Preparing my next Travel Journal

I'm going away again shortly and I thought I'd spend a couple of hours preparing a little travel journal so I wouldn't be faced with that yukky 'blank page syndrome' which sometimes happens when I take a sparkly new white journal away with me.  This one I've made just with scraps that were lying round the house.  It's a lot easier to jot things down onto scraps - with a new white page I always think I need to do something spectacular....which just doesn't happen! 

I decided on a 5" x 6" format because I can easily slip my 4" x 6" photos in afterward without too much drama.  Also because the pages will fit easily into a zip-lock sandwich bag which I can throw into my handbag with a pen for 'journaling on the run'.  Then I can quickly whip a page out to document that unforgettable moment in time - ha ha!

Envelopes cut to be used as pockets.  I like all the odd sizes.  I've put a bit of washi tape over anything confidential or any torn edges for a bit of reinforcement.  The three little white cards at the top are just leftover index cards that I've attached a tag to.  

The clear windows are great because you can see through to the contents.  (I have a lot of Westpac ones!)

Any bits of paper that are not big enough for pages I like to fold in half and use to secure photos, brochures, tickets or whatever.

Prepared pages.  Some pieces of paper I've sewn together to ensure they end up being 5" x 6" and some I've just cut from brown craft paper or larger envelopes and decorated a bit to hide anything confidential (hence the doylie). I've also torn the page from a small calendar and folded the edge over to fit.

All the bits and pieces ready to go....

....along with the rest of my supplies.  The little paint set is one I'm going to try out next trip.  They're only $3 from Spotlight, so it won't matter if anything happens to it.  (Not like one of my good ones which I protect with my life......like a real nerd).  

And it all fits into a little 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" zippered pouch which someone gave me with a few sample wrinkle creams in it (how rude).

When I get home  and get my photos developed, I'll decide whether I want to bind it with the zutter 'bind-it-all' like this Coral Bay journal or......

....with a 'two-hole punch' and two metal rings as I've done with this little Christmas journal.  (See how the envelopes can be used as pockets?  I think that's pretty clever, I didn't invent that idea unfortunately!)  

Now I just have to pack the important stuff....like clothes.