The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[Twitchly]

15 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

It’s in its quart bag.  Can’t take but so much. 

Ah, the quart bag is just the beginning. I bring one of these when I travel:

https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/73882

 

 

I think mine is the medium size. DH uses the small one and also loves it. 
 

I adore this thing. You can hang it on a hook or towel rack, freeing counter space. I keep mine packed and ready to travel all the time. Just grab and go.

[JeriGail]

19 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Doubt that’s where we saw it.  It was on one of his YouTubes I suspect (we cut the cord long ago).  Seems like it was an advice on traveling segment...not on a particular place.  But it was long ago so I could be completely wrong 🤪

He has many general travel topic videos on his web site - packing light, using transportation, staying safe, etc.  I saw the laundry tip in his packing light topic.

[Lilyskittymom]

15 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Yep, that’s the list he will ask me for the day before we leave. LOL. 
 

We both have rollaboards and  (if he gets finished making them) weekender bags to replace the backpacks we traveled with previously. 

Hold on a second.  Mike is a bagmaker? I'm asking because I'm a sewist / bagmaker!

[Clay Clayton]

12 minutes ago, Lilyskittymom said:

Hold on a second.  Mike is a bagmaker? I'm asking because I'm a sewist / bagmaker!

Just started sewing last fall. He used YouTube to teach himself and to get ideas. He then has designed each bag and made his own pattern. He started with simple ones (well his first wasn’t that simple-was actually a bag to hold his sewing machine) and has worked himself up to these is making for us...however he is having trouble getting mine finished.  Lots of cussin going on. 😂. The last one he finished he gave to Lois for her birthday-it’s has a placket that slips over the handles on her rollaboard so it won’t fall off.  Also has pockets inside for her iPad and such. 

[Lilyskittymom]

Wow! He's making some great looking bags!

[Clay Clayton]

3 minutes ago, Lilyskittymom said:

Wow! He's making some great looking bags!

Yep very proud of him. Bought him a $20 used machine last summer and once he decided he liked it, we bought a new machine for $78 and I resold them old one for $20.  It needed a through cleaning and oiling and since we didn’t know how....the lady who bought it teaches sewing so she was happy to get a cheap machine for her students to use. 

I’m teaching myself watercolors but I’m not as far along as he is. LOL

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Clay Clayton

[knoxclone]

Beautiful bags!  You both have managed to put your covid quarantine time to great use!

[Twitchly]

Those bags are gorgeous. Wow.

[Clay Clayton]

4 hours ago, Twitchly said:

Those bags are gorgeous. Wow.

Happy (belated) Birthday to me!  
 

Mike just finished my weekender bag!  It has a pocket inside with a clip for keys and slots on the outside to hold umbrellas.
 

We have decided it may actually hold as much as the rollaboard so he is going to make his not quite so large. His is going to be all in the red fabric which we call Viking Red and was the closest match we could get to our Away rollaboard and to the Biking luggage tag. The batik-ish fabric on mine will help us know whose is whose.   
 

Hoping they won’t make me check it!  It’s bigger than we imagined! LOL

[What was that?]

2 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Happy (belated) Birthday to me!  
 

Mike just finished my weekender bag!  It has a pocket inside with a clip for keys and slots on the outside to hold umbrellas.
 

We have decided it may actually hold as much as the rollaboard so he is going to make his not quite so large. His is going to be all in the red fabric which we call Viking Red and was the closest match we could get to our Away rollaboard and to the Biking luggage tag. The batik-ish fabric on mine will help us know whose is whose.   
 

Hoping they won’t make me check it!  It’s bigger than we imagined! LOL

A clip for keys? Kudos to Mike! And the back with pockets and a sizable strap for the rollaboard handle is pretty genius.

Oh, and HB Clay.

[Azulann]

Clay, that is beautiful carryon bag:  Mike is is very talented.  I  would love to find one of those.

I have decided after my last cruise, I will only check one bag and the other bag must be put under my seat. No more  getting thing up and dowm from the  overhead on the plane.  My old duffle bag was too much. 

