If you are brand new to digital planning, here is a 5 step beginner’s guide to digital planning.

Digital planners are a great way to organize your life and stay on top of important tasks. They allow you to create lists, set reminders, and capture notes with ease.

Digital planners can be used on any device, but iPads seem to be the preferred method. They feel the most like an original paper daily planner – except you can erase any mistakes you make, move items around easily, copy and paste tasks you repeat each week or day and you can block off times in many different colors without picking up different pens and highlighters!

Digital planning is awesome and here is your 5 Step Beginner’s Guide to Digital Planning.

Step 1
Download GoodNotes

The first step in digital planning is to download a note taking app. GoodNotes is available in the App Store and is free for the first 3 notebooks you create. This makes it perfect for getting started with a daily planner at no cost. And, GoodNotes was named Apple’s iPad App of the Year for 2022, which means it’s pretty dang good.

Here are some of the features I find the coolest – you can turn messy handwriting into any font you want, you can search your planner for any words or text you’ve written over the year, choose which layers to erase from a page, scan and import paper notes or documents. There is a whole lot more – which is why I’ll be doing tutorials to get you started, so be sure to follow me on social media.

Step 2
Download a Digital Planner

Next, you’ll need to download a digital planner. There are tons of digital planners out on the market but I created my own because I am often up working at wee hours of the morning and I needed a planner to show a full, 24-hour schedule. I also like to track my sleep (because I often don’t get enough) so I wanted to see a full day schedule for each day. (I don’t know why so many planners don’t have a full day and it drives me nuts!)

You can get my first quarter of 2023 digital planner for FREE here (January – March). I do ask for an email address so I can send you a notice once the next quarter becomes available to download.

Step 3
Import Planner into GoodNotes

Once you’ve downloaded a planner, open GoodNotes and click on the plus sign and click import. Then find the planner in your folder on your iPad to import.

Step 4
Time to Learn the Basics

Now it’s time to start learning the basics of planning in GoodNotes. It’s easy but it will take a little practice to get the feel for it. The hardest part is remembering that links to other pages don’t work in writing mode. And you can’t write or use the other tools while in reading mode.

I’ll be going over the basics in tutorial videos so be sure to follow along but this article outlines the toolbar and basics for you.

Step 5
Start Planning Your Day, Week and Year!

Now it’s time to start planning!

Plan your days, weeks and important dates and tasks throughout the year. Set an hourly timer for the first few weeks and write down what you’ve done that hour in your schedule. This will help you stay focused and on track. But most of all, have fun while planning.

SHOP LISA’S FAVORITES:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified purchases.

Let’s DIY some Wedding Welcome Bags

Wedding welcome bags are a big thing for weddings. But they are especially popular for destination weddings. They are a way to thank your guests for taking the time (and usually spending money) to travel to your big day. And they also make your guests feel appreciated for their efforts – and for being the most special people in your life.

Wedding welcome bags can be expensive though, unless you DIY part of them. If you’re on a budget, you can easily order regular gift bags, tissue paper, snack bags, etc. and print and cut the design elements. This way you can save money and put them together yourself for your guests. Here’s how to make wedding welcome bags.

What to include:

First, you’ll need to decide what you want to include in your welcome bags. You can go to Pinterest for thousands of ideas. Dollar Tree also has some items you can include, such as tissues, lip balm and even tissue paper for your bags. Then you’ll need to narrow it down to your favorite items. They all have to fit in the bag, of course!

Our Wedding Welcome bags included:

• a welcome letter
• a weekend itinerary
• hotel door hangers
• homemade bath bombs
• fire cracker snacks, (recipe here)
• koozies
• water bottles with a custom label and
• a local travel magazine

I received the magazines for free by calling the local travel office for the city where we were getting married. They gladly sent me as many as I needed and even shipped them to me for free!

What to Buy

Once you’ve narrowed down the items you want to include, you’ll need to order your bags, tissue paper and any other supplies you’ll need. I highly recommend Nashville Wraps because they have high quality supplies for a reasonable price. They are the company I used to order my gift bags and tissue paper, snack bags and cellophane bath bomb bags. Currently, the bag size I ordered costs $6.90 for 10 bags. That’s only .69 cents per bag! (No, this isn’t a sponsored post, I just really liked their stuff)!

