“Cereal Box Junk Journal” – “Part 1- Gather Your Supplies”

Happy 1/12/2020 Friends,

Hoping this post finds you all well and keeping out of mischief. In between working over the weekend, I have started on my Junk Journal series which I am going to create as a Step By Step in Parts for you.

I will be showing you how to make the cover, pages and how to bind it together, plus decorate and embellish it to the theme of what you want to use your journal for.

You can play along with me or do your own thing and make yours into whatever theme you would like it to be. This one, will be my December Daily Xmas Journal, for me to record some of our past and present family memories in. I am following along with Barbara over @ 49 Dragonflies on YouTube. I will be having a go at her prompts and doing a bit of my own thing also!

49 Dragonflies is here (1) December Daily 2020 Kick-Off/Altered Book/December Prompts for Collaging – YouTube

This shows you what sorts of items you can use for a cover. I am using a Cornflakes box, as you don’t have to worry about making spine for it, and it has a large spine.  You can use an old book, a file/manila folder, cardboard, large envelopes, exercise book covers, paper bags, envelopes, whatever takes your fancy. I want this journal to have a soft cover, but that is the fun of junk journaling. There are no rules and no right or wrong way to make your journals 🙂

BASIC SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THE COVER –

– Cereal box, cardboard or a book, – some chipboard for spine, – paper cutter/craft knife and ruler or scissors, – double sided tape, –  wet glue like white pva, and some – book or duct tape.

So grab your supplies and join me for the start of your journal. If you sign up to my blog you will be notified each time I post so you won’t miss any steps and I also have my blog linked to my Facebook page.

Have fun finding your items to use and I’ll see you soon to show you how to make your cover!

Enjoy, Kerri x

“Finally, A New Project”

Hello, My lovely friends and followers

I hope you are all having a lovely start to a new week. I had a pretty mixed up week off, last week. We all had to be tested for Covid-19, because of a work contact, but we are all fine. I am waiting to have Wisdom teeth out and feeling a bit off colour.  Finally sort of feeling up to a bit of a new project.  Anyway…………………I decided to make a Journal Cover.

I have purchased a few of Dyan Reaverly’s Art Journal Dyalog inserts. There are a few different ones and while I wait for them to arrive, I thought I would make a cover for them. If you aren’t sure what they are hop on over to her Channel  “HERE” and have a peek.

 It will be an art/junk/planner/journal. It’s a whatever I want to use it for……………………It is a smaller version of my large one, that is also more portable. It’s good to have options, as sometimes you don’t have the time or energy to create on a large scale………………

 

 

I gathered a few supplies and started the cover. I used a cereal box and cut it down to roughly 9 x 6″ which should fit the inserts, as the box had a large spine.  Then I used Gesso on it for stability and so I could add wet mediums over the top of it. I had some really pretty napkins that I hadn’t used, so they were just right.  I removed both layers of the underlying tissue away from them, to remove the bulk. I then, used a wet paint brush to paint on water to make it easier to pull apart the sections I wanted t use.

I loved the text part of another napkin so I used that over the spine of the box and added the other lovely floral parts of the napkins to cover the front and the back. I used my home made Mod Podge/glue sealer under and over the top of the napkin. 

After it was dry and I trimmed off any excess napkin, I rounded the corners and inked around it with black ink. I decided I wanted a more squishy cover for this one. To give it a whimsy feel and a bit of texture, I machine stitched around the edge .You can see the form of the spine that was already there from the cereal box. This makes it easier to make a journal and not have to worry about separate pieces and making a spine……………….You could also strengthen the journal with extra cardboard if you wanted too.

I didn’t want to much embellishment on the front cover, as the napkin is busy. I cut a piece of cardboard, stamped a title, then machine stitched around it for a bit of interest. I just layered it on a bit of scrap cardboard, painted with a bit of gesso and sprayed with some ink, plus some muslin for texture.

I sprayed the inside of the cover with some ink, but I may cover it with some paper or do a bit of mixed media on it. For the binding, I decided to use elastic and then I can take one of the inserts out when I want to work in it. I decided on three holes and I just threaded the elastic through. You need about 4x the length of the spine for a good fit.

I don’t really measure anything, I just eyeballed about the centre and then one hole each side. I punched them using my Crop-O-dile hole punch then I set some eyelets so the holes in the cardboard wouldn’t break.

I also put some elastic through the middle of the spine to create a closure for it to keep them snug inside. I just threaded a few beads and a metal quote embellishment on to it before threading it through the hole. On the off chance that my inserts don’t fit in it, I can just make it into a junk journal to collage in.

