April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day thirty

It is the last day of the challenge today and I actually don't know what I'll do with myself tomorrow!  The challenge has been so fun and I have met some really lovely people on Instagram who were also taking part.  It has been nice getting a peek inside other people's planners and seeing what works for them and how they decorate their pages!
Anyway the theme for today is Beautiful so here is my final photo, a basket of kittens and my raspberry Chameleon.

April challenge - day thirty

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-nine

It is the penultimate day of the challenge and the theme is On The Go.  I love being in the car when the sun is shining and the radio is blaring out songs that Ian and I can sing along to, it is a great way to start the day!

April challenge - day twenty-nine

My week #17/52

I went for an Alice in Wonderland theme on my pages this week.  I was inspired by the tape, it was used to decorate a package that I received and it was so nice I decided to recycle it!  I got to use my Alice stickers from my pack of fairy tale world sticker flakes too.    

My week #17

This week was National stationery Week! I have had a lot of fun on Facebook and Twitter entering competitions and talking to people who are just as obsessed as me.  I did manage to win a pencil from Staples and I have also entered a few blog competitions so I'm crossing my fingers that I win something nice!

First half of the week

Second half of the week 

Did you do anything to celebrate National Stationery Week?  Thanks for reading!

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-eight

Today's theme is Where It Sleeps.  I keep my Filofax in a little basket with my pencil case, stickers, tape and some pens so most of what I need is all together in one place for when I do my planning.

April challenge - day twenty-eight 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-seven

It is day twenty-seven and the theme is Snap Or Zip.  I don't have any zip around Filofaxes, I think they would encourage me to be messy/lazy and just pop bits in without putting them on the rings and I'd end up in a mess!

April challenge - day twenty-seven

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-six

The theme for today is Newest Of The Bunch.  My raspberry Chameleon is still my newest Filofax (I will let you know if that changes though!).  I haven't done a post showing you everything I have in here yet but I will once this challenge is over.  Here is a peak inside for now though.

April challenge - day twenty-six

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-five

Today's theme is Oldest Of The Bunch.  This Binder is the oldest Filofax type system that I still own. I did have a couple before this but I don't know where they have ended up over the years. 

April challenge  - day twenty-five

The diary in this is dated 1999 but those pages are slightly smaller than the address ones so I think they would have been a replacement insert I brought.   The binder must be from 1998 or earlier when Kangol was cool!

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-four

It is day twenty-four of the challenge and the theme is Quote.  I found this quote a while ago on Pinterest and really liked it. 

An old Cherokee told his grand-son, "My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all.
One is Evil.  It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego.  The other is Good.  It is joy, peace, love, hope, humanity, kindness, empathy and truth."
The boy thought about it, and asked, "Grandfather, which wolf wins?"
The old man quietly replied, "The one you feed."

April challenge - day twenty-four

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-three

The theme for today is Pen or Pencil.  I chose pen as that is what I use a lot more in my planning.  Using different colours helps me see easily what I need to do and to remember.

April challenge - day twenty-three

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-two

Today's theme is Special Occasion.  The next big date in my Filofax is my 13th anniversary in May.  I can't believe how fast the years have gone by!

April challenge - day twenty-two

My week #16/52

Here are my pages for this week.  I was still feeling the Hello Kitty love as you can see!

My week #16/52

Apart from Monday it has been quite a quiet week really.  My daughter told me she was the only child in her class who remembered to bring a change of clothes and wellies into school that day.  I was pleased with myself and she got a sticker which made her day!  

Close up

I have been doing the photo-a-day challenge this month so the theme for each day is on my to do lists to remind me.  I am really enjoying taking part in it!   

Close up

I have been catching up on the TV shows I couldn't watch while the children were off school.  I'm glad I have been noting down which episodes I have seen as I would be totally lost now if I hadn't.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty-one

The challenge theme for today is Favourite Colour.  Now I do love pinks and purples a lot but my all time favourite colours are on the blue green spectrum.  I have used a bit of photo trickery to change my raspberry Chameleon into an aqua one for today's photo and there is also a picture of the new aqua Malden which I have heard is being released this year.  I am really excited about this and definitely want to buy one in the personal size when I can!

April challenge - day twenty-one

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twenty

Today's theme is 3pm.  I am outside enjoying one of the first glorious afternoons of the year.  The children are running around, chalking on the pavement and generally worshiping the sun with me while I write myself notes like "Google local places to pick strawberries and day trips to the seaside" and "Buy Pimms, lemonade and fruit if the weather stays nice".  We are having a perfect spring afternoon and I hope you are too!

April challenge - day 20

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day nineteen

Day nineteen and the theme is At Work.  I'm working on some new posts for this blog and for that I need my Filofax with my notes in it, my mini iPad for taking the photos and some tea and toast.  I'll be honest and admit I don't always have my tea in a china cup with a saucer, sometimes it's in a massive mug but as I was taking a photo of it I thought this would look nicer!

