now sold: kate spade agenda

This planner is now sold. Thank you for your interest.

Due to the financial circumstances I'll be in for the next year (hello, not enough funding to live on per week), I'm selling this Kate Spade agenda. I've barely used it and it is in excellent condition. The colour is a bright pillar box red with a fabric polka dot lining the interior along with leather pockets. Inside, the rings are 30mm in diameter and are of an ice-gold colour.

The organiser won't come with any refills I'm afraid and it also came with no box (which is how it came when I first got it).

This truly is a beautiful organiser and I am gutted to have to let it go. The fact is, though, I've only used it for a few weeks maximum ever since getting it so I can't justify keeping it.

I am no longer accepting offers on this planner. Thank you for your interest.

custom notepaper inserts

Today, I am sharing more custom inserts I have made. These are for personal-sized organisers (paper size of 95mm width by 171mm height) and are designed to be printed directly onto personal-sized paper. 

They are ruled notepaper and here is how they look once printed (I printed them onto cream coloured paper):

I'm offering these inserts for you to download at your leisure. Please do not re-distribute them. These inserts take time to design, scan, optimize and upload so I'd be very grateful for a donation if you have found any of my custom inserts useful :)

To download the bordered one, click here.
To download the one without a border, click here.

styling my kate spade agenda

Another pictorial post where I try and make up an outfit to match my Kate Spade agenda. I have done my Smythson one and also my Deco, so this one is the last in this series.

Like with the amethyst Deco, red is also another colour you won't really see in my wardrobe but this did not deter me. The Kate Spade agenda screams 'business' to me so I tried to make an outfit fit for any boardroom.

A bog standard cream blouse from Zara and a rust-coloured pencil shirt from NW3 by Hobbs is the result. Rust is as close to red as you will get and I think a blouse tucked into a high-waisted skirt wouldn't look out of a place in a business setting.

My Smythson outfit still remains my favourite :)

custom checklist / to-do inserts

To-do lists are fun to write, but boring to do; so I thought, why not try and make them prettier to look at? I've tried to do that and these two variations of a checklist insert are my offerings (they are printed onto cream coloured paper):

I'm offering these inserts for you to download at your leisure. Please do not re-distribute them. These inserts take time to design, scan, optimize and upload so I'd be very grateful for a donation if you have found any of my custom inserts useful :)

To download the dashed one, click here.
For the shadowed one, click here.

july's #fflovephotoaday

In July, I took part in my first ever '#fflovephotoaday' (created by the lovely Carla) on Instagram and here were the results of each day's photo (click on them to see the larger version):

   

    

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

I'm still missing day 22 (outside) because I keep forgetting to take a picture of my binder outside. 

Overall, I had a fun time doing this photo-a-day challenge :) I'm already looking forward to the next one!

why I am sticking with just one binder

Why is it so hard to stick with one binder? Can you really have all of your life in one?

J from The Crazy Life of J blogged about her one binder and how it works for her, along with accepting that you can't fit it all. In the past, I tried using more than one binder in tandem but it was hard. Things got lost and it was time consuming to faff around with different binders that were for different things.

That is why I am back to using one binder. In the past, I have tried to stick to one binder and failed but this time, I think it will be for real as I am no longer tempted by any binders I see online or instore. At least, not tempted enough to think about plonking down some cash for another.

I am making a compromise in that I've sacrificed the portability of my Slimline Deco for a 23mm ring Smythson binder but it's been worth it. The aim of this blog post is not to convince you to only have one binder (after all, who am I to tell you what to have/do or what not to have/do) but to let you know that it can work with just one binder. But it all depends on what you want to use your binder for.

Having more than one binder isn't a bad thing - I have three with all possessing different ring sizes (11mm, 23mm and 30mm) and they all serve different purposes. My main one is my Smythson binder and that carries everything in it - my diary, expenses record, to-do lists, blog planner and other things that I deem necessary. However, my 30mm Kate Spade agenda will come in handy for the times when I need that extra space, and my 11mm Slimline Deco will be equally handy on short trips (although it is currently used as my food diary).

So, why is it so hard to stick with just one binder? Well, as you know, the companies that do binders (Filofax, Smythson, Aspinal of London, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, etc) all have very, very pretty binders and quite often choosing just one binder is easier said than done. I've been guilty of this in the past but now, I only have more than one due to the ring sizes (and well, they also happen to look pretty too!). There is nothing wrong with this at all though and if you want to change binders as often as you change your underwear, that is not for me or for anyone else to judge.

