A Scrapbooker's Approach to Planning

Good morning all! Brenda Smith [1] with you today to share something a little different. I've been asked to share my memory planner spreads in my Carpe Diem [2] here on the blog in addition to my pocket pages.

For those of you who might not know, memory planning is part journal, part planner. Instead of filling up a planner with to-do's, you fill it up with stories and memories. Because I do pocket pages as well, I use my memory planning as an aid in helping me remember the stories that go along with the pictures.

This planner spread was made using Life in Color [3].  I used one of the 12x12 papers and cut two strips to go down the sides. Then I used the labels from the Stickers and the phrase stickers with the days of the week on them because I covered up part of my days titles with the paper. I like to combine stamps from my stash because I find it the perfect opportunity to use all those cute phrase stamps I never seem to use anywhere else.

One of the most important things to note about me as a planner girl is that I'm a scrapbooker first. I approach my planner pages in the same manner I approach my pocket pages or my layouts: heavy on the die cut embellishments like those from the Bits and Pieces sets and clean and balanced. I've realized that I do not have to reinvent the wheel with planning. I can do what I've always done in my crafting.

This spread was made using the new Sunshine & Happiness [4] line. This was the week of my daughter's 6th birthday so I knew I wanted there to be a focal point with something to do with her birthday. These big letters spelling "Happy" from the embellishments in the Sn@p pack worked out great despite their monstrous size. Don't be afraid to work in larger embellishments onto a smaller canvas like a planner spread. Big things can work on a small canvas when good design balance is kept in mind. 

I use a typewriter because I like the clean, crisp look. I don't particularly care for my handwriting to be honest. I make sure to put enough of my handwriting elsewhere in our albums but I'm allowing myself to do this planner thing exactly how I want, not necessarily how I see others doing it.

When journaling in my memory planner, I try to keep the pressure off myself. There's not a lot of space to write so I can't write everything. My stories get told through my layouts and pocket pages and I use this memory planner as an aid in helping me remember some of the small details of that week.

This spread was made with the new line Bloom & Grow [5]. You may have noticed my go-to's when it comes to making planner spreads: Strips of paper (or in this case, strips cut from journal cards from the Sn@p pack), Bits and Pieces (die cut ephemera), enamel dots, phrase stickers, alphas, and stamps.