Instagram has me going crazy on a daily basis. I don’t know about you but when I see something super cute each day I feel like I need to find it and buy it. I often see someone that is showing some awesome hand lettering and I am completely obsessed. I am also a huge font junkie. I don’t even know how many fonts I have but let me tell you this much: it isn’t nearly enough. I hunt for fonts on a daily basis. I am always stalking all kinds of sites and if I don’t know what font it is I am frantically sending a message to see if I can find out the name of it. Yes, I know it is obsessive and I admit it. 

So today I wanted to share some sites I found for hand lettering. This is something I would love to get into. Some of the sites share “how to” videos or provide a closer look of the hand lettering process. There are several sites for classes as well. Amazon has several good books you can purchase to learn how to do some awesome lettering that I will link below. 

If you do not follow Mommylhey on Instagram you should be following her. She shares a lot of quick little videos of her writing. She is amazing to say the least and also designs her own line of stamps that are super cute. Even more impressive is that the stamps are all her handwriting.

She has an “Inspireme365” challenge going on where she posts an inspiring quote each day encouraging others to join in on the fun. Check out her website to learn more: www.mommylheydesigns.com.

Photos courtesy of mommylheydesigns.com

She simply amazes me on a daily basis. She is truly a talented lady and someone that has the kindest heart as well. She just oozes sweetness and it's rare anymore to find someone so genuine. I have been lucky to find several ladies to call friends that embody those qualities and Lhey is at the top of that list. If the whole world could have a small portion of her qualities then we would live in a much better place. 

Here is just one of her videos on brush script. If you look through her videos you will find several:  

Here is a great site from Carmia Cronjé where you can find some free tutorials on handwriting:

Clementine Creative

I purchased Creative Lettering: Techniques and Tips from Top Artists from Amazon to try to learn some hand lettering. If you do a search on there a lot of different books come up.

When it comes to hand lettering, it is all about the pens you use. Lhey has posted on her Instagram several pens she uses and where she gets them, including a shop called Ballpens and Etc.

Another great Youtuber who is awesome at creating hand lettered projects and has several videos showing the way she does it is Kristina Werner of K Werner Designs.

Check her channel out. I think you will find her creativeness so inspirational with card making and all the various types of projects she does. 

I hope you find this as interesting as I do and will join me in creating some great doodles and hand lettering to decorate your planner further, create some great home decor projects to hang on the wall, or just create a special gift for someone. I know it is on my to do list to try it all out and see if I can do it. Don't get discouraged when trying because I am sure it takes some time to learn. Remember, we can add our own personality into it. Our hand lettering doesn't have to be perfect and that in and of itself is what makes it perfect to me. Would you love to learn to do this? Think about the possibilities! 

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This blog post was written by Debbie Crowder for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Debbie visit her blog at www.craftinchaos.com. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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A planner addiction is a gateway to a whole ton of new addictions—like my washi addiction, sticker addiction, Instagram addiction…the list goes on. Since I first became active in planner decorating at the beginning of this year, I have discovered way too many beautiful Etsy sticker shops and placed way too many orders leading to a new problem: how am I going to store and organize all these stickers?!

I may not have mentioned this but my mom, my friends, and my boyfriend would probably tell you that I’m also addicted to organizing. Because of that addiction, I’ve tried it all, and I want to share with you the pros and cons of each sticker storage solution.

1. The Pocket Folder: You know those storage folders you can find for one dollar in the Target dollar spot or at the dollar store? Sometimes referred to as “coupon organizers?” This was the first method I ever tried, and for a beginning or someone who doesn’t have tons of stickers like I do, this might be the perfect solution.

PROS:

• No setup required
• Cheap and easy to find
• Relatively easy to travel with
• Easy to stack in a drawer and store away
• Various sizes to accommodate various sticker sheet sizes

CONS:

• Can become cluttered
• Don’t stand up on their own
• Not the best quality product in the world
• Can’t see the whole sheet of stickers at once
• Limited number of pockets to hold and organize stickers

 

2. The Photo Album: I was so sure this was the one, and for some, it may be. There are a lot of convenient features to using a mini photo album and I think it is well suited for someone with a smaller sticker collection. They can be found at the dollar store and everyone loves a dollar deal!

