FREE PRINTABLE JANUARY CALENDAR

OK so I like to be organised but I admit it, I am also a total procrastinator! Sometimes I will give myself the task of organising my calendar before I start that really important (but boring) task. I wanted to gift a calendar which people could download and decided to design a monthly printable with a "motivational" quote that is more like a punch in the face (which we all need sometimes) but also soft (because we don't want to be too hard on ourselves), this was achieved by including a sweary word (apologies if you're offended) and a sweet colour palette, which makes it cute right? I have been blogging a bit more that usual and have noticed how important it is to schedule your posts and have a resource of subject ideas which is why I also included a January Blogging Calendar with space for a "To Do" List and a section to write your post ideas. Hope you like it! Follow the instructions below to print your own. Download the January Calendar HERE Download the Blogging January Calendar HERE If you have any issues downloading, try right clicking (Control and Click on the mac) on JPEG and save directly to your computer. All photos and artwork are © Stacey Wilson for DeesignGeek. Artwork in the downloadable PDF is free strictly for personal use, not for commercial use. Sharing these photos on Pinterest is welcome as long as you credit and link back to deesigngeek.com. If you'd like to blog about this post, a) I will love you forever and b) feel free to use a couple of photos provided that you link back to the full post on this page. Please do not distribute my downloadable artwork from your site and, as a courtesy, please do not link directly to the PDF download on my site- Instead, please link back to this page. Thanks so much for reading this boring stuff!

REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES

I follow a fabulous Blog called Design*Sponge who recently asked their followers what their 2013 Resolutions were.
Someone said they would be taking part in a jar project and it sounded like such a great idea I HAD to share it!
Its simple do and will be sure to set up you up for the next year in a great mood. I'll definitely be doing it.

THE JAR PROJECT.
1. Find an empty jar.
2. From News Years Eve start filling it with notes and pictures of good things that happen   through the year.
3. On the next New Years Eve empty it and remember all the amazing things that happened.

GOALS FOR 2013

So how many of you made New Year resolutions?
Personally I'm more of a fan of reflecting on all the good things that happened and making goals that will hopefully make the future year even better. Apparently if you write them down you stand a better chance of them becoming a reality. So here goes!

1. Take photography classes.I feel like you should constantly be learning but sometimes life takes over and you need to allocate a specific day to let you concentrate on a project. I have always wanted to learn how to take good quality images, especially as images are so important in my work as a graphic designer and I love how you can capture a moment or memory forever.
I have signed up for a 10 week evening class that starts in March can't wait to get started.

2. Create a T-Shirt design.

I absolutely love a cool T-Shirt design.
There's nothing better than pulling on a fresh T-Shirt for that perfect night or day "look" and I am planning to design a beautiful, simple, one colour design as I feel "less is more" which will be able to be worn with either sequin shorts or skinny jeans.

3. Create a Tote Bag design.

I never have less than two bags with me at all times. I try and fit as much as I can in each day so you can easily find me going to work, then the gym or meeting friends for drinks. Any girl that's worth her salt has her token handbag to hold the essentials but I find I always need an additional shopper style bag, whether its for my lunch, workout gear or a change of clothes.
I want this bag to look as good as the rest of my outfit so I decided to create a design that will be printed onto a black tote bag in metallic ink. I just need to work on the design now!

4. Travel More.

Goal no. 4 is to travel more this year but 5 (Rome) and 7 (Berlin) are two specific places that I am aiming to go to. Image 4 is of the Sagrada Familia in Barcalona, a beautiful building inside and out. I try to visit as many places as I can so I tend not to visit anywhere more than twice but Barcelona is the one place where I felt at home instantly. I have been five times in the last six years and every time I go I love it a little bit more and have still got tons of things to do and see.
I honestly feel that travel and places are good for your soul.

6. Run a Half Marathon.

I generally like to keep fit but I do get bored heading to the gym 3 times a week. I've always liked running and joined a local running club at the end of 2012 this helped motivate me to give 100% at the gym and also look into mixing up my fitness regime with Yoga and resistance training with weights. For me exercise helps me feel relaxed and creative - for some reason all my best ideas come to me at the gym. I also became aware that to stay motivated I need a goal to work to so I have decide to keep my fitness levels up I will work towards a half marathon in Sept 2013 (a full marathon just feels too scary at this point!) and use 10km races along the way to help with my training.

