confetti by lexi

moments inked tips ~ stretch your planner stamps

when it comes to stamping, i’m primarily a card maker. so for this week's moments inked tips i decided to stretch my planner stamps and create a few cards. i’ve also always had a thing for tiny images and with the everyday symbols and active symbols stamp sets, there are plenty to choose from...

first up, the lotus flower icon from active symbols is perfect for a healing wishes card when paired with this sentiment from colorful words in soothing shades of pink and green.

and the little bee from everyday symbols plus happy from keep it simple: birthday equals one of my favorite puns. on an ink smooshed and water dripped background it's a all sunshine and cheer - what better way to send a smile?!

the prescription bottle icon (also from everyday symbols) and get well soon from comfort food are a medicinal match on a tissue box inspired card base using betsy's mood mix patterned papers.

with so many different workout and sports icons to choose from in the active symbols set, a motivational card is a breeze - you can do it! (sentiment from lunchbox love.)

and i couldn't resist pairing the glasses and book from everyday symbols with a mini toothpick wand and another sentiment from lunchbox love - perfect encouragement for a magic-loving muggle!

finally, last (and littlest) but not least, how about teeny tiny calling cards from the tooth fairy - the tooth icon from everyday symbols was made for these! handwritten signature courtesy of the tooth fairy, of course.

so next time you need a few fun cards, take a new look at your moments inked stamps and see what you can come up with. word accents, focal points, backgrounds, and more - so many planner stamps, so many possibilities...

happy planning & stamping!
:) lexi

 

supplies used:

InLinkz.com

moments inked tips ~ planning ahead

as we make our way into a new school year and the inevitable end of 2016 (much quicker than i’d like!), important dates for the beginning of 2017 start to pop up. this always happens before i even want to think of a new calendar, but that’s the thing about time, it just keeps moving forward and the next event is always in the works. so while we wait for new planner pages (or aren’t ready to start thinking too much about them), i’ve come up with a simple plan for keeping track of those dates so that they will be easy to add when the time comes.

to create a system that could be easily transferred to the new calendar, i decided on binder tabs using the moments inked: listed stamp set and binder listed die. so far, i only have new dates for january and february, so i started with tabs for the first quarter, which is probably as many as i'll use before it's time to get new pages. with this system, you can also create months as needed.

i decided on a simple, consistent design. at the top, i stamped don't forget for the title with the matching symbol, both from moments inked: everyday symbols.

up the side, on the bottom right, i added the month's name using monthly moments: year round, leaving the lines free to fill in as future events pop up.

i placed the three tabs together right after december, before the note section for easy access. i considered numbering the lines to use them as dates, perpetual calendar style, but with only 27 lines, i would've had to continue them on the back and i really don't see filling up every day. i also liked the idea of having space to add notes with the upcoming dates if needed.

once the new pages arrive and i'm ready to start using them, i can place the tab right into the correct monthly spread and add the dates to the new calendar as time permits. since the tab fits right in, there's no rush - i can do it when i'm ready to focus on that month as a whole and then remove the tab when i'm done.

and there you have it - a quick and easy solution for planning ahead. i opted for very simply stamped tabs with no numbers for flexibility. but you can decorate to match your own personal style and add numbers if you like. and that's the best part of the moments inked planner and accessories - options to make it work just for you.

happy planning!
:) lexi

 

supplies used:

InLinkz.com

moments inked tips ~ printing for die cut pages

the summer months aren’t highly planned at my house. my kids go to camp, we go on vacation, and i still have orders and design work. but for the most part, we’re all out of school and enjoying the slower pace of life. a friend recently invited my husband and me to join in on a weekly-ish happy hour based on an article she read, which led me to want to add a cheat sheet to my planner to keep up with the ideas of where to go. So, with that in mind, today I’m going to show you tips on how I print for die cutting pages. It’s not just for happy hour, but hey, if you’re coming to New Orleans, you could get some ideas!

writing notes and lists is great, but some lists that are long and detailed would be too time consuming and take up a lot of space if written out by hand. in the case of my example, the article was a map article, slideshow style, so simply printing it for reference didn't work. plus a printed article would end up having to be folded and tucked into a pocket. so i decided to copy and paste the information into a new document, edit it to more concise bullet entries, and print it to fit on a die cut page insert. i still have the article bookmarked, but now i have a quick reference without have to scroll through the slideshow and i can check off the happy hour locations as we try them.

