It’s such a horrible job to unpack a suitcase following a road trip.  Fortunately there’s the added bonus of discovering a little treasure or two, acquired along the way.

 

 

The first little bundle of goodness was fairly near the top since I bought these dear little notebooks in Montreal, at L’Essence du Papier .  Perfect for my handbag notebook, I would have loved one in each colour.  As it is, I settled for four.  Each has a little removable frame on the cover and a moleskine-style pocket inside both back and front covers.

 

 

I also found a few KnockKnock goodies here and at Kate’s in New York.  The larger notebook will be perfect for my work meetings, allowing space for all kinds of doodling alongside the more serious stuff.  The post it notes will hopefully bring a smile from time to time.

 

 

Spending time with booky friends means that not only have the books which I left with been swapped and traded, but I’ve gathered some treasures along the way as well.  Jordi provided me with much reading material for the journey in the form of several Surface Design Journals which not only entertained me but have found a new home with Nadine.  She also added to my Keith Smith collection though, with the Text book which is a fascinating if slightly odd subject to appreciate.  Fortunately she knew it would be right up my street!

I found the Japanese book about creating travel journals in Kinokuniya in New York and couldn’t resist.  I did, however, resist this.  At more than $50 for a fairly small (but absolutely divine) paperback book it will have to stay on my wish list for a little longer!

Finally, the Personal Best book was a gift from a dear LA friend who has family connections with the author.  I shall enjoy reading that one, especially in the light of my coaching training!

 

 

The Kool-aid supplies are replenished and I’m looking forward to a flavor-filled, fun-packed session with friends soon.

 

 

Nadine brought treasure to share, including what looks like a great way to add a little maple goodness to our morning bowl of cereal.  She also brought maple syrup sweeties but you didn’t really expect those to last long enough for a photo, did you?

 

 

Mary, our travelling companion, gave me a great Couture Planet bag to put all my goodies in, sourced from our friend Elizabeth in LA (you might remember this)  Needless to say, my thoughtful honorary sister chose it especially because of the world traveller design which someone around here hasn’t examined closely yet.

 

 

Yes, that’s an imaginary world train map to work out.

 

 

I’ve already confessed to a few goodies in Purl (where I was rather restrained, I think) and magnetic bag clasps and things in M&J trimmings.

 

 

Finally, it would appear that we are amongst the last people to learn about cooking a chicken on a beer can.  Jordi, Mary and Nadine could all recommend this method and we came across a variety of gizmos to assist the process.  But this beauty was found in the smartest of kitchen shops and we succumbed.

We’ll give it a try tonight and report back soon.