We Will Always Have Paris

Two For Tuesday: Planner Goodies

I am in love with my new planner goodies for Fall:

1.  Printable inserts from Annie Plans Printables:

I switched to a B6 Travelers Notebook earlier this year and I have been thrilled with my ability to customize my planner.  I use Annie Plans' Month/Weekly/Daily 3 Column Timed Printable Inserts.  They are incredibly easy to print and assemble (my mad bookbinding skills are getting some use again).  I have created my own headers for the different sections (in colors to match my fall scheme) and I print them out on 4"x6" labels (found at the dollar store). I also love her Bill Tracker, Event/Project Planner, and Monthly Calendar.

Not a fan of the B6 size?  No worries!  She has printables in micro, passport, pocket, A6, personal, standard, cashier, and B6 slim!

2. NoniesCustomCreation Planner Clips:

As each season approaches, I start picking end papers for my printables and then reach out to Roberta at NoniesCustomCreation on Etsy.  Her planner clips are adorable and she has tons of them!  I normally have her customize a "Goals" clip and a "Today" clip in my current color scheme and then pick a few extra to make me happy.  Check these out:  Dole Whip for my upcoming Disney trip, Pilgrim hat (order now to have it in time!), and pumpkin spice latte!

Two For Tuesday: My New Doorknob and Family Tree Art

My must-have list this week:

1.  Alice In Wonderland-Themed Doorknob. My BFF Suni spotted this on Instagram this week and she sent me the link to Etsy seller PropSculptor, because she likes to spend my money.  Now I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE IT.  How amazing is this doorknob?  I am thinking it needs to go on the door to our basement, which houses my studio and the girls' playroom.  Pure Disney magic in my own home?  Yes, please!!

2.  Custom Family Tree  Wood Sign - Choose from 3, 4, or 5 generations illustrated and engraved on this beautiful slab of basswood.  Wouldn't this make an amazing gift?  I want a four generation piece for myself, but I am flagging this for future Christmas gifts as well.  How lovely, no? 

Spring Planner Preview

i know it is still February, but I am so ready for Spring!

Must Have: Custom Wooden Words

I absolutely love these custom wooden words.  At almost three feet long, they are a perfect focal point for seasonal decorating.  I ordered one last fall that said "thankful", painted it rose gold, and used it in my Thanksgiving decor.  Spring is almost here and I am thinking I need another!  I could easily go with "Spring", but I'm hoping you can help me come up with something better...  Bloom?  Grow?  Leave a comment or send me a note with your clever ideas.  I am chomping at the bit to start putting out bunnies and painting everything in pastels!

I am also thinking I need one with our last name to rest on top of one of our living room bookshelves.  These words are too cute and too cheap to pass up!

Want one for yourself?  Just click here!

Disclosure: I participate in ShareASale's Affiliate Program, an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Jane.com.

 

Two For Tuesday: Asymmetrical Tunic and Windshield Cover

Ohhhhh!!!!  Two recent faves:

1.  This Asymmetrical Button Shirt!  I bought this a few months ago and loved it so much that I bought another in a different color.  It is roomy and has the all-important "cover my butt" feature I love in a shirt.  I will say that the black shirt was made of a thicker, richer material than the grey one I ordered afterwards.  I don't love the grey nearly as much as I love (LOVE) my black shirt.  Click here to get yours!2.  Magnetic Windshield Cover.  Although the D.C. area has been enjoying springlike temperatures this week, I know the snow and ice will be returning soon (February is always the worst around here).  I have had windshield covers in the past, but I absolutely love this one because it has magnets rather than ties to hold the cover to the car.  LOVE THAT.  As a Southern California transplant, I feel personally attacked when I have to chip ice off my windshield (why me?).  I love that I can put this bad boy on before a storm and then pull it off when I need to drive -- no need to scrape layers of ice off of my windshield.  Click here to check it out!

Disclosure:  I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.  

Two For Tuesday: Dreambook For 2018 and Baby Milestone Blankets

(OK, totally not a Tuesday, but I needed to get this out there before they go quickly!)

Two things I cannot live without this week:

1.  Rituals For Living Dreambook for 2018.

I am a planner by nature.  Pen and paper.  For years I was loyal to Franklin-Covey and loved my classic planner.  A few years ago, the Franklin-Covey pages no longer worked for my crazy-busy life.  I had stopped goal planning and just focused on the day to day.  In short, I had stopped dreaming.  In 2017, I purchased my first Dreambook.  (Click here to watch a video and see how it works!)  It was a life changer.  I can still plan the day-to-day (get the kids to dance and school and schedule the AC repairman), but I can also focus on the next year to ten years.  Once again, dreams and goals are being written out and put into action.  The pages help you map out your goals and how you are going to get there (my favorite pages are the monthly breakdown of goals).  Please note that the 2018 Dreambook is in pre-order status right now.  Preorders will ship October 10, 2017!  

