Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Another pen post- Staedtler Triplus Fineliner
My all time favorite pen for coloring and for planning are the Staedtler Triplus Fineliners. In a 0.3mm tip, these pens come in great colors, are easy in your hands and slide quite smooth. The ink is bold and it doesn't bleed on the PPP planner pages or smudge easily. For around $15-20, you can get a 10 pack of basic colors. There are varying color packs with a large pack of around 20 for more or a set of neon pens. I'd rate these pens a 10/10 for my favorite.
Review of Plum Paper Planner Nov. 2016-Dec. 2017
After the dust from the wedding had settled, I decided to return to my normal planner life and purchased a new Plum Paper Planner for the rest of 2016 and all of 2017. Like I've mentioned before, I love how customizable PPP is and they outdid themselves with their new website revamp. Not only do you not purchase on Etsy anymore, but designing your planner is easier than ever.
PPP installed an ability to fully customize and see the customization on the site before purchasing. Now you pick your cover, see what a monogram or date looks like on it, pick how you want your name on it if you do and exactly what fonts you want everything in. I loved the new design station on plumpaper.com. I chose 14 months for my planner. The easiest way to figure out the months is to count how many actual months you want in the planner. For instance, all 12 months of 2017 plus November and December 2016 = 14 months.
I got the 7x9 planner, but PPP also now offers an 8.5x11 planner, notebooks, address books, etc.
Turn around right now is fabulous. I purchased the planner on Oct. 11, it shipped Oct. 19 and I received it Oct. 25. Here are some of my unboxing photos and I'll explain how everything went.
The planner came snugly fit in a cardboard box with the PPP logo on the top. It was wrapped in bubble wrap as it has in the past and in a plastic sleeve. It was definitely safe and sound during transport.
Since my last PPP, the company did change the plastic cover layer over the designed cover. It feels much more durable than the last one which had a tendency to curl. PPP is also offering interchangeable covers now, but your first one comes permanent. I'll have to try out the interchangeable covers if I get bored of this one.
For my cover, I went with one of the wood designs with no year or monogram and with my name along the bottom with a plum background. It fit my style perfectly which was a bit simple, but fun.
Opening up the planner, the paper feels a bit more high class with a higher gloss than previous years. I like the feel of the paper and have been using my Staedler Triplus Fineliner 0.3mm pens on it. So far, no runs through the back and no smudges. Smudges are my least favorite thing ever.
The front pages have 2016 and 2017 years in a glance along with pages for special dates, ideas, plans and goals.
Another big change PPP has done lately is the monthly tab pages. Now instead of a blank page behind your month tab, it has a fun three goals for the month, birthdays, events, and things to remember. One of the first things I did when I got the planner was begin plugging in birthdays on these pages and filled out my goals for November.
This year I went with a new layout to fit my changing work schedule- the horizontal. I previously had the hourly, but that was because I went to a lot of meetings and other things at my old job. Now that I'm at a desk while I'm at work, I have a bit more flexibility in my schedule. I also want to track other things such as my horse's training schedule, if my husband or I were going to the barn, the miles on our leased car, etc. I wanted to have a bit more fun with the weekly layout since I heavily use the monthly pages too.
At the end of each month, I added monthly cleaning pages. I wanted to keep track of our apartment cleaning since my husband and I both let things go sometimes. This way I was able to list everything we need to do, how many times a month we needed to and keep track of it all. Then we can also tell what we have been slacking on!
The end of the planner is pretty standard for PPP. Although I could have added some fun sections like a Blog section, I chose not to with this planner. I wanted it to be simple and compact. I have some grid pages for various things, the 2018 year at a glance, U.S. holidays, and I added two sticker pages. I love my stickers and I liked the styling on the PPP ones.
At the very back is of course the folder to keep stickers and other things handy. PPP has done a good job of upgrading the design of the folder and it seems like it will hold up well. Time will tell.