What you can make

I created my own welcome bag stickers and cut them with my Silhouette Cameo. The design I used for the outer sticker on the bags isn’t for sale but I have created some destination wedding themed free labels that you can print and cut by hand or import into Cricut or Cameo machine software to cut out for you. Canva is another free app that has thousands of design templates for labels and tags and all sorts of stuff. If you’re not the design or techie type, or you want a different design or color, you can contact me at my LisasLifeTips Etsy shop and I can create a custom one for you to print and cut for $15.

In future posts, I’ll go over how I created the water bottle labels, koozie design, hotel Do Not Disturb signs, homemade bath bombs, welcome letter and weekend itineraries. And I’ll be throwing in some freebies for matching designs then as well! So be sure you’re subscribed to this blog and you’ll get notified when those posts come out.

Wrapping Them up

Narrowing down what to include in our bags was, by far, the hardest part for me. I found so many cute things I wanted to include from Pinterest but I couldn’t include them all. Of all the items in our welcome bags though, I’d have to say the most talked about and liked were the Cajun Fire Crackers. They should call them Crack Crackers because everyone loved them and many guests even contacted me for the recipe after the wedding was over! I have the recipe here if you’d like to try them. They are great for Christmas treats and parties as well. Don’t blame me when you’re asked for the recipe though!

Once you have all of your supplies at home and have printed your labels, welcome letters, etc., its time to put the bags together. For couples, I put 2 of each item in one bag and gave them a couples bag. This saved on bags, letters, itineraries and labels. Once everything is in the bag, stuff a couple of tissue papers into the top, and voilà, you’re done!

With 4th of July and Labor Day celebrations coming up soon, it’s time to get festive with some free patriotic printable sparkler tags and food flags!

Freebie 1
Party in the USA Patriotic Food Flags

If your BBQ needs a little patriotic flair this year, these Party in the USA food flags will do the trick. If you have printable sticker paper sheets, just print, cut, fold and stick to toothpicks. But you can also use cardstock or regular printer paper and tape or glue too.

As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualified purchases with no additional cost to you.

Supplies Needed for Patriotic Food Flags

• Printer
• Sticker paper or copy paper
• Scissors or a cutting machine
• Glue or tape (unless using sticker paper)
• Toothpicks

Instructions

Download and print Party in the USA food flags. Cut two squares in a row together for one flag and fold down the middle to create a double sided flag. Place toothpick in the centerfold and stick, tape or glue to toothpick. Repeat process for all 12 toothpicks and print more if needed.

Freebie 2
Fun & Fireworks Sparkler Tag Holders

Sparklers are a great addition to patriotic holiday parties and these tags will dress them up with fun! Easily print these on 8 1/2 x 11” white cardstock. Each sparkler tag holder measures 3×3”.

Supplies Needed for Patriotic Fun & Fireworks Sparkler Tag Holders

• Printer
• Letter 8 1/2 x 11” cardstock
• Scissors, paper cutter or cutting machine (Cricut or Cameo, etc)
• Standard hole punch or scissors
• Sparklers

Instructions

Download and print Sparkler Tags on white cardstock. Cut each tag as a 3×3” square. Then cut a small slit with scissors or an x-acto knife at the top and bottom of each tag for the sparkler to fit (see photo above for slit placement). If you’re using bigger sparklers or want to put more than one sparkler in each holder, a hole puncher can be used.

I hope you enjoy these Free Patriotic Printable Sparkler Tags and Food Flags and enjoy your 4th of July and Labor Day festivities. Be sure to sign up below for more freebies coming soon!

Supplies Needed to Create a Photo Booth for your party List:

All celebrations should have lots of photos to create lasting memories. Why not add an affordable DIY photo booth to your party this year? Check out this post on how to do it

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified purchases.

