Another trip on the horizon means another travel journal to make! In November, I’m headed to London & Paris with my partner and daughter. This is our first trip together, our longest trip, and first time out of the country. I can’t wait!
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The main colors for this journal are red and blue, a reflection of the national flags, red phone boxes, and the deep blues of classic Le Creuset pots. The pages dedicated to London lean a little more red, transitioning towards blue on the day we cross the Channel on the Eurostar.
I lucked out and found some great supplies for this journal at Joann’s. These Park Lane washi stickers immediately caught my eye, with London and Paris right in the middle. As well, I found this Tim Holtz paper pad and ephemera pack that had a great assortment of red and blue, planes, British flags, and other elements that fit perfectly.
Another great find was this Harry Potter-themed paper, with the perfect accent for our visit to Platform 9 3/4, and for all the mischief I’m sure we’ll manage! We’re planning on a walking tour of London locations as well as a trip to Nicolas Flamel’s house in Paris.
To round it out, I pulled out a number of items from my stash, including my favorite labels from Lamp Paperi over on Etsy. They are washi tape stickers with classic French style labels for months and dates, perfect for labeling pages and photos. I also have some 7 Gypsies scrapbooking supplies I bought years ago and have been slowly using – I love them so much it’s sometimes hard to commit them to a project!
I used some of the Tim Holtz paper for the cover of my journal, and cut more to size for the pages. I also finally sprang for a Cinch binding machine to hold it all together. I admit there was a little hesitation about buying it, but after struggling to punch holes by hand and failing, the Cinch did it easily. I can’t wait to make more custom journals!
Once I have all the elements together, they get packed up in my travel journal kit. This is one of my favorite items that I’ve made. It holds stamps, pens, scissors, washi tape, glue, ink pads, and any other bits and pieces I think I’ll need. It’s so easy at the end of the day to write a few words, paste in some ephemera or a postcard, and embellish it with something from the box. Quick, easy, and I have a fun, finished journal at the end of the trip.
And there it is, my travel journal for London & Paris. Do you make travel journals? What are your favorite tips and tricks to make it fun and easy?