Up Close and Personal with Roterfaden

I had the honor to visit Roterfaden headquarter in the city of Saarbrücken last week to meet Beate, the owner of Roterfaden and see a glimpse of behind the scene. We have been representing Roterfaden for 5 years (where did the time go by??) at Baum-kuchen and have always really appreciated working with the Roterfaden team because they are so thorough and thoughtful in their working relationship.

After spending a day with Beate and talking everything from family life, business operation, to what's next for Roterfaden, I came home feeling energized and confident with our BK studio motto, "first and foremost, we are personally in love with what we share at Baum-kuchen not only the artifacts but also people who are behind those artifacts ". I always thought this was very important for us but now... more than ever, I feel incredibly strong about it.

What makes Roterfaden so authentic, beautiful, and innovative? From our conversation, I learned Beate is a designer and a conscientious business owner. I saw so many evidence that she tinkers, creates, and prototypes her ideas rigorously. And I understood that the smart clip system and holistic branding of Roterfaden have been her true labor of love. I also really appreciate that she works with a network of artisans to make Roterfaden come alive. There are so many creatives behind every component of the Roterfaden and Beate personally works with each one of them to ensure the quality of each Roterfaden cover is the best it can be while the process continues to support other small businesses of makers and creatives.

Her passion for sourcing materials locally is also a differentiator for Roterfaden. She is keen on ensuring that Roterfaden is produced most sustainably. This philosophy touches from where she gets her materials to using each material most consciously without sacrificing her design. She is constantly hunting for a new idea of using recycled materials such as nylon fabric that is harvested from unused high-quality tents. (Have you seen the ST_17 Roterfaden cover which uses the upcycled tent materials??)

During our day together, we started discussing the ideas for our future collaborations. Yes. Beate and I made a huge creative mess in their back room!! And I think that's what it takes to pursue a raw idea together. Being there with open mindedness, talking about what we each believe in, playing with materials in our hands, sketching, and laughing together. I can't wait to share some of the ideas to come true in the near future. For now... I hope you enjoy a little snipets of my Roterfaden visit on our YouTube channel!

Update on Analogue System for 2016

I am excited to share my (close to) final thoughts on how I will be arranging my analogue system for 2016. (you can check out my last iteration of the system here.)  I am passionate (aka. obsessed) about this topic because the process of thinking about it always feels very reflective of the current life state. Just like how people contemplate about the interior space and home they aspire living in... I imagine and dream about my analogue system.

I am excited that few components of the system will stay as is from 2015 and few other details will shift to a new ways of doing and thinking.

One big change I wanted to make... was to simplify... to carry and use less. I want to have less analogue places where I will have to juggle between... which probably has a direct relationship to how I feel about physical places and connections we are making everyday.

To do so..., I decided to remove my Traveler's Notebook weekly insert (TN/18) since I don't use the weekly page until I actually get to the week. (all my future planning happens on TN Monthly calendar!) I will be using some pages from my bullet journal (TN blank or grid notebook) for a custom made weekly pages. Also all the notes, ideas and to-do list for Baum-kuchen will go into this bullet journal style notebook so I have a single documentation of Baum-kuchen.

Few things I have been carrying around with my Traveler's Notebook include LAMY fountain pens in different points, Lettermate template for creating title of the journal page, FriXion erasable pen for appointments that might change. I just clip my LAMY pens on TN leather cover. Their clips seem to work really well with the thickness of TN leather. I am hoping to tab my Bullet Journal refill with TN monthly tabs (comes in this custom sticker set!) so I can archive my refills in TN archive binder and stay organized when I complete the notebook.

For journaling portion of my analogue system... I decided to use MD 2016 Monthly/Weekly notebook to document my family's everyday. Through 2015 I have been using MD Diary and have loved it so much. The notebook is filled to the max with my writings, kids' drawings, memorandum from family activities I have collected. But this year... I want to challenge myself to put little more focus on documentation so my notebook weighs less but just as meaningful. It will also allow me to carry Hobonichi Cousin Avec (A5 size) and MD 2016 Monthly/Weekly notebook in one Roterfaden leather cover.

