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!

Project Life: Week 29

Happy Wednesday! I don't know about you, but I've been feeling extra productive lately. Mostly in part to my Filofax keeping me organized for my photo-a-day challenges, crafty projects, a blog schedule, details about personal/family life, etc. I really had some catching up to do, so I made sure to dedicate some time to work in my Project Life album. Here are the pages of my most recent layout....

WEEK 29

Life Documented

July 14 - July 20

Week 29: Full Spread

Another fabulous week here in the Pacific NW. It was super busy! We drove home from a road trip visiting family in Portland, I found some wonderful "tax-free" scrappy goodies during our trip, my first Filofax and the prize I won came in the mail, I played with my Cameo and neon cardstock, our daughter had a check-up, and we went to the zoo! I used 16 different photos to tell this week's story; mixing up styles, sizes, and placement. I used cool smartphone applications to edit photos and had lots of fun with the cards and embellishments too.

Week 29: Left Page

For the left side I'm using a Hobby Lobby photo page from Week 28. It works great because I had a lot of photos to fill it! I even included a "selfie" on my title card :) All of the 4x6 cards are handmade using cardstock from my stash of paper and pads. I love mixing up different collections and patterns for a fun and eclectic look. 

Week 29: Left Page - Close Up

I really love writing and choose to handwrite on all of my journal cards. Playing around with different fonts and changing my penmanship on the various cards is lots of fun. Picking out the photos for this week was definitely the hardest part. Probably because I'm a photo junkie and have so many photography apps in my Galaxy S3! My favorite ones work with instagram. Although we don't have as many cool photo editing/decorating applications as iPhone, like A Beautiful Mess or Rhonna Designs, there are a few diamonds in the rough in The Play Store. The heart-shaped photo of the Portland signage was created using the app Shape'd for Android.

Week 29: Left Page - Another Close Up

The column of 4x3's is a mix of handmade cards, a MAMBI card, and a Colorbok cut-out. I added wallet-sized instagram photos to the filler cards, and played around with different pens on the journal cards. I used another photo app, called Phonto, to showcase my Filofax. It allows me to add text to any image. Very handy for Project Life. This page is also filled with Cameo cuts, cardstock tags and journaling spots, printable labels, cardstock cutouts, awesome alphabet thickers and stickers, even washi tape.

Week 29: Right Page

Here I used the same Hobby Lobby photo page because I had lots more to share. Again, I mixed up paper collections to create four more 4x6 handmade cards. I added cherished photos of varying sizes and styles, playing around with placement of each one. They totally screamed "Summer!" 

Week 29: Right Page - Close Up

This week called for more journaling, so I used 4x3 journal card cutouts for the details on this page. For the handmade card holding my favorite photo of the week, I added some extra little "fun" details. The photo was created using InstaPlace Pro on Android. [Pro is a paid version.] It uses the "GPS" feature on your smartphone to add cool skins to your photos based on your location. Another app perfect for Project Life! 

Here is another journal card using a white gel pen. These pens work best on dark or black paper, as you can see. It's a simple little detail that looks great. A wallet-sized photo fit perfectly into the 8-sided design of one of my journal cards. I just cut out some notches in the corners and tucked the photo into the slots. 

I played with another photo app called InstaQuote for the ice cream shot that says "So Yummy." It's much like Phonto (allowing you to add text on photos), but with different features. I also used another Shape'd heart photo, but this time I added a cropped #hashtag sentiment.

This week we made our first zoo trip of the season, so I knew I wanted to showcase that day in this layout. I had extra photos and some ephemera, so I created another handmade insert. I first debuted that DIY insert in Week 14, and it has been quite handy since then, giving me the extra room I need for those special moments. 

Week 29: Homemade Insert for Extra Photos and Ephemera

To the insert, I added a souvenir photo (taken in a photobooth), a couple of great shots of us exploring the beloved zoo, a postcard (purchased from the gift shop), and our family's admission ticket. I finished it with a tab titled "Zoo Day," and added the page to my book. 

