Away We Go

We are away on vacation tomorrow. I'd like to think it will be an escape from the cold rainy weather here but as we are going to England that is unlikely! I am packing a summer dress and rain gear to cover all eventualities!

Having set up my Etsy shop, my website and my blog this year (I was an online marketing holdout for years and then decided to go all out and try it.) I am planning as to how I can keep checking and updating those things that need it. I don't travel with all the paraphenalia (laptops, smartphones etc) that many people do so will probably rely on friend's computers and maybe the odd internet cafe. Oh, and my parents, who are in their eighties now, and have shiny new laptops!

Apart from keeping up online there is another kind of work I do when I'm away - filing away ideas for future use in my jewellery. Here are some things I pack with me:

Digital camera - indispensable these days. I love to take detail shots of architectural features and close up of plants and flowers.

Sketchbook - the book I use at home is a large hardcover, fairly heavy. Even so I do sometimes pack it along, it has all my jewellery ideas in it, sketched or written. Also I bring a small pocket sized one too.

Pencils, eraser, sharpener, fine black drawing pens - kept together in a metal box.

Water-colours - a small tin box with squares of water colour and a brush.

While I'm away I collect things too, always come home with a mass of things such as:

Postcards - unfortunately most London museums and galleries don't allow you to take photos so I always buy some postcards of things in the collection.

Catalogues - galleries or artists tours often have catalogues with sumptuous pictures in them. Plus can be inspirational if you yourself are planning an open studio or exhibition.

Natural items - I collect all kinds of leaves, bird feathers, flowers, and press them between the pages of my sketchbook. Also I bring back pebbles and seedpods, anything really that catches my eye and that I can pick up.

Well gotta go and pack now, and hope that volcano doesn't decide to erupt again until we are over there. I'll end with a pic of earrings I just finished, my favourite scallop shape again.