Happy Holidays!

Hohohoho!

Belated Merry Christmas everyone! Here’s my present – the winner of my Belle de Jour Power Planner Giveaway!

The long wait is over!

I should have picked the winner yesterday but I was so caught up in the holiday craze that I was only able to spare some time this early morning to lay all entries on the table and pick the luckiest one!

In summary, there were 42 individuals who joined the contest; they generated 347 entries in total.

I used random.org to pick the winner.

Procedure:

• First, I randomized all of the entries submitted so that each name of a contestant is evenly spread out.

This is the random list of name generated. The list goes on until 347. Names were tampered for confidentiality.

• Second, I chose a number from 1 to 347 using random.org.

The random number is 237. Therefore, the name alongside this number is the winner.

• Last, I checked out who the lucky winner is…. (drum roll please)…. Arra Morta!

Congratulations!

I sent a message to Arra stating how she can claim her prize.

Thank you so much for joining my first-ever contest and for supporting my blog!

As a late Christmas gift, everyone who joined this contest (except for the winner) will automatically have 2 entries for my next giveaway! Just keep your settings stable; keep following and subscribing – my next giveaway will be exciting!

Once again, Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas, Festival, New year | Forward this Picture

Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Take Flight – Preview

My Belle de Jour 2012 Power Planner has arrived! It was packed very well and the courier delivered it exactly at my doorstep! I ordered two planners online – one for myself and one as a giveaway. I just can’t wait to get my hands on the planner – and now I’m so excited to share it with everyone!

Safely shipped!

For those who are clueless about this thing I’m talking about, here’s a little scoop. Belle de Jour (say bel-duh-zhoor’) is a term that originally means “beauty of [the] day” in French. Internationally, someone uses Belle de Jour as her pen name and there was a Belle de Jour film way back in 1967. However, here in the Philippines, Belle de Jour is a popular brand of planner.

According to Viviamo! Inc. (the producer of the said planner) Belle de Jour means:

1) French fashion lingo for “it” girl, 2) the modern-day renaissance woman who dares to achieve her goals, lives her dream life, makes a difference in her community, while doing everything in great style.

Honestly, I like the alternative meaning of BDJ better.

Belle de Jour Sneak Peek

I’m not making you jealous, but if you haven’t grabbed your BDJ Power Planner for 2012 – you better hurry! Don’t let your eyes turn green of envy and order your BDJ planner online! Purchasing online is very easy, you can choose between paying via Gcash, BDO or BPI. I chose Gcash. The staff members (especially Ms. Rona) is very friendly and once you’ve confirmed your payment, the shipping is free! You’ll just have to wait for about a day or two and viola! Your bestfriend this 2012 is right there with a knock!

Anyway, since I’m really in love with this planner, I’m going to divulge the things you’ll fine beneath its covers. In short, I’ll take you to a sneak peek of what’s inside! Ready your peepers, Bellas!

 The Cover and Over-all Package

BDJ comes in two forms: the book-bind version and the double wire. I bought both versions and compared each one from the other. Here’s what I’ve found out:

Read BDJ 2012 Book and Double-Wire Comparison and Contrast!

Coupons

Aside from being just a planner, BDJ went the extra mile and offered us coupons worth approximately Php 20,000! I’ve always been keen on freebies and discounted stuffs that’s why I’m really drawn into BDJ! If you want to know more about what coupons are up for grabs next year, read my BDJ Coupons Galore post and boost-up your purchasing power!

Monthly Tools

Every month is going to be a breeze with the monthly jam-packed tools of the planner. I’ll take you on a quick tour of what the monthly pages are all about. Read my Belle de Jour Monthly Tools: A Quick View post!

 Weekly Layout Features

Next year’s weekly layout features are simple but easy to follow. As expected, you get a regular dose of powerful quotes to enliven your spirit. For an in-depth preview of BDJ’s weekly layout features, read my BDJ Weekly Layout Features post!

