May Happy Planner Labels with Watercolor Florals

 Well, I'm trying to take my own advice and learn something new everyday.  

These may just look like ordinary Happy Planner labels to you, but to me they are something I learned how to do today.  I had been wanting to make some planner labels that were not just rectangular, but I love putting quotes and "talking to myself" motivational ramblings in my planner.  So I decided to up my game a little and teach myself how to think "outside of the box".  

Of course I am still having so much fun discovering and playing with all the beautiful florals from the bundle I bought from Creative Market recently.  So I used those as the starting point, along with my Silhouette and created these really rather easy labels. 


I hope you can see in the pictures how the florals spill out over the borders of the boxes.  No, I didn't fussy cut them, I let the Silhouette do all the work.  Okay, all the work after I designed them.  And that was where the learning something new came in.  

Here's a tutorial I did showing how I created these:

I posted below, some screen shots of the Silhouette mats with and without the cut lines to show you how I laid them out.  I do have a wide format printer, so I was able to use 12 x 12 paper, but you could just as easily lay them out on an 8 1/2 by 11 format.

Here's the layout without the cut lines and below is the screenshot of the layout showing where the cut lines will be.

Have fun creating today!  And learning something new!
Molly

Planner Printables for Digital Watercolor Bundle

Well, I was hoping to get a tutorial done today showing how I use downloaded digital files to make planner labels and scrapbook embellishments.  Unfortunately, once I started cleaning and doing some small housework projects, time got away from me.  BUT, I did manage t make some new labels for my
Big Happy Planner.

I used the beautiful graphics I bought from Creative Market, and had so much fun just playing.  As you can tell from the thoughts on the labels, I was in a very, very happy mood.  Playing with color and flowers and trying to learn new digital skills.  I was in Heaven!   So I wanted to share them with you,  I hope you enjoy.


The flowers used on these labels came from the Huge-Floral-Graphic-Bundle sold on Creative Market.
I hope you are having a wonderful Spring, and are having fun crafting. Hope I get more crafting done tomorrow!

Enjoy!
Molly

New Summer Freebie Planner Stickers and Silhouette Cameo Tutorial

Well I was back at it all day Monday! Making new stickers for my Happy Planner.  Inspired by the incredible freebies from My Planner Envy.  This very gifted designer shares her planner stickers with us and I love her style.

So inspired by Jessica's stickers, I set out to create some of my own.  Using color stories I snagged from Design Seeds.  This is one of my favorite places to go to find exciting color harmonies that I can use.  

Here's the Design Seeds picture that inspired these first set of stickers.  I just used the color picking eye dropper on the Silhouette Cameo Fill screen and "picked" the colors I wanted right from the picture.  Then I added text and some darling graphics from Creative Market.  This is a wonderful  sight that offers great buys and lots of freebies on fonts and graphics.   


So after I was happy with this first set, I got to work on a second set inspired by a more beachy bright collection. 

I mention the website: 
The Hungry Jpeg
I love going to this sight to pick up incredible bundles.  Loaded down with fonts and graphics, they really kickstart my creativity.  Plus, most of the sets in the bundles are commercial liscenses.  A big plus for such a little price!  

Here's a picture of the latest bundle I bought.  Look at all those wonderful watercolor graphics and great fonts!  Can't wait to play with them all...







Below, I posted the quick video I did on some of the steps to get you started creating your own with the Silhouette design space.   So easy and so much fun!

Just right click on the photos to download a copy for your personal use if you'd like.  And have fun creating!  

Molly

Freebie Happy Planner Stickers and My new Silhouette Cameo

Flowers used on these labels are
from the pixeledpaperdesigns available on etsy

 I am so over the moon happy!  I got a new Silhouette Cameo!  Now those of you who know me, know I have a Cricut Explore and love love love it.  

So why buy a Cameo?  I make scrapbook layouts alot and like making titles with shadows.  Plus, I love making planner stickers to share and lots of other "print then cut" designs to use as layout and card embellishments.  But my Cricut was falling a little short on these two fronts.  

But did these two "needs" actually justify spending over $250 on a new machine?  Well, a good friend of mine has a Cameo and shared it with me to play with.  I fell head over heels, but told her unless I could find one under $200 it was out of the questions.  Then, the very next day,  really, the very next day...HSN listed a cameo for $188.  It had to be a sign from Heaven, right?  So I now own my Cameo.  

