DIY Planner Page - Gratitude Log, October 2017

Another month is here! Time to create a layout to make note of all the wonderful memories you make this month.

First, I created a watercolor background and painted lettered on that. I was concerned about bleed-thru with the watercolors, so I created the piece by cutting a 5x7 sized sheet of HP LaserJet Premium paper and working from there.

When laying down the water background to place the plastic bag on, I used my Finetec watercolor to add some extra metallic sparkle to the background.

Next, I created the layout for my daily entires. I wanted to do a different layout from last month, so I tried to fit them all on one side of my planner

Unfortunately i completely FAILED at this. At the last second I thought I would add some more lettering so it wouldn't be so boring. UGH! I forgot to tape down the watercolor piece before I started, so I awkwardly added it in the middle (but them kept bumping it around). 

Because October has 31 days, I created a long skinny 31st entry all the way at the bottom of the page, but forgot it was supposed to be there and ended up drawing my vertical lines too long.

No matter though, because the bottom of the page was out of frame anyway, so your couldn't even see what I was working on <eyeroll, face palm>

We'll see if I keep up this layout. I have a feeling, due to the smaller size of the boxes I might have a difficult time keeping my thoughts in the space provided.

How about you? Do you use some sort of Memory / Gratitude Tracker in your Planner? 👇

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an item's cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendation)

Markers: Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens, I have all 96, but this is a great starter pack

Paint Brush: Pentel Aquash Brush, in this piece I used two different sized brushes, so do yourself a favor and get the 3-pack

Metallic Watercolors: Finetec Metallic Watercolors, Gold Palette (though this set is fairly compatible for a more reasonable price)

White Paint: Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, the most opaque white paint on the market

Paper: HP LaserJet Premium , it's 32lb, so it holds up to watercolors well

Black Pen: Tombow Mono Drawing Pen, I used the 03 size here, but also use the 01 and 05 regularly too

DIY Planner Page - TV Series Tracker

Until the age of Binge Watching, you didn't hear a whole lot of people admit that they liked television. I, on the other hand, have always loooooved TV.

Now that Fall 2017 is upon is, here is the start of my TV Series Tracker in my new DIY Planner.

Here is how I set up my list

1. I used the Rotten Tomatoes Fall TV Schedule to decide which shows I wanted to watch
2. I went to IMDB to determine how many episodes were in each season I was tracking (some shows have yet to include this number, which is why they were left blank in my tracker)
3. I alphabetized my list 😜  But you can use another method that works for you
4. I started my Series Names on the 6th "box" to leave room for up to 5 Stars (so I can rate each season when I'm done watching it)
5. I numbered each episode (actually pretty helpful if you are bouncing around between shows, plus it gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to mark each one off!)

I still need to add a note if I'm going to watch the episodes via Hulu / Comcast On Demand / DVR, because who has time for live TV?

The show I'm looking forward to MOST this fall is Lethal Weapon. But if you know anything about my entertainment preferences, it falls squarely in the "Buddy Cop" genre!

What show(s) are you looking forward to watching? 👇

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

Planner - Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid hard cover, I saw these at PaperSource for the same price! 

Brush Pen - Pentel Touch Sign Pen, FLEXIBLE TIP. Make sure to get the flexible tip version, or else you won't be able to get the thick and thin stoke variations

Black Pen - Tombow Mono Drawing Pen, what I use as my "black pen" in my planner. I also use the 03 and 05 quite regularly too (NOT an affiliate link)

Gray Pen - Staedtler Tripus Fineliner, these are my "color pens" for my planner 

Watch Me Work - No Use Crying Over Spilled Coffee

The reality is, I'm MORE likely to cry over spilled coffee than milk, but I've spilled enough coffee that I might be numb to the entire situation.

In my latest (failed) attempt to not be a spaz, I managed to knock over my coffee cup and spill over my Little Dude's Immunization Record two days before I need to turn it into his preschool.

BLERG!! But did I get angry?

1. No. This wasn't my first coffee calamity, so I just reached for the paper towels.
2. I was pretty "Benadryl Drunk", hence the knocking over of the cup to begin with. Heck, I was one long blink away from falling asleep where I was standing.
3. I realized this would set the appropriate framework for the school to judge my parenting. At least when my Little Dude shows up with uncombed hair and Chocolate Pop Tart breath, NO ONE will be surprised.

