Reader Under The Spotlight - Louise

I'm Louise, a teacher in "sunny" Essex UK. I've always loved stationery, I got my first job in a local department store in the kitchenware department and jumped at the chance to move to the stationery department after a few months of working there. This is where my interest in Filofax started and I became an enabler ensuring that everyone who wanted a present got brought a Filofax at some point (especially with my store discount).

I now live alone and relit my fire for Filofax about 2 years ago when I needed to become more organised with my life because I was upsetting myself and others by forgetting things. 

I blog at www.vintagegiraffe.blogspot.com where it's a combination between crafting, Filofaxing and becoming debt free. My 3 main topics if you stop and talk to me at any point. Feel free to come over and say hello!! 

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

I brought my first Filofax in 2004 when I worked in John Lewis near my school, I was fortunate enough to work in the stationery department which was an amazing job for someone so in love with all of it. I'd had funfaxes when I was little and still remember my aunt brought me one every time I saw her. I'd love to know where they went. My first Filofax was a pocket Metopole shortly followed by a slim line pocket executive.  

I loved that the WH Smith store near me did Disney themed Filofax pages and I had dividers, address pages and note pages all brought in a January at 18p each ( I still have the packaging and some pages left)

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

I've not really used many other diaries other than the obligatory school ones. I used to buy lots of French school planners as I found these most user friendly for every day school/university use (having had forgotten about my Filofaxes) my Filofaxes mentioned above stopped being used the day I started university after 2 years of solid use. It was only a few days ago I was thinking how much more organised I could have been at university if I had all my notes and diary and samples (fabric course) kept together.

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

Right now I'm in absolute love with my pocket Adelphi, brought off eBay. As I'm trying to get debt free at the minute I'm not carrying any cards anywhere with me, the front pocket is perfect for me to keep all my points cards and cash without it being obvious that I'm carrying it all.

Those that read my blog will also notice that I am currently changing my diary a lot. In the past 3 weeks have I had 4 different diary lay outs including week on one page, week on 2 pages, two days per page and the new Olympic diary - week to view but spread across the double spread. At the moment this is my favourite as I can use the left to forward plan and the right to look back at my day.

4. How many Filofax organisers do you own?
 

I currently own 9 Filofaxes in a wide variety of sizes from Mini to A5. Four of which I have never actually used, but purchased to use for storage and they tend to be taken out of my Filofax drawer, stroked and put back again.

5. What do you use your Filofax for?
 

I'm currently using 3 Filofaxes at the same time, there's two that I really can't be without, my work Filofax an A5 graphic zip which I used Ray and Steve's day to page diary inserts to adapt for my teaching timetable, I also keep all my mark sheets in here, letters from parents, information about all teaching courses I have been on, and everything else that's important for my teaching life.I also use the Pocket Adelphi as mentioned above. She's (Named Ceecee) a continual work in progress and I love that I can change things in her to suit my impending needs.

I also have a new baby that I'm currently working on (been together for 3 days now) she's an old A5 Kensington in Brown and is set up as a combination between a journal and a scrap book. I've rummaged around the crafting room and found some exciting papers, envelopes etc and build something really exciting to do something similar to a smash book. I will be blogging about this very soon.

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

I love that you can personalised everything as you want, if you feel the need to change something about the way it is working, unlike other diaries you do not need to go and purchase everything again.

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

It would be leather, pocket sized. Have the biggest rings available. Bright colours, two elasticated pen loops. I'd love it to have lots of card slots, the vertical pocket for cash, a zip pocket at the back to hide things (not a mesh pocket as I never see the point)

8. How do you carry your Filofax?
 

My personal one is always in my hand bag, or on the sofa next to me. In fact I actually go to bed with it every night. Heaven knows if there is an emergency in the middle of the night or I have a brain wave about something and have to write it down. I actually have it under the covers with me (don't ask me why, but I'd love to know if anyone else is this precious about theirs as well)

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

I quite like the pocket luxe at the minute, I'm not sure if I'm going to buy it though as I'm head over heels in love with my Adelphi at the minute. I'm looking forward to going to the Philofaxy London meet up and according to Imy I have no choice but actually buy one while I'm there.

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

I spent £37.50 on my personal butterfly Filofax just little over a year ago now. I saw her in my local WH Smith but at £75 I knew she was well outside my price range, I bought myself a new pad for my Personal Domino and walked away. When I got home I realised I had a card that gave me 50% off anything in store. So I walked straight back and brought her on the spot. I really enjoyed my time I spent with her, but I came to the conclusion that I couldn't see any point in a personal and an A5 when I rarely wrote anything important in the personal, but still needed her. So I down sized a month or so ago to a pocket.

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

I love waking on a Saturday morning to the web finds. My family now know not to phone me on a Saturday morning because I don't actually get out of bed until I have read every single web find. Like many other Philofaxy readers I get really excited to find myself in that list.

12. And what do you not like about Philofaxy?
 

I hate that not all Filofax users know about Philofaxy. I get really excited why I see someone with a Filofax and I make sure that before we finish our conversation that they know about it and ensure that they start getting the most out of their filo's. I have been known to direct someone to Philofaxy before they ever think about purchasing their first one!!!

13. What was the last music album CD you bought or downloaded?

Oooo now this is a hard question, I don't tend to buy many albums as I like to pick and choose the music from albums, the last entire album I purchased was by the soldiers as I'm from a military background and I'm always wanting to support the forces in anyway we can, never mind their music is amazing.

Thank you Louise for agreeing to go under the Philofaxy Spotlight.