How to use digital scrapbooking kits in your planner

Hi digital friends, Kristina here… it’s been awhile since I shared a fun little project tidbit, so today I am going to talk about my planner(s)!

I have been using a planner on and off for many years. My current “On” streak started towards the end of 2015. Even since then, my planning style has changed, but I certainly love how the scrapbooking and planning hobbies have really merged. (Yes, planning is now a *hobby* for me, not just a necessity!) In the planner world, there’s all sorts of styles, types, sizes, and various options, just like in the scrapbooking world. It really makes sense, since each person really thinks differently than any other person. There’s hardly a one-size-fits-all, or even a one-size-fits-most in the planner world.

I use my planner for all sorts of things. I like to keep my family’s appointments (there are 4 of us with two work schedules to keep track of, two different school schedules, various extra curriculars), birthdays, bills, cleaning schedules, creative team deadlines, scrapbooking events (chats, release dates, challenges, etc.), menus, my fitness… and even more things. I was using multiple planners, and varying styles while I tried to figure out what I like and how I like it. I currently have my system down to three main planners, and I am still slowly working to consolidate down to two.

Happy Planner

I have a Happy Planner, which is made by “Me And My Big Ideas” (MAMBI brand). They are sold at Michael’s craft stores, Hobby Lobby stores, some JoAnns stores, and some others, too. (They also have their own website.) I use two different sizes currently… the classic size, or medium… it’s about 7 inches by 9 inches – “standard” size. I love the disc system, though not everyone does. This is the main planner I am using for almost everything. With all of the available Happy Planner accessories, I really am in love with it. They make decorative and functional sticker books that suit a variety of themes or planning needs. They sell sticky notes, planner clips, magnetic book marks, pens, highlighters, etc. I am fortunate enough to have a multitude of craft store options around me that offer this brand.

The second planner I use is also a Happy Planner, but it is the large size. This is an 8.5 inches by 11 inches planner, the size of standard U.S. printer paper. I use this second planner for memory keeping. This is sort of redundant for scrapbookers, honestly, but I decided to use it in place of a “Project Life” type of project this year. This planner is solely for journaling about our days… our every day life… basically a diary. I use the monthly calendar spreads for photos of our days, as well as a list (on the notes section) of events I want to scrap a more traditional layout for.

Bullet Journal

The final “planner” I use is called a bullet journal. The bullet journal is amazing, because it is so unique to each person. The original idea was from a man named Ryder. He has a website and basic tutorials on setting up your first bullet journal (the bullet journal I am/was using was actually just a composition book I bought at Wal-Mart for less than $2.00!). I say “was” because I am trying to get down to the one main planner. My bullet journal is mainly used for “collections”, or a multitude of random lists. I am slowly working to move those lists/collections to my Happy Planner.

Using Digital Supplies in your planner

So here’s why my planners are cool, and totally related to Kate’s designs – I do a lot of my planning digitally!

Many people like to decorate their planners with stickers and stamps. If you look on Pinterest, Instagram, or even just a Google search, you can find tons of different styles of planning and planner decorating. I find most enjoyment in doing it digitally. Some people like to use their digital supplies, along with a cutting machine, such as a Cricut or Silhouette, to make their own stickers. I prefer to do the whole layout on one paper, rather than having to cut them (and I don’t have a cutting machine!)

For my large Happy Planner, the memory planning one, I simply print one page of photos onto sticker paper… cut them out, and stick them on. Nothing too fancy. I make the page of photos in Photoshop Elements using a template I made sized to the appropriate dimensions (roughly a 1.5in square for my large size planner).

For my classic sized planner, I like to use Kate’s doodles and my digital supplies to create my spreads in Photoshop Elements, then I print them out (the whole planner spread!), trim the edges, and then hole punch them (using a specific planner punch for the disc system). When I create my layouts in PSE, I typically do not date them. This way, I can always just reprint them if I want to use the layout again, or if I made a horrendous mistake I want to throw away. I will date them with pen when I am setting up my plans for the week!

And for my bullet journal, aka book of lists… I am using Kate’s doodles and some other scrap supplies to make fun and pretty lists, then I am actually printing those pages I make directly onto my Happy Planner grid paper! This is how I plan to consolidate them… I just add them to the back of my Happy Planner.

I have a page listing birthdays, a page listing out all my bills and due dates… I keep a copy of the cleaning schedule I try to stick to (and one for each room of the house). I have also created habit trackers for healthy habits, scrapbooking challenges, and creative team responsibilities.

I am still working on book lists (to read, have read, etc.), and some scrapbooking lists for specific album projects and progress. I will eventually have my half-marathon training program schedule, any travel plans, various wishlists… any sort of list I want to keep, will be kept in the same place – the back pages of my Happy Planner!

Are you a planner? Do you like to use your digital supplies for planning?

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