I hope you have enjoyed my little how to on this journal cover I made. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know. This was a fun project and I am looking forward to  playing in my new journal soon.

I am working on another project, so stay tuned for another post during the week.

Stay Safe and Well

Hugz

Kerri  x

 

 

 

” Prompt 1 – Altered Composition Notebook JJ”

Hello, my crafty friends, Just popping in today with a quick post for the Altered composition Notebook JJ Challenge.

Prompt 1 –  Using fibres to create a bookmark and to Journal about 3 Holiday/Xmas/New Year memories, that mean the most to me.

Linda shows you on her Youtube video   “HERE”  how to make the tassel and the tag. You just go about it the way you want to. Everything I am using for this journal is out of my craft stash!!! This is the first tassel I have made, so not too bad! The tag was fun to do with a bit of mixed media collage and layers.

This is the page that I added the journaling to. It was just white cardstock and I added a bit of ink and doodling.  I journaled about spending precious time with my boys and them being home with me for Xmas day. We chatted about different things we remembered about Xmas with mum and dad as we miss them very much. Nothing is the same…… I also wrote about the time my sister and I spent together a few days before Xmas. We finished our Xmas shopping had some yummy food, laughs and talked non-stop. I also saw my niece and nephews who are very precious also…… I have never been a journaler as I love telling stories with my photos, but I am finding this challenge very good for me and it gets me a bit out of my comfort zone.

This is a fun challenge and I am really learning from Linda, along the way. Hop on over and join in too, I would love to see your creations!

Prompt 2 will be up within the net day or so, stay tuned!!

Kerri x

 

 

“Secret Garden Journal – Cover”

Hi, My Crafty Friends,

Another busy week here with work and life, as you all can probably relate. I have been busy also creating a porch garden for us and a bit more this last week.   My mum always kept a garden journal and it was fun to look at what she had recorded in hers. If dad asked her a question about the garden she would have the answer in her journal!

As you can see I couldn’t help myself and I am making my own:) The inside is covered with some napkin then over the top this pretty butterfly fabric. I added the jute in the middle for a bit of strength and decoration. You won’t really see the join once the pages are in.

This pretty napkin was one of the packs I found in Ballarat and it was perfect for my cover. I just adhered it with my homemade mod podge, over a layer of pattern paper. The burlap lace finished it off nicely. I am up to decorating the cover and adding a title before making the signatures

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned 🙂

Kerri x

“Masculine Junque Journals”

Hi Friends,

I am always planning my next project as probably most of you do too. I watch YouTube videos and get lots of inspiration and heaps of ideas going around in my mind. By blogging about it I get it out of my head!!

Lately, I seem to be doing more girly themed projects and I thought it was time a did something grungy! I have decided to make my two sons a journal each and scrap some of their outings, trips, etc which I haven’t done yet. They will have the same sort of content as they are always doing things together.

It is a beautiful Spring day here in Australia and I have been out with my sister. I had to take it a bit quiet yesterday as I had a bit of a fall.

I want the journals to have a masculine, grungy feel so I  am making them with soft covers and grungy themed scrapbooking papers and elements.

I used cereal boxes cut apart and I added some chipboard to the spines, I covered them using Colour Blast Graffiti Grunge range of papers. I used black book cloth tape and I have done a bit of embellishing on the covers to keep them grungy looking.

So, next I got out my Texture Paste and used a stencil to add a bit of texture over the pattern paper and then a few die cuts and adhered them to the front cover.  I painted over a layer of Gesso primer over the top and let it dry.

I glued down some cogs and gears chipboard and metal embellishments with Glossy Accents. I then went over them with Gesso also to prime for my next step. You can still see the layers of die-cuts and texture paste. you can let this air dry which doesn’t take long or use a heat gun if you have one.

As you can see above, I have played with some distress Oxide sprays and a few metallic ones also. I sprayed and splattered the colour and aso dabbed a bit here and there over parts to highlight them.

Here, I added some more colour to hight light some of the backgrounds using Nuvo Mousse Paste and some Metallic Distress Stain. I also added some Tim Holtz Crackle Paste in a few places for a bit extra effect!

Above is just a better pic of the crackle paste. I then glued some hands on to them also.

I wanted to add something just to finish it off and as I was searching I found some small watch parts that I forgot I had 🙂 They were perfect to group together, gesso over and colour!! I just sprinkled them over some glossy accents, then gessoed and painted with metallic spray 🙂

Both the journals are the same but different, just like my boys! Now to have fun putting some paper and stuff into them.

