Free Sticker Friday // Oh Sh*t Poop Emoji Stickers

Why am I ringing in the new year with the poop emoji?  Well really I'm ushering 2016 out with the poop emoji.  This year has been one hell of a year and while it may go down as the year that shall not be named, we're another year older and hopefully we've learned something new.  But really, 2016 can GTFO!  We're through!!

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

I had plans on trying a new way of memory planning for 2017...but I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with the vertical ECLP.  for the beginning of the year I've put it in the Breathe Prima Marketing planner.  I like this planner because it has rose gold hardware plus an adjustable strap that will you let you stuff your planner full!  You can find a great range of the planners & accessories on the Scrabook.com website here.  I've also found some of the line on Blitsy as well!

DOWNLOAD OH SH*T EMOJIS HERE

This download includes a PNG file to cut with your Cricut Explore (size to 5.5 inches wide in Design Space), a Silhouette Studio file to cut with your Silhouette, and a PDF file to cut by hand (or I hear good things about this tool).  As always please do not share this file with anyone.  Do not claim this design as your own, do not print and disseminate in mass quantities, and do not sell the digital or printed item.  If you would like to link to these stickers please Pin or link to the blog post and not the file itself.  Thanks for playing nice!

I hope you enjoy these little poop guys...I also hope that you don't have too many poop days where you will need them!

xoxo, Moe

Five Little Known (but helpful) Cricut Hacks

If you haven't been following a long on the YouTube channel you may have missed that I've started a group on Facebook exclusively for Cricut Explore users wanting to learn more, share more, and do more when it comes to making stickers for Cricut Explore!  Click here and request to be added - I'd love to have you!  In this group I am constantly inspired to share tips and figure out things I didn't really think of before.  So I thought I'd share with you 5 little known hacks for your Cricut Explore

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

image via Amazon

Custom Material Settings

Did you know that not only can you choose from a variety of settings from the custom menu on the Load Mat screen, you can actually add your own custom settings?  This is great if you work with a material that isn't listed on the drop down menu or you want to duplicate a setting but change the name.  I've found that the Washi Sheets setting is perfect for cutting stickers so I could copy the same settings but change the name to Sticker Paper as an example.  Or I could make a setting that cuts deeper than the settings available or adds the multi cut feature.  I have a post on adding Custom Material Settings here. 

Bluetooth Adapter + Dongle

When I switched from my MacBook to my Dell laptop I lost the ability to connect to my Cricut Explore through the Bluetooth adapter I'd purchased.  If you have a Cricut Explore Air or the new Cricut Explore Air 2 then you don't need the Bluetooth adapter sold.  If your computer doesn't have a Bluetooth option you can purchase something called a Bluetooth dongle (lol dongle) to plug into a USB port in your computer.  I love this because I have my Cricut Explore on the side of my desk on a rolling cart. (See my current office tour here.)  The cord is too awkward to plug into my computer and it's too short to leave it there always.  So a Bluetooth dongle is very, very helpful!

You Don't have to Unload the Mat to Cut again

Sometimes when cutting through thicker materials I find that the blade hasn't passed all the way through.  If I'm doing a one off project or don't want to add a new custom material, I'll just cut the project again.  Simply leave the mat in the machine and press the flashing Cricut button to recut the project.  This ensures that the mat is aligned in the same way so it won't create a funny cut around your project.  This helps me when I'm making dividers but my blade may be old.

Use other Software

You know that I love to use other software with the Cricut Explore and Design Space. I do this because I like to have a copy of the project that can be opened in a different software in case I ever get a different cutting machine.  If you design everything in Design Space you won't have your projects or files if you ever decide to change machines.  Inkscape is one of my favorite programs because it is an easy way to create SVG files but it is an great program to create PNG files for print then cut as well.  Another free software I love is Pixlr.  This software is online - visit pixlr.com and click on Pixlr Editor - and very easy to use.  It performs a lot like Photoshop, just a light version.

I hope these 5 hacks have helped you discover that there is more to the Cricut Explore than meets the eye.  This is one of the most flexible cutting machines and I love this for paper crafting and making stickers.  Do pop over to the group and hang out!  Plus you can find some free stickers there too!

