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After hearing about the new Mini Happy Planner, I waited a long time to get one. Like 3 whole weeks. It was excruciating. π
And I’ve spent another two weeks getting it set up for 2017. But it is finally ready. Or at least I thought it was. Then today, just as I was finishing up making my accessories, I get a notification that MAMBI was live on Periscope. And they never disappoint me! Not only are they releasing a lot of accessories for the mini (including the daily pages I have been hoping for), but they are also having an awesome Black Friday sale!
Because I was wondering what I was going to spend my Black Friday funds on. π
This is the first part of my planner set up for 2017. I got this Mini Happy Planner from Me and My Big Ideas (MAMBI) to carry around in my purse. The classic size Happy Planner is amazing, but with everything that I had in it, it was getting too heavy to take with me everywhere (and fit in my purse). I will also continue using my classic, but that will be in a different post… after I finish setting it up.
The mini will have:
- My calendar
- To Do Lists- this is something I need to be more organized with. I have to do lists on my daily, weekly, and monthly sections, but I needed a more general place to keep lists of anything I can think of that I need or want to get done.
- Shopping- This will have a list for each store I normally shop at, or category of store (like craft/hobby stores, or drug stores).
- Important Info- This is a small section. I just want to have a few important phone numbers with me in case my phone battery dies or I can’t get to it. Also, I will have a list of my basic password hints (because I don’t like the the idea of having the whole password, but I can give myself enough hints to figure it out).
- Notes- Because I always like to have a section of paper to just write anything I think of.
**UPDATE: You can now purchase printable versions of the To Do List, Notes page, Shopping List, and Contact page in my Etsy shop by clicking here.**
Things I added to the basic planner:
I added the medium size discs. The mini discs are barely big enough for the year of calendars, and I knew I wanted to add more pages than that, so it was necessary to get larger discs.
Pockets. Although they announced today that the mini pockets will be released on December 1 (mid December in stores), I wasn’t aware of that until after I had finished them (which was last night. Haha). I made them using a pad of double sided scrapbook paper made by We R Memory Keepers. I lined the bottom with packing tape to help them be more durable.
Dividers. Like I mentioned earlier, I am adding more sections: To Do Lists, Shopping, Important, and Notes. So I made dividers using this We R Memory Keepers Acetate Pad (the clear plastic with colored polka dots). They turned out awesome and I’m so glad I did it that way. The words on the tabs are a set of pre-printed tab labels (also from We R Memory Keepers- made for the TAB Punches line) and put those on the tabs that I cut out on the dividers.
I made my own pages for to do lists, shopping lists, notes, and contacts. There will also be a password hints page.
I purchased the Happy Planner Mini Dashboards. These will be used to mark TODAY, TO DO (which ever list is most important at the time), and NOTES (any note that corresponds with a current project that I would need to access easily). So I have a confession… I hate the phrase “Hustle” or anything including that word (ie. Hustle Hard). It just isn’t motivating for me. So I covered it on the dashboard with a large TODAY sticker. And behind the dash, you can see my New Years sticker, since that is the first week I will be using this planner.
I am obsessed with sticky notes. I found these to do list sticky notes at Walmart. I’m also going to add some to the back of my other quote page too.
Speaking of my quote pages… Here is one of them (they both look the same except for the quote). I foiled them myself with Minc Foil and this Scotch Laminator. They are located at the front of my planner.
**Side note: I have heard that some people do not have success getting their laminator to work with thermal reactive foil, even using the same products I have (linked above). I have never had a problem getting it to work, but just note that for some it may not work. I don’t know these people personally, so unfortunately I can’t provide any insight into why mine works and theirs doesn’t. As far as I can tell, they used the same process I did. Comment below if you’ve tried this and had success, or if you would like further trouble-shooting ideas if it didn’t work for you.**
I added a lot of stickers. Some of the dividers just had patterns, so I found large quote stickers and put them on some of the dividers to add a little more flair.
Then I started decorating for special events that are happening next year, mostly holidays and birthdays. I got some cute cupcake stickers for birthdays, and a variety of holiday stickers (which were half off at Hobby Lobby at the time- making each package about $1).
I didn’t completely fill in all the spaces I could with stickers because I know there will be decorating that I want to do as each holiday gets closer. So I left room for more of whatever I want at the time. π
And then of course I had to sticker my name in on the title page- in pink glitter letters. Because I like anything sparkly. π
Check out the video here:
I’d love to see your planners too! How do you set it up and what do you include in it?
8 Comments
I love how your planner is coming together! I too have a Happy Planner and would like to add a section for “To Do”. How did you go about using the acetate to creat your dividers? Did you trace an old divider and cut it out? Thank you!
Thank you so much, Brianna! For these ones I made a template out of regular paper, and measured the tab size knowing that I wanted 4 tabs. Then used that paper to cut the acetate to the right size, and used a curved corner punch to round the edges (except for the tab corners were done with scissors because my punch didnβt fit right with the rest of the divider so close to the edge). I also laminated the acetate once it was cut because I wanted it thicker. But acetate dividers have become my favorite material to use and I highly recommend it!!
Iβve also cut dividers using my Silhouette machine. Iβm working on a post with different ways to make dividers with free patterns and cut files and will link it here when it is finished. π
Where did you get the poke a dot things at?
Hi Renee!
Those are acetate sheets. I bought them at a scrapbook outlet warehouse that is no longer there. But you can get them from Amazon (there is a link above) or most craft stores have them in the scrapbook paper section too.
Hi, I love the extra notes and to-do pages you added. How did you create those? The fit perfectly, you should list them on Etsy if you haven’t done so already!! π
Hi Hayat!
Thank you for your comment! I’m glad you like them!
I made them in Photoshop. That’s what I use to create all my printables. π
That is a great idea to put them on Etsy, I honestly hadn’t thought about that. I have them listed here now and will also link to it in the post above.
Thank you again! Have a great day!
So cute! Where did you purchase the acetate polka dot paper please?
Hi Eileen!
Thanks! I actually purchased mine at a scrapbook liquidation store that isnβt open anymore. But I have seen the same notepad at Hobby Lobby too. I know most craft stores sale different versions of acetate sheets individually in the open stock scrapbook paper section too.