Another Travel Journal

This was the 4th "junk mail" journal I created and I think I got smarter with more experience.  When we travel I tend to pick up mementos of all sizes.  By making the journal a little larger on the outside (using fabric, lace, and ribbon scraps) I am able to add the keepsakes I pick up along the way.

 The ribbon embroidery is a project I started and never finished.  Turned out the journal was a great place to add that little piece of x-stitch fabric.  The book is lined with a piece of cardboard to keep it's shape, then I sewed through all layers, plus sewed the paper scraps together to make the pages.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Since it has been so long since I last added to this blog, I need to back track a little.  In October of this year I attended the International Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque.  The close-up images show what is called the "Evening Glow",  a fiesta event that allows visitors to walk among hundreds of hot air balloons while they are being inflated.  When the announcer does the countdown, all balloons light at the same moment, making it very warm and loud and beautiful around the balloons.

This is an image of a balloon launch early one morning looking west from the northeast corner of the city.  Literally hundreds of hot air balloons took flight one after another and hovered over the city.

My driftwood mobile

I collected sea shells and driftwood on the beaches in Oregon and put this together with fishing line. The trick is to drill 2 parallel holes through each piece. This keeps the wood from spinning around, maintains it's design, and adds durability. extra sea shells dangle at the bottom.

This project doesn't mean anything to anyone except us. We have the memories of collecting on the chilly shores of Oregon.

Junkmail Journals

Here are two new journals I sewed together with fabric scraps. The blank pages are ready to be filled. I like the size of these journals. They fit in my suitcase or even purse very easily and are not heavy.

Junkmail Journal

This has been such a great project for me. I took an on-line class from Mary Ann Moss (dispatchfromla.typepad.com). She gives such complete video directions . This was very easy to put together. The "gist" of the project is to use fabric scraps, paper scraps (junkmail in particular), pages from old magazines, maps, registers, and leftover bits and pieces of scrapbooking papers and supplies. Then she taught me how to sew it all together to make the journal. Who knew my old Singer could sew paper!!! Thanks so much Mary Ann!!!
Once the journal is sewn together it's ready to take on my travel adventures to fill in. Initially I didn't really know what to add other than photos, then my friend Kathy suggested I use the journal to not only keep a record of where we've been and what we've seen, but also to give opinions and impressions, making suggestions of possibly returning in the future. She suggested adding places we missed with the idea of getting there on another visit. These ideas have helped me nearly fill my first journal, and I've put together another with even more pages to fill.
As we have more ability to travel at this time of our lives, I wish so much I had a travel journal from our early-married years, when the children were younger. There's so many places I can picture in my brain, but I just can't remember WHERE they were!!! If only I'd made a travel journal back then.

Grand Canyon New Year's Eve 2011

Scout Cabin Giving Up to the Elements

A dark little cabin nestled in the woods would be a great hideout for the adventurous souls!!! I was fascinated to see all the moss on the roof and even tiny trees sprouting between the old shingles. This treasure is in Bremerton, Washington on the edge of a forest.

"Twilightish" Forest in Bremerton, Washington

On the typical cloudy days the nearby forests were downright "spooky". "Twilight" book fans would have found it just perfect. No wonder the movie was filmed several hours from here in Forks, Washington.

Port Gamble, Washington

An unexpected sunny day in the little village overlooking the Puget Sound. Everything looked so clean and bright.