FILOFAX PERSONAL COMPACT HERITAGE REVIEW

It's been a while since I've done one of these, especially for a Filofax. I think my love for ring planners started dwindling this year, after my obsession with Midori grew exponentially. I guess there were a number of reasons for my change in preference: for one, I didn't actually need a planner; I didn't need dated diaries. Eversince finishing uni (and the end of assignments) Bullet Journaling and creating the days as I go by was enough for me. I didn't exactly need to plan ahead (because I was more or less generally free). For another, the size of a planner and the fact that rings took a chunk of the page annoyed me. I needed the page size to be bigger but still portable. Not to mention, ring planners, as they suggested, wasn't bounded. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it, but I guess I liked my spreads stuck together. And lastly, eversince the Malden, I haven't actually found another planner that I wanted to use as much as I did the Malden. Well, not until I got the Filofax Heritage Compact planner, that is.

I've been eyeing this planner ever since it came out, and thought I was able to last till November when I took a trip down to Paris. But nope. I went searching online and found it for a pretty reasonable price on John Lewis. I actually wanted the Personal sized Heritage, but since they didn't have it in stock and I wasn't planning to keep much in it other than the diary, I decided to go for it. It arrived relatively quickly from the UK, and apart from the Malden I don't think I've been this excited to receive a Filofax till now.

Opening it up, it was beautiful right from the beginning. It came in a nice, sturdy box that Filofax planners used to come in (before they changed it to just a lousy plastic sleeve!) and it was divine once picked up and handled. The leather is thick, supple and you just know that it will last through and through. It's absolutely hard to describe how gloriously luxurious the leather is. I've read about how different the leather is on different blogs, but wow. It's definitely one to inspect in person. Here are some pictures of it up-close and personal:

As it says on the Filofax website, it doesn't contain any pockets on the front or back, but rather just a leather flyleaf on the inside containing a pocket and an elastic pen loop (which really doesn't serve any purpose):

Apart from that, the insides are the usual diary, notes, etc pages that comes with a new Filofax. Overall, I love the feel of this one. It has an inconspicuous look and really gives that heritage feel. It's safe to say that I can't wait to use this beauty when 2017 comes around!

MTN: CHRONODEX

At the start of October, I decided to take the plunge and use a Chronodex. This system was created by Patrick Ng, and you can check it all out here. I needed something dated in my life, and since I didn't want to buy something that I'll probably only use for a month, I decided to go cheap and create my own booklet. It took a whole lot of getting used to as I didn't actually like my handmade book at first, but it grew on me, and I'm glad it did. Seeing I've only used it for a week and a bit, there aren't too many pages to show around here, but nevertheless, here are the ones I've done so far:

See, the thing with me is, I tend to overthink things. I decide over the layout of my page longer than needed, causing me to not create a page eventually. I'm trying my hardest not to let my Chronodex be the same and actually updating the pages as the day goes by. I'm still ending up with a bit of catching up by the end of the week, but there's always next week! And here's hoping it's not going to lose its lustre after a month of usage!

KELLY PURKEY SEPTEMBER REVEAL

Happy happy Monday! Hope everyone's been checking out the newest release from Kelly Purkey because they're another perfect set of stamps! It's all about the upcoming Autumn weather in the Northern Hemisphere, home touristing, single life and happy things. Here's a look at some of the spreads I created using some of the stamps:

And of course, you can check them all out in Kelly Purkey's shop here. Happy shopping!

OCTOBER GOALS

Why yes, I did in fact miss out on my September goals (oops). I don't actually know what I've been doing in the past 8 weeks, but I've obviously neglected my blog horribly. But never fear, I decided to sit my butt down one Sunday afternoon and have created a number of posts for your reading pleasure for the next few days. But first, to kick off the month, here's a look at my goals for this month:

1. Read at least two books:
   I've decided that when I say 'books' I mean everything from digital photography tips to lifestyle books to short novels. Before writing this up, I actually already managed to read through a quaint little book called How to be Parisian Wherever You Are. It was a short read that I gobbled up in a night, but hey, it's still a book!
2. Research up and document all things Paris!
   Despite the fact that I'm heading to Toulouse and Singapore as well in November, the city of love seems to be the only thing on my mind when I think about my upcoming holiday. This of course means requiring a whole Traveler's Notebook dedicated to my research for this trip!
3. Test out the Contax G1 + film photography
   I'm still debating whether or not I should bring my new film camera with me on my trip, so I'm planning to test this medium out this month before I actually head out.
4. Save
   Needs no explanation, really.

