I have attended a lot of meet ups over the last three years and the Whimsy Planner Meetups in Carlsbad, California are one of my favorites to attend because they usually include a tutorial/ project, a cute handmade gift tag that can be used for my memory book, a snack, beverages and use of the crafting equipment that Michelle sets up for us to use.
If you haven't experience a "
Whimsy Planner Meetup" by Michelle Ledesma Hill, you have been missing out. Michelle currently charges $10 for her meet ups.
This fee includes the use of planner and crafting tools, a DIY Project, and more.
She provides beverages and a snack. Everyone is encouraged to bring a some snacks to share. I usually bring a large veggie tray with dip (from Costco) to keep me on my diet and help me avoid some of the fabulous sweet treats that are usually there.
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| The cool shimmery travelers notebooks are made by |
Of course, everyone brings their planners to work on. It is pretty cool to see the various types of planners that people use. Travelers Notebooks with monthly and weekly inserts are getting more and more popular. I took my
Leather Quill Travelers Notebook which holds both my water color supplies and my weekly insert so I could work on both.
During each meet up, Michelle offers a fun DIY project that is themed in accordance to which ever holiday may be coming up. The last one I attended was just before St. Patricks day (March 2018), so ours had a very green theme. Michelle also made us each a really cute name tag which you can see in the photo below.
There is also the usual gift exchange with the value depending on the limit set by Michelle. In addition to the the gift exchange, there is usually a swap. If you have never attended a planner meet up, they usually hold swaps which are items that vary in value. Most attendees make their swaps which can be pins, pens, stickers and planner clips. I like to have a variety of items to swap, because I do tend to run into the same people at these events and want to swap items that they do not already have. For the last swap I offered a choice of charms, felt planner clips or a fun travelers notebook dangle. I enjoy collecting the swap items I receive because I have found that they can be unique, as well as functional. There are so many creative people who are into planner meet ups so the type of items swapped can truly vary. Below is a sample of some of the swap items I received.
The other reason to attend the planner meet ups is that I find that I meet some of the nicest people.
It is also fun to see all the different planners and their uses. I have one friend who had a planner that
she uses only to plan sewing projects. It is pretty cool how she lays out her projects. Another friend uses her planner for budget planning and grocery shopping. Her planner is an insert because she likes to switch them out each month to keep it from getting too thick. The "Whimsy Planner Meet Up" is a lot of fun and located in Carlsbad California (very near the outlets).
The price of each of the planner meet-up is incredibly reasonable at $10. It is a very casual atmosphere and they are held in an outdoor tent so there is plenty of room for everyone to layout out their planning supplies and work on their planners.
It is also a fun way to meet new people.
Note: I learned a great lesson at this particular meet up from an established artist. I tend to bring too much stuff (supplies) and always end up not using them. She explained the best way to get stuff accomplish is to set small goals. She was right. Now I think about what I want to work on and bring only the supplies needed to do that. I found that I am taking a lot less supplies with me to these meet-ups and getting more accomplished. I still find time to meet new people and chat. Also, I am not sponsored nor associated with Whimsy or Polkadot Studios. I just love her "Whimsy Planner Meet ups" and the "Whimsy Weekend" crafting weekends.