Let’s face it, doing laundry is a dirty job but we’ve all got to do it. And, we spend a good bit of time in our laundry rooms each year. So why not make them pleasing to our eyes while we stand there to wash, dry and fold. Here’s how to makeover a laundry room in one weekend.

Step 1 – Assess The Laundry Room

The first step in making over your laundry room is to think about functionality. Where are your dryer sheets, laundry detergent, bleach, stain remover, etc. currently stored? Where are they going to be accessed most easily? Do you have them in cabinets or on a shelf? Or, do you have them sitting on top of your washer or dryer? If you have them on a shelf, do you like the shelf style currently? Or do you want something different?

Do you have a place to fold and hang clothes? If not, do you want one? Many people like folding and hanging their clothes in the bedrooms. Others prefer doing it in the laundry room, then taking them to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Just take some time to think about how you prefer to do your laundry and what makes the most sense for you.

If you have cabinets, do you like the current style and color of the cabinets? If not, do you want to paint them? Would adding cabinet knobs or pulls update them? I personally prefer cabinets because I can keep my washing products in their original packaging and store them out of sight. However, many people prefer open shelving and storing their products in jars and bins with pretty labels (I have free printable 3×3” labels below). A word to the wise though, glass jars are heavy once filled with bleach, fabric softener or liquid detergent. Therefore, plastic carafes are more practical for these cleaning products unless you choose the glass ones with pumps.

Step 2 – Find Your Style

The next step in your laundry room makeover should be completing a little research to find your style. I’m talking about the fun kind of research – lookup laundry room makeovers on Pinterest and Google Images, watch a few YouTube videos and pin down the style you’re going for in your laundry room. You’re already doing a great job on this first step because you’re doing a little research by reading this article!

Step 3 – Complete any renovations

Once you’ve decided your laundry room layout, I recommend completing any renovations such as painting walls or hanging cabinets, shelving and clothes racks first. You wouldn’t want your new, cute signs or baskets to get paint on them! And, as a result, you’re more likely to be successful with your overall vision of how decorations fit into the room once you’ve completed your renovations.

Step 4 – DECORATE!

Now comes the best part – time to decorate! In other words, shopping, crafting and/or creativity. Along with plants, baskets, jars and canisters, there are cute signs, rugs, and they even have magnetic lint boxes that stick right to the side of your dryer. But don’t overdo it. Choose a few of the things that you can’t live without in your design and go from there. And it doesn’t have to break the bank either. I will be doing another blog in the next couple of weeks and giving away a free SVG laundry sign design and you can download my free printable labels for your jars, jugs or canisters below. If you want to save more money, check out my recipe for laundry detergent that can save you $100 or more per year!

Step 5 – Download & Print Free Laundry Labels

For my Free Printable Laundry Labels I suggest using waterproof printing labels otherwise your labels will get ruined when water, bleach or liquid detergent get on them. You can buy waterproof labels here. You can also print on paper and use clear packing tape as an overlay. The labels are 3×3” but can be cut down as small as 1×3”. Labels Included are:

• Laundry Detergent
• Liquid Bleach
• OXI Clean
• Dryer Balls
• Stain Remover
• Fabric Softener
• Scent Booster
• Laundry Powder
• Dryer Sheets
• White Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Detergent Pods

Vision Board of Supplies you may NeeD:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified purchases.

Photo booths make weddings, parties, showers and get-togethers so much fun! If you don’t want to pay the expensive prices that Photo Booth companies charge, here’s an easy way to set up a DIY photo booth using your iPad or iPhone.

(Using an iPad is preferred because it will free up your iPhone for regular use during your event and has a bigger surface area for your guests to interact with).

Step 1
Design Your Photo Booth Space

Design your photo space around the theme of your event. There are lots of creative ways to design a photo area that won’t break the bank. You can create a backdrop using a printed backdrop, fabric shower curtain, a regular curtain, wrapping paper or other decorations.

I’ve found several themed shower curtains for weddings and holiday themes on Amazon and Wish for under $20. You can purchase a backdrop stand or tack the curtain to a wall. You can also incorporate furniture pieces, balloons, floral pieces, hay bales or anything that fits your style – just get creative with it!

