I’m addicted to junk journals. Oh wait…Hello out there! It’s been a long, long time. There has been so much going on in the world of websites that my Tech Geek job has demanded most of my time. Secure sites, privacy policies and other web related things have filled my head, and although I’ve still managed to create art, time to write about it just hasn’t been there. You’ll notice that changes have been made to the blog, with it now hosted on my tmariehilton.com domain. It also sports a sweet little lock in the address bar to let you know it’s secure.
Enough about the tech stuff, back to the junk journals statement. I am addicted to junk journals, especially to creating them. You may be wondering what the heck I’m talking about.
What is a Junk Journal?
A junk journal is a handmade book created from many types of paper, often recycled materials like patterned papers, sheet music, envelopes paper bags, maps, brochures and more. The covers are often created from old book cover or cardboard/chipboard bases covered with paper, fabric or paint. What can be used to create a junk journal is pretty much endless. Some people, like me, create junk journals to look old or vintage and use papers and materials that are coffee or tea-dyed to look old. We also really love to discover things like old ledgers and advertisements to use as well. The older the better. If we can’t find old pages, we can purchase digital kits that we can print out to use in our journals.
The papers and embellishments used in junk journals are often called ‘ephemera’
A junk journal doesn’t always have to have a vintage feel to it though. Many people enjoy creating them with modern day materials and colorful magazine pages. And of course, for those of us who are artists, it’s always fun to include our own art, either as a mixed media cover or within the pages of the journal.
Many fans of junk journals like to create them around a theme. As an example; a sewing themed junk journal might be made up of old sewing patterns and pages from books or magazines about sewing with things like buttons, and sewing do-dads as accents. Perhaps they imagine a young lady from Victorian times and what might be within the pages of her journal, so we might use flowered papers, Victorian era advertisements, calling cards and other items that fit that theme. It’s lots of fun to theme junk journals. With my wizarding items being a big hit on my Etsy store and at craft fairs I’m doing some wizarding themed junk journals with a twist, they are also traveler’s notebooks, meaning the junk journal pages are created in inserts that can be added or removed from the book.
What do you DO with junk journals?
Another cool thing about junk journals us that you can do lots of things with them.
- A traditional Journal: Just like more traditional journals, a junk journal is perfect for writing in. Most journal makers leave plenty of empty space for writing as well as pockets and ‘tuck-spots’ for adding bits and pieces of memorabilia.
- You can use them as a planner. Some journal makers will create calendar type pages for keeping track of your days. If not, you can use the blank pages to create your own calendars and daily schedules.
- Lots of people use them like a scrapbook, adding photos and memories to the pages. If you are using your junk journal this way be sure you use acid free papers when creating it. Purchasing a junk journal? It’s perfectly fine to ask if it is safe to be used with photos and is archival quality. If keeping your scrapbooks archival doesn’t matter to you, you won’t have to worry about acid-free properties.
- Use it as an art journal. The combination of different types of pages can make it fun to create your art inside of a junk journal. They are perfect for mixed media art, using different types of mediums, plus they take especially well to collage. I create my junk journals with a mix of paper weights. From a heavier, tea-dyed (neutralized to be acid-free) digital copy paper to the almost sheer Tomoe River paper and even paper bags. Experimenting with art supplies on the different types of paper can be tons of fun. Colored pencil work looks amazing on paper bags and watercolors give the Tomoe River paper a luscious crinkly look and feel when dry.
- A special event or trip journal. If you want to document your next vacation or the family reunion a junk journal is perfect. Vacation to the happiest place on earth? Do a Disney themed journal with lots of tuck-spots for memorabilia. Family reunion? Create a junk journal with lots of old family photos, recipes and newspaper clippings and leave plenty of space to add reunion photos. You can even have family members write family history or memories within the pages at the reunion.
How do you learn more?
There are plenty of folks on YouTube to check out (see list below). There are folks who can show you how to create your own, or just give you flip throughs of the ones they’ve created. If creating your own junk journal isn’t your thing, check out Etsy, where you can purchase handmade junk journals. Be careful, it’s addicting.