Deciding to splurge a little bit, I ordered a real fauxdori (paradox, anyone?) from an Etsy shop. (Ironically enough, this faux version was more expensive than the real version on Amazon. I just loved the stamping on the cover, so I was still willing to pay a bit more for a handmade version.) I didn't know anything about this shop/seller or her work, but I thought the photos of her products were beautiful. I liked that there were some customization options; I liked that I could choose the color of leather/elastic; I liked that the cover was embossed with a beautiful symbol or words depending on your choice. I ordered it on November 15; it shipped on November 19, and I received it on November 23. All in all, that's not a bad turnaround time, but waiting for it sure was difficult once I'd splurged and bought it. (Amazon's free two day shipping from time of order has spoiled me rotten.) My fauxdori arrived yesterday and is absolutely beautiful. Take a look at my lovely.
It came in a sweet little burlap bag that I plan to either carry it around in for protection or to reuse for some other crafty purpose. What do y'all do with the bags?
Here's the outside of the 'dori; isn't the charm sweet? I also really like the weight and tension of the elastic closure.
And take a look at the inside. See the sweet little notebook and the multiple elastics.
The leather is a lovely, thick quality that has some bend but isn't floppy. I think some people might complain when the leather is stiff, but I like that new feeling. I'm sure it'll form more to my hand and notebooks the more that I use it. The color is gorgeous; the elastic has just the right amount of tension. The embossing is perfect. The edges are finished nicely even though the inside is basically untouched. The little charm on the outside is super cute. I mean, it's pretty much everything that my little homemade fauxdori is not.
Here's a link to her shop so you can see her other items available for sale:
Leather Imagined Etsy Shop
(I don't think she has particularly competitive prices, but I am very pleased with the quality of what I received. It may be one of those situations where you truly do get quality when you're willing to pay a bit more for it.)
And here's a link to the specific fauxdori that I ordered from her:
Stamped Leather Fauxdori
(Her pictures of her items are excellent + what I received looks exactly like the sample photo. I know that's not easy to do when you're making handmade items, so kudos to her.)
Here's the thing: I thought I was ordering a full sized fauxdori. I just love the one that I bought, but I didn't read the description carefully or I was just being crazy or something. I'd looked at so many options on Etsy at that point that anything is possible. I'm absolutely sure it's my fault, but I somehow didn't connect the field notes/moleskine reference in the title to the fact that it's really the passport size of the midori. I think those are adorable, but it wasn't what I was picturing or what I think I really need. I even have some tiny notebooks that should fit it exactly right. I absolutely will use this one, probably when I travel. I just don't think it's what I need for my daily life. If you think I'm wrong about that, then convince me otherwise please. The uber fake 'dori that I made is the larger size, so that's what I wanted to order.
Which brings me to my exact same quandary -- I could continue to work on my own fauxdoris and improve them knowing what I know I do/don't like now... Or I could order a real Midori online... Or I could order a fancy leather or fabric fauxdori on Etsy... Sound familiar to anyone? Help me decide what to do.
I should be making food for Thanksgiving, but I'm choosing to spend my time agonizing over the state of 'doris in my life. Sounds about right. ;)
**Disclaimer - No worries, this is an honest review that wasn't influenced by kickbacks or free products. Just telling y'all what I really think in case you're in the market for one of these yourselves.
These are the sorts of quandaries that puzzle me also. It is beautiful and probably perfect for travel, but I would likely order another one that's what I wanted. I would be happier in the long run. You were probably looking for a cheaper answer...sorry!
ReplyDeleteI think that unless the process of making your own fauxdori is enjoyable to you and something that adds to your enjoyment of the notebook once it's completed, I would likely purchase one. That way you have a lot of choices as to color and you know the workmanship is top notch, since you've previously purchased from the vendor.
ReplyDelete(In visiting her site, I could see that it might be easy not to realize that it was a small size. The dimensions given in the description say they are for the notebook when opened, but it would be easy to miss that detail. If you clicked through all the pictures, you could see it being held in someone's hand, but it's the third picture, so not right in your face, either. Is there someone in your life you could gift this to, if you decide you don't need two?)
I've seen some planners "tip in" pages on the smaller notebooks, just using washi to add wings to each page. Do you think that might help?
ReplyDelete