3 Tips for Memory Keeping Like a Pro

After a long (much needed) vacation, I’ve finally begun to upload videos to YouTube again and this first one is a Plan with Me update. The planner I work on is a part of my collaboration with The Happy Planner for their Be Happy Box. My intention was to share how I caught up on the blank spaces in my planner while we were out of town for 3 weeks. I really enjoyed making the video and hanging out with my family as I worked. Of course, you should go watch it and feel creative and inspired. If you can’t watch it immediately or you’re saving it for when you have some time to really sit down with your own planner and work while you watch, here are 3 takeaways from the video you can use right now!

  1. Be a Maximalist. Don’t be afraid to fill up blank spaces. I used to feel discouraged when I’d look back over a week and see so many blank spaces in my planners and journals. To me, they represented failures to log my days “properly.” Now, I get excited when I see them because I realized they’re actually opportunities to add beautiful embellishments and flourishes. Those empty spaces are a blessing in disguise. If you want to be more “true” to the past, you can always journal a little about your experiences in colorful pens or markers to add your own personal touch.

  2. Add dimension. Try out multiple media for a multi-dimensional look and feel. Don’t hold back. You can add stamps, watercolors, stickers, die cuts and washi tape in layers to create the perfect multi-layered masterpiece. The benefit to working through things in layers is that you can always cover up something you don’t like with a sticker or a die.  Just remember that if you’re stamping or using watercolors you need to allow everything to dry carefully before you move on to your next layer. While you wait, you can always work on another page or project. 

  3. Time-saving supplies. Use tools that make it easy and exciting to try for the layout of your dreams. I was so excited to try out The Happy Planner’s box punch for this photo, I couldn’t resist sharing while I worked. If you didn’t see on my Instagram Stories, no worries, I included it in the video. It isn’t just using that specific box punch– although it really is great. Use supplies that get you excited. As a child, I loved going into craft supply stores and seeing all the amazing options. Whether it’s your favorite tape runner, a printer that connects wirelessly to your phone, or a pair of scissors sharp enough to cut cardstock in a single long satisfying swipe, use it! Those supplies can make all the difference in your creative practice. 

I share 5 awesome tips in the video, so be sure to watch on Youtube to see the final two. Whether you just had time for this blog post, or you were able to see the video as well, I hope you feel inspired to continue in your own creative pursuits. Be sure to reach out on social media. I know I’ve been talking about this for a while now, but if I do decide to schedule videos more regularly, what day should I upload? Let me know! I always love to hear back from you all. 

Altenew Watercolor Brush Markers Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

Altenew Watercolor Brush Markers

As you probably already know, I am pretty obsessed with watercolors and brushes, so when Altenew combined the two, I was beyond excited to try them. Any excuse to play around with Altenew's Watercolor Brush Markers is fine by me, so here we are - another blog hop. If you’re coming from Therese Calvird and you’re new here - welcome! Please check out the other blogs in the hop and see the amazing creations people are coming up with all using these beautiful, vibrant brush pens.

pretty much the best

Create stunning works of art with these Watercolor Brush Markers. The barrel is filled with water-based color, and coordinates with Altenew’s line of inks. The flexible, yet sturdy bristles on the brush tip allow you to form both broad and fine strokes. Color can be applied straight from the marker, or diluted with water for a softer look.

pick the goodness in everyday

I loved diluting them with water and even blending colors while doing lettering. You can see how I played around in this video on my YouTube channel. That’s also where I will be giving away a $40 gift card ($20 from Altenew and $20 from me) so you can get crafty. Just be sure you’re subscribed and check out the details in the description box.

Altenew is giving away a $40 gift certificate to six lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or Altenew Scrapbook Blog by Wednesday, October 10th for a chance to win. Six winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 10/12/2018.

The next stop on the hop is the Altenew Scrapbook Blog!

Testing Markers for Brush Lettering

Markers for Brush Lettering

Lately, I’ve been really enjoying brush lettering with markers so I wanted to try out a few different brands to compare them.

