Getting Started in a Junk Journal

In this blog post I will be sharing some of my favourite ways to get started in a junk journal. I think the busy background papers can be a bit intimidating in the beginning, but there are so many beautiful ways to use this type of journal.

Before we get started, if you are wondering what a junk journal is, then I recommend you read my earlier blog post here. Also, if you would like to make your own junk journal, then you can watch this step-by-step tutorial.

One of the first things to consider with a junk journal, is how you actually want to use it. I love adding writing to nearly all of my journal pages, so I like to create simple writing spots. In the pages above, I have added some coffee-dyed paper and black paper which make it really simple to add some writing. I've then decorated these papers with stencilling, stamping and doodling. I like to overlap the decorations so that they sit on both the added writing spots and the background paper, to help them feel like they belong on the page.

Another really lovely addition to junk journal pages is to create some tuck spots and pockets. On the right-hand page, I glued a strip of paper on the side, that I could then tuck a tag behind. Tags can be great for adding writing and photos to, whilst also providing a lovely interactive element.

On the left-hand page, I included a decorated tag using some washi tape along the side, again providing me with some additional space underneath to add my journal writing.

Junk journals are a fantastic place for adding some of your favourite photos. It's such fun to create a page of themed photos so that they really tie in together. This page celebrated my trips out flower picking throughout the year. If you have a particular interest that you love photographing then this could be a lovely project to try out. On the other page, I added a little yellow stitching, to help mirror the glorious colours on the opposite page. For printing photographs, I use a Brother Colour Label printer.

When you're not in the mood for writing, but you still want to get creative, then adding a collage page to your junk journal could be a great idea. There is something so relaxing about going through your paper stash and picking out those special pieces that you want to use. I like to include a variety of textures, tapes and images to bring lots of interest to my collages.

Finally, a junk journal can be a really lovely place to do some art journaling. I think it looks so interesting when you can see the background of other pages peeping through, adding another layer of detailing too. For these pages I was inspired by my prompt cards to use gelli plate printing, add texture and write about some small changes that I would like to bring into my life.

You can watch a tutorial for the creation of these pages here:

I really hope you've enjoyed this blog post and that it inspires you to get creating and documenting in your own junk journal too, Helen x

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It's a wonderful community full of lovely people and it's a great place to learn all about the wonderful world of journaling.