Everywhere I go I pick up little mementos and hold on to bits and pieces with the intention to one day create a glorious book filled with all my adventures. The problem is that’s the idea. The reality is that I have drawers filled with postcard sleeves stuffed to the gills with receipts, post cards, stickers, beer labels and the occasional photo that I print rather than just leave in the digital black hole of my camera.


This is precisely why I added “create a travel scrapbook” to my 24 for 24, and in true procrastinators style I waited until that last month of my 24th year to start such a book. Earlier this month, I rooted through the drawers of my mom’s desk, unpacked bags that had never seen the light of day and discovered a collection of items just waiting to go in my adventure log.

I have the pleasure of being remembered by one particular friend as introducing myself at the age of 12 as, “Hi my name is Tiffany and I’m a perfectionist.” Can you tell this girl was really popular back then?

Aside from the fact that a bit of honesty could go a long way in introductions like that these days, I must admit to the truth behind the statement. In order to stop procrastinating and actually get this show on the road, I had to give up my ideas of a perfect little travel scrapbook and just get started.

Armed with quick-dry adhesive, an extra hardback notebook from work, a computer, pinterest and my piles of mementos I set off to work. It’s not done but that’s because my adventures are still a work in progress. I have gotten the thing started though, and am quite pleased with the results despite little imperfections.

To cover up some of the lined paper, I printed off a few old Paris maps I found on Google. I’ve also employed envelopes and odd bits of paper to add layers. For the text, much of it is printed or copied from old blog posts!

And what can I say, Pinterest is a god send when it comes to generating ideas.

Don’t forget to use the back of flaps for writing space! This flap was made by gluing the flap of a brown envelope to the back of the page.

Some pages are entirely done, while others simply contain penciled in notes and a few photos paper clipped for reference. In retrospect I should have picked a better book. Either a moleskin sketch pad or something with a spiral bound so the book could expand as I glued more and more layers inside. I also considered doing it electronically and getting it printed via a company like Printivity as I thought it would make it more sturdy and would therefore last a lot longer. However, I decided I enjoy doing the calligraphy and everything myself too much!

What do you think? It certainly was less work and more fun that a perfect little scrapbook would have been to create. I kind of enjoyed just throwing it all in however I felt at the moment. The best part is I can flip back through the pages and relive memories I otherwise would’ve long ago forgotten in a drawer somewhere.

How do you remember your adventures?

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