The Planner Society – January

February 2, 2016 hansjonesLeave a comment

I have been receiving The Planner Society Box for the past three months, and each month has not disappointed.

I thought I would share an unboxing/review of the contents for all of you who are still a little unsure.

It costs $37 a month which includes shipping to the UK. So, based on the current exchange rate, it would work out to be £25 a month. I have also been fortunate to avoid custom charges every month so, in total, I honestly believe the contents outweighs the cost.

Each box is carefully designed and pulled together to ensure you can use every last item in all your planning creations.

Carefully opening the brown paper bag, you are greeted with a desirable collection of planning goodies that anyone #plannergirl would swoon at.

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The double sided paper is always a favourite part of the box – the creator, Christy Tomlinson, beautifully creates these by hand and it is that touch of the unique which makes this box feel special. I only wish the paper cam in double quantities so you don’t have to choose just one design!

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With complimenting washi tape, you have a great base to embellish your planner without much hard work!

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The box always contains a mixture of die cuts, embellishments, stickers and planning stamps which continue the theme of the paper. This month, the mustard yellow, pink, blue and grey are just magic and certainly add a warmth to these dull winter days.

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A selection of planning stickers are adorable and versatile. I particularly love the floral additions but this month…..typewriters……need I say more!

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The addition of 4 journal cards and small notepad, again unique to Planner Society girls always add a flourish to any planner pocket.

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Some added extras this month is this gorgeous journaling notebook which is a great size for any fauxdori and a beautiful gem pen which would complete any Planner Society planner! 20160202_101351961_iOS I highly recommend that anyone looking to embrace their creative planning side invests in subscribing to this box – it is truly the only planner box I need on a monthly basis to enhance my planner addiction!

You can subscribe following the link below:

http://christytomlinson.typepad.com/christytomlinson/2015/03/new-planner-society-kit-sign-up-debut.html

x PB x

How I am planning in 2016

January 21, 2016 hansjonesLeave a comment

With the addition of a beautiful ice-blue Kikki-K to my planner collection, 2016 had to be the year for planning, planning and more planning.

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From all the inspirational Facebook groups and Instagram accounts I follow, I finally have achieved planner peace – it is only right I give back to this amazing community of people and share!

As you will know from previous posts, I was using an Erin Condren for my day to day planning.

However, I was beginning to get frustrated with the spiral bound system – the spiral was starting to wear and it didn’t have the professional feel that I am aim for when using the planner for work. Furthermore, I love adding my creative flair to planning and I felt the EC was quite restrictive for this purpose.

So, the only possible solution was adding the EC to the Kikki-K. Many hours of YouTube watching were conducted to ensure I didn’t end up with a ruined EC and an empty planner. I would highly recommend watching Paper & Glam’s YouTube tutorial as research before you attempt it!

I decided to not include the monthly tabs in the EC as I prefer a cleaner line when closing the planner and the tabs do bend and get in the way if you don’t punch into the boxes. I use a page marker so I can easily go to the current week.

I should make it clear that this planner is used for my Monday-Friday planning. I don’t use this planner for my weekend plans as I am still a fan of diary sharing with Mr PB on our iPhones, therefore, I don’t tend to do a lot of forward planning in the months ahead making the lack of tabs easier to justify!

Taking you through each section of the planner:

Front pockets – I love the layout of Kikki-K pockets. As well as being practical, they allow a beautiful creative set up. My front pockets store spare washi on a hand-made laminated washi card as well as plenty of goodies from The Planner Society – page flags, a to-do list and paperclips – a mixture of hand made and sent in the kit. I intend to do an unboxing of The Planner Society kit but, for anyone interested, it is worth every penny!

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I added this adorable picture frame from selection of scrapbook embellishments and using a portable polaroid printer, I change up the picture depending on the week or month. A fun way to update your planner and add a personal touch!

