DIY Travel Journal

If you know me even a little bit then you know I have a small (but bigger on the inside) obsession with Doctor Who, and what he means for traveling. Also I very much love River Song, period. So when it was time to get a new travel journal I decided to make my own and model it after River's from Doctor Who.

If you'd like to learn how to make your own, just keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling.

To start I got a plain black journal with blank un-lined pages on the inside. Sketchbooks from Wal-mart work really well. This one is about 4.5 in x 7 in. 

You will need:

• Acrylic paint in Black, Dark Blue, and a slightly lighter Blue

    I used - Apple Barrel Matte Acrylic from Walmart in Admiral Blue, Too Blue, and Black

• River Song's Journal Template edited to your needed size and printed on to plain printer paper.

    I used this template (by katien22)

• Sponge tip brush
• Foam pages in either black or blue
• Craft glue, or Foam Glue

To begin size the template to your journal size. Print it out, line it up on the journal, and cover it with foam glue using the sponge tip brush. Do the same on the other side. While it dries use another copy of the template to cut out the raised pieces in the foam page.

Once the glue dries, use the foam glue to glue the pieces on to the template. While the glue is still a little wet use a Q-tip or your finger to get rid of excess glue. Once that side dries do the same to the other side.

After both sides are dry, it's ready to paint. Use the black acrylic paint to create a base coat.

After that dried I used a mix of both blues to create an antique look. Don't worry if it looks really dark while wet, it will dry much lighter.

See! Much lighter.

Once the front and back had completely dried I added small squares to the binding to give off an antique book effect, and tea stained the pages.

To tea stain pages heat up a bowl full of water adding 2-3 tea bags and use another sponge tip brush to lightly brush tea on each page. I won't lie, this is a pain staking process and it took me several hours.

Once that was finished, and dried I added Doctor Who quotes to random pages throughout the book.

Tada!! All finished.

I hope you found this helpful. It's okay to be extra geeky when it comes to travel journals.

I Can't Travel Without...Top 10

Duffel Bag:

This one is a no brainer. If you're going on an adventure you need a trusty bag to carry all of your stuff. What kind of bag you take depends on the trip you're going on. I've had my duffel bag for six years and it gets me everywhere I'm going. 

Camera:

If you're going somewhere new you want to document it. Take a camera or make sure your phone is charged enough to preserve your memories successfully.

iPod:

This is my personal preference. Some people may use their phone for all of their music, but I still bring along my iPod.

Reasons

1. It's an iPod Classic, so the back doubles as a mirror.
2. I won't run down my precious phone battery listening to music. 
3. You can never underestimate how much better you feel doing things alone when you have headphones in.

Converse:

Enough said. These shoes have been around the world with me. I've had them for four years and they're still going strong. They go with any outfit, and work for any kind of weather.

Map:

Little known fact; Maps are the most useful souvenirs you can buy. Not only can buying a map of places you visit ensure that you will be more likely to get the most out of your trip, but they have many other uses. Need a souvenir? Buy a local guide map, write on it, ask for directions, circle the places you went, and write reviews of places you visited. The list is endless. Then once you've returned home take that bad boy and have him framed. TADA! Personalized wall art, that actually has meaning to you.

Water Bottle:

This is a life saver/ money saver suggestion. When you're going on a trip bring along a close able water bottle. Water is still free( ...most places), and you will have a water source all day long. 

Travel Journal:

I think a travel journal says a lot about the traveler. I highly encourage everyone to make their own, and if you're not crafty get a TON of stickers that mean something to you, and decorate the heck out of it.

Sunglasses:

This is not just a summertime suggestion. The sun shines all year round. It's pretty obvious to pack these when it's warm and sunny outside, but a lot of people forget to bring them when it's cold. If you're going where it's snowy, sunglasses are a must. When the sun light reflects off the snow straight into your eyes you're going to wish you listened to this suggestion.

Chapstick:

This Blistex Lip Vibrance is perfect for travel. It's a chapstick with SPF 15 and has a reddish pink tint to it. One of the best features is the small mirror on the top of the lid. It's hard to get this much from any other chapstick.

Snack:

Snacks are a must for me. As someone who struggles with blood sugar I always have snacks handy. Some of my travel tested snacks are;

• Kashi Chocolate Soft Baked Squares
• Clif Energy Bar in Blueberry Crisp
• Snicker Candy Bar (the most underrated energy/protein bar out there)

These are my top picks and the first things I throw in a bag when I know I'm going on a trip. If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them!