regardless of what program you use to type and print, it all starts with a little math. i decided to show the same information printed for two of the binder page die options since they are what i use the most - the process would be the same for the spiral dies. first you need to know the size of the dies, which is easily found in the papertrey ink web store - the full page is 5 1/4" x 7" and the note page is 3 5/8" x 6" - then you need to add a 1/4" to each measurement for your guide box. above you can see what i printed. in my program, i am able to draw boxes and then fit another text box on top. so the boxes you see are sized at 5-1/2" x 7-1/4 for the full page and 3-7/8" x 6-1/4" for the note page. then i copied and pasted my information into a text box that fit inside those. once i edited it, including font size and spacing, i moved it to where it needed to be within the larger box, leaving about 3/4" on the left for the hole margin and about 1/4" around the other three sides. the lines of the outer box help for placement now, as well as for cutting later. if you can't draw boxes or create text boxes in your program, you would simply set the margins to create a space of the right size in which to type. the good news is that after you've set this up one time, you can use it as a template for future pages!

once printed, i cut along the right margin line so that my pages would fit through the die cutting machine. at this point, i also decided to add washi tape to the hole margin for stability and decoration. i find that it's easier to add it first so that the holes are perfectly cut. remember that you added extra margin for cutting, so the tape should be slightly in from the edge of the page.

now it's time to line up the die, fitting it right inside of the box lines if you were able to draw them. the washi tape is a good guide for the left edge and the opening of the die is perfect for centering the printed content.

then sandwich it all together and roll it through. i have a magnetic base plate, so it holds it all down tight for me, but you can also use washi tape to secure it from slipping.

here is the finished full page in the reference section of my planner, complete with a stamped tab from clip tips. the check from active symbols is perfect for checking them off as we go.

i was having trouble decided which page size to go with for this list, which is why i ended up sharing both. first of all that's one of the benefits of typing - you can copy and paste with ease and no mistakes! while the full sheet is perfect for the back of the binder, i prefer not to use it in the middle of a week which would block half of the spread completely. so i the like the smaller note page if i want to place a list there, this divided onto two pages. 

either way, i also like to add the happy hour of the week to my calendar, so i have several flags and stickers ready to place and add a little fun to my otherwise boring summer weeklies. i hope i explained my process well enough - if you have questions or need clarification on anything, please ask in the comments and come back to look for the answer there as well...

happy planning!
:) lexi

moments inked tips ~ mini notebooks to go

the addition of refill lined and graph binder pages to the moments inked product line up this year had me itching to create mini notebooks to go, similar to traveler’s notebook inserts. they're super easy to make and even more fun to fill up. of course, they had to coordinate with the planner’s signature rainbow details and feature some of those icons that I love so much.

all you need is a few sheets of refill binder pages, card stock for the cover, stamps and patterned paper for decorating, a stapler and something to hold the book closed if desired. once you cut off the holes, you're left with paper that is 7" x just under 5", which you can fold in half either way depending on your preference or purpose. i like my covers to be slightly bigger than the insides, so i cut them at 5" x just slightly over 7".

for my graph paper book, i decided to go with a hamburger fold to create a shorter, wider book. since the graph paper lends itself to drawing, i used the phrase, write. draw. create. from pencil me in along with the download symbol from moments inked: everyday symbols to create the perfect space to "download" card ideas and sketches before i forget them. a strip of rainbow chevron paper adds just the right touch of color to coordinate with those already in the planner and a white rubber band holds it all closed when not in use.

i chose to fill it in as i go, but you could set up your pages for card sketches or any other purpose you decide in advance. i also thought that this size and combo of graph paper would make a great mini travel journal, on which i might add a fill in the date stamp along with prompts for location and notes or things like that. i would also be sure to leave space for doodles and taping in memorabilia like tickets or receipts.

for the lined paper notebook, i opted for a hot dog fold, creating a long, skinny notebook. this keeps the lined paper oriented correctly with the typical side fold. i decorated the cover with a selection of icons from moments inked: everyday symbols along with a strip of the same rainbow chevron from the first book, and added a pencil me in pencil stamped with the write on! sentiment. a decorative paper clip is perfect for keeping it closed and protected while not in use.

