Road Trip Bucket List: DIY Embroidered Maps

This guest post comes from BLDG 25 Blog contributor FP Naomi.

An acknowledged wanderluster who itches for travel at every turn, I’ve been building my road trip bucket list for some time now. Scratched in pencil, deep in a notebook, a few particular journeys top the list. With so many dream-like destinations, it’s been a task to narrow down. Traveling by car is a special kind of journey, and the places you choose to do so should be well-selected.

Let me take you through a couple of the journeys I plan to conquer. The things I dream of seeing from the open road, the stories I plan to relive…

embroidered map

embroidered map

Amsterdam –> Naaldwijk

Miles and miles of flowers, where beauty punches you in the face. That’s how I envision a trip along the Bloeman route. The journey from Amsterdam, south, takes you through the famous flower farms of the Netherlands. You think of the Dutch, and tulips flood your brain. But much more than that blooms here. Crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, dahlias, lilies…every color of nature takes over. It’s a flat scene, allowing the view to stretch on for days. Windmills jut out at varying points, and small historic towns sprinkle themselves along the way. Whispering mentions of farmers with stands on the road, who will decorate your car with whatever flower is currently in bloom, have been heard. If you’d like, you can stop at renowned gardens such as Keukenhof and the Botanical Garden in Lieden. For sheer gluttony of beauty, this road trip tops my list.

embroidered maps

Portland –> Seattle –> Vancouver

The northwest has always called to me, but I’ve yet to venture through its expanses. I envision a land of snow-capped mountains and age-old pine trees grazing the clouds. The sun sets both in the sky and in reflective water that lines the valleys. Nightfall brings crispness, and the morning welcomes you with thick billows of fog. You can stop at Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, or the Vancouver Rockies to experience the picturesque scenes. Amidst the beauty and outdoor opportunities are these progressive cities that people have gathered in to create distinct cultures. Each has a laid back air that I must experience. I imagine going there and never feeling rushed. With wineries and breweries lining the route, you can stop and leisurely enjoy a craft drink. All the while, if you ever think back to something stressful, you can just stare out over jaw-dropping landscapes that fill you with calm.

embroidered map

embroidered map

Munich –>  Florence

This stretch of road makes the charts for very personal reasons. It so happens that my father did this journey before meeting my mother for the very first time. He was making the voyage with a mutual friend, and she (not having known) mapped out the route for them. He and his friend sped from Munich, through the Brenner Pass, into Italy’s German region, and down to Florence.

He was heading to find the love of his life. I think of him young, confused in life, and ignorant to the fact that everything was about to change. This particular stretch of the Alps, known as the Dolomites, is famous for its pink glow at sunset. The route also happens to meander through Verona, home to Romeo & Juliet. I can’t help but think, how appropriate? Surrounded by pink, the color of love, and driving through the most romantic city in the world — on his way to meet his wife. Perhaps the journey can change my life just as significantly.

embroidered maps

Now your turn. What nooks and crannies of the world are you going to fit into your lifetime? Or even better – where have you been that everyone else should fit into theirs? We all want to hear!

Check out Naomi’s blog Numie Abbott!

More DIY inspiration from the BLDG 25 Blog.

0 0 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
10 years ago

I love this idea for documenting notable journeys! Check out my posts on the beauty of travelling by train (http://worthwakingupfor.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/southbound-train.html) & boat (http://worthwakingupfor.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/if-i-had-boat.html). I’d definitely include some of those journeys on my maps! Xx

10 years ago

What a cute idea!

xx
MacK @ SoulMakes Blog

meg
10 years ago

What an awesome way to remember your trip!

http://happinessiscreating.com/

Zoe
10 years ago

i featured some like this a while back, such a great idea aren’t them! we framed ours :)

Zoe
http://gypsiesister.blogspot.co.uk

10 years ago

I’ve been wanting to do the Portland to Vancouver one… and I have fam in Oregon…. we should gooooooooo!

Ps- favorite line: “where beauty punches you in the face”

<3 dani
http://blog.shopdisowned.com
http://www.shopdisowned.com

Abby
10 years ago

Tried this!! Used neon pink thread and it really popped off of the map! Great idea!!

10 years ago

Oh goodness this is so lovely! Definitely will do this for my next road trip! All of these trips sound amazing.
(and on a side note, I LOVE that your spelt Juliet, Juliette. Since that technically is the wrong spelling of the play, but it’s the right spelling of my name :) )

xo, Juliette Laura
http://juliettelaura.blogspot.com
http//www.etsy.com/shop/InfiniteStyleShop

10 years ago

This is such an amazing idea! I’ve always wanted to go to Verona, your adventures sound lovely!
Yasmine xx
http://www.yasminebrooke.blogspot.com

10 years ago

My husband and I did the west coast from British Columbia to San Diego on our tandem
bicycle 2 years ago!! What an adventure! the sights and smells along the way were
unforgettable…we’d do it again in a heartbeat:)

10 years ago

I love this DIY! I definitely want to do this with the places that i’ve been, and add a different color for places I dream to (and will) go someday. Then put it in a frame and hang it on the wall for the wanderer in me to stare at!

10 years ago

I like that Portland-Seattle-Vancouver is on your list, but I’m biased because that’s my neck of the woods! While the trip is awesome via car because of all the places you can stop, I’m in love with the train line from Mt. Vernon, WA to Portland because it is some of the most gorgeous coast I’ve ever seen… second only to the Oregon Coast, which is a road trip in itself. (all the lighthouses along the way make for great stopping points)

Marie
10 years ago

I will drive from Munich to Florence this Tuesday :) what a great coincidence.

10 years ago

I love this DIY!! ☺

WE❤DIY:
→ DIYEARTE ♦ DIY

Sonja
10 years ago

This is amazing, I really want to do this and frame it on my wall.

coach アクセサリー 激安メンズファッション http://hejisifuk.hermesjpdoninner.org/

9 years ago

A mottivating discussion is worth comment.
I think that you need to publish more on this subject, it may not be a taboo
subject but usually people do not talk about such subjects.
To the next! Best wishes!!

9 years ago

I got this website from my friend who informed me about this web
page and at the moment this time I am browsing this website and reading very
informative content at this time.

8 years ago

Such a cool idea, and the fact the stitches look like tracks is a bonus.