PROS:

• Easy to store
• Travel friendly
• Customizable covers
• Relatively cheap and easy to find
• Protects sticker sheets and keeps them flat

CONS:

• Does not fit large sticker sheets
• A lot of time is required to cut sheets to fit
• Not easy to add new stickers in the middle of a category
• Only holds so many sheets (I think I had like 5 of these at one time!)

 

3. The Mini Binder: Once mini binders were released in the Target dollar spot they became super popular. They feature cute prints and who can resist anything mini? This was the second method I went to, relieving me (mostly) of the clump of pocket folders I had become accustomed to.

I found that this method was perfect for sticker sheets around the size of the KG Planner sheets…and in my opinion, not much else.

PROS:

• Easy to flip through
• Fits most sticker sheets
• Allows you to see the full sheet at once
• Page protectors keep sticker sheets safe and flat
• Dividers make organizing by category or shop easy
• Decent size to carry around - any bag that fits your planner, can fit a mini binder

CONS:

• Requires more initial setup and money
• Doesn’t fit ALL sticker sheets (Hello Libbie&Co!)
• Mini binders and dividers can be a little hard to find in stores
• Pulling stickers in and out of the page protector can be annoying
• When a sticker sheet is too small, it doesn’t sit very well in the page protector

4. The Cardstock Method: this method has become really popular in the Facebook sticker world lately, and I couldn’t resist giving it a shot! So I spent 2 hours and 3 sticky rollers to try out the latest craze. I think this method works really well for those who have a large sticker collection that they are constantly adding to.

PROS:

• Shows the entire sheet
• Easy to add new sheets or rearrange
• Easy to flip through and organize
• Holds small sticker sheets in place
• Really fits ALL sticker sheets (Even Libbie&Co)

CONS:

• More up front material costs
• Not as portable (but still doable)
• Time consuming to hole punch cardstock and glue in stickers
• Not as easy to peel stickers off the sheets once they are glued down

I think I’ve managed to try just about every way to organize stickers – and I’m pretty happy with my final solution…but it can always be better! Do you have tips or tricks on how you organize your stickers?

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This blog post was written by Kelly Cosgrove for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Kelly connect with her on Instagram: @kellysprettyplanner. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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Labor Day is here, and many of you might be spending the long weekend at the beach or the pool. I’m sure all of you know that packing for the pool or beach can be a big task, especially if you’re packing for more than one of you. I pack for myself (sometimes my husband) plus three kids under the age of 5! Sometimes it takes us more than two hours to get out of the house for the day for an activity. For 5 people, we might even need to pack more than 2 bags. With summer coming to an end far too fast, I’m trying to get the most out of the semi warm weather we are having in Chicago by getting my kids to the pool, splash pad and local beach!

Beach Bag Essentials:

1. Large Beach Bag

Thirty One Large Utility Tote is the one shown here.

2. Limelife Planner and stickers of course, 'cause I’m always planning.

3. Beach Towels

4. Beach Blanket

5. Sunscreen: Apply before you leave and then every 90 minutes after, for as long as you are there.

6. Snacks: I usually allow the kids an ice cream. The price of a bag of chips at any pool, park, etc. is usually outrageous. Save yourself the extra money and bring your own snacks!

7. Magazine or Book: If your kids are big enough to run around, take this as your relaxation time. Soak up those rays and enjoy.

8. Large Umbrella: This maybe good if you have young ones, getting them out of the sun for a brief period of time to cool off is always nice.

9. Water

Lots and lots of water! I usually pack ours in Thermos canisters to keep them nice and cold. I bring back up bottles in a cooler as well.

