Success in my 'fax!

I've done it guys.
I've finally made my Filofax bursting at the seams.

Well, just so. And I know many dislikes the idea of filling up your Filofax too much as it destroys the rings, but with the Malden, I feel like a filled Filofax with hanging papers, a little (not too much) messed up rings and worn leather is the way to go.

Besides, your Filofax can either go one of two ways:
1- Neat and pretty
2- Used and abused

And I prefer the latter.

In the midst of filling my Filofax up, I decided to create new dividers too. I've gone for a more summery theme this time, leaving behind my vintage side. I admit, I miss the vintage / travel theme my organisers usually hold (especially in my leather Filofaxes), but I think I need the change.

So here are the pictures of my new set-up and dividers in my Filofax Original Yellow:

New dividers!

There are seven dividers in my new and improved Filofax, far more than I'm used to. They include:

1- 2014 (weekly and monthly)

2- Personal

3- BF

4- Finance

5- Notes

6- University

7- Misc.

I've decided that my organiser can go either one of two ways:

1- Hold the minimal of just diary, expenses and notes

2- Hold everything in the world

And yes, I'm evidently trying to hold the world in my little Filofax.

First divider in my Yellow Original

Camera tabs!

As much as I loved my set up in my Yellow Original, I'm not ready to store my Malden just yet. It hasn't seen the light of day enough, so here are my dividers in my now stuffed Malden:

Yum

The items I've used to make the dividers are basic:
1- Kaisercraft Collectables from different ranges (Confetti, Happy Snaps, etc.)
2- Project Life 12x12 scrapbook papers
3- Kikki K. divider stickers that came in my Large Grey Planner

I've yet to laminate the dividers and I'm thinking of inserting project life cards on the back of the dividers to create pockets like I usually do, but till then, here's to finally creating the organiser that's right for me!

Midori Traveler's Notebook vs. Filofax

Midori vs. Filofax

So as promised, I'm currently here to give an update post on what I use my Filofax and Midoris for (including some first world problems I always have when in utilisation of a notebook):

I've always had a fear of plain white, new notebooks. No matter the cost, size or brand, they will always scare me into not using it. I currently have a shelf full of pretty notebooks I've collected since.. the beginning of time. I want to use it, I really do, but I don't know what to use it for. And when an idea does strike for that particular notebook, its utilisation loses its spark halfway down the track leaving me with pages of empty paper in a pretty notebook that I will never use again because it's tainted with memories of a failed idea. I guess the Midoris will be no different.

But now that the holidays are here, I can see myself using the Midoris as a daily photo diary, but then..
1- I don't exactly have a printer to do those daily printing jobs.. agh.
2- Passport or regular sized?
3- If passport, it's a little too small to be used to include photos in there, no?
4- If regular sized, its size makes carrying a Midori and a Filofax around a little heavy on the back
5- I prefer the brown to the black leather, which means passport over regular sized..

Decisions decisions...

I've been hoarding up on scrapbook supplies lately. The amount I've purchased is pretty much ridiculous, and I'm truly afraid of calculating how much I've spent throughout my life. But the difference between paper and scrapbook supplies is the fact that I'll actually use them. I want to use them. And I plan to use them in both my Filofax and Midori.

That's where Filofax comes in. I love that you can take any paper you've stuffed up, out and into the bin without any trace of hurting the binder. And I love that I currently own a Malden Ochre. It's basically the two pros that I'll ever need. But then there comes the problem of the weird paper size and the limitation of the rings ability to hold a certain amount of paper. And I must admit, I do miss binded books at times and the ability to work with two-page spreads without a gap and hole-rings in between.

I've always wanted my notebook to hold everything: diary, notes, scrapbook pages, photos, cards, the lot. And I thought my Filofax would be able to do that, but if it does, it'll probably be filled to the brim and exploding at the seams.

And so, my options:
1- Filofax: use as the everything book and fill it to the brim like I've always wanted. This would need a change in set up though, making each day be on two pages to give that extra space for photos / doodles.
2- Filofax and Midori Passport: use the Filofax as my usual planning area, and my Midori as my journal
3- Filofax and Midori Regular: suck it up and use the Filofax as my usual planning area with the black regular Midori to attain the greater page area

Life is hard.
Hah!