 Special Pages

What’s so special with these pages? The mere fact that they help you become a better person. Most of this year’s special pages were also carried forth unto next year, but there are new additions! Come, let’s check it out: read my A Look on the Special Pages of BDJ 2012 post!

 Lifestyle Card

If cards are clothes, then the BDJ Lifestyle Card is what you’d call the signature item! BDJ is giving away a lifestyle card to all Bellas! If you ordered online, this will come free. If you grabbed your copy from bookstores, you need to have it shipped. Don’t worry, it’s free!

Visit my BDJ Lifestyle Card page for details!

 Notebooks

Aside from the planner, I also hopped some BDJ notebooks on-board! You can catch my ramblings about it on this page – Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks!

BDJ Online!

Visit www.belledejourpowerplanner.com

Belle de Jour has invaded your computer screens! You can now catch the latest dish about this wonderful planner at their website. Come join the fun! Visit my Blog-spotting entry featuring the Belle de Jour Power Planner website!

 Belle de Jour Power Planner Birthday Giveaway

Last November 21 (my birthday), I launched my Belle de Jour giveaway! If you wanna join you can follow the link.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iphone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. 

Related articles

• BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ Lifestyle Card (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ’s Weekly Layout Features (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• A Look on the Special Pages of BDJ 2012 (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)

BDJ 2012 Book and Double-Wire Comparison and Contrast

First of all, I’d like to make it clear what I’m going to do with these two versions of the 2012 Belle de Jour Power Planner – one which was book-bound and another which was compiled using double-wire or “spring.” In an simplified way, I see the book-bound version as the composite notebooks I used during elementary days while the double-wire version as the spring notebooks I used during high school.

So what I will do is to compare and contrast these two forms. To compare is to site their similarities and to contrast is to site their differences. First of all, let’s take a look at their similarities:

Similarities

• Obviously, the front drawing or image is similar.There’s that cute girl (Bella) in a pink dress and polka dot black hills who’s as if she’s dancing though her feet are crossed. She’s dancing to what tune? I have no idea. But if you are to ask me I’d say it’s a romantic song. I love the travel trunk complete with stickers from different places. The Eiffel Tower looks really amazing (and it’s another reason why I think the song’s from a romantic genre). For some time I found it weird that Bella is wearing a cocktail dress though the theme is about travel. Isn’t she supposed to wear comfortable clothes? But then, I’ve realized that traveling doesn’t equate to the wearing of flat boots, plain shirts, and capri pants nor the bringing of a large bulky backpack. It took a while before it dawned on me that you can indeed travel in style! Oh! That was an eye-opener.
  

  Side-by-side

• They’re both hard-bound.
• Both have secret pockets at the back! I like this additional feature. I can keep all my scratch papers and scribbled notes inside this little pouch!
  

  It's a peek-a-boo back pocket!

Differences

• The size factor. In terms of width, the double-wire is much wider. In terms of height, the double wire is slightly longer. However, in terms of thickness, the book version gains the upper-hand.
  

  I stacked the book version on top of the spring one and the latter is indeed wider!

On this side, you can't tell which is thicker.

.

But on this side you can tell which is - the book.

• Ribbon placements.In the book version, the ribbons are attached at the center while in the spring version the ribbons are tied at the back.
  

  Book Version

  

  Double-Wire Version

• Coupons are easy to detach in the spring version.

With just one zip you can instantly detach your coupons!

Which is Better?

For me, both versions are just as sweet and lovely. The subject of which version is better depends upon the personality and the preference of the owner; some prefer the book and others the spring. If you really aren’t sure what to pick, you can ask yourself whether (in school) you like scribbling notes on composition notebooks or the spring ones.

Who wants to own a Belle de Jour 2012 Power Planner – double-wire?

I’m sorry, I love writing in composition notebooks so the book-bound version stays with me. But, for those who are into springs: you can win my BDJ giveaway!

