Five Year Filofax Journal

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A few days ago I told you about my Journal 10.  If you didn't get a chance to read it, please do, this is a wonderful Journal!  Before I bought this Journal, I decided I would have a go at making my own, using my A5 Cuban Filofax. 

What a long task this was. First I was going to need a lot of Filofax Notepaper, about 8 pads, then realised I was never going to be able to fit all this in one Filofax, so instead of doing a ten year diary, like Journal 10, I would do a 5 year Filofax diary. So I spent the next few weeks drawing hundreds of lines and writing in the years and adding the dates.  I did do the months on Sticky labels, but it made the Diary bulk out at the top, so I removed them and wrote them in by hand instead.  I did this all again recently when I made my 365 Journal.  I refuse to draw any more lines, next time I'm shoving the lot in the printer. lol

I made Monthly stickers, similar to the ones I used here, and added them to the dividers.

Then it was just a matter of placing them into the Filofax.

As you can see, 180 plus pages, plus dividers, is going to take up some real estate on those rings.

So once all that was done, time to fill it all in.  I did get quite a bit done, but then got bored with filling in all the previous years details.  (I started this in 2011 but backdated it to 2010) I ended up not finishing it and so I used the dividers for my 365 Journal . 

But I wanted to show you, what you can do, if you want to make your own... if you have the patience, and there's no need to go and buy ready made ones.

Journal 10

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I have been wanting to share this Journal with you for a little while now.  It's called Journal 10 and is available in the UK, Canada, USA and Europe.  It costs £25 and can be ordered from their website, but it is so worth every penny.  It measures 26cm by 19cm and is 3cm thick, so it really is a lot of book.  

I think you might just be able to make out the dark green cover which is made of leatherette (vinyl), so any spills will easily wipe away.

I've personalised the inside of the front cover as it was blank. 

I added my favourite poem "Footprint In The Sand" and printed it on a pretty background, I also made myself a book plate and added my favourite Spiritual quote too.



















So what is Journal 10?  Well it is a Ten Year Journal, we've all heard of 5 year diaries, well this one covers 10 years and mine started this year, 2012 and ends in 2022.

Here we have the contents pages and your details.

Then information on, How to get the best from your Journal 10.

A Long term planner and there's plenty of room to write your plans in there.

Looking ahead... Goals and Accomplishments, each year has it's own full page.

A 12 year calendar over 3 pages.

At the beginning of each month there is a 2 page spread of a 10 year planner

And this is what each page looks like....(I choose October 8 because it's my birthday! lol)

There's 4 lines per year, so you need to write small to fit events in, but can you see on the bottom right, there is a finger pointing symbol and a p, this is so if you have more stuff to add, there is place at the back of the journal where you can write more about that days events, should you need it.  You simply add the page number of where to go.  The symbols on the left are for you to use as you please, sometimes I had my weight or the day's temperature.

These are called your carry over pages, there's more than 40 of them so you will have plenty of space to add extras.

There is also an A-Z index of name, addresses and phone numbers, even extra space to add new addresses if the person moves home.

Next are the Keeping Track pages, here you can write details of Medical, Car and even blank spaces to add your own subjects.  Each year as it's own page.

Special days, 2 months per page for this one.  I should just add here, the paper is of lovely quality and is quite thick, but the pen I used here, did bleed through a little, I think they were fine liner gel pens.

Through out the Journal, I have added Post its.  For example on January 16th, it's my son's birthday, so in the box at the top of the page, I have his name as a reminder.....I don't want to write.. It is Kieran's Birthday every year, so this reminds me.  On the Post it, I have wrote the year and what presents he got as a reminder, so then I can leave the 4 lines free, to write what we did that day.

I've done pretty much the same thing on March 9 as it's my Mum and Brother's Birthday.  This time I have wrote their birthdays on smaller sticky labels and added the year they were born so I can easily work out ages.  The reason I have used Sticky labels is so I can move and replace them when I write further down the page.

Again, I've used the same concept with memorials, I added the date of the passing too, so I know how long it's being.  I've also got this information under Special Days.

