My Happy Blog and Craft Planner

 This is my attempt at trying to get the blog going again.  I have been LAZY with it.  Well, not so much lazy as mojo-less.  I have been in a funk.  I am trying to get out of it.  As of this writing, I am.  I have some great little projects coming very soon that I think you will like.  I guess I just really needed a break.

 I got a Happy Planner, and I am recreating it to make a blog and craft planner.  On the Month pages I am recording the title of the post, and a brief description of the post on the days I post it.

 There are a lot of blank days.  I am going to try to fix that.

 I am going to try to do a post twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday...this planner will work great for this.

 On the weekly spread I tried to come up with an idea of what to put down to plan my posts.  Checklists are my friend!  But, when looking at this set up (above) I decided it was way to busy.  I needed to simplify, and it was just too much.

 I decided to use washi tape to put blank paper over the boxes, thus making a page for Wednesday post notes, and for Saturday post notes.

 I wrote out my planner series on the sticky note and put it here.  It is going to move with the weeks so I can be sure to keep track of what I am doing.

This is what it looked like with two pages of notes for two posts.  I highlighted the post date at the top.  It's simple, and just what I wanted.  There is plenty of room to write notes.

 This page might help spark some ideas for the month on new posts I can do.  This page is a work in progress.

 My index tabs behind the monthly tabs.

 My list section has a bunch of stuff, projects to do, project ideas, lists to make, etc.

 I have been working on this for years.  Jackie introduced this to me, and I have the book made, and most of the list filled out.  I just need to take pictures and do the journaling.  Someday, I will get it done!

 This is an album about me, that Jackie and I did at a class at a CK Convention a couple of years ago. Yes, I need to finish this too.

The project section is full of pages of notes and projects, sketches, and ideas.  They are top secret...at least until I post the project!

Then the blog section is full of lists of what I want to do with the blog, post ideas etc.  It's mostly brainstorming.  I have a lot of ideas, I just need to do them (Or I need to find time to do them!)

The last section is my "Craft Group" section.  We haven't been very active lately, as lives have happened and folks are busy, but we actually started working on a swap project, and will be sharing with you all very soon.

The last thing I want to show you is my labels for the spines of the books.

I used the page inserts by Happy Planner, added a plain paper strip to the adhesive, wrote the book title, and taa daa, I have a spine label that I can use to find the book I want from the shelf!

 So, that's it.  I hope you like this book.  I do very much!

Stay crafty and organized, my friends!

My Happy Doodle/Zentangle Book

There are so many ways that you can use Happy Planner supplies!!!

 I have another book that I wanted to share with you.  I made a book that I keep in my locker at work.  It is so that I can destress during my lunch hour.

 I bought some of the coloring books, and I cut certain pages to size, punched them, and created a color book for work.  I also have some plain pages, so that if I decide to do some Zentangling I can.  You know, sometimes you just need some quiet time.  Most of the time I get an hour break, and I can eat leisurely and then have 30 minutes to just color or draw.  It helps the sanity!

I have a collection of Paper Mate pens that I love, and keep them in this case with my book.  I always keep an eye out, because they come out with sets of limited edition colors.  I snap them up as soon as I see them.

That's it for today, short and sweet.  But, remember to stay crafty, my friends!

The Happy Planner Recipe Project

 I am in the middle of working on a project.  It's a meal planning project really, but it involves my getting together my favorite of all time recipes together.  And, guess what...the Happy Planner Recipe book is just the ticket to get it done!  Above is the corner of my office where my recipes live.  In the basket, my Happy Planner supplies to make this meal planning/favorite recipes book.

 I started off by writing down some of my favorite meals in a huge brain storming session, then made index pages for them by category.

 I am writing down the recipes in sections of the planner.  You will notice I recreated the index tabs to suit my needs for this book.  I added page numbers.  On the index page I wrote which page the recipe can be found on.  I am not going for alphabetical order for the recipes, I am just focusing on getting them into their sections.

 Just another shot of the book.

 This is my recipe corner of our office.  It is right by the kitchen, so I can keep my collection close, but have so much room to organize them.  I have been collecting recipes since I was a kid...no kidding.  I remember sending away SASE's to food companies and waiting ever so patiently for the mailman to bring me an envelope of recipes!  I used to do it all of the time...now I can search the net and print off oodles of recipes.  Which I do, and you will see the file cabinet to prove it in a few pictures.

 This cupboard is full of recipes that I collected from swaps, and some o my collection of books.  I actually weeded out some of my books when we moved...believe it or not!