a little tip for the stamped icon pattern: space out your selected images on one block. as you can see here, five is a good number for a repeat pattern. i placed three on a diagonal, then two on the same diagonal offset below. as i stamp it, i can easily line up the bottom two to fit above the line of three in the grouping (or the other way around) and continue lining them up this way for a perfect fit. if there are a few random spaces left open here and there, simply fill them in with a single image of your choice. quick and easy!

the size and shape of the finished skinny book is the perfect for lists. again, you can leave the pages blank and open-ended or pre-stamp them with a specific format if you prefer - a date fill in, bullet points or check boxes, special titles, etc. i think the lines would also lend themselves well to written journaling on the go. i used five pages, which translates into twenty pages front and back - lots of great writing space!

while not on the go, the mini notebooks can tuck perfectly into the pocket of your planner binder - all cute and color coordinated, right?!

and if you use the spiral bound planner, i came up with a mini notebook storage idea for you too...

using the moments inked: tabbed list die, you can create a notebook holder. after die cutting the tab, punch a hole near the top and bottom of the die about a quarter of an inch in from the spiral holes. then using a craft knife, cut a straight line between them. be sure your holes are punched to create a line as long as your book - i lined mine up on the tab first and marked off a simple dot near the top and bottom corners as a guide. once you snap your tab into the spiral, simply slip the notebook on when you want to store it in your planner.

here's an additional look at it from the back. it might be a good idea to laminate the tab or fortify the cut with tape to make it more sturdy, but i was able to turn it back and forth and take it off with ease. if you need a holder for the smaller, wider notebook, you would simply make a shorter cut and trim the tab down if wanted.

the possibilities are endless with these cute little notebooks - sketches, ideas, lists, journals. mini and mighty all in one - the perfect planner nerd project!!

write on!
:) lexi

moments inked tips ~ going places

with my oldest nearing the end of junior year, and college decisions soon becoming a reality, we are beginning our search for the right school. i decided it was time to face the facts and get my planner involved in the process. we also hope to fit in a couple of other fun trips, so i blended the two together into a travel section and created a useful tracker to help me out. 

of course, every new section needs a fun custom divider, which is super easy to do with the full binder page die and fun patterned paper. for extra durability, i attached the patterned paper die cut to a cardstock one and added washi tape to the binder ring edge. i added a title tab using the mini tab die and stamped a fun sentiment from monthly moments: travel plans to highlight the purpose of the section.

to keep myself organized, i created a year at a glance tracker to plot out school holidays. i first saw this on instagram and immediately had to make one to fit the moments inked planner. weekends are highlighted in grey and there is enough room below the dates to add written notes. (pdf download and more ideas for using it below!) seeing the days off at a glance will be helpful as we plan various college visit trips and vacations around them - either traveling on those days off or extending a long weekend by adding on excused college visit days to those that are already free. the last day of school for this year and the first for next year are both circled and i used an orange pen to mark off when the girls go to camp. as you can see, we have our first college trip coming up on spring break! once things are marked off on this chart, it will also be easy to add them to the weekly spread where i do my day to day planning.

there is room along the top of the fold out chart to stamp or write a title in case you're using several of these for different reasons. i like words and icons, and monthly moments: travel plans had just what i needed!

next i created tabs for list making using the binder listed die. the first is "the list" - stamped using moments inked: listed - kind of an organized landing spot to list the various schools that we might like to visit. i chose to write these in pencil, so that i can erase and revise as necessary.

then, with that first trip looming, i created school journal pages on refill binder pages - lined, using more stamps from both listed and travel plans. three stamps on one block makes this task easy and quick! it will be great to have a dedicated spot to write down thoughts about the schools she likes and why to refer to as she makes future decisions.

and since this section is not only about school visits, i created another tab for places we want to go for fun. bonus points if we can work one of these trips into a college visit!

and like the college notes pages, i created a similar planning page to make note of the travel details. again, all of the journal stamps can fit on a single block for quick one pass stamping of multiple pages. are we there yet? i'm ready to go!