The only dislike I have about this Journal is the actual size, it is a very odd size!  It is smaller  than an A4 sheet of paper but much larger than A5.  I have searched high and low, to find a suitable cover that will fit.  I found this plastic cover from an old ex library book, its too big but it's working for now.  This journal will be used daily for the next ten years so needs to last as long..... not sure how that is going to work out!  I looked at the Filofax Folders to see if any of them would work, but the folder needs to have a vertical opening on the right so I can slip the back of Journal 10's cover into it.  (A4 Flex would come in handy here..... although it would be a little big, I think it would still work!)  If any of you can think of a Filofax cover please let me know!

I've placed Journal 10 next to my A5 Finchley and Personal Holborn to give you an idea of the actual size.

I wish I had discovered this Journal years ago, it would have being lovely to fill it in while I was pregnant with my children, or when I first met my husband.  In fact, if you read some of the testimonials on the Website, some people are doing this.  One lady did it and handed the book to her daughter as a graduation present, what a wonderful gift to receive, your first ten years documented for you!  I would have loved this!

So I can't wait to read in ten years time, when I am almost 50 years old, what I got up to in my 40's.


Edited 29 August 2012
Just want to add, I had a go at making my own 5 year diary using an A5 Filofax, just blogged about it on: My Blog.

Filofax Paper Holders

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For the last few weeks, I have being trying to get a hold of these Tartan Oli™ Magnetic Paper Clips. I saw Jen from OrganisedlikeJen use then in her Filofax and I got the "Wanties" yet again. I trawled through the Internet and could only find them in America, it seemed no one in the UK has these. I put a call out to Filofax Facebook Users, to see if they knew of any sellers and it seems these little gadgets, are wanted by lot of other Filofax users. 

But then Jane McCourt from Each Shining Hour discovered something very similar in Wilkinson's here in the UK. I am so pleased she described where in the shop she found them because, I went there today and lordy be, they took some searching for!  So I treat myself to a couple of packs. The magnets in these are sooooo strong, in fact when I picked up a pack in the shop, I picked up all the packs together, as the magnets were keeping them together as one. £1.85 for six, it's not going to put a hole in your pocket is it!


So here they are in action, I think they look pretty okay. These two are holding a full 2013 Month on 2 page Diary insert together and it's holding together as good as any bulldog clip.

Just to show you how strong they are....I've put a few on the A5 Malden back cover and they are firmly in place here:

                  
I don't think they are as big as the Oli tartan ones, but they still do a good job. This holiday pass is about the same size as a Credit Card, hope this gives you some idea of the actual size.

 

I'm actually quite pleased with these and thank you to Jane for bringing them to our attention. x

 

 

 

Just want to apologise about the random photo sizes this evening, Blogger would not let me resize any of them for some unknown reason.  Hope you still enjoy! x

 

 

 



 

 



Filofax Accessories

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I have added some stationary to my Pen Organiser this week, not that it really needed anything, but it's always good to have a few more bits and bobs floating about, especially if it enhances the look of your Filofax. 

The white rectangle stickers are from Ryman, I wanted these to cover the A-Z tabs on the Filofax divider tabs...they worked wonderfully.
 

 
The Union Jack To Do Lists are from Staples, it is slightly bigger than A5 but I can easy cut a little from the top.
The Arrow Labels are from Wilkinson's, the arrow part is sticky, am sure I will find these useful too.

The Eco-Friendly writing pads are also from Staples and they come with no pre-punched holes. I spent last night punching holes in the margins, I think this is going to be a very good cheap alternative to Filofax paper.
Paper clips are also from Wilkinson's.

 



Washi tape, I got this from e-bay for a very good price of £1.69 per roll and only 70p p&p for any quantity.   I've seen lots of people use it in their Filofax, so thought it was time to try it. Not sure I'm that keen on it though to be honest!
 
Martha Stewart Removable Labels, not sure what I will use these for, but you get 100 in a pack so I'm bound to find something I can use them for in my Filofax.
 

 

 

Finally, I have to show you these wonderful pockets with Divider tabs attached.  I got them from Staples from the Martha Stewart range, you get 5 in a pack for less than fiver. 

 



What is so great about these pockets are they are removable. I have stuck this one on the back of a A5 Filofax Clear pocket, but I can move it around to wherever I need it. 

 



 

So all in all, I've had a pretty good week regarding my Stationary finds.

 

 

P.S.Just want to apologise about the photo sizes in this blog, I have no idea why, but Blogger would not let me resize any of the photos this evening.  Hope you still enjoy! x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 







30 Days of Lists Filofax

Hey everyone

Am sure by now you will have heard of Imy & Kate's Facebook group, 30 Days of Lists.  Every month a selected person will produce a list of 30 or 31 topics for us to write about.  This is open to all Philofaxy users and gives some of us, another excuse to get a Filofax. lol

So the big question is, which Filofax are you going to use for this project?