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // 3 Ways to Give Creatively this Year

Every year I try to find something that is meaningful to give to someone.  For a long time that was something handmade.  Now I like to stroll around the mall until I find something that speaks to me.  But if you've got a creative person in your life, something from the mall may not always do.  Creative people appreciate creativity, so why not give them the best creative gift you can?  Here are 3 ways to give creatively this year:

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Give the Gift of Handmade

If you didn't know Etsy is the top handmade marketplace.  There are thousands of shops offering a ton of handmade goodies sure to delight the creative person in your life.  Custom pet portraits, planner stickers, beautiful jewelry, unique vintage finds, crocheted and knitted goodies, and anything you could really think of.  Additionally, Ebates - my favorite cash back site - offers cash back on purchases on the Etsy website!  This does not take any moolah away from the Etsy shop owner so don't think you're short changing their worth.  You can even give an Etsy Gift Card to someone to be used on any Etsy shop.  Sign up for Ebates here & save money while you give this season!

Give the Gift of Creative Supplies

Etsy can also offer a wide array of supplies - cabochons, hand spun yarn, jewelry findings, etc - for creative gifting as well.  If you prefer a more big box store approach, head to Michael's, Joanne's, or Hobby Lobby for some creative supplies.  If you're also short on time use your Amazon Prime membership to ship your craft supplies to you in two days!  You can also give the gift of Amazon Prime if someone really needs to get some specific supplies to their home often.  Amazon is the place I go for scrapbook paper and ephemera that I can't find in my big box stores.

Give the Gift of Learning

Creative people always love learning new things.  Craftsy is a great website to share the gift of learning with the creative person you love.  Right now their 12 Days of Craftsy event is going on!  Check the front page each day for the deal & some deals are coming straight to your email inbox. Be sure to create an account so you can get all the juicy details!  Find a ton of classes & supplies on the Craftsy website.  Cake decorating, quilting, photography, drawing - these classes are all online from great instructors!  Plus you can also find many of the supplies you need for the classes right on the site. Craftsy runs sales - on supplies and classes - often.  So keep a look out if you or you're loved one is interested in a class!

Creative gift giving really means you care.  Also, if you give handmade (like something from Etsy) you're supporting a small business.  Your purchase directly impacts the person you purchase it from!  You may be responsible for putting a gift under their tree as well! So remember to keep handmade in your mind this year for the holidays too!  If you'd like some more holiday giving inspiration, check out past gift guides here.

How are you giving creatively this year?

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Christmas Countdown Stickers

It is the most wonderful time of the year!! I am so happy that it is nearing Christmas time!  I have yet to put my tree up and that is so unlike me.  But I'm working on it!

this post contains affiliate links, please see my full disclosure here.

I've been loving the hand drawn look of stickers lately so I thought I'd continue it with these stickers.  These little countdown stickers will fit perfectly in the bottom bar of your ECLP.  The measure 1.3 inches wide so they can be centered at the bottom of the columns!

DOWNLOAD FREE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN STICKERS HERE

This download includes a PNG file ready to cut with your Cricut Explore (just size the width to 5.5 inches in Design Space), a Silhouette file to cut with your Silhouette Cameo or Portrait, and a PDF if you'd like to cut these by hand (I've heard god things about this tool though!)

As always, the free printables on the blog are for personal use only.  Do not sell the design or finished product.  Do not claim these as your own.  Do not share the final product or the link.  If you would like to share this file with friend, please Pin or share the blog post link and not the file.  Thank you for playing nice!

If you haven't already, please join my Cricut Ready Stickers group on Facebook!  Also find more Cricut Ready Stickers on the blog here.

Have a Merry Christmas!

xoxo, Moe

3 Things I've Learned as a NEW Origami Owl Designer

If you've been hiding under a rock (knock, knock, knock!) you may not know that I've recently embarked on a new adventure - I've launched a business with Origami Owl!  I unboxed my starter kit in this video and since then I've hosted my own Launch Party and am working on hosting a few more Jewelry Bars.  I've only been at this for about a month but I wanted to share with you three things I've learned from starting this business. 

I was 100% nervous, if we're being honest, to start this journey.  And if you ask my mentor she'll tell you I'd talked about it for probably over a year.  It wasn't until the 'Join O2 fo $2' campaign came out that I really took the leap.  She was expecting me to join for $2, but I said to myself 'what the heck?' and went for the Starter Kit!  Since I've been working on the back end to develop how I want to run my business I thought I'd share with you what I've learned so far.