For me, I've found it easy to stick with one binder as I've been particularly brutal with what is essential in my binder but it still (just about) carries my life in it. Carrying around a lot of notepaper is not only pointless but also adds unnecessary bulk. I guess using a week on two page diary also helps me stay in one binder too - but then again, J from The Crazy Life of J uses one binder and she uses two pages per day! Being particularly brutal with what should go in your binder really does help, and it also helps keeping life as uncluttered as possible. I'm trying really hard in my quest to be minimalistic and this is just one part of that quest.

Finally, you need to take into account what you are using your binder for, and also how often you use those sheets that you thought were essential. I did have an A5 for a brief period of time but it was too bulky and I never used it. I had it all planned out to use it for university but the extra weight it added to my handbag (in comparison to my personal sized binders) meant that it never even got used. So in terms of function, weight and size must also be taken into account.

These reasons are why I see myself in this Smythson binder for the rest of this year (at least!). I have developed my own diary hacks for when things get busier or for when things change. And if I need bigger rings? My Kate Spade is a more than worthy backup, as is my Slimline Deco for when I need portability.

Kate Spade agenda vs Smythson Bond Street organiser

I have, in my possession, two beautiful binders of a similar size (in terms of paper): a Smythson Bond Street organiser and a Kate Spade agenda. As you've probably realised, I am currently in my Smythson binder but the thought of having the KS agenda sitting around, empty and not in use has me feeling a little sad (as it's so pretty!).

Anyway, I thought I would compare the two if they were to partake in a football (or soccer if you are from the US) match. There is some seriousness to this post too, as it is essentially one where I compare the good and bad features of each. So, without further ado... let the two binders enter the stadium :)

On my right, we have KS, a team adorning a lovely pillar-box red kit.

And on my left, is the Smythson team.

Oh and there we have it, the first goal has been scored! And KS nutmegs the Smythson defence and slots one into the bottom left corner. The Smythson keeper lies on the ground, defeated and wondering how the ball got past her:

Here, she (yes, it's a women's football match!) reveals a flash of a light pink top under her jersey, with a small number of pockets for stamps, notes and other loose things! She's also got a hidden weapon in the form of a gold mechanical pencil which must have been supplied by her sponsor (read: it came with the binder and is a Smythson pencil).

Oh and she's up on her feet again as the game is restarted. That's an equaliser by Smythson! And as if the KS keeper isn't to be outdone, she also reveals a flash of colour under her red jersey. 

The KS keeper lies on the floor in an attempt to get her breath back. She reveals numerous pockets and card slots. She clearly has a whimsical side with her polka-dot fabric lining and beige leather contrast. The score is locked at one-all, but what's this? A penalty to Smythson? It must have been the light pink interior that did it... and that's 2-1. The match is looking like a goal-fest already.

Just like Smythson, she has gold rings but they are more shiny in nature. Maybe she knew they'd be on show so she polished them? Who knows. Her rings are also bigger (30mm) compared to Smythson's (23mm) and oh my, a lovely volley by the KS forward makes it 2-2.

Onwards to a paper comparison! Another blow to KS as the Smythson team reveal cornflower blue headbands that they have sported for today. The paper is lightweight and of a high quality. Ink is absorbed immediately and it's as if she'd never heard of the word 'bleed' and phrase 'show-through'. At least you know that there will rarely be any injury time-outs from the Smythson side if you were ever to play them!

KS, however, has decided to go with standard white headbands; after all, white goes with everything. They are very thick and again, no show-through but there is bleeding with certain types of ink.

Oh my, it's not been a defender's day, that's 3-2 to Smythson. Cornflower blue trumps white anyday it seems. That looks like the final play of the game as the referee blows for full time! Final score, 3-2 to Smythson but it has been an entertaining match!

Maybe I am being a tad biased as I am currently in the Smythson binder but both are beautiful binders. The main match ups were:

Ring sizes of 23mm vs 30mm; both have gold coloured rings; more card slots vs more secretarial pockets; and cornflower blue inserts vs white coloured inserts. The paper in both is good though the KS paper is slightly thicker - but the 30mm rings make up for that as the binder can hold more. Overall, I love both and probably will never part with either :) 

I am sure that on another day, KS might well sneak a win.

a Kate Spade agenda

A few weeks ago, back in early January, Kristin on Twitter tweeted that she had a Kate Spade organiser for sale. I think it was the Wellesley organiser and it was a lovely shade of green, had a zip all around it and the interior was a pale nude colour. However, this binder was sold to Imy (a worthy recipient :) ) and I found myself lusting after Kate Spade organisers. As luck would have it, I found one on eBay and for a good price too, and when the final few seconds of the listing were approaching, I put in a last second bid (I always do this - I'm one of those dreaded snipers) and as there were no other bids, I got it for the minimum the seller was asking for.

