A couple of weeks ago Darren and I took a weekend trip to DC to visit family, and I decided that it was the perfect opportunity to experiment with scrapbooking on the go. I've tried this type of album several times before but have never been very successful at it, so I really wanted to see if I could find a system that made it work for me.
I started off by making a small album to take on the trip. I love Amy Tan's travel mini albums, and I learned how to make a mini similar to the one in her American Crafts product line while taking her very first online class (now available at Big Picture Classes).
I packed a minimal selection of tools and supplies to use on the trip. I like to travel light, and whenever possible I try to fly carry-on only. In this case I was taking only a backpack for the weekend, so the small pile pictured below is what made the cut.
My journaling supplies included a selection of shipping tags, a few of my favorite journaling cards from the Project Life collection, brown and black pens, and my trusty library date stamp along with Tsukineko's Staz-On ink in Jet Black.
The tools were even more minimal- my Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher (yes, it was carry-on friendly!) and a tape runner. I didn't pack scissors since we were staying with family and I knew I could borrow a pair while there (and airport security would have thrown a fit about them anyway).
As for the actual scrapbooking supplies, I turned to the Amy Tangerine line from American Crafts for its die cuts and sticker book, then added some baker's twine, a couple of rolls of Hambly's awesome washi tape, and my most favorite ever woodgrain mini alpha stickers from Sassafras (I'm so incredibly sad that they're no longer making products).
Oh, and I added a couple more tiny things just in case I felt like getting artsy while on travel. Most color mist bottles are a full ounce and a bit bulky to carry in my allotted quart-size bag of liquids allowed by the TSA, but I really wanted to take along some inks to play with. The solution? Sparklers and Fireworks from Tsukineko! The Sparklers are a quarter of an ounce each and in the perfectly shaped package to slip into the extra space in that plastic baggie.
Fireworks are half an ounce per bottle and have the added benefit of drying super quickly, so no waiting time! They're also small enough to fit inside the allowed bag of liquids if you have a little extra room.
As another part of the experiment, I also packed my 4x6 HP Photosmart 330 printer. Yes, that's right, I took a printer. I know that a lot of mini albums made on travel are either put together with Instax photo or photos are added after returning from the trip, but I wanted to see how it would go with having the printer with me while away from home. Plus, it's super light and packed easily into my backpack, so it wasn't a big deal to carry.
So, how did the experiment go? You'll have to come back later today to find out when I share the results (and the completed album!), but for now I'll leave you with some photos of the mini album as it looked before I left for the trip. The papers are mostly from the Amy Tangerine line, with a sheet or two of Basic Grey Basics and October Afternoon's Seaside thrown in for good measure.