Dashboard – I don’t tend to use a dashboard as it’s intended but more of an extension to my creativity and having a set-up that brings a smile to my face when I open the planner. Using cardstock, a bow and Planner girl tag from The Planner Society kit as well as some additional embellishments, I simply laminate and then hole punch.

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I love the combination of front pockets and dashboard….

The first section of the planner is my notes section. Adapting dividers purchased from My Pretty Week, I store work notes under the relevant month making them easy to refer to. I use paper from Paperchase and mix it up between yellow and white lined paper.

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The EC section is pretty much intact apart from the tabbed sections – I love the gold foil vellum and the layout of the EC works well for my never-ending work and home to-do lists.

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The pen is a recent Kikki-K purchase and is complimented by the gold EC band that, although serves no purpose, looks stunning against the ice-blue.

I will be sharing my weekly planning in my next post, so look out for that!

Thank you for all your inspiration – I hope this inspires you too

x PB x

Kikki-K Haul – Singapore

December 14, 2015December 7, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

My recent trip to Malaysia and Singapore could not have been complete without a trip to Kikki-K!

Full to the brim with crisp ice blue and warm coral and peach planners, it made making decisions very difficult. However, I did eventually leave with a small bag full and here is what I purchased.

Of course, the main star of the show had to be the ice blue perforated ring bound planner. I know there has been lots of chat in the Facebook groups I follow about the perforation and whether it is completely practical, however, having seen all the planners up close and personal, I felt that this design was the most unique and looked less like your ordinary ring bound planners. I have certainly received plenty of comments and oohs and aahs…..

I was slightly disappointed to not have the zipped pocket inside the planner but there is certainly plenty of space to either be practical or creative!

Along with the planner, I purchased 2 sticker books- one for the festive season and another original Kikki-K book full to the brim of beautiful gold foil and colourful stickers.

A set of post it notes could not be missed off the list complimenting the blue planner, an adorable mechanical pencil in the style of a tradition pencil and a cute little wooden Christmas tree completed the shopping spree!

Next stop….Kikki-K in London!

x PB x

What’s in my planner bag….#plannergirl

December 10, 2015December 7, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

With P&B headquarters situated at the bottom of my garden, I was soon realising that my creative planning fare was slowly diminishing when it involved going outside in the wind and the rain! The solution…..a planner bag that could store all of my necessities, making planning on the go easy-peasy.

I purchased a We R Memory Keepers storage bag from Amazon. It was shipped from the US so took some time to arrive but it was oh-so worth it.

With three elasticated pockets along the front, 2 on the side and a zip pocket on the back as well as a spacious middle compartment with 4 large pockets, it really is the ideal storage unit for anyone who travel frequently or prefers to keep everything in one place.

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I have found that it is best to change up the contents monthly according to the theme I have chosen, however, most pockets remain the same.

In the front three pockets and 1 side pocket, I house all my craft tools – scissors, glue, single hole punch, circular paper punch and paper corner cutter.

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In the other side pocket, I store stamping inks and acrylic blocks.

In the zipped pockets is my washi collection which I change depending on the theme – given it’s December, there is plenty of glitter featuring this month!

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The middle compartment houses my blog planner and Kikki-K, post it notes and individual storage bags for die cuts and stickers. Again, I change up the contents of my Raffles Hotel zip purse and vintage leather case with a mixture of die cuts, both handmade and from my ever-growing selection from Craftie Charlie!

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The stickers are pre-dominantly Planner Society and The Rest Girl as well as themed checklists downloaded from Etsy.

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I am in love with this planner bag and it has certainly allowed me to bring back my creativity with planning since the Winter nights have drawn in. You can find the exact one here – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Storage-We-Memory-Keepers-Tote/dp/B00IR0M328/ref=sr_1_87?ie=UTF8&qid=1449513415&sr=8-87&keywords=We+R+Memory+Keepers – but I have since spotted alternatives in Hobbycraft too.

