San Diego Travel Album

Finally I have found some time to post this travel album now that I finished it and got some pics of it.  This is the infamous San Diego album that has been in the works for the better part of a year {almost} and I have to say that now that it's done, I am very happy with it.  I think that it is probably the most detailed album I have ever done and I will explain why as I walk you through it.

The cover is my favorite of all the covers I've done because it's fun yet simple, I used the Making Memories Passport Line throughout the entire book so if you're curious about a product start there.  For the 'S' in San I used the negative of a chip board punch out, I painted it and then stamped it with a different color of paint.  Once it dried, I wrapped a bit of baker's twine {Martha Stewart} and then used one of the fabric flowers from the Passport line.  The rest of the title is done with black letter stickers and the 'D' is the positive portion of another chip board punch out.  I used a couple of different brads to add the finishing touch, along with the fabric tag, and called it done.

Here's a look @ the inside pages, I love this photo angle, it gives some great hints but doesn't spoil the surprise inside.  As for the pages, I decided on the overall layout long before I ever even left for the trip so that I knew what to look for and what to keep along the way.

My first thought in creating this travel album is that I wanted it to have a ton of personality, so to do this I used clear pages for everyday of my trip.  I used the photos to back each other from one side to the next so that you had something to look at other than the back of the front photos, I think that not only worked out very well but it also gave the book a cohesive line across the board and I am finding that I like for things to have a connection.

Next I wanted my album to have a place for lots of journaling.  It's ironic to me that I have so much to include in a travel journal but can't for the life of me ever figure out what to say on my layouts, so anyways I wanted to go with this tradition I have {every trip I've ever been on I have taken a notebook and pen and journaled almost everyday of the trip - and then again on the way home} and include my thoughts in the book, this is where the line of paper I used really came in nicely, the Passport line by Making Memories has a wonderful ruler pattern and that is what I used to jot my entries on.  Now in all fairness, I don't actually write in it while on the trip, once again I use my notebook, then once I get home and have some time I take my time and just recopy everything that I wrote down, very rarely changing it from the way that I originally wrote it out - I think it keeps it more authentic that way.

My last thought in creating this album for myself, is that I wanted a place to store all the maps & brochures that I know I'll want to keep but not necessarily use on the actual pages.  In doing travel albums in the pass this is usually my most frustrating issue, so I decided to include a 6 X 9 white mailing envelop for each day of the trip that way everything would fit and not get torn up from having too much in an envelop.  I absolutely loved the way this worked out and will definitely have to do this again in my next travel album, it was simply a great solution for me.

Last but not least here are a couple of photos of some of the ephemera that I like to keep {ephemera: paper items not intended for a long time usage}, other things to include would be ticket stubs, postcards, subway pass or bus pass, anything of the sort that 'would help to tell a more complete story' - as Ali would say.

Now don't ask me why I kept what I did, there really is no rhyme or reason for any of it, but boy does it look cool having all those things now just tucked nicely inside, I love it.

Well everyone I hope you enjoyed looking @ my book with me, I always enjoy sharing with everyone.  Would be nicer if I had time to make more stuff to share but oh well, eventually all things come to pass including more scrapbook works from me.  So until next time, thanks for spending time @ my blog and have a great rest of the week!

just B...... creative.......ur way