To test out these different markers and how they work with brush lettering, I made a video writing out example lettering swatches using each color that I can use as a reference later. For each one, I cut out a piece of American Crafts cardstock to size and taped it to the back of each package of markers. I find this super helpful when I’m looking for a specific color because it’s more true to how it will actually look than the color on the caps.

Watch this video to see how each of the markers writes and to hear my extended thoughts on working with them!

Crayola markers

I’ve seen lots of photos on instagram and pinterest of people using these classic Crayola markers from my childhood to create lovely brush lettering designs, so I wanted to try it out! It does take a bit of getting used to even though the basic principles are the same, but this is a pretty good, inexpensive option that you can find almost anywhere.

Yoobi brush pens

These Yoobi double-sided markers are fairly new to me. They’re at what I think is a pretty reasonable price point and you can buy them at Target, so that’s awesome. The colors are very vibrant and bold and the tips feel slightly stiffer than the Tombows.

Tombow dual brush pens

These are the markers I’ve been using most often lately and I have the 96 pack - there are so many colors available!

For those of you who have been wanting to start brush lettering, don’t get discouraged if you don’t like your results right away! If you spend just 15 minutes a day practicing your brush lettering with your favorite tools, you’ll be surprised by how much you’ll improve after only a few weeks. Gaining confidence with a skill like this takes practice and trying new types of markers will take some getting used to.

If you have any favorite markers that you love to use, tell me about them in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you. 

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. I receive a small percentage of sales at no cost to you. My creative partners and I really appreciate your continued support and every little bit helps me to bring you consistent content!

Museum of Ice Cream!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Jack and I took a trip to the Museum of Ice Cream in Los Angeles on the third day it was open! We happened to get tickets right when they went on sale in April, and I am so glad we did as it is currently sold out through June. You might recognize it as the adorable pink place that has taken over Instagram lately. We invited our friend Ann-Marie and Gillian along for the fun. I wore this skirt and received so many compliments while at the museum. Jack wore his new shoes for the first time - I have the women's version in a darker grey.

This temporary pop-up museum features ten different galleries filled with ice cream-inspired art. Pink pay phones, mint plants in chocolate soil, giant melting popsicles, 10,000 bananas hanging from the ceiling, and an ice cream sandwich swing make appearances in these bright and colorful rooms that look like they were designed to be photographed.

One of the most memorable sections of the museum is their famous swimming pool full of sprinkles! The museum designed sprinkles made of antimicrobial plastics and there are close to one hundred million of them in the pool. We ended up finding 3 of them in between Jack's toes when we got home - HA!

All along the way, they gave us little bites of different treats made to go with the art in each room! We had mint chocolate chip mochi ice cream, gummy bears, pancake ice cream sandwiches, and more.

To see more from our field trip to the Museum of Ice Cream, watch the videos I made from the day! The first is a process video showing you how I documented our trip on a layout for Simon Says Stamp in honor of (Inter)National Scrapbooking Day, which is today! Visit their blog for more of the fun.

And the second video shows you what our day was like in addition to printing the photos on my Instax Share and finishing up the layout! Watch to tag along and see all of those lovely art installations in motion:

If you’d like to see this adorable and sweet exhibit for yourself, you may still have a chance. Tickets sold out quickly, but I heard that it might be staying open longer than anticipated because it’s been so popular! Keep an eye out and maybe beg them for more tickets to be released on their website.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor and what kinds of toppings do you like? Tell me in the comments below! 

April Bullet Journal Q&A

Over on my Instagram account, I asked if you had any Bullet Journal-related questions and a bunch of people sent these in! (If you’re not already following along there, I’m @amytangerine. I would love to see you there too!) For my full answers and a look at how I set up my April bullet journal spreads, watch my latest Plan With Me video.

@meandmybutton asked: What are your thoughts on planning ahead? How many days and weeks do you prepare in advance?

