I am always looking for new and practical Disney autograph book alternative. As a Disney adult, I was on a mission to find something I could use daily that could be filled with beautiful Disney autographs. While we also love using Disney autograph books as well as the Disney Junior Encyclopedia of Animated Characters, I wanted something that I would see every single day rather than add to our bookshelf collection. That is when I came up with the idea of using a cross body bag! I would be using it both in the parks, and once we got home. I tried different products, some worked, and some did not. Here is a step by step guide on how to make your own.
What you will need
Cross Body Bag
Starting with the bag itself, I love this one! As a millennium, I never would imagine fanny pack style bags would be in my closet again! That was silly, because they are the most practical bags for our trips to the local park and amusement parks! This white faux leather bag was the perfect size for what I needed. It does not have a clip to attach around your waist, but instead a buckle. I always wear it cross body style, from one shoulder to the other hip, so that was not an issue for me. Before the trip I also considered the famous Lululemon Dupe, but I was worried that the marker would spread on the canvas like fabric. (If you try this bag instead, be sure to let us know how it works!)
Markers
After research on what markers would be best, I landed on the Posca Markers. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE! The paint markers looked great at first, but they quickly smudged, and came off. Thankfully I was able to remove these signatures without a trace. That day I had Amazon deliver a colorful pack of Sharpies to our room for another try. They worked perfectly! The ink dried fast, they did not smudge, and the colors did slightly fade on the signatures obtained during the first few days of our trip. They were still readable, and offered an even bigger array of colors on the bag.
Sealer
A few days after we arrived home I began to seal the signatures onto the bag using Angelus Acrylic Leather Paint. The first coat I applied was very thin because the bag was slick. My goal was to get a very thin base coat for the next three coats to stick to. I also watched it for a few minutes after each coat to ensure it was not dripping down any sides of the bag.
Tips from my experience
- Having all the different colors was a fun twist. Our daughter loved handing the characters 2 of their signature colors, and allowing them to pick which color they would like to use.
- Be sure the bag is empty while they are signing to make it easier for them.
- Some of the colors will fade, allowing for even more colors on the bag in the end. Many of the purple signatures now range from different shades of pink. The yellow will do the most fading, quickly. I had to retrace Pluto with the yellow once we arrived home. I would suggest avoiding yellow, or using it on the last day of your vacation.
- Speaking of fading, I was mindful to not touch the bag as much as possible until I could get back home to seal it. I also avoided adding any signatures to the top of the bag, because it was touched the most, until the last day.
- Some characters will have an easier time signing in small spots than others. I would recommend trying to collect signatures like Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, ect. before princess. The Princesses will have a much easier time signing in smaller or odd places on the bag itself.
For me, this is a fun and adult friendly Disney autograph book alternative. I love wearing my bag at home remembering all the Disney memories collecting the signatures. I also plan to continue to carry this or a park bag when we are there with the littles. The collection of signatures will continue to grow on our returning trips. I do prefer to use it when we have a stroller so I only need to put my wallet and phone inside. Everything else can stay on the stroller. When I am traveling with just my husband or solo, I prefer to carry a slightly larger bag to hold my water bottle, camera, and other items I would usually keep on the stroller. Check out our stroller setup with all our must haves organized.
