Paper and Fiber Arts



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Sunday, April 30, 2023

Elizabeth Craft Designs: Getting Started With Planners Part One

Elizabeth Craft Designs Planners

This will be a two-part post because there is a lot of information to cover! This first post will mainly focus on the A5 standard slim planner.  In addition to discussing Elizabeth Craft Designs and getting started with planners, the posts will cover what is needed, what are compatible companies, and so much more! But first, why invest time and money into crafting a planner for yourself?
Click on the image to enlarge the Suggested Uses infographic

What do you do with a paper planner?

Many people keep a planner for the calendar. It is a great way to keep your day, week, month, and year organized. Some people use it to keep track of appointments, school holidays, trips, practice schedules, work commitments, and general obligations. Other people use planners for aspirational purposes, such as goal setting, meal planning, weight, and exercise tracking, budgeting/spending tracking, self-care, or hobby scheduling, etc. And then there are people like me. We keep track of many of the above items and also lots of other fun things, such as art journaling, memory keeping, mini-travelogues, favorite quotes, gratitude journals, etc. Yes, there are apps for many of these things - but some of us like the feel of a pen in hand, the texture of the paper, and the ability to create something specifically for our own needs.

Getting Started - Materials

It may be worthwhile to evaluate your intended purpose. But, sometimes, as I create something I think of new ideas for using an item. Having a plan is not necessary when making a planner. That being said, some decisions will need to be made at the start. Are you making inserts for an existing planner? Are you creating a mini-book, cover-to-cover? How much do you want to create from scratch versus using ready-made materials? Do you want it to be clean and simple or filled with lots of bits and bobs?
We will delve into more details in the next post. But for purposes of getting started, let us assume you are all-in on the idea of crafting something from start to finish. Take the pieces that pertain to your needs from this information to make something that works specifically for you!
Choose the planner size. As previously mentioned, this post is geared toward an A5 planner. The TN (travelers notebook) sizes will be addressed in a future post. The photos and text that follow show the components and sizes of the die cuts from good beginner die sets with which to get started. The measurements are rounded to the nearest sixteenth of an inch for each individual cut item.

All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 1

Planner Essentials - 1 

11 DIES

PAGE DIE SIZE: 5” X 8.25” (12.7CM X 20.9CM) 

Large Rounded Frame 3" also cuts interior mat 2 5/8"

Small Rounded Frame 2 1/4" also cuts interior mat 1 15/16"

Rectangle 1 1/4" x 5/8"

Tag Label (like on drawer fronts) 2" x 3/4"

Folding Round Tab - open 1 3/4" x 1", closed 7/8" x 1"

Stitched Circle - 1 1/2"

Scalloped TODAY - Scallop Frame Circle 1 9/16" also cuts circle with TODAY 1 5/16"

LOVE THIS Circle - 1 5/16"

YES Circle - 1 5/16", also cuts thin round frame 1 3/8"

Page Reinforcers - cuts 6 circles, approximately 1/2" each


All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 2
Planner Essentials - 2

9 Dies - package says 8 dies

PAGE DIE SIZE: 5” X 8.25” (12.7CM X 20.9CM) 

Large Tag 2 1/2" x 4"

Small Tag  2 3/8" x 2 15/16"

Pocket with 3 Slots 2 13/16" x 2 1/4" Pocket width - 2 1/2", 3/16" between pockets, offcuts 2 1/2" x 3/16"

Thin round frame 1 7/16"

NOTED Circle - 1 5/16"

Arrow - 2 3/8" x 3/8"

date tab - 2 5/8" x 1/2"

details tab - 3 7/8" x 1/2"


All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 10


Planner Essentials - 10

11 Dies - Package says 7

PAGE DIE SIZE: 4.7” x 8.25” (11.9 cm x 20.9 cm

Perforated Postage Stamps - four attached 1 3/8" x 5 3/8"

Smile Square Frame - 1 13/16"

Staff/Stave - 3" x 3/4", offcuts 2 13/16" x 1/8"

Round Swirly Design - 3 3/8" x 2 1/8"

Large Treble Clef - 11/16" x 1 13/16"

Small Treble Clef - 1/2" x 1 5/16"

Large Eighth Note - 5/8" x 1"

Small Eighth Note - 7/16" x 3/4"

Large Beamed Sixteenth Note- 13/16" x 7/8"

Small Beamed Sixteenth Note- 5/8" x 11/16"


All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 41
Planner Essentials - 41 Rounded Corners Page

8 Dies

PAGE DIE SIZE: 4.7" x 8.27" (11.9 cm x 21 cm)

Stitched panel -3 13/16" x 7 3/4" 

Double Frame - 2 3/4" x 7 5/16", also cuts one stitched tag and one stitched mat each measuring - 2 5/16" x 3 1/8"

Vertical Numbers - 7/16" x 6 1/4"

Arrow Clip - 1 7/16" x 1 3/8"

Short Tab - 1 13/16" x 3/4"

Two longer Tabs each measuring - 2 1/16 x 11/16"


Planner Binder - Blank Canvas

This is a canvas color planner on both the inside and outside. It isn't made from canvas but can still be altered with paint, ink, or ephemera.  This A5 size planner binder comes with 6 binder rings, interior pockets, a tab for a pen or pencil, and a band closure. It measures 9" x 6.25". 

In a future post, we will talk about ways to alter planners and some of the coordinating products that are available for them.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. BY CLICKING ON THEM AND PURCHASING PRODUCTS THROUGH MY LINKS, I RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION FOR THE REFERRAL. THE ITEM WILL NOT COST YOU ANY MORE BY GOING THROUGH THIS LINK.


Products Mentioned:

Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials







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