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

FREEBIE FRIDAY - Weekly Layout for Sept 11-17 in My DIY Planner

It seems like no matter how many videos I record (the answer is over 300) I always seem to turning into a flustered mess whenever I hit "RECORD" 😑.

This week I wanted to show my weekly layout process. Obviously I couldn't just SHOW you, because I also have a FREE TEMPLATE that I used this week. Watch below to see how I use it (but please ignore my inability to get the washi tape to stick and completely leaving out the last column on the right-hand page >.<)

PLEASE, PLEASE download this FREE TEMPLATE and give me feedback about its use. I'd love to be able to offer other templates, but not if they are "meh" though 😅.

In the second part of the video my severe number dyslexia shows through and I start to write the number as "71" instead of "17" (so >.< again!)

Oh well, you get the point, and I tried to redeem myself with the ambidextrous blending at the end!

Again!! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE TEMPLATE!! 👇

Materials Used (The following contains affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, which do 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)

DIY Planner - Leuchtturm 1917 Dot Grid Hardcover - love this notebook! Sturdy, lays flat and the dots are perfect for customizing any layout

Pens (Black) - Tombow MONO Drawing Pen 03 and 01 sizes - I use the 03 for the outside lines and 01 for inside grid lines (Not affiliate links for these pens)

Pen (Brush Pens) - Sakura Koi Brush Pens - typically I prefer Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens for my lettering pieces, but the Koi Brush Pens stay "wet" a little longer making blending easier

Pen (Blending) - I use my Tombow Colorless Blender pen for creating an ombre effect with my pink brush pens

Pen (Pink) - I like to use Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens for detailing my Planner  - they are very comfortable in my hand and come in LOTS of amazing colors 

White Pen - I made a couple of mistakes, but corrected them with my Signo Uniball White Gel Pen 

Watch Me Work - 30 Days Hath September

This post is dedicated to one of my Calligra-besties Heather Muniz 💚 (well, it would definitely be dedicated to her if I didn't think it was soooo 👎 😅).

Heather has a saying, "30 days hath September - all the rest I can remember", so that is where the inspiration from this piece came from.

First I did a green background using a plastic sandwich bag and some water-based markers

This is a really simple technique that gives a really cool look (learn from my mistake though, and use a heat gun NOT a hair dryer as it will blow your papers all over the place!). 

Next was the lettering.

Admittedly, this is not very good flourishing. But flourishing is something I struggle with, so I look forward to "re-doing" this piece in a few months to show myself how much I've improved 🙏.

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

Markers for background - any water-based markers will do (read: Crayolas), but here I used my Tombow Dual Tip Brush Pens (there are smaller packs available as well, like this 10-Pack of bright colors)

Water Brush (to wet surface) - Pentel Aquash Brush (yes, I recommend the 3-pack, I use all three regularly)

Heat Gun - this one is comparable to one I purchased at Michaels. (It's also perfect for embossing too!)

Brush Pen - Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip (MY FAVORITE PEN!) The double side is perfect for practicing AND shading!

Pencil - Tombow Pencil Set (these are actually one of my most used lettering tools, and I've only recently discovered them 😅 )

Fine Tip Pen - here I used a Steadtler Fineliner, but I also recommend the Pigma Micron Pens (I was just too lazy to go downstairs and grab it 😜 )

Starting a Brand New DIY Planner - the First Step

OK! You've ordered your DIY Planner and want to dive into the world of uber-organizing, but you have NO IDEA where to start?! Sound like you? This was exactly how I felt when I received my first notebook.

All the pages are blank?! What am I supposed to write?! What if I make a mistake?! 

Before you begin, these are my TWO "GOLDEN RULES" of DIY Planning:

1. You're going to make a mistake, just accept it will happen. You can use a white gel pen, or washi tape to just cover it up. NO BIG DEAL! Worst case: you "mess up" an entire page. Just leave it and turn to the next one. (If it really bugs you, tape the two pages together and you'll never see it again!)
2. Try something new - every week, each spread. Do yourself a favor and change it up a little bit. It doesn't have to be a big, dramatic change. You never know if something is going to work for you unless you try it.

Now, that you've accepted the fact you're not perfect and you're willing to try something new each layout, here's my advice for your FIRST STEP in your new planner:

Pencil in what trackers / layouts / swatches you think you might want to use and LET IT SIT FOR A WEEK. In that week, browse Pinterest, Instagram, whatever to see if any other ideas stand out to you. Adjust your pencil outlines as necessary, and that way if you come across something you like, but hadn't thought of, it's super easy to incorporate it into your new planner.

Here's me setting up my next / new planner I'll be using starting October 2017.

I'm lucky because this is my second planner, so I already have a pretty good idea of how I will be using this planner. My previous planner lasted about 8 months, so here is how I plan on breaking down my second planner:

FRONT - Long Term Trackers

• 12 Months-on-a-Page
• Book Log
• Movie Log
• Series Tracker
• Future Log (4 Months to a 2-Page Spread)

NOTE: I do leave several pages blank in between the Series Tracker and the start of my Future Log in case other Long Term Projects appear.

