DIY Erin Condren Planner Cover!

It's craft time! Personally, I specifically have an Erin Condren Life Planner, but I can't imagine it wouldn't work for pretty much any coil bound planner.

You Will Need
The measurements for your planner cover
Any patterned paper you like
Cardstock
Scissors
3/8" hole punch
Double-sided tape
A laminator (if you don't have your own, you can just go do it at an office supply store!)

Bonus! I used the same method to make a reusable packing list. Follow along! First thing you need to do is measure out and cut paper for both the front and back covers. I like to use cardstock because it adds some extra durability to the finished product. Since I have sticker paper, for the back cover, I printed out a pattern I liked on glossy sticker paper, cut it down, and then stuck it onto a piece of cardstock cut to the same size.

I would typically do the same process for the front, but I got this super cool paper in my July Messy Box from A Beautiful Mess and I wanted to use it here. And no, I did not mean to cut it sideways, but I am a dork. But if you don't have sticker paper, you can just use double sided tape to stick the two pieces together to get that sturdiness.

Now go on and laminate that thing. I took mine over to FedEx and it cost me $2-3 each for the front and back.

Then, after you've gotten your laminating done, trace the edges and coil holes of the original cover onto the laminated sheet. I used my black Staedler Triplus Fineliner to do it because you can just wipe it off with a damp paper towel if you have some left on there after you're done cutting. Use your scissors to cut it down to size, and then punch out all the holes. This will probably make your hand hurt, FYI. After you've punched all the holes out, cut a slit from the edge of the laminate to the hole so you can slide it over the coils.

Repeat for the back cover, and any inserts you've decided to make in the meantime, push it onto your planner and voila! You've got your very own custom planner cover. If you're less forgetful than me, you might even add your name to the front cover before you laminate it.

If you give this a try, post it to Instagram or tweet a picture with the hashtag #strandedinchi so I can see your pretty planner!

My Favorite Etsy Planner Supply Shops

What does one do after obtaining a twee planner, such as the Erin Condren Life Planner? Go on an Etsy planner sticker binge, obviously. NO REGRETS.

Sweet Kawaii Designs
If you like adorable things, this shop is going to do terrible things for your bank account. These matte stickers all have kawaii faces on them, and the price is definitely right. The shop owner, Tesia, recently started doing "itty bitty" versions of many of her stickers and they are even lovable than in the original sizes, if that's possible. I can't wait to get her fall stickers, they're going to make my spreads next level cute.

It's Planning Time
Denise, who owns and runs this little business, is such a dear that she includes a handwritten note in all of her orders. She just celebrated her first anniversary, but you'd think she's been making stickers forever! Her colors are lovely, and I am totally obsessed with her little pineapples. No, seriously, I have four sheets, I use them everywhere.

Scribble Prints Co.
I almost don't want to mention this shop because of how much insane hype it's gotten since Elle Fowler featured it, but I adore her functional stickers as a base for my weekly layouts. The stickers are all glossy, except for her "washi" sets, and the colors are always really bright and saturated. Like many Etsy shops, the focus is on stickers for the Erin Condren Life Planner, but many of the stickers can be used in all kinds of planners. Prices in this shop tend to be a little higher as shop owner Andrea has had to hire a couple employees to keep up with demand, but the variety of stickers available is really incomparable and the quality is unmatched.

Scribble Printables
Loving the above shop as I do, finding Andrea's printables shop was something of a godsend. Here, she offers sheets of full box and page flag designs, among other things, for really reasonable prices. The best part is that once you buy a file, you can print it for yourself as many time as you like. Many of the printables match sticker sets she has available in her other store, so this is a great way to cut down on costs while keeping your weeks magnificently coordinated.

Erin Bradley Designs
This shop sells digital scrapbooking paper and clip art, which is really useful if you're like me and you realize that it won't be that hard to cut full boxes out of full sheet label paper. It's also wayyyyy friendlier to my wallet. This shop has a really great selection of patterned digital paper that prints beautifully onto the adhesive label paper I picked up for cheap from Amazon. If there's any DIY spirit in you, this shop ain't a bad place to start.

Mind the Wrap
Washi tape heaven. I never understood washi until I got my this planner, but holy heck, do I get it now. Mind the Wrap has wayyyyyyy cooler washi than you're going to find in any store here in the US. I am obsessed with die cut washi in particular, and this shop has a fantastic selection. Their processing time is also really fast, so you'll get your order much quicker than with most other Etsy shops. I don't know how they do it, but I'm in love!

My Erin Condren Life Planner

I'm a little bit impulsive. And I like pretty things, especially if they're shiny. I'm kind of like a crow that way. So when I first discovered the Erin Condren Life Planner, it took me about 45 seconds to order one and leave my utilitarian Moleskine planner in the dust. I reserve the right to be superficial if it helps me remember what I need to do with my day.

It's a little surprising that it took me this long to jump on the bandwagon of glam planning, considering how devoted I was in high school and middle school to my planner, but here I finally am. Let me be perfectly clear, I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THIS PLANNER. The vertical layout suits me both practically and visually, and the amount of space available means I don't overplan my days.

You can no longer get the exact planner I have, but they have already released the planners for 2016, so don't worry. For few extra dollars, you can add the remaining months of 2015, which means if you want to start planning now, you can! If you'd like to order your own planner and get $10 off, click here to visit the site.

If you don't mind waiting a little longer, you can order a customized cover, but if you want it right away they also have a Ready to Ship version, which includes a coupon for a free cover to order when you feel like it. You'll have to pay shipping on the free cover, which is a bummer, but it's not a terrible deal. And don't forget, you can always DIY your own cover! I'll have a tutorial on that coming up soon :)