SHOP LISAS’S FAVORITE Backdrop Stands

Then, be sure to set the backdrop up in a location that won’t block traffic flow for your event. Think of a corner or wall of unused space for the setup.

SHOP LISA’S FAVORITE BACKDROPS

Step 2
Setup the iPad/iPhone

Next, you’ll need a tripod to setup and attach an iPhone or iPad, with the front camera facing forward. Be sure to charge the device beforehand and you’ll want to setup “Guided Access” on the device so guests can open and take photos easily, without accidentally messing up the photo settings.

Then, open the camera app and flip the view to forward facing, as if you were about to take a selfie. Set the timer on the photo to 3 seconds. Make sure your backdrop is positioned correctly in the photo and take a few test shots. You then have the option to share the photos by text, AirDrop, social media, etc. I have a video above to show you how to access these options on your iPad or iPhone.

SHOP MY FAVORITE TripoDs

Paid Photo Booth App option

Of course, if you’d like a little fancier option, and don’t mind spending a few dollars (from $1 to $80) , there are some pretty cool photo booth apps out there for purchase. The pictures you see in this post were taken using the Pocketbooth Party photo booth app. I started with the .99 cent version (called Pocketbooth) and used it for a couple of holiday parties. It was a hit, a lot of fun and easy to use.

I do recommend the $1.99 version if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option. You can also AirPrint or share via text, email and social media right from the app. However, it only has a 3 and 4 pose option for the photo strips. And most social media platforms do not support that size photo, which will cut off portions of the photo strip when shared online. It also does not have a customizable skin to add a colored or themed border and event title and date. But, it’s definitely a great option for the price and is compatible with iPhones as well. Here’s the front screen your guests will use, settings inside the app and a preview of what the 4-pose strip looks like with the $1.99 version:

I eventually upgraded to the Pocketbooth Party photo app. I wanted more versatility in adding colored borders and event titles/dates. It also has an online gallery to share the photos. The Party version costs around $19.99. However, there are many different photo booth apps at varying price points available for download in the App Store. Depending on your budget and needs for your particular event, there’s sure to be one to suit you.

Step 3
Photo Booth Props

All great photo booths have plenty of fun photo props for guests to use in their photos. And you can get photo props from several different places – stores sell them online, there are free printable props online to download, print and cut. I have free, printable, Wedding-themed ones here and Thanksgiving-themed ones here and plan to add more for different events in the future. The Dollar Tree also has lots of fun items that guests like to use, such as glasses, feather boas and tiaras.

SHOP MY FAVORITE PROPS

Step 4
Photo Booth Directional Signs

If your event space is large and the photo booth is setup in a conspicuous space, you’ll want to have some directional signs pointing guests to the area. These can also be found online for free or to purchase. It is a good idea to also have a sign that tells your guests how to operate the photo booth – which button to click to take the photos, how to share the photos, how to print the photos, any hashtags associated with the event or a link to a website where the photos will be shared online.

SHOP LISA’S FAVORITE PHOTOBOOTH SIGNS

Step 5
Photo Booth Lighting

And last, but certainly not least, is making sure there is enough lighting. If your event is during the day and there is enough natural lighting or if it is in a well lit area, there may be enough lighting for your photos. However, if your event will be at night or in a dimly lit area, you may need to purchase some lighting. Most of us have heard of ring lights by now. And they really do make a difference. But they’re pretty pricey! I’ve used these lights instead and they’ve worked well. Remember to bring an extension cord and power strip for any equipment that needs to be plugged in for power!

SHOP LISA’S FAVORITE LIGHTING

And that’s all you’ll need to setup a DIY photo booth for your next event using your iPad or iPhone! It will surely make lasting memories you’ll cherish.

Supplies Needed List:

Click images to view/buy products. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualified purchases.

Downloads include a Thanksgiving Word Find, True/False Thanksgiving Trivia, 15 photo props for a photobooth – and banners that say “Give Thanks”, “Friendsgiving” and “Thanksgiving”. Enter your email address at the bottom of this post for downloads.