First I made a watercolor background using simple circles and a hint of Gold Finetec.

Then I used watercolor to letter the word "Coffee" and brush pens for the rest.

I tried to get "fancy" and save my flourishes for the end. I kinda failed, but mostly because I also had planned on doing a flourish off the "l" in "like" and completely forgot. Oh Well.

Insight 💡: wetting the surface BEFORE I put the watercolor down made for a much more even distribution of paint when drying. You can see in the first dark brown circle in the upper left corner there are more noticeable variations in the paint after it dried than in the other circles.  

Anywhoooo. What's something important you've spilled on with coffee? 👇 Feel free to let me know I'm not alone in my clumsiness. 😂

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I should have used the larger one for the watercolor background as it would have made painting the circles easier

Paint - Ecoline Watercolors, I started with the 10-Pack, but you can purchase them individually here (not an affiliate link)

Gold Paint - Finetec Metallic Watercolors, gorgeous paints

Brush Pens - Pentel Touch Sign Pen, FLEXIBLE TIP, make sure you get the flexible tip, or you will not get the necessary variations in your upstrokes and downstrokes

Paper - Generic Cardstock from Staples (not an affiliate link)

DIY Planner Page - Lettering Your Personality Type

I had some pretty harsh "ghosting" on my new DIY Planner, so I thought I would fill the space with some lettering.

To help give a solid, and super-smooth, background I glued a piece of paper over my planner page. It doesn't quite give the authentic "look" of a collection page in a planner, but it definitely got rid of my "ghost" problem.

The first step is to figure out your personality type - If you haven't yet, you can take this Free Test from 16Personalites.  

From there, I was able to read about my personality as well as my strengths and weaknesses. The first time I read it, it made SO MUCH sense to me! 😂

Here's the first page;

And here is the second page:

It lists out some of the main points (thought admittedly, I don't agree with all the aspects of what the profile indicates 😬).

Full Disclosure: I did mock up the layout using my iPad and the Procreate app prior to starting to letter (though the brush strokes on my tablet were a lot thicker than my IRL brushes, so there was more "white space" than I was anticipating. 😅 )

It was a really fun exercise, and helped me to understand why do things they way I do. What's your personality type? Feel free to share below! 💖

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an item's cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

DIY Planner - Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid hard cover, my favorite! 

Pens - Pentel Touch Sign Pen FLEXIBLE Tip, make sure you get the flexible tip, otherwise you won't be able to produce the different widths necessary in brush lettering

Paper - HP Premium Laser Jet, it's 32lb, so it holds up well to "wet" markers and it super smooth

Adhesive - Tombow Permanent Adhesive, I didn't get a "before" picture, but this is very good adhesive and hold up very well

Watch Me Work - Watercolor Leaf Branches

I wanted to work on my watercolor skills, so leafs are kind of the most basic things you can do. 

BUT DON'T PAINT LIKE I DO 😂

1. If you are left-handed, start on the RIGHT side of the page, that way you are less likely to smudge what you just worked on
2. It's better to make leaves using a smooth downward pressure on your brush in two long strokes, than just using the tip of your brush, as I did here 

I tried to add a little orange Finetec sparkle, but you really couldn't tell from the angle I was holding it at 😑 .

Also, try and remember to dot ALL the 'i's in a piece too <facepalm>.

If you want to know who won my giveway, you can check my Instagram. (Winner will be announced Tuesday, September 20 at 8ish AM)

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations)

Paint Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I recommend the 3-pack as all three brushes are useful to have 

Paint - Ecoline Watercolors, the 10-pack is a great starter set. You can also purchase them individually here (not an affiliate link)

Metallic Paint - Finetec Pearlescent set of 12, but you can also buy them individually (not an affiliate link)

Paper - HP Premium LaserJet Paper, it's 32lb and super smooth, so it works well for blending colors and holding up to water

Instagram Giveaway (September)

Hello Everybody 👋 I'm currently hosting a giveaway on My Instagram Account - feel free to read the rules and enter. Giveaway runs from September 15th to the 18th, with the winner(s) announced on September 19.

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, which do not change an item's cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations).