10. Bug Spray: With all the rain we have had in my neighborhood, the bugs have been so bad. I apply after sunscreen.

11. Wet Ones: A must!

12. Swimmer Diapers and Regualr Diapers

13. Change of Clothes: I bring the kids in their swimsuits but before we leave I change diapers and put on new dry clothes for the way home.

14. Plastic Bags: Use these for wet clothes and garbage.

15. Hand Sanitizer: I never go anywhere without this.

16. Beach Toys: Our community pool won’t allow any toys but when we go to splash pads or the beach, it is a must!

17. Hats/Sunglasses

18. First Aid Kit: Always good to have it as a back up.

Now that I have pretty much packed our entire house, it’s time for some fun in the sun! Have fun and enjoy the rest of the summer weather!

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This blog post was written by Jamie Lee for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Jamie visit her website at Reveal Photography. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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One of Limelife’s newest add-on options is the Fitness Add-On. As soon as I saw it, I got really excited. Fitness is a big part of my life, and often requires some planning and organization.

One of the first sections I tried was the Food Log. I use the Meal Planning section of my planner for our family meals, but I sometimes like to plan out my lunches. I’ve found that if I plan out my lunches, they tend to be healthier. If I don’t have a plan, I’m too tempted to munch on lots of peanut butter and cheese (not together…yuck). When my lunches are planned, I can just take a quick glance before I do my grocery shopping to make sure I have everything on hand.

Another great feature here is the hydration log. I’m super terrible at drinking enough water, but the checkboxes really help. My personality doesn’t allow for a box to remain unchecked, so I’m more hydrated than ever with this log!

The other section I really love is the activity log. I’m usually training for a race of some sort, and I love being able to map out my weekly runs. It helps me make sure that I’m getting the proper training in without overdoing it.

I also thought the daily step log was a fun way to keep track of daily steps. It was interesting for me to compare my daily steps over the course of a few weeks.

In addition to these sections, the Fitness Add-On has some really great logs, including a goal sheet and a body measurement tracker. This add-on is great for both the beginner and the fitness enthusiast!

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This blog post was written by Abbey Niebel for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Abbey connect with her on Instagram: @mrsniebel. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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Everyone has to do it whether they want to or not. The “B” word. Budget. As a child, I remember my mom teaching me how to use Excel and forcing me to budget my allowance. That was dull and boring compared to what Limelife offers me today.

To begin, I use my monthly view to track my monthly bills. I have customized stickers that I ordered from Planner Pandemonium. Vicki, the owner of Planner Pandemonium, allows you to select the symbols to represent each bill, the colors using the Color Sample Sheet, and the amounts needed for each bill.

Then, when I go to write out my budget, I refer to my monthly view for each bill’s due date. It’s nice to have everything you need in one place versus having to go digging in all kinds of different places.

Limelife's  Budget Add-On Pages also include budget guidelines, a master budget sheet, a debt worksheet, and check register pages. Just like everything else that Limelife Planners creates, this add-on is beautiful and useful, and I recommend it to everyone.

Share your budgeting methods in the comments section below. It’s always good to get fresh ideas on budgeting. 

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This blog post was written by Elliscia Axson-Hall for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Elliscia visit her on Instagram @elliscia_plans. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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Today I wanted to share with you an exciting new digital download offered by Limelife Planners. It's a set of 12-month Monthly Forecast pages that you can add into your planner using the acrylic pocket, or by creating your own pocket (like I did!). The Monthly Forecast features a spot for a Top 10 list and several different task & goal categories. This digital download has given me a place to write more detailed monthly goals and tasks into my monthly pages.  

Here you can see I have a fully filled out page that I've placed between my month on two pages. I can easily flip it between the pages so I can see both sides of the month. I can refer to the Monthly Forecast when planning each week and see what has been done and what needs done. I love having a spot where I can write more lengthy goals. If you're anything like me, you need more than the side column in your month on two page spread.

