My very first DIY post. One of the many featured columns I plan to introduce to my super new blog! This is something I hope to incorporate on a slighty regular basis. :) I guess we will see how regular it does in fact turn out to be.
* You should be able to click the pictures to enlarge them in a seperate window.*
Some of you may have read my post last week about just getting back from a week and half long road trip. One of my traveling companions was this road trip journal purchased from my local Craft Warehouse. My husbands family lives in Oklahoma and I started my first roadtrip journal 2 years ago when we took our first roadtrip. I decided then and there to keep up the tradition. I know years from now my 3 year old will appreciate having one of these records for every time we visited her cousins/aunts/grandparents.
My book was a Maya Road 8x8 chipboard book. You can find it online here. Although you can use just about anything. Just remember to keep it somewhat small for portability sake. This project is SO worth the little bit of time it takes on the trip. When your back from your trip, it will be completely finished, no more unfinished scrap books!
I took out the chipboard pages, to make way for this natural kraft brown #80 pound cardstock. I cut several pieces down to size with my paper cutter, and then hole punched each page. I did plently to insure I wouldnt run out, and fortunately I had extra unused pages when we returned.
I chose a color theme (GREEN surprise!) before leaving and made sure I had a couple stamp pads in that particular color. I also decorated the front and back. It was much more enjoyable using a covered journal. People like to take a peek at it, so its nice to have something done with it already... but use your imagination. Maybe you want your husband to purposely spill his coffee on it as your driving down the road? Pass it back to your children with some crayons and let them have some fun in the car? Well, maybe nothing that extreme... but dont panic when/if it gets dirty. It will just add to your book. A year later it may finally be funny to laugh at the memory that comes to mind when you see that coffee stain?
My favorite and most used supplies were:
my mini stapler:
mini scissors:
self inking stamp:
stamp pads:
baggie of baby wipes (for cleaning my stamp pads):
glue stick:
polaroid camera:
double sided tombo sticky tape (for my polaroids):
pens in various point sizes for interest:
corner rounder:
Those were my favorites, but you may have a few different ideas. Use what makes you happy! But remember... the point is to not bring your scrapbook stash with you. Collect things from the trip, to make it a little more special.
I inked the sides of every page, I have no idea why... it just seems something I tend to do every time I keep a roadtrip journal. I also used a sheet of paper to make my straight lines. No ruler needed.
Be creative when you make any stops. I asked for take out menus at resteraunts. Often times they will have pictures, logos or text you can cut up for your book. Nutrition menus should also be available upon request. I asked for one at a startbucks, and very nearly regretted it. I would advise stapling that one shut! ;) I saved food wrappers from fast food places. Believe you me, I always have at least one person think I am a little nuts. BUT... it is so worth it when we get home, and I can look through the book, and relive the trip. I hope your planning a road trip journal this year. If so, try this out! You will not be dissapointed, it really helped pass some of the 60 hours traveling the country. :)
*Oh it should also be noted that I originally heard of this idea from an old issue of Creating Keepsakes. Would like to say it was all mine, but alas... it was that super creative Ali Edwards that first introduced me to the idea. :)
