sessavee – Bri Alys, LLC

Favorite Planner Shops

Published on August 2019August 2019 by BriAlys

If you’re a #plannergirl like me, this post is just for you! I’ve shared my planner setup before (see Louis Vuitton GM/Large Agenda Setup); but, today I thought I would share my new favorite (shops). All shops notes below are ran by women and made in the U.S.A. 🇺🇸

Preferred: My first love was SessaVee (instagram). I ABSOLUTELY LOVE her clean design, font selection, spacing and how she uses variable line width to make certain sections of her inserts pop. Unfortunately, product availability is SUPER sketchy so I no longer use this shop’s selection as the anchor in my planner. She now has printables on Etsy but I’m SSSOOO not into doing that. PS…. I wish she would bring back the originals!!!!

I am signed up for Sessa Vee’s product launch announcement and am hoping for the best! 🤞🏽Actual Inserts (New): 8Lotus (instagram) is a new shop for me. The designs are classic, chic and minimalist. The packaging is great, flexible layouts and the line spacing is phenomenal.

Other Goodies: Cloth & Paper hands down for stickers and sticky notes – they are gorgeous. I also LOVE her yearly calendars and dividers!!!! I can’t use her planner inserts or note paper because the lines are TOO WIDE! They are beautiful but when I used them I feel like hooked on phonics, like I have to write super big to fill the space. Valuable room is being wasted here! Also, the time on the dailies only go until 10 pm. #bummer (if you’re listening, please offer college rule, thanks!!!)

I also like Minted Sugar (instagram) for their pink (textured) line paper. I use this for specialty things… planning a vacation, packing list, special occasions, etc.

So those are my fav’s. I also have a new favorite #plannergirl that I follow on YouTube. Check out her video below.

Psst… I’m thinking to do a planner setup video on YouTube so, so stay tuned to my channel!

#PackWithMe

Published on December 2016December 2016 by BriAlys

Most bloggers share this kind of information on YouTube. I’ve watched many videos and I’m completely #over watching people take things in and out of bags. 😕

Over the past five (5) years I’ve taken at least fifteen (15) international trips and have had many more domestic excursions. Over time I have PERFECTED MY TRAVEL TECHNIQUE. It’s actually a fun experience for me! So I thought I would share all the fabulous items I take with me on trips (or on holiday as our European friends would say 😘). Before we start, let’s get one thing out of the way: I NEVER CHECK BAGS no matter where I’m going or for how long. I’ve made a carry-on suitcase and a tote/backpack work for two-week trips to Europe so I know you can do it for a weekend getaway or even a week-long trip (with ~~a little~~ a lot of planning).

Travel mantra: Organize! Everything has a place and every place has a thing.

This is my PERSONAL ITEM (something that will fit underneath the seat). I am currently using the Henri Bendel Jetsetter Backpack. I absolutely ❤️ it and it holds SO MUCH! How much? Everything you see in the picture above! (click the image to zoom in)

gold macbook, gucci zip around wallet, rayban aviator sunglasses, sessa vee pen, marshall headphones, l’occitane hand cream, iPad mini case, louis vuitton pouch, treat yourself pouch & earbud holder (sold out).

from target: gold glitter journal, emergen-c, colgate wisp, glide

in the small black quilted steph & co makeup case: gucci lipgloss, tom ford lips & boys lip color, crem de la mer, dior lip glow, anastasia beverly hills lipgloss, tweezerman tweezer, tom ford perfume

Now, let’s move on to the SUITCASE, also known as the meat & potatoes of travel. I use Bric’s Belagio 21″ Roller.

