Lately, I have been on the hunt.  The hunt for the perfect planner for work and life balance.  With all the things that I do, I need a lot of space and particulars in my planner.

What Areas of my Life that I need to cover:

• Work: I work in the medical field and I have to follow a load of federal, state, and company guidelines.  I have very specific time limits for records.  And in order for the office to run smoothly, I need to be organized and run like a well greased wheel.
• Web Design: I build web sites on the side and when I have a project going, I can get lost in the minor details.  You would not believe what actually goes in to building a website.  There are facets that have time limits and items that can NOT be completed before other items.  Lack of organization can cause the build to slowly creep or come to a halt. 
• Crochet: All crochet items take quite a bit of time.  I like to track when an order needs to be done, when it needs to be mailed/delivered, how many rows I need to accomplish per day to finish it on time, etc.  
• Blogging: Like web design, there are many facets to blogging.  Tracking, posts, ads, comments, actual writing time and concepts: these are just a few of the areas.  To be organized is to be successful.
• Home/Personal: We all need a little organization in our personal lives.  I see my home as a personal hotel.  There has to be planning and prepping for it to run smoothly.  Laundry has to be done at a certain time so that I am SURE that everyone has a nice bed to sleep in, fresh towels, clean clothes for the next day.  Also, no one wants to be sick and face to face with a dirty toilet bowl!

What I am currently using to plan:

• Work: I have a small planner that I carry in my purse that I jot down the hours that my honey and I have worked.  Then I also have a folder at work that holds various printed emails and hand written notes to remind me of certain things.  Then I have a LARGE desktop calendar to track holidays as well as drug rep luncheons, etc.  Pretty much I am all over the place.
• Web Design:   I have about four spiral bound notebooks that I do nothing but jot down various information in no organized way.  Its all random, not even written straightly on the lines (most of the time it's written diagonally across the page in the middle of a blank notebook and on the half of the page that has not been ripped out).  Needless to say, this area is a mess.
• Crochet:  Most of the time I do NOT have anything written down and wing it all.  Any information that I do need is stored online or written on the pattern that I need (or have written).  No organization in finances (other than just keeping everything in a folder).
• Blogging:  This is the biggy!  I have been researching and hunting.  Right now, I'm just winging it.  I have jotted various things down on scrap papers and online.  This is where I found out that I am a pen and paper girl.  Doing my blog planning on my blog back office or online is NOT helping keep me organized at all. 
• Home/Personal: I have a big black notebook calendar that I keep at home.  The small one that I keep in my purse. A journal that i keep at home. Various and numerous notebooks that I hot down in. My cell phone that I keep things up with. Numerous failed attempts at printing and trying to use others planners as well as online programs for planning.

Currently, I feel like I am all over the place!  I saw a great ad for a planner that was called The Passion Planner.  But, when I clicked the link, they weren't doing calendars until March of this year.  That's not helping me at the moment.

This is what I am looking for:

• A single place for everything! Oh how wouldn't that be nice.  All the planning in one single place. One planner to track everything.
• Work and Life Balance.  Make sure that I am balancing out my happy things with the things that I have to stay on top of.
• Time Management. I will be able to see where I am spending most of my time. As well as, seeing where I am wasting most of my time.
• Task Planning.  This is a nice little thing that I came up with.  Where I plan my tasks to avoid time wasting.  For instance: I do all my errands on one day and strategically plan my trek through the different places in town without back tracking or running like crazy all over the place.
• Brainstorming.  I want to be able to track ideas and random thoughts that I have.  I have tons of random thoughts LOL  Hence all the notebooks that I have around the house that have completely random things written randomly throughout the pages HAHAHAHA

This is what I have decided to do:

I have decided that I just want to create my own!!  Once I get it put together I will most likely be sharing pages on here.  The objective here is to see if I can put together what all I want in a single planner.....maybe offer it for sale when it is good to go and I use it well.  Right now it is time to plan and then on to trial and error.