Happy planning!

x PB x

The Pineapple & Button Co. R.O. (related objects!)

August 4, 2015August 3, 2015 hansjones1 Comment

Prior to setting up The Pineapple & Button Co. I had always be drawn to anything P & B related. I will share in time where the inspiration behind the name came from, but be reassured that for the past 5 or more years, anything Pineapple & Button shaped has come home with me! For example, you will recall from a previous post that one of mine (and Mr PB’s) favourite home accessory is our chrome Pineapple which stands proudly on our mantelpiece.

However, since writing this blog and sharing my passion for all things Stationery + Style, my attraction to P&B R.O. (Pineapple & Button Related Objects) has escalated. In part due to the sudden fascination we all have with Pineapples at the moment, it has become quite easy to add to the collection.

First up is the most adorable candle – it’s a pineapple and it’s teal – what more could this blog ask for! Another fab fact about this piece – it’s scented and smells divine. It will of course be one of those candles that is never lit but admired from afar. Purchased from Oliver Bonas, priced £12, however, I believe they are sold out. I will try and add a similar link below.

And perhaps, as is currently the case in P&B HQ, the pineapple will stand beside my next recent purchase – a white button photo frame. The finish is superb and I love the variety of buttons. Complimenting the brand colours, this photo frame will soon hold a picture of the P&B logo. Purchased from Paperchase, priced £8.

I shared on Instagram last week that the new uniform for The P&B Co. had arrived…..if only I could get away with wearing it every day…..H&M priced £12.99

Moving to the Stationery department – a very close friend of mine purchased me this brilliant Pineapple notebook as a thank you gift. The pages are decent quality and the spine is very flexible so it is easy to write in. You will notice from the picture that I have added tabs – watch this space as I will share in a later blog my process to upping this notebooks game!

My love of crafting and scrapbooking took me to the aisles of Hobbycraft one Saturday afternoon and I “stumbled” across this adorable button embossing punch. Not only does it cut out a button shape piece but also embosses the surround making adorable button like confetti. This will certainly go far with my decoration of planner pages.

As I am sure most of you that follow this blog will have come to learn, I have become a bona fide planner addict. So, what does every Planner Girl need….washi tape of course. And what washi tape should The P&B Co. own……pineapple washi tape. Having seen this washi tape in so many Instagram posts, I knew it would be hard to come by. I pre-ordered via the Little B page on Amazon and waited 4 weeks….that is planner dedication but oh so worth it.

Finally, last but by no means least. Whilst I am in love with my very own Pineapple & Button Co. Planner, I spotted the pineapple Emily Ley Simplified Planner whilst conducting “research”. Disappointed to see that it had sold out on her online store, I headed to Ebay where I was fortunate to find a lady in the UK selling one…..fate had arrived at my door. I purchased it not really knowing what purpose it would have but after watching plenty of inspirationals videos on YouTube, I decided to make this my blog planner – it only seemed right given the cover. I will share in a later post what my setup is and how I plan and decorate on a monthly & weekly basis.

So, I guess having stood back and adored my purchases, I really need to improve upon my hunt for Button goods. Has anyone found a B.R.O that you think would go perfectly with the collection?

Links below. Happy shopping!

x PB x

White Button Photo Frame – Paperchase – http://www.paperchase.co.uk/button-frame-white-4×6.html

Pineapple T-Shirt – H&M – http://www.hm.com/gb/product/11753?article=11753-E

Button Embossing Punch – Hobbycraft – http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/hobbycraft-button-emboss-punch/595786-1000

Pineapple Washi Tape – Little B via Amazon – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Foil-Pineapple-Tape-Gold/dp/B00VRKBJZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438632504&sr=8-1&keywords=little+b+pineapple

Emily Ley Simplified Planner – http://www.emilyley.com/

The Pineapple & Button Co. Planner starts to take shape!

