I was in Inishbofin last week, for my 25th wedding annivesary. Marcel – the husband – and I were very much looking forward to it, as we’d heard the weather was going to be perfect. The west of Ireland is paradise in good weather, and Met Eireann promised us sunshine and warmth for the three days of our stay.
The weather was indeed perfect on the first evening and we made the most of it, taking a dip in sparkling turquoise water on a beach at which we were the only people and walking all alone along a winding grassy path on the side of a hill, covered in tiny wildflowers.
But that perfect evening, the day before we made it to 25 years, was the high point of our trip. The weather was wet and windy after that, and got steadily worse. By the day we left, 48 hours after our arrival, a storm forced our ferry crossing to be cancelled. To make matters worse, we had left home in a hurry, and Marcel had forgotten his raincoat, so we were confined to barracks.
But hey! I sketched loads in the down time, and it could have been so much worse. I was in great company in a beautiful place with wonderful food – and we will always have that first, magical evening…and I will always have those sketches, and the gratitude that despite many rows and ups and downs, after 25 years Marcel and I can still go away together and not fall out, even if we can do nothing but sit in an armchair and watch the grey clouds rolling by.
You can see how our trip went here: https://youtu.be/ukCJ_rSz8N4?si=cEAV8s14fFRcdUlp
Meanwhile I got word from Stephen, my colleague on the SketchPocket creation, while I was on the island last week. The third and final version of the sample has been given the go-ahead, including one in cactus leather. I don’t know if the sample will have the gorgeous paint-tube-covered lining in jersey felt, as I forgot to ask. I can’t wait! I will open up a registration of interest form very soon, and the first people who join it will get first option on the bags. There will be a limited supply for the first round, as I don’t want to make 500 bags and sell 100, although I have already had well over 100 enquiries already – mostly from strangers, so I don’t know that’s working out! I have sold lots of things over the years, including my books, which were bestsellers, and that was with promotion, but nothing has come close to the interest that has been shown for this little bag. I think it’s because it’s basically a toy for grown-ups, and we all remember what it was like to open a brand new toy we knew was going to bring us hours and hours of fun.
I am not exaggerating. I keep getting messages through my website (when all my members know the way to contact me is through my sketchwithroisin@gmail.com email address), through instagram from people who have never commented or been in touch before and even by SMS – which I literally never use or share! Is there some sort of zeitgeist? Are people sick of scrolling? Is there a craving for real, hands-on, human creativity? For slowing down, and looking around? A surplus of photos? Search me. All I know is I wish this bag would hurry up and arrive, so I can see if those requests are real…
Watch this space!
The other weird thing is that I have been inundated with orders for my 2nd edition of my Galway book, which isn’t even available yet (although I am expecting it this week). Again, I couldn’t understand why, as I have not been promoting a book I can’t sell! So I have been offering refunds (gaaah!) or the option to wait and what has the universal response been? “I would be happy to wait, as I love your channel and all your videos.” It’s the YouTube effect, ladies and gentlemen! For the last year and a half I have been putting actual effort into my channel, and all of a sudden I am growing very fast indeed. In fact I have shot up – by my social media standards, anyway – from 1k subscribers to over 8k in that time. And it’s getting faster. Two thousand new subscribers in two weeks. Please join me there, I think you’ll like it.
And if you order a Galway book please be prepared to wait….a week at least!
Oh, and if you go to Inishbofin DON’T forget your raincoat!
