Three Things : On The Road

Ae_travelessentials_2

Creating "on-the-road" mini travel books is one of the things I enjoy about travel. Most of the time I grab a blank mini book, a glue stick, and scissors and I am good to go. It's also a reminder once again that we really don't need that much stuff to record our memories.

Tonic Studios/Tim Holtz Non-Stick Micro Serrated Scissors
: these are super duty scissors that can cut through just about
anything. They aren't huge which is nice for taking with you while
traveling.

7gypsies 5x7 File Folder Album : I continue to be a huge fan of 7gypsies mini books. This envelope album would also be great for storing all the stuff that tends to accumulate over the course of a trip: tickets, etc.

Uhu Glue Stick : I am a fan of this one that goes on purple and then dries clear. It's nice to be able to see where all the glue is actually covering before sticking something down.

Check out my March 2006 Studio A column in Creating Keepsakes for more on scrapbooking on the road.

Also check out Photojojo's Ultimate Guide To Road Trip Photography.

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34 thoughts

  1. Anilu Magloire says…
    07/01/2008

    Those are the best scissors ever!!!
    I am gonna try to make my Disney album while still there.

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  2. Kari says…
    07/01/2008

    I would really like to know your process here. Do you actually put the album together in totality on the trip? Do you get pictures printed along the way and sit down every night to put it together? Do you mostly journal? What do you have in hand when you come home and what do you still need to do later?
    I'd love to do this, but I've never been able to settle on the logistics in my head enough to make it all work.

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  3. houston says…
    07/01/2008

    I am addicted to those TH scissors! You always have great picks for the three things!

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  4. Johanna says…
    07/01/2008

    I recently discovered your "scrapbooking on the road" article when browsing the available pdfs - and just in time! I was thinking of putting together a "honeymoon travel scrapbook" as a wedding gift and your article was just the right kick-off. I finally ended up with a much nicer gift than I had envisioned, as I was just so into putting everything together that I made some stamps out of bottle corks and used these to decorate the book cover and a hand-sewn pouch which simultanely served as the gift wrap for the whole set.
    I put together a small envelope full of pretty paper scraps, bits of parchment paper and some "found objects" like one of these notes found in fortune cookies and a bright green customs duty tag which came with an oversea parcel one day as a starter-kit to experiment with. I included your article for the newly-weds, too - thank you for your truly inspiring work!
    Greetings from Germany,
    Johanna

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  5. Jen says…
    07/01/2008

    Ali - your timing is perfect. We leave Friday for a two week vacation. I have a plastic project folder filled (and I do mean filled) with supplies to try my first travel scrapping. I don't have an album I cut a bunch of 6X6 white squares (and a few other colors). Packed a few stamps (made my own mini set pulling from all my clear stamps set - wish I had your travel one) and pre-cut some travel related die-cuts from my Cricut and Big Shot. I'm really excited to try this.
    Also, we adopted an army soldier recently so I made a sign that says "HI from" and the plan is to have our picture taken with the sign in all the memorable places we go in Northern CA, and Southern Oregon (river rafting on the Rogue - we'll see how the waterproof point and shoot does) and then send it to him so he knows we were thinking about him while we were on vacation - kind of corny but if it gets a laugh in Iraq it will be a good thing.
    Thanks for all the inspiration. I never would have attempted a travel album without your influence (in your CKU classes and on your blog). Thanks again for sharing your experiences and talents.
    Jen

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  6. Heather V says…
    07/01/2008

    Thanks for posting this! Came at the perfect time because I'm making a list of things to carry with me on our trip this summer.

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  7. Amelia Bowden says…
    07/01/2008

    Ali, your stamps are sold out already... in 8 hours!!! They are so nice, you should make more acrylic word stamps :)

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  8. Katie says…
    07/01/2008

    I love your simple approach!
    We don't have any big travel plans so I am going to use this idea for my kids summer camp albums.
    Thanks for the inspiration!

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  9. Teena says…
    07/01/2008

    Yeah, loved that column! The Amsterdam trip seemd to be very cool. Maybe I will do a minibook on the road for my vacation, too! Gret idea!

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  10. tammy b says…
    07/01/2008

    thanks for the tip on the album...i was just going in search of a good one today for our beach trip in a couple weeks. thanks for all the info on how to do this, i'm really gonna try this time!

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  11. Debbie says…
    07/01/2008

    Love your blog, you need to stop by my blog, you have a gift there. Debxx

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  12. Erin says…
    07/01/2008

    SOOOOOOOOOOO bummed that your stamps are already sold out. Will they become available again? I hope so, because they are awesome looking!

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  13. lacy says…
    07/01/2008

    When you are working at home what is your favorite adhesive to use for photos?

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  14. sue says…
    07/01/2008

    I will have all of those items when we go to Florida next month! We're headed for a week in a cabin in Wisconsin next week so I will be working on cards and my daughter's wedding album.
    Sue

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  15. Liane says…
    07/01/2008

    Thanks for your continuing inspiration Ali!

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Anne Alley says…
    07/01/2008

    Wow, that stamp set went FAST!! The Cocoa Daisy kits look factastic, it was really hard to pick and choose.
    We used those Tim Holtz scissors at a scrapbook store where I used to work, and they are the best! They really do cut through just about anything!!
    :)

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  17. Becky says…
    07/01/2008

    I've never been able to actually do everything on the road, but I have always wanted to try.
    :) Becky
    http://www.stinkylemsky.typepad.com/

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  18. Nicole says…
    07/01/2008

    I loved that article and have made two travel albums using your ideas. It's great. I spend about an hour each night, after the kids have passed out from exhaustion, recording the days happenings and then when I get home, I fill up the rest of the pages with photos from the trip. I finally have travel albums from two fun trips.

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  19. BethW says…
    07/01/2008

    Had the scissors for about 6 mos.-the best ever. Now I want that cool ruler of his.

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  20. Stephanie S says…
    07/01/2008

    I had to go buy that 7 gypsies book and from there it led to a bunch more stuff on twopeas! Aahh! I'm outta control...

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  21. Kimberly says…
    07/01/2008

    It is hard not to get tied up in all the goodies available out there, but if you really get down to it, the journaling and the photos are the most important things to capture your memories. Thanks for the great ideas, my vacation is coming up next week, and I think I'll take a cue from you and give this a try!!!

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  22. Stephanie S says…
    07/01/2008

    Out of curiosity - why do you take a glue stick verses a two sided adhesive?

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  23. Carole Hepburn says…
    07/01/2008

    those are the best scissors EVER !!!

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  24. Maggie says…
    07/01/2008

    These travel albums are what got me started on "Ali". Love the simplicity and functionality. REMEMBER so much more about our family trips now even though I seldom finish my vacation books!
    Today's quote on your blog is a lot to think on: "Mary Cholmondeley : Every year I live I am more convinced that the waste of life lies in the love we have not given, the powers we have not used, the selfish prudence that will risk nothing, and which shirking pain, misses happiness as well. No one ever yet was the poorer in the long run for having once in a lifetime 'let out all the length of all the reins'."
    The older I get (34), the more I value what the author calls "prudent love". That calculated, sure, disciplined, practiced, intentional, balanced, wise love that grows over time. THAT is truly an unselfish love.
    I need more of that kind of love! Thanks for making me think, though backward!

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  25. Monica Humphrey says…
    07/01/2008

    I was just telling my oldest son the other day that I needed to fix up a small take along scrapping kit with me for just every day use. It never fails I am at my mom's house or run into some one and need to scrap something..or just need a pair of scissors. Great tip Ali. Thanks.

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