Van der Spek Custom Layout Update

In co-operation with Petra Van der Spek, I came up with a new internal layout that I liked better than their standard layout for A5 organisers. 

Here in the photo below is the new optional layout on the left and the normal layout on the right for a Custom A5 Van der Spek.

The first obvious difference is the change to the number of card slots, these are replaced with other slots. 

The image below shows the full internal layout. 

The rear inside pocket arrangement is the same as the normal layout with a full height slip pocket and a full height zip pocket, with the zip on the outer edge so it doesn't get under your pages. 

The new optional inside front layout has:

• Three vertical card slots
• A business card horizontal slip pocket behind that. 
• A deeper booklet slip pocket above the business card slot. 
• Two full height slip pockets. 
• Elasticated pen loop.

The revised front layout has become so popular, it is now an option for all Custom A5 organisers on the Van der Spek website.

Source:Instagram @vdsshop 

You can now specify the 'Steve Layout' as well as Janet Leather! 

Further Information.

Web Site: http://www.vdsshop.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VDSleathergoods
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vanderspekorganiserfans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vdsshop/

My custom Van der Spek order - by Anita

After writing my previous post, my custom standard Van der Spek arrived more quickly than expected and I am SO delighted with it! Petra kindly sent me some photos to include in this post.

The outside has a wonderfully pebbly texture in the red Janet Leather and I love the contrast with the smoother burgundy inside. It's funny how much I like the burgundy as I really wasn't sure at first when I received my leather samples.

Janet Leather red (108) with light grey ostrich stitching

Janet Leather burgundy, light grey ostrich stitching, 25mm silver rings, extra pen loop, big back pocket, no stiffener

Once I'd completed my order, I did consider asking if I could instead have matching stitching inside and out, instead of the contrasting light grey. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I am so glad that I didn't change as I am a little obsessed with it! Maybe that's a little strange, but the stitching is beautiful and the contrast works well with both colours in my opinion.

Before I got to the checkout, I had a good think about buying a zipper compartment, but I only really need a zipped pocket when I use my binder as my wallet, which isn't very often. Aha, I then remembered that I still have my trusty plastic pencil case that I hole punched (7 years old and still going strong).

The only thing that I didn't think about was that the thicker Janet Leather with the big back pocket means that it didn't initially lie flat, which was a surprise. However, in the short amount of time that I've been using it (since 15th August), it has already started to improve and squashing it down a little helps too.

I just removed the contents from my Ascot and plonked them straight in.

I haven't started to properly use the pockets yet, but this one at the back is perfect for holding my Hobonichi stencil.

I've never owned a personal sized binder with a big back pocket, but I really think that they should all have one as it's so handy for storing A4 paperwork.

Another consideration for when I was ordering was whether or not I wanted to move up to 30mm rings. In the end, I decided against it as I wasn't sure how heavy it would make the binder, and if I really need all that extra capacity. I'm glad that I went for 25mm as my binder holds a surprising amount more than my Ascot.

You can see here the difference in ring sizes:
25mm in standard size VdS
23mm in the Ascot

To check the difference in capacity between the two, I filled the Ascot up with paper and then moved this into the VdS. You can definitely see that there is room for quite a bit more in the VdS.

Another comparison that I did was to completely fill both, remove the contents and measure how high the inserts were: - the Ascot had 14mm vs. 27mm in the VdS!

The VdS is slightly larger and wider than the Ascot, but I'm very happy as between the larger ring size and big back pocket, it consequently holds so much more.

View from the top of VdS

View from bottom of the VdS (profile quite slim without the big back pocket)

As my overall plan was to get back again to owning one binder, I have now sold the Ascot and it's currently on its way to a wonderful new home in the US. Ironically, my work colleague then gave me back a mini Kensington that I gifted to her many years ago, so for a short while I was then back up to three binders. Whilst the mini Kensington is lovely, it is also on its way to a new home in the US.

I've never named any of my Filofaxes before, but as this binder is such a special one, I started to think about what I would call her. How to choose? Some of the names that I considered were Binky (Death's horse from Terry Pratchett's Discworld books), Valentina (Tereshkova, first woman in space) or Yuri (Gagarin, first person in space). However, none of them really stuck. And then a perfect name came to me whilst writing this post... My VdS is a real TARDIS as for its size, it's much bigger on the inside, like Doctor Who's time machine. I'm a bit of a Doctor Who fan, so I then remembered an episode that I loved called the Doctor's Wife (written by Neil Gaiman), where the TARDIS is placed in a human body and the woman's name is Idris. I also like the actor, Idris Elba, so we have a winner!

Finally, I'd like to say a huge thank you again to my friend that helped me raise the funds to buy Idris, and to everyone at Van der Spek for making me such a wonderful organiser.
Further Information.

Web Site: http://www.vdsshop.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VDSleathergoods
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vanderspekorganiserfans/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vdsshop/

Guest Post: Custom-made hand-tooled leather planner

Thank you to Sharon for permission to use her post here on Philofaxy. 

Swoon. I'm obsessed with this new custom planner by JMR Custom Leather on Etsy. I sent 30mm Krause rings to him use in this beauty. Just LOOK

Beautifully braided stitching on the edges

Krause rings, and fits Franklin Covey compact sized inserts, elasticized pen loop

Front

Back

J.Mark Rhoades (he goes by Mark), the artist who made this allowed me to share some insight into his inspiration:

My craft is old school leather carving/tooling. The designs are actually hand carved and tooled into vegetable tanned saddle leather. Everything is done pretty much one at a time. Most leather products that people are familiar with from retail type stores are actually embossed/stamped with  hydraulic presses in mass production facilities. Mass produced embossing simply cannot achieve the depth, texture and detail of hand craftsmanship. My patterns are derivations of "Sheridan" style carving that was developed by master saddle makers in Wyoming.
I began tooling leather as a hobby a few years ago and made items for family and friends. Over time, I began selling a few custom order items. I am still employed as a full time college professor, so this limits the number of items that I can offer for sale. However, I hope to expand the business very soon and will be launching my own website Star Mountain Leather in May. -
J.Mark Rhoades

Thank you Sharon for permission to use your post, the organiser certainly looks lovely I hope James gets lots of orders from our readers. 

If you have any questions about these wonderful products please leave them below and we will do our best to get Sharon or James to answer them for you.