TRAVEL TRIBUTES #3: photo albums

Years ago, I'd return from a trip and my first priority was to start the washing machine.   Next on the list?   Organize my photos!  By the time my family had grown up, I had 42 albums!

Since digital became the norm, though, photos seem to be relegated to computer albums and facebook posts. 

Drag 'em out!  

Create coffee table albums that people can browse through spontaneously. 

Make printed books for the graduate or grandparent - whomever the trip was celebrating! 

Or organize destination books, with a photo tour of a country or island.

Here are 3 ways:

The Old Fashioned Way: 

Print your photos (easy to do at any local photo store -- just take your camera card and they'll have equipment to make it easy to pick and print)

Then arrange your photos in a traditional album.  

 

PRO: you can include other keepsakes in these albums, like special ticket stubs,  to make it more of a photo scrapbook.

CON:  the photos often yellow over time, from the adhesive on the pages. 

Mac iBooks:

For you Mac-users out there, this is so easy!  It's part of your iphoto program.

Drag your favorite trip photos into a project folder, select your style of book, and click-n-drag your photos.
There are lots of choices for layout, from a collaged-look (left) to a traditional look (right), complete with the old-timey photo corners.

PRO:  It's easy to add text to tell stories or to notate locations.

CON:   Once you make it, you can't remove photos (say, if you wanted to copy them for a family member)

Shutterfly book:

Shutterfly is an online photo storage facility that you can use with ANY computer, not just Macs.
It's very user-friendly,  and after you upload your photos, you can create a free website to share them with your family and friends, 
or you can create and order a printed photo album: 
Here's the site to get you started!


If this sounds intimidating, don't worry!  They've made videos to walk you through each step! 




Want some help getting started?  I'm happy to help!  Email me here!

Keep makin' and preservin' those memories!

TRAVEL TRIBUTES #2: create a travel journal

Here's an idea!  Create a travel journal, bursting with touchstones to your favorite places -- a tuft of pressed buffalo fur, an ATM receipt,  a wine bottle label or dated stamp from the UNESCO site.  I have tons of ideas and tips -- check 'em all out here: 

Want a copy of my complete travel article on travel journaling, 

Tall Travel Tales:  7 easy steps for preserving your precious trip memories!

 just email me here:

melanie@toughlovetravel.com

TRAVEL TRIBUTES #1: make a blanket

Want to make this summer's trip unforgettable?  Create a blanket of your trip!
















Purchase those sew-on badges as you travel --
places you visit like aquariums or trains










towns you stay at








funny events or festivals that you participate in (here was our Groundhog Day badge)
(NOTE:  Yes, people actually DO participate in Groundhog Day.  It's not just a story for the movies!  There really is a prognosticator, you can actually meet Phil the Groundhog - or his scions -- and in fact, though it may seem disrespectful, you can even eat groundhog sausage at the pancake breakfast!)

badges with all kinds of fun shapes









You'll find badges at likely places such as Disney, but also at unlikely places like the Raptor Rehab Center or the National Park or even at some airports!   Keep your eyes open for badges everywhere you go!

 Collect them all as you travel, and when you return home, purchase one of those inexpensive fleece blankets in your favorite color. You won't want to wash these badges frequently, so select a color of blanket that will not need constant cleaning.
I've appliqued the patches around the edge, but you can put them on however you like.  In fact, you can add to the blanket, year after year, to commemorate a series of trips.

The finished blanket is a great "throw" for chairs and couches, perfect for your porch or boat, convenient for car and camping trips, but also makes a very special bedspread.  It is wonderful to send this blanket off with your child as they move into their first apartment!    Enjoy and Travel On!

Look for TRAVEL TRIBUTE #2, coming soon to the TLT blog!