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post. 

Related articles

• BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• A Look on the Special Pages of BDJ 2012 (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ’s Weekly Layout Features (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ Lifestyle Card (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)

BDJ Coupons Galore

Even if group buying sites are popular nowadays, there’s no easy way to get a coupon than the one being offered by Belle de Jour! With over 20,000 Php worth of coupons free per planner, who could resist the urge to shop, dine, relax and have fun the Belle de Jour way?

Coupon Tracker

One of the special pages  that I really like in this planner is the Coupon Tracker. I will definitely use it to keep myself updated of the available coupons I can use each month.

Semi-transparent Coupon Holders

Look what I found inside the planner, coupon holders! These will really come in handy whenever I want to bring coupons along!

Use Your Coupons!

Don’t you know that if you maximize the use of your coupons, you can get your 2013 BDJ Planner for free? Yep, you read that right! If you can use all the 80 coupons by September 30, you get 2 free planners plus a special gift! Don’t think you can make it on time? Don’t you worry! If you’ve accumulated below 80 coupons by Sept. 30, you can redeem the following:

• 50 coupons = 2 free planners
• 40 coupons = 1 free planner
• 35 coupons = 20% off
• 30 coupons = 10% off

What’s in the Bag for 2012?

If you’re über curious about the different coupons hiding inside the 2012 BDJ Planner, here’s your chance to take a peek! I’m going to upload all the coupons! Errrh, just pardon the quality – iphone isn’t really that perfect.

Online Store Coupons

Are you an avid online shopper? This is good news – you can now avail of discounts from your favorite online stores!

Lifestyle Directory

Take your pick from these cool partner establishments of BDJ!

You can have these coupons for free!

Join my contest and win these coupons along with the BDJ Power Planner.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post. 

Related articles

• A Look on the Special Pages of BDJ 2012 (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ’s Weekly Layout Features (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ Lifestyle Card (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)

Belle de Jour’s Monthly Tools Quick View

There are plenty of good things to look forward to in the 2012 Belle de Jour Power Planner – one of which is the compilation of monthly tools you can use to make yourself extra-productive.

The Monthly Tools you’ll find in the planner are the following:

• Important Events
• Professional Priorities and Personal Priorities
• This Month’s list of
• This month, I will
• Good Deeds
• Monthly Productivity Tips
• Monthly Divider Lifestyle Articles

On the other hand, here’s a quick preview of the Monthly Divider Lifestyle Articles:

January: Make Room for More Happiness Productivity Tip: How to Start

February: Show Off Your Saccharine Side Productivity Tip: Be What You Do

March: Empowered Bella Playlist Productivity Tip: Own One Thing

April: We ♥ Pinas -Mapping Out the Country's Best Destinations; Productivity Tip: Create Time

June: Shifting Your Career Gear; Productivity Tip: Halt the Hurry

July: Global Staples; Productivity Tip: Perfect A Profound Workday

August: The Quest for Organic Beauty; Productivity Tip: Email Effectively

September: Your Online Pro Profile; Productivity Tip: Mind Your Manners Online

October: The Art of Thrifting; Productivity Tip: How to Decide Effortlessly

November: The Power of Your Hands; Productivity Tip: Move with Momentum

December: Get Ready to Fly High & Party; Productivity Tip: How to Finish

As you can see, in each month, there’s a special topic that you can read about. Plus, there are twelve productivity tips or challenges that you can perform – do you think you can do all of those? We’ll find out next year!

Get a free BDJ 2012 Power Planner!

Join my contest to get the chance to win a BDJ Power Planner.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post. 

BDJ’s Weekly Layout Features

Five days of work and two days of fun best describes the weekly schedule of an average working Bella. However, with the BDJ Power Planner around, those five working days will be used productively and those two days of fun and gimmicks will be a blast! If you’re curious of how this planner can transform your average weekly schedule, refer to the image below!