2.   Baby Milestone Blankets. 

My neighbor is having a baby any day now.  I saw this on Jane.com and immediately happy clapped!!  My babies are too old for the blankets, but I can sure as heck live vicariously through the new baby next door!  There are thirteen different styles (check out the princess blanket) and they are only $27.99 each!  Know someone planning to have a baby?  Be sure to look at the pregnancy (40 weeks on the blanket) style!   Act quickly as the Jane.com products go quickly!

Note:  I am an affiliate for Jane.com and get paid when you purchase items through the above links, but I ordered the baby milestone blanket before I signed on with them!  

Two For Tuesday: Meriwether Mugs and AlfaStamps on Etsy

My new faves:

1.  Meriwether Mugs.  I love these.  I need these.  I showed my hubby and he cracked up and agreed.  Just $20 for the set! Be sure to check out Meriwether's fantastic mistaken lyric glasses as well.  "I've got two chickens to paralyze"...  Beyond funny!

2.  AlfaStamps on Etsy.  I'm a sucker for a custom stamp and I absolutely love the return address stamps designed by Yuri at AlfaStamps.  These would make great housewarming gifts!

Two For Tuesday: Kate Morton and Avery Elle Simply Said

My picks for the week:

1. Books by Author Kate Morton. Last week I finished Kate Morton's The Lake House, my third book by Kate Morton.  Holy cow, was it good!  If you are a fan of suspenseful novels with dark secrets that take place in foreign places, you'll want to try one of her books.  This book was so good that I had to flip to the end to see how it ended, just so I could stop my racing heart and enjoy the story at my own pace.  My favorite Morton book is The Forgotten Garden (A little girl is abandoned on a ship to Australia in 1913 with nothing but a suitcase of clothes and a book of fairy tales!), but I first fell in love with Morton when I read The Distant Hours (Eccentric sisters living in a decaying English castle!).  I think I'll try The Secret Keeper next!

 

2. Avery Elle Simply Said Dies and Stamps.  I absolutely adore the Simply Said Hello Die from Avery Elle.  The stamps that coordinate with the die give you so many options!!  I was able to whip up a stack of quick and easy cards in a snap.  My ten year-old daughter joined in and was able to make one as well:

Not too shabby for her first card, right??

Note:  This article includes affiliate links.  That being said, these are items  I purchased for myself (or plan to buy soon).  They were not given to me and I am not paid for any endorsements.  Should you decide that you can't live without them, use the links and kick a little money back my way!

Planning For Disney: My Top 5 Apps To Use At Disney World

 

We just returned from a week at Walt Disney World.  I found it interesting that my Disney trips have become incredibly high-tech over the past few years.  Want to check the wait in line at Splash Mountain?  There's an app for that!  Wondering if there are any hidden Mickey's in Cinderella's castle?  There's an app for that!  Want to know which pressed pennies are available at Animal Kingdom?  Guess what?  There's an app for that!  

(Be sure to read to the bottom for my tips on using electronics in the park!)

My top 5 Disney Apps to use while in the parks:

1.  My Disney Experience (free - iTunes and Google Play).  This is a must-have.  You can keep track of your Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs), your Fast Pass+ reservations, check wait times, book an ADR, find a restroom and locate characters in the park.  If you've purchased a Photo Pass, you can actually check your photos mere moments after having them taken by a park photographer. Amazing.  The app is free (woo hoo!) and easy to use.  Don't leave home without this one! 
   
   
   
   
2. Show Your Disney Side (free - iTunes only).  This app is just plain fun.  While you are waiting in line for Anna and Elsa, why not take a selfie and morph yourself into a Disney character?  During our recent trip, my girls were positively giddy to take pictures of Daddy and morph him into Jafar or Snow White.  That's me as Malificent.
   
   
3. Lots To Do In Line ($6.99 - iTunes and Google Play).  My 10 year-old used this app over and over again while waiting in line. Once you open the app you can select your park and then an attraction.  The app will then quiz you on the amazing Disney details as you look around the ride.  In addition to the 1,282 questions, there are 109 in-line treasure hunts.  As soon as we would get into a line my daughters would beg for our phones so that they could play this one.
    
4. WDW Pressed Pennies ($0.99 - iTunes and Google Play).  Both of my girls collect pressed pennies in the parks and I was delighted to discover an app that would allow me to keep track of the pennies they already have and those they still need to collect. 
5. Heads Up! ($0.99 - iTunes and Google Play).  Over Spring Break my girls made friends in every line we stood in with this app.  The app version of the game Ellen Degeneres plays on her show is sure to keep you (and everyone around you) entertained while you wait.  We were delighted to discover that Disney recently released a Disney Parks deck for the game which you can download (for free!!!) while in a Disney Park.  

