What’s in my planner bag….#plannergirl

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

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Getting Ready for Autumn (Part 2) – Setting up an Autumnal themed notebook

When I sourced this gorgeous patent navy planner from Paperchase for the bargain price of £3, I knew I had to find a purpose for it (even though I certainly don’t need another planner for organisation).

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With a small collection of Autumnal craft paper, stickers and embellishments, I decided to pull this all together and create a seasonal on-the-go notebook.

Taking inspiration from The Planner Society, The Reset Girl and Create with Beth, I decorated the inside pockets with some adorable cut outs from cardstock. Adding a mustard yellow and Cardinal purple paperclip and creating a paperclip using cardboard stickers (purchased from a Craftie Charlie) helped to bring the decoration together. I love the fox!

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I added a gold spotted burlap dashboard to the front of the planner – the texture and colours really make this feel autumnal.

Following inspiration from The Planner Society, I was keen to add layers to the inside with contrasting colours and patterns. Making two envelopes for added storage, the Shimmelle navy floral pattern is just gorgeous and compliments the deep navy of the planner. I adore the Owls which again adds a fall flare and contrasts against the bold florals.

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Making more paperclips using cardboard stickers brings depth and an element of fun!

To create some interest on plain notepaper, I turned to my paper buffet and used a safe green stamp of this adorable pencil from the Neat and Tangled stamp set.

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I love having this notebook on-the-go and as well as being incredibly practical, it’s gorgeous to look at!

Links below!

x PB x

Craftie Charlie Autumnal Haul

http://www.craftie-charlie.co.uk/echo-park-reflections-fall-12-x12-element-shape-stickers-rf53014.html

http://www.craftie-charlie.co.uk/echo-park-reflections-fall-6-x6-double-sided-paper-pad-24-sheets-rf53023.html

http://www.craftie-charlie.co.uk/simple-stories-sweater-weather-self-adhesive-chipboard-shape-stickers-5628.html

Hobbycraft – http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/shimelle-true-stories-12-x-12-inch-paper-pack-48-sheets/609160-1000

#Back2School4GrownUps – Weekly Planning!

There is one main reason why I fell in love with planning and it has nothing to do with being more organised……It’s all about the decoration.

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Looking at all the inspirational posts on Facebook and Instagram made me realise the fun involved in planning your week and decorating the pages giving you some eye candy to look at every day.

So I thought I would share how I plan in both the Erin Condren and Simplified Planner to give back some inspiration!

As you will recall from my previous post, I use the Erin Condren as my go-to every day planner – work, home, blog and social. I chose the vertical layout, partly because it is iconic EC design but also to give my maximum space for my different to do lists.

I downloaded these adorable checklist stickers from Peach Paper Co on Etsy and they are perfect. I love that they are themed to the monthly colour adding some flair to the pages.

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I use the top box for work to do’s. These sometimes follow into the middle box if its particularly busy but if not, the middle box is home related chores – calls, cleaning, shopping lists etc. The final box is always used for my blog post to do’s.

I found these fantastic stamps on Neat and Tangled specifically for bloggers but some of the more generic stamps are great for everyday use. Using an acrylic block and NAME OF STAMP, these create a bold print and are the perfect height for the boxes.

Once I have filled out all the boxes at the beginning of the week, I fill the blank space with plenty of paper craft, stickers, die cuts and stamps. Using a paper buffet of greys, black and white and floral, I also used The Reset Girl stickers and script stickers from Simple Stories and Craft Market. Links below!

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20150914_174248158_iOS 20150914_174254361_iOS The Simplified Planner is my blog planner. I use the monthly spread to plan what topics I will be writing about and the weekly sections to track my social media activity and visits to my blog. This has really helped to see which posts are more popular.

As I write blogs on a Tuesday and Thursday, the monthly layout gives me plenty of room to be creative. Again, using a paper buffet and stickers from The Reset Girl, Craft Market and Simple Stories, I love how this spread turned out.

