A Junk Journal – for the keepsakes you simply cannot ever part with

This week’s make is totally inspired by three of my favourite creative accounts on Instagram. And if you are reading this and don’t have Instagram, fear not, since my aim in this story is to inspire you with my own take on their clever creativity. By combining their skills and art I believe I am offering one perfectly simple craft, which cannot fail to entertain any of us in our quieter times. I am unsure how you in particular have been or will be affected by these testing times we find ourselves in. One thing I do know for sure is this; once you begin this craft you will surely become addicted. The following conversation truly took place. “What are we having for supper tonight darling?” he asked. “I have absolutely no idea” came her swift reply “I am making a junk journal” she squealed excitedly “and I have yet to give supper any thought.” Join me today as I introduce you to three talented ladies and offer more than a passing nod to their beautiful crafts…

Firstly allow me to introduce you to Daisy and her beautiful account @courtyard_cottage . In case you haven’t found Daisy’s account already, prepare to lose yourself as if in a rabbit warren itself. This lady is seriously creative and amongst her many artistic talents is the art of papermaking by hand and recently I was lucky enough to receive a delicious sample. I knew immediately that I would squirrel away the pretty tags and envelopes in my bundle for adorning homemade gifts, as for the paper however I had big ideas.

My second introduction is Lottie whose beautiful account is @lovely_lotties and when Instagram plays games with algorithms and Lottie’s gorgeous posts don’t show in my feed, I go seek them out. Inside each post there is a pure magic spell awaiting as Lottie generously shares with us all the composition of her dreamy journals and memory books. Lottie’s delightful posts never fail to fire my imagination.

And my final introduction is to the inspiring account which is @ruby_sixpence_shop and to Frances a lady whose generosity with her craft knows no bounds. You will often find Frances teaching us her ideas via IGTV, a delightful change from the many static posts we have come to enjoy in this app. Frances can take a plain paper bag and turn it into an object of beauty with her enchanting ephemera and craft skills. And, if you are ever lucky enough to sample her wares personally, you will indeed be spellbound. Labels and tags which transport you to a time long ago, faded vintage cigarette cards, lace and all sorts of trimmings will have you oohing and ahhing your time away. I am particularly in love with Frances’ Scrappy Snippet Rolls (again, seek out her tutorials on Instagram) which show us all how to simply enjoy tiny scraps you may once have deemed to serve no other purpose than waste bin fodder.

I have a few notebooks and journals in my collection and recently whilst visiting a stationery shop I called Little Miss to see if she needed any more for her work. “No thanks Mum” she laughed “I have quite enough to be getting on with and so do you too if I’m not mistaken.” She is of course quite right however there’s always room for one more book isn’t there? So recently when my daughter came to visit, we played arts and crafts just like we did when she was little. We began as always, gathering together every last treasure we could find. Postcards, buttons, lace, dried flowers, fabric, threads, words, jewellery… you should truffle your treasures till you can truffle no more.

Next it’s your choice of paper and if for example there is no pretty pastel handmade paper in your hoard, improvise with another: Brown parcel paper, maybe a half-used roll of wallpaper, a couple of sheets of gift wrap torn to size or even plain white paper will all suffice since each piece will be adorned with your pretties.

Using a ruler as my guide I tore each piece of handmade paper in half creating an approximate A5 size and hole punched each sheet. Into this good looking bundle I added a mix of less inspirational and poor quality paper too. My aim was for a junk journal unique to me. I made a difficult and grown up decision to use this ribbon too which I only ever wrap around gifts opened in front of me so I can pinch it back rather swiftly. Since this will be my own keepsake, how wonderful a purpose it serves to create a gorgeous silk binding for my own junk journal.

I intend for my journal to have suitable storage for treasures which I don’t wish to glue to pages and I have a mass of coffee filters which I manipulated into false corners for the purpose. I also have a selection of colourful and textural recycled envelopes whose corners will serve much the same purpose.

Little Miss and I enjoyed time together snipping and sticking and I didn’t once yank any treasure out of her hands since I had given myself a stern talking to prior to her arrival. I continue to learn the art of sharing. This is her pretty pink and floral page…

And this page is my tribute to last summer in the cottage garden using a pink corner to tuck away further surprises….

And then a mixed media page with a cream vintage button, snippet of lace and an old scrap of music paper. Top Tip: establish a compilation for your pretties before you glue them into place. Nobody wants torn paper unless it is their choice.

And of course the reverse of each page will require further embellishments another day. I believe it is quite possible to never finish. For a junk journal to be a work in progress for as long as you may wish. Imagine that? This is the most therapeutic and happiest of crafts. Creating a junk journal or memory book at your own pace, in your own style, with your own treasures.

I’m on the look out for my hole reinforcement stickers which I know I have somewhere and when I find them I shall stain them with tea so as to age them. And I know I have black and white photo mount corners – probably with the hole reinforcement stickers – which I shall use to perfectly mount aged memorabilia. And of course there will be a delightful front and back cover to hold safe my junk journal’s contents. And a bookmark of satin ribbon with a delicate weight stitched carefully to its end.

“It’s lovely darling” said Mr M as I thrust it under his nose in a commercial break during his sports programme “but what exactly is it for?” he asked tentatively. “It’s purpose is purely decorative and restorative,” I said “a junk journal is another way for me to express my creativity and keep safe treasures I will simply never part with.” “Isn’t that wonderful” he replied returning to his rugby, pleased his wife had found a suitable distraction. He doesn’t get it of course; I know you do …