2016 Planning Series: Bullet Journal Introduction | The Basic Setup | Video

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday. I am back today with another video in my 2016 planning series. I have loved sharing different planners and journals with you so far this year but now we are to the point where I want to start talking about Bullet Journaling. I want to break it down to the bare bones and share how easy it is to use this system created by Ryder Carroll. He designed a way of rapid logging that is sure to help us all in our everyday lives.  In the video below you will find the very simple system without a lot of extras. Again...it's more simple than most would realize. Hope you enjoy the video! 

I know that when you online at bullet journals many are extremely decorated and color coded....but none of that is necessary with this system. I recommend really getting to know the bullet journal and how it works with the Index, Future Log, the different collections, rapid logging, using bullets and signifiers and finally pulling it all together through migration. 

Once you have the system down, then start decorating and such if you wish. But making it complex to use normally means it won't actually get used that much. So don't make it too complex at first. Just get to know the system. And maybe some of you are already amazing at bullet journaling. But before we start really diving into the subject of bullet journaling, we should talk about the simple concept of this way of journaling/planning. 

Because I am using this system again and because I love it, I am great Moleskine Notebook that would be perfect for a new bullet journal. So I am giving one each way to a couple of you lucky winners!  You have till July 6, 2016 to get entered. You do not need a facebook account but you do have to share your email. There are a lot of ways to get entered below...to earn more entries! The winners will be announced on THIS BLOG POST. Good Luck! 

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Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed the video. I also hope it inspires you to consider using the bullet journal in  your everyday lives. There are so many different beautiful bullet journals out there but it doesn't have to be that complex. It's not suppose to make you feel stressed out to work in the journal. Instead you should feel at peace that you are accomplishing all of your tasks and staying on schedule. I do have my current bullet journal decorated a little but the analog system is what keeps it all straight! More bullet journal video's and blog posts coming soon. xx

2016 Planning Series: My FaVoRiTe 4 Planner Apps | Video |

Hello friends. I hope you are having a wonderful night. It's been a busy day for me which is why I am posting this tonight. :) Many of you have asked what planner apps I tend to use. For the longest time, I just couldn't find any that really fit my life. Our kids were not busy in sports so pen and paper worked fine. Then we moved back to our home state...our kids are older and much busier. We had to figure something out so we could all get on the same page scheduling wise. Here is what I found has been working for us. Hope you enjoy! 

I hope this helps some of you with on the go planning. I actually know people who only plan electronically and it works just fine for them. I am still not very fond of that idea but you never know! Let me know what planner apps you enjoy the most if you feel like sharing! xx

2016 Planning Series { Travel Journals } Video & Giveaway!

Hello friends! Today I am back with another video in my 2016 Planner Series. This time I am going over some new travel journals that I have fallen in love with. You can check everything out in the video....there are more photos and the giveaway form below. Hope you enjoy! 

This Mead Travel Journal I found at Target for around $15.00. I absolutely loved it when I saw it.  There are 3 different sections with lined paper, craft paper and grid paper in between. It has a ton of pockets for any additional travel items you would like to keep. I love the rings that secure this journal together so you can either take a page out to work on it and it gives you room to build it up. 

I plan on using this to record some trips we already took and I will continue to fill it up with even more day/weekend/ trips and vacations. 

Another Travel Journal of sorts that I love is this one I found on Etsy in PooBirds Rarities Shop.  I thought the design of this was nice. And I love that you can customize it with the states that you wish. I got this one done in a South Carolina/Indiana theme. 

For this one, I plan on making it our moving journal. I have saved so much stuff from our move from South Carolina to Indiana and this book will be amazing to document it. I love how much effort she puts in these little travel journals! If you are interested in getting one of the notebooks right now, Jennifer is giving us a 15% discount using the code: TNLOVE2016

And since I love them...I thought you would as well. So I am giving one each way to a couple of you lucky winners!  You have till June 8th to get entered. You do not need a facebook account but you do have to share your email. There are a lot of ways to get entered below...to earn more entries! The winner will be announced on THIS BLOG POST. Good Luck! 

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Thanks so much for stopping by today. I am so in love with these travel journals and I couldn't wait to share them with you! As I mentioned in the video above, I plan on not just doing a show and tell, I also plan on doing flip throughs when  they are done! Stay tuned...more coming in 2016! Let me know if you have any questions or comments! xx

ZLYC: Fauxdori | Video | Unboxing | Midori Comparison | GiVeAwAy |

Hello friends! I hope you are having a great evening. I am back tonight with a new video in my 2016 Planner series. I love my Midori. I really do. However, many of you guys have expressed to me that it's a bit costly to get one and get it setup. And that's so true. It's not cheap but I look at it as a huge life investment. However, I was looking around at a lot of Fauxdori and this set from ZLYC really impressed me. Everything is in the video and there are more pictures and the giveaway form below! 

I found this brand on Amazon just lurking around at fake Midori Style Notebooks. Once I found these I read the reviews and thought they would be interesting to check out and explore. 

With Prime shipping they were here in just a couple of days. You can see that each box has a sticker with the color of each Notebook. 

