How To Create A Travel Scrapbook of Your Adventures

If you have been lucky enough to travel, or have any type of adventure, you probably have a collection of photos that you want to save. But what is the best way to preserve the memories? Scrapbooking of course! You probably already have a digital form of scrapbook but here is how you can create one that doesn’t rely on the internet to showcase it.

Will it have a theme?

If you have a lot of memories to save, you might need to think about how to plan on displaying them in your book. Will the book be about one subject or will it be a collection or different subjects? If it is about one thing, such as a trip to Italy, it will be fairly simple to keep it cohesive throughout. However, you might want to consider keeping a theme to help the feel of the book to stay consistent too. If you start with a floral theme, switch to minimalist, and finish with a flurry of sparkles, it will look disjointed.

Will you make it from scratch?

Making a scrapbook can be a personal and therapeutic experience. Some people like to buy scrapbooks and fill those with their memories. However, it is possible to make them completely from scratch. You can use old paper and assemble it with some string. Some people take it to the extreme and make their own paper for a completely original and customised book. This can be time consuming but might be worth the extra effort.

The issue that comes from making your own paper or using any old book is that it isn’t designed to last. If you are ever in the scrapbooking section, you will notice a lot of the stuff there is labelled “acid free” or “archival”. This means that these supplies have been designed to stand the test of time. If you decide to use acid-free supplies, there is a chance that your scrapbook could last a few hundred years.

Choose the correct supplies

Scrapbooking might seem as simple as throwing some stuff in a book and hoping it looks good at the end, which is a fine way to do it. However, you might want to consider some of the things that you use. As we stated above, there is a wide selection of items available for scrapbooking that are designed to last. The aim of these books is to look back when we are older or to tell a story after we are gone. In order for these books to last, you might want to consider the things you will be using. 

Double sided sticky tape is better than using glue. Why? Because the sticky tape comes in an acid-free version which will protect your book for longer. Plastic sleeves can also help protect the pages from fingerprints and dirt. Of course, you can use whatever you want in your book (we aren’t the scrapbook police) but it is worth knowing if you want these to last for many years to come.

Choose your photos

Being snap happy is not a bad thing but you can end up with a mountain of photos which look nearly identical. Of course, it is up to you if you want to keep all those similar pictures. If you don’t, you can use helper tools to remove the extras. An alternative to scrapbooking your photos is storing them in a photo album with a memo section down the side. Although these are great, they lack a certain something. Whatever method you choose, this is a great excuse to get your photos off your phone or memory card. If there are photos that you really like, you could get them turned into a canvas for display.

Decorations and embellishments

This is the place where you can be really creative. When it comes to scrapbooking, you can add as much or as little as you want. If you fancy using ripped up newspaper as a background for your photos, you can. Do you like sparkles and shiny things? Then add some tiny gems or glitter stickers. There is an abundance for cutters, papers, and sticky things that can be used to highlight and display those memories in your finished book.

Add some notes

Is there a funny story behind a photo? A special memory behind that random slip of paper?  Then write it down! It doesn’t matter how messy you think your handwriting is, it can help add to the overall feel of the book. Just try to write as neatly as possible and don’t rush. If it helps, keep your phone handy and type it out as a text message so that you keep any spelling mistake to a minimum. 

If you do want to use your computer and print out a page, you can use those fonts that you can’t normally use. Another option is to use an old typewriter (if you have one) to type out a note or a story. This way, your book will have a vintage feel and the note can be easily read.

Upcycle everything

You probably have some old books that need to be dumped, or found some maps at the back of your grandparents cupboard. Instead of tossing these away, use them to create interesting backgrounds. There is a surprising amount of things that you can use to create something unique. You can even use old fabric, such as the jeans that you wore on the trip, to cover the front of the book.

Add more than photos

If you have been travelling, there is a good chance you have receipts, tickets for attractions, and other random pieces of paper. Normally, these would go into the bin but there is nothing wrong with including them in the book. These can all be considered small pieces of memorabilia and play a part in the telling of your story.

Arrange your layout

So, you have your book, the materials to make it interesting, the photos and extras. Now what? You need to arrange it all. It is a good idea to gather all of your bits and pieces before you start sticking things in. If you don’t, you might miss something or stick something in the wrong order. Take your time with this and don’t be afraid to change things about until it is perfect.

This is your story

Remember earlier when we said that photo albums are great but they lack a certain something? Well, that certain something is storytelling. As you assemble the book, you will see the story appear before your eyes. You could approach every page as an opportunity to tell one small story. These small stories will build up together and form the bigger story.

Have them ready

The book is made, you are over the moon with the results, so what now? Do you shove it in the cupboard and wait for your great-grand kids to find it? No! Have them ready to show people. You could turn the cover into a display on it’s own, or place it under one of your own pictures (which you had turned into a canvas and it’s now on display in your home) for a talking feature. It would be a shame to go to all of the effort of creating something beautiful for it to be shoved away. Besides, you never know how you might inspire someone with your scrapbook story to create their own. Be proud of your adventures and the scrapbooks that contain the stories.