Tips For Using Electronics At Walt Disney World

• Walt Disney World offers free Wi-Fi in the parks.  Before our recent trip I was able to load up our old iPhones for the girls to use while we were in the parks.  Even though the phones no longer worked as phones, the girls were able to connect via Wi-Fi and use the apps.  They were then also to use them as cameras (which was one less thing to try to keep track of!).  
• Pack a charge cord.  I noticed a number of people plugging in throughout the park to recharge their phones.  I noticed a number of outlets being used in Be Our Guest while we were having lunch in Beast's castle.
• Pick up a portable cell phone charger.  If you have a long day in the park, you might want to pick up a portable cell phone charger before you leave.  I found myself plugging in my phone while standing in line, trying to salvage what little battery life I had left.  This was a life saver for me. Check out this one, but you might find one in the Dollar Spot at Target as well!

 

Note:  This article includes affiliate links.  That being said, these are items  I purchased for myself (or plan to buy soon).  They were not given to me and I am not paid for any endorsements.  Should you decide that you can't live without them, use the links and kick a little money back my way!

Two For Tuesday: YouTube and White Mountain Puzzles

My current addictions:

1.  YouTube.  Pinterest and YouTube have replaced the need to EVER buy another crafting magazine.  Sorry.  It's true.  The only crafting magazines I ever buy are the ones in which my friends have had something published.  Great visuals can be found on Pinterest and amazing tutorials are everywhere on YouTube.  Instead of cuddling up at bedtime with a glass of wine and the latest Creating Keepsakes (sooooo 2005), I find myself grabbing my iPad (and the wine... there will always be wine) and falling down an internet rabbit hole.  I thought I'd toss out my favorite YouTube channels (make sure you sign up for an account and click "subscribe") and you too can be inspired by some amazing designers.  Here are my favorites:

• Jennifer McGuire Ink - My favorite of all the crafty YouTubers.  Her stuff is amazing.  Be sure to check out her organizational videos as well as her technique videos.  It is all good!
• K Werner Design - Gorgeous envelopes, lots of watercolors and supercool lettering.  Inspiring!
• Papertrey Ink - One of my favorite stamp and die companies.  Watch the Party Pops video here and you can thank me for helping you spend your crafting money!  Seriously.  I watched the video.  I bought the stamps.  I couldn't help myself.
• Silhouette America- Santa brought me a Silhouette for Christmas this year.  I am loving the videos on this channel!
• Altenew- One of the hottest new stamp companies.  Check out their layered floral stamps.  I love, love, love!  Love them so much that it hurts.  Financially.

In addition to the crafting channels, I'm also loving these:

• Bad Lip Reading- I don't care which political party you belong to, you must watch both the Democratic and Republican debate videos.  My daughters have memorized them.  Pinto!  Pinto!  Wahahahaha!
• Fat Quarter Quilts - I swear to you that I have had "make a quilt" as one of my New Years Resolutions every damn year for at least ten years.  This channel might inspire me to get my act together!!
• Boho Berry - My favorite planner/bullet journal YouTuber.  This girl will change your world.  Holy cow!!
• Soap Queen TV- My latest passion - soapmaking.  OK.  Passion is overstating it.  I keep buying supplies, but haven't actually made anything yet.  But if I do, it will be because of this channel.
• WOW Presents- THIS CHANNEL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.  If you love drag queens like I love drag queens, you'll want to check this out.  Bianca Del Rio is my favorite drag queen and her "Really Queen?" series cracks me up.

Once you click "subscribe" when logged in to YouTube, your account will regularly update with the most recent videos from all of your subscriptions.  Every night I have new material to watch/learn from/laugh at. 

Now that you've seen some of my faves, what are yours?  I'd love to add more viewing material to my nightly addiction!!

2. White Mountain Puzzles .  We always have a puzzle in progress at our house.  It is something that every member of our family can work on and something we can do together.  It is the perfect activity for rainy days and snow days (ahem... like this week) and boring days.  When we've had a stressful week, I pull our puzzle out and set it on the kitchen table.  Putting pieces together soothes the soul.  We keep our puzzles on a large piece of particle board and when it is not in use it is store on top of a bookcase in our living room.

White Mountain puzzles are amazing quality and are easy to work through because the pieces are easily identifiable.  We recently completed the 80s puzzle above (get yours here ) and it was fun to shout out "I'm working on Mr. T... if you find a piece of Mr. T, give it to me!!!".  We've put together over a dozen White Mountain Puzzles and I cannot recommend them enough.  Here are some of our faves:

Go get yourself some puzzle therapy.  It is good for you!

Note:  These are affiliate links.  That being said, these are items  I purchased for myself (or plan to buy soon).  They were not given to me and I am not paid for any endorsements.  Should you decide that you can't live without them, use the links and kick a little money back my way!