July 16, 2015July 16, 2015 hansjones4 Comments

As you will know from my first planner blog a couple of weeks ago, I shared that my stationery addiction had taken me to another level, another world, another dimension!

You will also recall that whilst I am very keen to grab this obsession with both hands and embrace it, I don’t want to get too passionate too quickly. So I decided to use my love of scrapbooking and inspiration from the amazing planner community to create my own on a budget.

The process was fairly easy once I had racked up hours and hours of ” research” on YouTube, Pinterest, Etsy and fellow bloggers. Dashboards, dividers, paperclips, page markers, inserts…..I had a lot to achieve with this new planner but I was pretty certain how I wanted it to look and the purpose it would fulfil.

First stop – Staples. I picked up a Martha Stewart A5 2-ring binder. It was quite the bargain (of course!) reduced to £5. It would be the perfect way to house my planner until I had decided that this passion was long term.

As there was a lack of pockets on the inside of the planner, I needed (actually, wanted) to create a layout that was both practical and creative.

I scoured the shelves at TK Maxx and found some great pads of craft paper for around £5. Gold paperclips from Rymans (although I now know you can buy cheaper online) and my piece de la resistance – the Pineapple notepad from Paperchase!

Having watched some of you share your amazing setups, I was pretty certain on what the finished product would look like. I placed the Pineapple notepad on the inside cover for easy access. And to make sure it stood out, I placed some craft paper behind it – all of this was secured using double sided sticky tape.

The pocket was created by simply folding the double sided card and securing again with double sided tape and the paperclips were made following tutorials on YouTube. I also created some paperclip page flags using complimenting craft paper. The bow is from my superb stationery swap pal!

The back inside cover also needed some attention and I thought it would be the best place for a dashboard. Using the same techniques as the front inside cover, I created a wide vertical pocket to house Project Life cards and secured an array of sticky notes. In order to make sure they didn’t move, I had to use double sided sticky tape which means that I will probably need to replace the whole pocket once I’ve used them all. The pen loop was added and made extra wide to fit multiple pens.

I loved the process of deciding on the colour scheme and being able to add my own slice of creativity to an already creative world. It took me time and I will certainly admit that my perfectionist side didn’t cope well when lines were wonky or not symmetrical. But what I have learnt along the way is to embrace some of those imperfections.

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring!” – Marilyn Monroe

This planner may not be to everyones taste but I have fallen head over heels – my planner was taking shape and I couldn’t wait to use it. Next stop inserts…..

What are your favourite planner YouTube channels? Where do you get your inspiration from?

x PB x

Getting lost in Venice

July 7, 2015July 7, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

I recently returned from a trip to Italy where one of our stops was Venice for a couple of days.

With our friend, Google Maps, Mr PB and I spent most of those 2 days wandering the narrow streets and absorbing ourselves in this amazing city (it also felt, at times, that we were just trying to escape the hoards of tourists around St Marks Square!)

Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada and Gucci lined the narrow streets. Have designer brands become so needed that they have to try and draw you in in one of the worlds smallest cities that is just rammed with tourists?! A coffee can sometimes reach €15 so my eyes water at the thought of how much the designers inflate their prices.

Imaging Shakespeare walk the cobbled paths, it was hard to understand how the City has just become a tourism haven and very little else. I appreciate that all cities have to have their tourism income, but the city felt like it emptied each night and the hoards returned around 11am the following morning…….I guess it made dinner enjoyable without having to queue for a table!

However, on a positive note, it was whilst getting lost, in between the many delicious (expensive) ice creams we consumed, that I stumbled across a shop and my faith was restored! No shop name, no bright lights or promotions plastered over the windows. A shop with the most stunning selection of pens and wax seals presented in the most unobtrusive, blink and you miss it style. It would have been rude not to investigate further….research purposes of course!

“Bonjouro. Lei parla inglese?”

“Si”

And with that, we perused the shelves with plenty of oohs and aahs and eventually The Pineapple & Button Co. gift set was purchased!

