Planner | Feeling A Little Overwhelmed + Studio L2E Discount Coupon

Hello there! Before I start venting my frustration, I would like to share some happie news with y'all. I purchased these cute planner stamps from Studio L2E and love them a lot. So I asked Kanani from Studio L2E if she could provide a discount code to my blog readers & instagram followers. And she is super sweet and agreed to proide a 10% discount code from here store. So here's the discount code: happie_ig >> Remember to key in the discount code upon checking out to enjoy the 10% discount. The code expires 12.01am PST 8 October 2014.
Attention to all Happie planner Kit ssubbers: I have a 15% discount code for you, so check your email!  Go go go shopping now!

Okay… now its time to vent my frustration. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed recently, ever since I came back from Shanghai on 1st of September. I am forever rushing to pack mails, replying emails, sending off my DT assignments, scheduling my blog posts etc. And that also explains why I haven't been making any videos recently.

One of the main reason is because my trial for DIY Fish inserts (3 months) has ended and I have switched over to the super pretty Cocoa Daisy Day Planner kit. The format of the CD planner inserts is very very different from DIY Fish Life Mapping System. I have always love DIY Fish inserts that focus so much on time management and also goals tracking. So I am feeling so unorganised during this transition period.

Then I decided to sit down and make a new set of dividers for my Black Kate Spade. I bought this Kate Spade Wellesley a while ago and haven't started using it at all. *okay, I am guilty as charged* I spent a little time planning what are the sections that I want to use on my new planning systems (along with inserts from Daisy Day Planner kit) and started making dividers. I like to make my dividers tab-less and use either this removable / repositionable tabs (this or this). So i can always switch the arrangement of the dividers according to my mood. I do make custom dividers for customers but to be honest, I only have 3 sets of dividers for myself. hahaha.

I also realise I always miss the deadlines of my blog posts, assignments, custom orders and videos, so I decided to stamp some of the main to-dos / reminders on a piece of 4x6 PL cards (from Elle's Studio October kit), using Studio L2E List-It stamp set. I stamp the title of the list on Masking Stickers to match the border of the PL cards. I am going to laminate this so that I could use this over and over again and write on it using OHP markers or dry-erase markers. Hopefully this quick checklist would help me being a little more organised.

Then on my first page of the dividers, I make a happy mail check list with a piece of leftover transparency. I have this Studio Calico script transparency in very odd size (tiny tiny bits) that I couldn't bear to throw it away. So I punched 3 holes and made a little check list for my expecting/incoming mails. I laminated the Happy Mail list part and glue it onto the transparency so I could use it over and over again. The Happy Mail stamp is from Studio L2E (Special Delivery).

This is my main divider. Oh well, who didn't want to just stay at home and make pretty things? Please please please, I am just hoping to be a little more organised so that I could spend a little more me-time (be it crafting or taking online classes or reading) and also more more more time with Ivan.

And here come my pretty to-do list. If you have been following me on Instagram, you know how much I need colours in my life! Maybe a rainbow to-do list would make completing tasks a little more fun? ;) I use Elle's Studio Little Snippets : Blank Labels for the to do list, laminate it and glue it on a piece of transparency. Then add title To-Do (alphabet stickers from Elle's Studio) and the cute Owl button + epoxy stickers from Freckled Fawn. 

Then I also made another divider for my wish list & expenditure using the raindrop vellum envelope that I have included in my October Happie Planner Kit. The envelope is just right for A5 sized planner but I trimmed one of the side (approximately 2cm) and tape the edge + punch holes. This is almost same size as the normal Filofax Personal size dividers (in terms of height). I reckon the vellum envelope is sturdy enough to be use as divider so I am going to add repositionable tabs here. 

I do get asked a lot about the products that I sell in my shop, some of them asked why are most of the products sold out (mainly the custom made Happiedori and Happie Planner Kit). 