 I thought the packaging was very similar to the Midori Packaging. They give you a little burlap bag that keeps the leather notebook in good shape during the shipping process. It came with an extra orange elastic, and a little booklet explaining the process with the leather and how to clean it. The nice unique thing to this company and these notebooks is they are not only beautifully made they come with three inserts as well. I don't think they guarantee any particular inserts but I do believe that every notebook comes with a monthly calendar. My larger ZYLC notebook came with a insert with lined pages, a monthly calendar and then a insert with blank paper. When you purchase a Midori you get just one insert. So that's saving within itself. The Midori inserts can cost you on average $12.00 - $25.00 each. One of the nicest things is you can order these in a set for a very affordable price. 

I absolutely love the embossed design on these notebooks. It's really what stood out the most to me. The leather is really nice. It's very beautiful, soft and actually more flexible than my Midori.  This is one of the most beautiful journals I have to date. the workmanship, especially the quality of the embossing, is amazing. Currently I am using the larger sized Midori Travelers Notebook → Click here for my current setup ←  and I thought this larger size would be perfect for my everyday journaling and also to just add to my collection! :)

I also decided to order the smaller passport size. This is the coffee color and again it has a beautiful flowers embossed on the leather cover. Again it came with 3 inserts. This time...a grid insert, a monthly calendar and then another grid notebook. I use my smaller Midori Passport size for my wallet and I love it. I could do the exact same with this new ZYLC Notebook. 

 You can see the comparisons from the ZYLC to the Midori. They are basically the same size....they are very similar except the ZYLC is a bit cheaper in cost. Plus you get three inserts with each one. The nice thing is any Midori inserts will fit these just fine. Both are very beautiful from ZLYC and since I love them...I want to share them with a couple of you guys! Below you will find the entry form to get entered. One winner will receive the larger size just like the one I shared and another winner will win the smaller size...same color. You have till June 1st to get entered. You do not need a facebook account but you do have to share your email. There are a lot of ways to get entered below...to earn more entries! The winner will be announced on THIS BLOG POST. Good Luck! 

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Thank you for stopping by tonight. I really hope you like this alternative to the Midori Travelers Notebook. If you have any questions be sure to let me know. Next week I will be back with even more planners/journals with another giveaway! :) See ya soon! xx

2016 Planner / Journal Series: The Pray! Prayer Journal Video, Blog Post & Giveaway!

Hello friends! I hope you are having a fantastic Tuesday! I am back sharing another video in my 2016 planner/Journal series. I am excited to be sharing and giving away this simple and beautiful prayer journal. I take you through it all in the video. Below you will find more photos, information and the giveaway form. Hope you enjoy!

For a while now I have wanted to get a prayer journal. I honestly don't know much about them but I am across the Pray! Prayer Journal by Dean Riding. This seemed to have everything in it that I was hoping for. 

The beginning pages gives you a place to put your name and the current year and of course the table of contents taking you through the journal. 

There is a very simple introduction telling a story of a young man named Dawson Trotman. Then it goes into how this prayer journal will help you grow in intimacy with God. It is to help you conduct an extended prayer meeting of your own!

 In the beginning section of the journal it gives you a really nice roadmap of a prayer schedule that could work for anyone. It explains exactly how to use each section. Examples of prayers that you " could " use with a lot of scriptures as well. I really like the break down of this section. Each day you have a different group to pray for.

Then you go into the weekly layout. The format focuses on a different category each day but you don't have to follow that if you don't wish. These pages in the weekly section are really a place to put the people, situations and circumstances you are praying for. Beside the date is also a section in the bible to read...taking you through the entire bible in one year if you follow it. On the left side of the page there is scripture. Each week there is a new verse to help teach us and guide us. There are also prayer tips and tid-bits of information on each page.

At the end of the month, there is a monthly reflection section to write out what God is saying to you. There is also a prayer for the month. On the opposite page, there are tips and prayers just to inspire you even more.

Each month has a new purpose. It really doesn't matter where you start in your year. I am actually starting in May. I hope to use this journal until April 2017. 

 In the back there is more information and resources to really make this prayer journal work for you. I love love love the answered prayer section. It's one of my favorite sections of all.

 There is even more information packed into the last pages of this journal. It's such a really well thought out prayer journal. See why I love it?

I am so impressed by this journal/workbook. I think it will only make life better to have a set out plan for praying. I make time to pray everyday..morning, night and and any time in between. I need all the help I can get! :)

This prayer journal seems unique like no other. I love it. I think it is great for personal use but you really could get everyone in your home one of this journals and go through it together and maybe just keep the prayers private. But you could go through the lessons, scriptures, bible readings and such with anyone. I think it would be a great gift for anyone at any age. It's truly inspirational and I love it Since I love it so much I am sharing one prayer journal with 4 of you luck winners! It's open to everyone. You just have to use the form below to get entered...super easy! You have 2 weeks and I will announce the winners on this blog post post! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you don't really want to wait you can go ahead and find the Pray! Prayer Journal right here. 

