Hobonichi Techo Avec A6 - unboxing

UPDATE - I love the layout and the paper, so I have ordered the Cousin in A5. I will be using this A6 one to experiment with layouts and to note ideas for putting in the larger Hobonichi!

This is a picture heavy post!

I have seen different videos of Hobonichi diaries/planners and wanted to try the Tomoe River paper and simplified planner pages myself. So I purchased a six month A6 version to try, from etsy seller danika58, to see if I am a Hobonichi convert BEFORE I commit to a more expensive A5 12 month version.

The package arrived from Japan very fast, within a week of purchasing, I was impressed with this as Aussie domestic post can take a loooong time so to have an International post arrive so fast (and free postage) was amazing.

When it arrived, even though I knew it was A6, I was still surprised how tiny it is!  Despite its small size it has a day to a page, month pages, a year overview/index and other pages. The Tomoe River Paper can pack a lot of pages in small space. In some of the pictures here you will also see how easy the pages are to read and use despite the small size.

Compared to my A5 Filofax Malden it is very small!

The Techo Avec comes with a small pamphlet, it is in Japanese so I have no idea what is in it, but from the illustrations it appears to be ideas about how to use the planner. 

Sorry this photo has the shadow of my phone on it! Despite the photo bombing from my phone,you can see how clearly the day on a page information is printed, the checklist boxes and the grid ruling.

Time table page at the back of the book - I like this it could be used for daily tasks that are repeated.

There is a two page spread at the back with an enumerated list of 100 lines to add your top 100 lists of ... something. I like this it could be used for 100 blog topics, journal prompts, favourite things.

There are two pages of exercises you can do in the office, I cannot read the Japanese but the illustrations are well done and I can understand what the exercises are.

There are two pages with useful phrases in different languages - this is quite a useful and education feature.

More photo bombing from my phone here ... but if you ignore the phone shadow you can see a page where you can list gift ideas to buy or make for people and, a page that can list up to six addresses.

I think this next page is for your details, in Filofax the page is usually put at the front of the pages in the binder.

The pages have months shown by coloured rectangles printed on the pages, like tabs, as you can see by this side view.

Each Hobonichi has a seal with a unique number. 

This is a really nice touch, makes the book special!

I will do another blog later on how I am using the book.

A glimpse of my purple Malden personal filofax

This gorgeous Filofax has been used daily since 2012, it is the only one of my large collection of Filofaxes and notebooks that I have named. This is Little Purple. 

For more posts about filofax and other planners please see this page >> here << 

Whether I use it as my primary diary/organiser/planner, or whether I use it for lists and information (as in the old 'file of facts') it has been used every day. Thrown in bags, dropped on desks and working like the little amazing purple powerhouse it is. The cover just looks better and better with the slight scratches and stains it gathers on the way.

The rings are perfect and have stood up to the test of time, opening and closing and lots of paper stuffed in them! I have so many tabs and clips and all sorts of things stashed in Little Purple.

Currently I have a day to a page, and lots of lists, information and note pages crammed inside. For the diary section I use printables that are provided for free by Philofaxy and  I print these on Tomoe River paper. This paper is very thin, like paper in a traditional bible, and is fountain pen friendly and strong. What I like about this paper, other than it being ink friendly, is that as the paper is so thin I can fit heaps of pages in my organiser!

I have a page at the front after a clear plastic dashboard that uses Alice in Wonderland illustrations by Sir John Tenniel. This has no functional purpose other than I like it and it makes me happy!

I edged my day to a page pages in month groups, with Washi tape from local Aussie washi tape seller Chiyogami Designs.

Here is my Filofax Malden personal sized in purple in all its stuffed goodness.

I have a cute little maneki neko in gold  hanging from the bottom ring. It makes me smile to see it.

I use tabs both on the side and the top of pages to divide different sections. I use a silhouette machine to cut out tab shapes from adhesive paper. I made a tassel from lilac embroidery thread and a glass bead which I have attached to the clasp.

So many pages!  Here you can see the edges of my Malden pages: day to a page, shopping lists, volunteer information, pets and vets information, wish lists, measurement conversions, maps, ... a useful and aesthetically pleasing organiser - Little Purple!

See more about Little purple in this post >> here <<