Whenever I return from a holiday or short break, I always take a few minutes to reflect on what I took; what did I take that I didn’t need? What didn’t I take that I would include next time? This allows me to tweak my packing list and get better at packing light but still taking everything I need.
As part of our last short trip, we stayed two nights in a Pullman style railway carriage deep in the Yorkshire Dales. You can check it out on Air BnB, it’s called ‘The Flying Yorkshireman’. It was a stunning hillside location with 360 degree views of the countryside and no Wi-Fi! I loved being off the grid but yearned to do something creative in the quiet, contemplative evenings. I regretted that I hadn’t packed a pretty journal and some nice pens. Away from home surroundings without the relentless pull of unfinished tasks, I love to bask in creative possibility. Then it struck me –I need to assemble a ‘creativity bento box’ for my next trip.
To give credit where credit is due, the seed for this idea came from some drool worthy YouTube videos showing the unboxing of stationery bento boxes created by the very talented Sora Ahsan Studio. These boxes are all lovingly made by hand and include stunning hand crafted papers, vintage ephemera, decorative twines and delicate botanical ink stamps. They include everything that any aspiring art journaling enthusiast could ever wish for.
I want to get more into art journaling myself but I also want my own bento box to provide me with a wider range of creative options. On holiday, the sort of creative urges that strike me tend to include the following:
- Write a hand-written letter to a friend on beautiful paper
- Create a small but imperfect water colour painting
- Undertake a tiny sewing project
- Draw a pretty window box or a charming tea cup
- Press a wild flower or two for posterity
- Try making my own hand-drawn illustrations for my next printable on Etsy
- Brainstorm new ideas for my business
- Jot down some thoughts on a new blog post
- Dip into a gorgeous book by a talented artist such as Katie Daisy or Sarah Midda
- And yes, sometimes create an art journal page including postcards, tickets and other ephemera
For a trip with a flight, I would have to pack a very small box of creative goodies but for a UK car based trip, I could afford to pack a few more things. Once my creative bento box is fully assembled, I will make a YouTube video to show you what’s inside. Do you like the idea of a creativity bento box? I’d love to hear what you’d put in yours!
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