Four years in the making, our Italy trip is on the horizon. I am most excited about visiting Vernazza (pictured above) in Cinque Terre, since our plans looked dashed last October after rains and mudslides devastated this and other towns in the region. Most restaurants and shops are open according to the website Save Vernazza. The finishing touches to my packing list are building pages to journal on (see below).

CC and I scoured thrift shops for coffee table books with beautiful images of Italy and the countryside/seaside. I found a 50 year old book on Rome with gorgeous black and white images of Roman life, and another book about sea-side living that offered colorful plates of delicate flora and fauna living in the harsh environment. A third book gave me sweeping views of the country. These pages will follow us and be filled with our experiences in Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Florence.

My kit includes:
• prepared pages
• blunt scissors that I can put in my carry on
• watercolor pencils and small paintbrush
• white pencils to write on uncoated paper
• paint pens to write on glossy paper, and offer contrast in the darker areas on the pages
• glue stick
• poloroid pogo for adding of-the-moment pics to the layouts

Of course, I will be blogging along the way so tune back in September.

xoxSarah