Scrap-booking Memories of Travel

Guys... I have been so anxious to share with you an exciting project that took place awhile back. My friend Kate with Cut and Tear held a Travel Memories Scrapbooking Workshop. 

Kate told me all I needed to attend the workshop were some old travel books, whatever scrapbooking stuff I might have on hand, and my memories. She was very specific to tell me not to purchase ANYTHING! So similar to an Easter egg hunt, I went around the house digging in every drawer, old purse, and jacket pocket to gather all sorts of memorabilia, ticket stubs, brochures, and receipts from the special memories I have made over the past few years. 

Now I am turning over Mainly Maren to a guest writer for the very first time! Today, Kate is joining us to share about the scrapbooking workshop she hosted and hopefully a tip or two for you to use!

Here is Kate with Cut and Tear:

A few months ago, I led  a workshop on experimental scrap-booking. Being an Art Teacher, I am used to experimenting. As my boyfriend puts it, I just love a creative mess (judge for yourself):

Since I also love preserving memories, I am naturally inclined to create scrapbooks or memory-books, as I prefer to call them. What I do not like, is spending money on fancy scrapbooking supplies and therefore my books look somewhat different than the stuff you usually encounter on craft blogs. I believe, that a very few supplies and a little bit of creative thinking can get you a long way. I also believe that up-cycling is the way forward!  Maren seemed to share my opinion and asked me for few tips. 

Here they are…

>Don’t buy expensive notebooks, save some books from the scrapheap instead (e.g. out-of-date guidebooks). You can glue several pages together to make them sturdier and more able to cope with painting, punching or stitching into them…

> Create your own funky accessories by punching shapes/tags or cutting shapes out of the harder pages of the book. They will match perfectly  with the rest and will cost you nothing. Even with only two “punchers,” (and I am sure you have more than that) the possibilities are endless, check it out:… 

>Make your own pockets/envelopes. Tear out some single pages from the book and stamp, print or draw over them. You can even doodle or create simple repeat patterns in black marker, it will all look fab when you fold the page into simple envelope and stick it back into the book.

>Print with a doily and an ink pad.

1. Hold the paper doily firmly down (as a stencil) and generously “stamp” with the ink pad over it. Make sure the doily doesn’t move (it would smudge your design). 

2. Slowly remove the doily and you will be left with a lacy pattern.

3. Now quickly cover the inked side of the doily with a piece of paper and rub gently over it with your fingers. Take the paper off and you will be left with  a delicate print.

Good luck with your own designs! I am always happy to see your creations, so drop me a line ! 

I had so much fun at the workshop that I came home and continued scrapbooking well into the night. I could not stop. I finally finished gluing every memory I had somewhere around 1:30 in the morning! 

Instead of using a travel book I opted for my 1/2 finished calendar/planner from 2013. 

Kate let me in on another secret trick of hers; take the travel book with you on your trips! She packs her travel memory book, a small pair of scissors, and a glue stick on every vacation. Each night she glues inside whatever memory happened that day; museum tickets, subway card, a dinner receipt. 

Here you can read my journal entry from 2013 mixed with memories from our 2014 Italy trip.

Do you live in Munich? If so, you can attend a workshop with Kate. Be sure and check out her facebook page. She is hosting a workshop this week inside the Hands Gallery. 

Also, don't forget to enter Mainly Maren's giveaway with Raw Lux Gems this week! You can see the giveaway details here.

Make Memories Beautiful,