You never know until you try something new

Making sure this is the right decision for you is important.  Is this company reliable?  Do you have experience with the product?  Do you feel positively about the product?  Will this company fit in with your lifestyle and goals?  If you answer yes to all of those questions then you're probably on the right track.  That is how I knew trying something new like this would be a fun experience.

I have loved Origami Owl jewelry since my cousin (and mentor) started selling the line way, way back.  I'd always thought it would be a fun adventure...but I just wasn't sure.  And you really never know until you try.  I joined O2 not just because I love the jewelry but because I wanted to try something new.  I've never been really great about approaching people - I would say I'm outgoing, but I'm also shy - so I knew Origami Owl would challenge me.  It also gave me a chance to extend my love of memory keeping and story telling to a tangible object - the one of a kind keepsake that is a Living Locket

Being Customer Oriented is Important

I didn't label this section Customer Service because I wanted to focus on the bigger picture.  Being Customer Oriented is much more than being nice and being responsive, it is being helpful, empathetic, and resourceful.  I launched my O2 business right at the beginning of the Holiday Reveal.  That meant not only was I diving into a really busy season but right into the problem that things would begin to sell out.  One of the first problems I ran into is a potential customer messaging me that a lot of the Holiday items had sold out.  Because I wanted to offer her as many options as possible I mentioned the expected restock date and gave her an alternative.  Fortunately Origami Owl also stocked premade 'gifts to go' so some items she was looking for were still available in a premade gift.  I suggested if she liked a certain face or charm to check out the gifts section and find the locket that closely matches the idea she had in mind and add to it from there.  Suggesting an alternative still kept her interest and showed that I am receptive to her needs.

Being customer oriented is a positive mindset to always find a solution not just make a sale!

Show your Personality

Direct Sales teams often have like minded people but they all aren't 100% the same.  Take a second to figure out how you will offer the product differently.  What makes you the person someone will come to for the product?  This is important because you don't want everything you do to be a sales pitch. This is social selling but you don't want to be so pushy that you push your potential customers or your friends and family away.  Showing your personality makes an object into an experience!

I knew that O2 would be a good fit for my personality because I like to teach, I like to be creative, and I like to share.  I'm a planner girl, I'm a scrapbooker, and I'm a memory keeper .... Origami Owl is all about memory keeping!  I took a minute to think about how the different ways I could share Origami Owl.  I knew I could incorporate O2 in to my love of teaching by sharing personal experiences, success stories, and tips for social selling.  I knew my creativity would shine because there are so many charms to tell so many stories, any look is possible.  And I knew that memory keeping would play a huge roll because I love collecting and sharing stories.  Not to mention the whole brand is fashion forward!  Origami Owl fit into all of my passions.  That is how I knew it would an easy transition to talk about everyday.

I've learned that its not about the dollar, sometimes it is about you!  After this first month I've learned what I want to do with my O2 business and I plan on sharing my journey with you all as well.  To help you understand Direct Sales and Origami Owl!

Have you tried something out lately that taught you important lessons?  Share with me below!

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // Give the Gift of Origami Owl

I made the announcement a little bit ago - and even unboxed my starter kit on my YouTube channel - but I'm now an Origami Owl Designer!  I am so excited to share this with you.

If you're unsure about Origami Owl, it is a jewelry line featuring the Living Locket that allows you to create a custom piece with charms, plates, dangles, and more.  Create a custom look to tell your story.  One of the things I've noticed is that if you're new to O2 you may be a bit overwhelmed with all the options.  Whether you're looking for a gift for yourself (who isn't) or you want to introduce someone to Origami Owl there is a gift set to start out on the right foot.  Here are some of my favorites from the Holiday Gift guide.  Shop any of the links below for these uniqu gifts!

Happy Holidays Gift Set - Perfect for the friend or coworker who just loves Christmas!  Do they sing Christmas carols all year long?  Do they decorate their desk for the holidays?  If the answer is yes to either of these questions, they will love this traditional yet whimsical holiday look.  Features the Seasonal Exclusive Candy Cane Twist Living Locket as well as a few of the exclusive charms on a 16-18" silver cable chain. 

A Charmoji'ed Life Set - This set is my personal favorite because I am all about the emojis.  If you have a sister or girlfriend who speak emoji fluently, this gift will suit them wonderfully.  Featuring the three charmoji charms (plus they are reversible - so its really like six charms!) in a medium brushed silver Living Locket on a 16-18" heart link chain, she'll get a kick out of wearing her emotions in a trendy way.