Overall, I adore the Plum Paper Planner. As you all know, it's my only planner. I'm drawn to it because the styling isn't just black, but it's not in your face either. It's practical for a working woman or a mom or both. PPP has a LOT of layouts and options to choose from. And price wise you can't beat it. Monthly planners start at $32. Mine came out to $52 total with shipping, added months, and cleaning pages.
For the value, you can't beat it. I haven't found another planner with this level of customization for this price range.
Plum Paper Planner in no way contributed to this review. I purchased the planner with my own money.
PPP installed an ability to fully customize and see the customization on the site before purchasing. Now you pick your cover, see what a monogram or date looks like on it, pick how you want your name on it if you do and exactly what fonts you want everything in. I loved the new design station on plumpaper.com. I chose 14 months for my planner. The easiest way to figure out the months is to count how many actual months you want in the planner. For instance, all 12 months of 2017 plus November and December 2016 = 14 months.
I got the 7x9 planner, but PPP also now offers an 8.5x11 planner, notebooks, address books, etc.
Turn around right now is fabulous. I purchased the planner on Oct. 11, it shipped Oct. 19 and I received it Oct. 25. Here are some of my unboxing photos and I'll explain how everything went.
The planner came snugly fit in a cardboard box with the PPP logo on the top. It was wrapped in bubble wrap as it has in the past and in a plastic sleeve. It was definitely safe and sound during transport.
Since my last PPP, the company did change the plastic cover layer over the designed cover. It feels much more durable than the last one which had a tendency to curl. PPP is also offering interchangeable covers now, but your first one comes permanent. I'll have to try out the interchangeable covers if I get bored of this one.
For my cover, I went with one of the wood designs with no year or monogram and with my name along the bottom with a plum background. It fit my style perfectly which was a bit simple, but fun.
Opening up the planner, the paper feels a bit more high class with a higher gloss than previous years. I like the feel of the paper and have been using my Staedler Triplus Fineliner 0.3mm pens on it. So far, no runs through the back and no smudges. Smudges are my least favorite thing ever.
The front pages have 2016 and 2017 years in a glance along with pages for special dates, ideas, plans and goals.
Another big change PPP has done lately is the monthly tab pages. Now instead of a blank page behind your month tab, it has a fun three goals for the month, birthdays, events, and things to remember. One of the first things I did when I got the planner was begin plugging in birthdays on these pages and filled out my goals for November.
This year I went with a new layout to fit my changing work schedule- the horizontal. I previously had the hourly, but that was because I went to a lot of meetings and other things at my old job. Now that I'm at a desk while I'm at work, I have a bit more flexibility in my schedule. I also want to track other things such as my horse's training schedule, if my husband or I were going to the barn, the miles on our leased car, etc. I wanted to have a bit more fun with the weekly layout since I heavily use the monthly pages too.
At the end of each month, I added monthly cleaning pages. I wanted to keep track of our apartment cleaning since my husband and I both let things go sometimes. This way I was able to list everything we need to do, how many times a month we needed to and keep track of it all. Then we can also tell what we have been slacking on!
The end of the planner is pretty standard for PPP. Although I could have added some fun sections like a Blog section, I chose not to with this planner. I wanted it to be simple and compact. I have some grid pages for various things, the 2018 year at a glance, U.S. holidays, and I added two sticker pages. I love my stickers and I liked the styling on the PPP ones.
At the very back is of course the folder to keep stickers and other things handy. PPP has done a good job of upgrading the design of the folder and it seems like it will hold up well. Time will tell.
Overall, I adore the Plum Paper Planner. As you all know, it's my only planner. I'm drawn to it because the styling isn't just black, but it's not in your face either. It's practical for a working woman or a mom or both. PPP has a LOT of layouts and options to choose from. And price wise you can't beat it. Monthly planners start at $32. Mine came out to $52 total with shipping, added months, and cleaning pages.
