I don’t know exactly what my journal wants to be in the beginning. So I don’t try and polish or finish it before I leave. It’s imperfect. It will evolve along the way. For example right now I have no idea what kind of closure it will eventually have. Or if it will have a pocket in the back. Or even what title I might eventually write on the front cover.
I have no idea how many pages I will need to write each day, but I have a vague sense that a book of about an inch thick will be big enough. There is a lot that is still up in the air.
One thing I like to do once my signatures have been sewn in, is to go back and tape or paper over the interior stitches. I almost always do this because I just don’t like the look of them – especially if there are a lot of knots, or double stitches.
I will also collage a tiny bit in the journal, adding wallpaper or other scraps that I like. I keep this to a bare minimum since I know I’ll be adding things while I’m in Venice.
One thing I’m trying for my Venice trip is tucking the labels and journaling spots in the page protector pockets inside the journal. Like this:
I’m thinking this will make it much easier to find specific ones when I want them. I’ll refill the pockets with ephemera, receipts, photos, as I empty them.
Here they are! The tiny notebook is to keep in my bag and journal on when I’m out and about. The watercolor scraps are for on-the-go sketches. I can attach to my journal when I get back to the apartment.
click on the image to see it nice and big
I usually pack supplies in a thin plastic box. I duct tape the outside of the box and pack it in my checked bag. I usually add extra strips of duct tape to the outside of the box and peel them off and use them while traveling. The only supplies I carry-on are my pens.
I ALWAYS pack my journal inside of my carry-on. If my luggage gets lost I can live without my supplies, but not without my journal & favorite pens!
I love arriving at my apartment and unpacking my journal and supplies on the dining room table. I always pay close attention to the table in the apartment and the amount of natural light in the room. Lots of light and lots of room to work (among other things) make for a good rental experience.
I leave everything out on the journal table for the duration of my trip.
Having all of the supplies out at all times makes it handy to come home and work in my journal. One important thing to note is that my trips usually revolve around travel journaling. It is a key part of my journey. Carol & I always say that keeping a travel journal while traveling is a “full-time job”. Having a dedicated art space in the apartments I rent makes me feel like I’m having a fuller experience.
If you travel with family or friends that don’t share your enthusiasm for recording everything, you can still make time for writing, but leave the collage and “decorating” for when you return home. Just collect everything in a ziplock bag.
I prefer a more immediate, narrative style of writing on location versus a recollection style – recording what you remember when you return to your permanent home. To that end, if I’m blogging on the road I sometimes use the writing I’ve already done for the blog, inside my travel journal. Or vice versa…use the travel journal writing as my blog post. AND…I also have my small notebook filled with “on location” writing that I can always use in the travel journal. Either while in Venice or once I’m back in the U.S.
All excellent travel info! Answers alot of questions I’ve had when traveling. Very fun & interesting too! Have a most wonderful trip Mary Ann! And thanks for taking us along! Your the best Teach ever!!
Darlene-FL
Oh, this will be SO useful. There is nothing like the voice of experience with all the little details and thoughts and successes and failures. Tak sa mycket!
I sure wish I had this class years ago when traveling. I will make good use of all your tips on my next trip. Have a great time.
Safe Travels
RoseMary
My favorite part of ALL these photos is that adorable picture of Buck next to your journaling table.
I did much the same thing when I went on my first cruise last year. Left all my journaling stuff out on the cabin’s writing desk so I was able to record everything as it happened. I also brought along a small portable printer in order to add photos right away. The odds that I would have finished after I got home were pretty low, based on past experience, so having the photo printer along was such a boon!
I’m getting as excited for this trip as if I’m actually going! I want to make a list of everything I need to bring! 🙂
oh lisa!!!!
i didnt even notice that, but my buck DOES go with me on all my trips. ever since budapest when GIANT buck fished beside the blue danube and followed me all around. he is my travel buddy. and my protector!
Hope you don’t mind if I stow away again in your luggage, I am curled up in the center of one of the washi tape rolls and my mucklucks and venetian mask are packed in the other, so don’t decide at the last minute to change tapes. Can’t wait for the Great Reveal tomorrow. Here’s wishing us safe travels:)
Let the journey begin. I think your Norway apt has been my favorite you’ve shared, it just looks so darn cozy and of course there is Carol enjoying every second sitting at the table. I can’t imagine what being around the 2 of you together on a trip must be like. I’m thinking it’s quite the best way to travel, even when you go off for time on your own. I’m gonna be sitting here all night till the vids and PDF go up. I don’t think I will be able to focus on anything else tonight, starting on a new journal today I think is the best plan, get the cobwebs out of the attic so to speak. Venice here we come.
I am so excited! I just signed up, as a late birthday present (December 10th) to myself. I can’t believe how much is packed into this class, for a mere $58. Mary Ann, you are amazing. I have read Dispatch From LA for some time now, but this…
Why did I wait until the last minute to sign up? Well, I kept telling myself that I didn’t have time to fit this in around my soul-sucking job and obligations to elderly parents. But then I read your post over on Dispatch to LA this morning, and your comment about feeling sad for people who can’t travel, and I thought…
Are you nuts? THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!
So, of course, I signed up right away. 🙂 And I’m really looking forward to the trip.
Love hearing and seeing all the travel tips- my head, heart and soul are spinning with inspiration! We drove to Santa Fe over Thanksgiving and I took my newly created Remains of the Day journal…..I took my supplies in an altered pizza box and used it as a table while in the car and hotel. A bit awkward but worked pretty well. Let the travels begin!
Now I feel OK about the way I work as I do more on my return and it takes me weeks sorting. I always thought everyone completed journals en route.
That Norway apt is so cute. I always look at the table/surface offerings in my rooms, too, and sequester them for my use. People who aren’t into journaling ignore them, and the people who are intrigued join in. So no one’s really troubled with this. I tend to do the important time and place details when I get home, too. It’s the feelings during the event that I love to record. But I never thought of a smaller notebook for quick notes and then using in the journal afterward! how cool! one with decorative pages (that I usually don’t get because I feel I’ll have to cover over them) might be cool because they can become decorative elements to put in the main journal.
It’s going to be so great to make the actual journal I’m using! I’ve only ever bought a manufactured one to use on the trip. It’s very exciting! (I would say thanks for the info, but I will save all applause for the end of the program.)
I realize that is may be a while before this question gets answered, seeing as how it’s the day before departure. But what is a type reference?
type reference = type to look at while i draw letters in my journal. if my nutcracker was screwed on tighter i could have used a better word!
ha ha ha
Mary Ann, where can I get order or buy labels similar to yours? I have looked online and at Michaels’s (in Canada) as well as scrapbook places in Seattle but I can’t find them. Paper source had some fancy ones but they were 8 for $5. Maybe that is going the price. I am real novice at visual journalling.
marilyn i have zillions of labels which i have accumulated over the years from: paper source, scrapbooks.com, etsy, ebay, chinatown, overseas, gifts, paper stores, ALL OVER. the ones shown on this page i believe are tim holtz
Thank you for a most wonderful class and I love the way your journal looks. Beautiful. Sorry, if you’ve answered this question elsewhere: what is the clear stamp alphabet called that you use to stamp “Day 1” etc. with? And do you remember where you bought it? It’s kind of curly, tall and narrow. You’re a wonderful teacher, great videos and instructions.
oh julie all i have left of that is the clear plastic the letters sit on… the packaging is long gone. someone else just asked me that. wish i could be more helpful… 🙁 glad you liked the class. thank you!!!
What size is your plastic box? I would love to find something like that but I have no idea what it would be called while searching online.