Well, quite honestly, because I use my Google Calendar for set deadlines and meetings, I really only plan one or two weeks out in advance in my bullet journal. I like that I can always reference my google calendar on my laptop, my computer, or my phone so that reduces how much I need to write in my planner. I’ve found that combining analog with digital and using each for different kinds of tasks and plans works well for me and makes planning ahead less overwhelming.

@letteringbyusha asked: I would love to know where you get your inspiration from and what supplies you’ve been loving!

My inspiration really just comes from my mood at the time when I’m setting up these weekly spreads! As I’m working in my bullet journal, I go with what feels right and what I decide to do in the moment. I find that it helps to remind myself that I don’t have to decorate every page if I’m not feeling inspired as I’m working on it.

April_Bullet_Journal_Q&A_1.jpg

Here are the supplies I’ve been using in my bullet journal recently that are still available! 

Yellow Journal | Pilot G2 Pens | Tombow Brush 96 Pens Set | Tombow Glue and Adhesive | On A Whim products | All The Things pouch | Craft Tote Illustrated Faith | Illustrated Faith Black Ink | Washi Tape Illustrated Faith | My Brush Letter Alphabet stamps | Washi Tape | Roller Date Stamp | Acrylic Blocks | Sweet Stamp Shop

Another thing that’s really great about the bullet journal system is that you can make it whatever you want it to be and use whatever you have on hand. For that reason, I actually used a bunch of old supplies that aren’t available anymore when I was working on this month’s spreads! 

@rrrrachely asked: “What do you recommend when you have a full to-do list and you are not sure where to begin?”

To be honest with you, productivity has been something that I have had to keep at the forefront of my mind because I’ve had my own business since I graduated from college. I’ve tried many different systems that have worked for me throughout that time, but one of my favorites was the Get To Work Book. That particular system was really good for me because it provides room for three to-do list items that are the most important.

What I learned through using that system is that even if you dread those three important things, tackling them first thing helps you to get that out of the way so that you can do more fun stuff. For that reason, I really try to prioritize those three tasks.

Sometimes, I also set up little reward systems to encourage myself to finish my work! If I get those hard things done, then I’ll allow myself a little reward and do something that’s just for me. Whatever that thing that you love doing is, you can use it to reward yourself. You could get a manicure or a massage, go for a walk, or even create some art for no reason at all. I found that the system of incentivizing the tougher tasks really works for me.

@milafeijoo asked: “How do you figure out the spacing of your days ahead of time?” 

Monday and Tuesday are usually my busiest days, so I’ve learned to leave the most space in the beginning of the week.

Sometimes, I add a section on my weekly spread that I title, “This Week”. That gives me a place where I can really highlight the priorities that stand out for the week and I can make sure there’s space to write those important tasks because they aren’t divided up by day. Then, I can write the smaller tasks and to-dos on each individual day. Because that extra section takes most of the weight, I usually don’t have to worry that I’ll fill up a day and run out of space for more tasks.

This works better for me because sometimes, things carry over for multiple days. If I am really doing it the “bullet journal way” where I’m constantly migrating the same task over and over again, I find that I prefer to keep that task in one spot for the whole week.

This is a good time to mention that there are really no set rules with this system. I like that when something in the basic system doesn’t work for me, I can adjust it! That’s just one example of how I’ve changed the system to make more sense for my working style.

@cindykwaldron asked: “Do you use one planner for all aspects of your life or do you use a couple different planners for family, business, personal, etc?”

I only use this one planner for all areas of my life. I’m personally just better at keeping everything in one place where I can pay the most attention to it and keep it up to date.

That’s it for today’s answers! If you have any more questions about bullet journaling that you’d like to hear me answer in a future Plan With Me video, leave them in the comments below!

Here is the full video where you can see how I’ve been filling out my bullet journal and hear more about my creative process.

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. I receive a small percentage of sales at no cost to you. My creative partners and I really appreciate your continued support and every little bit helps me to bring you consistent content!