I have a blank spot I needed to fill so I decided to create some string art. I remember seeing a valentine decoration by ArtsyFartsyMama.com that attached little hearts to what looked like a clothesline with miniature clothespins. I loved the miniature clothespins. Let’s face it, I love pretty much anything miniature.

I decided to create my own patriotic version. I found a box of miniature clothespins in LOTS of colors at Hobby Lobby. There are 240 little clothespins and the box was $19.99. I used a 40% off coupon so it was only $11.99. I didn’t need that many for this project so I have a ton left for other projects. The white canvas board was a Dollar Tree find for $1. The patriotic pieces I attached to the clothespins are actually stickers. I love these Patriotic stickers by PaperStudio. I probably always have either the large or miniature version of their patriotic stickers in my sticker stash because I love to use them in my planner. I get them when they go on sale at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. The twine was purchased at either Hobby Lobby or Dollar Tree. I have some in my stash from both places.

Next to the canvas is Dollar Tree patriotic tin with an Ikea potted plant. I can’t decide whether or not to put the canvas in a frame. For now, I am going to leave it. What do you think?

Most of these things I already had on hand. I purchased several patriotic things from the Dollar Tree recently. I am trying really hard to use things I have “on hand” right now because while buying and storing craft supplies might be a worthwhile hobby, there is only so much room in the budget and the craft room before it is way out of control.

These apothecary jars sit on a table in my hallway. Some seasons are easier than others when it comes to finding inexpensive things to use for filler. I have a box of red, white, and blue supplies and switch things up from year to year. This year I put a strand of garland in the large jar. In the medium jar, I layered red, white, and blue wrapping filler, and I filled the smaller jar with tabletop scatter. This has been an inexpensive way to decorate for the holidays and my grandchildren look forward to seeing the changes each season.

I love this time of year! I pull out my patriotic decorations and leave them up for several months. This week, I am going to post simple decorations as I get them out and ready for Memorial Day.  I enjoy knowing they will stay up through most of July.

As I got older my planners evolved.  I loved little notebooks of any kind.  I remember being a teenager when a paper store opened in the local mall.  In my memory, I can still feel the texture of the binder cover I left the store with that day.  They had a whole store filled with different pretty pages to customize your planner. 

Time has gone by.  I have had Day-Timer planners, Dollar Store planners, Franklin Covey Planners… the list goes on.  My husband loves to tell me that I need an organizer to organize my organizers.  I used to think he was kidding. I TRIED using a Palm Pilot and other electronic organizers when they first came out, but none of them gave me the same sense of satisfaction that I felt when using a paper planner.

We live in an incredible age of technology.  Someone in my family can enter an event on the phone calendar and it automagically (no, I didn’t forget to spell check, I say this is a word and I’m sticking to it!) appears on each family member’s phone.  This is a great convenience and I do use it. 

However, I am much more productive if there is a paper planner in my life.  I love the ability to look at the whole month at a glance, color code events, add stickers or washi tape, etc.  My planner is more than my daily schedule and “To Do” list; it is a creative outlet.

I love the feeling of accomplishment when I look at my calendar and see items on my to do list checked off.  I am one of those people that has been known to add something I have already done to my list, just so I can have the satisfaction of checking it off.

My current planner love is the Erin Condren Life Planner.  I’ve been using it for years and I love the interchangeable covers, and other available accessories.  After being out of school for over 38 years, I started college again this semester and found that my list of things I need to do and remember no longer fit in my Life Planner.  So, what is a self-proclaimed planner addict to do?  Buy another planner, of course!  My new Erin Condren Academic Planner is sitting at my local FedEx waiting to be delivered tomorrow.  I can hardly stand the wait.  I’ll share pictures of my “new toy” soon.

Being a planner addict is serious business.  How does a planner addict store all things planner related?  I finally found a solution that I love. Check back next Thursday and I will show you my solution!

What is your favorite planner? Do you use stickers and washi tape or are you a “keep it simple and only use pen” planner? Comment below!