Week 29: A Map From Zoo Day

I'm so happy I picked up two maps during our trip. There was no way the munchkin would give me hers, so I made sure to grab an extra one for my book. I wasn't quite sure how it would fit in here, but I totally made it work! It's perfect. I kept it folded in half (with the fold on the right), hole punched only the bottom sheet, added hole reinforcements, and sliced an inch or so off of the side of the top sheet. Now the map completely opens with the greatest of ease.

I really love how this spread came together. It looks fabulous! I hope you enjoyed today's post and feel inspired to create something special in your book. I'll be linking up with The Mom Creative, so if you're looking for more Project Life inspiration, stop on by. Want to take a peek into my Project Life album? You can find it here. Need even more inspiration? Check out my "Smash* & PL" pinboard on Pinterest. You'll find hundreds of  links to free printables, DIY's, How-To's, tips, and ideas for everything Project Life.

To stay updated on my recent posts, projects, and photos, you can follow me on instagram or "like" my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love...

Are you a Project Lifer? Have you had to use an add-on insert yet? 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!

Smashbook: Ohana Love

Happy Wednesday! It's time for another post about an old spread in my pretty pink Smashbook. I've decided to share some of my old creations since I haven't had much time to SMASH* this year, due to Project Life. 

When it comes to our family, there is nothing more important than ohana. And this Summer, we've done a lot of traveling back and forth to visit our loved ones down in Portland. I thought I would share an old spread about a visit from our family last summer. This will give me a chance to document all the new trips our family takes this season. I already have some ideas. So when I'm all caught up with PL, have extra time to myself, and get my SMASH* mojo back, I can finally do another spread!

"Ohana Love" - Left Side

These pages were inspired by my family, of course. And I knew I wanted to keep it pretty simple. So I flipped through my book for pages that weren't too busy because I wanted to add rub-ons and do some stamping. The color and design of this set of pages worked with the color scheme of my elements, as well as the photos.

For the left page, I started by picking out some instagram photos from our weekend. I had a few of them I wanted to include, so it made sense to print them smaller [wallet-size]. I arranged them on my page and added a printable journal spot, which I used as a frame for one of the photos. For journaling, I wrote directly on the page and I also used scraps of Hawaiian themed scrapbook paper as journal tags.

My embellishments for the page include a pretty cardstock flower [by K&Company from a set that I received in a happy mail package from a friend], a handmade instagram camera [created by my girl Cathy V.], and some fun alphabet stickers [by K&Company called "Animal Tales"] for the title. Super sweet and simple, and doesn't take away from the story of my photos.

"Ohana Love" - Right Page

I had lots of fun with the right side and incorporated a few different elements. Again, I laid everything out first to make sure it all fit and that everything was easily visible once put together. I was really excited to finally use an "Ohana" quote tag that I received from a friend in a happy mail package. [She knew how much I love Lilo & Stitch, and my family ;)] It's the perfect addition to these pages! I also added an old family photo right next to the tag.

"Ohana Love" - A Repurposed Window Envelope Turned Pocket

I really wanted to include an idea inspired by Pinterest to this page. I'm all for re-purposing and recycling, so when I came across a pin about reusing an old window envelope as a pocket, I had to give it a try! It's the perfect little pocket to hold some old family photos, a "guest check" (used as a journal card) talking about our family lunch together at a local restaurant, and the drink tickets from lunch. I put everything inside the pocket first and made sure that the placement was correct before I adhered it to the page. I didn't want any of the ephemera to block the photo at the top.

"Ohana Love" - A Journal Card with Washi Tape Used as a Photo Log

Sometimes I forget the details of specific photos, and I don't like writing on the back of them. Since these pictures are so old, I thought I would create a "photo log" to stick in the pocket to help me remember. I added washi tabs directly to each photo, using a different design for each one. The tabs serve two purposes. First off, it makes it much easier to pull the photos out of the pocket. This way, my 4-year-old (who loves flipping through my book and interacting with the different elements) doesn't tear the pocket apart trying to dig things out. Secondly, the different designs of washi on each tab is used to mark specifics of each photo on my "photo log." I just tore off a tiny strip of each design, added it to a small journal card, and wrote down the details.

