FREEBIE: Map of Britain Colouring Page and a look at my Caravan Adventure Map
- Anna Rae
- Aug 24, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 11, 2024
Hello! Let's talk about camping! For as long as I can remember I have found something magical about the idea of exploring and sleeping outside or at the very least having to function outside in a small space with minimal amenities. There’s something so simple about it, getting away from technology having to figure out how to make food on a little flame and not having access to all the things that make our lives easier at home. I find it strangely comforting having to focus on the bare necessities and just enjoying being outside and being completely present.
If Camping and Caravanning aren’t your jam that’s fine, this product isn’t for you, but maybe you know someone who does like to pack up and go, this makes a great gift!
Why I Created the Map
So why did I make this map? Well I’m glad you asked. When my daughter was around 8 months old we experienced our very first caravanning holiday, we borrowed my father-in-laws caravan at the time and we had a lovely few days in the peak district. I couldn’t tell you what we did because we didn’t aim to do anything other than just be there, enjoy the site, take some walks and do a lot of nothing.
I knew after that trip that I wanted a caravan, I wanted long weekends away where the kids could roam free and get back to the van covered in mud followed by summer evenings of watching movies in the awning and board games with fish and chips.
The caravan would be a long way off though, years in fact, so I settled for organising a few more trips in the borrowed van and looking for caravanning MERCH. Who doesn’t love merch? Well to my disappointment, I couldn’t find much. The odd mug, tea towel and keyring but certainly not what I was expecting.
I originally designed the map just for my family, something we could stick in the van and have the kids put stickers on to mark the various sites we would visit over the year. We could then keep the map as a memory and write on the back, followed by a new map the next year and repeat the process.
"A bad day camping is still better than a good day working"
The Design Process
In 2020 I restarted my Etsy shop after being on maternity leave and after I’d had a good go at making a few sticker packs I realised that I could now make this map a reality. I knew how to make sticker sheets and that was the only issue I’d come up against when I made the original design back in 2018.
So I got to work, I made various sheets of stickers to cover all the potential customers that might want to mark their travels on a map in their motorhome, caravan, campervan etc.
After I listed the map I genuinely wasn’t expecting the response it got. Soon after it was being shared on social media quite regularly and in 2021 it was featured in Motorhome Magazine, I received 100 orders in that week alone, I couldn’t believe it.
Why It’s a Bestseller
To be completely honest, I have no idea. The only theory I have at the moment is that there isn’t anything else like it available and caravanning products are just difficult to find anyway.
It's definitely popular with families , I don't think I've ever met a kid that didn't like stickers, but I've also sold many maps to older couples and many of them are gifts. I've even sold a few that have been personalised with dogs names, given as retirement gifts and even wedding gifts. Best part of this job is seeing your designs or products used in ways you hadn't even thought of yourself.
But if you’re looking for a reason to buy your own, here are a few I can think of:
It’s personalised so it makes a great gift.
It becomes a travel diary in itself; you will always remember those sticker spots.
It’s printed on high-quality, durable paper, making it perfect for long-term use on the road.
It serves as a unique decorative piece in your caravan.
It’s complete handmade, I designed it, I print it, I make the stickers and it always feels good to support little businesses. Hint hint.
How to Use It
Track Your Adventures: Use the stickers provided to track where you’ve been.
Plan Your Next Trip: You could use it another way and mark places you want to visit, create a trail of sites that you plan on visiting during the year.
Share the Journey: Gift the map to a fellow traveller or use it as a visual tool when planning trips with family and friends.
Customer Testimonials
“Beautiful map, great quality! Bought for a Christmas present as my step dad wants to visit all the lighthouses in the UK. I asked if I could have lighthouse stickers instead and seller was happy to change the stickers. Thank you, would defiantly buy again x”
“Love love our personalised map! Such great quality! Can’t wait to get marking off where we have been.”
“Beautifully designed map with clear attention to detail and the personalisation of the choice of vehicle worked great as a gift. Person, I gifted it to absolutely loves it. Printed on high quality on good paper and shipped flat in a backed envelope to keep the print safe. Stickers seem to be high quality too. A great item and makes a really nice gift. Would recommend buying this item and from this seller.”
Map of Britain Colouring Page
If you’re looking for the perfect companion for your next adventure, my Caravan & Camping Adventure Map might just be what you need. Whether you’re dreaming of new destinations or celebrating the places you’ve already explored, this map might be the perfect addition to your van or the ideal gift you’ve been looking for for that person that has everything.
While I can’t offer the map itself as a printable freebie I do have a Map of Britain Colouring Page that I thought might be useful to some people, particularly in a school classroom as an education resource.
Thank you for supporting my shop and if you already own one of these maps thank you very much for shopping small.
Have an amazing day!
Anna x
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