Raise your hands up in the air if you love post-it notes? Make me proud people, I said, "Who's obsessed with post-its?"

Oh my goodness, so the other day I stumbled across this brilliant DIY idea on the interwebs + I said to myself, "This is pure genius. I've just got to try this at home to put my endless batch of post-its to good use." That's how the Daily Post-It Prioritizer was born, with peak-a-boo hand-illustrations. Are you cheering?

As an organizational master, I know the importance of keeping daily to-do's bite size + manageable + also (this is the part that most people miss) stacked in the order in which they need to be tackled. Yes, foolproof to withstand all noise + resistance + shiny objects. Feeling like a rockstar at the end of the day with all your tasks check-marked is the goal - Tweet This!

Now, the beauty of this Daily Post-It Prioritizing system is that you get to write up your goals on post-its (can you see me doing the happy dance?) + then, fix the order in which you want to start nailing your items (most urgent goals first) + when you're done, remove your accomplished tasks from sight.

And my favorite part of all is that you can start this ritual all over again the next day + then the next without having to reprint your sheet. Only thing that's constantly changing are your post-its, just like musical chairs.

I have my Daily Post-It Prioritizer pinned to my cork board already. Ain't it super cute?

Now, who's gonna join me?

xo,

Mayi Carles

PS: I swear I have no affiliations with the post-it people. It's called pure love.

It's been a while since my last printable.

I woke up experiencing some withdrawal symptoms + a strong tingling sensation inside my belly for a new freebie.

The story bares sharing.

Monday morning, of this week to be exact, I was feeling a bit self-conscious about entering Marie Forleo's Win A FREE Weekend in NYC for Rich Happy & Hot LIVE Contest.

I remembered last year wanting to participate so bad + but not having the guts to do so. I promised myself I wouldn't allow it to happen again if the opportunity came in 2011.

And there I was, with my entry video ready to be uploaded, but not enough nerves to make my clicking finger compute the command. 

Then I did something I hadn't anticipated. I e-mail April Bowles, not only because she's a dear friend + a tsunamic source of inspiration, but because she had the balls to enter Marie's contest a year prior (and rocking it out I must add) + oh man! I had secretly admired her so profoundly for that + for all the million little things she does to make me want to be better.

Talking to April was all I needed to publish the darn thing + regain my superpowers + show up for my life in progress. She was all it took to exterminate chickening out + unleash my true potential.

And did I mention April managed to do all that while being in bed + recovering from surgery + after a weekend with pneumonia + high fever?

I know. Crazy, right? I really can't imagine this messy world without her. It's sentimental, I know, but it's the hot truth.

And so, today's Get Well Soon Mini Cards are dedicated to April + they're pixie dust coated with larger than the Panama Canal wishes for the speediest of recoveries. And I mean pronto Get Well Soon Fairy!

Did you hear me Get Well Soon Fairy?

I hope you enjoy sending these out to your loved ones who need it most  + spreading the good vibes.

Ohh + please remember all my free goodies are for personal, non-commercial use only + of course for sharing nicely too (wink). Thanks so much for being so understanding + kind.

xo,

Mayi Carles

In just a few days I'm going to head over to Los Angeles to take my little sister to college + buy my wedding dress. Talk about bitter sweetness. Oh my!

In preparation for departure, I feel as if the Mayi Carles headquarters are about to explode, which is precisely why I've had to pay extra attention to my energy mood swings. And nothing says power boost in my little black book more than a deliciously hearty home cooked (or uncooked) meal.

And no, I'm not talking about Mac n' Cheese or microwavable Lean Cuisine boxes. I'm thinking more along the lines of my special Hummus recipe or this Sea Bass with Tomatoes + Pine Nut Sauce creation.

Mmmmm… yummy! 

It's true. When I'm the busiest + the studio is the craziest, I find that I have to be smarter about the stuff that I put into my body at all times. Does this happen to you too?

So to keep me motivated + in check (because ya' know saying no to cupcakes is usually a reason for getting really cranky + whipping out my oh so famous Grumpy pj), I've designed this Weekly Meal Planner.

This planner has helped me tons already to save money on groceries + lower my sugar tantrums (yeah I have those, sometimes) + boost my productivity. And that makes me happy + happy + happy!

And then I thought, "This is too awesome for me to keep all to myself". And so, his post was born. And now you can print your very own Weekly Meal Planner too. My treat.

And we all lived happily ever after.

The End.

Did you like this story? Then, please share.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Did you hear? There's a party over at Oh My Handmade Goodness. Apparently it's not just our birthday this month, but it's also their blogaversary celebration too. How fun is that? Double dose.