A relatively easy set of goals this month. Someone needs to kick me in the butt if I don't get them accomplished by the 31st.

KELLY PURKEY AUGUST REVEAL

Another month and another release by Kelly Purkey! Here's a look and reveal of all the stamp sets included in this month's KP shop release!

And of course, you can get all these stamps (and more!) in Kelly Purkey's shop here. Happy shopping!

MTN DIARY #3

I'm starting to develop that itch again where I lose interest in one project and feel the need to start another. I'm still up to date with my MTN diary, however, my style has changed a little since I started it and I'm hoping this will allow me to create more freely and keep at it. Either way, here's a look at the past two weeks' MTN layouts:

I didn't in fact finish the first MTN layout above (because I ran out of time / couldn't be bothered etc), so I made up for it on the next week when I included my first picture in the MTN diary. I'm liking how it turned out though, and I'll possibly aim for more pictures in the coming week to scrap the monotony of my layouts.

TUTORIAL: VINTAGE PASSPORT MTN FOLDER

Recently, I decided to spruce up my Passport MTN kraft folder, and because I'm into all things vintage, I decided to pull out my ephemera to put together a simple antique-feel folder. Here's how it turned out:

I've been asked how I put this folder together on Instagram, so I thought I might write up a little post on it. It really is simple, and all you need are the right tools to create one of your own:

Supplies:
- Wax seal + wax
- Classiky Wax Paper
- Kaisercraft Script stamp
- Brown stamp pad
- Pressed leaf
- Green thread + needle
- Old stamp

Method:
1- The first thing to do is stamp out the vintage script directly onto the kraft folder. Do it on just one side or cover the entire folder - it is entirely up to you
2- Get the Classiky wax paper, and scrunch it up. You'll be able to create the imperfect lines across the entire wax paper as seen in the picture. Stick it on the bottom half of the kraft folder
3- Stick a vintage stamp on the top left
4- Grab your needle and thread and poke a hole on the bottom of the kraft folder. Tie a knot at the end so the thread doesnt slip through the hole and go round the kraft folder
5- Choose your pressed leaf and arrange it onto your kraft folder as desired
6- Heat some wax up and drip it onto the stem of the leaf and the wax paper
7- Stamp the wax with a wax seal stamp and you're done!

It's super simple and doesn't take too long to do either! Try one out for yourself!

KELLY PURKEY AUGUST SNEAKS

Another month has gone by, which means there's another update in the Kelly Purkey Shop! This month is all about girl power, sunny beach days, and tough lives. I've created some layouts with these new stamps and here's a little sneak peak before the full reveal on the 28th of August!

Don't forget tot mark your calendars for this store update! Stay tuned for the full reveal!

PASSPORT VS REGULAR MTN

Oh, we've had this debate before, but admittedly, I have always been a little biased towards the regular MTN in the past. However, now that I've broken out the Passport, gave it a chance with some customisation and started writing in it, I'm starting to wonder why it took me so long to get into it. This weekend saw me creating two spreads, both with the same picture, in the two different sized MTNs to test how each went. Here's how it turned out:

As you can see, both spreads have their own little unique edge to them. On the one hand, the Passport size is able to focus on an event in a two-page facing spread, encompassing both writing and photo in one, while on the other, the regular size is able to encompass all of the previous with white space to spare! I guess it really depends what 'look' you're going for too.

