Decorating January – My 2024 Planner

Do you love to make lists and stay organized on paper like me? Using a planner to keep my life in order has been a part of my life for over 25 years. I love finding and using the perfect pencils & pens to keep my schedule and write my lists, and stickers to add color and whimsy to my pages. In the past few years I have been playing around with my stamps, ink, and Designer Series Paper in my planner with much joy.

For 2024 I decided to try a new planner design from Laurel Denise. I was drawn to this planner because of its unique design features along with its functional style. I plan to use my Stampin’ Up! stamp sets, ink, and Designer Series Papers to decorate my planner and share the process with you each month.

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to my new planner, the 2024 Vertical Laurel Denise Planner in Ocean Breeze. Watch the creative process for decorating the month of January in the video tutorial, and grab the pdf below for all the measurements. Scroll all the way to the end of this post to find links to all the Stampin’ Up! products I used.

Adding Designer Series Paper to the Monthly Layout

These measurements are specific for decorating a Laurel Denise planner, but you can use the ideas for ANY planner or journal. Get creative and create something fun to write/plan/journal in for YOURSELF!

Left side Monthly Calendar Page – Calendar Topper Section

• 7” x 1-3/8” (or 6” x 1-3/8” if you want the month’s number to show)

Left side Monthly Calendar Page – Calendar Date Box

• 1” x 1-3/8” (this would cover up the date – see below for making a stencil)

Middle Section Weekly Pages – Days of the Week Boxes

• 1” x 7/16” (this would cover up the day/date- see below for making a stencil)

Middle Section Weekly Pages – Top Rox Boxes Under Days of the Week

• 1” x 1-1/8”

To-Do This Month Section

• 3-3/4” x 8-3/8” (or 7-1/2” x 8-3/8” , scored at 3-3/4” to make a folder section)

Right Side Monthly Dashboard Section

• 4″ squares to feature sticky notes (I used 4)
• 1-1/4” x 6-3/4” for top of bottom of 4” squares

Creating Stencils For Using Ink to Color Boxes

I used inexpensive acetate (window sheets) from the office supply store to create stencils for the different size boxes used in every monthly layout so that I could fill them in easily using ink and a blending brush. Sturdy cardstock or thin chipboard could also be used for this purpose. Using the measurements below and my paper trimmer I created a hole in the acetate.

Calendar Date Box – 1” x 1-3/8”

Days of the Week Boxes – 1” x 7/16”

Top Rox Boxes Under Days of the Week – 1” x 1-1/8”

If you are a planner-lover like me, I hope you have found some inspiration to use stamps, ink and paper to decorate your planner!

Product List

Softly Stippled 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [162975] $12.50	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad [147101] $9.00	Pebbled Path Classic Stampin' Pad [161648] $9.00	Wild Wheat Classic Stampin' Pad [161651] $9.00
Blending Brushes [153611] $13.00	Mini Alphabet Dies [162934] $31.00	Notes Of Nature Bundle (English) [162640] $46.75	Heartfelt Hexagon Bundle (English) [162889] $37.75