So I felt compelled to whip out these sweet Hooray + It's a Party Gift Tags to celebrate with my friend Jessika + her gang the memorable occasion. Come join us so you can download + print + get the party started.

Oh + feel free to bring a friend + your party hat too!

See you there!

Pssst... one more thing before I go, my girl April Bowles is celebrating her birthday today (Happy B-Day April, you are the best!). I know, seriously, could this get any better? Well it does. She's put together a Birthday Bundle Bonanza that you should really check out. It expires in 24 hours. Clock is ticking.

And just so you know, this is not an affiliate link. I'm just needed to tell you because the deal is smocking hot + you need to see it. It's that simple. Tic tac. Tic tac.

xo,

Mayi Carles

I'm crazy about post-it notes.

This one is actually not my fault. I've heard somewhere in tweet land that the glue used is made from unicorn horns + that the company sprays nicotine perfume on the sheets to make it impossible to quit.

I believe it.

Why else would I spend my entire Wednesday morning making this cute printable Crazy About Post It Notes?

It's beyond my comprehension.

And do you know what? You can download your very own for free below. Hooray!

Don't thank me, thank the unicorn glue. I also read somewhere, must have been in an Encyclopedia or something like it, that side effects include ridiculous bursts of generosity for no particular reason.

Beats me.

xo,

Mayi Carles

I'm having serious withdrawal symptoms let me tell ya', trying to downgrade to 3 blog posts a week LOL. Is this normal? Or have I completely lost it now?

Anyhoo, before I drive myself nuts, I'm getting a quickie fix by popping in to say hi + share a cool printable I whipped out for my baby sister's graduation party this weekend. And guess what? I'm making these Graduations Invitations free for all my awesome readers to enjoy because they're just too cute to keep all to myself.

directions

1. Download your free Graduation Invitations.

2. Print onto 8.5" x 11" heavy-weight paper. Prints 2 cards per page.

3. Trim along the outside edges using a guillotine or scalpel.

4. Enjoy + celebrate + drink some champagne!

5. If you must, use the fancy social sharing buttons below to share with your gals.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Oh man! Yesterday was one of those days that, AHHHHHHHHHHH (tsunamic exhale), I just wanted to scream from the roof tops: "I'm T-I-R-E-D. I need my man to bring home some veggie pizza + a chic flick to go with it please!"

Phewww, just writing that felt so freaking-tastic!

Anyhoo, yesterday's meltdown helped me come to my senses + admit a couple of things to myself I had been avoiding for quite some time now. You know? Those things that never get added to your to-do list + don't even make it to your journal? The sticky stuff you know is there + you're perpetually trying to hide?

Uninvited, these feelings come knocking at your door step + holy cow! they're bringing gigantic suitcases with them. Looks like they're not just here for a short visit. "Dam it! I wasn't expecting company. Don't even have avocados for my famous guacamole dip recipe - my secret host weapon. This is going to be a bumpy ride."

Know the felling?

So, as a result of yesterday's events + in commemoration of self awareness, I've made these free printable Note to Self Cards, perfect to jot down your ideas + admit anything + avoid the grand volcanic explosions that happen when we don't tune in + listen. Think of these cards as self lovin' correspondence with the person you know best: you!

directions

1. Download your free Note to Self Cards.

2. Print onto 8.5" x 11" heavy-weight paper. I like to print mine on kraft paper, but feel free to play around with different card stocks. Prints 2 cards per page.

3. Trim along the outside edges using a guillotine or scalpel.

4. Enjoy the painful pleasure of filling out your cards.

terms of use

The downloadable files in this post + across my entire site are for personal use only. This means you are welcome to print as many copies as you wish for yourself, just not for commercial use. As a courtesy, if you wish to share this download with your friends, please direct them to this post for the actual download. Thanks for being so awesome + reading the boring (but important) stuff.

thank you

I really really need to thank my official power puff girls Erin Giles + Jess Van Den + Kristi Duggins + April Starr for holding my hand during my tweeter meltdown yesterday, LOL. Thanks ladies for de-sucking my day yesterday + making me feel special.

share

If you're feeling really brave, I invite you to step on up + leave your note to self below. Admit it! I promise you'll feel soooo good, specially after hitting the submit button. Ready? Let me go first. Note to Mayi #1 (oh yeah there are more coming): "Stop whining + get yourself an assistant, you're killing me sista'. Enough with the wonder woman complex." Now it's your turn. Confession time baby!

xo,

Mayi Carles

Spring is here + with it splendid blooming flowers + joyful birds serenading + possibly a house that’s falling into pieces too. Thank goodness for Spring Cleaning tradition – a time to reflect + refresh + revamp our homes + hearts to start off the new season invigorated + ready to tackle the world.