On one side I pack all of my clothes. Mostly solid/plain pieces that I can mix and match. For every 1 pair of pants I will take 2 shirts (remember to count the bottoms you are wearing!) The trip I’m currently packing for is only 3 days (Saturday – Monday) so I packed 1 additional pair of pants besides the jeans I wore on the plane, 2 shirts and 1 jean shirt. See below for the 3 outfits I made from this combination. (see also Meaningful Holidays)

Side 1 of my suitcase was pretty easy. Side 2? Not so much! 😩 This is where my mantra REALLY comes into play (O-R-G-A-N-I-Z-E❗️). Take a look at side 2 below. This is where I pack everything else:

Looks nice and neat right? That’s because it is! ORGANIZE. ORGANIZE. ORGANIZE! On the left hand side:

The quilted black Steph & Co Cosmetic Case includes all of my non-liquid personal items such as makeup and skin care. cheap facial mask (apply after arrival), it cosmetics travel makeup brushes, laura mercier aritst palette, travel toothbrush (zebra print), bobbi brown weightless foundation powder, shiseido facial cotton, spa gloves, clairsonic
The Louis Vuitton bag has all of my daily, must have, essential, smaller makeup items. bobbi brown foundation stick, bobbi brown brightening brick, too faced better than sex mascara, nars concealer, sugar spf lip balm (AM only), kiehl’s midnight recovery eye cream (night only), anastasia beverly dip brow promade, clinique pretty easy eye lining pen, beauty blender, tom ford lips & boys lip color
Underneath the Louis Vuitton Cosmetic Pouch is also a pouch that includes all of my techie-stuff. See below.
Finally, there’s a sleep mask from J. Crew 🙂 This one is sold out but here’s another good option from Slip Beauty that’s also on my wish list.

daily smaller-size go-to makeup essentials

On the right hand side is:

Get ready for this super travel tip: my Gucci Soho Disco Handbag serves as storage for all of my underwear, socks, comb, hair bonnet and my prescription glasses! (GREAT way to help the bag keep it’s shape while on the go!)
The Anya Hindmarch In Flight Case has all of my liquids: makeup, skin care, etc. ❤️❤️❤️ this bag and the contents EVEN MORE! This case has two sides: Take Off (deepest) and Touch Down (more shallow). I ALWAYS buy smaller sizes of the products I use everyday to take with me. #justsayno to those clear plastic containers that can all contain what can appear to be mystery liquid. #nobueno 👎🏽 I absolutely love all of my things and I want to see them in as close to their original form as possible!!! 😍
Finally, I have a Tory Burch umbrella (no longer available ☹️).
Did you notice there’s no jewelry mentioned? That’s because I don’t wear much. I usually take 1-2 bracelets and it’s on me at all times: a dainty necklace, my pandora thumb ring, michael kors watch, some form of studs for earrings and my wedding ring – that’s it!

take off side (deepest): first aid ultra repair cream, amazing grace (travel size at ulta), purity made simple (1 oz at ulta), clinique take the day off, lancome eye makeup remover, SK-II facial treatment essence (night only), SK-II facial treatment clear lotion (daytime only, great for oil control), makeup forever matte primer, urban decay b6 spray, l’occitane almond shower oil (travel size at sephora)

touch down side (shallow): toms deodorant, la mer lip balm, dior nail polish, toms toothpaste, jo malone fragrance, la mer hand cream (night only), crem de la mer moisturizing cream (night only)

Whew!!! That was fun! ☺️ And I still had enough space left to pack Christmas gifts for the kiddos! 🎁🎄 Happy packing!!!

see also #pampermesunday and #favoritethings2016

What’s in My Bag

Published on November 2016November 2016 by BriAlys

I’m on vacation this week (sort of) and will be experimenting with different types of posts. “What’s in my Bag Videos” have become very popular on YouTube (I watch them A LOT) and can be quite entertaining. A simple search for that phrase yields 4,450,000 results!!! The WIMB following is not a game! It kind of has the same feel as the #plannergirl community. You can find all types of handbags and all types of people sharing details about what they hall around with them on a daily basis and I abosolutely love it!

So today I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and talk about what’s in my Gucci Soho Disco Bag! This video isn’t perfect – I recorded once and decided to roll with it. 💁🏽If you like the video, let me know! Links to purchase all items of significance are listed below. Oh and I forgot to mention that my phone is always in my bag. I just couldn’t show it because I used it to record this video.