Brush Pens - Tombow Dual Tips, I have the full 96 Pack, but the Brights Pack is a great starter pack (and it includes a blender pen! 🙌 )

Water Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I recommend the 3-pack because even in this video I used two different sizes

Paint - Dr Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White, one of the best white paints out there. VERY opaque, but also tough to work with 😅 )

Setting Up Your DIY Planner - Future Planning

DIY Planners are great because they are so many custom layouts to help ensure you can capture all the information relevant to YOU! Below are two of the "Future Planning" layouts I set up in my next Planner.

First: 12 Months On A Page

This layout is easy when I need a quick check as to what day of the week a holiday or birthday falls on. I kept the page very simple, as I don't want it to get too overwhelming. 

I utilize symbols around dates to let me know what's important. Hearts for Birthdays, Star for my anniversary, Special Shapes for holidays, Blue boxes for trips out of town/travel, and a red circle for my monthly visitor 😒.

Next: Future Log

This layout is so helpful when I have appointments or dates I need to remember that are more than a week away. My Little Dude's Preschool has 1 day each month where they plan a group activity outside school for the kids and parents - I can mark an entire school year's worth of dates all at once and not lose them! At the start of each month, I just transfer the info to my layout for that month, and viola! I don't have to "remember" anything!

(BTW, YES! I totally misspelled "November" >.< made even more ridiculous by the fact it's also my birth month!)

While there are a multitude of layout options for a future log, this one works best for me, because with approximately 25 spaces for appointments, I can space them out accordingly. For example, in March my Little Dude's birthday is towards the end of the month, so I can write that near the bottom third of the page. If in January my hubs tells me about a business trip he needs to take the first week of March I can write that at the top of the column and my OCD level stays down because everything is still in numeric order 😎 .

Oh, and yes! My calendar is organized by ROY G BIV. Who else uses that as their main method of arranging things?! 😂 🙌

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, which does not increase an items cost to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendations).

Notebook - Leuchtturm 1917 dot grid hard cover, one of the most popular notebooks for DIY planning, but there are LOTS to choose from

Pens (lines) - Tombow Mono Drawing Pens (not an affiliate link), really great pens. I use the 03 for outlines and the 01 for writing

Pens (lettering) - Pentel Touch Sign Pens, flexible tip, you can dip them in watercolors for an almost endless combination of colors

Watercolors - Ecoline Watercolors, they are also available here individually (not an affiliate link)

Water Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I used the smallest size here, but I use all three sized constantly

Watch Me Work - Hand Lettered Name Art - Erica

It's always super-exciting when you get to meet an Insta-Friend IRL. It's even more exciting when  you can give them presents 😬 !!!

This past weekend, I was able to meet up with one of my earliest Insta-Friends, Erica of Avalon Sunshine (amazing, kid-friendly items, you MUST check out her shop!!). Obvi I needed to have something fun to give her, and I knew that Erica 💖s pink, soooooo:

(The lighting is terrible in these videos - I'm SO SORRY! I normally shoot at night to give consistent lighting, but I wanted to squeeze these in before we left for our road trip this weekend). I used my favorite plastic bag technique to create a custom background. I also "jazzed" it up a little bit by adding some Finetec Sparkle!

Next I used Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White to create a crisp white lettered look. And because Erica is one of the brightest, sun-shiniest people I know, OF COURSE I had to dot the 'i' with a little sunshine. (If I had thought a little more ahead, I would have made the sunshine bigger so I could give him a smiley face >.< )

What should I letter on my next plastic bag piece?! Let me know in the comments, and I just might send it to you! 😜

MATERIALS USED (the following contains affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, which does not change an item's price to you, but does pay me a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase based on my recommendation)

Brush Pens - Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens, but you could also use any water-based marker for this

Water Brush - Pentel Aquash Brush, I write this every time, but get the 3-pack and you will use all three sizes

Metallic Paint - Finetec Gold Palette, though this palette works just a well for a slightly lower price

Heat Gun - You can use something like this, or even a hair dryer, just be careful to not blow the papers off your desk (which YES I DID the first time I tried this!)

White Paint - Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, kind of difficult to work with, but the "gold standard" of white paint. It's very opaque and makes for a crisp paint job