Gold Wrap Snowflake Gift Set - This classic yet unique look is perfect for a chic friend or neighbor who loves adding something trendy to her outfits.  It captures the essence of the season with the Seasonal Exclusive Medium Silver Snowflake Window in a stunning locket on a Gold Wrap bracelet.  This will look super classy for any Christmas party or event.

Bad Day Be Gone Gold Necklace Gift Set - The Moodology line is another one of my favorites from Origami Owl.  This gift set is perfect for someone who needs to keep their mind even during and after the holidays.  Featuring a medium locket with a gold filigree design, the mood disk will diffuse a lovely scent from a 100% pure essential oil throughout the day.  The vintage design is a beautiful addition to any jewelry collection.

Black Friday Deals - This is where you don't want to miss ANYTHING!  Select styles & pieces are $10 and under.  Create super affordable looks & great gifts to introduce friends, family, and coworkers to Origami Owl.  Mix with some current locket bases and charms too to create a unique look.  The Black Friday stock is limited - so hurry, hurry, hurry!  Here are some looks to check out.

The best part of these gift sets is that each of these looks can also be customized with a dangle, engraved plate, or additional charms.  You can even change the chain or add or remove charms, etc once any of these looks is in your cart!  These are one click looks to give you a start, then let your creativity take over from there!

And, if you's like to get the inside scoop on the Origami Owl Black Friday exclusives, please join my VIP group to find out more.  You won't want to miss this...really!!

What are your favorite gifts from the gift guide?  Are you making your own wishlist now?

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Santamoji Stickers

If you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet, what the heck are you waiting for?!?! Christmas is only over a month away!! In all seriousness I am loving doing my holiday shopping online because Ebates rocks.  If you haven't signed up for Ebates, check out one of my posts on saving money on high end make up here!  but head over to this link and sign up to get cash back on your holiday shopping.  The best thing?  When there is a sale you can get an additional percentage back!  I also love to use it on Etsy - especially if there are any great Black Friday sales.  It won't take any hard earned moolah from the Etsy owner and usually it is 1% cash back..but every penny counts, right? (Seriously, sign up here.  It is 100% legit!  I promise.  Plus if you invite friends, you get moolah too!)

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here)

Anyway, this post is about some free Santamoji stickers great to mark any and all frustrations with holiday shopping.  Or holiday cooking, holiday planning, or holiday fails & successes.  These little dudes will help you keep track of all the holiday emotions you may be feeling in this crazy, crazy time.

Included in the download is a PNG file to cut with your Cricut Explore, a PDF file to cut by hand or with this tool I hear awesome things about, and a Silhouette file to cut with your Silhouette Portrait or Cameo.  If you haven't already, head over to my new Cricut Ready Planner Stickers group on Facebook to find some inspiration, ask questions, and some free basic printables.

DOWNLOAD SANTAMOJIS HERE

As always, the printables and freebies offered on this blog are for personal use only.  Do not claim any work as your own, sell the printed or digital copy of the file, or share the file itself.  If you would like to link to or Pin this free printable, please link to this post.  Do not print and disseminate in mass quantities.  Thanks for playing nice.

I can't wait to see what my Ebates check will look like after the holidays!  Maybe I can spoil myself.....

Looking for more Christmas pintables? Here is a printable + DIY personal size countdown & here are printable count down stickers.  Find all planner printable posts here.

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Birthday Countdown

You think its just time to countdown for Thanksgiving or for Christmas?  You're wrong...because it is time to countdown to my birthday!  My birthday is 10 days before Christmas and one day after my mother's birthday.  Fun fact right there.  I've always thought that was super unique - though I'm sure a lot of people share that same sort of thing, too.   

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

Today's free sticker set is a color your own birthday countdown printable.  I didn't want to do anything that had a specific color theme for two reasons:

1. You'll be using these over the course of a few weeks so you may want to have stickers that match your colors
2. Color your own stickers seem like a super fun idea!

There are even some fun deco stickers too!

DOWNLOAD BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN STICKERS HERE

This download includes a PNG file for use with your Cricut Explore machine, a Silhouette studio file for use with your Silhouette Portrait or Cameo, and a PDF in case you like to fussy cut or want to use this tool to try your hand at kiss cutting.

