Monday 18 May 2015

Scrapbooking a Holiday!

I’ve spent time over the last few weeks since we got back from our Australia and New Zealand trip scrapbooking another epic trip from 2013: California and Oregon Road Trip in the USA.  I used mainly Project Life pages, using the Kraft edition of PL cards.  I added in a few 12 x 12 pages, mainly because I had several portrait photos which didn’t fit in my PL pages.  Do you find the photo orientation to be a problem with the PL system?  I also used 2 collections of 12 x 12 paper pads, one called ‘Recollections’ by Michaels, and Studio Calico’s ‘Atlantic’, both purchased from TK Maxx locally.

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I printed far too many photos, and started off using them all!  Eventually, I realised that I could cut some down or not include some of them.  I still have a very full album, and to be honest, it is a bit too big to show to anyone!  I am sure they will get bored quickly!  It’s a lesson I will learn for when I scrapbook the Australia/New Zealand trip.  I did do a small album of a few choice photos as soon as we got back, which I showed to lots of friends, like a brag book!

My process is first to put the photos into the album in more or less chronological order, then sort out which ones I will put on 12 x 12 pages.  Once I have that sorted, I go through adding cards and journaling.  I scrapbooked the 12 x 12 pages as I went along.  Finally, I sorted out all my stickers, stamps, and cut apart pages for embellishing.

I haven’t actually done a title page yet because I want to print off a 7x5 photo of the Harley-Davidson bike we hired.  I’ve included an itinerary on the first page.  Last time at my crop we had ‘calendar page’ as our challenge, and this just fitted the bill!  I made quite a detailed diary of the trip, so there is lots of journaling throughout the album.

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Pictures taken at Santa Cruz, where we spent our first night.  How we loved the sealions!  Here’s one page where I have included a portrait photo on it’s side!  The sealion sticker is an old one I found in my stash!

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Motoring south along the Pacific Coast Highway.  Another portrait photo on it’s side, but I did manage to include most portrait photos on a 12 x 12 page like this one.

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Then we rode inland and spent a couple of nights in Yosemite National Park.  The wing symbol card comes from the Recollection paper pad.

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And then north to Lake Tahoe.  Lovely scenery!  I used sketches for most of my pages by searching ‘scrapbook sketches’ on Pinterest.  Sorry I didn’t keep a record of which ones they were.

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Up into Oregon and back down the Pacific Coast Highway.  The weather was rough and grey at first, but only served to make the coast more dramatic!  This page of the Yaquina Lighthouse uses the Atlantic papers (even though it is the Pacific Ocean!)

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We stayed in a lot of cute B and B’s including this in Eureka, California.  It’s called Abigails Elegant Victorian Mansion and is decorated, furnished and styled in high Victoriana!  We thought it was completely eccentric!  It was like stepping into a Disney movie set!

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It wasn’t all plain sailing with the bike!  We had a problem with the gear lever and had to tie it up with my boot lace!

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Back down into California near San Francisco, we found the Earthquake trail at Point Reyes Station fascinating.  I included quite a few ‘California’ stickers I purchased especially for the album.

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Just occasionally I had enough portrait photos to do pages like this one on the right hand side.  Here is the interior of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco which had a spectacular art installation of these long, long ribbons hanging from the ceiling on which the congregation had written prayers.

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It was a wonderful trip, and I so enjoyed revisiting it all through the making of this scrapbook!  I hope you have enjoyed a little peek into my album and process.

8 comments:

Helen said...

It's been wonderful seeing them again, Linda!! I remember reading about it when you came home, so it's lovely to see the scrapping of them now!!

Sian said...

What a wonderful album..now it's all right there, any time you want to remember

Unknown said...

What a great blend of the PL pages & full 12X12 pages. I tried to use just PL pages but have done what you have done, a blend so I can use up my stash of stuff!

Karen said...

I think the combination of PL pages and full 12X12 pages works really well for an album like this. Even if others might find it too big, reliving your trip making it will always be worthwhile! I've found that sometimes I can cut down a landscape photo and actually improve it by making it a 4X3 portrait photo if they're already printed. Usually on my Project life pages, I'm printing at home, so the size is easier to control. I love your album!

Alison said...

I know exactly what you mean about the orientation of PL pages!...well done on getting your album finished-it looks great! Xx

alexa said...

Oh wow, I can't believe you have scrapbooked all this! Your pages are so full and rich in colour and information. Even if others don't spend the time looking at the pages, I am sure you will continue to enjoy them for a long time.

Julie Kirk said...

What a mammoth task - not only the fabulous trip itself, but getting it all scrapped and documented too. What a treasure to look back on!

Sandie said...

Wonderful! This is a big project and I can appreciate the time it has taken. We went to US in 2008 and I am still wanting to do something with my photos. I have decided to use PhotoBox and I took over 4000 photos. Putting them into other kinds of albums or my handmade mini books would just not work.
We also went to Yosemite and I'd love to return to San Francisco because I want to visit Napa Valley vineyards and Monterrey to see whales. Good luck with completing your album, it is looking great and well worth the time in making!