Tutorial: Mini Souvenir Journal

I wanted to share a quick and fun tutorial of how you can make a small keepsake journal for your next trip. I usually journal as I go when I am traveling, but this was a quick trip, and so I did all the journaling once I got home.

This might even be a fun little journal to create documenting Hanukkah or Christmas morning!

Step One

First I created the album. I found this great video (click here to view it) showing me how to make a small, 3x3 inch journal from one sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper. I have to admit that once I figured out how to do it, I stopped watching the video, so if they continue on to decorate it, I did not follow along.

I used a piece of Jenni Bowlin scrapbook paper (this is the exact design I choose).

After I created the album, I decorated it keeping in mind that I was going to be adding square photos to most pages. Here is my journal before adding anything from my trip.

The cover I used some other scrapbook paper punched in a square, and December 11 was from a postcard from Anthro:

For the first spread I used bits I cut out of a seasonal Starbucks bag:

Here I use another punched square of scrapbook paper:

A fun glassine bag with a label and tag added something fun to this spread:

How could I not include a vintage dennison label:

Here I folded a fun cut out over this page...

... and onto this page:

This spread I left blank:

The inside back cover has another punched square and a folded over vintage dennison label:

Here is the back cover, I added some tinsel under plastic and tapped it down:

Step Two

The next step is to lay out all your photos and ephemera from the trip in chronological order. Knowing the order you will be pasting things in your journal, helps a lot when putting it all together.

Step Three

Now it is time to paste it all in, in order. No worrying about what to write - just get everything into the journal.

I made a couple subpages (one folding in and one folding up) since I was running out of pages.

Here is what I have so far:

I apologize that the cover photos of this project are not the best, but here, I added a photo of the three of us who went on the trip:

I added a bit of ephemera with where we were out and about on it:

Here is a photo, and part of a business card from a place we had lunch:

A bit of another business card of where we were headed next, along with a photo I snapped en route:

Here I used more paraphernalia from our next stop, along with a photo of our destination:

Here are just some photos that came next in chronological order:

More photos:

More photos, and part of a business card made into a sub-page:

Here is the backside of the subpage - part of a photo:

2 photos, another one made into an up-lifting subpage:

The back page- which only has some tape from adding the subpage to it for now:

 

Step Four

Now that all the photos and ephemera are in, I go back and add my journaling. For this small journal I only used three pens:

1. Sharpie Ultra Fine Point Marker to write on photos,

2. My favourite journaling pen (Pilot V Razor Point Pen )

3. Copic marker in my favourite shade (rose red).

Here is my finished journal:

Here I taped in some paper to do a quick synopsis about the trip:

Added text here to fill in the spread about our lunch:

I wrote the words "heading too..." on the left above the piece of ephemera where we had our afternoon tea... and I snapped a photo of the white house from a distance and wrote on the photo:

Added a scrap of paper for text, and wrote on the vintage label:

Journaled directly on the photos:

Here I wrote on the photos and the ephemera:

Here is the flip side of the subpage:

I wrote on the photo again here:

And here I wrote a bit more, wrapping up our trip:

On the back I added 'Holiday 2011'.

And there you have it! A mini souvenir journal, in 4 steps. I hope that my showing you piece by piece how I created it will help you create your own.

Be sure to check out my other Tutorials by clicking the link on the sidebar.

 

Comments

[Corinne Marie]

So wonderful!! Love it!

[Lisa]

Addding the text really finishes it and makes it engaging. I love it.

[Leanne Shawler]

what a cool idea! I have a ton of 12x12 scrapbook paper!

[Danielle]

What a fabulous tutorial. I love that it is relatively easy b/c that's impt when trying to keep on top of journaling.

[dawn]

Love this idea!