recording life:: sept 23 - sept 29 2013

This week has been much more relaxing compared to the past few weeks, which I am glad for.  But assessments and projects will be keeping me very busy throughout the week so there would not be much of a "break" for me.  However, I am flying home next week to visit my family so I am looking forward to that. 

To Do list pad, washi tape samples, all gifts from cafeetpapier;  Uni style fit barrel and assorted refills from Jetpens.

I did not use many tools this time around, mostly washi tape samples and post-it notes that were gifted to me by Kait.  I am loving the uni style fit as they are just so useful.  All the colours that I need to colour code and a black pen is in this one nifty pen.  I can't help but tell you all how much I love it!

What tools have you been using to decorate your Filofax?
Much loves!

recording life:: sept 16 - sept 22 2013

Practical reports and various assessments have been dominating my weeks lately.  It's just that time in the semester where the assessments keep coming at you, one right after the other! {{Good thing I have my Filofax to keep me both organised AND distracted...}}.

It is now the end of Week 8 of second semester - can we PLEASE have our midsemester break now?

pawoo elephant stickers purchased from etsy; cloud sticky tabs purchased from eBay; camera washi tape and green polka dot washi tape, a gift from cafeetpapier; pink lace washi tape, a gift from littleredmoose; coleto barrels and assorted pen refills from Jetpens.

The supplies that I used this week include washi tape, my favourite elephant stickers and the most adorable cloud sticky notes.  I love the transparent elephant stickers, they are just so adorable and I've been trying to use them sparingly! Also, I adore clouds.  Fluffy clouds with a bit of sunshine makes me happy!  Once again, I used my two Coleto pens to write and doodle with this week {{might just switch it up with the uni style fit next week!}}.

Hope everybody is doing well and the days are treating you right.

it has been a good mail week

I feel so incredibly lucky to have two beautiful souls as my penpals. 
September 18 and September 19 mark the days by which I received my first two letters from Rin {{@paperedthoughts}} & Win Nie {{@win_nie}}.

Melbourne made a switch back to grey days and drizzle with a chilly breeze and it was so very lovely to receive these two envelopes to cheer up my dull week.

From Rin:

From Win Nie:

Whenever I look at these letters, I smile to myself - I just can't help it! 
I hope they make you smile too.

Do you love receiving letters?
Any experienced penpallers out there that have tips for a newbie {{like me}}?
Stay happy!

a review of the zebra mildliners in mild & fluorescent

Wouldn't it be nice if highlighters came in pastel colours?

Zebra mildliners have these mild & fluorescent highlighters that are just so lovely and gives the right touch of pastel yumminess.

This set was a gift from Kaitlyn from cafeetpapier and are a perfect companion for your planner and study notes.  

The milder colours of the Zebra Mildliners are so much more soothing to the eyes compared to the Stabilo Swing Cool highlighers that I own.  As such, they've made increasing appearances in my study notes and assessments to address key points that I must remember.

These swatches were made on normal white Filofax paper that comes along when the diary is purchased.  Due to the poor quality of the paper, I also added a photo of any show through.

Bleed-through is seen when the highlighter is applied at greatest pressure.  Any kind of show-through is not "okay" with me but in this case, I blame the tissue paper thin Filofax insert than the highlighter themselves.

These pastel, dreamy colours are lovely to look at and the jelly-like caps are too adorable!  My favourites amongst them are the pink, mint green and blue.  The yellow and orange highlighters still retain the fluorescence but are nowhere near as bright as the yellow and orange highlighters offered by other American and Australian stationery brands.

These highlighters also have a thick {{highlighter}} tip and a fine {{marker}} tip, which makes the higlighters all the more versatile.

While the final highlighted appearance seem quite promising, I do find the Zebra mildliners to be quite dry.  There is noticeable drag when highlighting that I have never experienced before {{not that I've had my share of highlighters...}}.  I wonder if this may be to keep the highlighted area from being saturated with colour, therefore preventing it from being too strong. 

Overall, this set offers a combination of fool-proof colours that will keep any pastel enthusiasts happy.

the pink finny

I'm a pink kinda girl.

Being in Australia, I didn't know {{colourful}} Filofaxes existed.  I thought the metropol in lavender or kingfisher blue was as far as colours go. 

