Smash Book - Alaskan Cruise

Instead of keeping my usual travel journal then ignoring a big to-do pile of scrapbooking when I got home, I decided to keep a "Smash Book" during our cruise to Alaska.

Smash books are really just what scrapbooking used to be, before everyone went nuts making what are usually just high-end photo album layouts. (No disrespect; there's room for both styles. I'm just amused by all the people calling Smash books a "new" way to scrapbook!)

Obviously you don't have to use branded products to do scrap/journal this way, but I liked what the Smash book had to offer. (And no, I'm not a compensated spokesperson.) The books come with a glue stick/pen combo (which I forgot to mention in the video; it does write quite smoothly), and they also have embellishments like tear-off journaling sheets to record when/where/who/what. I threw those into a small zippered pouch with a little pair of scissors, an extra glue stick, and some stickers, tags, and pockets. No big deal and it hardly used up any space in the luggage.

The whole experience took me back to some fun I've been missing in scrapbooking. I like to do layouts, too, but having a Smash book around is a great way to record all the stray sentimental ephemera that doesn't need its own 12x12 luxury spread. It was relaxing to look out at the glaciers as I monkeyed around with updating my Smash book. I don't think I'll ever travel without one again.