My Pokemon Field Guide Binders from Two Cats Cards on Etsy
Hi friends!
I am going to nerd out for a minute but I know I am not the only nerd out there so I wanted to share something I have been working on lately! Dustin and I both collect Pokémon cards but recently I started doing Pokemon Field Guide binders and it might be one of the most fun ways to collect cards! I pretty much found the perfect thing to combine my love for Pokémon and my love for all things wildlife ecology, these Pokémon field guide binders from Two Cats Cards really feel like they might have been made for me! Or at least I feel like I found my people! Instead of organizing cards in a binder by a set or like by Pokédex number (don’t get me wrong, we’re doing that too), but I have been following these guides which turn your collection into something that is like a field guide notebook! There are a few different guides that you can choose from, birds, fossils, insects, plants, rocks and minerals, each of the binders is themed around real world science and discovery while still getting to sort and organize and be around the fun that is collecting Pokemon cards! These field guides really remind me of the field guides and nature books I grew up flipping through as a kid (or still do as an adult)! I think that if you love Pokémon, nature, paleontology, ecology, or just creating themed collections, these binders are such a fun and different way to show off parts of your collection!
I in no way shape or form created the outlines of these guides but I couldn’t have been happier to stumble upon these field guides to add to my collection! I am going to go through each of the options that she has so far and then I will show you parts of each of my own binders that I have created following Two Cats Cards stunning designs!
Happy Reading!
A Little Bit About the Shop Owner: Two Cats Cards
One of the things I love most about supporting small creators on Etsy is hearing the story behind their work, and the creator behind Two Cats Cards has such a creative concept behind these field guide binders. According to the shop owner: “I’m a graphic designer who’s been drawing Pokémon since I was a kid, and I started making field guide binders as a way to combine my love of collecting with real world ecology, paleontology, and discovery. Every guide is inspired by the kinds of books I’ve always loved, turning Pokémon card collections into pages that feel like they're from a real field notebook you can build over time.” I love her work and honestly think that each design is stunning and well thought through while also being educational, nostalgic and thoughtful! You can also check out some more videos from her over on Instagram, which I will link here: @two_cats_cards! I absolutely think you should go check out her shop! Or even just follow her Instagram page for updates on her latest field guides!
Why My Wildlife Ecology Major Heart Loves These
As a wildlife ecology major, and really just loving science and nature which is probably why I fell in love with these binders so quickly! These field guides genuinely feel like interactive field journals. I love that the themes are inspired by real world biology, paleontology, geology, entomology, and botany, which makes organizing Pokémon cards feel weirdly educational in the best possible way! I also love that these guides encourage you to look at Pokémon through the lens of actual wildlife and scientific classification. Bird Pokémon grouped together in a field guide? Fossil Pokémon organized like paleontology discoveries? Plant inspired Pokémon displayed like botanical specimens? It all scratches the same part of my brain that loves nature documentaries, museums, field notebooks, and wildlife ID books. As someone who spends a lot of time studying ecosystems, species interactions, and biodiversity, these binders make Pokémon collecting feel even more personal and immersive for me!
My Bird Field Guide Volume 1 & 2
The bird field guides, at least Volume 1 was the very first one that I decided that I was going to do and it has been a lot of fun putting it together! I love bird watching and I’ve really leaned into my 30s with picking up bird watching as a hobby haha but I love this binder so much! As someone who loves learning about wildlife and wildlife observation, I really like the concept of organizing bird inspired Pokémon into their own field guide. The layouts and her level of organization are excellent and it feels like something you’d take out on a birdwatching expedition! Plus she really does a good job with the artwork and the design she has gone with for the field guide. Volume 1 focuses on forest and field birds and Volume 2 is all about birds water and wilderness birds which I can show a little bit more closely what that looks like and how she breaks it up in some of the photos that I share!
You can check them out here:
My Plant Field Guide
The plant field guide might honestly be one of the prettiest that I own. She did such a good job with the layouts of this guide and every page looks like it belongs in a plant identification handbooks or something! I love the way that the cards look with the colors that she chose too! I really love pairing grass type Pokémon and plant inspired Pokemon cards with this binder because it looks really cohesive and aesthetic looking. This is another guide that feels like such a fun crossover between Pokémon collecting and plants and information on plants too!
You can find the Plant Field Guide here:
My Rocks and Minerals Field Guide
This field guide is a lot of fun and immediately reminded me of museum geology exhibits and rock identification books. The rocks and minerals theme is such a fun category to organize Pokémon cards in, especially for Rock type Pokémon or cards with cave, crystal, and geological themes which don’t always get attention. The pages have such a cool scientific and adventure inspired feel to them. I think this one would be amazing for collectors who love mining, gemstones, geology, or even natural history museums. I also love how many different types of rock Pokémon there are across the different generations, so all of these binders give you a really fun long term collecting project to work toward.
You can check out the Rocks and Minerals Field Guide here:
My Insects Field Guide
Out of all the guides she has, this one might be the most perfect for my ecology brain. I have been doing these for a couple of months and anytime I was searching for cards for a different field guide I would think “she should make one for insects” and then it happened! I was so happy! I’ve always loved insect diversity and how important insects are to ecosystems, so seeing bug type Pokémon organized into a realistic field guide format made me ridiculously happy. The layouts feel like pages from an entomology notebook, which makes the entire collecting experience feel even more immersive. I think that bug Pokémon are also some of the most underrated designs in the Pokemon franchise, so I love being able to give them their own dedicated space in my collection!