so back to the year at a glance fold out. there are so many ways you could use it. it's a great place to record anything you want to see spreadsheet style. if you're counting steps or miles, laps or lost pounds on your weekly or daily pages, you can compile them on their own year at a glance at the end of each month to tally them up and watch them grow. just stamp a new title and go! these are all from the newly released active symbols set.

the pdf file has cut lines for cutting and scoring with a paper cutter. then you can line it up with a binder page for hole punching. or you can score it along the score line and then cut it with the full binder page die, as long as you make sure the fold is just inside the right edge cut line. you'll probably also need to use a lighter weight cardstock or paper since you'll be cutting through two layers this way. if you're using the spiral planner system, it would work as well, but you won't need as much of a margin on the left edge. if you do plan on using it, i'd love to see or hear what you're tracking...

download year tracker 2016

let's go!
:) lexi

active symbols have arrived

i finally had time to put stamps to paper with the new moments inked: active symbols set that was part of papertrey ink's march release, so i thought i'd share how i'm using them. i have two high school daughters - one who plays soccer and one who dances. the soccer player is currently playing on her club team, and the dancer, attending classes as much as she can around a busy musical practice schedule, with extra classes being added for the senior division as we get closer to recital time. basically, they have two completely different schedules to keep track of and coordinate family dinners around when possible.

like with the everyday symbols from the february release, i stamped stickers to add to my planner. this time, i used 3/4" round multipurpose labels from office depot. you could use the same ones i used with the everyday symbols last month or stamp them on adhesive paper and punch them with a circle punch. for the soccer player, i stamped a page of soccer balls. and for my dancer, a page of dancers. there isn't a specific dance icon, but i thought the gymnast without the balance beam gave off a dancing vibe. i simply masked off the bottom edge of each row of labels and stamped the beam just below that edge, closing off the leg with my copic multiliner.

the circles fit just as well as the small rectangles and are also removable, making them easy to move if an activity is changed or cancelled. 

if it's not the usual time for any given activity, it's easy to add a planner banner below it to add additional details. i really like the mix of labels for different purposes.

next up, i wanted to make activity schedule dashboards. and because i've been so hooked on the dress up dolls, i decided to make dolls to match my girls! for the dancing daughter, i created a t-shirt using the same activity symbol i used for her dance class stickers. i masked off the doll's undies so that i could draw and color ankle tights and ballet slippers. 

for the soccer daughter, i added stripes and her number to the shirt, shortened and masked the jeans to create shorts, and drew and colored socks. and of course, she needed a soccer ball! i used the medium binder page die for the dashboards, adding washi tape along the binder edge in each of their colors and stamping their names at the top with pencilgrams. 

when i adhered the dress up dolls to the dashboards, i was sure not to put adhesive all the way to the top of the heads, so that i could slide mini sticky notes behind them. i opted to do it this way so that i could change them out if their schedules changed and not have to create a whole new dashboard. sliding them behind the heads helps to keep them from flapping up or bending. aren't they cute? i'm officially paper doll addicted!

and because i never got around to sharing my weekly spread last week, here it is. it was a busy one! i have more to share tomorrow, so 'til then...

happy planning!
:) lexi

new moments inked

stamps, dies, and pages, oh my! anniversary month wouldn’t be complete without fun new goodies for our moments inked planners, right?! and that’s exactly what we’re getting with everyday symbols, posted ii, binder listed, and perpetual daily pages. i was especially excited about binder listed to create new perfect fit page markers. and lines and numbers for the large white post it - yay! plus fun new symbols that are oh so cute. i'm so excited to show you how it’s all fitting right in...

as i mentioned above, i was very excited about the new binder listed die. i like being able to quickly flip to the month or week in progress and this is perfect for that, extending just above the length of the page.

the die is the same as last year's tabbed list die, but with binder holes in place of the spiral ones. it includes the same label cut out and will work perfectly with the listed stamp set for making all kinds of list inserts. i specifically wanted place markers for "this month" and "this week" so i cut two from different sheer basics vellum patterns and opted to use words from the remembered stamp set with a smaller "this" from clip tips on luxe gold adhesive labels to coordinate with the binder's gold details.

i laminated these twice for durability and snipped the edge to the hole so that i can snap them in and out, kind of like how the spiral bound die cuts work. although opening the binder isn't that big of a deal, i will be moving them often, and this will make it easier to do so more quickly.

