I stumbled across the GPP Street Team just in time to see the posts about Crusade No. 17 ~ Pandora’s Box. I had been lurking in total awe of all the amazing art journals when this challenge caught my eye. Cool, I thought, I can do this. So one of the very first posts on my newborn baby blog is how my journal kit has evolved.
It started innocently enough, just a moleskin and whatever pen was handy hanging out in my purse. After reading Fast Sketching, I added the 7b Shorty pencil, a click eraser, a brown Pigma, a binder
clip, a few pages of glassine the size of the journal page and a folded paper towel tucked into the journal. This is my bare minimum kit.
My hoard of supplies grew and I gathered them all up in a tackle bag. I liked the fishbone image but carefully picked o
ut the stitches that spelled out the company 
name. It has nylon zip baggies on binder rings. A baggie for each type of goodie, tech pens, markers, pencils, cut and paste supplies, etc. A journal fits snuggly inside the front and a watercolor set in the outside pouch.
That worked well but it was heavy and when traveling I aim for just the essentials. We have a big family and when everyone is loaded into the minivan along with suitcases, all the kids’ electronic gizmos, toys, backpacks, and the cooler there isn’t even any room for our feet!
I got this little hemp bag that fits (along with my purse) neatly under the console between the front seats and is easy
to hang around my neck while schlepping all the cargo in and out of hotels or cabins. I took out my cut and paste baggie from the fish bag, added some neocolors, a few waterbrushes, a Kyoko(sp?) pencil case full of Pitt Pens and Pigmas, some waterbased markers, and put in a few manila envelopes for ephemera that I collect on the trip. Kiddos each get an envelope too, s
ince they all mak
e journals. Tucked into the outside slash pocket is another bag. This one holds my field watercolor kit and real brushes plus charcoal pencils, another Pigma, ruler, kneaded eraser, sponge, and a pencil sharpener. I grab it for on the spot sketches and watercolor when I don’t need all the other cut and paste stuff.
This is all just pretty basic stuff, but it gets the job done. I’ve really learned a lot by looking at the other kits posted. Wow, you folks are sooo creative!! Hit the Archiver store today for goodies to add to the stash after viewing them in your posts– some glue dots, distress ink, stamps, rub ons, etc.
Ffyrebird – congrats on your new blog! Glad you decided to come play on the team – a great place to meet some kindred spirits. Thanks for showing us your kit. Love all those zippered pouches! What are those keychain things in photo #7? Bravo to you for taking your stuff on the road with kids – and that you have them making journals too. That is fab!
I really like your “sm,med,lg” approach with the different bags, and that parts of the big can go in the med etc. Very clever. you seem like your ready for whatever live throws…and still make time for art. I love that the kids get an envelope, too !
Michelle– Those keychain things are Cutter Bee Bugs. They have tools that slide out like a box cutter blade. The tools are a rotary cutter, single and double row piercers, perforation cutter and a scoring blade. Like all things about having kids, traveling and even journaling with them can be a pain, but it is also so much fun and some of the best memories ever.
So excellent that your kids journal, too! You have a great kit — it’s excellent how it evolved. Is working with the kids the secret to having time to journal?
How fun! I was starting to think this was going to be one of those “If you feed a mouse a cookie…” stories, and it sort of was… how incredibly fun… I want to come to your house/motel/cabin/tent to share art supplies with you! Looks like you’ll be having a ton of fun, so glad you decided to join in, welcome!
great seeing all your take along kits; the one with the plastic baggies is just awesome. so cool to hear your kids journal too. i just got my 8 year old a moleskin and he was soooooo excited.
cool journal kit, isn’t it funny how fishing equipment always falls into the hands of an artist? I have a tackle box for my watercolor supplies. Glad to see your kit!
Wow, you seem to be quite the organized one!!! Something for me to strive for 😉 “Ephemera Envelopes”… a great idea!! I also hope my little one learns the joy of art journaling when he gets a bit older… that’s why I need to develop my skills now so I can be a good example!