Some other ideas for Long Term Trackers

• Savings Log
• Debt Repayment Log
• Bill Tracker - Whole Year
• Travel Log

MIDDLE (Starting on page 22) - Actual Planning Pages. My monthly spread typically consists of:

• Gratitude Log
• Monthly Calendar / Bill Tracker Spread
• Blog Planning
• Instagram Tracking
• Then a Weekly Layout and Daily Note Spread for each week

Some other Planning Pages to Consider:

• Monthly "Plan With Me" Challenges
• Monthly Doodle Challenges
• Monthly Lettering Challenges

The last few pages of the Planner are perforated so you can write on those and transfer them to your next planner (or secure the with washi tape and leave them in this planner)

END - Swatches / Special Projects

• Swatch - Pens I use in my Planner
• Swatch - Colored Pencils
• Swatch - Brush Pens
• Special Project - Weight Tracking
• Special Project - 100 Lettering Projects to Gift

I use the end of my planner for "Special Projects" I don't necessarily want everyone to see when I'm flipping though the front of my planner 😜 ). As I blog about the other sections, I'll link back to this article so you can easily see what I mean for each point.

Please feel free to share pages / layouts / trackers you use in your planner!! 👇

PRODUCTS USED: (the following contains affiliate links, unless otherwise noted. Affiliate links 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.)

Notebook - Leuchtturm 1917 Hardcover Dot Grid. Comes in LOTS of colors, so browse until you see one you like. This notebook is great because it includes an index, the pages are already numbered and because it's a hard cover, it lays flat when you're writing on it.

Pens - Pentel Touch Sign Pens, Flexible Tip. Make sure you buy the brush / flexible tip, and NOT the felt tip if you intend to use these for brush lettering.

Watch Me Work - Things My Child Says - This is CNNN

Sometimes when you're not sure what you want to letter, you just need to take a second and listen to the words floating around your own home. Fortunately for me I have a pre-schooler, so there is never a shortage of "interesting" things being said 😅.

Part I is the watercolor background for the piece.

This is a great technique if you wanted something that won't distract from your lettering. I used 1 color, but you can use multiple colors and blend them together to give beautiful backgrounds. I also used some metallic watercolor paints to help give it additional shimmer. It's important to make sure your brush is *really* wet when you do this, so the color blends more easily.

Part II is the lettering

I often struggle with composition, so I still think the last word placement is a little awkward, but I'm not sure where it would fit better 😑 (I'm open to suggestions). 

Anywho, this was an actual conversation I have with my 4 and a half year old Little Dude

Little Dude: Mom, I NEED to watch CNNN

Me: Why? Who do you want to watch?

Little Dude: President TRUMP! 

Me: Um, really? Who's your favorite to watch?

Little Dude: Jake Tapper!!

Me: Okay, do you remember who was on vacation this week?

Little Dude: Mr. Wolf Blister 

And of course, his favorite part is the channel announcement done by James Earl Jones. Though he doesn't *quite* have the word order correct 😂.

This was filmed with Hyperlapse and Edited with Flow (speed changes) and Chromic (visual edits). The materials I used were as follows (yes, these are affiliate links, unless otherwise noted, and do not cost you extra, but do pay me a small commission if you are so kind to make a purchase based on my recommendations). Thank you!

Watercolor Paint - Ecoline Watercolors. I used Pastel Red here, but by far, the best place to find them online are here (Blick Arts, NOT an affiliate link). If choosing colors overwhelms you, I do recommend this 10 color set 

Metallic Paint - I really love my Finetec metallic paints. Here's a comparable set from Blick Arts (not an affiliate link) that has really pretty gold and silver colors (though it's out of stock until Tuesday 😒) (This set is currently in stock on Amazon) . Also, this Kuretake Gansai Tambi set is supposed to be very similar in quality for a lower price.

Water Brush - perfect for watercolors, this set of Pental Aquash water brushes is by far the best price I've found. (And YES! You'll use all three)

Brush Tip Pen - the Tombow Fudenosuke Twin Tip is my FAVORITE brush pen of all time. It's perfect for practice and final pieces. (YES! Get the 3-pack! You'll never want to be without it, plus when it "dries out" you can just dip it in different color inks and create gorgeous ombre lettering!)

White Paint - You CANNOT use the Uniball Signo white pen on red - it turns pink. If you want to create details like I did in the video, you need to use Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White. I used a dip pen to make my lines, but this ink works just as well with a brush / water brush too.

Welcome to September in My DIY Planner

Hooray for a new month! (AND the first blog post on my new website!)

Recently I started creating a "Gratitude Log" in my DIY planner for each month. Normally I letter the words first, then I add boxes all around the rest of the spread (one for each day of the month). Buuuuuut because I was trying to be "slick" for my video I estimated how much space I thought the letters would take and I tried to plan my boxes first.

BIG MISTAKE! I got flustered half-way thru 'September' because I didn't leave myself enough room and completely forgot how to "bounce" my letters <face palm>.

I also took it a step further and recorded the full layout of the Gratitude Log. This was my first video recording from this height, so please excuse my nose and crazy hair in some of the shots. Next time I know to not lean in and also braid my hair before hand! 😂

Comment and let me know what you think! I can also create a digital version of the layout if people are interested.

Below are some of the products I used to create this layout. NOTE: these are Affiliate Links, so while the item price to you doesn't change i do receive a small commission if you are so kind as to make a purchase from my recommendations.

Brush Pens - Sakura Koi Brush Pens (I usually use Tombow Dual Tips, but from my DIY Planner, these stay "wet" a little longer for blending)

Blending Pen - I did use the Tombow Colorless Blender for this

Notebook - I really love my Leuchtturm 1917 hardcover dot grid. 

Fine Tip Pen - I usually use Staedtler Fineliners but I recently discovered the Tombow Mono Drawing Pens and really like the 03 for making boxes and 01 for writing in my planner (That one isn't an affiliate link 😉 )

Metallic Accents - were created with the Gold G2 Gel Pen from this set