In a way, I love the compact size of the Passport MTN; I can slip it into my back pocket at work no problem, and rather than writing notes on pieces of paper, I can now pull out my MTN and write straight into it. So the passport really is great for random notes / lists. On the other hand, I love how much the regular MTN can fit. I love its size and just the general feel of holding one. Without a doubt, the regular size is the best fit for travels and documentation. So it all depends on the final aim of your 'project'. Is it meant to be portable? Is it meant to fit lots of ephemera? Is it to document, or is it for scribbles? It all depends on you. So although I can debate to lengths of which MTN is the best, it all comes down to what you need!

MTN DIARY #2

I've been experimenting with my Passport MTN (and having so much fun with it) lately that I'm fearing that my regular sized MTN will slowly fade away (and so will my diary projects). I can't seem to stick with one thing this year, always wanting to try out different things but never really completing it wholly. I'm going to try to stick with my diary projects, so here's what's been happening in the past two weeks:

It seems like my spreads are taking a repetitive turn, don't you think? I need to embrace different styles in my diary documenting, and this week was probably one of my 'trial' runs where I embrace the space and pull an 'incomplete but complete' look. I'm aiming to have bigger diagrams in my spreads (such as the pie chart) so the eyes will have something to focus on, and hopefully that will bring some variety over to my pages.

CURRENTLY #19

TIME: 8:03PM

LOCATION: Bedroom / studio / office

FEELING: A little tired

LOVING: My new Camel Passport MTN

READING: Liane Moriarty - What Alice Forgot

DRINKING: Water

ANTICIPATING: The arrival of my Kelly Purkey stamps!

LISTENING: To the clock tick

WATCHING: Batman vs Superman

PLANNING TO: Create more blog posts in the next few days

LOOKING FORWARD TO: My first 6 - 2 shift this Thursday! (Yes, I'm weird)

CREATING: MTN spreads

NEED TO FINISH: Project Life 2016 spreads!

AUGUST GOALS

It's crazy to think that it's already August. So much has happened this year, and yet there's still much more to look forward to and accomplish as I transition into full time work and adult life (eep). Life is hard, but the best thing is: you will always have the power to shape your life the way you want it. It just depends on whether or not you're brave enough to do so. But anyway, here's a look at how July went for me in terms of goal setting and achievement:

• x     Read two books
• x     Spend less
• x     Catch up with Project Life 2016
• ü Keep up with Weekly MTN

Now that I'm working in a different place (with highly limited shopping options), I can say that the first goal I set for the month might actually finally be achievable:

Let's see how this month goes:

• Spend less than $400
• Read a book (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!)
• Draw, draw, draw!

Been having a bumpy end to the month of July and I'm hoping things will start looking up when August comes around..

KELLY PURKEY JULY REVEAL

I'm still patiently awaiting the arrival of the new Kelly Purkey July stamps, but I can tell you, the release is something you don't want to miss. If you thought last month was great, this month will blow your mind out of the water! Here's a look at some of the new stamps and kits that are available at the Kelly Purkey shop now!

(All pictures taken from Kelly Purkey Shop)

You can click here to head straight to her shop. And remember, be quick because once they're gone, it most likely won't be coming back (and you'll have to live with buyer's regret!)

BPC: TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK | DOCUMENTING EVERYDAY

Guess what guys? I'm teaching a class over at Big Picture Classes on Monday and it's going to be filled with all things Traveler's Notebook! It's going to be super exciting, and you'll finally be able to access full length tutorials on how I create all my spreads! Here are a few sneak photos that will be in the class:

Make sure you sign up for a two week trials so you can check my class (and all the others) out! Looking forward to seeing you there!

PIPSTICKS

The lovely Carissa from Pipsticks contacted me recently asking whether I wanted to try out their ah-maazing sticker pack a few weeks back, and being a lover of stickers, of course I said yes! I had to wait patiently for my pack though as it was flying all the way from the great USA, but when it arrived, it was well worth it.

A little background on Pipsticks: Pipsticks is a subscription sticker club. They design and source stickers from the best supplies all over the world in order to give members a gorgeously packaged (just look at the picture below to understand that this is not an over statement!), affordable, unique stash of special stickers when they need them (because who doesn't need stickers in their life?!). The sticker club was started by Maureen, and have subscribers from over 50 countries!

