Review: William Hannah Notebook
In September I was lucky enough to be sent the William Hannah Notebook for review, and I have to tell you... it was love at first sight - literally! I love my bullet journal and I'm a big fan of the Leuchtturm1917 notebooks. However, since seeing Nicole's and Cristina's disc binding journals, I really wanted to give that type of notebook a try. So, when David from William Hannah approached me, I was over the moon!
I was able to choose any combination I wanted, so even though my favourite colour is blue, I went for the Bordeaux & Fuchsia Notebook. The William Hannah is an A5 size notebook that comes in 15 amazing colour combinations. I have to say that all the notebooks look amazing and I had a difficult time deciding on which combination to go for. I must have spend at least an hour on their website deciding on the colours.
When the postman delivered the box, it felt like Christmas came early! The packaging was fantastic. It comes all wrapped up in a black box with the WH initials.
The notebook itself is absolutely amazing and of high quality. The cover is made of leather that is so incredibly soft (and smells so good!), and the inside lining is made of high quality Italian suede.
I love the metal accents that give character to the notebook.
The attention to detail is exquisite!
The disc binding mechanism is made out of 303 gauge stainless steel that promises never to tarnish. I really like the stainless steel bar that they use to keep the discs in place inside the cover. That gives the notebook stability and security. That was one of my basic worries with the disc binding notebooks, but it seems that the WH Notebook won't have any problems like that.
You can easily remove the paper by pulling down from the top.
After choosing the colour of the leather and the suede lining, then you can choose the layout, quantity and line colour of your pages. The quality of the paper is amazing - extra thick 115gsm acid free luxury paper - which is so smooth that your pens literally glide on it.
In the above page is my Pen Test Pages for Leuchtturm1917 and the William Hannah notebooks respectively. The pens write so beautifully on the WH notebook - it's a dream!
And there is literally no ghosting in the WH one! ( In the above page it's the Leuchtturm1917 on the left and the William Hannah on the right).
The colour of the pages is slightly whiter than that of Leuchtturm1917 - something that I personally prefer. And the space between the dots is 5mm, the same like Leuchtturm1917.
You can choose from plain, dotted, lined and grid paper. They come in packets of 10 sheets, so that you can get a variety (like I did) to try them out. You can configure it in any combination of 60 sheets (or more if you wish). You can also choose a different ink colour of your pages - if you look more closely in the above picture, I chose pink and purple for some of my pages. They also have a To-Do list and a Year at a view calendar.
As you can understand I love this notebook!
PROS
- It has great product quality.
- Excellent paper quality and thickness.
- Flexibility - you can take the pages in and out and rearrange your notebook as you want.
- Gives you the choice of separation between all the categories that you might have in your bullet journal.
- You can use it over and over again - you just need to add pages.
On the other hand though, there are some disadvantages compared to the normal notebooks.
- Price - It retails at £95 (+ shipping) which is quite expensive, but then again you get to use the notebook over and over again.
- The separation of the pages could be a bit restricting for certain types of spreads that require the pages to be connected.
- You can add a specific number of pages at a time.
For me the pros definitely outweight the cons. I trully believe this is an amazing product that you can invest on and have for life. I can't wait to start drawing and making my bullet journal spreads in it! If you like the William Hannah Notebook, make sure you put it in your Xmas Wish List ;) Don't forget to visit their website for more information.
Bullet Journal: My October Set Up
October is already here, even though it doesn't really feel like it. In Cyprus it's still 32 degrees and it definitely feels more like summer! But of course a new month means a new bullet journal set up, so I'm going to share with you the way I've set up my BuJo for October.
October is already here, even though it doesn't really feel like it. In Cyprus it's still 32 degrees and it definitely feels more like summer! But of course a new month means a new bullet journal set up, so I'm going to share with you the way I've set up my BuJo for October.
I had a lot of fun making the first page of the month. I wanted to do something different and in the end I came up with these two characters. The cat reminds me of Hercules - my previous cat that I miss so much...
The next page is my Gratitude page that I always include in every month's set up. It keeps me grounded and helps me focus on the most important things during the day.
Moving further, the next page is my month at a glance, where I write all my appointments, events, birthdays and generally any important day I need to remember. On the right page is my monthly focus. Here I write any goals, tasks and projects that I need to address and do during this month. I tried to keep things simple and minimal for these two pages.
