2017 Journal

Love the way the new journal takes watercolor...like marble.

Italy Sketching Tools

A look at the tools I used for the Italy Travel Journal. I pilfered the sock-wrist-towel from Pinterest—worked like a dream and I continue to use it. Derwent watercolor pencils, Pentel Water Brush, and a ballpoint pen (substitute pen pictured—original is now charging an appearance fee, and requires a signed contract up front).

Thanks for the journal, Aunt Peg! It finally got to travel!

Photobombed...

No, Smithers, they are not cat treats nor do they require sharpening, but thanks for stopping by!

Italy Journal Sketches

First sketch of the Italy travel journal.

That's my real luggage—to scale! Ha, ok so maybe not, but it kinda
felt like it until I had to carry it.

Fig page edge...the fruit is hard to come by around here,
but they littered the ground outside our door at the villa.

One of the guest buildings at Cinelli-Colombini.

Notes from our tour guide's presentation at Avignonesi. She explained
in great detail two experiments in planting that were completed at
their winery. No two vineyards were the same on the trip—they
all had their own practices and traditions.

What happens when you try very hard to draw a straight line while riding
on a bus? Wonkiness! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

It tickled me that my morning cappuccino was served to me every morning in a cup with
Big Ben and the Parliament building on it—loved it!

Our final night at Cinelli-Colombini we had dinner
"on our own" at the Osteria di Donnatella (the restaurant
on the property of the villa). Bob very generously decanted
a 2000 Donatella Reserve for each table as a treat. Wow!

The villa sent us off with a bag lunch for our 5-hour bus ride to the Adige
region in the north of Italy. There was a yummy dessert bar in there, too, but
I required sustenance for the drawing...ha!

This bit o' sketchiness is out of chronological order in my travel journal.
Our first night in the Adige region we ate at the Gasthaus Zum Schenk...
wonderful food, very friendly people, HUGE language barrier that
led to a lot of laughter for all the parties involved.
It also led to a game of musical beer glasses for one of our tour members
who wanted a small beer—but not that small. And then a large beer—but not that large.

A rough and incomplete (let's face it, just terrible) map of our short morning
walk around Trento after breakfast. We went full-out tourist with cameras in
hand to look at the river, architecture and whatever else captured our attention.

Unfinished...forever.

Juice first...wine later :-)

Thanks for stopping by!