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For the weekly layout, I use these social media icons to write the number of likes against each one. I add my blog visits in the meal planning box and the title to keep track of the topic. Any blank space at the end of the week is of course decorated! 20150914_174056584_iOS 20150914_174048734_iOS I hope this has given you some inspiration in return for all the wonderful posts you share! Please comment and let me know what you think! Happy planning everyone

x PB x

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The Reset Girl stickers – http://www.theresetgirlshop.com/

Checklist stickers – https://www.etsy.com/uk/transaction/1058311206

#Back2School4GrownUps – Planner Collection

It is certainly safe to say that since the beginning of the year when I embarked on my planner obsession, I have accumulated a decent stack of beauties. So, I thought I would share what they are and how I use them.

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First up are my top two – The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley and Erin Condren Life Planner.
The Erin Condren Life Planner was arguably the first enabler into planning heaven for me. Spotting a YouTube video of one being decorating made me fall in love at first sight. With the teal and gold metallic personalised cover, I opted for the the traditional vertical layout. I use this as my every day go to planner – every appointment for work and home is noted on the monthly schedule – different colours for each to easily identify – and the weekly is my HUGE to do list – anything from a work related task to phone calls are separated up into one of the three boxes. I also add blog to do’s as well! I love the layout, it’s super versatile and plenty of space for writing or decorating when it’s a quiet week (although very rare!)

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The Simplified Planner is the pineapple weekly and is perfect to use as my blog planner – it wouldn’t be right to use it for anything else! I use the monthly spread to plan my posts and decorate the blank space. Writing on a Tuesday and Thursday only gives me plenty of room to be creative. The weekly schedule is used to record the statistics from my blog and social media. I use cute little social media stickers for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and jot down the number of likes and comments against photos as well as the number of visitors to my site. It really helps to see what draws the most interest – unsurprisingly, the planner topics are the most popular! Look out next week for layout designs!

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I definitely aspire to seasonal living and that extends from my home into my handbag! The Pineapple & Button Co. planner is of course my first and will remain a steady favourite. The teal and pink makes it the perfect Spring/Summer accessory.

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The patent blue Paperchase planner is my go to Autumn/Winter choice. It has a great feel to it and plenty of pockets to decorate seasonally. I tend to use both of these as notebooks and for on-the-go lists! I will be featuring this planner in the 2nd instalment of Getting Ready For Autumn.

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The Smash Scrapbook is where I create mood boards for our home. Cutting out ideas from interior design magazines, I pull together colours, textures and room decor to inspire me with our ongoing projects. I love the size and thickness of the paper as it allows me to go a little crazy with the glue stick!

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Finally, a grabbed this adorable Cath Kidston Christmas Organiser long before I realised I was a #PlannerGirl so it hasn’t been used to its full potential………until now! Full of cute dividers for menu planning, cards lists, present lists and notes, it will certainly get some Pineapple & Button Co. treatment this year! Watch this space!20150909_174019182_iOS20150909_173740884_iOS

I would love to see all your planner collections! Please share on Instagram using #Back2School4GrownUps

x PB x

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#Back2School4GrownUps – Lets Get Organised!

Since launching into the world of planning, I have come to release the importance of organising my planning supplies – not only does this make the hoards of washi tape, pens, stickers and accessories look even better but it also helps me to plan in the most efficient way.

Vintage Letter Rack

I converted this letter rack into the most perfect planning storage. A gorgeous dark wood passed down to me by a family member, it stands with pride on the corner of my desk. I had thought about painting it but I love the vintage feel.

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The width of the slots make for a great washi holder (with plenty more room for more which is always important!). The pens and the stickers fit perfectly at the back of the unit with journal cards and accessories in the front for easy access. I always have this by my side when planning for the week.

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 Websters Color Crush Planning Case
I purchased this Webster Color Crush planning case from eBay. Complimenting the Pineapple and Button Co colours, it’s great to have in your handbag along with your planner of choice.

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With 3 pockets of varying sizes, it holds a substantial amount of on-the-go planning accessories – washi tape, pens, sticky notes, stickers, paperclips. A must for any stylish #GirlBoss.
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This divine wrap pencil case was a gift from Mr PB for our wedding anniversary. A beautiful soft tan leather, it smells incredible. Coming into Autumn, it makes for an adorable accessory.

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It’s a great size too, holding washi tape, paperclips, pens and a few stickers. I have started using this along with my navy patent Paperchase planner as this seasons staples.

IMG_4073 Being such a fan of The Reset Girl, I have learnt many a new technique for upping my planning game! The one significant tip is creating a paper buffet.