Each Monthly Forecast is designed to match the color scheme of the current month. We're in August and the Monthly Forecast is a beautiful blue that corresponds with the August tabs and text. As someone who decorates every page of her planner, this also helps me easily pick my color scheme for the month pages. In my blog post "Documenting Memories In Your Planner," I tell you how to add in your own removable pockets. I made one for each month for my Monthly Forecasts and will be leaving them in my planner permanently for reference.  I like the idea of being able to look back at the end of the year and see what all I accomplished (or didn't, ahah).

This month is a particularly busy month for me. Actually, I'm sure August is busy for most parents! My son is going into his senior year of high school in a week. Not only is it his birthday month but he started driving this month, he started his first job, and had his last ever band camp for high school. All very big "firsts and lasts" in his life that I've documented in my monthly forecast "Important Events."

Once again, Limelife has amazed me with an amazing product that will help me be as productive as possible. I'm not sure how I survived before I had the current planner setup that I have now. The Monthly Forecast Digital Download is available for only $5. You'll definitely want to buy the set for yourself now that the Limelife Shop has opened back up! 

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This blog post was written by Emilee Adams for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Emilee visit her blog at www.emileespeaks.com. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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One thing I struggled with when I started to get really into decorating my planner was having the right stickers. I would be working on a theme and wouldn’t have the right sticker in the right color even though I felt like I had thousands of stickers! It’s really frustrating to start a bee themed week only to realize that you have one bee sticker or an orange theme when you have no orange checklists!

So then, being the shopaholic that I am, I would go sticker shopping on Etsy. However, because there are so many options I would end up at a complete loss about what kind of stickers I should get. I’ve finally found a solution!

I’ve started to use the note pages in the back of my planner as a pre-planning area. I know, pre-planning your planning sounds a little over the top, but it’s been extremely helpful—at least in the design aspects of my spreads. When I can coordinate weekly themes with events or with stickers and washi I already own, it’s easier to use what I have and to know what to buy in the future. Pre-planning makes sure I’m fully using the stickers I already own instead of just hoarding sticker sheets even though sometimes it’s tempting.

Having it all laid out allows me to feel better about my obsessive sticker purchases. “These watermelon full boxes are for the first week in September,” I’ll say. But it also helps curb my spending as well. If my theme is already set and I know I have the stickers for it, it’s easier for me to use my willpower and just say no to those adorable safari stickers.

The other thing that really helps me keep it all together is my clear pocket. It’s the perfect size to hold just the stickers I’m using for the week so instead of digging through my sticker binders, I have easy access to the stickers I want to use each week. It makes on-the-go planning a heck of a lot easier and is just another thing to keep me organized!

How do you theme your weeks? Let me know down below if I’m missing a crucial pre-planning, theming, or decorating tip!

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This blog post was written by Kelly Cosgrove for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Kelly connect with her on Instagram: @kellysprettyplanner. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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The countdown is on! Back to school is near (if not already started for some). I started planning a month ago for school shopping, meeting the teacher, school schedules and such. To help me stay organized I like to use stickers to stand out so I can remember certain dates and events. I purchased some brightly colored stickers from Lillie Henry to match my beautiful Limelife Planner.

I picked the matte stickers over glossy because that is more my style but glossy is also a choice. The stickers that Erin from Lillie Henry designs are very functional and clean, yet creative. As soon as I received them I laid out my planner and got the school schedule with the dates on it. I went through my planner and placed the stickers where we have first day, days off, parent teacher conferences, Thanksgiving break, winter break and so on.

The School Days sticker set even includes snack day, which is great for my family because I have a son in preschool and we have designated days to bring snacks.

Lillie Henry has Picture Day stickers, something that is super important to remember. There’s every sticker for each child’s special school events. This whole set really was designed perfectly. As a busy mom of three, I needed a set to help me remember all the different days and events!  Erin really nailed it down with these stickers!