The last page for October is my weekly spread for the first week of the month. I really like this spread - it's very practical and functional and keeps me very focused. You can find a printable of a similar spread in the Resources Library. To get access to it and to many other printables, you just have to join my Newsletter.
So, there you have it. That's how I set up my bullet journal for October. What changes did you make this month and what did you keep the same? Let me know in the comments below.
Have a nice day ;)
Instagram Challenge #doodlewithusinoctober
Once again I'm excited to announce our Instagram Challenge for the month of October! It's the #doodlewithusinoctober Instagram Challenge created by me and Alexandra (from @alexandra_plans).
It's going to be 31 days of doodles that will hopefully get you to be creative and have fun! The theme of October's Prompts is 'Fall / Autumn', and I seriously can't wait to start drawing!!!
As we did last month, all the doodles are part of one big comprehensive picture. Imagine each day to be one piece of the puzzle. So, at the end of the month you will have one big doodle picture! :)
If you decide to follow this way, you'll have to create a table with 5x6 +1 boxes and you shouldn't add the days on the top. You can also make the boxes and dates in pencil, if you don't want the lines to obscure the end result. It's totally up to you.
Of course, if you prefer to draw the doodles in the traditional way, that's absolutely fine as well. The important thing is to have fun!
You can also download a free printout with the daily prompts here.
- Follow me (Christina) @christina77star and Alexandra @alexandra_plans over on Instagram.
- Download the prompts below.
- Draw something according to the day's prompt, take a photo of it, and share it with us on Instagram.
- Don't forget to add the hashtag #doodlewithusinoctober and spread the word.
- Everyone is welcome!
Monetize Your Blog: Boost your Amazon Commissions with GeniusLink
I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm affiliated with various online networks and platforms in order to monetize my blog. A big part of my monthly income comes from my Amazon Associates commission. When you are an Amazon Associate, then if someone clicks on your link they are transferred to Amazon and you get commission onall the purchases they make within 24 hours. That sounds really cool, but there is a slight problem.
When having a blog with a worldwide audience, trying to monetize it through Amazon can be a bit tricky. That's because you can only link to one Amazon Store at a time. If for example, a visitor from the UK clicks on your Amazon.com link, then they will be redirected to the 'wrong' store, and you'll lose your commission. So, you'll either have to chooseone Amazon store(based on where the biggest part of your audience comes from), or you canadd various links in your post (from more than one Amazon stores), but that can be time consuming and it doesn't look particularly good towards the people that visit your site. But don't fret my friends! There is a solution - GeniusLink!
GeniusLink
is a link management platform that can provide a solution to this problem. It lets you convert any Amazon link into a universal link, that detects where a visitor is from, andthen forwards them to their own national Amazon store -with your affiliate link included-GENIUS! (excuse the pun) It also works with iTunes.
To use their service, you only have to register - which is free and only takes a few minutes. Click here to get started.
You'll be asked to enter your login information, verify your account and add your payment details. Don't worry, it's free for the first 14 days and you can close your account any time you want.
The next step is to enter your affiliate information, so you'll need to have applied for an Amazon Associate account in all the countries that most of your audience comes from.
You only have to look at your analytics to see your pageviews by countries, and then apply for those Amazon stores to become an affiliate with. For example, I've applied for the Amazon Associates in USA, UK, Canada and Germany. However, I've noticed that lately, I have lots of pageviews from France as well, so I'm planning to apply for that Amazon Store too. ;)
The analytics
is one of the best parts that this service provides. You can see how many people have clicked each link and when, analytics about countries etc. It also lets you know if you've got any clicks from other countries, that you have not established an affiliate code with their Amazon store yet.
You can also personalize each link, giving it your own title, and organize your links into groups, so that you can track data from different places. For example, you can create groups per post you publish, or separate your website links from your facebook links and so on.
Now, if you're wondering how you're going to change all the links in all your blog posts and in your websites that you've already added, to the new genius links, don't worry because they have a solution for that too! If you're using WordPress then you can download an Amazon Link Engine Plugin to automatically convert every link into globalized and affiliated links. If you don't use WordPress, then you can get the JavaScript Snippet that has the same functionality but goes straight into your source code.
The service is free for the first 14 days and after that you'll get charged a small fee per month. Click here for more details.