To lighten my weight, I contemplated to only use one journal to document family memory as well as my personal thoughts... but I came to the conclusion that it's incredibly important that I have my own space to let ink flow... just for myself.

So I think this is what I am going to start my new year with!
I hope your planning for new year's analogue system is going well.

...and let's remember... that journey is the destination:)

xoxo
-wakako

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List of artifacts in my analogue system:

Traveler's Notebook:

• TN in brown (mine is limited edition from Traveler's Factory but we always carry the TN original brown leather cover in stock!)
• 1.61 Essential leather insert
• Kraft Folder (TN/20)
• TN Monthly planner for 2016
• Blank notebook (similar to TN/03)
• Pan am Plastic Sheet (which gives me an awesome writing surface!)
• LAMY fountain pens
• FriXion erasable pen
• Brass Ballpoint Pen
• Lettermate 

Roterfaden:

• Roterfaden dark brown leather cover (A5)
• MD 2016 Monthly/Weekly notebook  (A5)
• Hobonichi Cousin Avec (A5)

Thinking on Paper... and testing Roterfaden A6 with Hobonichi

Recently I stopped opening my laptop in the evenings after kids go to sleep. I don't know if I can keep it this way "everyday" but it has been a lovely shift. 

When laptop is not available, I am definitely spending more time writing. And... since there is so much I can write to journal for the day, I spend quite bit of time writing my future blog posts, emails I want to send out with my pen and paper. So when I get back to my laptop, contents are all done ahead of time. Okay... so I am still working in the middle of night but I really love the difference in how my thoughts flow. 

I truly think on paper...

So when I get asked to prototype different configuration of notebooks, planners, and analogue system, I get giddy. (as you can imagine:)

Recently I was asked if Roterfaden Small (A6) would work with Hobonichi Original and Field Notes. So here is the visual documentation to answer the question. I think These notebooks could work together with Roterfaden Small (A6). Hobonichi planner is just a tiny bit wider than the Roterfaden dark brown cover. 

Oh I hope your analogue system is going well:) 

Analogue system as a reflection of our life...

The other day I was asked how my analogue system has evolved since I last shared about my hopes and dreams for archiving, planning and inspiring this year.

In some way... a lot have changed and I feel little bit wiser and more insightful about my system compared to 6 months ago when I was trying to figure out the overall dynamic of needs to archive vs. organize... the journaling vs. planning.  I have been using Roterfaden A5, Traveler's Notebook and extra A5 notebook to keep myself in line with my life and MIDORI MD Diary in A5 size to journal for my girls. Together they are closer to the reflection of who I am today..

Here is a big picture of how I am using each notebook!

Roterfaden (A5) with Hobonichi Cousin
Originally I thought I would use Hobonichi Cousin with Roterfaden as an overarching bucket for Baum-kuchen. Note taking, list, reminder, ideas, meeting notes...

After playing with this notebook for a while, I settled to think of this as a place to journal for Baum-kuchen and my personal growth along with it. The shift happened due to the size of the Roterfaden+Hobonichi combination. I still carry it back and fourth between home and studio but most of the time I don't open the notebook in the studio. Instead I sit down every night at home to capture thoughts, events and ideas for Baum-kuchen. Some words captured here is about my personal relationship with the shop/studio and how I would like to evolve and grow. Other things are more about logistics and operational like receiving new inventory. Some day I collage... another day I write. I really have no rule about how I put together the daily pages and that seems to be working for me. I use monthly page as an index to my daily page and weekly page to capture my work hours for Baum-kuchen.

Brass Index Clip keeps my current pages easy to find.

Traveler's Notebook in brown (my companion of 6+ years)
My Traveler's Notebook continues to be a true companion to my everyday journey. It's my wallet with 1.61 ESSENTIAL leather zipper case, my planner (monthly notebook like TN 017), my bullet journal (TN 005 Free Diary) and a place where I capture my inspiration (TN 014 Kraft). It's very functional and no frill which I feel is true to how I get through my day. I will have really difficult time navigating my life without my Traveler's Notebook!