As always, all printables on the blog are for personal use only.  Do not claim any artwork as yours, do not claim this printable as your own.  Do not sell this printable - digital or physical.  Do not print and disseminate in mass quantities.  If you would like to share or link to this post, please Pin or link this blog post and not the digital file.  Thank you for always playing nice.

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!  Happy birthday to meeee-eeeee.  Happy birthday to me!  

xoxo, Moe

My Favorite Apps for Memory Keeping

The holiday season always gives me the warm and fuzzies.  It is a time for family, a time for coming together, and a time for forgetting our troubles.  It is a time to be kind, to help others, to see the good in others.  Something we shouldn't forget when January 1st rolls around.  Today I want to share with you some apps that I love for memory keeping all year round, not just for the warm and fuzzy times.

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

Ever since I started my memory planner I've loved the instant access to memory keeping that my phone provides.  You no longer have to worry about the 24 exposures on your camera roll, you can fill up your phone with as many memories as you'd like.  But the key is to participate in the memories too.  Don't just stand behind the camera get out there and make the memories too!

Collecting Photos and Memories

There are a few apps to help you collect the memories you're making if you're going to transfer them to paper later.  If you're into scrapbooking, memory planning, or journaling, the apps Collect and Penzu will really help you keep track of your daily happenings to reflect on at a later time.  Collect will help you create a daily snapshot of your life by adding photos by date into albums then allowing you to tag those photos and add a little note.  This is perfect for memory planning and scrapbooking.  Penzu is a journaling app that allows you to keep a secure diary on your phone.  If you like to spend more time reflecting on your day to day life, you can keep detailed notes of thought and happenings to reflect on later.  This app allows you to add photos from your camera roll into your logs and is more of a traditional diary format.  Best of all?  Both of these apps are free!  They do require and upgrade for some features but the free versions of the apps are still very, very useful.

Collecting all these memories may clog up your phone.  I love having Google Drive, Dropbox, and my SanDisk iXpand app on my phone.  With your Gmail address, you get 15GB free storage through Google Drive.  The app is great for organizing photos and sharing with friends. Create albums to access on your desktop or to share with those you choose.  Dropbox works about the same way.  If you're traveling where you may not have access to wifi to back up your photos to Google Drive or Dropbox, the SanDisk IXpand Flash Drive is a great back up device.  I use this when I travel with Zach (mentioned in this post here).  

Editing Photos and Adding Text

Sometimes the photos you take need a little bit of editing.  Use the tips in this post to take the best pictures possible and check out my past photo app recommendations here.  My current favorite photo editing app is A Color Story. This app is great for giving your photos that unedited look.  Add subtle effects to enhance your photos without going over board.  Plus the free filters are perfect for creating a natural look.  No need to purchase any of the other packs for everyday editing.  I find the filters Light Bright and Everyday are the best for adding the right about of brightness and the right amount of sharpness and contrast to the photos.  Two other apps I love for subtle edits are Afterlight (review here) and Snapseed.

If you like to get creative with your photos, there are quite a few apps to add text and overlays - here is a list of 8 overlay apps for iPhone users.  My favorite app for adding basic text is Phonto.  Choose from a crazy array of fonts and it is so simple to add text, change color, etc.  Even save some of your most use text/phrases as presets so you don't have to type it every time.  Check out the review here.  You can also use this app to create journaling cards!

A great app for overlays & text is Rhonna Designs.  While the app is free (check out the suite on iTunes here) there are some stickers, overlays, and fonts that do require purchase. However you can create a lot with the free edition.  This is my favorite app for making graphics and journaling cards.  See this tutorial on making a planner dashboard for some creative inspiration.  Plus, if you follow the Rhonna Instagram account she often posts links to free backgrounds for the app!

Another app for simple overlays and creativity is the PicMonkey app.  Finally, PicMonkey has an app!!  The best part of the app is if you're a Royale member you can save your creations to Hub - PicMonkey's cloud based platform to use your photos and edits between multiple devices.  Great if you want to edit something later.

Creating Collages

My favorite collage app that has been my ride or die for ages is PicFrame.  PicFrame is not free but it's been the best investment since the dawn of my iPhone usage!  It is so simple and so easy to use. There is a very in depth review here.

