365/30 Lists: 2014 | Week 2

Last week I shared my newest adventure here on my blog. And I had no idea how popular my 365/30 Lists Journal would be with my readers! I received such wonderful feedback across all of my social accounts, on my blog, and on the 365/30 Lists: Philofaxers! Facebook group! I'm so happy to hear that a lot of you decided to join me on this journey :) It's going to be so much fun!

I customized this project to suit my needs. Deciding not to use my Filofax made sense to me. I honestly don't have the extra space for 30 separate lists. I also want to keep all of my lists together in one book... so I went with a bound journal. But if you have room to do it in your Filofax or planner, go for it!

In case you missed last week's post, you can find it here. View this month's complete list of prompts @365/30 Lists: Philofaxers!. I'll be using the hashtag #30filolists on instagram, if you want to follow my journey.

WEEK 2

January 6 - January 12

365/30 Lists 2014: Days 6 & 7

365/30 Lists 2014: Days 8 - 10

I added some extras to this page with a Kawaii ice cream cone sticker by Stickerdoodles, a Typo page marker, red paper tape [Kid Made Modern from Target], and filmstrip washi tape.

365/30 Lists 2014: Days 11 & 12

Here I drew some zentangles to fill up some blank space, and embellished the page with another Kawaii sticker and an arrow post-it from my stash of Filofax supplies.

That's it for today! I hope you enjoyed my post and leave here inspired to try something new :) For more... tune in next week! Feel free to check out my other Filofax posts.

You can stay updated on my recent posts, projects, and photos by following me on instagram, or by "liking" my fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there and show some love...

Are you a lister? Joining in on the 365/30 Lists: Philofaxers! fun? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thanks for stopping by!

365/30 Lists: 2014 | Week 1

Happy Aloha Friday! I decided to embark on a new adventure this year :) Writing everyday is one of my Goals for 2014. I was debating whether or not I wanted to add something new to my schedule, but with the success of completing all of my projects last year, as scheduled, I felt I could handle one more thing...

I've always loved writing... since childhood, actually. I still have all of my old diaries and journals from when I was a kid. Sadly, I haven't done any daily writing or journaling for a very long time. Sure, I do journal on some cards every week for my Project Life album, but I feel like I want more. So I decided to rekindle my love for writing... by making lists. Who doesn't love a good list?!

Since I'm a Filofax Addict, and my planners are already full of random lists... I thought I would join in on the fun with 365/30 Lists: Philofaxers! I'm already in the Philophaxy Facebook group, so it's a really great companion. All of the planning for this new project is done in my A5 Original. 

365/30 Lists: 2014 | The Journal

But I'm the type that loves to have my writing together all in one place, especially a project like 365/30. The space in my Filofaxes is already spoken for, so putting 30 separate lists in them each month is out of the question. Being a journaler, it only made sense to keep a single book for all of this year's lists. So I decided to document my journey in a journal. It's all together in one place... and I can easily look back on it for many years to come. Could you imagine a shelf full of them? Seeing how much the world, along with myself, has changed over time... through these lists.

The journal I'm using is a favorite that I've had for almost 10 years. I'm so happy I'm finally able to put it to good use! I purchased it from Barnes & Noble, and it's the PaperBlanks line. The colors are lovely, it has a beautiful texture, a magnetic wrap-around cover, and an accordion pocket in the back for little extras. For the title, I added black foam thickers called "Wish" by Amy Tangerine.

365/30 Lists: 2014 | Journal - The Cover Page

I decorated the cover page of my journal with a Martha Stewart label sticker, and chose a few favorite designs of washi tape for accent. I used three different designs of varying widths, and cut them into banners and an arrow.

[Mail Tape by Scotch, Gray Chevron by ThePaperStudio from Hobby Lobby, Neon Paper Tape by KID MADE MODERN from Target]

Each month, 365/30 Lists: Philofaxers! releases a new list of prompts. Every week, I'll be sharing the pages of my book here on my blog. Follow me on my new adventure. I'm using the hashtag #30filolists on Instagram. If you're a list lover or journaler like me, incorporate these lists into your life. Document your journey. As for me, I get to check a few things off my 2014 Goals list...

