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.

20160116_152347162_iOS

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!

20160116_152251187_iOS

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.

20160116_151940143_iOS

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.

20160116_152315100_iOS

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.

20160116_151954489_iOS

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.

20151207_161513265_iOS

20151207_161523039_iOS

20151207_161544602_iOS

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.

20151207_161655406_iOS

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!

20151207_162110823_iOS

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!

20151207_162414947_iOS

20151207_162400424_iOS

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

20151207_162532605_iOS

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

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

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

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).

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!

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.

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.

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 – Planner Collection

September 10, 2015September 9, 2015 hansjones1 Comment

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.

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!)

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!

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.

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.

20150909_174004145_iOS
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!

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!

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

x PB x

#Back2School4GrownUps – Lets Get Organised!

September 8, 2015September 7, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Look out for layout designs soon!

What do you like to store your planning supplies in?

x PB x

#Back2School4GrownUps – Haul Time!

September 3, 2015September 3, 2015 hansjones1 Comment

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

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.

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!

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!

I 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!

I 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!

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!

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!!

20150903_064148783_iOS

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

#Back2School4GrownUps – Creating a JoulesDori

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015 hansjones1 Comment

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

#blogspiration

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015 hansjones1 Comment

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!

http://www.studiocalico.com/blog

http://www.studiol2eblog.com/

http://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.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbrX05bknKFXthMyadIthwQ

INSTAGRAM

theplannersociety

theinkroad

createwithbeth

theresetgirl

GeraldineJayne

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;

25 Beautiful Homes

Country Living

House and Garden

Elle 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

Re-creating The Pineapple & Button Co. Planner

August 18, 2015August 17, 2015 hansjonesLeave a comment

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.

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?