1. Free Thanksgiving True or False Game – Printable

SHOP LISAS’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING GAMES

As an Amazon associate, I may earn a small commission on eligible purchases.

2. Free Thanksgiving Word Find – Print

SHOP LISAS’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING GAMES

3. Free Thanksgiving Banners – Print & Cut

Print and cut these fun banners and attach them to string, thread or yarn. Then use them to decorate around the house for Thanksgiving!

SHOP LISAS’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING GAMES

4. Free Fun Thanksgiving Photo Props – Print & Cut

Taking photos make the best memories for any holiday and these photo props will get everyone involved in the fun! There’s something about photo props that bring out the kid in everyone and make them want to join in on the action! Just print and cut these on heavy paper and tape or glue a popsicle stick or wooden dowel to the back – and voilà.
Want to learn how to make a photobooth at home using your iPad or iPhone? If so, click here.

Learn how to make your own Photo Booth using your iPad or iPhone

SHOP LISAS’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING PROPS

To download all of these Thanksgiving Freebies for Family Fun, enter your email below and press download and you’ll be brought to the download page.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

‘Tis the season for giving, so I’m giving away these Gift Card Holder SVG designs for free! It’s also the season to be crafty – and your Cricut, Cameo or Scan-n-Cut machines are perfect for some holiday creativity!

I suggest heavy weight paper of 65 lb or more for this project. (Check your printer settings for the heaviest weight it will accept). If you prefer not to have the ribbon holes, simply ungroup the design and delete them before your cut. I also added an extra square cut on the unused portion of my sheet and glued the pattern behind the window cut. And, if you want to add ribbon, as seen in the photo it will hold ribbon up to a half inch in width.

This download includes the reindeer, snowflake and Christmas tree Gift Card Holder SVG designs. In addition, each one fits on an 8.5 x 11 sheet so you can use the print and cut feature to print messages on the inside or outside of the card if you want to personalize them. Your friends and family will love receiving a little cash or a gift card to their favorite place in these cute holders with your personal stamp of love on each one. Happy Holidays and happy cutting!! (Have a project in mind? Send me an email at lisaslifetips@gmail.com and I will choose one project each month to design and give away to all my readers, including you!)

Looking for inspiration for Christmas Treats this year? This Cajun Christmas Cracker Recipe is DELISH and, it also comes with a free SVG for labels!

Looking for something other than chocolate or fruit cake to give for Christmas treats this year? These spicy crackers are VERY addictive and your friends and family will want to know the recipe. Or they may curse you because they can’t stop eating them!

But, hey, that’s one of the great things about this recipe – they are so delicious. The other is that they are very easy to make and this recipe will make a lot. Once prepared, place them in cookie tins lined with parchment paper or white Kraft bags to hand out this Christmas. The crackers will keep for about a week – but they’ll usually be eaten faster than that!

My mom made them for Christmas one year and I loved them so much, I decided to include them in my Welcome Bags for my wedding. So many of our guests called to tell us how much they loved them too! Here’s how you make them:

Ingredients:

• 1 large box of saltine crackers (four sleeves)
• 1 1/2 cups of canola oil
• 2 packs of dry original Ranch dressing mix
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Tony’s Chacheres seasoning

Instructions:

• In a large Tupperware container, mix together well the oil, dressing mix, crushed red pepper, pepper and Tony’s.
• Add all crackers to the mixture and put the top on the container
• Slowly flip the bowl around a number of times to fully coat the mixture on all of the crackers. Repeat the flipping about every 10 to 15 minutes for a couple of hours, and let sit overnight
• The next morning, the crackers will have absorbed all of the mixture and the crackers are finished and ready to be packaged for gift giving!

Free Printable “Cajun Christmas Crackers” Stickers PDF or SVG:

The “Cajun Christmas Crackers” stickers can be downloaded below. There are 20 stickers on each page. After download, print onto 8 1/2 x 11” sticker paper and cut. The SVG file is for cutting machines (Cricut, Silhouette, etc) and will cut in the shape seen below: