection. What I love most about these tablets is just how flexible and functional they are. You get loads of stickers in each one and there are so many colors to choose from, so you will always be able to coordinate them with other sticker tablets or Simple Stories collections.

For this week’s layout, I decided to design my own weekly layout in a separate grid notebook insert. While this does mean my week will be in a separate insert from my daily planning pages, both inserts would still be right next to each other in the same TN which works just as well for me.

I created this simple layout by dividing two pages into 4 sections using thin washi tape. This created 8 total sections, one for each day of the week and one to write in tasks for the following week. I decided I wanted to go for a fun rainbow color scheme to decorate this layout so I chose a neutral black and white washi tape to create the boxes.

I really love that I was able to take stickers from the Planner Basics, Calendar, and Numbers sticker tablets and group them by color into the separate boxes on my layout. While these stickers are all more functional by design, I added a little whimsy to the layout with a few flowers, birds, and butterflies from the Hello sticker tablet that coordinated with the colors on my spread.

When using a bunch of stickers like this in a confined box, you can sometimes end up with little “awkward” corners or spaces between stickers where you know there isn’t enough room to write anything. To fill these spaces, I used some icons from the Get it Done and Seasons stamp sets. I decided to use black ink so that the stamped images and words wouldn’t compete with the colors.

While there is a lot going on in this layout, grouping stickers together by color helps create some order. If I had used this many stickers in this variety of colors, shapes, and sizes without grouping them together by color, the layout would have had a much different impact. Everything would have been “floating” separately and the eye wouldn’t have known where to look.

I decorated ahead of time this week, and since I’m going to be planning as I go, there are some elements that I repeated in each box to establish some consistency and to allow for greater functionality. For example, I have designated space for a checklist on each day. I also added the weather forecast. On days where I knew I had a scheduled event or deadline, I added a separate sticker to write it in so that I wouldn’t take up space under the checklist.

Do you have a set planning style/format that has been working really well for you? The search for “planner peace” can be a bumpy one, but unless you get really lucky, most of us don’t figure out exactly what works on the first try (or second, or third, or tenth…). Sometimes you just have to keep experimenting until something clicks with your brain. If you are not consistently using your planner, then that’s a good sign that your current format isn’t working for you. Don’t be afraid to switch things up and try something new, and don’t think you have to spend a bunch of money to do it. You can test out different formats in a single blank notebook using just a pen at first. The beauty of having these undated, customizable TN inserts is that I am not obligated to stick to one specific style or layout when planning. I can adapt my planner to my needs and change up my format any time.

No matter where you go or where you end up, you cannot go wrong with the value and versatility you get from the Carpe Diem sticker tablets. They are flexible enough to transition with you throughout your planning journey. 

Follow along with me on my planning journey over on my Instagram @sunny.leah. Until next time friends, happy planning!

Hey planner friends! It’s Rachel, and I am back on the blog sharing my January setup in my “on the go” planner/wallet. Now I know that from the outside, this looks a ring bound planner, but surprise! It’s actually a travelers notebook! I shared a few months back how I converted or “hacked” my personal size planner into a B6 (5x7in) travelers notebook and I’m back in this planner for the month of January!

I “hacked”a few of the travelers notebook inserts by trimming off less than an inch from the top and bottom to make the notebooks a B6 size. I have three inserts this month; 1 blank insert for notes/brain dump, 1 for my calendar/bullet journal, and 1 lined insert for journaling. In the back, I have a pvc wallet insert.

I am using the Simple Stories Freezin Season collection this month for decoration and I could not be more in love! Even though this is a winter collection, I love the mix of coral, yellow and pink - such a cheery choice for winter!

And how adorable are all the little creatures with their cozy winter gear? This penguin makes me so happy every time I open my planner.

Making insert covers is alway so fun! And easy! My process involves only one 7 inch cut of the 12x12 papers I used. Once this cut is made, I simply fold the rest of the paper around the insert and adhere down with a little washi tape on the inside cover. Add a few element cards and combo stickers and I am done!

Sometimes, I think people shy away from travelers notebooks because they are worried they won’t be able to finish the whole insert. If that’s you, here is a trick: since these inserts are stapled and not sewn, you can easily remove the staples and take out some of the pages to have a slimmer insert, which makes it easier to fill up! This is exactly what I did. I knew I only wanted my planning insert to be for this month, I removed the staples and pulled only 6 insert pages and slipped these insert pages into the cover. This is especially helpful if you are like me and you love to stamp. I can just pull the pages you are working on from the travelers notebook and stamp on a flat surface.

I wanted to do something a little different this month, so I am trying my hand at bullet journaling. Honestly, I don’t think this is a true bullet journal, but that is ok with me! For the monthly spread, I measured out the boxes I needed and used my rectangle photo crop to make the lines. I knew I wanted to use my stamps, so I found some inks that perfectly matched this collection and then stamped out the days of the month. Once the month was setup, I got to decorating! I used the 4x6 stickers to decorate in the open space. I love coming back to this page all month!

I decided to create a monthly dashboard that I can use as a “currently” page and for some memory keeping. Again, I used the photo crops to trace out my shapes, some washi, and the 4x6 stickers and I was done! These pages will get filled in at the end of the month to act as a “recap” of what happened.

On the next two pages, I made an expense log and wishlist. I’m trying to be better at tracking my personal spending and to make a wishlist first, to avoid spending impulsively.

On to the weekly spreads! Part of the reason I wanted to try out bullet journaling this month was to experiment with different weekly layouts. Here I chose a favorite vertical layout. I mixed stickers and stamps including Make a List, It’s a Date, and Plan It Stamps.

The following week I switched things up and created a week on 1 page layout on the right-hand side with my to do’s and habit tracking on the left-hand side. I used several of the A5 Sticker Tablets on this week including fitness, calendar, and home. A great layout option, though, I was pretty sick all week and not much got done or tracked. That said, I would definitely use this weekly format again.

Thank you for stopping by to see my planner setup for January. Be sure to check my instagram to see how the rest of the weeks turned out.