April challenge - day nineteen

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day eighteen

The theme for today is Drawing/doodle. This is a picture I drew of Lord Dodo (of Dodo Pad fame)!

April challenge - day eighteen 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day seventeen

It is day seventeen of the challenge and the theme is "Photo".  I keep this picture in the back of my Filofax, it is of my husband and I on our wedding day.  We got married nearly ten years ago on a beach in Ocho Rios and I really love this photo of our first kiss as a married couple.  It brings back a lot of memories of the day and makes me smile.

April challenge - day seventeen

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day sixteen

The theme for today is "What's inside" so here is a look at what is inside my Filofax.   Not much has changed in the front pockets since I first showed you (here), mainly because I still love everything I keep in them. 

April challenge - day sixteen 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day fifteen

Today's theme was a bit hard for me.  It was "something red" but I don't really have many red things (except for my Dodo Pads which I showed you yesterday).  In the end I chose the red bow page marker in my pocket Filofax and a couple of red pens.

April challenge - day fifteen 

My week #15/52

Here are my pages for this week.  Of course they are covered in Russian dolls after receiving these stickers in the post last week!  

My week 15/52

I didn't want to use too many of the stickers as I love them so much.  I got all of my ink pads out and used my stamp instead to cover the week in little matryoshkas!

Close up

I used my red and green gel pens as well this week as they matched the colours of the Babushka stickers.

Close up

It is the last day of the Easter holidays today so I have written myself to do lists to make sure I have sorted everything out for tomorrow.  The children's bags, coats, shoes, book bags and PE kits are all lined up by the door ready to go in the morning, leaving the rest of today free to relax and enjoy our last afternoon together before things get hectic again! 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day fourteen

It is day fourteen of the challenge and the theme is Collection.  I decided to add my Dodo pads to the photo as well as I have quite a collection of them.

April challenge -day fourteen

In the photo I have my Dodo book of Christmas, Dodo book of the big move, Dodo Pax System with a 2011 diary in it, 2011/12 Dodo Acad Pad in a gorgeous red slipcover with a green pen loop attached, 2009/10 Acad Pad, A5 2012/13 Acad Pad Filofax insert in my pink Apex, The Dodo blank book and finally a mini 2011/12 Acad Pad.

I use my Dodo book of Christmas every year, I get it off the shelf in October (September if I'm especially excited!) so I can start planning ahead and I've been using it since 2007.  I keep lists of presents from each year in it so I can make sure we don't buy the same thing twice and it's nice to look back on and remember past years.  There are sections in it for card lists (sent and received), food, traditions, children, holiday planner and gifts (and a few more) and I will still be using it for many years to come!

Different kinds of Dodo Pads

I love the Dodo Pad format (which I wrote about here) and the Filofax inserts are perfect for me.  I've tried a few different versions of the pads over the years.  Starting with the desk diaries which I used for a few years before moving onto the Pax System.  The Pax System is a two ring binder roughly the same size as the desk diaries and I liked it because I could punch things I needed to keep and pop them into the binder but the rings were designed to fit the diary and not lots and lots more which is why I moved onto a Filofax (and I liked the different sizes and styles to choose from) and now it is just right!

Missing from the pictures as I couldn't lay my hands on them this morning are my Dodo book of household stuff, a mini 2012/13 Acad Pad in a beautiful real leather apple green slipcover with a hot pink pen loop, a 2007 Dodo Pad, 2008 Dodo Pad, a 2010/11 Acad Pad and my Dodo travel log.  They will all be somewhere around the house and when I come across them all I will have to post another photo.

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day thirteen

The theme for today is logo.   It is a nice easy one for a busy Saturday morning so thank you Friday, I'm in love!

April challenge - day thirteen

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day twelve

The theme today is something purple.  I had to have my Jubly Umph necklace in the shot because I love it so much and she has a purple flower in her hair.  It is called the Bandit Queen and "She rides at night with her sword at her side.  Her horse is known as darkness, and it is on darkness she rides..."

April challenge - day twelve 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day eleven

The theme for day eleven is Your Day.  Thursday is when I do the weekly food shop so I need my bag, my pocket Chameleon as I'm using it as my purse and my shopping list post it note stuck on the back of my mobile phone.

April challenge - day eleven

My friend at Never mind Suzi is celebrating her first blogiversary with a giveaway!

Never Mind Suzi is a fantastic blog about nail polish and it is one year old today.  She does the most amazing nail art and designs every day so please pop over and take a look here if you would like the chance to win some lovely nail polish related prizes! 

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day ten

Today's theme is on top of something.  My Filofax is on top of my coffee machine while I make myself a caramel latte, I don't drink coffee every day but some days it's the only thing that will hit the spot!

April challenge - day ten

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day nine

It is day nine of the challenge and today's theme is peek-a-boo.  Here is Hello Kitty peeking out the top of my Filofax!

April challenge - day nine

She's Eclectic - Enabling Filofax love!