Here's my take on the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two wonderful cutting machines:

Cricut Explore:

• Makes deep cuts, letting you use a wide range of materials to cut. Cameo does not cut as deeply.

• Design Space is a breeze to use.  Learning curve for first time users is short.  

• It is internet only accessible, which can be limiting at crops or any place there is no internet access.

• Cricut team is very energetic and friendly, offering great support if ever needed.

• Faster and quieter than Cameo.

Artwork used on these stickers were from
graphic bundles from thehungryjpeg
and poppymoondesigns

• Print then cut is easy to use, but eats up a lot of paper, because Cricut has print area limited to around 8" by 6", meaning you use waste about half a sheet of paper every time you cut.

• Editing tools are somewhat limited.  Easy to use what is there, and easy for beginner or intermediate level crafters, but limiting for advanced editing.

Silhouette Cameo:  

• Let's you create shadows or offsets very easily.  Cricut is working on this feature, but has been for quite a while.

• Print then cut is very easy and lets you use almost all of a sheet of paper, including 81/2" by 11" and even up to 12" by 12".  I have a wide format printer so this is wonderful.

• Editing tools are wonderful.  Instead of using other digital editing programs like Photoshop, I can do most of my creating and editing right on the Cameo design screen

• With the upgrade to Designer Edition you can easily cut any SVG you upload and can even convert your work to rhinestone templates in a few very very easy steps.

The two set of Planner stickers I am showing here were cut on the Cameo.  The top one, pinks and aqua, was created in Photoshop Elements, then uploaded and cut with the Cameo.  The second set was created completely on the Cameo mat, using the Design screen.  OMGeeeeee, for me, this is a huge wow!  

Here are my planner layouts using these stickers...

Well, back to playing with my machines.

Have fun crafting!







P.S. here's the video I did showing these quick and easy planner stickers!

Molly 

(If you right click on the pictures of the stickers I made, you should be able to save and print for your own personal use.)

Freebie Stickers for MAMBI Happy Planner!

Just like so many of you out there, I love playing with my MAMBI (me and my big ideas) Happy Planner.  And making my own stickers for it makes me even happier!  

The first set of stickers I created for my November pages were made with some of my favorite pictures from my  Pinterest Autumn board and one of our own fall decor.  

Most of these darling stickers feature artwork from On Sutton Place's blog.  She creates and shares the most magnificent artwork and decorating ideas.  If you have never stopped by there,  take a minute and I am sure you will be happy you did.  You can easily  download some amazing printables she has created for fall and Christmas.  


This next set of stickers are the Freebies (for your personal use) that I created using Adobe's Photoshop Elements 14.  Just got the latest Elements and love it.  It is so easy to use and the new features for photo editing are easy and very very effective.  
I used vintage royalty free downloads and clipping out the background and editing colors was easier than ever!


Well, I hope you enjoy this latest batch of stickers!  

Hugs,
Molly 

September Happy Planner FREEBIE DIY Stickers

Well, I did it.  I gave into that voice inside my head that said I MUST BUY A PLANNER!  Yep, bought a MAMBI (me and my big ideas) Happy Planner and I love it!   

I have always loved school and office and art supplies.  So really, it was an absolute sure thing that I would love this planner.  Hopefully you have all seen videos on the MAMBI's Happy Planners and know how popular they are.  Now most of the videos I have watch for them show women loading each page up with fun stickers and doodles.  Treating some of the space like minature "scrapbook layouts" or pocket page type design opportunities.

So of course I had to try my hand at making some stickers for my new book.  I just opened up my Photoshop Elements 11 program, downloaded some of my favorite Pinterest pins.  Then just resized them to fit into the Happy Planner pages. 







Next, made a page full of rectangular "quote stickers" I could print and run through my Xyron 9" and voila!  Stickers perfect for my September pages.  

Hope you enjoy and feel free to print and use the "quote" stickers for your own personnel use.  Plus here is a link to my Pinterest board for Happy Planner ideas. 

My Planner Board    

Head over there and check out just  a small small fraction of all the great things happening in the planning world!  

Oh by the way, yes, I do feel so much more productive now that I am using this new planner. Plus, how much fun is it just to play with decorating and recording each days memories!  

Have fun and please don't forget to subscribe.  Just use link on top right column and you can subscribe by email!