papertrey ink :: new moments inked

Hello!  Papertrey Ink is celebrating their 9th anniversary this month with contests, new releases, and a few special announcements.  Be sure to stop by Nichole's blog to get all the details!

Last week, a box of new Moments Inked products arrived at my door from PTI and I know you'll want to see what was in it!  So let's get right to it...

There were a couple of new stamp sets, the first one being a set of tiny icons called Everyday Symbols.  They are so cute and, of course, perfectly sized to fit in the boxes and columns of the MI planners.  In keeping with my efforts to streamline my organization process, I actually haven't used them in my planners yet.  That's not to say these cuties won't ever make an appearance in them, but I had something else in mind when I saw them.

My 5-year-old started school in September and there is a ridiculous amount of things to remember!  Most, if not all, of those responsibilities fall on me--I'm sure many of you can relate ;)  In an effort to keep it all straight--and in the event of a Momergency and Dad has to take over for a day or two--these little stamps and a simple calendar are the solution.

I found the calendar in the Target dollar spot a month or two ago ($3 for 12 monthly pages and a sturdy wooden clipboard).  It's easy enough to make your own version with some printables; a browse through Pinterest can probably help with that.  With a little creative thinking, I found a symbol for each item we need to remember on a routine basis.  Some just worked out perfectly (the envelope, the book, the car) while others were adapted to fit.  I chose a different PTI ink color--nothing girly, of course--for each icon and the result is a hit with Gus.  It's colorful, he can recognize most of the symbols and learn the ones that aren't so obvious, and he is also learning to have some responsibility for his school things.  All of that in a little stamp set!

And in case anyone needs a reminder, I stamped each picture on a long white Post-it with an explanation and stuck it directly to the clipboard.

This was not time-consuming at all and I even went ahead and filled out March & April.  It's easy enough to add other appointments or reminders as they arise, too. 

Speaking of the Post-it notes, the other stamp set was Posted II, which is the longer version of the original, released last year to customize sticky notes.

The new stamp set contains an unlined numbered list, a lined list with a label title, and a few phrases that fit in the title box.  To be honest, my first thought was that this was going to entail an awful lot of work just to make a list on a Post-it that I'd end up throwing out soon after.  But as I thought about it, I decided that if the list I made could be something I would refer to for, say, an entire month, then it might be worth it.

So I made a monthly task list of items I want to address and I put it on the back page of the previous month.  Turns out, I actually really like this idea!  I tried a couple different ways, both numbered and lined, and I'll go back and forth.

**It is worth mentioning that you will need a long acrylic block to use this stamp, since it is approximately 3x6 inches.  If you're an avid stamper, you probably have one, but if you only moonlight, then you may not.**

The next item on the list is the Perpetual Daily Pages.  I bet there are some super-happy people out there!  These are really cool, too, and come in both the spiral and binder editions, just as the planners do.  The binder pages are loose leaf; the spiral pages are bound on a sturdy coil, like the planner.

I mentioned in my last Moments Inked post (before I knew these were going to be released), that while I did end up using the daily pages quite a bit in 2015, I had found other means of recording the same information for 2016--a dedicated Gratitude journal, using my MI spiral planner as a health and wellness tracker, etc.  So, hmmm, what to do with these new pages?

Well, I'm still using them as daily notes.  I take a stack at a time of the loose leaf sheets (maybe 30), bind them to a small clipboard (again, from Target), and keep it by my side as I work.  I LOVE this set up!  I fill out my top 3 family tasks and the day of the week in the box under the perpetual calendar, then use the "Focus" box as the same thing, only for business.

I love that the colors are gray and white because I can use pretty markers and even find myself coloring or doodling on them when I'm trying to think; it's kind of relaxing.  I also like that these are undated.  I've decided I will not keep the pages when I'm finished with them.  These are daily notes, used to quickly keep track of certain aspects of my schedule, and when I have the chance, I'll fill in the appropriate designated journal or planner (MI binder, gratitude, health, etc) and then recycle these pages.  Doing it this way the last few days has actually been a benefit, as I feel like there's less of a panic to fill in every book every night before I forget things.

The last item for the day is the Binder Listed die.  It's exactly like the Tabbed List die, but for the binder (obviously).  It has the same proportions so the Listed stamp set is compatible.

Instead of making a list for this post, though, I made a page marker, which I felt was sorely needed in my binder.  It wasn't an issue last year with the spiral edition, as I generally kept it open and folded back to the current day.  Since you can't fold the binder back, I keep it closed when it's not in use.  There are paper and binder clips that will mark pages, I know, but I think this is a fun idea, too.

I made my bookmark from a Pink Paislee specialty acetate so it won't rip or tear like regular paper.  It'll get banged around and moved weekly so I wanted to use something stronger than cardstock.  If you want to use paper or cardstock, I'd suggest laminating it.

I die cut a tab and stamped TODAY on it from the Listed set.  Even though the hues of the triangles are not PTI, they are similar shades and this marker will complement each month's PTI color scheme.  It also helps that it's transparent so that with a quick glance, I can still see what's happening on the page underneath.

So there you have it--these fun new products will be released on the 15th!  Today is a group post so be sure to check out how the rest of the MI team has put their products to use.  Stop by Nichole's blog to see photo teasers and links from the other girls.  And don't forget all the fun anniversary happenings over there, too.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Supplies used:

All supplies Papertrey Ink, unless otherwise noted.

Moments Inked:

2016 Binder & Planner Pages

Binder Perpetual Daily Pages

Everyday Symbols stamp set

Posted II stamp set

Binder Listed Dies

Listed stamp set

Posted stamp set (original)

Large Post-its

Ink:

True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Aqua Mist, Limeade Ice, Orange Zest, Tropical Teal, New Leaf, Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores, Ripe Avocado, Enchanted Evening, Canyon Clay

Other:

Cedar Lane Acetate (Pink Paislee)