I am an old   woman  now and proud of it , but do not want to wreck  my shoulder   using the overhead. 

[SantaFe1]

28 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Mike just finished my weekender bag!  It has a pocket inside with a clip for keys and slots on the outside to hold umbrellas.

Love it!  Especially the batik on yours!!  He should start taking orders!!!

[OnTheJourney]

Oh yeah....Rick Steeves....he da man 😁

[OnTheJourney]

9 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Just started sewing last fall.

Wow! Now can start up an etsy store. DW and I were talking about all the etsy people who were selling masks in an infinite number of colors, designs, etc. Guess that market might dry up at some point - hopefully anyway.  Same with all the people who were cranking out those plastic clips to hold a mask behind the head (instead of the elastic over the ears) using 3D printers. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[aungrl]

Beautiful bags, and your watercolors are great, Clay.  Seriously, would Mike take orders?  I'm guessing he could sell as many as he could make!

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, What was that? said:

A clip for keys? Kudos to Mike! And the back with pockets and a sizable strap for the rollaboard handle is pretty genius.

Oh, and HB Clay.

We stole the ideas for both from the ebag computer carrying case I used traveling when I was working. We liked that bag but it was really set up for work with spots for pens, other office stuff and only enough packing space for a couple of dress shirts and unmentionables because of how much room was set aside for the laptop. 
 

and thanks!

2 hours ago, Azulann said:

Clay, that is beautiful carryon bag:  Mike is is very talented.  I  would love to find one of those.

I have decided after my last cruise, I will only check one bag and the other bag must be put under my seat. No more  getting thing up and dowm from the  overhead on the plane.  My old duffle bag was too much. 

I am an old   woman  now and proud of it , but do not want to wreck  my shoulder   using the overhead. 

That makes sense, that’s why he made the one for his Mom. T

2 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Love it!  Especially the batik on yours!!  He should start taking orders!!!

 

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

Wow! Now can start up an etsy store. DW and I were talking about all the etsy people who were selling masks in an infinite number of colors, designs, etc. Guess that market might dry up at some point - hopefully anyway.  Same with all the people who were cranking out those plastic clips to hold a mask behind the head (instead of the elastic over the ears) using 3D printers. 

That’s what all our friends and family say (of course after they have gotten their own as a gift!) but he says that would make it a job and who wants one of those???😂

[Clay Clayton]

4 minutes ago, aungrl said:

Beautiful bags, and your watercolors are great, Clay.  Seriously, would Mike take orders?  I'm guessing he could sell as many as he could make!

LOL-you need new glasses!

 

and see my response above about him taking orders.  

[Clay Clayton]

Anyone else who uses the customizable activity streams having issues in getting them to load?

[aungrl]

7 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

LOL-you need new glasses!

 

and see my response above about him taking orders.  

Hmmm....looks like I need to get on the friends and family list! 

[What was that?]

44 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

but he says that would make it a job and who wants one of those???😂

A-men!

[vslparis]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Happy (belated) Birthday to me!  
 

Mike just finished my weekender bag!  It has a pocket inside with a clip for keys and slots on the outside to hold umbrellas.
 

We have decided it may actually hold as much as the rollaboard so he is going to make his not quite so large. His is going to be all in the red fabric which we call Viking Red and was the closest match we could get to our Away rollaboard and to the Biking luggage tag. The batik-ish fabric on mine will help us know whose is whose.   
 

Hoping they won’t make me check it!  It’s bigger than we imagined! LOL

Wow, very nice ! Somebody is very talented . Maybe a whole new career for him !

[OnTheJourney]

16 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

he says that would make it a job and who wants one of those???😂

Good one...I agree!!!

[Jim Avery]

4 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Good one...I agree!!!

I'll drink to that....🍸

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

I'll drink to that..

Yeah, yeah...you'll drink to anything 😁

[Jim Avery]

1 minute ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yeah, yeah...you'll drink to anything 😁

What?  It's your birthday isn't it?  Cheers...😎