This year’s card is a collage of some of our photos from Italy — they were just too delicious to not use. So on a related subject… today’s DoXP card is from our first trip to Italy in 2003, AKA The Honeymoon.
Thankfully I had the forethought to take a sketchbook to the breathtaking, life-changing, awe-inspiring Amalfi Coast, and thus ended up with an incredible keepsake of drawings from all the wonders we witnessed. Sketching (as opposed to zipping around with a camera) was a wonderful way to experience the country. I had to actually be still and soak it all in. (Obviously, this was pre-JJ) My favorite moment was sitting with my pen and pad in the square with the Amalfi Cathedral looming overhead.
Upon our return home, I scrapped the original idea I’d had for the Holiday card/promo, and used my sketch of the Cathedral for the Christmas card. Additionally, I had 8 different note cards printed featuring various sketches and photos from our trip. I designed a belly band/cover, boxed them up and gave them as client gifts — by far my most popular client gift to date. I was even able to sell quite a few sets in the years since.
Sketch of the Amalfi Cathedral (Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea)
Click to biggefy
Above is the full note card set, showing sketches of Vietri sul Mare and Paestum (on the box cover and note card, respectively) and a card featuring a photo from the Amalfi Cathedral. Here’s a few more individual card images…
Fog rolling in over the hills above Positano
A villa in Ravello
On the island of Capri. Even the alleys are gorgeous in Italy!
I mean, seriously… is it possible to make a bad photo (or sketch) in Italy?
If you ever get the chance to travel to Italy, I highly recommend the Amalfi Coast — you can see Rome and Venice any old day… Below are a few places we visited and other related links. Ciao!
The Amalfi Cathedral
Lloyd’s Baia Hotel: where we stayed in Vietri sul Mare. Believe it or not, it’s a Best Western!
A villa in Paestum (shown in the sketch) where we had our final big meal.
Our trip was part of a great tour package through a former client, the National Italian American Foundation. They take several trips to different regions of Italy each year.
Tourism/travel guide site to Positano and the Amalfi Coast
