Review of the Exacompta Basic Pocket Portfolio

Review of the Exacompta Basic Pocket Portfolio



A while back I saw a review of the Exacompta Basic Pocket Portfolio, and I fell in love.  It's so adorable!  Cute as a bug!  Okay.  I know I'm officially an paper addict geek when I get warm and fuzzy feelings over a small folder file---but it's soooo cute!  

I was over the moon when Karen at Exaclair agreed to send me a couple of these.  They are 4.75×6.25″ and come in red and black, as well as the green and kraft colors you see here.  Not everyone will be as awestruck as I am, lol, but they are a very handy item.  Too large for back pockets, but nice for purses or drawers.  

You can keep them flat, and store 4x6" cards or tags or coupons or bits of ephemera, or you can fold them along the scored lines and turn them into boxes that are about 1/4" thick.

Or--if you are like me, and have to do something totally different with them, you can turn them into journals!


I took some 9 1/2 x11" Clairefontaine GraF It paper and made three signatures of 6 sheets each (I cut each signature into slightly different sizes, just 'cause).  After sewing the signatures to each other, I sewed them to the portfolio.

The portfolios have a textured surface, but not so textured you can't stamp, ink, or emboss them, and I did all of that.  I used a dauber to darken the edges, and punchinella (sequin waste) to ink up some patterns, and then I embossed the front with a Viva Las Vegastamps! stamp (Item 18821 Plate 1425-Bird Thingie 3 1/2 x 2 3/4) .


It's still cute as a bug, but a prettier bug now.  And there is still room to add cards or bits of ephemera for collage or notes.  

So now I have some bad news and some good news. 

The bad news.  I wanted to buy some more of these.  Alas, I could not find them online.  I found the larger size portfolio--9 1/2" x 12 1/2"  at Classic Office Products, and will buy some of those, but I want these little guys!  I'm infatuated, you see.  

 I am still looking, and will let you know as soon as I find a place to buy.  

The good news.  Did you notice that I haven't said much about the kraft-colored portfolio in the first couple of pictures?  It hurts me incredibly, but I'm giving it away, lol.

But wait!  There's more.  I've been raving about the Rhodia dotGrid paper, and the wonderful Karen at Exaclair agreed to send me a WebNoteBook (aka dotWebbie)--for a giveaway!  

So thanks to Exaclair, you now have a chance to win an Exacompta Basic Pocket Portfolio and a Rhodia DotWebbie.  But wait--there's more!  I wanted something in the giveaway to come from me, so I'm adding a set of 6 Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.  It's the Turquoise set, because I noticed that every time I drew something using these turquoise colors, everyone ooh'd and ah'd.  And because turquoise really goes well with the orange dotWebbie cover!

You'll be seeing some artwork that I've done in my own dotWebbie, soon.

Thank you Karen!  And thank you Exaclair!  Did you know that Exaclair, Inc. is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Clairefontaine, Exacompta, Rhodia, Quo Vadis, G. Lalo, Brause, J. Herbin, Mignon and Decopatch products?  You can learn more about these Exaclair products at their website, the Rhodia Facebook page, and the Rhodia Drive blog.

Karen sent me several products, so over the next week or two, I will also be reviewing the Quo Vadis Habana notebook, a Decopatch Frame kit, and the Clairefontaine GraF It sketchpad.   Be sure to come back and check them out.  



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. OOOh I know that warm & fuzzy feeling & as for putting the turquoise Spectrums with the Orange Rhodia - a really really super idea. I don't always leave comments but really value all the info you provide. Thanks for being a fellow Paper/colour/marker Geek (must look that word up in the dictionary).
    Much love & thanks
    Paula (PEP)

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  2. Ha - that will teach me to leave a comment before I've managed to work out what the linky gizmo is asking - so what would I do with the Portfolio (love the fact that it's kraft coloured & coordinates beautifully with the turquoise & the orange) - I'd put all my tangle projects together in it & maybe one day when I've got more proficient at tangling I'll decorate it. Or I could put all the grids of new patterns into it....., not sure which of those two yet but it will be Zentangle based for certain.
    Paula (PEP)

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  3. ooh, i love turquoise and orange together...

    i think i'd try to make it into a build it myself art journal. :D

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  4. Turquoise and orange - what a powerful combination! How fun to be able to make art with these items.

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  5. What would I do with a portfolio? Have you *seen* how much crafty stuff I have? *grins* Coming up with something to do with it isn't as hard as deciding which one of many possibilities to use...

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  6. If I had one of these nifty portfolios, I would carry blank note cards and a pen in it and make zentangle cards wherever I am, so I build a supply to send to friends who need a quick pick-me-up.

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  7. FUN! I would love to decorate the outside and make it all prettyz!
    ANg

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  8. I would treasure it and have fun decorating it with tangles. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  9. very cool! thanks for the giveaway

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  10. I would put my story ideas in it.

    melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. Love the "Embellishing" job you did on the portfolio- It was be awesome to try out the Dot Grid for tangle designs!

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  12. I would also carry blank note cards around in it so when the creativity bug struck I would have something to save my epiphanies and idea notes.

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  13. Love it = can't wait to try it and make a cute artsy journal. Thanks for the giveaways.

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  14. Am I allowed to enter again? The portfolio looks great - I LOVE your idea of making a journal out of it so I'd totally try that! I have a lot of loose paper kicking around that needs a home too so it would be perfect!
    azizah.asgarali at gmail dot com

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  15. Hate to sound dumb, but how do you enter this contest? Is writing a comment enough or is there some icon or link I have to press? Is there some artwork I have to do? Pleazzze let me know. Anyway, would love to win those alcohol pens. I've run across several people who use them and like them. Winning them would be so much better than buying them - :)

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    Replies
    1. Ronnie, click on the +1 Do It in the Rafflecopter box. A window will open and you can reply that you left the comment. Then other options will show up with instructions for other entries.