I have been using the GeniusLink for some time now and I have noticed a considerable rise in my affiliate commissions during this period :) And that is only going to get better and better the more Amazon stores I add. Plus with Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, GeniusLink is the tool to have. I promise you won't be disappointed. Just give it a try :)
If you are serious about monetizing your blog then GeniusLink is a tool you must have. For more information, visit their website www.geni.us
If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. ;)
40 Weekly Spread Ideas for your Bullet Journal
After the unbelievable popularity of my 2 previous posts with weekly spread ideas (here and here), I thought I'll make another one with even more layouts for you. I admit it, I am collecting weekly spread layouts constantly!!! I keep on changing my weekly spread all the time, trying to find the one that is just perfect. And I thing that I've found it (or that at least I'm very very close!).
And that's the beauty of bullet journaling. You can take parts of spreads, change things around and adjust them to your own needs, play with shapes and sizes and most importantly - have fun! With time, you'll find the ideal spreads that work for you.
Here are some examples of my own and of other talented fellow bullet journalists, for you to get some ideas. So make yourself a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get inspired :)
After the unbelievable popularity of my 2 previous posts with weekly spread ideas (here and here), I thought I'll make another one with even more layouts for you. I admit it, I am collecting weekly spread layouts constantly!!! I keep on changing my weekly spread all the time, trying to find the one that is just perfect. And I thing that I've found it (or that at least I'm very very close!).
And that's the beauty of bullet journaling. You can take parts of spreads, change things around and adjust them to your own needs, play with shapes and sizes and most importantly - have fun! With time, you'll find the ideal spreads that work for you.
Here are some examples of my own and of other talented fellow bullet journalists, for you to get some ideas. So make yourself a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get inspired :)
I've created a FREE Printable of the above weekly spread for you :)
JOIN THE GANG!
Subscribe now to my Newsletter to download the FREE Printable.
Plus get access to the Resources Library!
Creative Journaling Course
Step-by-step video lessons that will help you set up and organise your life in your journal.
There is definitely some amazing talent in the bullet journal community that I'm so glad and grateful to be a part of. Please mention in the comments below any bullet journalist that has inspired you :)
Current Favourite Stationary
I'd like to make a quick post in order to talk about my current favourite stationary. And that will be only pens and markers for today :)
Firstly I'd like to mention one of my new favourite pens. It's the Snowman Drawing Pen 0.2. I've never heard of this brand before, but I tried it while I was at the stationary shop and fell in love instantly! So, now this is my new favourite pen that I use every day! And it's perfect for my bullet journal, with minimum ghosting :)
Next up are my new Tombow markers that I've bought recently and I've been using them constantly in my drawings, as well as highlighters. I've found a shop here in Limassol that sells Tombow markers (finally!!!) and I had the chance to check the colours in person and pick the ones I liked. I went for really nice pastel colours that make all my pages bright and colourful. I've also been using them together with my Pelikan and Staedlter coloured pencils to create a gradient and to get more vivid colours.
** I'd like to know how the Tombow markers compare the the Zebra Midliners. If anyone has both and can tell me, please leave a comment below :) **
Lastly, I think I went a bit crasy with the Staedlter Triplus Fineliners :) They are used by many bullet journalers and they are definitely amongs the favourites in the bullet journal community. They have a quite fine tip of 0.3 (instead of 0.4 that the Stabilo equivalents have) and they add lots of colour with minimum ghosting. I got 4 sets: the Classic Set with the 10 colours, the Natural Set, the Pastel Set and the Neon Set.
Lots of colour, pens and stationary make me happy! Have you bought any new pens lately? Which are your favourite ones?
How to create a Level 10 Life spread in your bullet journal
During the past week, I've been trying to figure out how to set up my very new and very orange bullet journal. So, I went through my previous one, and noted down all the spreads that I wanted to include in the new one as well. Even though some people might find that it's too much of a hassle to re-do some spreads when changing their journal, me personally I really like this procedure, because you also get the chance this way to do your spreads a bit differently, correct any mistakes and get inspired by all the amazing people in this community :)
Amongst the spreads that I decided to re-do in my new bujo, is the Level 10 Life spread.