"Ohana Love" - Full Spread

To finish off this spread I used some 'memories' and 'travel' themed rub-on's, as well as a pretty flower to fill an empty space. But this spread wouldn't be complete without an "aloha" sentiment from a favorite rubber stamp. I really love the way these pages turned out! It represents my culture and everything important to me. It's full of memories, both old and new. It's my way of SMASH*ing....

I really hope you enjoyed today's post and leave here feeling inspired to create something beautiful in your book. Would you like to take a peek into my pretty pink Smashbook? You can find it here. Looking for more SMASH*ing inspiration? Check out my "Smash* & PL" pinboard on Pinterest. Along with inspiration, you'll find hundreds of links to free printables, DIY's, How-To's, tips, and ideas for everything SMASH*. Be sure to follow that board because I find new stuff daily!

You can also stay updated on my recent posts and projects via instagram, as well as with a "like" on my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love...

Are you a SMASH*er? What is your favorite subject to document? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Project Life: Week 28

Hello there! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I feel like I accomplished quite a bit the last few days... well the planning part of it anyway ;) I say that because I have a fun post coming up this week. You'll be taking a sneak peek at how this Island Girl plans and organizes her life! I can't wait to share my newest organization tool... I am loving it! I also had the chance to knock out another week in my Project Life album. And today, I'm sharing it here with you....

WEEK 28

Life Documented

July 7 - July 13

Week 28: Full Spread

It was a fabulous week here in the Pacific NW. It may not have started out great when it came to dealing with my 4-year-old, but hey... that's "real life." I captured other everday day life moments, and we also took another road trip down to Portland to spend some quality time with our ohana. I wanted the theme for this week to scream SUMMER, so I used lots of bright and cheerful colors in my cards, photos, and embellishments. I also mixed it up with lots of different printables and handmade cards.

Week 28: Left Page

This page is the reverse side of a Becky Higgins Design A from Week 27. For the title card, I used a piece of pretty scrapbook paper to act as the background for some colorful Cameo cuts. The "28" is a cutout from a paper collection, and the dots are paper washi bits from my hole puncher. I used a printable journal card to document life as a mommy. It provided more than enough room to share my thoughts from the day. In the bottom 6"x 4" slots I used 4"x 4" instagram photos and some 2"x 4" journal cards. One by We R Memory Keepers, and another was a printable that printed wrong, so I saved it.

Week 28: A Row of  Free Printables

For the row of 3x4's, I dug into my stash of free printables. I used some fun designs like a "currently watching" and calendar card, and a "captured" card and polaroid frame. I added wallet-sized instagram pics to those.

Since there were so many photos on this page, I decided to let them speak for themselves, so I kept it light on the embellishments. I only added a few styles of tiny alphabet stickers, a Dymo label, and some stamping with my roller date and rotary phrase stamps.

Week 28: Right Page

This right side is a generic photo page that I picked up from Hobby Lobby. The 4"x 6" slots hold a journal card by WRMK and three handmade cards cut from 6"x 6" paper pads. I used them to showcase some fun instagram photos in different sizes. I added some free printable labels, Cosmo Cricket label stickers, some pink bling, and a few fun alphabet stickers.

Week 28: Right Page - Close Up

For the column of 4"x 3" cards I used a couple more printables, a Mambi card, and a Recollections card. I added a neon strip of paper washi cut into an arrow, another Dymo label, and more tiny alphabet stickers to finish off this page. I adore how this spread turned out. It's so cheery and colorful and full of wonderful memories! I had tons of fun putting it together.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. I'll be linking up with The Mom Creative, so if you're looking for more Project Life inspiration be sure to stop by! Wanna take a peek into my 2013 PL album? You can find it here. Do you like some of the free printables I used in this week's spread? Be sure to check out my "Smash & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Not only will you find printables, you'll see hundreds of links to DIYs, How-To's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything Project Life. Follow those boards because I find new stuff daily!

You can also stay updated on my recent posts and projects via instagram, or with a "like" on my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now to show some love....

Are you documenting 2013 with Project Life? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!