For the value, you can't beat it. I haven't found another planner with this level of customization for this price range.
Plum Paper Planner in no way contributed to this review. I purchased the planner with my own money.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
An update on life!
I am just getting back to this blog a year after my last post. Sorry followers, but getting married keeps you busy! I will have to make a post on here about how I used my Plum Paper Planner wedding edition for my wedding planning because it was truly a great experience. My planner made life as a bride so much easier!
But the wedding has now passed and it's time to get back to business. Guess what's waiting for me at home? My new Plum Paper Planner for November 2016-December 2017. I got a new layout to try; horizontal, and absolutely cannot wait to unpack it. Don't worry, followers, I'll take tons of photos!
But the wedding has now passed and it's time to get back to business. Guess what's waiting for me at home? My new Plum Paper Planner for November 2016-December 2017. I got a new layout to try; horizontal, and absolutely cannot wait to unpack it. Don't worry, followers, I'll take tons of photos!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Not planner related: Adult coloring book
Yesterday I discovered Johanna Basford and her book, Enchanted Forest. The second book in her line of coloring books (Secret Garden was the first), the book is huge and full of eye catching, fun designs to color away. (The book is currently sold out on Amazon, but I found it in stock at Barnes and Noble for $15. I would call or reserve online before you head to the store just in case though!)
It's not your child's coloring book. The book is full of tiny, exact lines that are best drawn on with Staedtler Triplus Fineliners (0.3mm). It also contains a scavenger hunt with different animals and shapes. (I found a 10 pack of the pens at Staples for $17. The pens are also a favorite for planners!)
The best part? It's extremely stress relieving. I find I don't think about anything else except the colors, line and design while I'm coloring. It's a huge relief from the "real world." The book is endless, with a large span of designs that will easily take months (maybe years) to finish. It's an incredible, endless task that is great for people who can't draw to get some kind of an art experience.
It's not your child's coloring book. The book is full of tiny, exact lines that are best drawn on with Staedtler Triplus Fineliners (0.3mm). It also contains a scavenger hunt with different animals and shapes. (I found a 10 pack of the pens at Staples for $17. The pens are also a favorite for planners!)
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Erin Condren Address Book
While I just put mine on order with some lovely coupons, Erin Condren is one of the few planner companies to offer an address book. I got one for my mom for Christmas and she loves it (I also got to view it, but sadly I forgot to take pictures!). I had been thinking about it for awhile. For some, in the time of digital address booking, why would you get a paper one? I'll say this.
One day, my phone decided to randomly delete recent contacts. I had just begun a new job and I lost a lot of people with no clue who I had lost. I still don't know. I'm also planning a wedding and for weddings, it's not just the phone number that's important, it's the address, full formal name, etc. This leads me to wanting a paper address book.
I'm excited for it. It'll allow me to write everyone down, especially the wedding guests, and be used when it comes to Christmas card time too.
The Erin Condren Address Book is very similar to her life planner. It's the same kind of cover, paper and colors. The only difference is its laminated tabs are last name initials and it's full of contact pages.
Needless to say, it will definitely fit my needs and it may also fit yours.
*For a $10 off coupon on your first purchase through Erin Condren, visit Kaitlyn's Link.
Disclaimer: In no way has this entry been sponsored by Erin Condren. I purchased the address book myself. The link does also offer me $10 of erincondren.com credit.
One day, my phone decided to randomly delete recent contacts. I had just begun a new job and I lost a lot of people with no clue who I had lost. I still don't know. I'm also planning a wedding and for weddings, it's not just the phone number that's important, it's the address, full formal name, etc. This leads me to wanting a paper address book.
I'm excited for it. It'll allow me to write everyone down, especially the wedding guests, and be used when it comes to Christmas card time too.
The Erin Condren Address Book is very similar to her life planner. It's the same kind of cover, paper and colors. The only difference is its laminated tabs are last name initials and it's full of contact pages.
