Junk Journals

In today’s post I am sharing a window I made in my newest junk journal that is going to house my paper doll. I grabbed some magazine pages and tore them into strips to make what looked like wallpaper. Then I took some corrugated cardboard and cut it into strips to make the window frame. If you are going to do a scene behind it you may want to wait to glue these down until after you create the scene but as I was figuring things out as I went I didn’t do that.

You also would want to paint the cardboard strips first before gluing them down.

I had picked out a fun sketch to use as the view from my window and adhered that with another piece that looked like sky. I used matte Mod Podge to glue and seal everything down. Then you can glue the cardboard frame to make the window. I used Tackly Glue for this and it worked great.

I then cut some pieces for the criss cross of the window and glued them with the tacky glue. I finally added some scrap fabric to make some rustic curtains and there was my junk journal window with a view.

In my next video I am going to make our girl (who needs a name still) some clothes and I am pretty sure she will need a closet to hold them in-what do you think?

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Happy Monday!

Today I am digging through my collection of this and that and making a fun “junk journal.” Maybe you would like to make one too?

If you aren’t familiar with the term-junk journal is simply something you make with-junk! Items you would be throwing away or recycling that you repurpose and give new life to. Almost anything works. Postcards, envelopes, magazines, catalogs, junk mail-and more! Really the only limit is your imagination so why not have a dig through the recycling bin and see what you can find.

I was cleaning off the shelf in my studio that I use to hold my cardboard and such. It was beyond overflowing and I went through and did a clean out, a little organize and pulled aside some items I thought would be fun to make a journal with.

Initially I was going to use some smaller envelopes but decided that they didn’t quite go so I left them out. I used a large USPS mailer I received some stamps in as the cover and some brown paper bags for the pages. I cut the brown paper to size and used a 3-hole pamphlet stitch to attach them to the cover. I glued down half the flap of the envelope and left the side with the window open so I could add a focal image later.

Once everything was sewed into place I painted the cover a soft perwinkle/light purple color. I let it dry and then used one of the sheets from my latest digikit to sketch out a face on. I colored it in with some kids watercolor paint and cut it out. I attached the sketch to a gelli print page I made with some collage added to it and slid it inside the envelope. Lastly I added some more collage elements to the cover to tie everything together.

I am really happy with the journal and particularly how my sketch came out. I plan to fill this journal up soon so be sure to keep an eye out for more journal with me videos and photos. I will also be sharing my gelli print process in Wednesday’s video so be sure to keep an eye out.

I would love to hear if you make your own junk journal and what materials you ended up using. Do you have a specific plan for your journal? I have an idea for mine but we will have to see how everything unfolds.

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Music by Eli Lev – Dancin’ on the Lawn – https://thmatc.co/?l=9EA04504
Music by Little Boots – Silver Balloons – https://thmatc.co/?l=54B37541

Junk Journal: Window with a View

Video: Let’s Make a Junk Journal

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