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New Planner and Decorating Question

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lynat

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Joined
May 3, 2018
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Hi everyone,

Several years ago I used a planner that worked great for me. It had the days on the left hand side going down and across the top it had enough room for each of us plus an extra for my mom (five in total). I used two, for consecutive years but when I went to order the third year, I could not find them. I want to say it was mid-2000's. I found something similar on Amazon but not close enough. When I retired I decided to use excel and create my own. I started using it in January and it is working fine (only I accidentally deleted the entire month of August and had to rebuild from my bad memory).

My question is for next year, how do I decorate it? With it being made in excel, can I bring in any types of files? And if not, which ones can't I use? When I print it to save entire copy for the girls, will I have to save/print it as a photo or as an regular excel file? Can I put our photos from the year in it? I don't use stickers in my planners so can I use strictly scrapbook elements to do it with?

And if I can use scrapbook elements to decorate with, which kits would be a good fit? I love words like Heidi Swapp does but when I tried them this year, they looked too start black on white paper, and I want to do the planner on white paper just because that is what I use on a day-to-day basis. I'm a so-so Photoshop Elements user but can't use any other program at all.

Any help, thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Lynita
 
Hi Lynita - I use an online planner so I have access on my phone and computer, plus the rest of the family also has access to it. However, I also printed the current week to scribble changes on. It was boring. So last year I got a Happy Planner and I decorate it with stickers. I use all kinds of art kits from TLP. I create event specific ones, i.e. a girl in a yoga position for yoga, a music staff for piano lessons, an apple for tutoring that I do, etc. Then I usually pick a kit and create a bunch of stickers for the month, ie. snowmen for January, hearts/love for February, etc.

That said - you should be able to insert a picture into a cell in Excel. If I remember correctly, you have the choice of adding into a cell or having it sit over a cell (or several cells). The elements in a kit are png files and the papers are jpgs. Excel will see them both as pictures.

Several designers have planner specific kits, but really you can use any kit you have in your stash. If you consider printing your own planner pages, several designers have kits with pages. Here is a store link to all the planners: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Planners/
 
Forgot to say one thing -- when looking at the planner kits, check to see if the elements are included as individual png files. If the designer is only providing a pdf or full sheets ready to print, you will not be able to use that in your Excel file.

As for printing, you should be able to do a Preview Print in Excel and see what you are going to get.
 
Hi Lynita!
Bev gave you some great starting places for planners!
Also, if you like word art, you might like to see what's in that category here: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Word-Art/

I know you already have it created in Excel, but it might be easier to add pretty things if you recreate it in PSE? A planner is mostly rectangles, and that's easy. PSE would make it a little easier to add fun elements, and you could recolor the word art to make it stand out or be more fun against the white print out.

Let us know if we can help!
 
You two have really made me think now! I hadn’t thought of using planner kits nor word art. I have always scrapped (but not enough to ever say I’m caught up) and I think of kits to scrap with.

And I don’t know to change it to a pse file. Will have to test that in th next few days. I’m afraid I’d make a bigger mess! But do want to try since you said it could be done.

Thinking here.....thanks!
 
I don't think you can change the Excel file to a PSE file. You can open PDF files in PSE.
But you could create the file in PSE. In my mind, it seems like an easier way to go since we know all the scrap supplies will work in PSE, with no work arounds.
For me, I find more flexibility in PSE/Photoshop for projects like that. I like Excel for anything math based, because of formulas.
 
lynat said:
You two have really made me think now! I hadn’t thought of using planner kits nor word art. I have always scrapped (but not enough to ever say I’m caught up) and I think of kits to scrap with.

And I don’t know to change it to a pse file. Will have to test that in th next few days. I’m afraid I’d make a bigger mess! But do want to try since you said it could be done.

Thinking here.....thanks!
Click to expand...

I love to make rectangle type things in Photoshop... if you want to post a picture of your blank excel page, I'd be happy to make something in Photoshop for you that you could then edit and add to as you needed. :)
 
Karen,

I just saw your response. I’m on my iPad but will post it tomorrow. I’ve been trying to ‘figure’ out how to do it in PSE but rather uneven so far!

Thanks!
Lynita
 
@lynat Welcome to TLP!

Maybe something pre-done in PSE would help rather than creating from scratch? Or, maybe @Scrapping with Liz might do a new product line... "customer request," based on a drawing that you have or a previous example you have from a past month? Then you can add the ellies, title and everything else you wanted?

She does have other calendars, but I don't think they are what you are looking for? Maybe another template under planners in the shop? There are other grids and styles that Jaimee has too?









Or... just a printable version that you can customize?
 
Dawn also has some planner pages in her Art Therapy collection.
dinskip_ArtTherapy_Planners_stickers_prev.jpg
 
lynat said:
Karen,

I just saw your response. I’m on my iPad but will post it tomorrow. I’ve been trying to ‘figure’ out how to do it in PSE but rather uneven so far!

Thanks!
Lynita
Click to expand...


Karen,

Please forgive me! I was thinking I could load the excel file but I couldn't, which me being not very computer savvy, meant that I had to send it to my daughter to get a screen shot and for her to send it back to me.

Here's what I use.

Thanks!
 

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Hmmm - I notice you have a column by person. I use Cozi, an online calendar, that lets you indicate events by person. It also has online shopping lists that you can sort by store. Since the whole family has access via their phones or website, they can view, add, modify, etc. It is free unless you want the upgraded version (which after 5 years I still have not been convinced I need).
 
Bev,

I downloaded Cozi but never got things loaded. Maybe I should try it for real this time! I'm really slow doing things on computers.

Now, my mom will not use a smartphone so can I print a copy for her?

Thank goodness my husband is retired military and keeps up with his own. If something he is doing interferes with us, he quickly reschedules to match us. I just tell him the week before and he makes it work.
 
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