“JJ Tutorial – Part 2 – Embellishing The Covers”

Hi ladies,

Welcome to the next part of creating your Junk Journal. This is a lot of fun as you get to decide how you want to embellish your journal covers. You can do it any way you like with Pattern Paper, Mixed Media, fabric, you name it!

 

I decided I would cover mine with pattern paper this time. I just glued a 12×12 piece of pattern paper on the outside, front and back.

I then turned it over and cut it down so as part of it would fold in as shown above. I like using double-sided tape and wet glue for this part. all the tap will be covered that you did at the start 🙂

On the inside, I chose to take a poem from one of my Daphne’s Diary magazines and place it on the left, some pp on the right and I made a pocket for keeping things in on the back cover, like extra tags. You can cover the middle at the spine on the outside but the one on the inside you really won’t see it. I also write on the bottom corner when I made the journal.

There are many different ways you can keep your finished journal closed. You could wrap some trim around it, used some fabric, or any other way you want to. For me, this easy eyelet closure is the one I use a lot or I just wrap some pretty lace around it.  I have a tool called a Crop-o-dile and it punches the holes and sets the eyelets. I had this lovely blue trim and it was perfect for my closure. You could also choose not to use a closure but as you will be putting a lot of stuff into it using something would be a good idea 🙂

For my front cover, I used some layers of paper, tickets, tags, journaling cards, tickets, ribbon, metal, washi tape, a small envelope, die cuts and the large butterfly I fussy cut from an old calendar.  I am having a great time making this journal and tutorial for you and I hope you are following along and able to understand the steps. If you are unsure of anything please feel free to leave me a comment or send me a message.

Part 3 will be about collating your papers and making the signatures ( stacks of different papers folded) for your pages and how to bind them into your covers ready to embellish and add some ‘junk’ too 🙂

Enjoy x

 

“Nameless Vintage JJ Update”

Hi there,

I have been pretty busy working on a couple of other journals and I wanted to get my Vintage Art Journal basically finished that I created with Johanna Clough.

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I decided I wanted to add some of the embellishments I made using my scraps to it. I used them as tuck spots and extra pieces on some of the pages. To some, I added extra nameless photos that I had and a few I created new pages for. I still have room for a bit more in this journal, but for the minute I think it is complete. I also added a bit more to the cover to finish it off also 🙂

I have really enjoyed Johanna’s Tutorial and making this Art journal. Her class is still on YouTube “HERE”   if you would like a peek.

Thanks for stopping by

Kerri x

 

“15 Minute Challenge – 5 6 &7”

Hi Friends.

I hope all is well in your part of the world. It is colder here today and in between working this weekend, I am doing the wonderful house duties and squishing some craft time!

I am still puddling with Johanna’s quick challenges and I am enjoying them heaps.

 

Challenge #5 – is to use maps somehow in your journal. My boys went to the Air Show here at Avalon in Feb this year and I thought this was a great photo to use with the map paper in the background. I used some layers of paper, stamps and washi tape. I have a few more pics to add also, so will prob put them in a pocket or make a flip 🙂

 

Challenge #6 – is to use or make an envelope. I was given a cd envelope from Juni Desiree in an ephemera pack and I thought I would use it. I have just added it in with some wide washi tape and popped a pic of my sister and I in it for now.  I have a few other pics to journal this story of our day in Melbourne.

Challenge #7 –  is to use images and/or photos. I used these lovely pictures I took out of one of my Daphnes Diary magazines of some beautiful David Austen rose gardens. They were my mums fave and I have some wonderful memories of her and I together drooling over the new catalouge each year. I used a bit of paint, torn scrapbook paper and some washi with a bit of a journaling flip.

There are three more challenges to go, so stay tuned over the next few days I will have them done and will give you the details. Hop on over to her YouTube channel and join in the fun!

Have a great weekend!

Kerri x

 

” 15 Minute Challenge – 3 & 4″

Hi Friends,

I hope you are having a nice Thursday, it is very wet and cold here in Vic. A good day to be indoors and crafting 😉

Challenge #3 from Johanna, was to use paint somewhere on a page. I decided to use some pink and create a border down on side of the page and then when dry, I added some Glitter Gel over the top with a sponge. I will be using this page for some girly photos.

 

Challenge #4 was to make a page that is sectioned. I just roughly divided my page up and instead of lines, I used washi tape. I decided to use a quote which is ” Just Breathe And Trust You Are Right Where You Need To Be Today” I used a pic of me as I don’t use too many pics of just me in my scrapping and this quote for me is something I need to remember. I am only one person and can only do so much. Where ever the day takes me is where I am supposed to be 🙂 Sometimes I need to step back and remember to ‘breathe’

I hope you are also playing along with Johanna’s class and having some creative time.

Have a great creative day and I will be back with the next couple of 15 Minute Challenge for you.

Kerri x

“Scrapping In My Journal”

Hi Friends,

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I have been unwell for a few days and I am feeling a bit better now. I wanted to start playing in my new journal so nothing is stopping me lol 🙂

 

I am lucky to have a new Canon Selphy Printer which my boys bought me for Xmas as I wore my old one out 😉 I transfer my photos from my computer, on to a USB stick and print them out to the size I want them. It is so handy as we don’t have anywhere local to print them out at a reasonable price.

By printing my photos smaller and using a folded card I was able to get 7 photos on this double page in my journal. This was about my cousins and I. We have only been catching up lately at our parent’s funerals which is so sad. I grew up with my cousins and since mum passed away I have really missed our connection 😦 It is very important to document the sad and hard times of our lives as well as all the happy ones.

