Brush Dance Thich Nhat Hanh datebook in Daytimer Malibu binder

I recently bought this 2014 Thich Nhat Hanh Brush Dance datebook on Amazon UK:

I have the wall calendar too, and I love the colors, art and quotes. The quote on the January month tab is my favorite. It says, "The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."

But the Brush Dance datebooks, as wonderful and beautiful as they are, are printed with a week per page, which doesn't give me space to write my weekly tasks lists. (Excuse the rain streaks from the window in my photo below, but you can see how each page is one week.) Click on any of the photos for a larger view.

So I decided to cut the pages out and arrange them into a week + notes format in a ring binder like I did with the Perennial Grace datebook and my Success Choice binder last year.

The Daytimer Malibu Desk size binder I got in a swap from Terri is perfect!

The colors go so well together, and the pages look great in it.

But I wondered if I would regret cutting up the beautiful datebook. In the end it came down to practicality: I can't use a planner without space for my weekly lists. So, I took the plunge and did it. The result is gorgeous!

Below you can see the newly-arranged pages with the week on one side and the opposite page for lists and notes each week.

 The print colors look great with the color of the binder!

The month tabs and turquoise border on the notes pages are so pretty.

There weren't enough notes pages in the datebook for every week and month to have its own notes page, so I took some from other Brush Dance datebooks I have. April looks great with this purple-bordered note page (from last year's Perennial Grace datebook):

Here is my favorite quote, visible right when I open the binder.

But as beautiful and functional as this is, the binder with the pages in weighs more than 900 g/ about 2 lbs, which is too big and heavy for my go-everywhere planner, so it will have to stay at home. Now the question is what to use it for! Should I not care about the weight and carry it around with me after all?? I'm sure I'll find a good purpose for it. It's too beautiful not to use!

Meanwhile I'm still anxiously waiting to find out what Brush Dance's new weekly planners for 2015 will be like! Whatever they are, I'm sure they will be just as beautiful and uplifting as the rest of Brush Dance's products.

Here is the beautiful art and quote for March. It says, "The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person's suffering and bring that person joy." I love it!!!