WEEK 1
January 1 - January 5

365/30 Lists 2014: Days 1 & 2

365/30 Lists 2014: Days 3 - 5

That's it for today! I hope you enjoyed my post and leave here feeling inspired to try something new and different. I'm going to have lots of fun filling up this journal with lists :) For more... tune in next week! In the meantime, check out my other Filofax posts. Looking for more planner inspiration? Browse my "Filofax Addict" pinboard on Pinterest.

You can stay updated on my recent posts, projects, and photos by following me on instagram, or by "liking" my fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love....

Are you a lister? Have you done 365/30 journaling? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? I'd love to hear it! Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Filofax: September Photo Challenge on IG

Hi there! I don't know about you, but I love doing photo challenges on Instagram. The main reason I like them so much is because they give me lots of wonderful photos for my Project Life album that I wouldn't normally think to photograph. [About 95% of all my PL photos are instapics.]

For the last couple of months I've actually been participating in two different challenges. The one I've been doing for about a year now is from Chantelle of Fat Mum Slim. [@fatmumslim on IG with hashtag #fmsphotoaday] Every month she creates a new list, encouraging you to photograph a particular "something" each day. It can be specific items, people, feelings... anything really. It's all about your interpretation of what is on the list.

Since I received my Filo back in July, I started doing a Filofax photo-a-day challenge too. The original creator of this type of challenge only does them every few months. I believe her new list is due out in October. Her blog is yayforfridays.com and you can find her on IG @yayforfridays with the hashtag #fflovephotoaday. Another gal on Instagram [@pacificocean74] wanted to continue the fun, so she created this month's list with the hashtag #filoaugust.

I decided to create a FF themed list of my own for myself and fellow Filofaxers on IG for the month of September. Some FF IGers think these can get a bit repetitive. I felt that way at first, but since the stuff inside of my Filofax changes a lot, with the addition of new stuff or changing out certain parts, I really like the idea of doing a FF challenge each month. Plus, having a new list created by different people really mixes things up a bit. Also, from the feedback I've had on Instagram, there are new Filofax addicts everyday! They love having the chance to participate in this type of challenge.

So without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to September's Filofax Photo-A-Day List....

Sept. Filofax Photo-A-Day Challenge | by @island808girl on IG

You can join in on the fun by photographing your Filofax, FF-related items, or other type of personal planner/organizer using these prompts each day in September. There is no right and wrong way to do it. It's all about your interpretation. Just remember to use the hashtag #filolifephotoaday on Instagram and have fun! I'm @island808girl and will be playing along as well. Be sure to follow me if you would like to see my photos in your feed for inspiration. 

I can't wait to see all of your posts :)

Are you a fellow Filofax & IG addict? Will you be participating in next month's challenge? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Filofax: Week 32

Happy Monday! It was pretty busy this past week here at our house. So I'm incredibly thankful to have my Filo to help keep me organized and sane throughout my everyday life. From planning Project Life and blog posts, to keeping track of personal and family notes, I'm finding it so easy to stay on track with everything. And if I do happen to not get to "something" in my agenda, it's so simple to make adjustments with a sticky note or flag!

Today I'm happy to share my most recent completed week in my pink Domino. But if you missed my first Filofax post, you can find it here. I use a color-coding system because it works for me, even after 10 years. I have specific "subjects" I know I want to keep track of, and I designate a color to each one. As I work in my Filo, I can see exactly what I have going on based on the colors of each entry.

Filofax: Calendar - July

I carry my color coding from my "Month on Two Pages" inserts to my "Week on Two Pages." I don't go into too much detail on my calendar pages. It's where I usually jot down quick little memos, which will later be entered into my weekly section with more detail. The 2013 calendar pages I'm using is No. 6101 from Paige Paigen. I like the layout of the calendar, and it gives me more than enough room to add my notes and decorations.

Filofax: A Handy Magnetic Clip

Immediately following my calendar pages are my weekly inserts. I use this handy (and cute) magnetic clip to hold my completed pages together. I really love it, but it adds some bulk because it's pretty thick. To help slim my planner down some, I only have my completed weekly pages of the current month in it. But I prefer to keep my blank "Week on Two Pages" in my book because I like to plan ahead.