I must confess, I’m a huge fan of organization (I’ve earned my Monica Geller reputation after years of practice), but even I need a little kick in the pants every now + then to get the dirty job done. So today, I’ve whipped out a super cute Spring Cleaning Door Hanger Printable to get you all excited about jumping on board into the Spring Cleaning overhaul wagon.

Just hope on over to Oh My Handmade Goodness to download your sweet freebie with bonus Spring Cleaning action checklist + all, to help you organize your messy life + biz!

xo,

Mayi Carles

Fair warning: what I'm about to say here may surprise you.

2011 is already a quarter of the way through.

Let that sink in for a minute.

I'm not saying this to cause you to panic. (Although when I first realized this, my heart raced for a second.) I'm pointing out that this year is flying by so you have a chance to recognize it, pause, take stock of where you are compared to where you would like to be, and forge ahead for the remaining three-quarters renewed and with a bit more direction.

Maybe, like me, you have big dreams for 2011. It's okay if you haven't made as much progress as you wanted to towards those dreams so far. But you've got to stop yourself soon, reflect, organize your thoughts and recommit to your dreams. After all, what you really want is to move from dreaming into doing, right?

I have 5 questions to help you make that shift. Even better - I've put together a FREE worksheet to help you out. Don't worry! It isn't a test, there are no right answers. Instead, focus on being real with yourself. After all, to get where you want to be you have to take those dreams right into reality.

Question 1: What have you done that is truly AWESOME this year?

 Could be something big and impressive (my friend Mayi, owner of this here blog, doubled her email list. It could be something small (I taught my toddler to say "bless you" when someone sneezes). Whatever it is, record the great things you've already accomplished, especially things related to your goals/ resolutions/ dreams.

Question 2: What have you done so far this year that leaves you thinking, "I can do better"?

While you shouldn't get all down on yourself for things that haven't turned out how you wanted, you need to know where you are to know where to go. What areas need the most work? What have you procrastinated, neglected, or down right ignored?

Question 3: What do the "awesomes" have in common?

More than likely, the things you've made progress in have a common thread. It may not be obvious, but if you seek it out it will help you know what you should keep doing and apply to the things that haven't gone so well. For example, the things I've done well at this year have a theme of persistent, repeated action. I said "bless you" about a million times before J started saying it. I've tweeted up a storm and my Twitter follower list has grown.

Question 4: What do the "do betters" have in common?

Similarly, the things you haven't made progress in probably have something in common. Are they the things you haven't created a plan for? The things you hate doing (and should probably outsource)? Do they involve putting yourself out there in a way that's a little scary? This will point you towards some key things to start doing to get closer to your goals.

Question 5: What are your top priorities in the 9 months to come?

Pick a couple of things (stick to 5 or fewer) that are your absolute must-haves to bring those dreams of yours into reality and put them to paper. Use your "Keep Doing" and "Start Doing" lists to make your priorities more actionable.

Want to take it one step further? Comment on this post with one or two of those top priorities. Two steps further? Find someone else in the comments who has a priority you can help with. Reach out and offer a hand - I bet you it will get both of you closer to your dreams.

Zoe Rooney

Zoe Rooney is a multi-faceted designer who creates everything from training for new teachers (during the day) to websites, organizational tools, and hand-embroidered paper goods (often late at night). She is a relatively new blogger and enthusiastic pinner. Connect with her through her website A Quick Study or @aquickstudy on Twitter.

Easter Bookmark Notes

To Do Bookmark Notes

Spirit Lifters Bookmark Notes

OK by now you've probably figured out I'm totally obsessed with making printables, right? Yes, it's a total love affair with my painting supplies + scanner. There should really be a help group for this. I can't seem to be able to stop, LOL. So, you can see why it was impossible to resist making these super cute + very functional additions to my digital family. These sweet notes are ideal to plan your week + scribble your thoughts + forget nothing + they also make lovely bookmarks! 

Juicy Promo Alert!: If you're one of the first 5 people to purchase one of my newish printable designs today, I'll send you a second design set, free of charge. Just write your selection in the note to seller so I know which one you prefer. Talk about a hot 2 for 1 deal! This promo is just a little gift to thank you for your decisiveness + for showing me some lovin'.

I hope you enjoyed these new downloads I've whipped up for you lovelies. I sure had so much fun illustrating them!

xo,

Mayi Carles