But I'll probably go for option 2.
Which means, another post will come to give a full set-up for both!
Till then!

Filofax World Cup Competition! Get voting!

Hey guys!

The FIFA World Cup is here, and Filofax UK has made a great competition on Facebook in which you can win a 50pound voucher to spend on their Filofax website! All you have to do is submit photos of you watching / celebrating the World Cup, making sure your Filofax is included. I have entered my picture below:

Submitted Entry

You will be able to find my picture on Filofax UK's Facebook page here
Ill appreciate all of your votes if you do vote for me!

Much love,
Nadia

Filofax 'The Original' Personal Yellow Review

As much as I loved my blue Finny, and actually felt a little saddened that it took less than 3 hours for it to be sold on eBay, its inability to lay flat was making the bonding process too difficult. So I traded it over for the rare Original Yellow. I found it on Peter's of Kensington, again, and I must say, I was quite surprised that they actually managed to get some in stock. It seemed like the Yellow Original was always on 'temporarily out of stock', so I assumed that it probably forever will be. So when it did come back in stock, I snatched it up in a jiffy.

It arrived faster than the last two Filofax - I was able to get it in 3 days as was always expected. They gift wrapped my item again, this time, with pink wrapper and ribbons:

Pink package for my Yellow Original!

I've seen a couple of Yellow Original Filofaxes around the web and I really do love the summery, sunshine feel it has to it. So I was quite excited to tear open the package to see how the yellow was. I was hoping it wouldn't be the likes of a yellow highlighter, and I wasn't disappointed. It was a nice warm yellow. Not too bright and not too pale. It was just right:

Yellow Personal Original!

Yellow popper!

Back

Mmm leather..

Spine

It came in the usual plastic packaging, and when I took it away, the organiser felt so smooooth! It was smoother than my Aqua, I must say. The Aqua had a little grain-feel to it, but the yellow was just buttery smooth.

To the insides:

Inside

Engraved Filofax seal

It lay flat right out the plastic sleeve. Beautiful.

It has the usual two card slits and the vertical pocket on the front cover and the notepad holder and vertical pocket at the back

Back

The inside rings were perfect, and the leather didn't have any marks like the fluoro Orange did (yay!)

Great rings

Now comparing the yellow to the Aqua:

Yellow Personal with Aqua A5 Originals

Love the contrast!

The yellow and Malden have now become my two utmost favourite pair, I must say, and I'm currently trying to find a function for the both of them. However, I don't think that will work, which means the yellow might stay in hiding for a while before it comes out to play in Spring / Summer.

Now to end the post with pictures of my Malden and Yellow together:

Yellow with the Malden!

Midori Traveler's Notebook Regular vs. Passport Size

I recently got my hands on a passport sized Midori in brown, and so, I thought I'd give a little comparison post between the passport and the regular. But first, let me bombard you with pictures of the passport brown:

Midori Traveler's Notebook - Passport size

On the inside:

Front cover

Front page

Back page: passport like

The pages in the Midori notebook are perforated (which makes it go into my negative books) but I quite like the passport-like detail page that the Midori's notebook holds on the back.

Now comparing the passport to the regular size:

My Midoris

Regular black vs. passport size brown

From the bottom

Height comparison

Tin clasp

The insides

Personally, I have an affinity for the brown a lot more than I do for the black because for one, I realised that the brown scratches easily, making those 'vintage' marks more visible compared to the black. Some may not like this, but personally, I find this the most attractive thing about the Midori notebooks. And for another, its colour matches quite well with my Malden, no?

Passport Midori with my new Malden

The basic difference between the two is obviously the size. But other than that, I've found that the regular size is easier to get notebooks for, whether it may be one that was cut down from an A5 book or purchased from a Midori retailer. Not to mention, the A5 size does seem to have a greater amount of customisable inserts such as card pockets / cases. The regular will also hold more information / photos, no doubt.