Another fun collage app is the A Beautiful Mess app.  This allows you to create fun and unique collages perfect for larger pocket pages.  Add stickers, emojis, and text through this app too.  See more about that app here.

Printing your Memories

Finally, in order to preserve your memories you probably want to print them. Two specific mobile printers are the Cannon Selphy and the Polaroid Zip printer.  I use the Polaroid Zip printer to print 2x3 inch photos.  This is great for on the go memory keeping - if your traveling or if you're journaling as you go.  The Cannon Selphy prints photos on 4x6 inch paper and is much bigger than the Zip printer.  Each have apps that can help you create collages and edit photos for printing.

image source

Before I had my Zip printer, I  used the app Print to Size to print to my wireless printer.  I love this app because I can choose the exact size I want the photo to print.  Change the size to fit in a pocket page or even print the journaling cards you've made using the apps above.  Print to Size creates an 8.5x11 inch page that you send to your wireless printer.  You can also save the page as a PDF to your phone to print later.  Email it to yourself and print it at a place like Staples or Office Max.

Phew! That was a crazy comprehensive list of memory keeping apps!  Everyday my smart phone blows my mind with the stuff it can do.  Did you ever think you'd be carrying around such a powerful machine in your pocket?

I hope you have a fun time memory keeping around this time of year. But remember to keep that warm and fuzzy feeling going all year round, too!

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // How to Build a Living Locket with Origami Owl

The newest adventure I've embarked upon is launching my own Origami Owl business!  Origami Owl is a jewelry brand that helps you tell your story through the Living Locket.  I've loved O2 for a while now and can't wait to share the creative brand with you.

The reason I decided to join the Origami Owl family is that I saw how creative the brand is.  Create and tell your story, a story personal to you, but curating charms into a perfectly sized vessel (the Living Locket) to create a keepsake that is special to you or to a loved one.  Curate hundreds of looks with just a few key pieces and be a fashionable memory keeper in the process!  If you'd like to learn more about the company, check out Bella's story here.

Today I want to share with you how to create a Living Locket.  I glazed over the process in this post but I wanted to go more in depth with the process to show you how personalized this process can be.

First, pick your charms.  Browse the charms on the website here or flip through your Take out Menu.  Think about the hobbies that move you, the sports teams you root for, the causes your fight for, the colors you love, and the person you are.  Pick charms that move you or have special meaning.  If you're browsing online, add the charms that move you to your cart.  This will help you to see all the charms you love in one place in order to better form your story.  If you're browsing the TOM, circle the charms you love in order to form your story.

Second, pick your Living Locket.  This is the vessel and the unique keepsake to hold your story.  There are a ton of faces, bases, and styles to choose from.  The large Living Locket is about the size of a quarter and will hold 7-10 charms.  The Medium Living Locket - available for the leather wrap bracelet too - is the size about a nickel and holds 4-6 charms.  The Mini Living Locket is about the size of a dime & holds about 1-2 charms depending on size.  Depending on the story you'd like to tell you may need to decide on the locket size you'd like.  There are even different shapes - round, heritage, teardrop, and heart shaped.  And there are different styles - faces with Swarovski crystals, filigre on the Sentiments collection, or even just brushed metal.  Choose between a variety of metals colors - silver, black, gold, and rose gold - as well.

Third, chose the chain to compliment your locket.  Again there are a variety of metal colors to choose from, but this time you should also think of the length you'd like to wear your locket.  The larger faces look great on the longer chain lengths.  My current favorite length is the ______ inch chain and my current favorite chain is the flat oval link custom chain.  I find this chain and length look great with the large and medium lockets.

Fourth, personalize your look with a plate or other inscription.  I love mixing metals at this step.  Put a gold plate in a silver locket or add a sliver plaque or slider to a rose gold leather wrap.  Metal mixing is one of my favorite ways to create a custom look.  The Inscription line is a great way to add a personal date, quote, or sentiment to your keepsake.

Finally, accessorize!  There is a wide array of dangles, earrings, & plates to add something extra to your locket.  I love adding extra dangles to my necklaces with larger lockets.  There is even a piece called the dangle collector - available in gold or silver - to organize multiple dangles on your large Living Locket.  Earrings compliment your Living Locket look too.  Choose a set in the same metal color as your chain and locket or choose a to match the Swarovski crystal color on the face of the locket.

