A SMASH* Travel Bag

Happy weekend! Are you enjoying this gorgeous weather as much as we are? I love this time of the year.... it has to be that "islander" gene in me ;) The sunshine makes me happy. And when the weather is warm, we love our family time together in the great outdoors. Let them be day trips exploring the local wildlife and natural beauty of the Pacific NW, or relaxing ferry rides to the "Emerald City". Weekend road trips visiting family down in Portland, OR, or a 3 hour scenic drive to vacation in "Twilight Country." Life is full of fantastic adventures. With family vacations being at the top of the list! So I thought, how perfect would it be to bring my love for documenting life along with us when we travel? And that is exactly what I did with our road trip last month to La Push, WA.

When I pack a bag for my supplies, I keep in mind what our trip is all about. We were going to live "The Twilight Saga." So many photo opportunities: the famous locations, beautiful scenery, the resort. I also knew we were going to collect plenty of ephemera since both the rez in La Push, and the nearby town of Forks caters to tourists. I grabbed "Twilight Maps," brochures for the surrounding area (rainforest trail guides, restaurant menus, outdoor activities, etc.), travel mags, pamphlets, etc. I even did a ton of research on the net, created an itinerary, printed turn-by-turn road maps with all of our destinations "pinned", and took down info of the locations we were visiting. I wanted to enjoy every minute of our time there!
[*I kept all of this info in a file folder and added it to my bag.]

Back to our trip... my favorite part was the fact that technology was pretty much non-existent at the oceanfront lodging we were staying at. No cell signal. No TV. No internet. No telephones. But that didn't stop us from enjoying each other's company. Not to mention the amazing culture, lush rainforests, and beautiful beaches right at our doorstep. Even the time in our room was wonderful...with a view of the ocean right from our bed! Best part... after all of the sightseeing, I had plenty of time to relax and SMASH.

You can add anything you want to your bag. This is what I like to include in mine... it's a little bit of everything. They're all things that I personally use on a regular basis. My go-to supplies when I SMASH* or create my Project Life pages. I have just enough here to hold me down while documenting our vacation, and satisfy my crafty fix while away from home. You are more than welcome to modify this list so it suits you better. It should give a good jumping off point when creating yours.

SUPPLIES

• A Bag with Sturdy Handles: I use an eco-friendly bag made from recycled plastic bags. I picked it up for 50% off only paying around $2.50.
• Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera & Film: Partnered with my digital point and shoot (not pictured)

• SMASH* Book or Daybook: I took both ;) I handmade my daybook especially for this trip!
• A Notebook: My journal that also holds ideas for my blog and Project Life/SMASH*
• Small Notepad: I use it to jot down specific details (dates/times/location/activities/feelings), make lists, as a photo log, to record things people said, etc. I stick it in my purse if we go out.

• Thickers & Stickers: Themed embellishments, different alphabet stickers, word sentiments, etc.
• Embellishments: Cardstock cutouts, diecuts, tags, or other fun stuff. Choose ones relating to your trip.

• Journal Cards: I picked out ones with a road trip/travel theme. I even made my own "Twilight" cards on Silhouette Studio and cut them with my Cameo.
• Pockets: A mix of different ones to hold journal cards and tidbits of paper ephemera and mementos. Glassine bags, library card holders, handmade pockets, etc.

• Goodie Bags: Plastic SMASH* bags that come in different sizes. I use them to hold the little treasures I collect from vacation, for postcards and other ephemera we pick up, and to store my  journal cards and embellishments for the trip.

• Pencil Box: Holds all of your writing utensils and tools so they aren't rolling around the bottom of your bag.
• Black Zig Pen/Marker, Mechanical Pencil, & Eraser
• Colored Pencils: I love working with different media.
• Scissors: Mine is Tonic's Spring-Cut Detail Scissors
• Glue Stick and Mounting Squares: Both are little to no-mess adhesives perfect for traveling with.

• Washi Tape: I know it's hard to choose, but I limit myself to just a few rolls.
• Roller Date Stamp: I chose one with sentiments that will work for my trip. 
• Mini-Inker by SMASH*: Very handy and portable little tool with 3 different ink colors.
• Mini Stamp Pad: Takes up less space than a standard ink pad.

That's about it. So super simple to put together. Just customize the contents of your bag to fit your style and needs. And as you can see, everything easily fits into my bag with room to spare. So there really is no need to bring a ton of supplies, in a huge bag that you have to lug around along with the rest of your stuff... unless you really want to. The only thing missing here though are my cameras, which have their own cases and stored in our "Tech" bag, and my file folder with all of my travel information. This sweet little bag was so easy to transport and took up very little space in the car. I kept it on the floor near my feet making it easy to get in and out of so I could SMASH* on the road, and find the maps I printed out :)

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I really hope you enjoyed this post and feel inspired to bring a bag like this along on your next trip. Already have a travel bag? What do you like to include in yours? Did you find this info helpful? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Handmade: Elements of a Daybook

Hello April and Happy Spring!

I absolutely adore handmade paper crafts... giving, making, and receiving them! My most favorite thing to make are Daybooks. I love everything about the whole process! They're so easy to customize and personalize. I first started making them about 8 months ago, and since then I've created around 15-20 of 'em. Some I keep for myself, but most are made for friends that I've given as a RAK (Random Act of Kindness: Sending something to someone without them knowing, and not expecting anything back in return.) Every book I make is made special for them. I use what I know about each person (favorite color, interests, etc.) to customize and personalize every book. Each and every one is "Made with Aloha."

