New York Travel Journal Supplies

For any stationery lover out there, you’ve been where I am: trying to figure out what to bring with you on your travels. When I went through this predicament back in June, I brought two journals with me - one for carrying in my bag and one for putting together the final pages. Although it was convenient to have the smaller notebook on me at all times, I found that moving over my thoughts from one place to another with a busy traveling schedule became too exhausting.

This time, I’m heading to New York for a few days on my own, and decided to pare down my travel setup even further.

Carry-On #1

I’ll be carrying the tried and true ateliers Penelope large diary pouch, where I’m planning to bring my favorite pens in the top zipper pouch. I also added a brush pen for lettering and a water brush to use for light watercoloring. I have tried a few different types of gel pens, but I always find myself coming back to the Uni-ball Signo line (which is why you see them in so many colors in this picture!). I really enjoy the 0.38mm line and how quickly the ink dries on paper without bleeding through to the other side.

Inside the main pouch is where I’m going to keep my Midori MD 10th Anniversary sketch journal. This notebook is in the A5 size and I have been using it as a travel journal for a while, starting with my Europe trip a few months back. At first, I was worried about filling the entire page with content - after all, I had only used the traveler’s notebook to document my travels before, so an A5 notebook seemed like a big change. I quickly discovered that I was having a lot of fun incorporating all sorts of ephemera into this journal. Because of its larger size, it housed anything and everything I could find (business cards, flyers, brochures, tickets, etc.)

True to its name, it also takes different types of media fairly well, so I’ll be experimenting with it more on this trip by sketching in it and using some light washes of watercolor to lay down some color onto the pages. There’s something about a simple line drawing with a watercolor background that I love, and I want to use that style in recreating New York’s sights and scenery.

In the back zipper pocket, I put in some sticker sheets that will go well with the nature of this trip. My current itinerary includes local stationery stores where I’ll likely purchase more, so I chose only a few of my favorites.

Carry-On #2

Another item I love to carry with me to journal meetups and trips is the small Delfonics utility pouch. Don’t let the compact size deceive you, because you can pack quite a bit in here. It offers plenty of pockets for storing supplies and is able to expand due to the soft canvas material.

I usually keep clips and a tape runner in the front pockets for easy access. Random fact: I prefer tape runners to glue sticks. This mini version that I got from one of the Stationery Selection boxes is so handy and keeps my pages free of accidental sticky spots!

Inside the main compartment is where I’ll store the bigger items. I’m bringing a set of 12 colored pencils and a 6-pan watercolor set from London Gifties for illustrating purposes. A relatively new addition pictured above is the Canon Ivy mini photo printer, which I kindly received as an early birthday gift. The bluetooth setup is incredibly simple and the photo app is intuitive to use. I love that it’s so lightweight and portable as well.

I used to wait until I got back home to print photos from a nearby CVS, which not only took time, but also delayed my travel journal completion for days. I’m hoping to do as much as possible on-the-go this time with the photo printer by my side. Wish me luck!

As always, I’ll be bringing a few cards with washi samples wrapped around them. I find this method to be the easiest when I’m out of town. It’s a super convenient way to keep all of your favorite washi tapes with you and not have to think about which rolls you want to bring. The fact that it eases the bulk and weight of your luggage is a bonus!

Once I arrive, I’ll be posting all about my first solo trip on my Instagram account, so be sure to check that out if you’re curious on staying up to date on the daily adventures. My goal is to return to the blog with a few nuggets for you - including one or more posts for the Store Tour series - so stay tuned! I’m excited to share more of my journey with you.