Weekly Layout Features of BDJ 2012

I really like the Weekly Affirmations feature, these are sets of quotes which are empowering and very much inspiring it’ll never leave room for negative thoughts on your mind. I also like the “I’m grateful for” box at the right lower part, it’ll definitely make you feel so blessed every week.

Now that you’ve had a quick glance of next year’s BDJ Weekly Features, I know you’re so much excited to make 2012 another productive year!

Get a free BDJ 2012 Power Planner!

Join my contest to get the chance to win a BDJ Power Planner.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post. 

Related articles

• BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ Lifestyle Card (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)

A Look on the Special Pages of BDJ 2012

The BDJ 2012 Power Planner‘s special pages add spice and utility to the planner itself. I’ve always been attracted to the various self-help pages found in BDJ. I find it wonderful to scribble my dreams, track my period, know more about me and just re-invent myself with the help of these specialized tools.

Next year’s planner is full of pages which will make you inspired and creative! There’s that new “Letter to Self” page suggested by Shannen Claire Casino. The pages I really love are: the Menstrual Tracker, Coupons Tracker, Bills Tracker and Cash Flow Tracker. As someone who’s kinda OC, these tools are of great help! How about you, what’s your favorite BDJ special page? If you don’t have any yet, perhaps you can take your pick from these:

BDJ 2012 Special Pages

Coupon Pages Listing/Coupon Tracker

Keep track of your coupons.

Letter to Self

Write to yourself.

Goal Setting

What are your goals?

Dream Board

Make your own Dream Board!

2012 Checklist

Challenge yourself to check all boxes till the end of the year!

Vacation Planner

Where's the next stop?

Menstrual Tracker

Follow-up your period.

Health Checklist

Start being health-conscious.

Special Events Tracker

'Wonder what future events shall fill this?

Habit Tracker

Sorry if it's reversed. Image taken via webcam.

Special Page About Pap Smear

Because you should know.

Gift List

Jot down the presents you've given!

Bills and Cash Flow Tracker

Cash out.

Cash in.

Random Thoughts

Just your babbles and rants.

Emergency Information

In case something happens...

2012- 2013 Calendar

Calendars for your reference.

Get a free BDJ 2012 Power Planner!

Join my contest to get the chance to win a BDJ Power Planner.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post.

Related articles

• BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ Lifestyle Card (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• BDJ’s Weekly Layout Features (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)
• Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks (chopsticklady.wordpress.com)

Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not Notebooks

Actually, there are four BDJ Forget-Me-Not notebooks available. However, I only ordered three – the blue one, the pink and the purple. The green one is what I missed. The Belle de Jour Forget-Me-Not notebooks are ultra mini-planners that you can use and carry conveniently. As I’ve said, it comes in four colors, each with a different design and function. See the following:

Blue – BDJ Chronicles

The BDJ FMN Chronicles notebook will help you keep track of your major projects. It’ll really come in handy if you want to always have a glance at the tasks that you should follow-up and delegate.

Pink – BDJ Essentials

This notebook houses the tools you need to keep yourself updated of important events, projects, and lists. It has blank pages where you can jot down anything, a “new contacts” list, and emergency business cards perfect for those special cases.

…every woman is beautiful because she is both steel and cotton candy and everything in between…

Purple – BDJ Favorites

True to its name, this FMN notebook is my favorite of all! Why? It’s Bella’s best companion in every gift-giving situation. You can make use of its birthday list, gift-giving guide and address book features to remind yourself when is the natal day of who, decide which gift to give to whatchamacallit and take note of addresses,respectively . This will really come in handy whenever the Christmas season comes or when someone’s birthday is approaching. Having this notebook will save me a lot of brainstorming in finding gifts for my friends and loved ones.

Green – BDJ Basics

As I’ve said, I don’t have this one, but based on what I’ve nosed around, this notebook has a monthly calendar where you can easily write important events.

*Spotted at ilovekits.blogspot.com, click to visit her blog!