The Gucci Soho Disco bag was also featured in Bri’s Favorite Things 2016. Enjoy! 😊

Gucci Soho Disco Bag, Ray Ban Aviator Classic, Louis Vuitton Pochette Felicie (includes wallet), Neiman Marcus Sticky Notes, Paper Source Treat Yourself Pouch, Burt’s Bees Lip Balm, ZEISS Pre-moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes, La Fresh Makeup Remover Cleansing Travel Wipes, Mac Lipstick in Violetta, Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge Eau de Parfum, Paper Source Scalloped Cord Keeper, Louis Vuitton Key Pouch (aka Clay), Laduree Keychain Ring Eiffel Tower Macaroon Charm, Sessa Vee Pharaoh Black & Gold Rollerball Pen

Planner Situation

Published on August 2016August 2016 by BriAlys

A few weeks ago I told you planning season was officially underway (for me). Now I’ve found #plannerpeace <== the state in which you are finally happy with your planner setup, accessories, layout, etc. There are SO many videos on YouTube of people walking through their planner, some in excruciating detail. And while I do want to join the party and show off my setup, I decided to take a different approach. So here goes (click the links to shop):

My agenda is on the left, next to my 12″ gold macbook and iPad 2 air (housed in a fabulous Kate Spade case #love), shown just so you can get a feel for the size (gold scissors). In terms of the size, it’s very generous and offers plenty of space for planning and note taking. #love2write

The picture above shows my “dashboard” – the first view I see when I open my planner. gold/marble pocket, pink & white post-it-notes, bow paper clip, bee stickers, square clips, gold pen. I found all this stuff by watching TONS of YouTube videos. The dark brown paper with the markings is just a receipt holder from the Louis Vuitton store. It’s sturdy enough to ensure those impressions, caused by the rings, don’t make their way onto the planner itself. I also have one in the back.

So what’s inside? I’m into more of a minimalist look so you won’t see tons of stickers, etc. I do use washi tape VERY sparingly, mostly in gold, black, white and blush (the theme for my planner). Inside I have 3 2 sections: planning~~, personal notes and work~~ notes. #simple

The first section, shown above, is my planning section. This marble A5 paper, intended for daily use, is amazing; however, I do not use it as suggested. I use a coding system that I learned while in grad school to notate days of the week. Most are pretty straight forward except N = Sunday and R = Thursday. For me, each side of one of these planning pages = 1 week worth of planning. I note recurring appointments simply by using two letters together (i.e. MW = Monday and Wednesday) and use the extra space at the bottom for notes, etc. I do not write down all of my work stuff, only the most important meetings. Finally, my tasks / priorities for the week are listed on the right hand side. This paper is expensive, $11 for 30 sheets (or 60 days); but, by using a short hand system that works perfectly fine for my needs, I get more bang for my buck (1 pack gets me through the year); but, more importantly I avoid lugging around hundreds of pages of paper – the weight CAN add up. 😩

Sections 2 and 3 are strictly for note taking, because I like to write – a lot. I use blush lined paper for my personal, more important notes (poems, etc.) ~~and plain white lined paper for work and general scratch paper (packing lists, etc.)~~ Sure, you can print this paper yourself, cut and hole punch it, etc, but honestly, I’d rather not. The stickers are there for decoration only, I never actually use them.

8/28: Update – I merged sections 2 and 3 (notes section) and exclusively use the blush paper from Minted Sugar for all my notes.

So there you have it. That’s my #plannersituation! Very simple. Here are my favorite shops: sessa vee, minted sugar, cloth & paper. Oh and BTW, you probably noticed a black card peaking out in the very first picture – it’s my absolute favorite card of all time and I LOVE looking at it!

Transparent Flyleaf (used to separate note sections), Zipper Pouch for stickers

BONUS: Of all the YouTube channels I watched about planner setups – and I watch A LOT of them – the video below was most helpful for me. Hope it helps you, too! #happyplanning