How to Make a Travel Journal
I am super excited to show you how to make a travel journal that can be customized and personalized to totally fit your style and travels. The ideas and techniques used in this travel journal could be transferred to any size or shape of journal – store bought or handmade. Therm-O-Web has the best adhesives that travel well in a zipper pouch. They are the perfect solution for adding all of the receipts, tickets and memory pieces along the way. Let’s get started.
Materials and Need to Make a Travel Journal
- Therm-O-Web Adhesives (Easy Tear Tape and Tape Runner)
- Notebook or Journal
- Markers, Colored Pencils
- Washi Tape
- Memorabilia (Photos, Receipts, Room Keys, Etc)
- Scissors
- Therm-O-Web Clear Stamps (Kindness on Purpose by Laura Kelly (Me))
Directions to Make a Travel Journal
Step One
Make a journal cover. This is the place to share what your travel journal is about. For me it is usually about the journey. During the first session of the blog conference, I whipped up a little watercolor to use in the making of my cover. I brought it home and added extra fun decorative paper strips and buttons using Therm-O-Web adhesives. Easy Tear Tape works for adhering paper to paper and also heaver things like plastics and buttons.
Step Two
Fill the journal with notes and memorabilia. This is the super fun part. It is great to make a travel journal on the road and once arriving back home too. Here are some fun ways to make your journal interactive and exciting.
Add Pockets to Pages
Adding little bags to pages creates a unique way to save receipts, notes and little things like that. Sometimes bags are small enough to use Easy Tear Tape and then simple adhere to the page.
Sometimes the bags are too big to fit in a travel journal. If you want to put them in the journal, fold the bag down on the sides and bottom. Use the tape runner to adhere the folds together, creating a smaller bag. Use Easy Tear Tape to adhere the newly smaller sized bag to the page in the journal. This bag is special because it is from Joseph-Beth Booksellers.
My mom used to buy SO many books here. I have her old Joseph-Beth tees in my closet and wear them from time to time. I plan to make a list of happy memories from times with my mom to put in this bag because that will bring me great joy.
Save Hotel Room Keys
Easy Tear Tape works beautifully for adhering hotel room keys to paper. Fun Fact: When my kids were little they thought they every time we got a hotel key, we owned that hotel. Upon arriving home (even when I tried to explain the reality) – they would save the keys and talk about how many places we owned. It was super funny to listen to them talk about going back to all of the hotels someday.
Allow Things to Stick Out
It is okay for things to be oversized and stick out. Actually, it is really fun. I love this Bloggy Conference and Cedar Pointe spread because the whole map can be opened up.
Use Stamps in Journal – Add hand stamped designs to your journal. I used the flower stamp from my Kindness on Purpose stamp set by Therm-O-Web on the cover of my journal and all throughout the insides.
Items to Save for a Travel Journal
- Tickets
- Receipts
- Gift Shop Bags
- Room Keys
- Name Tags
- Brochures
- Maps
- Stickers
- Photographs
- Post Cards
Five Reasons to Papercraft
I think that paper crafting is such a great idea for so many reasons. Here are my top five to share with you.
- Paper crafting promotes creativity.
- Making things with paper can be therapy. It can be a form of expression in times when verbal communication is difficult.
- Crafting with paper tends to be a little less expensive than some other types of crafting.
- Decorations made with paper are lightweight and easy to hang.
- Cards are made with paper and handmade cards being sent in the mail is always a fantastic idea.
Cheers,
Laura