Travel Journal Tutorial (June Counterfeit Kit)

I learned how to make a Travel Journal out of manila envelopes and cardstock from an article in the now defunct Scrapbook Answers magazine.  The author is Vicki Chrisman, who is definitely not defunct! She has a wonderful blog called "This Art That Makes Me Happy." I emailed her, and she said I was welcome to share instructions on how to make her travel journal.
I started by gathering the following supplies (all, except the envelopes and chipboard from my June Counterfeit Kit):
1. 3 manila envelopes (9x12 inches)
2. 8 pieces of paper (Cut one to 9x12 inches for the outside cover; cut one into two pieces 8.75x5.5 inches for the inside covers; cut two pieces down to 8.5x11 inches for two inside pages; take two pieces and cut each into two 8.5x5.5 to cover manila envelopes; take last two pieces and cut each into two pieces, one 8.5x5.5 and one 8.5x4.5).
3. 2 pieces of chipboard 5.5x8.5 inches each
4. two pieces of twine (24 inches each)
5. one piece of ribbon (32 inches long)
6. themed embellishments and letter stickers
7. tools: bone folder; tape; hole punch; adhesive
Before I go further, let me show you a few views of one of my completed travel journals, so you can see where this tutorial is going and how I use mine.  I love these because I can fill the envelopes with memorabilia, and there's lots of room to jot down important arrangements before the trip and journal about our adventures along the way.

Now, on to the tutorial. . . Start by folding all three of the manila envelopes and the two 8.5x11 interior pages in half.  Next, insert the two chipboard pieces, side by side into one of the envelopes (there should be about an inch between the two). Seal up the envelope. This will be your cover.

Cover one side with the 9x12 piece of paper for the outside cover (I used a dark blue). Take the two 8.75x5.5 pieces (inside covers; I used the butterfly paper) and adhere them to the other side. Glue them along the outside edges, not along the spine. Next, stack the two interior pages and envelopes, on top of the cover (alternating them):

Take the eight pieces of paper that you have left. You will use these to cover the eight sides of the manila envelope. I like to decide where to place these, so that the patterns and colors coordinate with the opposite page and also with the places I will go. So, I put papers appropriate for London up front, those appropriate for the Cotswolds in the middle and papers for Cambridge/London at the end. The two thinner papers (8.5x4.5) go on the side of the manila envelope with the flap. Once you've decided on the order, adhere the papers, again aligning them with the outside edge of the envelopes, not the spine:

Next, take you hole punch and punch two holes along the spine of the cover. I punch the holes the full length of my hole punch:

Punch holes along the spine of the envelope pages in the same position. Line the 8.5x11 interior pages up inside the cover (note, they will be smaller than the envelope pages) and punch holes in them. Line all your pages up and thread the two lengths of twine through the holes:

Tie the twine securely on the outside to complete the binding.  Slide the ribbon under the twine and wrap around the journal horizontally around the middle.  Tie it in the front.  Flip the journal over, and secure the ribbon to the back with stickers:

Flip the journal back over and decorate the front:

Finally, decorate the interior pages.  I like to leave some room to adhere postcards and definitely room for writing down our itinerary, important numbers and journaling about our trip. I also tend label our destinations.  Here's some of my pages:

So, there you have it! Thanks again to Vicki for allowing me to share her process. Feedback on the tutorial definitely welcome. Do you create travel journals before a trip?  Do they look anything like this?