DIY travel memory boxes

We are starting to accumulate so many wonderful photos and postcards and magnets and brochures and all sorts of other mementos in our travels. But where to put them? 

I brainstormed all sorts of different ways to display or store these beauties. But ended up deciding to try and mod podge some boxes for them all to sit in. I would like these to last well, and also be a fun and decorative item for a shelf. Most of all I want a fun box that our future kids will love opening, and seeing all the adventures that Mum and Dad had when they were younger.

So here is how I made them:

Shopping list:

-mod podge by Plaid. I used the matte finish.

-vintage maps. I bought mine off Etsy.

-vintage postcards. I bought mine from random souvenir shops.

-sponge paint brush. I bought mine from Hobby Lobby.

How it all came together

I laid out the images on the lid to see the layout that I wanted. A tip would be to then lay them out beside your work space in the same way, or take a pic on your phone so you can refer to it.

The Americas travel box lid, with the stamps laid in place, waiting to have mod podge applied. The maps were done first, and then dried and had one more layer of podge before I glued the stamps on to it.

This is the top of a box with a picture laid over the top, waiting to be podged!

I applied a layer of mod podge to the lid surface and then laid out the maps on top. Then I painted the mod podge over, as you can see in the image below, there is a pretty thick layer of podge on it.

This is the top of our European travel box. Note that there is alot of white over the top. That is the mod podge. Don't worry - it dries clear. This was my first attempt so it is a little messy looking.

Lesson learned: Apply a thin layer over the the top of the box and do one image at a time. Apply a thin layer over each map, so you can de-bubble as you go. Make sure the surface has a thin layer of mod podge on it before you place the image down. You want enough to make it stick but you done want it gloopy!!

Our American travel box on its side, in the middle of applying a second layer of mod podge. As you can see I was getting better and there is less gloop!

The stamp layer being applied, one stamp at a time.

Tips:

-Lay down some thing on your surface so you don't get mod podge on your table.

-Take things slowly. Modpodge one image at a time, so that if it wrinkles you can squeeze out the air bubbles. 

-Brush the mod podge in one direction.

-If you get blobs, don't panic. Firstly, mod podge will dry clear. Secondly, take a scraper and wipe it off.

-Some materials will bubble up, be patient and experiment with different techniques. I find a plastic scraper from an art store helped heaps to get out the bubbles.

-If you get blobs and runs off the side of your box, or whatever you are covering, wipe them off, or, if they dry, they can be sand papered off. 

Here are some photos of the final boxes.. I couldn't be happier!!

The top of the European travel box, all finished.

This is the final look of the side of our European box. As you can see the mod podge goo dried clear!

The final product.. complete with some postcards and photos in it already!

Side view of the finished box.

The side of our Americas box, with vintage post cards from the US.