next up, i couldn't wait to stamp a few 3" x 6" white post-its with the new longer posted ii - color coordinated of course! this new posted set has a title box and fifteen lines to stamp at once, plus numbers to number them and new titles too. it was a breeze to stamp a small stack of these - once for the lines in raspberry fizz, and again with both the title and numbers together in simply chartreuse. remember the color names are right in the front of the planner for reference! also, the note page die from the binder page die collection released last month is a perfect dashboard for these. like the binder listed page markers, i cut the note page from patterned vellum and laminated it twice. i love coordination and a perfect fit!

moving on, the most fun product this month has to be everyday symbols. i love icons, so this set was made for me! you have to have words in a planner - there's no getting around that. but i like little pictures to break things up here and there, especially for quick visual reminders of things that just don't need to be written over and over. stamping directly on the planner pages makes me a little nervous, so i decided to make stickers that can be moved around if necessary. this way i could also color them without worrying about bleed through.

and extras store nicely in my binder pocket, ready and waiting to be added where needed! the stickers i used are mini removable labels by office depot (same as avery 5424) that i had on hand. they turned out to be a perfect fit for both the images and binder placement. there's even a little room for the many coordinating words in the set, which can be used to clarify the image. you could also stamp the icons on circles or squares die cut from white adhesive sheets to keep on hand with your banners.

and last, but not least, daily pages for 2016 have arrived! perpetual daily pages, to be more precise. first, a few details. they're available in both binder and spiral editions. they're now printed in neutral colors and feature a perpetual calendar style for flexibility. and there is a new tear-away corner to make it easier to keep track of where you are. much of the layout is still the same - hydrate, nourish, focus, grateful, memorable moment, and be active. but a few things are different based on feedback from last year. in addition to the calendar along the top for labeling the day, there are two open ended lists - a large box near the top left, and a smaller checklist on the lower right. overall, there is more flexibility in terms of how often you choose to fill out the dailies, as well as what you choose to include. maybe you just want to do weekdays or just a few a week. this makes it easy to do just that. and because the pages are neutral, you can add details to color coordinate to the month if you're adding to your binder, or go crazy with colored pens like i did above. for the open ended list areas, i decided to experiment with my listing this month. yesterday's "list" inspired a little stamping in the box! this is actually a great option for a new lister who doesn't want to get overwhelmed with quantity - three items should be easy to start with. for the other small list section, i decided to add a couple of hashtags i wanted to participate in on instagram. 

speaking of hashtags, mark your planners for our new hashtag campaign, #saturdaysnailmail. on saturdays we will share customer photos from instagram, facebook, and twitter that you take of cards you are mailing out to friends or family. sending cards is definitely something i want to do more of! to kick things off today, we encourage you to make a card to send to the warehouse staff at papertrey ink headquarters. don't forget to snap a picture and hashtag it if you're on social media! check out nichole's blog for more details on how to play along, including the address - as always, prizes are up for grabs! remember, all new product will be available at 10:00 pm eastern time on february 15. meanwhile, the team takes on the new product can get your brain planning ahead... 

ashley  |  audrey  |  laurie s.  |  laurie w.  |  lizzie  |  rebecca

happy shopping!
:) lexi

moments inked tips ~ creativity journal

as soon as i saw the two versions of the papertrey ink moments inked planner for 2016, i knew i was leaning toward using the binder for my day to day scheduling. but i couldn’t just leave the spiral unused! those wide open day boxes on the weekly spread got me thinking and almost immediately, the idea of a creativity journal came to life.

one of my number one goals this year (and always) is to do something creative every day. technically i do that for work. but back when i started blogging, i was really good at taking time to create a new card almost every day just for fun. i've also completed two full years of photo a day challenges with my doll collection and i play instagram challenges often. but more recently, i've been more sporadic and less intentional. it's those kinds of just-for-fun projects that keep my creativity moving forward. and then the work stuff flows more easily.

to that end, i've decided to use the spiral journal and the wide open-ended day spaces to write things down and make myself more accountable. many of my ideas and plans are simply what i've done before. but like a 365 project, i'll be recording my efforts. and i'll try a few new things, too.