This page is probably more of a ‘junk journal page as I used the ticket and piece of Prima packaging on this one. My sister and I went to Paperific in Melbourne last year and it was heaps of fun, but very tiring for me as the driver 🙂 Everything is from my JJ or scrap stash and the flowers were from a little prize I won at Home and Scrapped on FB. I used a bit of Distress Oxide spray in the background and some trim, washi tape, die cuts, staples, etc. I also die cut a polaroid frame for the photo on the left

I have enjoyed my bit of a Junk Journal this afternoon and I hope you have had some “me time” also!

Happy Crafting

Kerri x

 

“Making a Naked Personal Journal”

Hi Friends,

You are probably wondering what I am on about? hehe……I am making myself a Journal that is called Naked. It is this because it will have covers and pages but no embellishing. I want to use it as I go and add to it when I Journal. I love embellishing as much as the next person, but this one is personal and I want to use it more of a scrap/memory journal.

The covers above, from a National Geographic Encyclopedia. I wanted to make a bigger spine, so I cut it out and did my makeover thing with it.

I covered the inside with some pattern papers and covered the built-up spine also.

I made two signatures of approx 80 pages with lots of different papers, for each one. I used a scrapbook paper, vellum, music sheet, dictionary page, some odd bits from my stash of scraps, some watercolor paper, notepaper, and smaller pieces as well, to add interest. I had some cut off pieces as well which I will use to make tuck spots and pockets with. These will be bound into the spine with the no-sew binding method using twine, fabric or trim. I haven’t quite decided yet 🙂

This gives me lots of real estate to play with and add what I want to it also. You can add what you have or like. This adds some interest for when I am using it.  I have a post  “HERE”  which covers the different things you can use in your journals.

To the front cover, I made an embellishment cluster using Pattern papers die cuts, lace, trim, butterflies, and birds, quotes and some layering plus a title.

I hope you are all having a great week, I am very busy and looking forward to filling up this journal with family memories 🙂  I would love to hear about what you are up to!

Thanks for stopping by…………..

Kerri x

 

“Collection Junk Journal”

Hi Friends,

 

I have been thinking about creating a Collection/Compendium Journal for myself. I found a cool book on the weekend in an op shop in Ballarat and for $3 I couldn’t leave it there. It is an old National Geographic book and I am giving it life! It measures 6 x 10 with an approx 2″ spine. I loved the size and it is perfect for me, to add what I want to it.

I have a bit of a collection of items in my JJ bin and thought I would use them plus other stuff in it like pictures and things from my Daphnes Diary magazines, tickets, tags, receipts, envelopes, happy mail, postcards, etc.

 

I decided I wanted to cover the spine with some denim fabric that I had from some old jeans of my boys and then I added the bit of lace. I then covered both sides of the front and back with some rose scrapbook paper cut to size. I watched a great YouTube video  “HERE” and I decided to have a go at creating my journal cover with some mixed media fun!

 

I basically just followed the Tutorial by using a stencil with texture paste on the background and I made a heart with scrap cardboard. I then added bits of wood veneer and metal embellishments around the heart. I just cut a couple of small pieces of burlap for the top and bottom corners.

I decided I didn’t want to paint it all black as it was done in the video, I went with covering it all with white Gesso, then when dry I added Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide Sprays. I also flicked a bit of watered down Tarnished Brass Distress Stain over it also. These are a couple of faves in Distress colors. I then added a couple of the TH Chipboard words and the word “COLLECTION” with Dymo tape for the Title of my Journal. To finish it off, a couple more words on the spine!  So… it has gone from a boring book cover to a work of art with a few simple steps and a bit of drying time!

For the inside of the covers, I used some Vintage paper and some burlap down the spine. I haven’t decided on how I will bind this one yet. On the left page, I made a double pocket to house some of the new tags I made and a quote with a Tim Holtz paper doll to finish it off.

Now I can start adding to it and decorating and making the signatures. I hope you might have a go at making your own collection journal as they are heaps fo fun to make!

Happy Journaling

Kerri x

“Welcome”

Hi Friends and Welcome to my new blog, The Junque Journalist!

If you don’t know me, my name is Kerri Smith and I am an Aussie girl! I have been an avid Papercrafter and Memory Keeper for about 20 years. My new love is Junque Journaling. Here, at my new home, you will find me puddling with making new Junque Journals and/or creating in ones I have made 🙂 

If you haven’t heard of a Junque (Junk) Journal before it is a book created using an old book cover, recycled cardboard, cereal boxes, anything you want to use and is made into a new useful book. The term Junque comes from what you can add to it like, book pages, magazine pages, ephemera, and anything else you like to collect to add to it.

Like art journaling, there is no “one size fits all” definition for what a junk journal really is.

Junk journals can vary from person to person, but generally, most of them do share one primary characteristic: The journal is made with mostly a mix of found and recycled materials. The official definition is –
Junk Journal: A book which is often made through found and recycled materials to be used as a way to collect and record memories, thoughts, ideas, and inspiration.

You can use them as Planners, art journals, memory books, personalized gifts, make them for different themes like gardening, fairies, pets, flora, etc, the list is endless!!!! I use mine for all those things and more.

I will be posting some of my content from old blog here as it is JJ related and you may not have seen it 🙂

I hope you will come along on this Junque Journalist Journey with me and hopefully, I will be able to inspire you to create your own, learn some new techniques and tips and generally have fun!!!

 

Happy Junking, Kerri x