First I was going to use my daily Personal Holborn, but it's heavy enough in my handbag without adding more pages, so I decided to use my A5 Finchley.....I am really loving this Filofax right now, it's so soft and supple but firm at the same time.  I am using it as my 365 Day Journal at the moment and I think, I can just about squeeze a few more pages in there.  The pretty divider on the left is a home made divider to separate the Journal from the Lists.

I've printed the September List onto card and added a September sticker (similar to the ones I made here ) to the tab.  Hopefully you can see the list, but if you can't, you can find it on the Facebook page.

Next question was, do I use a full page for each day?  Well that would be ideal but the A5 Finchley only comes with 25mm rings and they are pretty full up all ready, I really needed to keep this to a minimum, so I created this layout, I can now get 4 days to a sheet instead of 2.

I don't use stickers that much in my Filofax, even though I have a small mountain of them, so I thought, this is a fun project, why not add some fun stickers!  Notice I haven't put numbers down the sides of the paper, this is so I can use different styles styles, ie..huge bubble letters if the list is small or tiny writing if the list is longer, maybe even use different pens, ie...chunky felt tips, crayons or even water colour paints....who knows!

Really looking forward to getting started with this now though.....and I would love to see what Filofax you are using and what ideas you have come up with to write your own lists!

Filofax Video Blogging!

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OMG!   I watch loads and loads of video Blogs about Filofaxes and would love to do one myself.  Today the house was quiet, no one was around so I thought I would give it a try!  Lordy be!  It's not as easy as it looks, how you guys make it look good is beyond me!!! 

Holding the camera straight while handling the Filofax and talking at the same time.....that is going to take some practice! 

Also, thinking of something to talk about without umming, ahhhing and saying er..... all the time is again, not easy.

So after a minute or so I stopped.  I was also very worried about my accent, I live about 25 miles from Newcastle Upon Tyne, so people think I have a "Geordie" accent.....except the Geordies who can't actually work out where I'm from. lol

So I've uploaded it just to....I dunno....ease my way into Video blogging.  But I am going to have to have a script or some more confidence or whatever before I dare attempt another. lol

Any advice on how to do this would be so much appreciated!

Pen Organiser & Filofaxing

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Let me introduce you to my Pen Case! It's really a plastic handbag organiser I bought from the Pound shop, I cut the handles off and use it as my pen organiser.  It holds absolutely loads.

On an evening I like to relax by pulling all my Filofaxes out.  I have the TV on in the background so I can half listen to whatever is on, and my Filofax Box is there right next to me.  Well it's not really a box, it's a Pilot's Brief Case

But inside, it holds a good few Filofaxes and keeps them well protected.  In this, I have some of my A5's:
Holborn Zip - unused at the moment, 
2 Chameleons - my Blog Filofax and Goddess Workbook. 
Black Holborn - I'm using as a memory journal.
Imperial Purple Finchley - I'm using as the 356 day Journal. 
2 Maldens - the Ochre one is my household planner.
The Purple Malden is my Spiritual Filofax.

With that many Journals and workbooks, I go through a selection of pens, so rather than stuff each and every Filofax with pens I have my pen holder in front of me.

In this section, I keep my "fancier" pens, and pens that have more than one colour in them. I also have a craft knife here in case I need to cut anything.

This section, I keep Pencils, erasers, correction tape and my favourite poem bookmark.

Next section is my hole punch, glue, another eraser and scissors.

Finally, I have highlighters and fine liners...though the fine liners write beautifully, they bleed through Filofax paper something awful.

The middle holds a fair amount too, in here I have gel pens in every colour imaginable and some coloured pencils.  Also have stickers and tabs, sticky tape, paper clips and a pencil case with Frixion pens in.



Some Magnetic page clips, antacid tablets, spare hole punch, paper clips and spare Rulers.

Stickers, tabs, Filofax catalogue and quick address book





My daily Personal Holborn sits on top of the bag at the end of the day ready for me to update it.

                                     

When I've finished with it all, it all tucks nicely behind my sofa out of sight....well almost. lol

So this has worked well for me for the past few months now, no having to search through pencil cases etc and everything is within easy reach.