DIY Traveler's Notebook - The Classroom Community Copilot

“Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go!”

I can just FEEL the Christmas cheer building! Today is number four in my 12 Days of Christmas DIY. Thanks for joining me again! I hope you are enjoying these tutorials!

This DIY is close to my heart. You all know how much I love to travel, so I thought it would be fun to make a DIY Traveler’s Notebook/Journal. This is to organize yourself or a loved one on your next trip, vacation, or world-adventure, as well as to capture all the memories so you never forget them!

For this DIY, you will want:

a basic Composition journal, one with a bound spine

Scrapbook Paper and/or Fabric

Mod Podge (I use the matte finish, just for a cleaner look)

Scissors

Decorative Accents (stickers, cutouts, letters, tape, etc.)

Manila Envelope(s)

Sharpies

Alright, to get started we will be covering the notebook’s covers. You can do this with scrapbook paper, fabric, vintage book pages, etc. Basically, anything to cover up the “blah” look of the notebook. So you will take your material, decide where on the cover you want it, and then use Mod Podge to glue it down. I also like to do the inside cover, to complete the look.

First, apply a light and even coat of Mod Podge to the cover on one side.

Second, carefully lay down your material, and smooth it out so you don’t get any air bubbles. I suggest using a straightedge. Do this all around the covers and let them all dry.

Third, apply another layer of Mod Podge to seal it. Make sure you let it fully dry.

Once your cover is fully dry, you can start to decorate it! If you know a friend who will be traveling soon, you can make this specifically for them. You can use their favorite colors, personality, and where they are going to guide you. You can also put their name or where they are going on the front of the cover. But, if you’re like me, and you’re just making this for future use, there are a couple great options for you. One, you can just use travel as your theme, and go generic. Or, you can use a travel quote on the front cover, and go from there. I have chosen to use a quote. I love this quote I got off of Pinterest:

(via)

So I’m going to design my cover, and then go in with sharpies and my accents to make it come to life!

Once my quote is finished, I’m adding a few finishing touches.

Then, we move onto the inside!

I want this journal to be functional too. So I’m going to glue a manila envelope onto the front inside cover, and then write “Travel Documents” on it. That way they can put all of their important information, boarding passes, passport, etc. in this envelope to keep it safe.

Next, I’m going to start the journal off with a few fun prompts, to get them started.

I’m going to attach another envelope to the back, for any other collections, like small souvenirs, used documents to save, etc.

Here is the finished product! I love doing this for friends and family (and me!) as a little gift around the holidays or any time! It’s the perfect homemade gift for the wanderluster on your list! 🙂