    

I think it will be life changing for whomever uses it. I am so excited about finally sharing this with you guys because I really want to start using it. I doubt I will ever share this journal with anyone because I think our prayers are deeply personal. Any conversation with God is personal and private. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a beautiful and blessed day. xx

My 2016 Midori Travelers Notebook Setup- Video | April 2016 |

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful day. I got up early today just for traffic court! I will have more about it in my Tuesday Truths blog post later today. Instead, I am back sharing a look inside my Midori Travelers Notebook that I am so in love with. It has worked really nice and I love how you can replace the inserts as you need or even when you want to change it. Here's the video if you want to see how I have it set up! 

Everyone is different and my setup might not work for you but as you can see, it is full and customized to my life. I realize that a lot of the Midori products are not cheap but I reason it out because this is a book I can keep forever. I think it's ok to spend a little more on a planner system that you can reuse for years to come. I do have a cheaper alternative that I plan on sharing with you in the coming weeks but nothing beats Midori. I am still using the passport size for my wallet which I doubt I will ever change. It works great and again..it's simply beautiful. 

If you haven't checked out my unboxing yet, here's that video as well. 

At the bottom of the blog you can find links to these notebooks in case you want to get yourself one! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a beautiful and blessed day. xx

2016 Planning Series: Polaroid Zip Demo & Review | Video |

Hello everyone. This evening I am sharing a new product that I absolutely love....The Polaroid Zip Portable Photo Printer. I take you through why I love it, how I use it along with a lot more in the video. Also below is more information about where you can find this printer! 

This is a rather small printer but it packs a punch. This is a inkless printer using zink photo paper with the ink basically built into it. I love that. It comes with a charging cord and The printer connects to both iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth. So as long as you have a smartphone you can use it.   You simply download the free Polaroid ZIP app, set up the Bluetooth and start printing right way. The phone app gives you several different ways to print you're pictures out including a full size quick print, photo edit options, collage frames, and more.

I have used this printer for so much since I got it back in December 2015. I show a few of those ways in the video but the possibilities are endless.  You can even print a business card on the go. And since this printer is so small you can pretty much take it anywhere. I have tossed it in my purse many times while traveling. It's perfect for on the go! 

I loved using this printer to design the mission board in my Midori Travelers Notebook. I have actually used it in a lot of ways throughout my planner and even on our family calendar that hangs on the chalkboard wall. It's so handy and I think anyone who loves to decorate their planner or calendars. It's perfect for a scrapbooker and I bet many of you would truly love this. I'ts so nice. It prints very clear photos and has a made a huge difference in personalizing some of the days in my planner. I think my planner/ travelers notebook means more with person photos running through it. 

You can find this printer in a bunch of different places. You can find the bundle with Erin Condren right here and you can get a discount using my link in the sidebar. You can also find it on amazon as well as the paper. :)

Thanks for stopping by. I have a ton of planner videos coming up for you in my 2016 Planning Series. You can check out the first video of the series → Planning for Beginners | Picking a Planner & Structuring Your Days| ←n case you want to check it out! I will be adding many many more videos in this series this year. I hope you find them helpful, motivating and encouraging. Have a great night. xx

Planning for Beginners | Picking a Planner & Structuring Your Days | Video |

Hello friends! I can't believe we made it to hump day already. I have been up and moving this morning getting Jackson to the Dr and then back to school. Thankfully I am home because it's been rainy and windy with tornado warnings all over the place. I thought today I would share this planning for beginners video because I have been asked a lot about how to get started. I know many of you are interested in the decorating aspect of planning ( probably from all those amazing planner photos on instagram! ) but I thought we should put these videos up in the right order. Before we start the fun decorating part of planning, I am going into actually finding that right planner for yourself and figuring out how to structure your own days. I ramble on for a while in this video so grab a cup of tea and settle in. Hope you enjoy! 

Planning is very personal and individual. What works for me might not work for you. I think it's so important to keep track of your appointment's but also your to do list along with tasks and projects. I really don't know any other way of life than scheduling out my days. Even in times when I am feeling a little down, I rely on my planner to make sure I don't just lay around. I feel it really holds me accountable. 

There are so many planners to pick from. Right now I am currently in my Midori Travelers Notebook. It's been working really well from me. However, I have used a ton of different planners....here are a few of my favorite planner shops ( in no particular order ) 

Inkwell Press

Erin Condren

Passion Planner

Midori Travlers Notebook 

Personal Planner

Filofax

Sugar Paper Planners

Paper Source

kikki-k

riflepaperco

poketo

moleskine

kate spade

Emily Ley

I also wanted to let you know a few of my favorite planning instagram accounts. These are not links... you will have to go search the name yourself within the app. 

Planning Friends on Instagram

theplannersociety
mylifeplanner
thebusybeeshop
the1407planners
paperpanduh
taylor.plans
popfizzpaper
penpalhappyness
lindsayplans
awifenmother
filoally
hobbylane
scrappinlove
happiescrappie
l0vage
twolilbees
labelmemerrit
seaweedkisses

There is so much great information out there about planning. I hope you can find some inspiration to break your planners out and see how they are really working for you. We are not too far into a new year to get a new planner to suit you're needs better. I will have a lot of new planner videos coming up in 2016 so stay tuned! If you have any questions or comments be sure to let me know. xx