Stay tuned 🙂

Kerri x

 

 

 

“JJ tutorial – Part 5 – The Finishing Touches”

OK, let the fun begin…………… You have done well and worked really hard to get this journal made so now the fun bit begins. (not that all isn’t fun!!!)

 

As you can see I created quite a lot of different embellishments, so you can play around and make your own 🙂 If you click on each photo it will enlarge the images.

 

#1 – I made a small vellum envelope and added a tag. On the other side, I made a cluster and a couple of die cuts.

#2 – This is a fabric fold up that I glued down at the top then added a bit of ribbon, tag and a quote.

#3 – This is a cluster that is hiding under the fabric flap. Made of scraps and stash.

#4 – On the left, I used a bit of an envelope and made a pocket then I put an Artist Trading Card inside it. A die-cut and tag to finish it. On the other side, just a small pre-made envelope with another ATC poking out!

#5 – Underneath the vellum foldout is a white envelope stamped with text. The vellum on top is stamped also, with a fabric tab on the side to lift it up.

#6 – This is a piece of coffee dyed copy paper with vellum over the top and a tuck spot.

#7 – A journal card attached with washi tape and a journal card underneath.

#8 – Two small journal cards stuck down on one side and other cards just tucked underneath.

#9 – A small file folder cut in half and used as a pocket.

#10 – A brown paper kaiser bag that I cut down and taped one end closed. I can put extra bits and pieces in it to store until I get them into my journal.

#11 – This is a cut out from a paper pad and I glued down three sides and made a large pocket. On the right side, I just added some different journal papers taped under one another.

My ideas are to guide you, feel free to do your own thing and add what you want to your own Journal. I will be adding bits and pieces to it for a while. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I am happy to help you if needed.

I hope you have enjoyed your Junk Journal Journey and have learnt a few things on the way.  I am looking forward to seeing your finished journals.

Happy Junking

Kerri x

 

 

 

“Squishy Bloom Journal”

Hi There,

My son went to the supermarket for me the other day and bought home the wrong size cereal lol. I then decided to use the empty box to make a “squishy journal with it!  Well, what else would you do 😉

I have been making a few hard book cover journals, so I thought a nice soft covered one would be nice.  I set about strengthening the spine and corner of the box when I cut it apart and then decided to gesso over it and add some lovely floral napkin that my sister swapped with me 🙂

I loved this large Camellia on the tissue paper, as they reminded me of the gorgeous Camellias that mum had in her garden. I am thinking I will put photos and memories of mum in this journal.  I collaged them with some other pink tissue paper packaging that I rec in some happy mail.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As you can see in my slideshow I have put together for you, I have made a lot of places to journal and add photos if I want to. I made some tuck sports, pockets and used a few small envelopes and added tags and journaling cards to them. A few of the papers I chose had good journaling space on one side and not so much on the other so I added space to them on top.

As you can see, I just used a Prima Journaling card for the focal point and off white sari silk for my binding and closure. I just added some lacey butterflies for embellishment. I had room for two nice sized signatures for it and the closure I made by attaching the sari silk on the spine, inside and then threading it through the eyelets.

With the softcover which I never reinforced with any chipboard, it gives it a lovely texture to the napkin, glued on to the cover. I am really pleased with the way my ‘squishy bloom journal ” came together and now to play with it and fill it up with memories of my mum 🙂

I hope I may have inspired you to make your own squishy journal and I would love to see it if you do 🙂  Have great weekend friends!

Kerri x

 

“Common Place Journal”

Hi friends,

I have been a bit absent this week as I am on leave and I spent a couple of days with my sister for her birthday. It was a great time shopping, talking, laughing, eating and generally just doing sister stuff!! Back to work tomorrow!

Over the weekend it has been beautiful and I have been out in the garden, to do some much needed tidying up. So happy it’s now Spring here in Australia!!

As you know I like to make the odd journal or three and they have a specific purpose as art, collage, memory keeping, junking, etc 🙂 I am making my boys a journal each and more on that soon.

Commonplace books (or commonplaces) – are a way to compile knowledge, usually by writing information into books. … Such books are essentially scrapbooks filled with items of every kind: recipes, quotes, letters, poems,  proverbs, etc.  These are also known as Thinker Journals and I am definitely that.

I thought I would like to make two, to have. One on my desk and one in my bag to use as inspiration strikes. A little journal just to add ‘me’ stuff like inspiration, quotes, arty things I try, etc.  I think we all need that one space to collate our thoughts and ideas. I have been doing this for quite a while but not realizing I was.  You can use anything you want to as a journal but I, of course, am making my own special one!!

