I already bought The Day Designer planner for 2015 but I really like the mission of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf when it comes to their 2015 Giving Journal, so I wanted to help them promote it. And it's a really nice planner, too! Let me tell you a bit about its story before I do my review and giveaway.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) 2015 Giving Journal is all about "Overflow and Giving Back." I know the owners of CBTL are Christians so I'm making a wild guess that they're basing their planner's mission on the famous Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
With the Giving Journal to help you plan your year, you can achieve goals and make dreams come true. When that happens and blessings abound, then your cup overflows and it is time to give back and share. It's really quite noble and true. Life takes on so much meaning and joy when you're sharing your life with others. A lot of us will say, "But I have nothing to give." We all have something! Time for our kids, talents for the community, hugs for our friends, smiles for the salespeople or maintenance staff, a sandwich to split with a co-worker, making a cup of coffee for your sleepy spouse. We always are blessed! We just need to see that God provides!
Every year, during the holidays, CBTL releases its Giving Journal, which benefits the Real LIFE Foundation. Since 2008, the company has raised more than P10 million and created awareness for Habitat for Humanity and Real LIFE Foundation. Poor but deserving scholars are given scholarships for high school and college. These scholars are also given LIFE coaching, where mentors help equip these kids with the values and skills they will need to succeed in the real world.
Pretty amazing, right? Create a life of abundance so your life overflows in love and service to others! I'm sure The Giving Journal can help. Let me do my review:
I love love love the cover! It's hardbound in this smooth, velvety material. Nice to run your hands over it. I can imagine feeling pleasure every time I grab it to plan my day!
It comes in other colors but I don't remember the others. Mine is a fabulous, soothing green.
The names of the journal and the brand are embossed in front, and at the back is a garter seal.
I like that the owner's info sheet is simple and easy to read. And large. Madaling hanapin at basahin.
The whole planner, by the way, has lots of these bold and graphic patterns and designs. All earthy colors. I am not an earthy color person. I like bold colors like pink and orange and red and blue or just bold black and white. So this color scheme doesn't appeal to me.
Then comes the pages of info about the brand. Can't be helped. It is a product of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf so might as well find out about the name behind the planner.
Then the information about The Giving Journal and how to use it for maximum results follows.
A page for your year's goals. I always like it when my plans are in one page in my planner. I am reminded every day of what my year's supposed to be like and I can then plan every decision and event purposefully.
Only thing I don't like about this is three of the boxes are dark brown. Even if you use black ink to write your goals, mahirap basahin.
Two pages on how to create an abundant life. Very good and helpful suggestions. Some are so simple, which is a good reminder to us all that improving our life needs just small and simple steps.
Vacation planner sheets for those getaways we all need.
Coupons! Sobrang sulit the coupons! Daming free! So if you're a CBTL fan (like me!), you'll be super happy with the offers and deals in The Giving Journal.
Okay, planner pages! They're very simple. Every month starts with a calendar. Love the simple layout. Thank goodness they didn't put those earthy colored graphics here. I don't want to be distracted from my schedule by patterns!
I truly love love love this weekly layout, where the week is on one side and the other side is for your To Do list. I've been using this kind of planner for years. It's more flexible than a daily planner (which I'll be trying out for 2015) but more detailed than a monthly layout.
There are two kinds of notes pages—a dotted one alternating with a blank one. Helpful advice and inspiration is found at the bottom of each notes page.
After 52 weeks, you get a congratulatory note. Hey, everyone who survives life needs to be congratulated! Then blank pages follow, which I always find useful for ideas, notes, drawings and photos.
The last few pages are for helpful information.
The inside back cover has a pocket for receipts and other odds and ends. I think all planners should have a pocket!
What I loved:
- The cover material.
- The planner pages. They're simple. Like I said, I want to be focused on my plans so I like that there's no distracting graphics.
- No extra unnecessary stuff like measurements, time zones, phases of the moon, etc.
What needs improvement:
- Well, it's a matter of taste but dark colors feel heavy. I don't want to feel heavy when I'm planning my day.
- Sana The Giving Journal is available for outright purchase. You can get it for free by collecting stamps for every drink you buy, but what if you're not the patient type? Or you forgot/lost your stamp card? Stress!!!
You can also get my very own copy of The Giving Journal for free by answering this question:
"What Topaz Horizon blog post inspired you to be a better, more giving you?"
Leave your Facebook account name or Twitter handle so I know how to contact you in case you win.
Yes, that's all! Oh, and you need to have a Philippine address. Giveaway ends exactly 24 hours from now. So that's January 1, 4:30pm. Happy New Year and good luck!
CONTEST IS CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS to Emiliana Sison! You won The Giving Journal! Please send me a message over at my Topaz Horizon Facebook page to claim your prize =)
*This planner was given to me. This is not a sponsored giveaway. I'm just giving it away because I already bought a planner!