 The corner cupboard has a collection of recipe cards that I have on the upper shelves, and more books on the bottom.  I am weeding through these as I am working on this project.  Tastes change, health issues come up and demand different things...it happens.

 Here is the other side o the cupboard, full of more books.  I really have a problem!

 Then, my awesome file cabinets!  I love this part of the office.  The other side of the office is a mirror image of these cupboards and cabinets, by the way...It is an awesome office!

 These files are full of magazine page clippings, printouts, etc.  The top file are recipes made and enjoyed, the bottom is recipes I have collected that I would like to try.

 They are all categorized by type of dish.  Very organized!

 In the second set of file cabinets I have one for collecting magazines, until I go through them and clip the recipes I want.

This one is EMPTY!!!  What should I fill this one with???

Anyway...I have always kept a list of favorite recipes, and where to find them.  I am just using the Happy Planner to get the ultimate favorites in one place.  Also, if I am really good, this small book full of the favorites is portable, and can be taken to the store to use to get the ingredients!  In meal planning, it will serve to help me make a plan for the week.  I think it's going to turn out awesome!

Thanks for looking, and remember to stay crafty, my friends!!!

My Happy Coupon Planner

 Here is another project I made for dealing with my shopping and coupons.  I think this is a perfect solution to keep my shopping organized!

 I had a coupon planner that used the ARC rings, and it was an 8 1/2" by 5 1/5" notebook.  I have loved the larger size of the happy planner, and it is much prettier, so I changed my book.  I was able to use the same inserts in this planner since the punches match, so it was a quick change.  In the front cover I have a couple of paper clips to attach the coupons I am definitely going to use on that particular trip.  I also have a pouch for pens, scissors and clips.

 I found this list of coupon categories.  I printed it out, and in the next picture you will see how I use it to organize my coupons.  You can get this list for yourself, just click this link.  Scroll to the end of the post, and you will see the link to click on for the PDF.  Just size and print.

 In my old ARC notebook, I had some pocket pages that I put the coupons in.  In each pocket I put a journaling card and wrote the category and the contents of the pocket.  I then used stickers to add headings to the pockets.

 Now all of my coupons are nicely organized and I can find them easy.  Before each shopping trip I go through the pockets, pick out what I will use, get rid of the expired ones, and clip the coupons inside the front cover.  Going through them before the trip reminds me what I have, so as I go shopping and I find a good sale, it tends to jog my memory and I can use a coupon and save even more.  (That leaves more money in the budget for craft supplies!   SHHHHHH, don't tell the hubby!!)

 I also have these grocery lists that I salvaged from my old system.  I love how they are so organized. You can get them for free here at this link.

 Here is some list pages that I got from Levenger.  They also make nice lists, and are perforated so you can pull them out.  These are awesome if you have multiple stores you go to, just use a list per store if you are on a massive shopping adventure.

 I found these pages for free on the Arc It blog.  She no longer posts on the site, but I just checked and it is still there, and the free printable tab is still there.  I used them to create a master shopping list for our family.

 I have a pocket that has a notebook where I keep wish lists.  Lists of DVD's I want, books I want, etc.  You never know when you will run up on a sale and can not for the life of you remember the name of that thing you need!

 I also made a list of my favorite and most frequented stores, their numbers and hours, just in case I need to check something before I go.

 Then, in the back, I have the Happy Planner Home Pack.  I am going to use the meal planner...I'm not sure about the budget planner though.  We will just have to see.

 This is a place in my office that I use for my coupon storage.  I have a coupon box.  In it, I have my coupon notebooks, and all catalogs, fliers, etc.  Every weekend I go through it, sort it out, clean it up. It keeps me organized.

 Hello, Ace!  I was trying to take a pic of my other coupon notebook, and he wanted to help.  That little Doxie doesn't let me do anything without him!

 This coupon book has coupons, fliers, etc for stores other than grocery stores.  When I am off on errands, this is the book I take.  I organize them by the front pocket (craft store coupons)...

 ...and the back pocket for everyone else.  I put some pocket pages in here so I can gather those little card coupons I get and keep them visible.  I also have paper and lists making potential in this book.

 I found this notebook carry tote the other day...the heavens broke open and the angels sang and I bought it (with my 40% coupon) and now it houses all of my coupon goodness.  I can carry all of my stuff when I am on a serious shopping mission.

 Pockets for scissors and pens...

...and pockets for notebooks.  I love it.

OK, that's it for today.   This is what I use some Happy Planner supplies for to keep me straight on shopping...and saving!!!

Stay crafty, and organized, my friends!