How on earth do I make a travel journal?!

[rhiannonbrum]

Hi
I'm going to the States for a fortnight this summer, and I want to make a travel journal to take with me. I've had a look around, but nothing gives me exactly what I want.
Anybody got any ideas about a very easy way to make a journal (as in absolute beginner!) that doesn't look like it was made by a beginner?
I don't expect anyone to share prized secrets of their trade and all, but any help will be very gratefully recieved
Thank you muchly

xxx

[Phizzychick]

I'll start this post by saying that I don't make journals, I just have never mastered that skill

However, it might help people help you if you narrowed down what you're looking for. For example, would you prefer something bound by stitch or rings or spiral? How many pages do you think you'd like to have, and what would they be made of, plain paper or mixed?

A list of helpful tutorials can be found HERE on craftster.

Some other ideas
Maybe you could join a swap for a journal (for example the Invite your partner 12 swap)
Alter an existing book (this I can offer advice with )
Simple stapled pamphlet style book
Alter a calendar

I actually did a similar trip last year and posted one of my books (one for tickets and snippets of things) HERE

I hope you find the perfect book for your trip!

[rhiannonbrum]

Thank you for advice, its been really helpful
Now I just have to put those ideas into practice!
xx

[solid_silver_cloud]

Alter an existing book (this I can offer advice with )

Phizzychick, I've looked at some of your journals and they're absolutely beautiful! I'm also going travelling and want to make a visual journal for the first time. i made a log last year after an amazing trip to austria where i wrote exactly what i did every day so i wont forget or get muddled up, but i like the idea of making something really visual that will capture my trip. What advice do you have about altering a book? is it better to buy a new sketchbook?

Any tips would be fantastic

x

[Phizzychick]

Thank you! Making detailed notes was a great idea so you won't forget all the little memories!

It's a personal choice I think, but I have made travel journals from both plain books and reused old books. If you could find a book that was related to your holiday that might be a nice idea (for example I have a Glastonbury Festival journal which is an altered wild plants book, so lots of nice nature background drawings). Otherwise, a sketchbook or handmade paper book would be great, especially if you have lots of leaflets and tickets and whatnot that you're glueing in that would weigh the pages down.

If you are altering an existing book then you'll want to make sure that the pages are up to taking the paint. Some old books have very thin pages, and won't take kindly to being wet

Hope that helps a little? If I can be any more help let me know, or if anyone else has any tips or advise, shout out!