Building a Living Locket is a relaxing experience that taps into your creative side.  It is an active way to memory keep and create a keepsake for you or for a loved one.  I have fun pairing charms and creating looks that inspire me everyday.  Find some of my creative looks on my O2 Instagram, here @O2plannergirl.

I would love to help you build a locket to tell your special story.  Please shoot me an email here to let me know how I can help you tell a story special to your heart.

xoxo, Moe.

Free Sticker Friday // Hand Drawn Planner Doodles

A little bit (well, a lot bit) late on the free sticker train this week.....but none the less here they are!  These are some fun little planner doodles I doodled up for you all!  I have a bunch of planner related doodle stickers I want to share here on the blog, so this is just the start.

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

There are some spiral bound planners, fauxdori style planners, and binder style planners (like Filofax or Webster's Pages) featured on this sticker set.  I love the hand drawn look of these and the fauxdori has to be my favorite.

Included in the file is a PNG to cut with your Cricut Explore, a Studio file for use with you Silhouette, and a PDF file if you've just got your good ol scissors.  If you're looking for a way to kiss cut your stickers by hand, I hear great things about this tool.

Additionally - if you haven't heard I've created a Facebook group just for Cricut Ready printable stickers!  Go ahead and join up right here!  If you have any questions about cutting these files with your Cricut Explore, I've made a video right here for some tips!  Be sure to size the PNG to 5.5 inches wide once you've uploaded it to Design Space

DOWNLOAD PLANNER DOODLES HERE

Also, have you seen the new version of the Cricut Explore -  the Cricut Explore Air 2?  They now come in 3 super cute colors!  Any 'ol Cricut Explore will work with this tutorial but the three new colors really make me want one just because!

As always, these stickers are for personal use only.  Please to not claim the design as your own.  Do not print and disseminate the stickers in mass quantities.  Do not sell the file, design, or end product.  If you'd like to share these stickers with others, please link or Pin this blog post - not the download.  If you have any questions please let me know.  And thank you for playing nice!

If you'd like to find more Cricut Ready stickers on the blog click here.  Find all Free Sticker Friday Posts here.

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // DIY Planner Pocket

Last week I shared a post on some crafty things I was currently obsessing over.  One of those things was something called a bagflip.  This concept inspired me to make a planner pocket perfect for my personal planner.

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

This pocket is great as a decorative dashboard, a place to collect receipts, a place to store inspiration, or a pocket to put whatever you want in it!  I've included free cut files as well so you can get your craft on with this guy.  Here's how to put this together:

supplies // Cricut Explore cutting machine or scissors, SVGs or PDF template to trace, glue or adhesive roller, hole punch, coordinating scrapbook paper, bone folder, scoreboard or ruler

First, download the SVG file here then upload it to Cricut Design Space.  I'm not 100% sure how to get the SVG to be the proper size so in the file I've included a layer you can hide that tells you the sizing.  Select the SVG on the canvas then from the edit tab size the width to 21 inches.  Leave the proportions locked.

Right click (or two finger click on a mac) then select ungroup.  Hide the layer that says Five Sixteenths Blog & the sizing.  Click the Go button.

Choose the four pieces of card stock or scrapbook paper to create the pocket.  8.5 x 11 inch card stock or scrapbook paper is wide enough for this tutorial so you don't have to use 12 x 12 inch.  Cut each piece out.

I am not sure how to create an SVG to utilize the scoring capability of the Cricut Explore, so if you don't have a score board lining up a ruler and using your bone folder to score works greate too.

Assemble the pocket but putting the envelope together first, adding the rounded rectangle piece to cover the seam.  Punch this for your binder.  Then assemble the outside pocket and punch holes as well. 

These make great storage solutions for your binders but also really great pen pal or planner swap gifts!  I could fill these guys up all day long!  These can be themed for the holidays or made with the same papers your dividers are made from (check out this tutorial for making your own dividers with the Cricut Explore).  You also don't have to punch these and can use that cute little envelope on its own!

If you're wanting to know where some of the accessories came from here's a break down - planner is a Marion Smith Heart of Gold Personal Size planner (review here and the planners seem to be unavailable right now...), unicorn bookmark similar to this tutorial, & various paperclips from Webster's Pages (check them out on Blitsy often).

xoxo, Moe

Free Sticker Friday // Thanksgiving Countdown Stickers

Happy Friday again!  I missed the last few weeks Free Sticker Friday but I'm back at it again this week.  I can't believe that October is almost over.  Only a few more days and Halloween will pass us by and we're on to the next holiday.  I know Christmas decorations have been out since around July but it's time to just take a moment and appreciate this season!  I know these countdown stickers are just another way to make the days pass by, but its important to take the opportunities to do things with friend, family, and yourself!

