Turning Travel Memories into Mixed Media Collage Journals
Last month, I dove into a creative play project that has quickly become one of my new favorite ways to make art. I enrolled in Playful Pages by Rebecca Chapman—a course that teaches you how to transform your own photos into unique mixed media collages.
The experience was eye-opening. I didn’t just learn fun new techniques—I discovered a whole new way of storytelling through art. While following along, I decided to put my own spin on the project: creating a travel collage journal. Instead of a traditional travel scrapbook, this journal captures the textures, moods, and little details of a city in a vibrant, layered, and artistic way.
For my first journal, I chose Los Angeles—a city that’s been part of my creative journey this year. I layered photos printed on tissue paper, hand-painted papers, textures, and mixed media techniques to create spreads that feel alive with color and memory. What I love most is that this journal is still ongoing: I left blank pages so I can add new layers the next time I visit LA later this year.
Going forward, I plan to make one of these collage journals for every trip I take. And because of this project, I know I’ll travel differently. I’ll notice not just the sweeping views and historic landmarks, but also the patterns, signage, quotes, colors, and everyday details that give a place its character.
✨ Here’s a peek at my Los Angeles Travel Collage Journal:
If you’ve ever wanted to try mixed media collage but weren’t sure where to start, I can’t recommend Rebecca Chapman’s Playful Pages course enough. The lessons are broken into short, approachable videos that make it easy to dive in. And honestly, once you set aside a day for creative play, you’ll find yourself completely absorbed. The best part? You’ll end with a finished project that feels deeply personal and joyful.
I came away from this experience not only with a new journal but with a renewed sense of inspiration to keep experimenting, documenting, and layering art with life.