I've gotten nothing but wonderful feedback from the recipients of each book. It makes me so happy when I hear how much it put a smile on their face, and how much they love it. The best part is knowing that something I created for them will be filled with beautiful memories to look back on for years to come...

Basic Supplies

Over the last few weeks, I've gathered some new supplies to make a batch of fun and super cute daybooks. I thought I would let you take a glimpse at the process I use to make my books. From the "Supplies" & "Tools", to the "Binding" & "Sewing"... and even the extra little "Details."

Handy Tools For Making Daybooks

Really all you need to make a daybook is some pretty paper and "string" to bind it with. Over time, I've included other "Elements" that makes my books extra special. And you don't need each and every tool I've shown you here, but I think they make the process of creating a daybook much easier and faster.

One of my favorite parts of this whole process is working with all of the pretty paper. From arranging the pages to handmaking the actual envelopes and pockets, it's all so much fun! I love using double-sided scrapbook paper for the pages, and I also like to incorporate papers from different collections! As long as the colors coordinate (or even contrast), they will work great together in a book.

For these books, I picked up the main paper collection and the owl file folders at totally different times. I wasn't even thinking of  using them together when I bought them. The colors couldn't be more perfect together... I love it when it works out that way! 

I always take advantage of white spaces (like the other side of the file folders). It gives me chance to use my Homemade Glimmer Mists and/or Alcohol Ink Sprays. I really love adding handmade {scrapbook paper} envelopes, delicate doilies, and designer notecards. This is also a great way to use up your paper scraps! Daybooks with pages of various shapes and sizes are so fun to flip through....

TIP: Use templates! They are incredibly handy and worth making. I have all kinds of different templates in my collection that I use for various paper projects.

Poking Holes: Prepping the book for Hand-Stitching

At first, I definitely thought that hand-sewing the binding was the hardest thing about all of this. But now, it's so easy because I've had lots of practice from making so many books. Practice makes perfect! I love seeing that stitching come out nice and straight!

Another part I like to personalize is the binding... choosing the perfect twine or cord and adding a cute little charm.

Confetti Pages are so Fun!

One of the funnest "elements" I add to my books are confetti pages. They hold anything... photos, diecuts, paper ephemera, and other kinds of memorabilia. Best thing about them... they make great use of items you would normally throw away, like the "punchies" from your craft punches and the cellophane packaging that comes with your favorite stickers and embellishments! A wonderful way to "Reduce" and "Reuse."

It's All About The Details.....

The Finishing Touches: A border punch across the edges of a few pages is a wonderful touch. I love using my "Scroll" punch for this project! [Handmade] Pockets on both the front and back covers gives the recipient a nice place to hold journal cards or ephemera. I like using my own stamps and washi tape on the other "half" of the pretty notecards. It's a really great way to add a creative touch to an otherwise blank page.

I really hope you enjoyed this post. I had tons of fun writing it and I'm going to have even more fun RAKing two of my new daybooks to a couple of special ladies! I don't know what's better...making them or giving them away ;) Do you make your own daybooks too? If so, what's your favorite part of the process? Any questions, thoughts, or comments? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

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Thank you for stopping by!

Daybook of Love: Weeks 3 - 4

For "The Month of Love", I used a handmade daybook to document each and every day. It's practically bursting at the seams with memories we shared together, as well as things I love. In the end, it turned out fabulous... I love how super chunky it is!

Last month, I posted Days 1 -14 of my February Daily Daybook. And today, I'm so happy to finally share the remaining pages with you! I had so much fun creating this book, and I love flipping through it to see all of my memories from the month right there in one place! Daybooks really are a great way to document everyday life...

Life Documented
Days 15 to 28

Day 15: Chick Flick Marathon

Day 16: Crafty

Day 17: We Love Sundays

Day 18: Sweet Treats

Day 19: My Cameo Named Candy

Day 20: Rainy Day

Day 21: Honu Love

Day 22: Me + You = Love

Day 23: "Currently"

Day 24: Project Life

Day 25 (Part 1): Love Letters

Day 25 (Part 2): My VDay Card 

Day 26: The Greatest Gift

Day 27: Mini Instax Love

Day 28: Words of Wisdom

Daybook of Love: Weeks 1 - 2

It's been about a week since my last post. During that time, I've been super busy with different projects. I can't wait to share them with you! I'm especially happy to finally be all caught up in the February Daily Daybook that I made! I promised to share them here on my blog. But instead of bombarding you with my pages all at once, I'll just be doing two posts of the inside of this book. At the end of the month, I'll share the last two weeks. (You can now find Days 15 - 28 here.)

Life Documented
Days 1 to 14:

Title Page - 14 Years of Love

Day 1: Then & Now

Day 2: Family Fun Day (Part 1)

Day 2: Family Fun Day (Part 2)

Day 3: 14 Years of Love Songs

Day 4: A New Favorite

Day 5: Welcome to My Blog

Day 6: 10 Things I Love About You

Day 7: Happy Mail

Day 8: A Moment in Time

Day 9: Hauls

Day 10: 14 Years of Memories

Day 11: Miss Kiani

Day 12: I <3 Being A Girl

Day 13: Love is Everywhere

Day 14: VDay (Part 1)

Day 14: VDay (Part 2)

Wanna stay updated on my recent posts and projects? Be sure to "like" my new fan page on Facebook!

What do you think of my daybook so far? Are you documenting life too? Any questions or comments? Feel free to drop me a line... Feedback is always welcome!