A5 slim notebook (currently using Ogami quote notebook) 
This is a new addition to my system which came from the need to have a simple open spread to write down 3 important things to accomplish the day or at the moment. I have been tinkering to be more mindful with my relationship with work as well as digital devices. Prior to having this notebook I sometimes found myself getting lost in the world of email, Instagram, Facebook... and everything else that happens virtually. A part of it is research and is okay... but between Baum-kuchen and family.... I needed to be conscious with my time. I noticed if I had a clear idea of what I really wanted/needed to accomplish at the moment, the more efficient and meaningful my time was spent. So I keep all my mental notes with my Bullet Journal on Traveler's Notebook and this A5 notebook which is slim enough to be clipped under the Roterfaden elastic band is my productivity zen place. I love spending few minutes to comb through my Bullet Journal at the beginning of the day, organize my thoughts and write down 3 things I want to tackle with my DARUMA stamp. I think we are all very busy and nobody really has enough time to get "everything" on the list done. But we could feel empowered and in control of our time by having a clear priority in life. It takes an on-going practice just as our muscle needs training but it has been a good journey for me.

Below are detailed pictures and some captions along with them. I hope it will give some fuel of thoughts for your analogue system.

After having Inspiration Lab with Eunice, we kept the middle table clear of "shop" items. It's a space for playing with analogue tools and focusing on present moments. I have been loving this space to sit and think... and write down my "3 things" for the day.

Traveler's Notebook, Roterfaden and Ogami notebook along with assortments of pens and pencils I use throughout the day.

The open page of my Roterfaden. I like the gradual evolution of the Hobonichi cover with collection of stickers. I am hoping that the cover will be filled with the year worth of special stickers collected by the time we hit December.

The first page on Hobonichi where I keep quotes I resonated with.

Hobonichi Cousin monthly page where as an index page for my daily page... in case I need to re-visit some thoughts and ideas.

I use Brass Index Clip as a page marker. I clip multiple pages to make sure that the clip does not slide out.

Roterfaden Cousin weekly page to keep my Baum-kuchen hours documented.

This is one of my favorite Hobonichi page... for the day of our Inspiration Lab with Eunice. I collected bits and pieces of documents, memo and notes exchanged with Eunice for the day... Her writing really transform the page, doesn't it?

I have a very special stamp made by Frido with a meaning of "to learn" in Japanese. I love using it to highlight things I learned... or insights I want to share.

I use the last clip of Roterfaden to keep Roterfaden Protective Sheet. I have one of my favorite pic with the girls from last fall and little analogue materials and ingredients like scrap piece of papers, mt tapes loosely assorted... I often tape the plastic sheet with left over masking tape to reuse for later.

Roterfaden address book in case I send a snail mail to someone special

I am using 4 color ballpoint pen to color code my monthly planner page. The brass clip by HIGHTIDE to hold a pen is coming soon to the shop. Please stay tuned:)

 My first TN spread. Wallet with 1.61 Essential and the cover page for my monthly planner.

 My quick writing tends to be messy... so my monthly page... is "it is what it is".

 The first page of Diary refill notebook (TN 005) dedicated for my Bullet Journal.

I found out that index page on the TN Diary refill notebook is perfect to use for the Bullet Journal index page. I love how simple my bullet journal process became when I start using this refill notebook!

 My Bullet Journal to-do list with baby DARUMA stamp. (coming soon;)

My 3rd refill notebook for Traveler's Notebook is kraft (TN 014). This is a free space for me to capture and explore thoughts through process. I sometimes question myself if I need this extra refill notebook in Traveler's Notebook... but I always answer "yes" to myself. It works to have something that my right brain can go towards that is separate from my monthly calendar and bullet journal which is all about function and logical.

Here is my spread of the  Ogami notebook looks like. I told myself that it's not about filling every square inch of the page... and it's okay to have a lot of negative space. I will probably not archive this notebook after I finish using it... but maybe that's okay too.

Lastly I have been carrying all my notebooks using Origami Leather Basket. It is nice to have a place where I can just toss my notebooks in... and to know that I have everything I need when I pick up the basket.