Do you have any ideas for the planner?  What would you like to see in your work + life balance planner? 

Today, I went to work with a full heart and a big smile.  Last night, I had accomplished a lot of revamping my blog and rebranding the site.  I felt like I had taken strides!  I knew that I would get off early from work today, so my mind was at home, already browsing Pinterest.  LOL I know!  My love for Pinterest is disgusting.  I got home shortly after paying a few bills and running errands in town.  Now the real work begins.

I have spent pretty much the rest of the working day and the evening organizing my thoughts for the blog.  This is what I have accomplished:

• Finding multiple blog planners
• Downloading said blog planners
• Printing my favorite
• Finding a completely digital blog planner that I liked more
• Browsing Pinterest
• Writing this post
• and getting Writers Block (WTH?! Already?!)

   So, I did what I do best......I skipped the glass and went straight for my favorite bottle of wine.  I sat back with a notebook and pen.  I journaled my frustrations on a few sheets of paper.  I laughed with my man and then laid down for a nap.  How was that for progress?? LOL

When I got up, I knew that it was time to get to work.  More time on Pinterest and making myself think long and hard about what it is that I have decided to do.

I now have a game plan, an empty notebook, a full (working) pen (which also happens to be my ABSOLUTE favorite!!!  hmmmmm.....idea for blog post?), and my honey is making some grub for us to eat.  Time to brainstorm and create a HUGE list of ideas!  Ready, set, GO!!!!
 



What do you do when you want to write?  Give me ideas on how you unwind.
 

We are going to cut loose and have a little fun.  I have put together some fun and silly tips for the beginning crocheter.  Leave comments and share your tips as well.  Enjoy!  This is meant to make you laugh.


1. You can chain FOREVER, but until you learn to turn your work; the only thing you’re gonna make is a big snake.
Yup, thats right.  When you learn to crochet, you start with the basic chain.  It’s true, until you learn more all you can do is make a rope or a snake.  Cute, right?!

Lets talk business!!

What is Crochetto??

Crochetto is the name of my business.  I came up with the name because I wanted to make streamline fashion accessories with an old craft, crochet.  When I want to feel sexy or classy, I always slide my feet into some stylish stilettos.  I don't know why but stilettos make me feel feminine and classy.  I wanted to my business name to have that same feeling.  Sylish and classy meets crochet.

What does Crochetto provide?

I sell custom handmade crocheted items. Monogram hats, scarves, handbags, and blankets. Personalized to each customers wants. Custom for men and women of all ages.

What makes Crochetto special?

The fact that every piece is handmade and personalized.  Before placing an order, customers provide me with a pattern, picture, idea, or choice from my album for a product.  We discuss colors, size, material, etc.  Every aspect is personalized.  The thing that makes Crochetto extra special: Monogramming.  I offer monogramming of each and every product that I make.  I use initials, first name, or last name.  Also, the choice to have the monogram attached like a label or designed into the pattern.

How much does it cost?

Since each product is different and all the aspects are personalized, the prices vary.  When placing an order, I speak with each client individually to discuss costs plus shipping as well as payment options.  I accept all kinds of payment options including credit and debit cards.   Obviously, the bigger the product; the higher the price.

Where do you get your designs?

Most of my customers have only provided pictures of the product that they want, so I just write the pattern myself!

Here are just a few of the products that I have made:

Matching Apple Hats- size: 9 Months

Bear hat and diaper cover- size: 6 months

Red Apple Hat- size: 9 Months

Caterpillar outfit (hat and cocoon)- size 3 months

 For more info, to see more pics of products, and to place an order, LIKE Crochetto on Facebook

Let me know what you think about it all!!!

I have been invited to be a guest blogger over at "The Crochet Crowd".  I feel so honored to be a part of the crowd.  Here is the introductory post that Mikey made over there.  So go check it out!!

Introducing The Tennessee Stitch with Danielle