Filofax: Closing Out the Week and Getting Ready for The Next One

Here you can see what my process is at the end of each week. I finish out the details, checking off specific notes, following up with my post-its, etc. I also go through all of the supplies I purchased from the week and organize them. This way, any new stuff I have is ready to be used when planning out the next week.  As I'm working in my Filo during a specific week, I place my handmade dashboard right between my current "Week on Two Pages." It holds blank sticky notes on the front, and written-on stickies on the back side. I added a tab to the top of my dashboard titled "WEEK" so it's easy to locate my current week.

Filofax: Week 32 - Completed

This is Week 32 all filled up. As you can see, I like to personalize my pages. I have to admit, if the pages of my Filo were plain, ugly, and impersonal, I wouldn't use it. I've learned that over the last decade of having personal paper planners. I wanted something different. My pink Domino is so pretty on the outside, so I had to make it beautiful on the inside. With the addition of washi tape, stickers, fun flags & stickies, and my doodles & journaling, I feel I've accomplished exactly what I wanted. And the fact that I've been on top of everything and stuck with it for the last few weeks I've had my Filo, I couldn't be more satisfied.

My "Week on Two Pages" inserts were created by Cathy V. of Paper Addict. You can find the link to that download here. I've known Cathy for a year now, and she's such a huge inspiration. Her creativity is endless and never ceases to amaze me! Browse through her blog to see her work, and stop by her shop to find some fabulous goodies.

I really hope you enjoyed today's Filofax post! If you would like to see more pages from the inside of my Domino, you can find it here. I also created a "Filofax Addict" pinboard on Pinterest to hold all of my inspiration for my Filofax life. Check it out! Most of my personal Filofax photos usually go up on instagram before anywhere else, so be sure to follow me. And now, you can also stay updated with my recent posts and projects by liking my new fan page on Facebook. Why not head over there now and show some love....

Are you a Filofax addict? How to you organize your life? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thank you for stopping by!

Filofax: My First Few Weeks

Hello Everyone :) I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Today I'm excited to finally introduce you to the fabulous new addition to my life... my [personal] pink Domino by Filofax. I adore her... and she loves to help me stay organized! I'll be sharing more of her this coming week here on my blog, so I won't go into too much detail...

I've had her for about three weeks now, so today I wanted to show you the layouts from my recently completed pages. You'll notice that I use a color-coded system. For the decade I've been using personal paper planners, I saw that this type of system is what I gravitated towards over the years... because it works for me. So it only made sense to apply it in my Filofax.

Filofax Love: Week 29

I spent the first few weeks customizing my Filofax to fit my style and to make it more "me." [You will see more about that in a future post.] Week 29 was my very first week in my new planner. I had lots of fun decorating the pages with new washi tape, cute stickers, and journaling using pens that correspond with my color codes. 

Filofax Love: Week 30

I was already starting to develop a preference for the way my notes were laid out on the pages in each of the "daily" sections. I do a lot of journaling and jotting of details, so I don't embellish the pages too much beforehand [just washi at the top and bottom of each page]. I want to be sure that I have enough room for the specifics of each day. The end of the week is when I go ahead and add my stickers and/or doodles, filling in some of the blank areas. 

Filofax Love: Week 31

Week 31 is my most recent completed week. I started out with some fun, kawaii washi tape on the top and bottom of my "Week on Two Pages" inserts. [I'll be sharing where I found these later this week.]  I had a pretty busy week, so I stuck with my color coding to keep me on track. I added some doodles, stickers, and sticky tabs and flags.

Planning For A New Week in My Filofax

Here you can see what is going on in my Filofax right now as I plan for the upcoming week. I use all kinds of fun stuff in addition to my Filofax to help me stay organized. I can't wait to show you how I've customized and personalized this little baby!

Filofax Love: A Peek into My Color-Coded Life

Well that's all I have for you today. Be sure to stay tuned because I'll be sharing the inside of my personal pink Domino with you here later this week. You'll see my personalized inserts, dividers, the supplies I use,  my "sections" showing how I use my Filofax to stay organized, recent hauls from my favorite stores to buy Filo supplies... lots of good stuff!

[NOW LIVE: Inside My Domino | Part 1]

To stay updated on my recent posts, projects, and photos, you can follow me on instagram, or "like" my new fan page on Facebook. I also made a new pinboard on Pinterest called "Filofax Addict," where I add inspiration, printables, DIY's, tips, or supplies I discover during my new adventure. So why not head over there now to show some love....

How are you staying organized in 2013? Are you a Filofax Addict too? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thank you for stopping by!

It's Easy Being Green

I've been eco-conscious as long as I can remember. As a child, I never threw anything away (not a packrat, but more of a keeper of mementos and sentimental items), and I also loved to re-purpose or reuse things. My semi "green" parents introduced me to organic and natural at a very early age. And believe me, they are far from Hippies ;)

So it doesn't surprise me at all, that as an adult with a family of my own, I've leaned toward a greener lifestyle. We do everything we can to leave this earth a better place for the future of our daughter and the generations that follow. I do my best to spread awareness, and I know that even just the littlest changes we make in our lives, will have a huge impact on our children's future.

Our family is far from being 100% "Green". We don't live off the grid, drive a Hybrid car, or live in an Eco-home that we designed. We are just an average, middle-class, ethnic American family, doing what we can to save our planet.

Here are some of the little things we do, that any family can easily incorporate into their lives:

-Buy Organic, Natural, and Earth Friendly
-Reduce What Goes into Landfills by Recycling & Reusing
-Thrifting, and Buying New Items Made From Recycled Content
-Green Cleaning, Switching to CFL Bulbs
-Ditch the Plastic Bags for Reusable Shopping Bags
-Give The Car a Break by Carpooling to Work, Taking Public Transportation, or Walking

All of these things will make a difference, and they aren't drastic lifestyle changes at all. Start with just a few things, and you'll see how easy it will be to do more. Can you imagine what the future would be like if every family committed to just changing one thing now to better our world later?

When it comes to cleaning my home, chemical cleaners are no where to be found. Why anyone would choose to expose their family to all of those toxic fumes is still very puzzling to me. In the beginning, I used to always purchase the earthy-friendly, green stuff. But I noticed they were always more expensive! Nowadays, "Being Green" isn't such a new concept, and there are quite a few affordable "green" choices when it comes to buying cleaners. But making my own was something I never thought I would do... It always seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Boy, was I wrong! This is coming from a Mommy who completely rid her house of all chemical cleaners and replaced only the essentials with homemade versions :)

Before the weekend is over, I'll be showing you how I make my own laundry soap! Yes, you heard me right! It's super simple to make, and I literally just ran out! [Find my Laundry Soap Recipe here.] You will use less soap without sacrificing cleanliness, save money by making it in large batches, and be totally amazed at how well it stands up to, if not surpasses, the conventional chemical detergents we all know.

Do you have a "green" family? What small changes have you made to your lifestyle? I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Welcome to My Blog!

This is my first ever blog and I am sitting here wondering what in the world am I getting myself into?! Blogging is definitely something that I've wanted to get into for a long time. But I am very much learning the ropes, so please bear with me ;) From the actual designing of my blog (it totally reminds me of when I used to have a myspace;), to figuring out what I want to share with you. It'll be exciting tasks that I'm actually looking forward to. It's going to be a fun process, and I'm sure when I get the hang of this, it's all going to be worth it.

I hope the many people I met in life, who told me that I should start a blog, find me here and like what I've come up with. I'm really excited to add pieces of my life to my own little plot of space right here in blogger world. And in the process, I hope to meet many wonderful people who also share my passions.

Through this blog I'm hoping to:

• Showcase My Own Crafty Creations, DIY Projects, Pinspiration Pieces and Any Other Fun Things I'm Working On
• Inspire Creativity and Share Thoughts and Ideas
• Spread Knowledge and Awareness about My Culture and Heritage Through Personal Life Experiences
• Offer Tips and Advice I've Learned about Homemaking, Organization, Parenting, Relationships, Family, Beauty, Fashion, Arts & Crafts, and Life...
• Share Reviews and Information About Fun Things I've Purchased or Discovered.
• Pretty Much Updates about All of Life's Journeys ^_^. 
• Meet Other People Who Share The Same Interests

You will more than likely read posts going on in all parts of my busy, everyday life. From my experiences of parenting a toddler, to my loving relationship of 14 years and everything in between... I hope you leave my blog with new found knowledge, inspiration, or even just a smile.

Thank you for stopping by!

Much Aloha.

Crystal

P.S. If there is anyone else out there who's also a newbie in regards to blogging, or you're an experienced blogger, and have any useful information or friendly advice, please feel free to drop me a line :)