(this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.)

These little pumpkins will fit perfectly on your weekly pages to countdown the days until we get to stuff ourselves full then wake up at the butt crack of dawn and shop!

DOWNLOAD THANKSGIVING COUNTDOWN HERE

Included in the file is a PNG to cut with your Cricut Explore, a Studio file for use with you Silhouette, and a PDF file if you've just got your good ol scissors.  If you're looking for a way to kiss cut your stickers by hand, I hear great things about this tool.

Additionally - if you haven't heard I've created a Facebook group just for Cricut Ready printable stickers!  Go ahead and join up right here!  If you have any questions about cutting these files with your Cricut Explore, I've made a video right here for some tips!  Be sure to size the PNG to 5.5 inches wide once you've uploaded it to Design Space.

As always, these stickers are for personal use only.  Please to not claim the design as your own.  Do not print and disseminate the stickers in mass quantities.  Do not sell the file, design, or end product.  If you'd like to share these stickers with others, please link or Pin this blog post - not the download.  If you have any questions please let me know.  And thank you for playing nice!

If you'd like to find more Cricut Ready stickers on the blog click here.  Find all Free Sticker Friday Posts here.

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // Origami Owl New Adventure

I have been in love with the Origami Owl jewelry brand for a long, long while now.  I've posted about a jewelry piece I made in honor of my family dog Rudy, here.  That is what I love about this brand - you can customize a locket to tell YOUR story.  That is the whole premise behind the brand - to tell a personalized story unique to you.  

My new adventure is that I've launched my own Origami Owl business!  I'm now an independent designer ready and willing to help you create a one-of-a-kind keepsake for you to hold close to your heart.  If you want to find some awesome locket inspiration please follow my new O2 Instagram account @o2plannergirl!

If you're unfamilliar with this awesome jewelry brand, let me introduce you!  This brand was started by a young girl, Bella, who had a dream to own her own car by her 16th birthday.  She started this company from the ground up and now independent designers bring these one of a kind keepsakes to you.  You can shop online or from a jewelry bar.  Here are the 5 steps to creating your locket -

I do hope you'll check out my new adventure and shop the website here and let me know if you're interested in hosting a party or have any questions!

xoxo, Moe

Make it Monday // Crafts I'm Currently Obsessed With

Way back when I first started the Make it Monday series on this blog it was a post about the things I would try to make that week.  It has since evolved into a post featuring my own DIY work and creations.  Today is a little bit of a throw back but it is 100% still in the holiday spirit - we are in the final stretch reaching up until Halloween!

I started work on my October Daily challenge which led me into a whole new world of crafting.  Since starting that (and admittedly slacking on it...whoops) I've fallen in love with some not so holiday specific crafts juiced up 100% for the holiday!

(Bettlejuice! Bettlejuice! Bettlejuice!)

The first are mini albums.  My own mini album is above but if you search the #OctoberDailyChallenge hash tag on Instagram you'll find a ton of these bad boys.  This little journal/mini album is perfect for my documenting needs right now - especially for a little challenge.  You can find the tutorial I did on a small journal like this using the Cinch here.

The second thing I am 100% dying over are bag flips.  How stinking awesome are these!  This is something I am very new to hearing of...but wouldn't these make the greatest planner swap bags at meetups?? Or even something cut just to send to a friend!  I am trying to figure out a way to incorporate these into a make & take for a December planner meet up (spoilers!).  The tutorial I love is from Serena Bee (ps follow her instagram if you want to be overloaded with inspiration.  But the bagflip above is from Lorrie of Lorrie's Story blog.  These are mad with lunch bags - or any sort of bag, you can even use a die cut to make one - where the end is flipped up to make a second pocket.  I really need to jump on makings some of these.  You can find inspiration for these on Instagram by searching for #bagflip though some entries are people misspelling 'back flip'.

I just can't get enough of all the crafty inspiration behind October Daily.  I admit that I've been slacking but the ideas are so creative.  The bag flip thing really has me thinking about making planner pockets!

Its the final countdown guys, are you ready?