Thinking about the size of the journal that I want and what I want to put in it, I decided on a 5×7 book and I took the pages out to use the cover.  I am mainly wanting plain and lined papers in this to write on.

If you know me I like to puddle and this is no exception. I Gessoed the cover, as I want to add these gorgeous owl images that my sister gave me when we did a bit of a napkin swap 🙂 Napkins are so much fun to use and give a great look on any projects.

I am using my Tim Holtz glass media mat and it is non-stick but as I make a mess I always put baking paper under it. I usually need to move it so it makes cleaning up easier.

I was going to leave it white but decided on a sage color underneath for a bit of contrast to the napkins. I just sponged some over it randomly!

 

To prepare your napkins you need to make sure you take all the layers of the white tissue off the back. To get the tear in it where you want it, I used a wet brush and drew the tear line. It is much easier than tearing it the wrong way.

It’s up to you where you start. You need a good brush to adhere to the mod podge and smooth it under and over the This glues and seals at the same time.

I then randomly put more of the napkin here and there in a collage. I make sure I have some hanging over the edges. I then let it dry. It hardens as it drys and gives a nice aged effect. The wrinkling of the tissue doesn’t bother me.

 

Here is the cover of my other journal I am making at the same time. It measures approx 7x 9.5. I used the same Napkin technique on this also.

Once dry, I then turn it over and glue the napkin down inside the cover, making sure it is well stuck down. I add pattern paper to the inside, or as I did here a couple more of the images from the napkins. Allow this to dry also before you do anything else to it.

To finish the journal off I cut some lined and plain copy paper to size and then just used some pretty lace to tie it in around the spine and bind it. This way if I want to add or take out pages I can.

Now, his is my finished small 5×7 commonplace journal which I can take in my backpack with and use as I like 🙂

Above is my journal for playing in at home, to journal in 🙂 I just used different lined and plain scrapbook paper in this one from my stash.

 

I made some tags and lots of places to add journaling in the pages. I hope you like this little look at my Common Place Journals and you might like to try keeping one for yourself 🙂

Kerri x

“Don’t Bin It – Use It”

Hi Ladies,

When I am making my journals and cutting down 12×12 paper etc for them I get lots of leftovers and I have a box full of them. I was inspired by a couple of lovely clever ladies on YouTube with what they create using their scraps and I decided to give making some journal embellishments ago. I hold on to scrap papers etc, about 3″ square and above, anything else I don’t usually bother with so some of these scraps were lucky!!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

All I did to make them was to grab some music paper, book page, scrapbook paper scraps, die cuts, trims, stickers, small ephemera, lace, muslin, stickers, etc and just put them together in layers. I think I made about 50 all up so I have a nice supply for my Vintage style journals to use as paper clips, tuck spots for photos and journaling. Just some pretties for the pages.

This was fun and very relaxing as I didn’t need to really think about it I just played 🙂 “Nic The Booksmith”  and “Gayle Agostinelli” are a couple of my fave crafters on YouTube if you would like to have a look at all their wonderful Tutorials 🙂

Thanks, for stopping by and any questions, feel free to leave me a comment and I will get back to you 🙂

Happy Crafting

Kerri x

“The Fun Of The Hunt”

Hi Crafters

No, I am not hunting anything, just hunting for my pages to go into my Ring-Bound Journal. It is a ‘Junk’ journal but that doesn’t mean you have to put ‘junk mail’ etc into it. It’s up to you……………………

I go through all my stash and pull out the stuff I want to include in my journals. In the short video, that is on my Junque Journalist Facebook Page,   “HERE”          you will see the sorts of items I like to include as pages in my journals. I like to add packaging like gift bags cut up, vellum, lined paper, ledger and scrapbook papers, brown paper, watercolor paper and paper bags, paper pattern and the envelopes, clear cello bags and ATC holders, coffee dyed paper and doilies, magazine and book pages, brown paper and gift wrap.

 

As you can see I have a fair bit of ‘junk’ to add to my journal. I keep things like movie tickets, postcards from holidays, the tickets from movies, decorated happy mail, fave cards given to me, a bit of packaging from my favorite scrapbook designers, stamps, things my boys have given me, bookmarks, fabric, special tags and Artist Trading Cards I make. Special photos and journaling. Anything that is a keepsake to me I keep it. Yes, I am very sentimental and these sorts of things are our history and our life. I am hoping in years to come my boys will remember all these memories I have kept and loved.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you may have a go at making your own junk journal!

Stay tuned as I will show you the journal once I get them all punched, layered and in 🙂

Hugz Kerri x