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  16. I found a question. Guess that's the key to entering - lol. "What would I do with an Exacompta Basic Pocket Portfolio?". I'd fill it with a few sheets of watercolor paper (cut to fit the portfolio), hook a pen on the outside and shove it in my purse. It would be there for me to pull out and do Tangles whenever I got the chance. I would also draw and color an incredible Tangle on the front of it. Anyone next to me would surely ask me what I'm doing and it would be the perfect opportunity to talk about Tangling.

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  17. Very nice giveaway - thanks! Thanks for the reviews, too.

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  18. What fun it would be to play with a portfolio like the Exacompta. I would use it to carry blank note cards for quick jots whenever I notice a pattern out there in the big world. I have just started this and now see patterns everywhere. On clothing, buildings, furniture, flooring, and such and always think I will remember later. Never do LOL!

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  19. Great colors and a nice idea. I would love to use the portfolio with my odd and end paper notepads and notecards.

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  20. I love it! thanks for the giveaway! I would just have to decorate it and see where else it lead me. :)

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  21. First I'd like to do a nice doodled pattern around the sides, followed by stamping with my stampscapes stars in a slightly sandy color. I'm thinking doing it as a nature theme, with some stickers I have of leaves and ferns, and sneak in some fantastic things like a few brilliant, tiny faeries and a small sleeping dragon. :D

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  22. I would keep all the bits and pieces I end up with on my travels in it so as not to lose them in the bottom of my purse and to protect them from getting folded, stapled or mutilated!

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  23. I would use it to store all my zentangle inspired drawings that I do...thanks for a chance to win!

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  24. I'd use it for storing my huge piles of index cards!

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  25. What a great little folio to make a travel journal in. I would take all the photos, tickets, maps and brochures from a trip and make a self-enclosed book. Thanks for the chance to win! Love how you jazzed it up with all the stamped images :)

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  26. This is a really fantastic giveaway that you're having Sandra! I would love the opportunity to win this and try them all out.

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  27. This is really cool! I love how you used punchinella as a mask and layered the different sizes. Awesome portfolio. Thank you for sharing this with us on Facebook!

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  28. These look great. I just can see one all tangled with my tangle patterns inside.

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  29. These are beautiful. I would embellish it with beautiful papers, stamps, inks, and embossed metal and filigree pieces, and then I would keep all of my notes about Zentangle and sketches for projects I want to accomplish in the future. What a great prize! Thanks for sharing.

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  30. It looks like a great way for me to carry draft to my thesis and other related materials. Thank you!

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  31. Great giveaway! I would keep the portfolio and DotWebbie if I won. The markers would be given to my 16-year-old daughter, who is a wonderful artist.

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  32. oh its a folder --- maybe it'll fit in my circa so i can have a pocket at the back?

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  33. I'd probably use mine for notes, coupons, or inspirational material! :D

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  34. very cool! Good for my index cards!

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  35. I'd fill it with Whispers of Aloha

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  36. Love this porfolio..I would use it for my Ladies Bible study, tweak & customize the covering.

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  37. These are awesome. I would love to be able to make a journal like youbdid

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  38. I would make a journal out of it - for super secret bright ideas!

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  39. I'd use it to keep a stash of notecards at work for when I need an emergency card

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  40. I have so many scraps of paper that need contained in a little jail like this....

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  41. It looks like just the right size for me to keep my film strips in! Right now they're in a white envelope, which is a little boring... but a portfolio like this would be perfect for them!

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  43. It would actually give me a reason to be organized!

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  44. This would be great for Artist Trading Cards!

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  45. I would really love to win these goodies. I'd use the portfolio to house some homemade watercolor media palettes and a sketch book so I could have a little travel kit. Thanks!

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  46. turqouise!!! the portfolio would be great for index cards!

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  47. My latest manuscript. Definitely to hold the notes for my latest manuscript!

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  48. I'll keep all my literary works in one place!

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  49. What I would do with the Portfolio: probably, I'd use it to store scraps of paper and ephemera in for art journaling. Currently, these are scattered about in a few different folders, and it would be nice to have them all in one place.

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  50. I'm getting ready for entrance exams for school, these would hold all my flashcards

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  51. I would use it to carry my zentangle stuff around - molly z.

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  52. I would use it to carry some cut down pieces of art paper. Then when I had some spare minutes here and there throughout the day, I could use them to create some art. Thank you for the chance!

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  53. PICK ME! So eant to start withe a dot pad!

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  54. I'm new to Zentangle, so I would start my collection in this beautiful portfolio. Thanks for a chsnce to win!!

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  55. This would just be an awesome giveaway to win! Hope I'm the lucky one.

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  56. I saw these a while back but then never heard about them nor saw them for sale. I think I would use it as a catch all for scrap notes that I cannot just throw away.

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  57. Omg... I have been looking for a nice folder to store all my loose sheets of paper that I use to do my writing samples for my pen reviews. Looks like the perfect folder for me uh!

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  58. I'd admire it for awhile, love on it, start decorating it, and using it!

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  59. Would love to make it into a notebook - fantastic idea.

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  60. An interesting product. And I do love Rhodia notebooks.

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  61. These colors are so hip and screaming to be embellished. Random Generator, pick me.

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