"Junk Journals"??

I sometimes enjoy making mini albums, based on a similar process, although I don’t do shabby Very few of my mini albums actually have photos. They are mainly a fun, artistic endeavor.

I’ve considered making a Junk Journal because I have so many supplies. With that idea in mind, I joined several JJ Facebook groups. One group has over 20,000 members. Clearly it is a very popular paper crafting hobby. I have learned that Junk Journaling takes many forms. Some are just strictly little works of art, similar to memorydex cards. Some are themed, such as Alice In Wonderland, while some are random. Some are inspirational or Bible-based, devotional. Some will do daily or monthly journals and use them as planners. Some fill all the pages with bits and pieces, stickers and ephemera. There is another whole subset of junk journal makers that leave spaces for journaling and pictures. Travel junk journals where they use tickets stubs, postcards, pictures, etc relating to a trip are very popular.

Many just use the decorated journals to just that - journal.

Sadly, I am a total failure at junk journaling. I just don’t have a creative bone in my body. My attempts have been sloppy, disjointed and just plain ugly. I do not feel fulfilled or inspired by making a junk journal. It’s just not for me.

I’ll also admit here that I have seen many junk journal pages and YouTube videos and gone huh? I just don’t connect with the idea or process. Many people in the Facebook groups also have said that they have given the junk journals as gifts and the receiver has not understood the journals either.

I know how you feel! I tried it and didn't like the results, but when I took an in person junk journal class a few years ago the teacher said she didn't like her first 5 junk journals and threw them away! She said it takes awhile to find your flow so don't give up! But also, if you are really struggling and it's not fun for you, it may not be the craft for you.
That all being said, we are our own worst critic so of course you think yours were not great. Maybe you can try something like what Veronica Creates on Instagram is making, she's altering a book and it's a scrapbook/junk journal mashup.

It's a form of art journalling.

Art journaling is an open-ended form of art on loose paper or in a bound journal where the focus is on the process of creating and of self-expression rather than a particular end result. Drawing, mark-making, writing, painting, and collage are often components.

Some of the more 'paired back' junk journals that use less mixed media and instead lots of different types of papers can be used for memory keeping.

Friendly Junk Journal People   20.9K Members.  Amazing!

Thank you for sharing!!

I create Junk Journals and use mine for memory keeping, reading journals and daily journals. My last two December Daily projects are junk journals.

My style is not the coffee-dyed or excessive lace; but I love tags, flips and pockets.

Some of the junk journal era on YouTube sell their journals.

You can create for the sake of creating. You don't need a purpose so it's their way of creating and having a place to put it

Me! I just started in January. I was frustrated with an author I previously loved and made a page in an old art journal. It was cathartic and I loved it. So I started buying more supplies. I used to be really into Tim Holtz, but no time to work on those projects. This fits that niche. I filled half the journal so far and am having a blast. Each spread takes no more than 10-15 minutes. I have no plans to DO anything with them. It’s art. It’s therapy. It’s creative fun. It’s just for me.

I don't make fancy junk journals as I prefer to make them out of used envelopes and art journal in them. I made a really pretty one with pockets, plain paper, etc., and gave to my bestie. She uses it as a regular journal for her Bible study. She writes on the pages. I know a lot of ladies sell these journals so I am assuming people may use them for journals as my bestie does. Here is my envelope journals and how I use it. The bottom two right photos are a small portion of my bestie's book I made her. The dividers inside are also out of fabric as you can see by that photo.

www.instagram.com/explore/tags/gloryartjournals/

Awe thank you. Sometime I use old book covers or I sew them (like these) out of scraps of fabric. I actually prefer those--they use up scraps, and I can choose my colors.

I am a fan of the junk journaler, Roxy Creations, on YouTube. She’s an Aussie living in Italy and has access to the most amazing super old papers and books—18th and 19th century sometimes. She creates constantly—nearly a video a day—and has an Etsy store where she sells her junk journals and extra antique ephemera. I like her aesthetic

Awe, you are so, so incredibly sweet. Thank you for blessing me today. I feel that way about other's art, and "I want to be like them." LOL! I only had one graphic art course in college but I also designed for many, many years for companies that sold things to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc. My great grandmother was an artist, my aunt and grandmother dabbled in art, and I picked up so many arts and crafts from my mom. My sister and my nieces are INCREDIBLE drawing artists. I can't draw worth a lick. One niece is in art college now.

I have been creating for at least 44 years in some sort of fashion. I have learned so much from working with others plus I try to develop my own style. Other than all of that, I don't have any formal training. I don't think you need it but it does help to know about the color wheel, mixing colors, etc. It helps with fabrics, paints, papers, etc. I continue to learn and learn as much as I can. I love it!! And thank you again for your sweet words.