Today Kara is sharing an easy, fill-in-the-blanks travel journal made from vintage postcards. Enjoy!
You see, I love the idea of travel journals, but when it comes to actually making a travel journal while traveling… It rarely seems to happen! I usually bring too many supplies and not enough framework to actually journal. I created this travel journal out of vintage postcards and now I can't wait to fill it will quotes and stories for my next adventures. Here's how…
Step 1. To keep with the travel theme, I used vintage postcards to create the pages of my book. Most thrift and antique stories have plenty of dirty plastic bins full of these, but if you want an online option I picked up these from this etsy shop. That shop has tons of postcard packs and probably a set pertaining to the location you're visiting! Step 2. Staple the postcards together on top of each other, by stapling in an X where the two postcards meet. You'll want to overlap them some, so the pages aren't too floppy. Step 3. Next, lay a wide washi tape (mine is a Japanese tape made by MT), sticky-side up and place the front and back postcard covers halfway on the tape. Step 4. Fold up the overlapped tape so the outside binding is done. Step 5. Add the next page to the beginning of the book and lay another piece down on top of those pages. Step 6. Cut off the excess on the top and bottom. Do this to the rest of the pages of your book until the pages are too bulky to shut. Next fill the pages with embellishments, titles, and lined journaling spots. Don't forget to leave spaces to paste in photos!
Tuck the book inside your bag and it's now ready for your next adventure!
xo. Kara
88 Comments
Wonderful post. I can’t wait to try my hand at this with my collection of vintage postcards! Thanks for the inspiration!
Loved this idea!
Featured it on my Friday Favorites post yesterday:)
<3 Leney
I’m also thrilled to see this feature again.
Friend Link: http://www.buy-sneaker-online.com
Happy to see your blog as it is just what I’ve looking for and excited to read all the posts.
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I have been wanting to make something like this to add stories from my 3 week trip to Europe last winter. I did write during my trip but it was from very small notebook, so I was considering having it printed out and putting into some sort of scrapbook. May use the actual postcards that I purchased during the trip instead of using vintage ones though.
Wow love your blog! Thanks for sharing!
I know the book will be great, you girls put so much into everything you do!
And I’m super excited to see the redesign. Did you create it or have one of the fabulous web designers out there whip it up?
This is so gorgeous, Kara!! 🙂 In love with it!
Very good post. You blog is amazing. Thanks for information.
I love it and that denim bag as well.
Super cool idea! I love the idea of making a travel journal and this is definitely a neat twist with a lovely aesthetic! Thanks for sharing!
http://subjectivelysimple.blogspot.com/
This is such an amazing idea and perfect for me because I have a stack of postcards lying around in a box from my travels.
cute 😀
Michelle,
The tape was from a local store here in Portland, but if you Etsy search MT washi tape you should find it! <3
Kara
this is so cute! i’m defiantly going to make one of these for my trip to NYC! 🙂
http://www.porridgenpickles.co.uk
This is a wonderful idea! Will definitely do one myself. 🙂
Love your journals 🙂
Wow, its shared now. This travel book looks cool. I love traveling. I always make a book, in which I adjust and stick each and every memory of my trips. I stick even the air tickets, photos and write the fun of every moment in the book. Its my favorite hobby.
Where do you get your tape from?
I am going to make this travel journal using some photos from my own travels as well as places I want to visit in the future. This is so beautiful!
http://www.wearegypsies.blogspot.com
I love this little journal!!
The world’s entire load of nostalgia closed in one object. Almost too romantic, but looks really great.
That is awesome! I love traveling, and I love postcards, so I may have to do this when I go to Quebec!
caitylenox.blogspot.com
Super Cute. Love how it turned out.
What a beautiful idea !
Maybe I can make one with blank paper sheets instead of postcards for the inside…
Love this idea! And thanks so much for linking to my shop!!
Melissa
http://www.burstsofcreativity.blogspot.com/
elsie, what font did you use for the “travel journal”? 🙂
totally going to make one of these for my boyfriend… he is spending the summer in alaska & i’m in mississippi, so i think i’ll combine postcards from those two locals. although i think i’ll try sewing the cards together instead of stapling. thanks for the inspiration!
I’m totally doing this when I go to Paris for a semester! I’ve been brainstorming ways to keep a journal, and this just gave me the solution! Thanks!
It’s a great idea 🙂
AWESOME.
This is such a great idea, I always pick up pretty vintage postcards so this would be an amazing use for my collection!
Faye x
Cute tutorial, I used to make postcard journals back in elementary school. Unfortunately, they never lasted more than a year or two because the glue came off after some time 🙁
I’ll try to staple mine next time, thanks for the great tutorial 🙂
This is just too beautiful for words,Ii actually squealed at how cute it is!
I love it!!! Thanks for sharing… now I really want to make one!!
