March Planner Guest Designer Recap | Carolyn Jones
You may have seen Carolyn Jones around the Cocoa Daisy world; she was a guest designer in 2020 and has continued to inspire us so much that we asked her back again this year!...
Three Ideas for Capturing the Current Moment
Hello, Friends!
In today's post, we are talking about "Currently" spread - a form of documenting that captures the present moment with snapshots of your interests, tasks, and day-to-day life during a specific time. While it's great to document big life events, it is also important to remember who we were and what we enjoyed in different seasons of life. To do this, we have three examples for you from our Memory Keeping Team. Let's see what they are!
Ashley is documenting a day in her life, a great format for capturing her current life.
"Every year I look forward to documenting a day in my life, and a pocket page spread keeps it quick and easy.
First, I created a title card for the layout. I used paper and chipboard stickers from the Treetop Canopy Modern Memory Keeping Kit, and I layered a label from the Treetop Canopy Classified: Memory Keeping Kit underneath the chipboard for the date.
Next, I chose a few photos from my day that coordinated well with the title card. When creating a pocket page spread, I always try to make sure it looks balanced. For example, the title card in the top left is bright and colorful with green and blue hues, so I put the photo of my art cart in the bottom right pocket to balance it out. In addition, I used plain white cardstock for my journaling spots. This brings a lightness to the spread and provides a resting place for the eye since the layout is a bit photo-heavy.
Lastly, I embellished the page with small labels from the Treetop Canopy Classified: Memory Keeping Kit and used them to stamp the time of day each photo was taken.
Then, I added a few stickers from the Treetop Canopy Memory Keeping Sticker Kit around each label. I like how the tiny circles mimic the washy paint splatters in the paper I used for the title card. This type of project provides the perfect snapshot of everyday life right now. I hope you feel inspired to document the details of your own life currently." We love Ashley's use of this type of documenting to create a snapshot into her life right now. The photos and stories are work together so with the softer tones found in the Treetop Canopy Collection. Ashley also uses a screenshot of a phone notification to help tell the story of the day. Sometimes, you don't have a photo, but maybe you have a text message, a funny quote or a meme, or an article that would capture the moment just as effectively. 
Jill will love looking back on this "currently" pocket page spread in years to come. 
"Currently" spreads are a natural style of documenting in a pocket-page album. I created a title with the 3x4 March stories card from the Treetop Canopy Modern Memory Keeping Kit paired with the "currently" die-cut.
I used "bloom" die cuts from the Poppy Fields Collection to document my current challenge, working in a watercolor sketchbook for 100 days. This has a double meaning because I hope all the practice will lead to my blooming--and I'm painting lots of flowers, including the rose on the right side of my spread. 
The "enjoying the little things" card was perfect for a list of what I'm currently reading, watching, eating, and listening to. I illustrated what I'm eating with a screenshot of a diet app and (on the right side) a photo of some homemade soup. The book cover next to the card features what I am reading. I included a lined 3X4 card to hold a list of my current loves and used the "silver linings" stamp from the Poppy Fields Collection here.
The spotty black card became a place for me to indicate that we're entering the beautiful season of spring! I pulled together a little scene with the cloud transparency, a poppy, a bird, and die-cuts relating to spring and beauty.
Because one of my photos features round bowls, I stacked round labels and die-cuts throughout the spread to echo that motif. The other side of my spread evokes St. Patrick's day, more spring preparation (new walking shoes!), and a detail from an art journal page paired with the "do your thing" chipboard.
No "currently" layout is complete without a selfie, so I tucked one in the pocket on the upper right. Pages documenting a current season in my life are both fun to make and fun to look back on later!" This is such a memory-keeping treasure! We love that Jil incorporated some of the pocket cards to help tell her current story. And the circle motif throughout the page gives this layout a little extra whimsy. Jil also including screenshots, journal pages, and photos of the current items in her life.
Another fun way to track what is happening right now, is to create a currently spread in your planner, as Audrey has here.
"Have you made a crafty mind map yet? I make one every month, it is a perfect way to organize my monthly to-do list and the Poppy Fields Collection was just perfect for the April map.
To make the map, I started with one of the boxes from the Poppy Field Memory Keeping Sticker Kit for the middle hierarchal theme of my mind map.
Once I have the box placed I continue with the stamps and stamp around the layout. I like to start with stamps as they are messier, so I get that out of the way and I can clean up after. The Memory Keeping Stamps Sets always come with the best designs that are geared to the current month.
After, I add die cuts and stickers. I always make sure to use the flat stickers and die cuts as the mind map goes in my planner. This month, I did things a wee bit differently and put washi tape and the green earthy lady down first as I wanted that to be my focus. Finally, I end by connecting all the stamps, stickers, and die cuts to my central theme and to each other. You can see how my whole process came together here." What a neat way to capture your month at a glance! Audrey's mix of stickers, stamps, and washi is so fun. We would definitely make us want to refer back to this page throughout the month.