Here's a look at the pack when it arrived:

The sticker pack attracts you from the get go, because of the unique little packaging it comes in, and I'm actually amazed no one in the post office has taken it for themselves (hah!). But now to the insides:

As you can see, their pack is FULL of super cute stickers. I've already started using them in my MTN weekly diary posts, as they're just so versatile. And the best part is: they're coming up on their second birthday this September, and they'll be celebrating it with a MEGA pack of stickers, stuffed even more than usual. If you don't want to miss out on this mega pack coming in a few months, Pipsticks and I have teamed up to give you 15% off the first month of any subscription using the code: NOV15. Yay! You don't want to miss out!

(You can check out their website for more information by clicking here)

MTN DIARY #1

I'm thoroughly enjoying documenting in a vertical format in my Midori diary, and if you follow me on my Instagram (@lettersinnovember), you'll probably know that's old news. I've included the last three spreads I've done for the month of July and can't wait to document more in the next following weeks!

I love that each week holds its own story through the decorations I put in and ephemera I document. It's also quite amazing how much you can fit in each of the columns there despite it looking so small! I'm definitely looking forward to completing a notebook to see the uniqueness of each spread

PROJECT LIFE 2016: WEEK 27

Because I'm running out of my favourite Project Life page protectors and I had pictures I wanted to print, I decided to go full scale with a 6x12":

I've yet to put the journaling in, but I'm focussing on putting labels and stickers into this one, with journaling kept to a minimum. You can get the stamps pictured from Kelly Purkey's shop here. The great thing about 6x12" photos like these are the colours. I admit, it would've been better if taken from an actual camera, rather than my iPhone, but it does the trick. Pick a picture you like for the week, blow it up and you've got all you need. Experiment with different photo sizes in your Project Life and it will give some variety to your spreads.

CURRENTLY #18

TIME: 7:45PM

LOCATION: Bedroom / studio / office

FEELING: Cold. So so cold.

LOVING: My new Silhoutte Cameo!

READING: Donna Tart - The Goldfinch (yep, I'm trying to finish it again a year later)

DRINKING:  Honey & lemon to fight off the last of my cold

ANTICIPATING: The end of my work contract with one of the best RAD team I've been with :(

LISTENING:Charlie Puth - Superman (new fav!)

WATCHING: Pretty Little Liars

PLANNING: To catch them all (anyone else hooked with Pokemon Go?)

LOOKING FORWARD TO: Weekend outing with friends

CREATING: MTN spreads for the week

NEED TO FINISH: 2016 Project Life spreads!

WISHING: I had more time

PROJECT LIFE 2016: WEEK 26

So I might have skipped a quarter of the year and went straight to the halfway mark... To be fair, I just haven't been blogging about them. The photos are well documented and in their rightful place, I just haven't spruced them up with journaling and embellishments. I made a note to actually do them last weekend after printing out some new pictures though, so here are the results:

The layouts are made purely from Kelly Purkey shop items found here. They're absolutely versatile and if you check out her instagram page, you'll see an abundance of ideas for her kits. There isn't much to Project Life-ing but it's always the little things that makes your layout complete. Don't be afraid to add staples, washi tape and stamps to your photos. It will give your pages some life you never thought possible!

MTN WEEKLY 2.0

I've been experimenting a little with my newest project for the second half of the year (!!) since the start of July, and I think it's coming up great (for now). I'm on track for it, and although there is still that pressure to get it perfect like all the other posts I see out there, I think I'll loosen up once I get into the groove of things. But what is this project, I'm mentioning? Well, this:

I managed to get my hands on the undated MTN weekly diary spread onto two pages from Bookbinders Online on the first day of July and got straight into it. I never seemed to like this format until I saw their use on some of my fav Instagram accounts. Now I see why it's another great way of documentation.

This may very well be the next 'MTN Weekly' post that will be featured on my blog, so there are definitely exciting times ahead! Stay tuned!