Then I came across cafeetpapier's Instagram.  And it was LOVE.  She possessed a gorgeous pink Finsbury AND a yellow Finsbury.  It was through Kaitlyn {{cafeetpapier}} that I discovered the Filofax community on Facebook and Instagram.

We became fast friends {{we're twinner twinner chicken dinner, as she says}} and before you know it, she said she'll get a pink finny in my hands by the end of the year.
...
...
...
No, it's not the end of the year, but I'm sure as most of you know {{hello Instagram followers!}} a pink finny fell into my lap.

I have to repeat, it's love!

Inspirational quote found on Pinterest.

I love how soft and textured she is.  She's getting shinier by the day from the oils of my hands and everyday use. 
I didn't change the set up between my metropol and finny at all, I instantly moved right in!

The zip pocket is handy for a little bit of cash and the card slots hold my credit card washis {{transparent credit cards (?) gifted to me by dear littleredmoose}}.

The colour just makes me oh so happy!
Is it the same for you?
Does your Filofax make you feel instantly better because of its colour?

recording lifee:: sept 9 - sept 15 2013

The first few days of this week may just be the most difficult this semester of uni. 

I was scheduled to have two midsemester tests and two quizzes on the Monday and with the help of my planner, I felt prepared {{and not stressed}} about my ordeal.  

Eleven minutes into my first midsemester of the day, the fire alarm went off and we were effectively kicked out.  The replacement midsemester was the next day, which changed my "To Dos" for the Monday and Tuesday {{the rest of the week, really!}}.  The rest of the week was spent catching up on my studies.

Motivational quotes scattered here and there kept me going and the cheery colours helped lift my mood this week.

Sticky tabs from Typo & pink stripe washi tape, gifts from littleredmoose; flower washi tape & Martha Stewart classic sticky notes, gifts from cafeetpapier; coleto barrels from sweet collection & assorted pen refills purchased from Jetpens.

The supplies that I used to pretty up my week include Martha Stewart post it notes, washi tape, assorted stickers {{also a gift from cafeetpapier}}, and a few doodles with the help of my Coletos.

I'm ready to say hello to the next week {{and more sleep}}.

the squishy metropol

I was a pretty disorganised person.  {{NOTE: "was"}}
My room was a mess and meals weren't planned out.  I was constantly being surprised by assessments and notes to myself and lists of what I had to do were scribbled somewhere to be lost.
Scrap pieces of paper used to hold my whole uni semester's life {{and risked being thrown out by the boyfriend -cough cough-}}

As first semester exams approached, I knew I had to get my life in order.  A goodie good good friend of mine asked for a diary for her 21st and we insisted on bringing her to Officeworks, the local stationery shop in Australia.  Soon after {{more like an hour!}}, we left with a brand spanking new red personal sized metropol by Filofax.

And...
I followed suit.

Not long after, I fell in love with this:

A personal metropol in kingfisher blue!
She's soft, she's squishy and she's my new diary!

Motivational quote from photocardboutique.

I fell in love with this system as it allowed me to personalise the diary to my needs.

The rings allow me to move what I need to where I need it to be and shuffle it around till I arranged a suitable system.  While I paid the extortionate $80 that was asked for in Australia, I did not regret it!  This is because it has allowed me to plan my time better with extra social activities.  It also led me to a great community on instagram {{#filofax got me obsessed!}} and I got to know a fair few of you girlies on there!

Some things never change -
My room is still a mess {{crafty stuff and sticky notes still lie on the floor}}
And I still scribble on scrap pieces of paper.

But my studies have never been more organised and I have never felt more prepared for my assessments.  As a student, I'm glad that has changed.

Now, I can...
Stop and smell the roses, as the saying goes.

How much has a diary/organiser, Filofax or not, changed your life?
Much loves to you all.

hello hello

 

Just a girlie dreaming of free days and cool summer nights. {{life needs more sun, don't you think?}}

This blog was created with the intention of a space just for me.  A place where I can share my loves, my laughs & my favourites.  {{general life stuff, you know what I mean, right?}}

I'm a Science student, residing in beautiful Melbourne, with big dreams.  I have a thing for sweet milky teas, colours & stationery.

It would be lovely if you could come back for more.