We hope you enjoyed these "currently" spreads and that inspires you to make your own! Show us your "currently" creations by tagging @cocoa_daisy on social media or posting to the Cocoa Daisy Fan Page.
"Every year I look forward to documenting a day in my life, and a pocket page spread keeps it quick and easy.
First, I created a title card for the layout. I used paper and chipboard stickers from the Treetop Canopy Modern Memory Keeping Kit, and I layered a label from the Treetop Canopy Classified: Memory Keeping Kit underneath the chipboard for the date.
Next, I chose a few photos from my day that coordinated well with the title card. When creating a pocket page spread, I always try to make sure it looks balanced. For example, the title card in the top left is bright and colorful with green and blue hues, so I put the photo of my art cart in the bottom right pocket to balance it out. In addition, I used plain white cardstock for my journaling spots. This brings a lightness to the spread and provides a resting place for the eye since the layout is a bit photo-heavy.
Lastly, I embellished the page with small labels from the Treetop Canopy Classified: Memory Keeping Kit and used them to stamp the time of day each photo was taken.
Then, I added a few stickers from the Treetop Canopy Memory Keeping Sticker Kit around each label. I like how the tiny circles mimic the washy paint splatters in the paper I used for the title card. This type of project provides the perfect snapshot of everyday life right now. I hope you feel inspired to document the details of your own life currently." We love Ashley's use of this type of documenting to create a snapshot into her life right now. The photos and stories are work together so with the softer tones found in the Treetop Canopy Collection. Ashley also uses a screenshot of a phone notification to help tell the story of the day. Sometimes, you don't have a photo, but maybe you have a text message, a funny quote or a meme, or an article that would capture the moment just as effectively. 
Jill will love looking back on this "currently" pocket page spread in years to come.
"Currently" spreads are a natural style of documenting in a pocket-page album. I created a title with the 3x4 March stories card from the Treetop Canopy Modern Memory Keeping Kit paired with the "currently" die-cut.
I used "bloom" die cuts from the Poppy Fields Collection to document my current challenge, working in a watercolor sketchbook for 100 days. This has a double meaning because I hope all the practice will lead to my blooming--and I'm painting lots of flowers, including the rose on the right side of my spread.
The "enjoying the little things" card was perfect for a list of what I'm currently reading, watching, eating, and listening to. I illustrated what I'm eating with a screenshot of a diet app and (on the right side) a photo of some homemade soup. The book cover next to the card features what I am reading. I included a lined 3X4 card to hold a list of my current loves and used the "silver linings" stamp from the Poppy Fields Collection here.
The spotty black card became a place for me to indicate that we're entering the beautiful season of spring! I pulled together a little scene with the cloud transparency, a poppy, a bird, and die-cuts relating to spring and beauty.
Because one of my photos features round bowls, I stacked round labels and die-cuts throughout the spread to echo that motif. The other side of my spread evokes St. Patrick's day, more spring preparation (new walking shoes!), and a detail from an art journal page paired with the "do your thing" chipboard.
No "currently" layout is complete without a selfie, so I tucked one in the pocket on the upper right. Pages documenting a current season in my life are both fun to make and fun to look back on later!" This is such a memory-keeping treasure! We love that Jil incorporated some of the pocket cards to help tell her current story. And the circle motif throughout the page gives this layout a little extra whimsy. Jil also including screenshots, journal pages, and photos of the current items in her life.
Another fun way to track what is happening right now, is to create a currently spread in your planner, as Audrey has here.
"Have you made a crafty mind map yet? I make one every month, it is a perfect way to organize my monthly to-do list and the Poppy Fields Collection was just perfect for the April map.
To make the map, I started with one of the boxes from the Poppy Field Memory Keeping Sticker Kit for the middle hierarchal theme of my mind map.
Once I have the box placed I continue with the stamps and stamp around the layout. I like to start with stamps as they are messier, so I get that out of the way and I can clean up after. The Memory Keeping Stamps Sets always come with the best designs that are geared to the current month.
After, I add die cuts and stickers. I always make sure to use the flat stickers and die cuts as the mind map goes in my planner. This month, I did things a wee bit differently and put washi tape and the green earthy lady down first as I wanted that to be my focus. Finally, I end by connecting all the stamps, stickers, and die cuts to my central theme and to each other. You can see how my whole process came together here." What a neat way to capture your month at a glance! Audrey's mix of stickers, stamps, and washi is so fun. We would definitely make us want to refer back to this page throughout the month.
We hope you enjoyed these "currently" spreads and that inspires you to make your own! Show us your "currently" creations by tagging @cocoa_daisy on social media or posting to the Cocoa Daisy Fan Page.
Best,
Rachel, Memory Keeping Team Blog Coordinator
