Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We were all sick here, but that's a story for a different day...or never.

Anyway - I'm so excited to switch gears and start planning for Christmas! I love all of the decorating, baking, wrapping, pre-Christmas stuff that needs to be done...but I'll be the first to admit that I am not the most organized person. I know, I know...after all my messy house/work-space posts you'd never have guessed it, right?

Again...anyway...

I've decided to change my tune. This year I'm all about the planning. I've become a total planamaniac (you read that here first my friends...plan-a-maniac).

And when I was given the opportunity to play with the brand new Stampin' Up!® Project Life® Hello December kit, I did a little jig because it was the perfect way for me to get my organize on...

First let me show what all is part of this darling collection...




So great, right?

And check out these fantastic digital files, too! Stampin' Up!® was gracious enough to let me use these for my project...and I'm pretty sure they were exactly what I needed...

OK...so now are you ready to see my planner?! Eeeeek!

Here it is!


I am over the moon about this planner!

Now, I really did like the way this album arrived (dark red binding on a kraft album)...but it didn't really fit with my color scheme. So I set to work re-creating it to make it unique. I used a few layers of gesso and white acrylic paint over the red parts...and then blocked off sections of the kraft with washi tape and added some black, silver, blue & green. AAAACK. I die. I just love the way this turned out.

And a simple piece of wood veneer turned this non-traditionally holiday-ish album cover into the perfect holiday album.

OK...now for the inside...


Here's what I was talking about with the digital files...

I resized and added type to one of the digital cards, printed it out and slid it into a page protector. The perfect coordinating title page - quickly & easily!


My next page is where I will record the Christmas cards I mail...and receive. I think I will probably add holes to my favorite cards and insert them directly into my book at the end of the season. I can't wait! Oh my gosh...I'm getting so excited...

Moving on...

For these cards, I opened the digital "MAKING A LIST" files and added my kids' names. Then I simply printed them out, asked the kids to write down their wish lists, and slipped them into their pockets. Extra pockets will hold coupons and gift ideas...


Like I mentioned - I love all the decorating...but sometimes I'm a little lost at how to change things up from year to year. So these next pages will be where I add magazine inspiration, Pin-spiration, and any ideas that may come to me. I will also add photos of this years' decorations so that in future years I can see what I've done.

Next are more pages for decorating and gift ideas...



...and a section for projects I want to complete...


...I've also included a few inspiration photos directly into the album...just so that I don't forget them. (and yes...that arrow is an upside-down tree sticker).

No Christmas planner would be complete without a list of holiday to-do's, right?




Some of the pockets are just filled with stuff I love...



And finally...at the back of my planner album I've added some of the Stampin Up!® Project Life® Envelope Pages...

...and the other to hold miscellaneous items...thank you cards, random tags, stickers, etc.

So there you have it!

What do you think? Man...I love it. I love that the Hello December collection was so easy to use...and that it contained so many beautiful coordinating pieces. I love that each little piece seemed like it was designed especially for my project...and I love that the addition of the digital items made my project even that much more "me."

I'm pretty much head over heels.

Thank you so so much, Stampin' Up!®

Is one of your goals for next year to (finally!) get organized?

I know it's one of mine...

In fact, it's one of my goals every. single. year.

But 2015 will be different...because I'm going to have an amazingly organized and creative talent on my side.

Marcy Penner. Yep. Marcy Penner.

Marcy & Studio Calico are bringing "AGENDA" to the classroom this month...



From the SC website...

BY ENROLLING IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL RECEIVE :

• PDF lessons covering everything from setting up your planner to making it functional for you, all while adding your own style and flair to its pages.
• Three videos from Marcy Penner
• A peek into each of the contributor's planners, as well as insight into how they organize and decorate them.
• Digital files from Hello Forever designed for your planner (coming soon)

---

CLASS SYLLABUS :

• Planner Set Up
• Inserts - Pockets, Bookmarks and Dividers
• Dashboards
• Bullet Journaling
• Ideas for using your planner to stay organized
• Decorating

...and with your enrollment you will receive this...


