6 Quick, Fun Vacation-Friendly Projects to Make On the Go this Summer

Can you hear your craft room calling you while you are out enjoying the sunshine? Are you longing to make something eventhough you are enjoying your summer road trip? 

Summer is the time when you want to be outside, in the sun, enjoying freedom from regular routines. It's time for vacation, road trips, long plane rides, sitting by the pool and basicially time away from home and your crafty supplies. I love this break from everyday life and the monotony it can bring (eventhough, I admit, I love the security and comfort of my routines). However, I know I'm not alone when I say, my fingers get soooo itchy to do some crafting! I've heard this over and over, summer after summer. As crafters we love summertime, but it usually means less crafty time and we miss it! We need it!

Sure, you'll be fine if you wait until the cosier days of fall. Your pretty papers, stickers and goodies will still be there waiting for you. But, why not make a few adjustments to your crafty habits so that you can craft during the summer.

Here, I have 6 projects that you can do this summer. They are all quick and easy, aimed to satisfy that crafty craving I know you'll have this summer! I've chosen these 6 especially because they are do-able while on the go! That not only means that you can do them on a road trip, but on a train or a plane, by the pool while your children splash, and also simply outside, on your back deck with a tall glass of lemonade. 

The trick to making things easy while crafting on the go is to have a little bag or case with supplies, and to keep it simple. Check what you will need for each project and don't go overboard with too many choices. If you bring too much stuff, you will not only get overwhelmed by trying to keep everything organised in a tight space, it's also a lot easier to craft when you have fewer choices. Sure you may think 'why didn't I bring more pink stickers?!??' but, use this limitation as a challenge to get your creative juices flowing and find different solutions to your usual crafting habits. I suggest creating little kits for each project in a little baggie and stashing them all in a bag with a small case for your tools.Read over the list below and decide which project you'll make first. Choose the one the jumps out at you and gets you giddy and longing for your pretty supplies and start there.

1. Decorate a Tip-in in your TN. A small and simple project but one that can really make an impact in the design of your spread, as well as adding more writing space. It's a great little spot to record some of your memories or sites seen on vacation.
   
   
   
   
2. Make a One page Mini Album. Bea Valint has lots of fun and gorgeous projects. I love her one page mini album. Paige Evans has also done a version of this project. It's a great little addition to your planner, I think I'll tuck mine into one of the pockets of my vacation planner. 
   To make to this on-the-go-friendly, all you need to do is to pre-cut the cutfile that Bea so generously gave us. Make sure when packing your supplies, you include everything you need for all those fun details.
   
   image from myshinystudio
   
3. Make a  Take Along Memory Keeper.  I make one of these books for each of my children every year to take on vacation. They have lots of pockets and a space for photos and writing so they are great to hold vacation memorabilia, write about sites they've seen and adventures they've had. Why not treat yourself and make one just for you. They are addictive to make so you may find that you are making them for everyone you know! I like to make mine ahead of time so that they are a gift for my children on the plane ride to Canada, and I also like making them in advance so that I can use my sewing machine to put them together. However, I have a FREE class with a hack so that you can put them together with out a sewing machine making them something fun to make while on the go! 
   
   
   Sign up right here to get the FREE Take Along Memory Keeper class
   
    
   
   
   
4. Make a planner clip or two. Planner clips are a quick and easy project. I usually use hot glue, but there are so many glues out there that you can easily make these without hot glue. Planner clips are totally do-able on the go. Just make sure if you are crafting in a car or plane or any other closed space, to choose a glue that doesn't smell strong!! I have an entire class devoted to planner clips over at Big Picture Classes. There are dozens of clips in that class, pop over, choose a few and make them today!
   
   
   
   
5. Make your own TN insert or Dashboard to take on vacation. A simple, yet effective way to shake things up in your planner is to add a new dashboard or TN insert. Why not create something summer themed to get you into vacation mood every time you open your planner? To avoid having to take a big heavy hole punch along, pre-punch your holes before you leave home. It will make life on-the-go simpler and your bag a lot lighter. 
   
   
   
   
6. Set up the pockets of your planner for vacation. Add some pretty little things that you will need on vacay, some of your favourite washi wound on a card, some sticky notes, stickers, die cuts and even a little notebook. I recently made a Youtube video where I decorated my Malden pockets. Pop on over to the VIDEO to get some inspiration. 
   
   

 

In the video below, I make a bullet journal spread to house my bucket list of summer projects, I've got a frame for each project I'm going to make. This'll keep me accountable and of course it was another excuse to get crafty in my planner ;)

Which project will you make first? Drop me an email (or better yet, tag me on instagram - it's quicker and easier during busy summer days!) with a pic of your summer project! I'd love to see. I think that I'm going to start with Bea's adorable mini.

Happy Planning!