1. I started this online store on my own a year ago (after tired of issuing Paypal Invoice) and it is solely home based. My little craft room that I showed in this blog post is a tiny room that I use as my craft room, office and also warehouse. I always try to squeeze in all the stocks that I have in this Daiso shelf that my awesome dad made for me. I have a little over 150-200 products in my Big Cartel and just imagine if I stock up 20 pieces of each item, I think me and Ivan are going to sleep on stickers and stationeries. LOL. Just because of the limited space, I don't normally bring in the same item in bulk, so once the items are sold out, means I don't have them in inventories now. I still list them as sold out instead of removing them from my store just because there are customers would email me occasionally to ask me restock on the items. See…. The shelf isn't that big right? Plus, my room is so full that I have boxes stacking on the bed, on the floor and outside of the room  now. Do feel free to email me if you want anything in my shop that is listed as 'Out Of Stock' at the moment.

2. The Happie Planner Kit, Happiedori and Planner Dividers (or even crochet pouch) are always sold out or listed as coming soon. I get this question frequently: Why are these items forever sold out or when are you going to restock them? 

For the Happie Planner Kit, since it is a monthly kit, once it is sold out, I will not restock them again. So look out for the dates that these kits will be available to be subscribed again. The kits are currently 'almost' fully subscribed and I am trying my best to put more kits together. I am trying…. because I am 'almost' doing the kitting all alone, without much help + need to take care of a 18-month-old. If I could put together more kits, I will make the subscription available on 25th - 5th of every month. 

Also, I am still listing the kit on the shop as 'sold out' although I will not restock them again because I am pretty sure some of the customers would want to know more about the past kit and this could help them in making decisions if they want to sign up for a subscription. >> This makes sense right?

I do not take in custom order / list my Happiedori and other handmade items available at the moment because my hands are so full (that explains why I am feeling a tad overwhelmed). I do not want to put customers on a long waiting list. I will list them on my shop as soon as I have settled down and have more time to work on them. I always believe in making pretty things, in a happy mood even there are custom orders. 

My little one has just started his pre-montessori a week ago so we are now adapting to the new schedule (which means I need to put him on bed earlier, send him to school and wait for him for 3 hours). The principal told me to wait for him at the school because they expect that he would cry a lot to look for mama. Just in case that happens, I would be there for him. Sending him to school early in the morning is a major major struggle (read Major!!) for me as I always work till wee hours and am never a morning person. So sorry that I couldn't take in any custom order at the moment but I am very very thankful that so many of you adore my work / designs.

I get about 10-15 orders a day so packing happie mails would take me about 2-3 hours a day. P.S. I really need to emphasise that I am not someone who can work very fast. I am a very very slow person and love procrastinating + get distracted easily. Please please please bear with me =))

3. Also, I have been getting some comments that I do not reply email promptly. I know I have been procrastinating a lot (trying to sleep more as I have been falling ill ), but I always try to reply email within 3 business days. I am trying not to reply emails on my phone because my iPhone 5 battery would drain within an hour + i would love to reply emails with lesser typo + more detailed answer. 

And I also get some questions asking Can someone who work(s) for me help answering questions on Instagram / Instagram DM / emails? uhmm…. I would love to have an employee or two, unfortunately my little online store couldn't afford that currently. I am the one who pack mails, take photos of the store items + kits, kitting, packing, customer service. I am thankful that I do get occasional help from two of my friends who come over to help packing the kits, but I am still doing the rest on my own.  

Also, can someone please tell me why are my 18-month-old getting clingier than he was a baby? And now he even wants to sit on the same chair with me whenever I am working on computer. Watch the video here where he was doing a Project Life page with me. 

Also, I am trying not to reply emails during weekends as the hubs has been complaining I am always on my phone (instagramming or replying emails). So we made a deal trying to minimise the usage of phone whenever we are together. So if you send me an email on Friday, do bear with me I promise I will work on it asap (by next Monday or Tuesday). If I don't, please do not hesitate to contact me again. hehehehe…. I gotta admit sometimes I do overlook the emails or comments on Instagram. Please, feel free to drop me an email here: shop.happiescrappie@gmail.com

I know, I know, this is a super long blog post. Again, thanks for your time + patience! I am planning to do a gratitude journal this month (hopefully I have time and adjusting myself well to the new inserts form Cocoa Daisy Day Planner) =) One of the few things to be thankful for this month: my little one went to school and he was literally zero-tears on the second day! *Proud mama moment*

Happy weekend y'all and have a great week ahead!

XoXo,