You can find the Insects Field Guide here:
Fossil Field Guide Volume 1 & 2
The fossil field guides are really cool, they are broken up into two volumes but they fit into one binder for me which is nice! The first volume that she did was Pokemon that are revived from fossils that they came from and the second binder is based on prehistoric creatures but not ones that revived from fossils! I am heading to the Field Museum in Chicago in a couple of weeks and my little science nerd heart can’t wait to see the Pokemon Fossil Museum pop up that is there! This field guide is also the most interactive one that she has done with extra log sheets, a geologic timescale, area zero access permits and a lumiose museum ticket which are just so fun to have in there! The pages feel like they belong in a museum archive or paleontology research notebook and you will be collecting some pretty cool Pokémon that are fossil related. I really think that Fossil Pokémon already have such cool lore and prehistoric inspiration behind them, so organizing them into themed field guides just makes so much sense. I love it so much!
You can find them here:
The Binders I’m Using for My Field Guides
All of my Pokemon field guides except one collection is in a Vault X 4 pocket binder and I think they are perfect for the layout and this style of field guide. We use Vault X for all of our master set collections as well and we really just like the quality of the binder and the color options that they come in! I also think that the 4 pocket size of these binders makes it feel more like a handheld nature journal or something that you would actually have out in the field. Plus like with any other Vault X binder, the side loading pockets and zip closure also make me feel a lot better about keeping my cards protected while still being able to enjoy looking through the collections with out a hassle. I feel like the Vault X binders are the perfect combination of organization and aesthetics, while also being practical about protecting the cards inside! If you’re planning to start building your own Pokémon field guide collection from Two Cats Cards, I definitely recommend considering smaller binders like these because they really enhance the “field notebook” vibe that makes these guides so unique!
The only binder that isn’t a Vault X 4 pocket binder is my Fossil Field Guide and I got mine from Etsy because I loved the design that Two Cats Cards has for her own. Plus with all of the extras in the Fossil Field Guide Binder I like the 3 ring feature so it can be a more interactive field guide. I will say though that I don’t think the shop carries the 3 ring binder versions anymore, I had to reach out and ask specifically for it when I bought mine but I will link that shop here! But they do have the same binder design on a binder without the 3 ring feature!
Some Quick Facts about the Pokemon Field Guide binders!
Are these binders beginner friendly?
Yes! I think these are a really fun option for newer collectors because the themed layouts make organizing cards feel less overwhelming. Instead of trying to complete massive Pokédex collections, or master setting a whole collection, you can focus on smaller themes like birds, fossils, insects, plants, or rocks and minerals. I don’t know why these themes feel more inviting to someone who might be new to Pokémon but it’s probably because it bridges the real world with the Pokemon world! They also make collecting feel more personal because you can pick a theme that you enjoy and then build the binder at your own pace.
Do they fit standard Pokémon sleeves?
I believe that this will entirely depend on how you print the pages but from my experience, the pages are designed to work well with standard Pokémon card binder pages and sleeves. I would still recommend double-checking the product descriptions and sizing information on each Etsy listing before printing or purchasing supplies just to make sure everything fits the setup you are wanting. But if you are doing standard sizing for a normal binder, I don’t think you should have any issues.
Are the pages printable at home?
Yes! One of the things I really liked about these field guides is that they are printable, which makes them easy to print them out, cut and then assemble them yourself. You can print pages as you grow your collection, reorganize sections, and even upgrade your setup over time. One of the things that Two Cats Cards always mentions when she’s showing her binders is that yes use hers as a guide to make your own but you can change it however you feel like doing it! I think that if you have a good home printer and cardstock paper (which is what I used), they look really nice once they are cute and assembled into my binders!
Which guide should you start with?
I honestly think the best guide to start with depends on your interests!
Love birds or birdwatching? Start with the Bird Field Guides.
Obsessed with prehistoric Pokémon? Go with the Fossil Guides.
Love gardening and Grass-types? The Plant Guide is perfect.
Into bugs, butterflies, and entomology? Definitely the Insect Guide.
Love crystals, caves, and geology aesthetics? Try the Rocks & Minerals Guide.
Are they good gifts for Pokémon fans?
Absolutely. I think these would make amazing gifts for Pokémon fans, especially adult collectors, nature lovers, science students, or anyone who enjoys creative hobbies. They feel really unique compared to some of the standard Pokémon merch that you can find out there. Also, because they’re printable, they also feel more interactive and customizable to whoever you are shopping for. These field guides feel like one of those gifts that feels more intentional because it combines multiple interests or hobbies of whoever you are gifting this to! Plus it feels more like an experience and a gift all in one!
I know that was a ton of information but if you are looking for a creative way to organize your Pokémon cards beyond a standard binder setup, I cannot recommend these field guides enough. They feel thoughtful, artistic, and incredibly unique with the coolest touches in the details! These field guides perfectly combine some of my favorite things: Pokémon, science, wildlife, museums, field journals, and collecting. Every time I flip through them, they make my collection feel more interactive and I really like that! I also love supporting creative small businesses that bring such original ideas to the Pokémon community, and Two Cats Cards has created something that genuinely stands out in my opinion! I think I touched on everything but if you have any other questions you can drop a comment below or send me an email at hello@emmatarynjones.com and I will get back to you ASAP!
XX
Emma