What I Think

Truth be told, I only really like one out of the four notebooks (i.e. BDJ Favorites). I think that the other notebooks’ features can be incorporated into the power planner itself. In addition, I’m not into the size of the notebook. In fact, I like the 2009 “Forget-Me-Not” notebook’s size better – the one in pink and is half-smaller than these ones. It’s a lot more handy.

*Spotted at ilovekits.blogspot.com, click to visit her site!

Get a free BDJ 2012 Power Planner plus 2 Forget-Me-Not Notebooks!

Join my contest to get the chance to win a BDJ Power Planner and 2 FMN Notebooks.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I own all the pictures posted here unless otherwise specified. You can grab ‘em if you want, but do direct the links to me. Photos were taken via iPhone, sorry if they are a bit fuzzy. I wasn’t paid by BDJ to make this post. 

BDJ Lifestyle Card

Aside from those awesome coupons, the BDJ Lifestyle Card is another powerful item which you should add to your “It Girl” arsenal. The card’s really stylish, you’ll definitely be proud to stash it inside your purse and strut it proudly in every opportunity you get.

Image via www.belledejourpowerplanner.com *PS: Don't worry, there's no "wardrobe mishap" in the real card! =) Be sure to discreetly tell Bella on this one!

The BDJ Lifestyle Card is a complementary item to the BDJ Planner and it’s different from the coupons. It serves as a membership card – allowing every Bella access to BDJ’s future events. In addition, this card can be used to avail of discounts and promos from the different establishments in partnership with BDJ.

If you ordered the BDJ planner online, this card is already attached inside and it has already been activated. On the other hand, if you purchased the planner from BDJ events and bazaars, you’ll need to contact BDJ, have it shipped (free), and activate it online. The BDJ Lifestyle Card is different from the coupons. In fact, you cannot use both in one transaction.

To know more about the BDJ Lifestyle Card, you can check http://www.belledejourpowerplanner.com/bdj/partners_card.php

2012 BDJ Lifestyle Card Mechanics *Image via www.belledejourpowerplanner.com

Do you want a BDJ Lifestyle Card for Free?

I’m giving away a 2012 Belle de Jour Power Planner! You can join my contest! I’ve ordered the planner online and it means you’ll get the BDJ card too and it has already been activated!

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I do not own the images posted here. I’ve linked all images to the www.belledejourpowerplanner.com website. 

BOTW: Belle de Jour Power Planner

BOTW = Blog of the Week

Hello, friends! Meet The Belle de Jour Power Planner website, this is the perfect spot for every Bella to share her style and meet new friends!

Belle de Jour Power Planner

The official Belle de Jour website

Owner: Darlyn Ty

Every modern girl’s favorite planner has an online counterpart – the Belle de Jour Power Planner website! Through this site, all certified BDJ lovers or aka “Bellas” can have their daily dose of information regarding events, giveaways, and whatnots in the world of Belle de Jour! You must register to maximize its use.

Why you must visit it:

There are plenty of ways on how you can explore the BDJ site. Once you’ve stumbled upon it, you can:

• Raid the BDJ closet
• Read Darlyn’s blog
• Order your 2012 BDJ Power Planner online
• Interact with other Bellas thru the BDJ Circle
• Take part in the BDJ Festivities
• Learn about the company
• Check out BDJ’s partners
• Contact BDJ
• Just surf and have fun

The Drawbacks:

• The site does not display correctly when I’m using the Safari browser.

Most favorite category: BDJ Lookbook

Know the latest styles and fashion pieces from the BDJ Lookbook!

Least favorite category: None!

Chopstick Lady’s Rating: Subscription Magnet

How about you?

Get a free BDJ 2012 Power Planner!

Join my contest to get the chance to win a BDJ Power Planner.

See my contest details > Chopstick Lady’s Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012 Birthday Giveaway!

Note: I wasn’t paid to make this website review.