Since I started blogging about my Filofax a few people have told me that I had convinced them to buy one for themselves!   I asked them to send me some photos of their binders so I could share them with you.

Stephanie at Never Mind Suzi brought a lovely A5 teal binder from Paperchase and wrote about it here. 

Stephanie's photos 

Dawn at Reflective Ramblings Of An OU Student brought a red Metropol in pocket size and wrote about it in her blog too.  I know she has also ordered a purple Malden now and I'm so jealous!

Dawn's photos

Slooky brought an A5 Domino in red and some coloured pens and lots stickers and was kind enough to take some photos for me.

Slooky's photos

My friends Frances, Kate, Kelly, Mindy and Keyonna all felt the Apex love and brought one each.   I know some people don't like the Apex binders but the colours are fun, they are a good price for a starter Filofax (especially if you are not sure it is a system that is going to work for you) and you don't have to worry about throwing it in your bag along with everything else and hoping it doesn't get damaged.

Frances' photos

Kate's photo

Kelly's photos

Mindy's photos

Keyonna's photos

I am so happy you all love your Filofaxes and thank you for taking the time to take these photos and sending them to me! If anyone else has brought one after reading my blog I would love to know, I'd like to make it up to a nice round ten soon!

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day eight

Day eight's theme is Fanned/open so here is a look at the inside of my Chameleon.

April challenge - day eight

I  had some Rilakkuma note paper which I cut down and punched to fit into my Filofax.  I really like it and think it looks so cute!

I am excited today as this blog is exactly three months old and I think I will hit 6000 views at some point today which is amazing!  Thank you so much for stopping by to read my posts!  

My week #14/52

It's that time of the week again, here are my pages from the last week.

My week #14/52

My eldest daughter was invited to a birthday party.  I clipped the invite onto the page so I wouldn't loose the address or the contact information.  

Close up

It is still the Easter holidays here so I don't really have much going on.  I am writing my daily to do lists and they are very helpful as it is much harder to remember what you need to sort out when you have a houseful of children who've been indulging in a lot of chocolate!

Close up

I am really excited because season two of Once Upon A Time starts again tonight.  I wrote it down in my diary as soon as I found out it was on because I did not want to miss it!  I have a bar of chocolate and a glass of wine with my name on them so roll on 9pm!

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day seven

Day seven and the theme is planning time.  I usually do most of my planning with my Filofax balanced on my lap and fighting off a toddler but I thought this would make a nicer picture!

April challenge - day seven

Do you like my Hello Kitty post it notes?  I got them from Imy's World in one of her stationery bags that she was selling to raise money for her Mulberry fund.  I thought they were really cute and I am blaming her for the Hello Kitty love I've started feeling!

You are getting a little sneak peak at my pages for this week here, I will be posting them properly tomorrow.

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day six and new stickers!

Today's theme is Fat or Skinny.  My A5 Apex is fat but my pocket Chameleon is skinny so I took photos of them both.  I had slimmed the Apex down last week but something I thought I had sorted out turned out not to be so I had to add all the paperwork back into the binder.  

April challenge - day six

Also I had a fantastic surprise in the post today.  My sister in law sent me these!

My amazingly fabulous stickers!

I honestly don't know if I want to stick them all on one week of my diary or never use any of them in case I can't replace them!  I am worried that a sheet of stickers can make me this happy but they are just so cute!

Pocket size Filofax - a nice surprise

After using my pocket size Chameleon as a purse for a couple of weeks I have made a discovery.   The top opening pocket that came with the binder is actually big enough to hold my mobile phone.

In the pocket

 I had put my phone in the back of the Filofax a couple of times and just closed the clasp to hold it in place but I remembered a post by Tracy (Crazy Suburban Mom) where she had found special cases from Japan that were punched to fit into a binder.  I searched eBay and coming up empty I tried to see if it would fit into a standard clear pocket. 
I have a Nokia Lumia 610 which measures 119.2 x 62.2 x 11.9mm or 4.69 x 2.44 x 0.47in and it fits easily in the top opening pocket even with the thick plastic case I have on the phone to protect it.  The Lumia is 4.6mm or 0.18in shorter than an iPhone 5 but with the extra height of the binder above the clear pocket I think an iPhone would fit ok too. 

The phone is nearly as wide as my inserts

Having my phone in the Chameleon does take up space on the rings but as I'm not using it as my main planner it is fine for me.  I only have a month on two pages diary in there, some note paper and a couple more pockets so its not very full at the minute.  I like having my phone in the Filofax as it keeps everything important together in my bag (purse, phone, pen, diary), it's very handy.  Now if I could only find some way of keeping my keys with it all!


*Disclaimer - I have not tried to see if an iPhone 5 would fit into the top opening pocket (because I don't have one), it is just my opinion that it would probably fit.

April Filofax photo-a-day challenge, day five

Day five and the theme is "To Do".  This is my To Do list divider from my set from JapanCorner! 

April challenge - day five