Good Luck with your own goals and I'll let you know how I get on. Fingers crossed!

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HELLO 2013

Well 2012 is officially over and we are at the start of a brand you new year.
I hope everyone had a fabulous time whatever you got up to.

I spent New Year at a Wedding in Glasgow, this was the first year where I haven't been in a club or a house party for "the Bells" and it was absolutely fantastic. Spending time with friends and family all wishing a single couple love and luck not only for the year but for their future put me in thee best mood.

I love the start of a fresh year, full of reflection of what has been and full of expectation of what might come. I found myself thinking about all the things that happened to me that I would never have guessed I would be doing at the start of the year;
- Visit Dublin
- Drive around the Scottish highlands after 6 years NOT driving
- Survive T in the Park 2012, the most waterlogged and muddy it has ever been... and love it!
- Visit a medium who asked if I was planning a trip to New York (I wasn't)
- Visit New York (3 months later!)
- Bump into friend who I hadn't seen for about 5 years and pick back up where we left off
- Read "The Secret" and for it to have a massive positive influence in changing my outlook on life
  (I'd always thought of myself as a positive person anyway)
- Join a running club (and meet the loveliest bunch of people)

I have already started thinking about all the things I want to achieve and do this year but for now I will simply sit here feeling very lucky and grateful for the opportunities and support I was given to do the ton of stuff in 2012.

Happy New Year!!!

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THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS

At the end of November I went on a last minute trip to New York, it wasn't like anything I expected and I loved it even more for it. 

I don't know if it was the place or the fact it was a change of scene but I definitely came back revitalised and inspired!
Although there is so much to do in New York, it made me fall in love with my own city all over again by helping me realise that there is plenty of new and exciting things to do if you only look for it.
Here is a 360 degree video to give you a true impression of the bright lights of Times Square as well as some of my favourite images that I took.

ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE

Just before Christmas I went to the cinema to see "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time and loved it. I was aware that it was about a man who was shown what everyone's life would have been like if he had never existed but the way the story was laid out, showing you his ambitions as a young boy to travel and leave the small town that he was brought up in helped you understand the helplessness he felt when life's circumstances stopped him from doing that.

However in his alternative life he was surrounded by friends and family who adored him. 

It made me think about how life might not turn out how you expect it but you will still be exactly where you need to be, for yourself and others.

XMAS GIFT TAGS & PAPER CHAINS

The last Xmas gift has been wrapped, the bows have been stuck and posted today so we thought we would create something just for you. Here is a free Gift Tag design for you to print and add to your presents.

Simply right click and save the JPEG to your computer and print onto good quality card and then:

Here's one we made earlier.

Why not add some Christmas sparkle to your presents and double layer your Gift Tag with a glitter card circle and finish it off with a festive red ribbon. 

Once all your Gift's are wrapped why not add some Christmas decorations with these specially designed paper chains. 
They are so simple to make the kids can help too!

Simply right click and save the JPEG to your computer and print onto good quality card and then:

1. Print as many as you want

2. Cut out each chain along the black line

3. Sellotape or staple the ends of one piece together to form a loop

4. Thread the next strip of paper through your loop. Again secure the ends together.

5. Continue until its as long as you need it

6. Hang it to add some festive cheer

CONDITIONS OF USE ~

All photos and artwork are © Stacey Wilson for DeesignGeek. Artwork in the downloadable JPEG is free strictly for personal use, not for commercial use. Sharing these photos on Pinterest is welcome as long as you credit and link back to deesigngeek.com. If you'd like to blog about this post, a) I will love you forever and b) feel free to use the photos provided that you link back to the full post on this page. Please do not distribute my downloadable artwork from your site and, as a courtesy please link back to this page. 

Thanks so much for reading this boring footer stuff! :)

{ all images by Stacey Wilson}

MILK & COOKIES FOR SANTA...OR YOU

I absolutely love Christmas and to say a great big "Thank You" to my lovely freelance clients that I've created designs for in 2012 instead of sending a Christmas card I decided to design a Christmas gift pack. Here are images of the a milk carton shaped container I created which held the "Milk" and Cookie Gifts. 

No pack would be complete without a Christmas card which also included a badge.
They are intended for them to leave out for Santa but they probably deserve them just as much.