How I Use the Calendars in Mom's Toolbelt

One thing I like about have a lifetime subscription to Mom's ToolBelt is having access to a variety of calendar page layouts and knowing I will get the new year's dates without having to look past my MTB download page.

Landscape month to a page Summer theme page 312 of mtb-calendar-monthly-2014-pdf

I love the landscape month to a page view for jotting down my blog planner but I now realise that I need a computer version so I can have active hyperlinks to linkup pages and pattern tutorials.
I link up with several different linky parties and I find it a nuisance to have to open my blog page up so I can scroll down and find the various link up addresses.

Excel version mtb-calendar-BASIC-5wk-xls9703  the basic 2pg (3) table

Today I used the excel version of the month to a page calendar to insert the links into the correct days and I also added a picture of the paper piecing pattern I am going to make as well as a link to the tutorial for the more complicated paper piecing block.
I included notes on what I want to sew each day so that when I walk into my sewing room I don't get side tracked by the first pretty fabric or pattern that I see.

I opened the xls with Numbers on my Mac. It converts just fine.
I merged the cells on one the day sections to add a picture as cell background and I created hyperlinks in other cells.

Export it as a PDF

When I finished I exported it as a PDF into my Google Docs drive so I could access it from my iPad. I didn't need the info about my posts on the iPad but I did want to be able to see the sewing plans and patterns links I had.
I like to use the iPad in the sewing room because it doesn't take up much space.
Here is an image of my calendar. The top photo is my beach :) The PDF maintains the hyperlinks too.

Laptop - Google Docs - iPad - Google Docs - Laptop

I can swap files back and forth from my laptop to my iPad using GoodReader on the iPad to link to Google Docs. A while back I paid $9.99 for the GoodReader app and it has been worth every cent.

I open all files I download in GoodReader now. I can read them, email them, make notes on them and upload them to Google Docs.

One reason I decided to pay for Mom's Tool Belt files was the convenience factor. Just like paying for GoodReader. You generally get what you pay for and if it is for free then it is often limited in its usefulness. Also I liked the drawings on the themed pages :)

I use affiliate links to MTB in this blog. I think Mom's ToolBelt is a good thing and I like sharing how I use it.


Happy Organising,
Val

Organising my Blogs

I don't plan to make a living from my blogs or related business but I do want them to generate some affiliate income from Mom's ToolBelt and I want to encourage visitors. After all my blogging is not just a personal journal it is a publication and I hope that I can give back some of what I get from reading other people's blogs.

With that in mind I decided to do a bit of organising :)

Mom's ToolBelt is mainly a household organiser but I really like the calendars and binder/notes pages. They can be used for any kind of organising and combined with some of the free printables around Mom's ToolBelt printables make awesome organiser folders.

The first thing I did was print out a February calendar and plan my sewing blog. I used page 120 of the mtb-calendar-monthly-2014 PDF from the Calendar section under Monthly Dated then PDF 2014. It has all the seasons and black and white calendars for each month in lots of page layouts.

I have lots of BoMs and Challenges on the go and I love to join up all the Linkies for them. Each one has to be linked up on a particular day so I had to organise what went where.

It has helped me decide what to sew each day and also motivated me to do more sewing and blog more. Getting organised has helped me find more time. Well, really it is allowing me to use my time more efficiently.

The next thing I did was look for some specific blog organising printables. I found a PDF at Living Well Spending Less that I downloaded for free and just printed out a few pages that suited me.

I liked the Long Term Goals page. It really made me think about what I wanted from my blog and how I might try to make it more inviting. I want it to be good for me and for the visitors.

I also liked the Year at a Glance page. I haven't quite worked out the best way to use this yet but I will probably print out one for each blog I write and put in some post headings or topics that I could use throughout the year. Kind of like a brainstorming page but with a little more purpose.

I have been getting March ready lately. I am quite a visual person so I have used different coloured pens to highlight the different posts I make such as linking up or sewing progress. This pretty March page is page 216 of the Mom's ToolBelt mtb_calendar_monthly_2014 PDF.

I don't actually have a folder for my blog planner yet but I will buy a small ring binder and set it up like my Home Planner with a cover and spine and dividers from Mom's ToolBelt.

If you like blogging it can be a very satisfying experience to turn your blog into more of a publication rather than just a few musings. Getting organised is a step in the right direction.

Happy Organising,
Val