Another New Craft!

I've been spending some time on YouTube and I've discovered Junk Journals!  What is a "Junk Journal" you ask?  Well, it is a book or folder of sorts that have assorted pages sewn into it.  These pages can be card stock, magazine pages, calendar pages, doilies, paper bags...whatever you want!  The purpose of a junk journal is to use up things that would be thrown out...price tags off clothing, scraps of tissue paper, writing papers, old envelopes, etc.  You can paint or stencil on the pages if you'd like or even rubber stamp on them or coffee or tea stain them.  Once your pages are inserted, then you start decorating them using whatever you have laying around...buttons, pieces of ribbons or lace, old post cards, pictures that you've found in magazines, etc.

I am in the process of making myself a junk journal.  What I did to make my journal was to find an old hardback book that I was going to donate.  Using a knife, cut down the inside binding on both sides and remove the guts of the book.  Save those pages because they're great for using in your journal!!  After the guts are removed, I covered my book using decorated paper.  I used Graphic 45's French Country papers.  They're so pretty!  I glued the paper to the inside binding and then on the outside of the book, wrapping around the edges to the inside.  After it's wrapped around to the inside, I inserted paper to cover the inside. There are MANY videos on YouTube that show how to do this.  Make sure to use good glue!  You could also use Mod Podge to adhere the papers to the outside of the book.  This would protect it a little better.  I'm thinking of adding a coat of Matte Mod Podge to the outside of mine just to keep the papers from coming up along the edges from use. After the glue is dry, I'll start sewing the signatures into it.  (A signature is a group of pages that are sewn in individually.  If you look at the binding of a hardback book, you'll see may signatures.)  I will probably only put 2 signatures into my journal since my book is only about an inch thick..

Here is the front of my book.  I just love this paper collection!

This is the inside of my journal.  The signatures will be sewn into the binding where the black and cream diamonds are.

I made some mistakes, but hey, you learn from your mistakes, right?!  Check back soon to see how I complete my Junk Journal!  Until then...have a great week!