Moments Inked Planner: Tip-Ins

Greetings, friends, especially planner friends ... today I'm sharing a Papertrey Ink Moments Inked Planner tip. A "tip-in," actually (see what I did there?). What is a tip-in? Keep reading... 

We can all blame Heather Nichols {wink} for my current love affair with all things traveler's notebook. She designed a traveler's journal product line last year, and I fell in love with the whole concept. At some point while binge-watching traveler's notebook journaling videos on YouTube, I learned about "tip-ins," which are sort of like the grown-up version of lift-the-flap picture books. They're used a lot in journaling, but I think they're perfect for planners, too!

Here's a look at last week's planner spread, where you'll see three tip-ins: the blog calendar along the left, the Martin Luther King quote on January 16, and a habit tracker in the lower right:

You can see them a little better when I lift the flaps:

For me, tip-ins are an easy way to add real-estate to your planner spread. I like them both for adding information (blog calendar and habit tracker) and for adding beauty and/or inspiration (MLK quote). They are easy to add -- a piece of washi on the front and another one (optional) on the back -- that's it! You actually get triple the real estate with a tip-in because you have the original space plus the front and back of the tip-in.

In that left-hand open space on the weekly spread, I wanted to keep track of both the crafting projects I want to accomplish in the week as well as my blog calendar. The tip-in allows me to use that space for both. I used one of the Moments Inked: Boxed dies to cut some card stock to fit that space perfectly, and used some of the new Skinny Washi tape to adhere it in place. 

On the back of the tip-in I stamped some motivation and inspiration using sentiments and images from the Be stamp set.

Blog Schedule Tip-In Supplies:

Stamps: Moments Inked: Blog Banners; Traveler's Journal: Typed Notes; Be

Dies: Moments Inked: Boxed

Ink: Simply Chartreuse, Raspberry Fizz, Canyon Clay, Aqua Mist, Summer Sunrise, Smokey Shadow

Paper: Fresh Snow Linen card stock

Other: Gingham Skinny Washi, white gel pen

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I added a tip-in with two of his quotes. I like having more in my planner than appointments, events, and to-do's -- bible journaling, inspirational quotes, memories, and occasional photos are some of my favorites.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tip-In Supplies:

Dies: Moments Inked: Boxed

Paper: Aqua Mist Stripe patterned paper

Other: Scalloped Skinny Washi

My most-used tip-in is a simple habit tracker that I made using the Moments Inked graph refill pages and decorated with Be stamps and die-cuts.

Motivational quote on the back using Making Strides and She Moves stamps.

Habit Tracker Tip-In Supplies:

Stamps: Be, Making Strides, She Moves

Dies: Be, Monthly Moments: Tabbed

Ink: Aqua Mist, Smokey Shadow, Raspberry Fizz, Canyon Clay, Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse

Paper: Fresh Snow card stock, Canyon Clay card stock, Raspberry Fizz card stock, Mood Mix patterned paper (discontinued)

Other: Scalloped Skinny Washi

What I like most about tip-ins compared to page inserts is that I can quickly flip them open to see my weekly spread unobstructed.

Thanks so much for joining me today!

Moments Inked 2017 Memory Planner - Binder Edition Moments Inked: Binder - Ebony Moments Inked: Blog Banners Mini Stamp Set Traveler's Journal: Typed Notes Mini Stamp Set She Moves Stamp Set Making Strides Stamp Set Be Stamp Set Papertrey Ink - Be Die Papertrey Ink - Moments Inked: Boxed Die Papertrey Ink - Monthly Moments: Tabbed Die Perfect Match Raspberry Fizz - Inkpad Perfect Match Summer Sunrise - Inkpad Perfect Match Canyon Clay - Inkpad Perfect Match Simply Chartreuse - Inkpad Perfect Match Aqua Mist - Inkpad Perfect Match Smokey Shadow - Inkpad Aqua Mist Stripe Individual Pattern Sheets (18 sheets) Paper Basics - Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock (40 sheets) Moments Inked: Refill Binder Pages - Graph Perfect Match Canyon Clay Cardstock (24 sheets) Perfect Match Raspberry Fizz Cardstock (24 sheets) Gingham Skinny Washi Scalloped Skinny Washi

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Introducing Moments Inked Meal Planner System

Have you seen the new Moments Inked Meal Planning System by Papertrey Ink? It was introduced a few weeks ago alongside the 2017 version of our popular Moments Inked Memory Planner. I’ve been using the Meal Planner for a couple of weeks now, and am excited to share my thoughts about it today!

