DIY – lesliebyrdphotography.com

Lately, as my workload has increased along with my personal creative endeavors, I am finding it more and more difficult to keep track of all I want and need to. Once upon a time I was able to easily recall everything that laid ahead of me. Now, years later, the list of errands and tasks and projects I have seem to come into my memory like a drift of wind, just to breeze away again at the hint of the slightest recall. With the recent surge in the bullet journal trend & planners, I finally decided to give in and see what the fuss was all about.

I’m not usually a consistent person, except for in my inconsistency. Ideas, energy, creativity, all come in spurts, and these spurts are just as inconsistent-sometimes lasting a month or a season, sometimes only a few days or a handful of hours. Therefore, it is incredibly important to me to get things done when I can. This is when that remembering comes in handy.

Write It Down

I’ve always been one for checklists. Back in school (too many years ago for me to mention here!) I loved having teachers who gave a list of upcoming work, because I was one to get things done early and out of the way, leaving plenty of time for other endeavors. That need for lists carries through to today. Because, while I am not consistent, I am very highly organized, and it seemed to me that if I began writing down & organizing my to-do lists, I could perhaps, be much more productive.

Writing things down tends to increase your chances of doing those things. Planning helps you to organize & prioritize those things, setting goals, eliminating tasks, expanding ideas. It can seem complicated or even unnecessary at first. But when you find the tools that work for you, it makes everything simpler. Yes, it will take your time and commitment to execute. It will also be an extreme help in getting you to where you want to be. And there is just something so incredibly satisfying in checking something off of your list.

Now, don’t get me wrong; I’m not crazy with my lists, and I don’t plan everything-(though, there are times of anxiety when that doesn’t seem like a bad idea.)

My life currently consists of mainly my kids/family, massage therapy, artistic outlets, food, & writing. When creating/looking for my perfect planner, I basically needed to organize two of these: my daily “to-do” list, and my blog writing. It took a bit of trial & error, but I think I’ve finally found it.

Recollections

I tried other planners & printouts, & finally found this one from Michael’s that was simple, beautiful, & works for me. I love the variety of inserts & stickers you can purchase separately, to add to the planner & make it your own. If you need to simplify or expand your journaling/organizing you can, with very little effort.

Change it up to fit your needs.
Decorate.
Prioritize.
Record.

There’s even plenty of space for me to art journal and to jot down quotes and poetry!

Loving my new #recollectionsplanner from @michaelsstores

Shop for Your Own Recollections Planner

Do what you love, Love what you do

When you do what you love and love what you do, life becomes both simpler and fuller, more enjoyable, and better balanced. You start to find peace, and things come more at ease. For me, these planners keep me organized, & help me in doing all of that.

What is your favorite planner? Did you buy yours or make your own? What do you use your planners for? Tell me in the comments!

~Poetry. Life. Photography.
Leslie Byrd Photography ❤🌹📷

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No Sew.

I repeat. No. Sew.

And simple. Inexpensive. Stylish. Comfortable.

You will LOVE this strap,

and wonder why didn’t I think of that sooner?

All you need for this DIY is your camera, two keychains with both a medium-sized ring and lobster clasp each, and an infinity scarf in any color or print.

Instructions:

Make sure you have your keychains (two of them, both with a medium ring and lobster clasp); I chose two with my initials, but you can choose smaller ones, or even plain ones with nothining on them. It is up to you! Also you need an infinity scarf. Choose and color or patten you like. I prefer soft and stretchy materials, as they tend to be more comfortable and easy to work with.
Remove the lobster clasp from one of the rings; go aheas and clip it on to one side of your camera. While you are at it, if you’d like, also take the charm or decoration off the same ring, and slide it on to the other ring.
This should leave you with one plain ring, and another ring that has a lobster clasp and two charms.
Most infinity scarfs are too thick for this project. Lay yours flat on a hard surface, and cut the scarf in half. Make sure not to cut on either seam. You are wanting to basically cut it to create two smaller infinity scarfs. You can use one for the camera, and still have one to wear! 😊
Pull on the scarf a bit to help the newly cut side to roll. Shake it out so any loose bits will fall out. Now take your key ring with charms and clasp, and split one side open. If it is too tight, you can carefully slide scissors in between the ring slots to make it wider. You are wanting the opening just big enough to slide an end of the scarf through.
Once the scarf is in, remove scissors, and move the ring around until the scarf is in.
Repeat with the other ring to get the scarf through it. Once both rings are on the scarf, attach the plain ring to the lobster clasp on the camera. Attach the second keychain using the other lobster clasp.

You now have a cute, custom camera strap!

One of the best things about this strap is that if the fabric is stretchable, you can wear this around your neck or shoulder as a standard strap, OR you can wrap it on your wrist for a more secure hold on your camera.

Camera with DiY Camera Strap

What do you think? Clever, right? Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

~Leslie Byrd Photography 📷❤️