Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Places I've Been

Several months ago, I scoured the Internet looking for a scrapbook or journal to document all the places Tory has visited (or will visit in her lifetime). I wanted something similar to a baby book where I could write details about each trip, her first experiences, the date and her age at the time. I looked and looked, but couldn't find anything out there matching the vision in my head. I found scratchable travel maps like this one, but it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I wanted to document each state and its memories, not just checkmark as a place visited. So, I decided to create a kid's travel scrapbook myself. I called it "The Places I've Been" and I am absolutely in love with how it turned out!



Each page features one of the 52 states in the US, a 4x6 placeholder for a photo from the trip and places to journal under the categories: "Places I Visited", "My Favorite Memories" and "My First Time." So far, Tory's book has an entry under California, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin.


On the inside cover, I featured this quote by St. Augustine:

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."

I hadn't traveling much until I met Andi and I think it's one the greatest blessings he's given me. The United States and the world are so vast, so diverse. It's made me a better person understanding how people in different cultures and upbringings experience life. I want Tory to have this same gift of travel in her lifetime and I hope she loves it just as much as her parents do.

12 comments:

  1. Seriously, you could sell these. I remember you talking about it before, but it looks even better than I imagined! I can't wait for you to be able to fill in the North Carolina pages! And, since South Carolina is literally a half a mile down the road from me, we could knock that one out too. ;)

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  2. So cute!! I have a 50 states journal that I'm keeping for Ben and I, but I love the idea of doing it for your kids too.

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  3. I'm with Lacey - can you make one for me :) That looks awesome, the first thing I thought when I saw the picture is where did she buy this, can't believe you made it!

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  4. I would love for you to teach us how you made it....awesome idea!

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  5. We LOVE the one you got Lauren for Christmas!! I can't wait to begin filling in more and more pages : )

    What a great idea!!

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  6. That is so great! You really should sell those!

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  7. I never knew you made this!!! So creative :). We love ours!

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  8. What a great idea! I grew up in a family that rarely traveled, but I loved doing it as an adult and wanted my kid to have that experience too. However, we've hardly gone anywhere since she was born (she's 3 now) due to somewhat to finances and mostly to the logistics of traveling with a kid. It would take us forever to fill up a book like this.

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  9. I love the book! What a neat idea...I think you could sell them! I might even buy one for myself!!! LOVE IT!

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  10. AWESOME!! I'm with everyone else...I will tell you our order if you could just whip one up for us too! :)

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