Before I get to the meal planner review, though, just quick word about the 2017 Moments Inked Memory Planner. Most of the planner is the same as last year’s version, including the option for spiral-bound or binder format. All of our favorite features have been carried forward, including the monthly and weekly pages, monthly dividers, monthly color schemes, and such, but there are a few enhancements as well that I know I really like and think you will too. If you haven’t seen a review of those additions, I encourage you to take a look at them HERE. Big bright colorful polka dots — that’s all I’m saying! 

So, on to the meal planner. I’m sure many of you have seen the reviews from the other design team members. If not, check them out: Ashley, Lexi, Laurie S, Rebecca, Lizzie, and Laurie W. 

Meal planning saves time and meal planning saves money, whether you’re running a large household or just cooking for yourself. Meal planning can help you eat a greater variety of foods, use ingredients more efficiently, take advantage of weekly specials at the grocery stores, eat more foods in season, avoid last-minute take-out or restaurant meals, and save you extra trips to the grocery store. 

I have incorporated some type of meal planning into my routine for years, but never anything as functional, efficient, and just downright pretty as the Moments Inked Meal Planner. Let me show you!

First, let’s talk about size, specs, and format. Frist, the meal planner is the same size as our regular planners and is printed on the same white linen paper. Like our regular planner, the meal planning pages feature a rainbow of beautiful signature Papertrey colors. And like our regular planner, the meal planner is available in either spiral-bound or in a binder format. (Covers for the spiral-bound and binders for the binder pages are sold separately.) Other products in the Moments Inked product line are compatible with the meal planner, making it easy to decorate and/or customize your meal planner, if desired. 

I was really torn between the two formats, but decided to try the spiral version first for two main reasons: 1) I'll be able to store the meal planner in the kitchen, so my family will be able to easily access both the current meal plan and the shopping list; and 2) I like having previous menus archived right in the same notebook for easy reference when planning future weeks. I fear I would misplace used binder pages and lose out on that archiving opportunity. What I don't like (about spiral notebooks in general) is that the coil gets in the way when I'm writing. 

I've added two covers to my meal planner. One is the front cover. The second one I’m using as a pencil board. Because of the fold-out, tear-off list, the writing surface of the spiral bound is a tiny bit uneven. Not a big deal, but slipping an extra cover behind the list provides a nice flat, sturdy writing surface. The second cover also works as a bookmark.

Undated: perfect if you skip a week or just need a do-over (a few extra pages are included, 55 for the year, for just that purpose). 

Recipe Location: I’ll never forget the time I had probably $40 of organic, locally sourced, grass-fed short ribs sitting in front of my relatively new Instant Pot and frantically googling the heck out of the internet looking for the recipe had prompted me to buy the short ribs in the first place, a cut of meat that at that time I had never, ever cooked in my life. I had no back-up plan. This section should ensure that never happens again!

(By the way, the salmon is highlighted because it was a new recipe.)

Defrost / Advance Prep / Slow Cooker: These reminders are perfect! One of my family’s favorite recipes works best when prepared over the span of three days. Inevitably, I forget to marinate the first day, and we’re either rushing the recipe or scrambling for dinner if we postpone that meal to the next day. Hoping this little reminder will help with that. 

After I’ve finished my meal planning, I can add any advance prep tasks to my to-do list or to my weekly spread.

Fold-out, tear-off grocery list: The other girls have said it already, this is GENIUS! I love that the list is organized by category, too. Nothing like getting to the end of your list and having to backtrack for that one little thing you overlooked the first time around. The extra shopping list on the back will come in handy, too, especially if I need to pick up something in bulk at Costco, or something specific at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. 

This week, I needed to make two trips to the grocery store. My Tuesday trip was hurried, so I purchased only the things I would need before I could get back for a longer trip. I highlighted those immediate items, crossing them off as I shopped. When I finished, I used some of the new skinny washi tape to adhere my list to my weekly divider, so my list was easy to find when I went back yesterday. 

A whole page of notes: I have a feeling this will be extremely handy each week. I can note when to make a double batch and freeze one/gift one, when I expect leftovers for lunches the following day, any ingredients substitutions I might want or need to make, times when I might need to tailor or supplement the meal for one or more of us. 

Also, either throughout the week or certainly at the end of each week, I’d really love to get in the habit of quickly reflecting back on the meals — what worked well, what didn’t, did we like/dislike new recipes we may have tried, was there a good variety of vegetables and different protein sources, etc. In a perfect world, I’d fine-tune my meal plans to the point that I could just repeat and rotate seasonally. Now *that* would save me a bundle of time!

Although the planner is ready to use right out of the box, I have added a few things that I think will help me with my meal planning. Above is a moveable extra page where I can include any breakfast and lunch notes.

And the second is a tabbed list for our family favorites and go-to meals. I die-cut this using the Moments Inked: Tabbed List die and stamped the title and lines with images from the Moments Inked: Listed stamp set. This will be great for those weeks when I just can't think of anything to fix.

