Junque Journals

Not really 'junk' so I decided they are 'junque'...

It all started because I had old calendars I did not want to throw away. I also had a box full of all sorts of bits and pieces...that I also did not want to throw away.

There was only one solution - make journals!

In the end I made 2 completed books, but I still have quite a bit of stuff left, and the current calendar is the perfect candidate for becoming another journal at year's end.

For my Travel themed journal, my starting point was the calendar that had a travel theme. I covered the covers with some designer paper by Ranger ( bought at Michaels) I will certainly still add ephemera to the cover.

I covered the spine with paper canvas that I found on Amazon. It was pricey but works really well. The covers themselves are just sturdy, but not too thick and heavy, cardboard.

There are 3 signatures and I added them with pamphlet stitch to the spine of the cover. All those black threads are from the stitching I did on the individual pages. The inside of the spine is covered with fabric to allow for lots of bending without wear and tear on the card itself.

The inside of the covers are covered with designer papers and I cut a smiley face picture up to make a pocket for the front page which holds a few tags. One of which will be used to add a little introduction to the journal.

The calendar pages - shown on the left hand page here- were so pretty! I thought the black stitching added a nice finishing touch.

I incorporated as many pockets as I could. I like to keep lots of bits and pieces in these pockets until I use them at which point they are adhered onto pages or sent off in a letter or put to some sort of purpose. Not everything that is in the journal pockets will eventually end up staying in the journal.

The page above has a poem in a pocket, which may stay there, or I may decide to mail it off to a friend one day.
On the edge of the pocket below I stuck a strip of gold embossed card that was on the edge of a Christmas card. Music papers and stamping details a featured on most pages.

Stitching holds this little quote in place. I found this on a calendar I sent to my Mom many years ago. She had treasured the calendar enough to keep it all this time and I removed several pieces from it to incorporate into my journals.

This beautiful peacock had to take center stage on it's own page. I turned it into a pocket by stitching it down across the bottom of the page.

There is an abundance of tags and index cards included. Some featuring quotes and stamping and some decorated with napkins.

This index card is covered with a kitchen towel used for cleaning my desk that was simply to pretty to discard.

I coloured the white pages in my book using alcohol sprays that I make myself. I love the way they look. For this book I also used coffee spray and love the way the alcohol and water - from the coffee- reacted to make these interesting patterns.

I had an idea for an entry even before the journal was quite finished. For my 'bubbles' I printed with bubble wrap and ink (in 2 sizes of bubbles) and added a string of thought weaving playfully between them.

This index card must be my favourite of all. The stamp, the strip of junk paper a pink spray of paint and a die cut piece of lace that was lying around. A quick line of stitching to finish it off and I think this one will have to stay in the book.
At least for a while!

For short little notes or thoughts I included a pack of business card size journal cards.They feature postage stamps, some stamping and word strips that somehow all fit together in my mind. I have already used some of these and have attached them in the journal so they flip over to allow for easy reading.

I have another journal also finished, just need to get the pictures organised and uploaded and then I have a box full of stuff to make make 2 more journals first thing in the new year!

It is hard to stop making these once you start...