You CAN Take It With You!

Last month I discovered the very creative blog of Jenny, also known as Jenniebellie.  She shares all kinds of projects, tutorials, and artist profiles to keep the creative juices flowing for her readers. 

Just before my summer vacation, I happened upon a couple of very timely video tutorials, in which Jenny created what she calls an "all-in-one travel and journal kit" out of a day planner.  She finds all kinds of creative ways to include the supplies she might possibly need for art journaling on the road while traveling.  I was immediately smitten by the plastic wallets for carrying art supplies that she created.  I decided to create two for myself to carry supplies on our summer cruise.

While I followed her directions and I strongly recommend that you watch her original video, I made a lot of adaptations that I want to share with you.

Jenny made her plastic wallets out of "office folders," and I wasn't sure what kind of plastic sheet that referred to.  I decided to try using what we call "page protectors," and they worked great with a few adjustments to the process.  The first thing I did was use a zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine to close up the top of the page protector.

I did not do any measuring, as Jenny did, because I was not trying to fit my supply wallets into any sort of a book.  They could be whatever size they ended up, so that saved me any measuring or plastic-cutting.  Once she measured and cut, she used tape and glue to secure the sides.  I decided to use my sewing machine to create a zig-zag stitch to secure the sides instead.

When I did the stitching, I left about an inch or an inch-and-a-half at the top to create a flap.  In Jenny's video, she is able to use a bone folder to create a nice crease in her plastic.  The page protector is much floppier plastic, so I just held the sides in place as I stitched with the machine, and you can see me holding the wallet with the flap flipped down, below.


In Jenny's version, she created a handmade enclosure with painted cardboard and eyelets.  I wanted a quicker and easier alternative, so I thought I would try Velcro.  I had some in my supplies, and tried to glue it onto the flap, but the Velcro would not adhere at all.  So, I made a quick trip to the craft store to buy self-sticking Velcro, and it worked perfectly.  I put the scratchier side of the Velcro on the body of the wallet, and the softer side of the Velcro on the flap. 

As part of Jenny's all-in-one travel and journal kit, she created washi tape folders, which are basically a variation of the wallet; she simply doesn't tape up the sides or add the enclosure.  Since I wasn't taking any sort of a book with me and I wanted everything all together in one, I just added strips of decorative tape to the outside of the plastic wallets...the perfect storage solution!  (And it made the plastic wallets look much prettier!)  I could take off what I needed and put back any little scrap that might serve a purpose later. 

Here, I am using a piece of kawaii tape to cover up the back of the Velcro, which shows through the plastic.

Here are the remains of my washi tape from one of the envelopes after my trip.  The tape looks a lot prettier before you start tearing it off to use it in your journaling!

I had decided to journal the trip on index cards, so I had everything I needed to work on my project in these two slim plastic wallets. 

Inside of one plastic wallet, I included index cards, decorative papers, and stickers.  I also included a little plastic bag containing some pre-punched Dymo label phrases, such as "Alaska," "Disney," "And we're off!" and "Open seas"--things I thought I might add to my index card art journaling.

In the other plastic wallet, I carried pens, pencils, a glue stick and a small pair of scissors.  (I moved the scissors to my toiletry bag for the flight, since I was checking my suitcase, but carrying my art supplies on board in a backpack.  I read a sign at the airport that said I could have scissors with less than four-inch blades, but I didn't know that ahead of time, and even now I think I'd rather be safe than lose my scissors in the security line!)

I actually fit a lot more than this in the second wallet; I'm just showing this selection as an illustration!

I will definitely be carrying my supplies on future vacations in these plastic wallets, and just might be making them for everyone I can think of.  They are super-simple, and super-useful.  Heck, you could use them for coupons just as well as art supplies!

Many thanks to Jenny of Jennibellie Studio for the original idea!  I had a great time determining the changes and adjustments that made the project work out well for me.