Needless to say, it will definitely fit my needs and it may also fit yours.
*For a $10 off coupon on your first purchase through Erin Condren, visit Kaitlyn's Link.
Disclaimer: In no way has this entry been sponsored by Erin Condren. I purchased the address book myself. The link does also offer me $10 of erincondren.com credit.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
A few days into the PPP
Although my planner doesn't start until January 2015, I decided I should post some thoughts of post out of the box feelings.
1) I will probably be decorating this planner LESS than the ECLP. I find myself keeping it more professional and with the hour blocks, I have more room to be productive and less room to feel like wasting.
2) I started using the Notes section on the left bottom for my weekly budget.
3) The checklist boxes at the bottom of each day of the week is great. I use them for medications, paying bills, people to call, etc.
4) I use the monthly view more. I started to see the monthly view as it's intended which is as an overview of the month. I color coded things and can see the overall picture of my month better. I'm definitely using the monthly more to its ability than the monthly on the ECLP.
5) I LOVE the paper. I find myself wanting to just feel it and write on it more.
6) It takes Frixion pens well, but as Frixions are, there is a shadow of what you had written when you go to erase.
7) The spiral is the EXACT same as the ECLP. There really isn't a difference.
1) I will probably be decorating this planner LESS than the ECLP. I find myself keeping it more professional and with the hour blocks, I have more room to be productive and less room to feel like wasting.
2) I started using the Notes section on the left bottom for my weekly budget.
3) The checklist boxes at the bottom of each day of the week is great. I use them for medications, paying bills, people to call, etc.
4) I use the monthly view more. I started to see the monthly view as it's intended which is as an overview of the month. I color coded things and can see the overall picture of my month better. I'm definitely using the monthly more to its ability than the monthly on the ECLP.
5) I LOVE the paper. I find myself wanting to just feel it and write on it more.
6) It takes Frixion pens well, but as Frixions are, there is a shadow of what you had written when you go to erase.
7) The spiral is the EXACT same as the ECLP. There really isn't a difference.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Plum Paper Planner review
I ordered my PPP on Nov. 11, shipped the 20th and received Dec. 4 on the east coast.
The PPPs now ship 100% in boxes. They are in a plastic slip along with bubble wrap. I had custom colored my cover (as in my previous post.)
The PPPs have a heavy card stock cover covered by a translucent frosted sheet.
First impressions: the cover is very sturdy. The paper is smooth and a bit sleeker than with the Erin Condren. It also seems more like a book to me with no plastic envelope in the back screwing up the shape of the planner.
This is the first page. You have your usual this planner belongs to and then an at a glance calendar.
My planner runs from January 2015 to the end of March 2016 or 15 months.
Each month has it's own tab. The colors in the PPP are more muted and to me, more mature, than the ECLP. I'm much more of a fan of the more understated design and color rather than a planner filled with quotes, designs and vibrant colors. You then have your notes page and monthly view.
On the side are spots for birthdays, events and notes. Each block is unlined and gray. Holidays are noted.
I ordered the hourly format. PPP has the hourly format, just lines, just lined paper, morning afternoon and evening and a new horizontal format to choose from.
At the end of the planner is a section of notes pages. I added extra pages.
Also at the end is a contacts page, holidays and keep it folder. Everything in the PPP is customizable and you can add tons of options. There is also a future at a glance calendar.
(Sorry for the horizontal photos! I will fix them later.)
Thoughts: I love the custom options of the PPP. It feels more tailored to me than the EC. The pages also just feel nicer to me and more heavy duty.
Exciting news! Plum Paper gave me a discount code for you guys! Use BABE10 at checkout on Etsy to get 10% off!
*In no way has Plum Paper Design sponsored this post. I purchased my planner myself and they simply added the discount code available for readers.
*In no way has Plum Paper Design sponsored this post. I purchased my planner myself and they simply added the discount code available for readers.
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