for starters, i've been using january to play along with #listersgottalist. the undivided boxes are perfect for lists! i printed the prompts out and put them on a dashboard for reference. many listers have monthly journals, but i kind of love the idea of less space for more clean and simple lists.

in keeping with clean and simple, i decided to set the title prompts apart from the list by adding a little color with paper mate flair ultra fine pens. this may evolve a little in future months, but for january, my goal was to get it done and not get caught up in too many design details. 

for the lists themselves (and writing in my planner in general) i like to use a super fine ink pen. the one pictured is a pengems crystal pen (to match my white and gold binder!) outfitted with a uni-ball jetstream refill ink cartridge in black with a 0.5mm tip. i also really like the pentel energel needle tip 0.5mm ball. i find that a finer tip makes writing in small spaces easier and neater. besides thinking creatively about the prompts, i also hope to work on my lettering.

although clean and simple is my go to style, i do like to add a few embellishments here and there. above you can see where i added in moments inked: boxed die cut washi tape paper and a speech bubble to showcase the hashtag. i did the same on a pencil die cut a few photos up. the side bars and bottom portion of the page lend themselves well to this kind of simple embellishing. i'm not sure if i'll do lists for the whole year. i may decide to focus on instagram challenges or doodle or lettering challenges one month here and there. but that's the beauty of the open-ended, unlabeled boxes. i can fill 'em with anything! here's to a year of possibilities - i'll keep you posted!!

:) lexi

moments inked 2016 planner review

i’m so excited to be joining the papertrey ink moments inked design team this year. and even more so with the new white binder edition in hand. it’s so bright and clean with the perfect touch of gold. from the size to the paper quality to the signature papertrey color stories, there are just so many details to love!

 

i started with a box opening and a quick look at everything if you want to hear me ramble! close ups and more notes below...

as mentioned above, the biggest change to this year's moments inked line up is that you can choose your planner format - original coil bound or the brand new binder. it was love at first sight when i saw the bright white binder, but the ebony, stone gray, and natural tan options still made the decision a tough one. all have an embossed logo in the corner with pretty gold details. and the easy wipe clean faux leather is so smooth and soft.

as you've probably heard by now, the daily pages have been removed, creating a thinner set of pages. as a result, the coil size is also smaller in diameter, in addition to being a sturdy metal in silver. while i really enjoyed the daily pages, i like the smaller footprint this year. plus adding pages in is still a breeze with all of the great dies introduced so far and you can tailor them to your specific wants.

as with last year, you have a variety of choices for the cover of the coil bound planner, all laminated and ready to snap right into the coil binding. you can even use one in front of your binder. decisions, decisions. they're all so pretty!

while there are a few new changes, many things were just right the way they were - specifically the thick, quality linen paper and vivid colors. many of the pages are simply updated versions of last year's layouts, and they are the same from one format to the other - the only difference being the holes. right at the beginning, you have year at a glance calendar for 2016 and 2017, followed by a perpetual calendar for dates to remember.

the monthly spread is the same as before, with holidays already included. this has always been a must for me.

and how about week one, all ready to be filled in? another notable, but minor change is on the weekly spread layout. the daily columns are now one large rectangle, rather than being broken down into sections, leaving lots of room for personalization.

also like last year, each month section begins with a quote. i looked straight ahead to my birthday month to see what "my" quote was. once upon a long time ago, i fell in love with carrot cake simply because it was the august feature on our kitchen wall calendar, haha!!

at the end of each month, new in this part of the binder, there are a couple of lined note papers...

with more at the back in the "note" section where they were last year as well.

plus grid paper too. i love grid paper!

and for all those to do lists, let's not forget the brand new white post it note pads for perfect stamped coordination. and linen note pads for the back of the binder too - be still my paper loving planning heart!

finally, here's a look at both planners from the side. much thinner and ready to be filled with whatever the year throws at me! laurie schmidlin and lizzie are sharing their first impressions today as well, so go check them out if you haven't already. plus this introductory post from nichole is full of all the tech specs, and the products themselves can be found on the papertreyink homepage (scroll to the bottom). and if you're on instagram, be sure to use the moments inked hashtag so we can all see and share together...

which planner are you?
:) lexi