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Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Traveler's Notebook

Have you ever heard of a Traveler's Notebook? I didn't until recently and I was immediately intrigued!!  I have always loved pretty stationary and organization items be they notebooks or boxes. Once I saw a video by Caroline Hamm on how to make your own... let me tell you I am utterly and completely hooked! I've made one with plans to make more. I want to give them as gifts and I may even make a few to sell at the annual Apple Fest at our Church.

Okay, so what are they you ask? Traveler's Notebooks are elastic planner systems that consist of leather fabric, cardboard, or other heavyweight material covers with a series of elastics running the length of the spine on the interior of the cover. These elastics allow for smaller thinner notebooks to be slipped under the elastics to hold them into the cover.

This style planner is organized by booklet. You can have a many styles of booklets: calendar, lined for notes or journaling, grid paper for project planning, or even sketchbook paper booklet for drawing, collage or art making.

The original TN leather covers are leather punched along the spine for elastics and punched in the back for a horizontal elastic to secure the cover closed. Very simple, minimal and unfussy. Since the launch of the original Traveler’s Company covers, many companies and makers stepped in to make covers that include interior pockets, more elastics along the spine and even non-leather options. See a video walk through of the one I just made below. 

One thing I loved about Caroline's style of Traveler's Notebooks, is that you can buy the refill booklets on Amazon. They are so much fun to decorate! I have a video walkthrough of my notebook below, and underneath the video you'll find links to some materials used to make it.

How to Use a Traveler's Notebook

Separate Notebooks for Notes on Different Topics

For Planning

Journal

Recipes

Bible Study

Bullet Journal *

Gratitude Journaling

Habit Tracking

Keep Track of Work Expenses or Hours

Health Journal

Financial Planner

One Notebook Can be a Calendar

Keeping Track of Big Projects

Fun and Functional List Making

Memory Keeping

Collecting Inspirational Quotes

Sketching

Art Journal

Travel Journal

*A bullet journal is a next-level diary for not only writing but also drawing. Instead of blank, lined pages, a bullet journal contains sections to log daily to-dos, keep a monthly or weekly calendar, jot down notes, track both physiological and mental health, and record both short- and long-term goals. It organizes scheduling, reminders, to do lists, brainstorming, and other organizational tasks into a single notebook.



My second Traveler's Notebook ... and it's even prettier! The paper collection is from Mintay, and the collection is called written Memories."

Caroline Hamm's totally awesome video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzH0krTVhWQ

A walk through video also by Caroline showing a slightly different style of Notebook: https://youtu.be/fiOdmuYpkKQ

My Stampin' Up! Store Front for cardstock, adhesives, patterened paper and more https://www.stampinup.com?demoid=2109078

My Stampin' Up! Store Front for my favorite Paper Trimmer https://www.stampinup.com/products/paper-trimmer?demoid=2109078

Grommet Setting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KF3C53F?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Travelers Notebook Weekly Calendar Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BJH1RPP/...

Travelers Notebook Lined Paper Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4NM4ES/...

Travelers Notebook Grid/Graph Paper Refills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2QT50V/...

Kraft-Tex Paper Fabric Sampler Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT8NFYW/...

Elastic Cord https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3JDLTV?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details