This illustrator is far more in tune with journaling my adventures on paper. But I’m hoping to bring some of that flair to this digital realm as you travel with me.  If you are also finding yourself the new owner of an Airstream or any travel trailer or camper, I highly recommend that your first purchase not be those cute little flamingos or a gas-powered espresso pot.

What you truly need before you set sail is to prepare your own memory treasure chest!  The following is my recipe for memory making, complete with links for where you can buy your supplies.  And the best part of all?  Everything is travel size so you can keep it in the trailer year round.

As a photographer I find that when I’m moving equipment from vehicle to vehicle, state to state, house to house, things tend to get misplaced.  But when you have these supplies tucked nicely into one small bin, you’ll always be able to grab what you need for those Kodak Moments;)

My Recipe for Photo Fun…

• 1 Airstream of Any Size or Age
• 1 Moleskine Passion Journal – Travel, Large, Hard Cover (5 x 8.25) (Passion Book Series)

  

• 1 Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera – Smokey White
• Always Have 1-2 Boxes of Fujifilm Instax Mini Instant Film
• If you prefer using your mobile phone for pixture taking, consider a Polaroid ZIP Mobile Printer w/ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology – Compatible w/iOS & Android Devices – White.
• Self Adhesive Photo Corners for your Fuji Prints (They will slide right in the back of your journal)
• 1 or more of your favourite pens…I prefer uni-ball Vision Elite BLX Infusion Rollerball Pens, Micro Point
• Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Black,  if you’d like to write dates or other info on your Fuji prints
• 1 Storage Bin

Sadly, with the advent of digital photography, so many of our memories and so much of our personal history is being lost on errant hard drives and memory discs:(  If there’s one set of photos you print, make them your Airstream memories.  Depending on the frequency of your trips, you could also start a new journal each year.  It’s something amazing to look back upon and reminisce on your favourite journeys.  Your imagination is your only limitation with your journal.  I highly encourage a small set of Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils.  You don’t have to be a professional artist to find great pleasure and relaxation in a little mindless doodling.

You Can’t Break Your Journal!

Blank canvas syndrome is real, lol.  Since I’ve been there and done that, I’m here for you.  We will leave no journaler behind!  Just remember one thing…you can’t break your journal or do anything wrong.  Even if you draw something that you don’t like, just remember…you can put a sticker over it or better yet a Polaroid photo with its sticky backing!

The larger of the Moleskine Journals provides you with a pretty good outline, leveraging different size journeys…Short Trips, Weekends, Long Trips.  But seriously, there’s no right or wrong.  As Jimminy Cricket says, let your conscience be your guide;)

Things that I like to focus on…

• Places (Museums, Antique Stores, Beaches)
• Food (Everything but especially Seafood and things like donuts)
• Drinks (Wines & Coffees)
• Treats (Ice Cream)

Tips…

Buy stickers of attractions or locations you visit, such as museums, National Wildlife Refuges, even restaurants and surf shops! They are an inexpensive yet visually appealing reminder of where you’ve been:)  Have fun with this and just keep in mind, it’s your own personal momento.  This isn’t going to be judged by the world.  By all means, even slip in postcards and other ephemera that you find!!!

I encourage you to work on your journal while you’re away.   If you devote even 15-20 minutes a day to jotting down what you did, you will be shocked at how quickly the pages will fill up.  A fun practice I started when Enzo was born, was sending him postcards in the mail while on vacation.  I detailed what he experienced and said each day.  The coolest part of this was that they were obviously postmarked and you can select the style stamp you want to you.  It’s amazing how you can make something beautiful just through the use of common things (paper, stamps, photos, handwriting.)  I LOVE this ability to make something that is so uniquely yours!!!

Another Journaling Opportunity

Take your journaling a step further, and if you’re a fan of America’s National Parks or National Wildlife Refuges, here’s another awesome opportunity to document your journeys.

Next year, 2016, marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.  If you haven’t yet watched the Ken Burn’s series, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” fire up the TV, to watch this 6 episode series that was 6 years in the making.  It will make you want to hit the road today to discover America’s treasures.

I had the amazing opportunity to listen to Ken Burns speak about his documentary when he visited Rowan University late last year.  The marriage of Ken Burns and the National Park Service is honestly one of the most genuine of all time.  There are 58 National Parks in the United States.

“The beauty and charm of the wilderness are his for the asking, for the edges of the wilderness lie close beside the beaten roads of the present travel.”
– Theodore Roosevelt

Similarly, there are 563 National Wildlife Refuges in the United States.  In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt established the first National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge system covers nearly 93 million acres in our country and hosts a variety of ecological habitats.  The great news is that both systems have passports that in some cases, can be stamped!  Check out my stamp from Merritt Island NWR in Cape Canaveral, Florida;)

Resource Links

Below, find links for accessing your very own passport!

• National Park Service Passport
• Kids’ Passport to National Parks Companion
• National Wildlife Refuges’ Blue Goose Passports (Unfortunately the NWR doesn’t have an online store, but depending on which NWR you visit, many of them have gift stores that sell the passports.  I found my Blue Goose Passport at the very lovely gift shop of the Eastern Neck NWR in Rock Hall, Maryland.  So plan a trip today!)

And by all means, share photos of your journals and momento boxes with me online @ToasterAdrift on Instagram🙂