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Selecting paper stock in complimenting colours for my chosen theme – whether it be my EC, Simplified Planner or an autumn notebook – and then cutting them into circles, squares and page flags, really makes creating a layout easy peasy lemon squeezy as well as being super fun! I store the paper buffet in these simple dishes and change the contents up each month.

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Look out for layout designs soon!

What do you like to store your planning supplies in?

x PB x

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#Back2School4GrownUps – Haul Time!

I have been building up quite the small collection of recently purchased items, both planning and stationery related and both online and in-store.

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So, first up – I have been to TKMaxx (surprise, surprise!) and found this gorgeous pad of craft paper. The colours are perfect moving into Autmn/Winter and will certainly be put to good use. A bargain too at £7.99.

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As you will remember from my #Blogspiration post a week or so ago, I mentioned my admiration and slight obsession with The Reset Girl. When she announced that she had changed her store format to ready to ship, I knew I had to purchase something. To make the shipping (and customs!!) worthwhile, I bought a stack of stickers from her in her iconic patterns and colours. Along with some text stickers, I also purchased Craft Market and Simple Stories brand too as they were actually more reasonably priced in dollars compared to sterling. I love how Cori included some misfit stickers (which I can’t actually tell what is wrong with them) and a sweet little note! Highly recommend a visit!

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So, Tesco have upped their stationery game and have this gorgeous collection of rose gold/pink metallic notebooks and pencil cases. I also spotted these 4 tabbed notebooks which I thought would be perfect inside a large Midori. Finally, this adorable peach and cream lace ribbon would go perfectly with the peach Kikki K – would make great page markers!

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20150903_063936357_iOSI recently spotted on Instagram these adorable stamps perfect for bloggers! From Neat & Tangled you place these stamps on an acrylic block and stamp away! They have been so useful when planning my blog posts and photos. I also use the To Do and Top 3 in my Erin Condren as they fit perfectly in the vertical boxes! Shipped from the US very quickly and no customs!

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20150903_064127544_iOSI made another purchase from Craftie Charlie – I love this UK based online store – they have such a wide collection, my wish list is forever growing! I spotted these absolutely amazing autumn/fall themed stickers and craft paper. Autumn is by far my favourite season – my birthday month is September, I love the going back to school feeling and the weather always seems to be beautiful. I can’t wait to decorate my planners with these beauties!

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I am part of a number of groups on Facebook – Planner Dreams UK, Planner Dreams Sales UK, Paper and Glam Planning etc – I find these a great source for inspiration as well as networking with like-minded planner obsessed individuals. I recently purchased some items from Planner Dreams Sales UK. A great bunch of ladies who always seem to be having a de-stash and at very reasonable prices. These two notebooks, including postage, were less than £5 – will certainly be put to good use for my Autumn set ups. I also have some stickers on the way which I am very excited about. I highly recommend you join Facebook groups!

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Finally, I found a rather significant bargain in Paperchase! Paperchase now have a loyalty card which gives you money off depending on your spending habits! Well, as you can imagine, I have made my fair share of purchases over recent months giving me £5 off my next spend. I spotted this beautiful patent navy planner. I think it is equivalent to a Filofax personal size. Reduced from £16 to £8, I used my £5 off so…..£3 in total!!

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It is a perfect Autumn colour and I will be using my recent supplies to make this my #ListersGottaList journal. So, make sure you sign up to the loyalty scheme, highly recommended.

x PB x

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#Back2School4GrownUps – Creating a JoulesDori

With all the “research” I do on Instagram, I had been spotting these adorable leather bound notebook covers and thought I would investigate further.

Travelers Notebooks are now a regular addition in any #PlannerGirl collection and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Coming from the original Midori, the concept is quite simple – a plain piece of leather with an elastic band from top to bottom which is used to secure a notebook. An elastic band is placed over the closed notebook, keeping it in place. And depending on the brand and size, you can fit multiple notebooks making it the perfect On The Go planning tool

So, when I spotted this Joules passport cover in the sale recently (reduced from £19.95 to £9.95), I thought I would have a go. With a clear plastic sleeve that would usually house the passport and small pockets on the left hand side for anything else travel related, I thought it would make a perfect JoulesDori!

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I purchased these small notebooks from Hobbycraft – they come in a pack of 3 with very pretty metallic designs. Placing the back cover into the sleeve, it secures the notebook perfectly.