Overall, I’m loving the meal planner so far! I almost wish the days weren't labeled. I don’t always meal plan Monday - Sunday, and I don’t always meal plan for a whole week, sometimes more, sometimes less. But the bigger reason is that probably 90% of the time, we don’t stick to the schedule. We still have the meals I plan for, we just tend to rearrange the days. I haven’t decided yet how to handle when that happens (maybe just write in pencil so I can erase) and don’t know how much it will actually bother me, but it seems pretty minor in the grand scheme. 

Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope this has been helpful!

Moments Inked - Gift Giving for Planners

Hey there, friends (and especially planners!), after almost two years of using Papertrey Ink's Moments Inked planner, I feel like I've got a good handle on my preferred planner set-up as well as my favorite planning tools and accessories. With the holidays approaching, I thought it would be great fun to share those favorites with my planner friends! I know I would absolutely *love* to receive a gift of someone else's planner favorites. 

I pulled various items from my stamp and die stash to put this gift together, and will try to link to all of them, in case there's something specific you like. But making use of those things you already have and love and use is highly encouraged!

First, here's a look at how I packaged everything. The green polka-dot paper bag is from the Make It Market Mini Kit: Valentine Pin-Ups. I folded a Smokey Shadow Basic Bookmark 3 over the bag flap and secured it with a felt snowflake paperclip. The clip, which is made from two Fab Flakes felt die-cuts plus a wood snowflake accent is also intended to be used in the planner. 

Other supplies used: Make It Market Mini Kit: Holiday Hugs (snowflake die-cuts), Christmas Cheer stamps and Christmas Cheer dies ("Merry Christmas"), Luxe Gold Adhesive sheets, Type Strips III, Type Bits ("planner"), and Make It Market: Clipsters ("girl").

I included two note pads. The larger one, on the left, holds one of Papertrey's 3"x3" white post-it pads. The wrap is a simple tri-fold of Raspberry Fizz card stock, accented with Wet Paint II stamps and a Wet Paint II die-cut.

The smaller notepad came in a 4-pack, from Michael's I believe. I altered it by adding a stamped and die-cut Fab Flakes snowflake and a metallic gold adhesive Swoosh die-cut.

Also photographed are a black striped pencil (found in the Target dollar spot, I believe) and a Pilot Frixion Slim 0.38 in black (my favorite planner pen).

Next, I made a planner insert to store extra washi tape for on-the-go planning. The base of the insert is cut from Sheer Basics vellum using the smallest of the Moments Inked: Binder Page dies, then laminated. I picked out some pretty tapes and wrapped them around a few times. The four skinny washi tapes on the right are all new from Papertrey. Chevron Skinny Washi, Gingham Skinny Washi, and Scalloped Skinny Washi collections are now available in the store (yay!!). (The wide ones on the left are from my stash.)

Next is a monthly divider tab, cut from Sheer Basics Vellum using the Moments Inked: Binder Listed die and laminated. The gold metallic "January" was cut from a Luxe Gold Adhesive Sheet using the Monthly Moments: Year-Round I die set. 

I also cut the rest of the months (using both the Year-Round I and Year-Round II die sets) and packaged them in a glassine bag. I added the sticker after laminating so that it could be easily replaced each month.

Next (on the right) is a full Binder Page divider that I cut out of Sheer Basics Vellum and once again laminated. On the front and back, I adhered glassine bags filled with some of my most-used planner stickers. Here you can see various Planner Banners in the January colors. I stamped the banners using the four different planner banner styles for a nice variety (Planner Banners [two styles], Family Banners, Blog Banners).

On the back are more Planner Banners in some extra colors to compliment the January colors, some Clipsters accents (these are the perfect size for use in your planner!), and last, some flags that I made using both the Tabbed stamps and dies and Bibliophile dies.

Next, I filled a Don't Forget To Write: A1 Gold Seams Envelope with various rectangles that I cut with the Moments Inked: Boxed dies. These are great no-fuss ways to add pops of color to your spreads. I used lots of different papers, pulling from the January colors as well as some accent colors (Woodblock Prints, Super Succulents, Canyon Clay Pattern Pack, and Confetti Toss).

(As a reminder, the largest fits into the notes space on the left side of the weekly layout, another fits into the smaller rectangle just below, and the smallest fits into the day rectangle on the monthly layout. The last works on the day column of the weekly spread. It was originally designed when the day columns were divided into thirds. I find the size is still great for marking off a section of the day column.)

And last, I included just a sampling of decorative stickers just for fun. These were done in the January (and complimentary) colors using the following stamp sets: Quilted: Winter, Cozy Christmas, and Christmas Critters.

Thanks for joining me today! I hope you're as inspired as I am to gift planner goodies this holiday season!