Fun idea! I love collecting postcards
http://sztukastudiowania.blogspot.com/
Love this! I live in the Netherlands and this (creative) magazine came out with a travel-journal-edition. Last two years they made a summer special ‘vacation book’ with fun exercise. But I love this journal edition which you can fill up with your own stories, quotes and drawings 😀 I can’t wait to go on vacation now!!!
The magazine is called: flowmagazine.nl check it out, you’ll love it, even if you cant read it
awesome idea, thanks Kara!!
OH GOD I WANT IT SO MUCH! It’s too beautiful!
Beautiful! And now to conquer my laziness! Hah!
Brooke
A while back I bought a whole box of old post cards for 5 dollar and a lot of them are written on and wasn’t sure what to do with them. This is a great idea. I love it. Thank you!!
it looks awesome.good quality post cards giving space to message and itis just fantastic.
Kokoda Maps
so many post cards,greetings with agreat wuality pic and providing space to message someone close to your heart.
Kokoda Maps
This is such an awesome idea! And so pretty <3
love this.. 🙂 http://lovesimplegreen.blogspot.com/
Too cute!
http://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/
how fun, love this.
Wow, I could fill an all day by looking at great journal ideas and this one is just fantastic!
I love this idea! It’s a great way to keep mementos.
Ren
www.daydreamingwithren.blogspot.com
i finally know why i have been hoarding these. thanks for sharing!
Wow, this is beautiful! I want to try art journalling now…
Totally cute! I love this. 🙂
Love it sadly i have no postcard at all
🙁
x
cammi
http://www.cammilicious.com
I love this idea! It would make a great Christmas gift (planning ahead)!
this is seriously such a cute idea! 🙂 And I love your handwriting. <3
I love making and writing journals, love this idea
http://mykitschworld.blogspot.com.es
This is adorable! I always flip through the postcards at antique stores because I like to read the messages people sent to one another years and years and years ago. Haven’t bought any though, but now I’m kind of inspired to!
Also, this blog inspired me to keep a “travel” journal of sorts this summer, for using just whenever I do something fun around town. Thank you, I love it so far!
~Emilia
I love this idea. I’ll have to find somewhere with washi tape in the UK. I’ve only ever heard of it on American blogs so far!
Sarah
http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.co.uk/
Absolutely beautiful. I love this.
Looooove it <3 What a good idea! I want to do one like this 🙂
What a wonderful idea!! I’ll try it soon 🙂
Love from Italy <3
http://poppiess.blogspot.it/
http://poppiess.blogspot.it/
I love this! My husband has just left on a month long trip for work and every time he goes away I make him a little book, so that he doesn’t miss out on life at home and I was just trying to figure out what I would do this time. Such perfect timing as he literally just walked out the door and I was feeling a little teary! Thank you!
fantastic!! <3
this is super crazy pretty!
Oh my gosh SO cute! I love everything about it!!!
xo Kate
http://acreativecookie.blogspot.com/
Oh I love it!
This is defiantly one of my favorite DIY’s! I’m gonna start collecting now!
this is amazing! I’m starting a journal and this is such a nice idea x
What a great idea! I just got back from a weekend trip to the mountains (I just blogged about it here: www.prettylittlefawn.blogspot.com) and I picked up a few postcards that I wasn’t sure what to do with, and now I know! Thanks ladies!!
www.prettylittlefawn.blogspot.com
Kara, thanks thanks tkanks!
I store so many postcards and didn’t know what to do with them. Now I’m sure I’ll make similar thing out of them! Thanks again!
Julia
http://www.thesheerstories.blogspot.com/
This is so creative and cute, I love it! This gives me a reason to start collecting postcards again!
~Jenn
www.jennstravelogueblog.blogspot.com
My journals mean the world to me…I have collected so much memories inside them. Love this post
I’m confused…. Where to do write your notes if its on old used postcards? Cool idea though. Might try something similar.
Angel’s Point of View
such a great idea!!!! i cant wait for my next vacation to try it out! thanks kara!
oh my , I absolutely adore this! so cute!
I am doing this pronto. But I might make copies of mine.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
What a cute idea 🙂
xxx,
Erika
www.jasminblancboutique.blogspot.co.uk
thats a really great idea. thx 🙂
Beautious! Love it girls!
xoxo
http://natashafatah.com
http://natashafatah.com
This might be one of my favorite journal projects I’ve seen here! SO cute. 🙂
I love this! A little scrapbook lookbook 😉
www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
What a fun idea! I was given a huge stack of postcards from the 60-70’s and most are blank. I’ve held on to them until I was inspired. I’ve got to try this!
omigosh this is amazing. one can never have too many journals! i think people should have a separate journal for everything!
i actually started doing this awhile ago with some old postcards my friend sends me. they’re so pretty i didn’t want to toss them but was causing clutter. they make a great little book!
This is a super duper cute idea and keepsake for any trip! Love it!
GirlsOffFifth.com
Great!!! It looks really beautiful!!!
I’m going to do this in my next travel, for sure! Great tutorial!
what a great tutorial! i love making all types of journals, especially for traveling & adventures.