The passport on the other hand, well, it's portable. It doesn't make you feel like you're carrying two notebooks when you have your personal sized Filofax with you. You can make your own notebooks for the personal sized Midori too, but it might just need more cutting when using an A6 notebook. I've seen Muji sell passport sized notebooks, which are the exact same size as Midori's very own, however, they don't seem to stock them in Melbourne's store (sad). I'm waiting for them to do so, or else, I'm just going to have to rely on making my own / buying the actual Midori notebook.

So far, that's my take on the different sized Midoris.
I'm not sure what they'll be used for currently, but I'll be sure to update soon (:

Filofax Malden Ochre Review!

Oh my, I believe I have just fallen in love with my planner...

To say that the Malden Ochre was love at first would be quite accurate, because its beauty has really taken my breath away! What I've seen in pictures really doesn't come close to the real thing. I love everything there is to it; from its colour, to its flexibility, its pockets and its vintage cracked leather. It is more than I could ever ask for in a planner!

But first, let me just say, please excuse the scanty amount of posts that have been coming in lately, I know I still have an A5 Aston and an A5 Sketch Zipped to review, but I've been a little bit busy lately studying for exams. But now that they're all over (well, the major ones are), there will definitely be more crafty / planner posts on the way! So let's start with my newest purchase: the Personal Ochre Malden

I've been waiting excitedly (and impatiently) for my Malden to arrive all week. I ordered it on the 4th of June, but due to the Queen's birthday holiday on Monday, the shipping process was halted and didn't arrive till late Wednesday a week later. Quite slow for something arriving just a state away if you ask me... But it may have been a good thing, because if it came any earlier, I will most probably be quite distracted with it. And so, here comes the usual picture-filled review:

I bought the Malden from Peter's of Kensington (as mentioned in my previous post), and when I first picked up the item from the post office, it came in one massive Peter's of Kensington box filled with little foam noodles to cushion. The box was a little too massive for such a small thing, to be honest, but at least it kept my Malden safe throughout its journey to me. And because gift wrapping was free, I decided to take them up on it.

Here comes the unboxing pictures:

Free gift wrapping from Peter's of Kensington!

It's funny, I was so hesitant to open the box up to keep that new-Filofax feeling but now I'm wondering why I didn't tear open the package sooner!

Malden unwrapped!

It was absolutely breath-taking when I peeled away the paper. It felt fabulous under my hands and it definitely has that vintage look to it. I know that the Maldens can range in texture and look due to the variations in leather, but I love how mine turned out. It's just right. It's funny how I never really bonded with my previous black pocket Malden. Maybe it's because of the colour... and the size... because my attraction for the ochre is just overflowing!

Now just a little bit more photos to complete the collection:

Back

To the insides:

Almost flat opening

Mmmm.. engraved antique leather

I've read about Maldens not being able to lay flat because of a somewhat stiff spine, and I was worried this was going to be the case for my Malden too. So I was glad to see that my Malden was as floppy as ever, and although it didn't lay quite flat right out the box, it will in no time.

The Malden has 6 card slots, one full-length vertical slot and one zippered compartment on the front cover. I'm not sure what I can put in the zippered compartment because it's fairly shallow. It's not too convenient to be used as a coin purse, so hmm.. I'll have to find something.

6 card slots, 1 vertical slot and 1 zippered area

Back

The back has that notepad / phone slot and a full-length vertical slot similar to the front cover. I'm starting to appreciate the notepad slot at the back because it allows me to stuff my Malden further with more papers, and yet also gives me the freedom of putting in something else (like stickers)

The strap is especially long on this organiser, and I'm really tempted to stuff it as much as I can. I've seen Kelly's stuffed Malden, and I have to say, I'm quite jealous. It currently holds both 2013 and 2014 diaries, and the inserts that came with it (notes, addresses, 5 dividers, A-Z dividers, card holder), and it still looks like this baby can definitely swallow a whole lot more:

Thankfully, unlike the orange Original, the rings were perfect in my Malden:

Perfect rings!

Now that I'm on pseudo-holidays, I plan to start moving into this baby sooner rather than later. I'll definitely be creating new dividers for this, and I'm thinking of getting myself a laminator to add some life into those dividers. Either way, I'll be doing a Malden set-up in the not too distant future, so stay tuned!