Although it is not the same as the one that Kristin was selling, it's still a beautiful binder :) It arrived a few days after I paid for it and here it is, in all of its glory:

The red colour is a bright pillarbox red, and the clasp has the lovely 'Kate Spade New York' logo on it - adding meat and weight to the closure. The leather is pebbled (I have tried to show this in the picture) and the quality really is brilliant!

Upon opening, one is greeted with the view below. Note that you'll see 2012 diary inserts - the seller didn't include 2013 ones, as judging by the contents, she only used it for a few weeks or so before abandoning it. Look at those lovely gold rings! And the polka dot fabric interior, the card slots which should please those of you who enjoy carrying around loads and loads of cards. 

Furthermore, there are more pockets on the left than first meets the eye. You can see a bit of paper poking out of a full-length pocket on the far left, but what you can't tell is that there is yet another pocket under the stitching on the right. 

The rings are actually 30mm (I actually measured them to check) and so, they can hold a lot. The plastic ruler is clear, but is wider than a Filofax one. One thing I dislike about the ruler is that the bottom doesn't stick out like the Filofax one and personally, I use this bit at the bottom a lot to flip to my current page. However, it is clear and that is one thing that really appeals to me. The diary pages are week to view, with a notes section on the bottom right - and the paper is delicious (but more on this later!).

Separating each month is a picture/creative collage of some kind on the right, and the upcoming month denoted on the left. I have no idea what the space is for but you could use it to write notes for the upcoming month if you wished.

The month to view looks as follows:

One good thing about the month pages is that they appear within the weekly spreads. This means that there is no awkward flicking between one part of the organiser and another. I just love the design of these inserts! However, Saturday and Sunday share a single box in the monthly view - not something I'm a fan of. I don't know if it is any different in the 2013 inserts though.

Next up, I have a picture of the tabs for you. Yellow = notes; red = to do; brown = birthdays; green = restaurants; blue = addresses.

The notepages look like this:

To-do pages:

Birthday pages:

Restaurant pages:

Address pages:

The back has a secretarial pocket where you can store whatever you like in it. The pen loop is smaller than the one in my Smythson binder but I find it sufficient for my needs so I'm not complaining.

Now, onto the paper. For 2013, I know that Kristin and Hannah from Blue Bonnet Reads are both using the Kate Spade refills in their Filofax organisers - and I can definitely see why. The quality is brilliant, it feels luxurious and the collages for each month are so pretty.

The obligatory pen test:

The only pen where I had a slight feathering was my fountain - but that may be because I hadn't used that in a while?

And overleaf:

You could even use a permanent pen, if you wanted, if my Staedtler Lumocolor is anything to go by (it has permanent ink) as there was barely any show-through with that. The paper is thick too. Like, seriously thick - Filofax cotton cream paper ain't got nothing on Kate Spade diary paper, that's for sure.

There was a card that showed the pictures of each month (February was missing for me):

My favourite had to be January. The monogram flower background, with a hand holding a simple Ace of Spades card is simple, but for some reason, it really stands out for me. 

And nine other months (I missed off the March one as I just chose my favourite nine after January, sorry March!):

If you had read my blogpost on Wednesday about my new Smythson binder, you will have read that it developed ring problems on Tuesday - quite a big problem in that the rings do not close properly but leave a 0.5cm gap in each of them. As a result, I have now moved into this binder temporarily. I have to say, I'm loving the space I have with the 30mm rings, but ultimately, I would like to move back to my Smythson binder once the replacement arrives.

I love it too much to sell it - gold rings are something that really appeals to me (a love that @JoshuaLaPorte and I share!) but I love my Smythson binder too, so now, my binder collection has risen to the grand number of three (with an additional two that I am trying to sell, so a total of five).

NOTE: The text on the inserts came out as blue in these images - they are actually black. A mixture of the lighting and photo-editing made them come out as blue! Sorry :(