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I then added a series of cute embellishments to the pockets – mainly for a bit of eye candy when using it, however, the larger pocket is the perfect home for some stickers and page flags. I love the Dear Lizzy typewriter, Kate Spade paperclip and Shimmelle paper die cuts that I spotted in a photo by Christy Tomlinson, from The Planner Society.

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Although the notebook is pretty on the outside, I felt it needed decoration on the inside. Using a page of the macaroon notepad from the August Cocoa Daisy kit, I added some glitter washi and tried my hand at stamping! Pretty impressed with my first attempt although I had to concentrate extremely hard – my OCD would not have allowed any black splodges!

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I secured the notebook with a plain pink hair tie making it the perfect notebook to pop into your handbag and use on the go.

What do you think?

x PB x

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#blogspiration

Some people have asked me how I continue to write blogs twice a week. How do I find content and something to talk about? Well, most of my inspiration comes from those around me – my family, my friends, my travels. But possibly most importantly, I am inspired by those that I follow on social media and the magazines and blogs that I read consistently.

It may seem a small milestone but we have recently achieved 100+ followers on Instagram and I have come to realise the power behind a loyal following. So, to share my gratitude and appreciation, I thought I would share my top blogs & favourite magazines as well as the ever growing YouTube & Instagram accounts.

Stationery & Planning

BLOGS

StudioCalico, StudioL2E and My Marvelous Life – the wonderful individuals behind all these blogs inspire me in a variety of ways. The photos, the content and just the ability to motivate me to want to improve on my life skills!

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01http://www.studiocalico.com/blog

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01http://www.studiol2eblog.com/

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01http://www.mymarvelouslife.com/

YOUTUBE

TheResetGirl – where do I start to express how much of a considerable impact Cori has had on my planning style. By far, the one and only planning and scrap booking YouTuber you should watch. She consistently shares inspiring stories and creations that want me to try and try again to make it perfect. But it goes beyond Planning and is more about women being strong leaders and making a name for themselves in a hobby they love – true inspiration.

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbrX05bknKFXthMyadIthwQ

INSTAGRAM

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01theplannersociety

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01theinkroad

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01createwithbeth

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01theresetgirl

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01GeraldineJayne

If a picture could speak a thousand words! Well, these ladies Instagram feeds will make you drool and want, want want in Stationery and Planning! Warning – enabler alert if you follow them!

Style

MAGAZINES

I regularly purchase;

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01 25 Beautiful Homes

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01Country Living

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01House and Garden

PinappleAndButtonCo-Icon-01Elle Decor.

Spending my Sunday evenings surrounded by magazines and adding inspiration to my interior scrapbook is the most satisfying feeling. Added to that is the excitement of scouring the stores during the week to find as close to equivalents of my interior wish list!

INSTAGRAM

Talk about #stylegoals, SophiePatersonInteriors is beyond inspiring. Her ability to decorate and dress a room is simply sensational! Follow, follow, follow!

I also regularly seek inspiration from CulinaryConcepts – I have shared my candle collection which features their products and there are plenty of style related blogs to come!

Find my Instagram account – pineapplebuttonco – and you will see these ladies on my following list.

I hope that have given you all some inspiration – please share your favourites below!

x PB x

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Re-creating The Pineapple & Button Co. Planner

Since starting his blog, I have come to realise that trying to explain the concept of planning and all things planner related to nearest and dearest has had a mixture of responses. Some get it and nod enthusiastically along with me. Others seem confused that someone in their 30’s decorates their diary using stickers and washi tape.

So, in order to share the love and hopefully entice them over to the planning world, I thought I would re-create The Pineapple & Button Co. Planner is various forms so that people could see how exciting and tactile planning could be.

I started with a close friend who had a birthday coming up. After oohing and ahhing over the original P&B Planner, I promised to make them their very own.

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The choice of ringbinders was limited, so I decided to convert a Paperchase notebook with dividers so they could then decide how they wanted to use it.

I chose a bohemian colour palette of purples, pinks and greens complimented with postcards from Paperchase and die-cut embellishments from Shimelle. A little sprinkling of washi tape and some handmade paperclip markers, I was pleased with the end result. What do you think?

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Now, who can I create the next Pineapple & Button Co. Planner for?

x PB x

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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/