While supplies last, Agenda students will receive an exclusive 4x6in stamp set designed by Marcy Penner. This stamp set ship free, no matter where you live. Quantities are limited, so enroll now to reserve yours!

how perfect is this adorable little stamp set? 

AND, that's not all (SC always has something amazing goin' on...)

for ONE WEEK ONLY! (that means only until September 8 or while supplies last!)


seriously...check these babies out...perfect matches for your Color Theory inks, paper, & embellishments!


They are available in individual color combos, too...

Mint Hint & Deja Blue
Yes Peas & Going Green
Gray Area & Inky Black
Blush Crush & Poppy
Well Red & Orange County
Lemon Zest & Sunny Day

You can use any planner for this class...Filofax, Vanderspek, Franklin Covey...anything...I'm using a regular old super-inexpensive planner from Target. I think it was a whole $7.99.

Here are some other fun things that were just released for use in this class (or wherever else you'd like to use them!)

washi & stickers!



AAAACK! Freaking out...this class is soooo right up my alley.

Not quite sure I can wait an entire month to get started...

Yesterday I shared my overhauled pantry door with you...

Today I'll show you what I've done on the inside...

As I mentioned yesterday, I painted the inside of the door, too, because, inevitably, this door is opened a million times each day...so I wanted it look decent.

I've been trying to do more menu planning so I decided to add a menu board that I made last year (I found a frame at Goodwill, asked my husband to cut a piece of plywood to fit, painted it with chalkboard paint, and added the word "menu," which I cut with my Silhouette). I kept the frame gold because I'm kinda diggin' it that way right now...



Then I stuck a cork trivet from Ikea on top of the board to use as a pinboard for coupons, recipes, whatever...


I found these awesome file pockets in the Martha Stewart section at Staples...they have adhesive at the top so you can stick them anywhere. And they are cut shorter in the front so that you can access the contents really easily.



While I was at Staples, I also picked up some Martha Stewart labels (which are AWESOME because Avery has printing templates for them), and a coupon organizer. I printed on the labels, stuck one on the organizer (which now holds restaurant coupons) and one on the file folder (which now holds menus).


I did a little organizing inside the pantry, too. We have precious little pantry space so I have to be organized (mind you, I usually end up having to reorganize every week...the kids just aren't as into it as I am...but I'm workin' on 'em).



I use baskets to keep like products together...and I've moved most of my dry goods to large canisters that I got at Ikea. I use small vintage bread pans to hold drink mixes and oatmeal packets...



And these "under-the-shelf" baskets from The Container Store are my absolute FAVORITE part of my pantry...they are the perfect size and they take care of all that wasted space above my baskets. I use them in my dish cupboards, too, to hold small plates and cups.

So there you have it...my new and improved pantry, inside & out.

Do you have any "small spaces" organizing tips? I'd LOVE to hear them...

While cleaning out my Mom's garage last week, I came across a blast from the past...

Remember years and years (and years) ago, when personal computers were just making their way onto the market? And cds, dvds & even 3" floppy disks had yet to be invented? All of our computer games, programs, everything came on 5" floppy disks...

These were even before Windows...see the "IBM-DOS" and "MS-DOS" up there? Awesome...

This is what they look like on the inside:


See? The disks would fit behind those two little prongy-thingies so that they wouldn't fall out when the boxes were opened...

Well, when I saw these, I knew INSTANTLY what they could be used for...

My ever-growing collection of cutting dies & letterpress accessories!

Most of the dies (especially the cookie-cutter ones) fit perfectly behind the prongs...


...and the larger ones fit into the bottom tray...


I pulled off the old labels, and used my Silhouette to make some new ones...



...organized beautifully...

So what do you think? Do you have any upcycled organization that you use for your crafts or around your house?