Practically Perfect Planner Challenge - Round 2

Bismillah means "in the name of God".  It's what we say when we are starting something, such as this blog post. :)

ding . . . ding . . . ding . . .ROUND TWO!  So, did you all get over to Cara's blog today and check out my competition??  Here's the link if you want to pop over and the pop right back!!  Did you miss Round One?  That's my link and here's Cara's link.  I did things a bit different this round, cause I ran out of printer ink and still don't have all my ducks in a row with my everyday planner. (The composition book size)  I've a few more pages to complete, but I'm close!  I'll show you when I'm done!

So what I've done for today is the planner I carry with me in my purse.  I've used this style for several years now and it's perfect for on the go.  I've updated it for this challenge with some new "guts".  I have to admit this might be my favorite planner/journal to make.  There are just so many possibilities with this little beauty!!  And it's EASY!  Some of it may look hard, but not really.  The base of this journal is a 3"x5" index card. 

 This little planner has got a new cover!  It's made from a piece of chipboad with designer cardstock stitched to the other side.  A wide piece of baby elastic stitched down to hold a pen, pencil, stylus & Exacto knife.  Remove knife before boarding airplane . . . trust me on this. Then I stitched an elastic hair tie to hold it closed in my purse.  The chipboard is at least twice the thickness of a cereal box, quite sturdy yet still a bit flexible and able to go through my sewing machine like a champ!

The quilted cover above and below can used as a cover or a divider in your planner, making it quite versatile!  The top peeks over about a 1/3" so you can use it as a tab.  I know, it's adorbs!

Here's how it looks as a cover.  Pretty cute, huh?  RIGHT, CARA?? hahaha! ;)  Those are actually 5 separate pieces of fabric stitched together with the seams pressed flat.  I then zig-zagged over the seam in a Frankenstein kind of way.  Only, of course . . . WAY CUTER!

Are you starting to see why I love making these so much!  They look kinda hard, like it takes so much time.  BUT IT DOESN'T!  They are small, which means not as much work.  Like the planner card above.  You could just eat it up, it's so dang cute, right?  (Thanks, guys)  Simple Pimple.  You could do a stack of  6 in less that ten minutes.  Probably less.  I love that the index cards make it so easy to sew a straight line too and it gives the card such a lovely touch of texture!

This is an acetate overlay that I cut from a pack of overhead projector sheets.  I scored these at a thrift shop for two bucks!  I doodled a cute design and colored it in with my Sharpies!  I do what Cara taught in her FREE video series (Take the time to watch all three, she has a lot of good tips and she is adorable!) and that is to write my daily list, the important stuff that I do everyday, but still want to be reminded so I'll stay on task and cause it just feels really good to check those puppies off!  I use a dry erase marker to check things off and then just erase at the end of the night!  EASY PEASY! 

I made this little pocket this morning!  I got the idea again, from one of Cara's videos. I cut some cute strips of paper from one of my fave designers, Rhonna Farrer and it was her "Find Your Wings and Fly" collection.  Gorgeous!  I figured I could use these as bookmarks or little notes, like if I didn't want to use a whole piece of paper or if someone wanted my email or phone number and I don't have any biz cards on me!!  I know!  I need to make some!  On the back side of this card there is a shorter pocket and I just stitched a few paper strips together. You could use these in the same way, just rip them apart.

YES!  I stitched 4 little mini pads of post-it notes to a blue index card.  No explanation necessary.  Brilliant, huh? ;)  Also, Pompoms do not need explaining, as they are cuteness personfied and exist solely for our happiness!  Same with glitter and bunting!!

Same cute overlay!

This is my mini tracker for water consumption and exercise.  I like checking off little 6 minute bursts of exercise, it is so much more doable for me.  I could go more of course, if I wanted. ;)

Another cute overlay!

This is a divider made from a brown paper bag. I designed a little I heart sewing "label" and then printed it directly on the bag.  So fun!  I do love me some brown paper bags and parcel paper and kraft paper . . . love, love, love!!  I trimmed it with a cute polka dotted fabric!

Some more cute index cards, stitched and washi taped for maximum cute appeal!  The pocket divider on the right I up-cycled from a manilla folder & is also stitched and washi for the same, oh so obvious, reason! ;)

A not so great shot of the covers that I change up whenever the mood suits me!

Just a pretty picture of them all laid out like a deck of cards in Vegas!

These are some dividers, again, up-cycled from a manilla folder.  I stitched fabric to one side only, mostly so people will see how clever I am to up-cycle like this!  Not really, it's cause I was too lazy to do both sides!

Another shot of some dividers!

And this last shot is of everything piled on top of the cutting mat to transport to the ottoman so that I could serve the hubs some lunch!  Remember . . . tiny apartment now!

That's it, peeps!  Thanks again for coming over!  I hope you liked my little planner and it gives you some ideas like Cara's free class gave me!  Comments always make my day, as you know!  I so enjoy hearing from you!  I hope to see you in class!  Oh, and if you are following along and making your own planner now, shoot some photos and send them to me in an email (domesticraft@gmail.com) and I'll post them on the next blog post of the Practically Perfect Planner Challenge! (if you're so inclined)    Let me know what you think.  Do you have some good ideas that I could incorporate into my little planner?  Cute  ideas are always encouraged!!

CRAFT HAPPY!