During the past week, I've been trying to figure out how to set up my very new and very orange bullet journal. So, I went through my previous one, and noted down all the spreads that I wanted to include in the new one as well. Even though some people might find that it's too much of a hassle to re-do some spreads when changing their journal, me personally I really like this procedure, because you also get the chance this way to do your spreads a bit differently, correct any mistakes and get inspired by all the amazing people in this community :)
Amongst the spreads that I decided to re-do in my new bujo, is the Level 10 Life spread. I first saw this spread in Kara's website where she was talking about it, and after that I read about it in Hal Elrod's book "Miracle Morning". ( I have a post where I talk about the Miracle Morning and the 30-Day Transformation Challenge here if you want more information). This spread consists of two parts:
- Level 10 Life - an assessment your life as it is now in 10 different areas.
- Lefel 10 Goals - getting clear on your ideal conditions for each of those areas and establishing the ways and habits that will help you get there.
My previous spread looked like this:
Even though I liked the way it looked, I wanted to try something different this time. While searching online, I saw how Kara re-did hers as well as this image by the lovely Clarissa, and decided to combine the two and create something new.
Instead of using the wheel in order to assess the different areas of my life, this time I created a graph with cubes, which afterwards I coloured in, depending on how well I thought I'm doing in each one, with different colours.
Then I filled the next page with the steps and ways that I'm planning to make each area of my life better. And this is the end result:
I am really pleased with how it looks, and that's one more spread finished in my new Bujo!
While searching online for inspiration, I found various ways you can do the Level 10 Life, like the following:
** I couldn't find to who this image belongs to. If you know, please let me know in the comments below, so that I can give credit **
Creative Journaling Course
Step-by-step video lessons that will help you set up and organise your life in your journal.
Have you tried the Level 10 Life?
Book Reviews: August 2016
August was a very good month. I managed to read 8 books! Some of them were re-reads, and some were new books. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of them... well, almost all of them. So, let's get started with the reviews.
SUMMER TRILOGY BY JENNY HAN
This was a trilogy I've read before and decided to read again this month. It's the perfect read for the beach, if you ask me. I don't usually go for this type of books - I love my fantasy books too much. But I needed a break and wanted to read something different. These books were perfect and I finished them in no time!
I really enjoyed reading again about Belly and the boys. Books 2 and 3 show Jeremiah's and Conrad's point of view, and I liked that because it helps to get deeper into the story. I got upset with Belly lots of times through the books, with the way she was reacting! If you're looking for an easy to read series, then this is a nice one to consider.
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer -- they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.
The 'Summer' Trilogy consists of the books: 'The Summer I Turned Pretty', 'It's not Summer without You' and 'We'll always have Summer'.
THE WINNER'S TRILOGY BY MARIE RUTKOSKI
This series has turned out to be one of my top ones ever! I loved every word! Again I found myself re-reading the first two books in order to conclude the series by reading the final book that came out this March.
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love...
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.
CRACKED BY ELIZA CREWE
This is the first book of the 'Soul Eater' Trilogy that I've heard a lot of good reviews about it, and I decided to give it a try this month. When I read the synopsis I got really excited, but unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would.
Meet Meda. She eats people.
Well, technically, she eats their soul. But she totally promises to only go for people who deserve it. She’s special. It’s not her fault she enjoys it. She can’t help being a bad guy. Besides, what else can she do? Her mother was killed and it’s not like there are any other “soul-eaters” around to show her how to be different. That is, until the three men in suits show up.Even though I loved Meda and her sarcastic humour was unbelievable for the first third of the book, however half way through I found myself losing interest a bit and finding cracks in the story. You get some socking revelations towards the end but that's it. The most memorable characters are Meda and Armand who appears in only one chapter....
Cracked
THE CROWN'S GAME
This is a book that got a lot of hype in Goodreads and YouTube, and I really hoped that I would like it because the synopsis was so good. Well, it did not disappoint me.
Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.I have to say that I really loved the story and the characters. Nicolai was my favourite. He was presented as very elegand and kind, as well as very powerful with his magic. I loved his sensitivity and the way he was thinking. Vika on the other hand was presented as a strong young woman with equally high magical powers. I even loved Pasha - the sweet and kind tsesarevic :)
However, at times I found the writing very superficial and some of the chapters felt as if they were done in a hurry.... That's the reason for the 3.8*.... Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and can't wait to read book no. 2!
August was a very good month as you can see not only for the number of books that I've read, but also of the quality and how much I liked them. Even though I read 8 books this month, I'm still 7 books behind in my reading challenge that I have set up for myself. Let's hope I'll manage to read as many books in September to catch up ;)