17 November 2013

Reader Under The Spotlight - Courtney

Well Hello there! I'm Courtney, a little Aussie artist, bride to be and mother of two little mop haired brown eyed babes. I have been a stationery geek for as long as I can remember, being introduced to it through my mum at a very young age, I have always had a love and adoration for paper. I have always kept a journal, and a planner together from my high school days to uni days into motherhood. You can find my little nook over here :- http://ravenscauldron.blogspot.com.au where you can read about my planner life, my epic weight loss journey and how a planner helps me with it,also my daily art journal practice.

1. When did you buy your first Filofax and what was it?

I have carried a ring binder back in high school and it was a no named green thing that got beaten to death in my school bag, but it lasted the distance. When it comes to the brand Filofax, my first was in June of this year, when I bought a personal Malden in Orche. It was love at first sight. My first filofax is lovingly in her box awaiting Christmas, and will be given to my Mum as her xmas gift, as I have moved on.

2. What other brands have you used or considered using?

I had been a total Filofax Fangirl, owning an A5 Original for my wedding planner, a Vintage Green Tejus, a personal pink Finsbury and the Orche Malden, oh and a raspberry Chameleon! Until I got eyes for Gillio. My oh my! did they steal a leather lovers heart. I had looked at the other Aussie brands around as well, but nothing really grabbed me, although I do now own an a5 KikkiK planner for our family Planner.

3. Out of the organisers you own which is your current favourite (Style and Size)?

My favourite style is the inside of the Malden, I do admit when I moved into my Dark Brown Medium Companga, there were elements of the Malden that I missed! I had my setup perfect in the Malden, and it got thrown when I moved into my Gillio. I think if the Malden and the Companga were to take notes from each other there could be a super planner to be had!

4. How many Filofax organisers do you own? 

Currently in my possession I have 2 A5's 2 Personal sizes and 1 Pocket on its way to me. I have 2 personal sitting waiting for their new owners as well as one pocket about to be posted to her new owner. I don't count the sold planners to be mine anymore. so I have 5 that are actually mine 2 A5's 2 personals, and one pocket.

5. What is the oldest Filofax in your collection?

If I was go to out into my studio and find my beaten up high school one, I'd say it, but it would be The Vintage Tejus. When it arrived, you could smell the age on her. Filled with vintage discoloured paper, full of mystery and wonder.

6. What do you use your Filofax for?

I call it my brain. Even though I am relatively young...I forget things like a goldfish. If its not written down, it gets forgotten under the mass of housework, what the heck do I cook for dinner tonight, and many of  'mummmmm Elijah is annoyyyyying meeee' and so on! I use my planners to keep myself in check, from housework, to weight loss, to cooking, shopping lists, to  keeping track of the mail I send out and receive ( being a big penpal girl). I have notes for my blog, ideas for my book, Swap information, all the upcoming school stuff, my fiance's work schedule. My commission work for my business, everything and anything is held between the pages of my planners! I even have an whole a5 devoted to my wedding next year. They are extensions of myself.

7. What was the feature about Filofax you like most?

I cant break it. When it comes to technology, I usually somehow, some way break it...I am the clumsiest woman you will meet. And it would take a hell of a lot for me to break my planner! yes the rings might miss align but it wouldn't spin out my world. I love that I can compartmentalize my life into sections, so that it is easier to think about on single thing...then a conglomerate of things. It helps me be more clear and focused on the task at hand than my 'oh squirrel' attitude I sometimes get as an artist.

8. If you could design your own Filofax what would it feature?

I think I already touched on this, the Companga and the Malden having a one night stand and making my super planner. With the card slots of the Malden, and the back pocket of the Companga. I think there is a bliss waiting to happen in that idea.

9. How do you carry your Filofax?

If you catch me on my kid free day where I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off doing all my errands, you will find me racing around the shops with my planner in my hand, always checking the mammoth to-do lists, checking things off, writing out addresses onto envelopes. If you find me any other time, it is thrown into my handbag, with me at all times. I also use a pocket Mia Cara Gillio as my wallet, so I will probably always have a planner at my finger tips.

10. Which Filofax in the current range do you like the most? Are you going to buy it?

I still adore the Malden, and if I wasn't a complete Gillio convert I would still have my Malden in my hands, but I know my Ochre will be loved by Mum. Although that Charleston is rather lovely!
If I was to buy a Filofax right now if I could get my hands on it, it would be an A5 Mustard Finchley. Makes me smile just thinking of that pretty colour.

11. What is the most you have ever spent on a Filofax? Which model?

The A5 Original in fluro pink was my most expensive. Once converted to Aussie Dollars and Postage it cost me about $160 AUD. That is the most I've spent on a Filofax...lets not work out the digits on my Gillio's though...because that is...moving on.

12. What's your favourite Filofax tip or hack?

Hmmmm I like to use Hambly overlays as my dividers, so that if I have things I need to remember about a certain sections, I can post it note the to-do or the idea to the front of the section, so I'm not flicking through the pages trying to find that to-do list I wrote last week in amongst my scrawl. I make them all moveable too by slitting the holes so they can be moved in and out without opening my rings. I also made clear plastic tabs for the dividers, so they wouldn't get ragged with use and time. I also loved cutting up baseball card protectors to house family photos at the front of my planner.

13. Turning to Philofaxy, what do you like the most?

The absolute variety of the posts. There is no bias, there is no right or wrong...there is just information, and so much of it! When I got back into planners, this blog was a lighthouse of information for a new comer to drink up and absorb like a sponge. It really is an amazing source to have at our fingertips.

14. And what do you not like about Philofaxy?

I don't think there is anything I don't like about the blog, it used to the be overall look! but that recently has changed and looking mighty fine! so with that being rectified nothing at all!

15. What was the last music track you downloaded or bought?

Kiss Me by Ed Shearen, which is the song I am going to walk down the isle to.

16.  Mark Darcy or Daniel Cleaver?  

Mark Darcy of course!

Thank you Courtney for your contribution to Readers Under The Spotlight.

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