The set compromises of a glass fountain pen made from the Venetian Murano glass. There is no nib to the pen. The ink draws up into the end of the pen and writes beautifully. You would think that without a nib, the quality would be poor but it certainly isn’t. I obviously chose a teal ink.

The set also comes with blotter, wax and stamp. The stamp is also Murano glass and matches the pen almost perfectly. I haven’t yet used the seal but will share results when I do.

If you are visiting Venice, the shop is called Frizzi e Lazzi, San Marco 818, Venezia. I highly recommend a visit.

so, for all of its quirks and, at times, frustrations, Venice is an incredible place with an atmosphere that cannot be matched anywhere that I have visited. Whilst you feel that you are constantly on a film set or even visiting The Venetian in Las Vegas, I would recommend anyone to visit – one day, this place could be a lost City…..just make sure you take dosh and plenty of it!

In my next blogs, I will be reviewing the 2 hotels we stayed in during our stay – Lake Como and Venice, so watch this space!

x PB x

First Impressions – Notepads and Pens galore!

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

Just a quick post to share my thoughts on some of my recent purchases that I shared in the recent stationery blog.

I have been using the List Book from Paperchase pretty much every day. The fact it comes with a notepad makes it super versatile for on the move and it doesn’t get squished in the bottom of my bag either! 20150630_082755614_iOS

For the smaller handbag requirements, I have been loving the Marks and Spencer Today notepad and the Target Dollar Spot floral journal from the swap. Both look cute (in fact had a couple of compliments from fellow commuters) but are also very practical. I highly recommend if you stumble across either (or both! 😉).

I have also been using the Sharpie pastel palette pens – whilst the colours are great and make your pages look summery and inviting, they do bleed through regular notepad paper. Most Sharpies will do this because of their original purpose of being a multi tasking pen for writing on CD’s to whiteboards so it is worth bearing this in mind. I can cope with that given the colour palette is a beaut!

I have also been writing……and then erasing a lot too! The Pilot Frixon pen is all its hype led it to believe. You can actually write and then erase with pretty much all of the evidence disappeared. It reminded me of the magic ink from my childhood that “vanished”……although it never really did. This actually does scrub away to nothing. I am definitely going back to purchase more colours. The range seems to be expanding in most standard UK stores – most have standard blue, black and red but keep your eye out for more colourful options.

The only items I have been a little disappointed with are the Uniball gel pens. I love the colours but they aren’t particularly easy to write with. I prefer pens that you can write both in your best hand as well as the quick shopping list but with these Uniball, you certainly need to concentrate more with these pens. I will of course have a use for them – great for birthday cards for example – but would suggest a thinner nib if you are looking for something to fulfil those every day needs.

Have any of you made the same purchases and have thoughts on your first impressions?

Please leave a comment by clicking on the link above this post And don’t forget, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

x PB x

Let’s style it up!

June 25, 2015June 22, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you will know that in one of my first posts, I shared that as well as Stationery, I am also very keen on interior. Let’s not pretend that this is verging on interior design. I did sign up to complete an interior design course… I just haven’t quite got round to finishing the programme.

However, I find other ways of researching interior fashions. That is usually a visit to T K Maxx!

I did this recently. In fact, I browse regularly. You never know what you will find. They regularly change their stock so I try to visit once every couple of weeks. I also love that there isn’t 15 of the same thing so hopefully you are adding a little bit of uniqueness into your home.

And guess what?! The unique found me and I found a pineapple! How convenient.

That came home with my right away. It would look perfect on my shelving around the fireplace.

When I positioned it, it looked a little lonely. I haven’t yet tracked down a large silver button, but if you spot one, let me know! So, it needed something extra.