To celebrate we are giving away a set of her Back to School Stickers! You will get 3 sheets of sticker sheets for your Limelife Planner! All you have to do is go to the Limelife Planners Instagram and follow the directions to enter the giveaway. Make sure you check out Lillie Henry on Etsy to see all of the great stickers she has to offer. Happy Planning!

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This blog post was written by Jamie Lee for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Jamie visit her website at Reveal Photography. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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I’m one of these people that always has a slew of pens/highlighters/Sharpies in my bag. Most of my friends know this, and are always asking to borrow a pen. If you’re like me, you have your pens, and then you have your PENS. There are days I’d rather give away one of my children than let one of my favorite pens out of sight. Here’s an easy tutorial for creating a pencil bag to keep your special pens in a special place.

Materials:

To start, you’ll need two pieces of fabric for the outside, and two pieces for the lining (4 pieces total). They can be any size at all, and for this tutorial, I used 6 inches x 11 inches. You’ll also need a zipper. I used an industrial-type zipper, just because I liked the way it looked, but any type will work just fine.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. To start, we’ll attach the zipper. Get your zipper foot on your machine.  It’s the one with two bars, one on each side.  Don’t be scared of this; it’s just so that you can sew close to the zipper.

2. Make a zipper sandwich with your fabric. Put one piece of lining face up, then the zipper, then one piece of outside fabric face down. Line up all of the edges on top.

3. Stitch along the top, as close to the zipper as you’d like. I left a little space because I think exposed zippers are fun. Then do the same thing on the other side, and you’ll have something that looks like this:

4. Take your zipper foot off, and put the regular foot back on. Next, topstitch along the edge of your fabric by the zipper—just to be fancy.

5. This step is easy but OH SO IMPORTANT. Unzip your zipper halfway. Just do it.

6. Next you’re going to match outside fabrics together, right sides together, and lining fabrics together, right sides together.  The zipper will be right in the middle.

7. Stitch around the outside of this, leaving a small area for turning in a side of the lining.  Be careful as you sew over the zipper, so that you don’t break your needle.

8. Before you turn it right side out, trim your zipper if needed.

9. Turn the bag right side out through the hole you left in the lining.  If you didn’t unzip the zipper, you’ll have a tough time.

10. Topstitch the hole in the lining shut; you’ll never notice it on the side.

That’s it!  Fill with your most coveted pens and markers, and never let anyone use them!

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This blog post was written by Abbey Niebel for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Abbey connect with her on Instagram: @mrsniebel. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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As a photographer, I take pictures of every moment I can. I rarely have a moment that I haven't captured either by the camera on my phone or my Canon! I literally have thousands of pictures on my hard drive that need to be printed and placed in baby books. Thankfully, I know that when I print them I will remember when and where the images were taken because of the printables that I make. The printables make a cute prop, but they also help me remember the dates and the actual memory being made.

With 3 kids it's so hard to remember every single moment, so this is the way I can capture them and look back to remember. One of my favorite memories I love to have is the first day of school each year. I love taking pictures of my kids and comparing them to the last day of school.

Seeing how much they have changed and grown is amazing to me. (I'm tearing up just typing this.) I just think that when my kids are fully grown and have kids they can go back and share the memories I captured with their kids and see where they are in the present day.

For instance, my son is going into first grade (fighting back more tears), he's my oldest so this is my first full day experience. I'm excited for him but I will say my days will be different without him around helping me.

The printable I've created is for you to capture your child's first day of school! I used bright, fun Limelife colors, so there is something for everyone! I thought, why not add a little more to the board besides a date and grade? Let's make it fun! I added "I want to be a ___ when I grow up!"

Download Back-to-School Printable

My son wants to be a doctor (pediatrician to be exact). This is something he's stuck on so I'm anxious to see if he will continue this path. With these photographs I'll be able to show him how he has or hasn't changed over time. If you use this printable share your pictures with us! We would love to see each of your kids ready for the first day of school. Happy first day of school!  

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This blog post was written by Jamie Lee for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Jamie visit her website at Reveal Photography. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

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