Spotlight on a Planner featuring Kelley Dowling

Welcome to Chasing Planner Peace's 'Spotlight on a Planner' series. We aim to show the world how planning has changed lives and showcase the different methods people use when chasing planner peace. This month, September 2020, we chat to Kelley Dowling about her recent foray into the world of planning and which products and stores she loves to support. 

Tell us a bit about yourself  

Hi, I'm Kelley. 38, mum of a son and live in outback NSW, where red dust and barely no water is the day-to-day life here. Work full-time in the freight industry and camping, motorbikes and BBQs are generally the entertainment.

I have always enjoyed being creative and have tried my hand at almost everything, but planning is always my go-to for any 'me time'. Nothing gives my mind peace more than working with beautiful papers.

How did you get into planning?

I have been a note jotter for years but only took the leap into planners and planner decoration in May. I wanted something to fuel my creativity while still being useful, and I found that in planning. I use my planner for all areas of life to track and record absolutely everything. I love the joy it brings me using a decorated spread for things I would normally find not so entertaining. I use numerous planners on a weekly basis and since starting I have added numerous Kikki K ring planners, Happy Planners, my CPP planner to my collection and am now branching out to TNs!

Although I have three work planners I regularly rotate between them, my current on the go is a Happy Planner Mini Frankenplanner in a Mumsy & Bub B6 Bella cover. It's pretty close to planner peace for me at the moment and it feels good!

What products are you currently loving?

Gosh there's so many! 

I've had the pleasure of purchasing from a variety of wonderful Aussie stores and have had great experiences with every single one of them!

I currently PR for Pretty Planner Studio and feel blessed to have secured a position being still fairly new in the online planner community. It has been such an amazing experience and so much fun! Karen offers such cute kawaii style characters and collections in a large range from sticker kits through to matching sticker albums and accessories. I’m obsessed with sticker albums and am building quite the collection from this store. Variety is no issue. 

Live Love & Craft Papercraft - I absolutely adore Suzana’s work, her style has a planner girl feel with such beautiful scenes and stunning colours. Suzana has a planner and stationery coming to her store next month and I’m very keen to add these to my collections when they become available! 

Blush Budgie - My go to store for pastel rainbows, gorgeous florals and beautifully hand made macramé planner clips and accessories. I adore this store's quality and range.

Chasing Planner Peace - definitely you guys for inserts. I love the variety of layouts you offer that enables true customisation of my planner. I use them in my Kikki K’s and more recently my beautiful CPP moonlight blooms planner which I am completely in love with!! 

Lily + Lion - This store feeds my plant sticker addiction but offers so, so much more! It's definitely my go to store for all my crazy plant lady needs.

Lime and Mortar - Leanne produces wonderful products that are such beautiful quality. 

Bloomsical - Has the most stunning washi collections and journal cards. If you are looking for lush, then this is your go to! 

Washigang - Has the most amazing Japanese washi tape available and it's to die for! This store is also a Happy Planner Australian stockist and a regularly visited store of mine.

What are your best tips for achieving planner peace?

Definitely first thing would be, when wanting to try out a new style of planner or are just starting out, stick to just one planner and planner type and try it out before you buy everything else that’s available to go with it. You may think you are going to love it but unfortunately this is not always the case. I’m learning this. 

Don’t let outside influences dictate how you want to decorate your pages. Watch the YouTube videos and look at Instagram pages for inspiration, but don’t try to be like them. You are unique and so are your creations. 

And lastly it’s so easy to get overwhelmed with all the awesome shops and products available out there or maybe you don’t yet know what your decoration style for planning is. I definitely recommend checking out some subscription boxes from stores that offer a variety of shops products to give you the feel for what’s out there. I have done this before and still continue with some of the subscriptions because they are that good!

Subscription boxes I have used to try out if keen for a variety of stores products -

Oggy Bear - has a awesome monthly sub of mostly sticker products from a variety of Aussie stores. Each month the box is a different theme. Great way to try out new shops. I enjoy receiving this sub box very much. 

Chasing Planner Peace - your subscription box!!

Beautiful store subscription boxes I have also tried - 

Planners Anonymous - Gorgeous subscription box containing complete kits with everything you need for any planning or crafting product. Amazing drawings and colours in these collections. 

May Paper Co - Loving May’s beautifully minimalist collections in soft, muted tones. This sub box is a mix of stationery and stickers and made for a variety of planner types.

Beehaven Designz - Offers a variety of subscription box options to suit your desired planning style. Stunning foiled kits, beautiful colours and a true joy to use. 

Follow me for shopping hauls, product reviews, decorated planner spreads in a variety of planners and sticker types, Plan With Me, flip throughs and giveaways. 

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YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyodKTZvefcJIN5OsHd13kw