Filofax Aston Competition

So you have read the review about the new Filofax Aston, now you can have the chance to win the review sample kindly supplied by Filofax UK.

But being Philofaxy, we just don't get you to put your name in the comments box and we pick out the lucky winner out of a hat... nope we expect you to work a little bit for your prize.

In the review I mentioned how the design and quality of the Filofax Aston reminded me of cars. Aston Martin is a UK luxury car maker known world wide, in the same way that Filofax is known for producing luxury leather goods. 

But not everyone can afford an Aston Martin, or can they?

So to enter the competition please answer all of the following questions:

1. What is the name of the new luxury city car launched by Aston Martin in the last year?
   
2. Which car is it based on?
   
3. In this years Le Mans 24 hour race, Aston Martin are entering two cars in the LMP1 catergory. Name the two British drivers that will be driving the cars.

To enter, answer all of the questions above and send them in an email to philofaxy at gmail dot com marking the subject of your Email 'Aston'   The closing date/time for entries is Noon (French time) on Saturday 11th June

The winner will be announced at 15:00 (French time) on Saturday 11th June, which is the start of the Le Mans 24 hour endurance race. The answers to the questions will also be made public at the same time.

Good luck to everyone.

The rules:

• You must provide Philofaxy with your name and postal address if you wish to enter this competition.
  
• Philofaxy will only ever use your personal details for the purposes of administering this competition, and will not publish them or provide them to anyone without your permission.
  
• Only one entry will be accepted per person.
  
• The deadline for receiving entries for the competition is final. No entries received after the given date will be considered.
  
• The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  
• The winner will be contacted personally.
  
• The prize must be taken as stated. There will be no cash alternatives.
  
• Philofaxy does not accept any responsibility for late or lost entries due to the Internet. Proof of sending is not proof of receipt.
  
• No responsibility is accepted for ineligible entries or entries made fraudulently.
  
• Philofaxy reserves the right to cancel this competition at any stage, if deemed necessary in its opinion, and if circumstances arise outside of its control.
  
• Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering this competition.

What's in your Filofax?: Information

Today in our What's in your Filofax? series the topic is information.

As we all know, I love all the international information that comes in the Filofax diary inserts. (Click here to see my post about it.)  I like to have as much information in my Filofax as possible, so that it's right at my fingertips when I'm out and about or traveling.

In my personal Deco I keep an entire tabbed section labeled International that houses all the international information pages from my Filofax diary inserts, for easy access. I like being able to find dialing codes, lists of holidays and religious festivals easily.

Now that I'm living in Indonesia I especially use these pages, because here there are lots of holidays I'm not familiar with. Luckily the Indonesian holidays are indicated on the day spaces (as RI), there is a list of Indonesian holidays in the International Information pages, and if I don't know the significance of the date I can usually find it on the Religious Holidays list. Holidays from a variety of religions are recognized here including Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu, so it's nice to be able to reference these easily.

I also use the international clothing size charts, and I especially appreciate that children's sizes are included!

I also have a page from my Franklin Covey weekly inserts that has a list of Holidays and Observances for 2010 through 2015, which is very handy.

I even have a perpetual calendar page that I cut out of a pocket size planner a couple of years ago and taped onto a Filofax page to fit on the rings. It allows you to determine what day any date falls on in any year from 1800 to 2050.  For example, what day is April 25, 2020?  It's a Saturday!

What types of pre-printed information pages do you like to keep in your Filofax? Or, do you feel like these pages clutter up your book and you prefer to keep them out?

Filofax Aston - Review

The Filofax 'Aston' is one of the new styles released in 2011. As its name implies the Aston is at the luxury end of the product range. It is made from 'Deluxe Leather', the stitching detail as you will hopefully see from the photographs is quite delicate and very well done.

So how does the 'Aston' compare to the other organisers in the range... ones you will most probably be more familiar with.  My first impression when I opened the package was 'Finchley'. It has the same soft feel of the Finchley mini that I have. It is very soft to touch, but may be not as supple as say the Malden, but no were near as stiff as say a Finsbury or a Classic.

In pocket size the Aston has the following features:

• 19mm rings, yes I've measured them! This is the same as the Malden. 
• On the left hand side there are four horizontal credit card slots, and a full length vertical pocket behind them. 
• On the right hand side there is a leather zipped pocket. On the Finchley this is a mesh pocket, not as nice as the leather on the Aston in my opinion.  There is also an elasticated leather pen loop. 
• The Aston comes with cotton cream inserts: Diary(Week on Two Pages), To Do, Ruled paper, Addresses, Three letter index, Brown ruler.  

What the Aston pocket doesn't have is a full width exterior rear pocket, which the Finchley doesn't have either. But what it does mean is that the pocket size does lay flat virtually from day 1. I compared it to my 'broken in' Chameleon pocket, which does have the rear pocket and the Aston does lay flatter than the Chameleon pocket.  So the lack of the rear pocket or the ability to lay flat could be a decider for some people.

However, when I have tried the Aston out as a Wallet/Filofax and it holds everything that I need to carry: Passport, Drivers licence, Credit Cards. The rear pocket I only use for paper money and as I carry less and less of that these days, the lack of the rear pocket on the Aston wouldn't be a big issue for me.

So some pictures, this is the pocket size in Mushroom. The leather 'panels' reminded me of the crease lines you get on a car bonnet (or hood if you are in North America)

 

They continue on to the back of the organiser as well, but without the centre stitching, so just like a boot or trunk of a car.

Without the stationary you can see how flat the Aston lays. 

 

A close up of the inside front cover. 

And also a close up of the base of the spine, stitching all the different panels together must be quite a task, even if it might be done by a machine these days. 

And finally open with the cotton cream stationary back in place. 

The Aston is available at present in the following colours: Black, Chocolate, Orchid, Mushroom. It is available in Pocket, Personal and A5 sizes. and the prices range from £72 for the Pocket, £83 for the Personal and £125 for the A5. These prices are the same as the equivalent size Finchleys.

The Aston I'm told will be available on the Filofax website sometime in June 2011.

Aston Chocolate

Aston Orchid

I would like to thank Filofax for the opportunity to review this new model and for sending me this free sample.

Web Finds - 31 May 2011

So a few more Filofax web finds to keep you amused.

• I need a smaller bag - My Little Life
• Custom Filofax paper by Maudiemade - the lowlife of the party
• My Old Faithful Filofax - The State of Grace
• Horrendous Blogging Habits and New Filofaxes  - Rori

Enjoy

Free For All Tuesday No. 17

The last day of the month, therefore your last chance in May to ask us lots and lots of questions about Filofax.... or Flex by Filofax for that matter.