I wanted to create an easy style to the shelving. A selection of items that look like they belonged. Therefore, I added some Posh Graffiti. Every household should have (one or more) of their products. Such a simple concept but with great results and can be used in a variety of surroundings. The addition of the initials was perfect. I haven’t fixed them to the wall, they just lean in which can be precarious when cleaning but it adds to that relaxed “oh, I just chucked that up there” look.

Finally, I spotted these seriously gorgeous rose gold, dusky pink tea light holders. Along with a lovely pair of inexpensive clear peach candlesticks, these tea light holders add a blast of colour but with softness. When lit, the colour is really ornate and, like, most of my purchases, they were cheap! Around £5 each which I think is a great price for something that draws the eye.

What additions have you made to your home recently?

Where else do people shop, other than T K Maxx? I would love recommendations of where to find inexpensive gems.

Please leave a comment by clicking on the link above this post And don’t forget, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

x PB x

http://www.poshgraffiti.com/

The obsession is real…..I’ve started writing about hauls!

June 23, 2015June 22, 2015 hansjones2 Comments

And I have a stationery swap pal! But more on that shortly….

In my search for all things perfect about stationery and style, this has developed an interest in regularly shopping. “Developed an interest”?? Who am I kidding. I am forever shopping. There ain’t no thing as no spend months in my little world.

So, to that end, I have collected a fair few items over the past few months which I thought I would share. Those pieces that I have starting using will appear in a follow first impressions so watch this space if you are keen to purchase the same.

First up – notebooks. Although I try to use up a notebook before moving onto another, that doesn’t stop me from having stock. In a recent visit to Paperchase, I spotted these adorable sticky note sets. I love that they come in a hard back storage book making them using to use on the go without damaging them. They also look cute on a bookshelf. One of the sets is a List Book so also includes a standard notepad which I think will be super handy. 20150620_190924007_iOS

I also picked up a pack of Cath Kidston notebooks which come in a set of three in their usual cute floral designs. These are probably more an A6 size which is great for slipping into a handbag. I use these in meetings if I’m travelling quite a bit with work. You can still get plenty of content on the pages but they are far more convenient than the usual Black and Red A4 pads.

So, my next item was purchased purely for its look rather than its practicality but how cute is that Today slim pad!? It’s from Marks and Spencer – that was a treat! If you are from the UK, you will know that M&S are more renowned for their bras and meal for £10 so it was a pleasant surprise to see that they have upped their stationery game. The store I visited, which is their flagship in the South, had a wide collection of new products so I would highly recommend checking it out either online or in store. I’m not sure about availability for overseas but, leading into my next items, you could always find a swap partner to connect with to send you a selection!

As you will guess from the title, I recently connected with a lovely lady from the U.S. on an FB group. Fully aware from my extensive research that the U.S. seem to do it better than us, I reached out to see if anyone would like to swap and this lady said yes!

We did our first swap a few weeks ago – it was an easy, pleasant and painless experience which I know is sadly not always the case for some, but I hit lucky!

The items included in the box will continue to feature in my next few blogs but as a starter, she sent me 2 adorable journals and 2 list pads from Target. Apologies to all the stationery experts out there, but for those starting out, you will see a lot of hype about Target Dollar Spot. I have not visited this part of the store before as I always just thought it was seasonal products but the Target Dollar Spot has got a lot to say for itself! Beautiful stationery that retails around $1-$3 each!! I haven’t started using these items yet, saving for a special reason but I’ll be sure to feedback.

You can’t have a notebook without a writing instrument! So I have also built up my pen collection recently. Included in the swap box were some cute gel pens in pink, teal and green. I particularly love the heart on the lid.

Other recent pen purchases – pastel Sharpies! I have seen their primary colour collection but spotted these pastel beauties in the line up at Paperchase.

I also love any type of heavy gel pen and these uni ball are just gorgeous colours which I know will write well too.

Finally, I had heard on the blogging grapevine that the Pilot Frixon pens were awesome. So I had to try! I just purchased the pink neon for now and will see how I get on.