Junk Journaling Ideas for Beginners

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Check out junk journaling ideas for beginners and express your creativity through writing, collage, scrapbooking, and “junk” items. Junk journaling is a creative, often therapeutic way to record thoughts, memories, and ideas using a mix of recycled and decorative materials. It’s a form of art journaling that emphasizes on using “junk” or repurposed items like old book pages, envelopes, tickets, packaging, and scraps of paper.

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What Is Junk Journaling?

Junk journaling is a personalized notebook or journal, often handmade, with pages stitched or bound together in a cover. It is made from a mix of new and old, decorative and repurposed materials, and it is used a creative outlet for writing, collaging, sketching, planning, or memory keeping.

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What Do You Need for Junk Journaling?

The materials you can use in junk journaling are endless and this is just a short list of the basic supplies you will need to start creating:

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1

Base Materials

There are different base materials to use for your junk journal. For covers you can use old books or notebooks, while cardboard or cardstock are ideal for sturdier pages or tags. Moreover, printer paper, scrapbook paper, envelopes, junk mail, book pages, magazines are perfect for internal pages.

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2

Adhesives

For adhesives, you can use glue stick, double-sided tape, PVA glue, or craft glue.

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3

Tools

Any tool can be useful for junk journaling from scissors or craft knife to ruler. If you want to sew pages, you will need hole punch or awl and needle, thread or stapler for binding.

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4

Writing Tools

Junk journaling is about combining different elements and writining tools, like pens, markers, highlighters, colored pencils, or watercolors.

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5

Decorative Supplies

Washi tape, stamps and ink, stickers, ribbons, fabric scraps, lace, photos, die-cuts, and pressed flowers are ideal for decorative, fun elements on your junk journaling.

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How to Do Junk Journaling?

When starting junk journaling, you can follow a structured or free-flowing approach. Junk journaling is a creative activity that cultivates intuition and freedom in materials and choices. This step-by-step guide is just an example to help you get started:

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1

Choose or Make a Journal Base

Use an old book or create your own cover from cardboard or chipboard.

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2

Create “Signatures”

A signature is a small booklet made from folded papers that forms one section of your junk journal. For example, you can fold 4-8 sheets of paper in half to make one small booklet that has 8–16 pages front and back. You can stack, sew or bind these more booklets that are called signatures into the spine of your journal cover. Think of them as chapters or mini booklets within your larger journal. Most junk journals have 1 to 3 signatures, depending on the size and thickness.

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3

Decorate Pages

Glue in ephemera like tickets, scraps, photos, or clippings. Alternatively, you can use washi tape, stamping, mini envelopes, paint, or collage.

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4

Write or Draw

Write journal entries, lists, quotes, or draw sketches and anything meaningful to you.

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5

Add Layers

Add layers with pockets, flip-outs, tags, tucks, and hidden journaling spots.

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^{This page contains AFFILIATE LINKS. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Plus, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more on the disclosure policy page.}

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