How to Make A Travel Journal - Tutorial - Part 2 - A Gypsy Journey Down Minnesota's Back Roads

The journey across Minnesota ends with an amazing travel journal that has room for a little more journey in it. Crew Member and gypsy Betsy Skagen brings together an eclectic mix of papers, embellishments and photos to create a one of a kind travel book that can be tailored to match your gypsy journeys.

Hello! I am Betsy Skagen of Paper Calliope and I am back with the second part of my Minnesota Back Roads journey. If you haven’t done so already, please visit Part One to see my gypsy adventure exploring Minnesota’s back roads.

However, this post is actually all about you! Part Two is exclusively a tutorial on how you can make your own Back Roads Journal.

I created this journal as a way to capture some memories and record places we visited–especially antique stores and flea markets that would be worth a return trip. The 7gypsies Starter Journal provided the perfect base for the book. The Starter Journals are cardstock weight books that are sewn down the middle and ready for journaling, photos, paint and art. I love how they are both sturdy enough stand up to any mixed media processes and flexible enough to accommodate the many layers of ephemera that I love to add.

The Cover

Step 1–Cut a 10″ x 7″ piece of Silver & Kraft Stars and adhere to the front and back cover of the Starter Journal using a strong adhesive. Make sure that you actually have the Journal in the closed position as you adhere this paper in order to provide adequate room for the book to fully open and close.

Step 2–Cut two 7″ strips of Navy & Kraft Mini Dot and tear along one of the long edges. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Adhere to both the front and back outside edges of the Journal.

Step 3–Cut out the Telegram picture from the 7gypsies Ordre Du Jour 8 x 8 Pad. Use adhesive letters for your title and to add the word “FUN” next to the Goals. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Adhere the Telegram to the cover and lightly blend Vintage Photo Distress Ink onto the Silver Star paper around the outside of the telegram. Stamp the year with red ink.

Step 4–Layer the 7gypsies Surveyor Ruler Display Trim to the front of the cover and secure with strong adhesive. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages One & Two

Step 5–Cut a 10″ x 3 3/8″ piece of Navy & Kraft Mini Dot, score it vertically in half and adhere to the lower portion of the pages.

Step 6–Cut a the A-E graphic from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere on the left side of the spread.

Step 7–Never one to let something great go to waste, I have discovered that many of 7gypsies packaging can also serve as wonderful ephemera. To make a list of favorite antique stores, I cut out the packaging from the Gypsy Moments Cards Bucket List. I then blended Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the packaging and along the edges before adhering to the page.

Step 8–Ink the edges of Pages One and Two with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Three & Four

Step 9–Cut a 10″ x 7″ piece of Kraft & White Fleur De Lis, score it vertically in half and adhere it to pages three and four of the journal. Cut out the red trimmed notebook square from the 7gypsies Ordre Du Jour 8 x 8 Pad and adhere it to the left side of the spread.

Step 10–Distress the edges of the library card, 4 for 25 cents and Cannot be refilled 7gypsies Mini Ephemera – Receipts with Vintage Photo ink and adhere to the right side of the spread.

Step 11–Ink the edges of Pages Three and Four with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Five & Six

Step 12–Cut a 10″ x 5″ piece of Red & Kraft Ribbon Stripe, score it vertically in half and adhere it to the bottom portion of pages five and six of the journal.

Step 13–Cut a 10″ x 2 1/4″ piece of Navy & Kraft Mini Dot, score it vertically in half and adhere it to the top portion of pages five and six of the journal.

Step 14–Tear out a 5 1/2″ x 3 3/4″ piece of the graph paper from the Lille collection. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Page 5 at a slight angle.

Step 15–Add the Approved Motel from 7gypsies Mini Ephemera – American Vintage with 3D Foam Adhesive.

Step 16–Ink the edges of Pages Three and Four with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Seven & Eight

Step 17–Cut an 8″ x 7″ map from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Score it vertically three inches from the left margin. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Pages Seven and Eight of the journal so that it is flush with right edge of Page 8.

Step 18–Cut a 1 3/4″ x 7″ piece from the compass page of the 7gypsies Maritime 8 x 8 Pad. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Pages Seven of the journal so that it is flush with the left edge of Page Seven and subsequently leaves a narrow gap before the map portion of the page.

Step 19–Tear out the word “Adventure” from the Lille Collection. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Page Eight with 3D foam adhesive.

Step 20–Ink the edges of Pages Seven and Eight with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Nine & Ten

Step 21–Cut an 8″ x 4 1/4″ section of license plates from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Score it vertically three inches from the left margin. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Pages Nine and Ten of the journal so that it is flush with right edge of Page Ten.

Step 22–Cut a 2″ x 7″ piece of Red & Kraft Ribbon Stripe. Ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Pages Nine of the journal so that it is flush with the left edge of Page Nine.

Step 23–Cut a 4 3/4″ x 4 1/2″ piece of 7gypsies Wicked Gypsy: Costume Ball. Adhere to the top right corner of Page Ten.

Step 24–Layer the Johnson’s Bingo over the Parcel Post Ephemera from the 7gypsies Mini Ephemera – Gypsy. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Adhere to Page Nine with 3D foam adhesive.

Step 25–Ink the edges of Pages Nine and Ten with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Eleven & Twelve

Step 26–Cut an Cut a 10″ x 7″ piece of Silver & Kraft Diamond. Score it vertically in half and adhere to Pages Eleven and Twelve of the journal.

Step 27–Cut out and piece together street name road signs from 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad to cover the bottom of the spread.

Step 28–Cut out the “Guide Road Map of Minnesota” from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Page Eleven with 3D adhesive foam.

Step 29–Cut and tear out part of a postcard from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Ink the edges and adhere to the top of Page Twelve.

Step 30–Ink the edges of Pages Eleven and Twelve with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Pages Thirteen & Fourteen

Step 31–Cut an 10″ x 4 3/4″ piece of Navy & Ivory Ticking. Lightly blend Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the entire piece.

Step 32–Adhere to the bottom portion of Pages Thirteen & Fourteen.

Step 33–Cut out a 4 1/2 x 3 3/8 piece of blue floral paper from the 7gypsies Ordre Du Jour 8 x 8 Pad. Ink the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and adhere to Page Thirteen.

Step 34–Cut and tear out part of a postcard from the 7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad. Ink the edges and adhere to the top of Page Thirteen.

Step 35–Cut a 3″ x 6″ piece of the 3 + 4 graphic from the Lille collection. Tear the left edge and ink all the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Adhere to Page Fourteen.

Step 36–Ink the edges of Pages Thirteen and Fourteen with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

That is the basics for completing the Back Roads Journal. All you have to do now is add your own photos and journal notes. Thank you for stopping by the Canvas Corp blog. Stay safe and happy on your gypsy travels! – Betsy

Great Stuff

7gypsies Starter Journal

Silver & Kraft Diamond

Silver & Kraft Stars

Kraft & White Fleur De Lis

7gypsies Wicked Gypsy: Costume Ball

Navy & Kraft Mini Dot

Red & Kraft Ribbon Stripe

Navy & Ivory Ticking

7gypsies Ordre Du Jour 8 x 8 Pad

7gypsies American Vintage 8 x 8 Pad

7gypsies Maritime 8 x 8 Pad