Hi guys...I've dealt with journalling before because I did start a Bullet Journal in 2019 but now I've discovered Junk Journal and I went so far as to make my own. Yes people I made a tome... a large junk journal out of cast off pages and I must say it looks impressive. I plan to use it for my art ideas but it looks so good that I don't want to mess it up. Junk journalling has all these different things you can put in them called ephemerals...different pockets and charms and bands etc. Making Junk Journals/Folios helps make up for my lack of painting and I’ve also listed them on my website and on my Etsy page

It's fun simply making them and then you place them where you feel like in your junk journal. I started doing that and now as usual I'm hooked. So what is a junk Journal?

Junk diary

Junk journal is a handmade book made up of recycled items such as papers from magazines, brochures, patterned paper, music sheets, envelopes, packaging, brown paper bags, maps, greeting cards, post cards, doilies, to name a few. The book covers can be made from cereal boxes, old book covers or any hard card boards.

What is it used for?

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.

What's the difference between a diary and a journal?

A diary is a book to record events as they happen. A journal is a book used to explore ideas that take shape. In reality, the junk journal can have any purpose you want them to. Particularly if you’re creating one from scratch – as I did, you can therefore make it serve almost any purpose imaginable. Write a novel in it. Use it as a family budget book. Make it into a dream diary – it’s up to you!

Then there are the bullet journals which can help you get organised and track or keep track of all the tasks or goals you want to achieve. I tend to schedule all my appointments etc but doing it the Bujo way is more fun as I can decorate it and looking at the pages after make you feel good. It's also another way to use my creativity.

What's the Purpose of a Junk Journal?

What’s the purpose of a junk journal? It’s probably a question you’ve wondered, especially if you’ve never seen one before. I know it was my reaction when I first saw one. I was intrigued and thought they were beautiful, but I had no clue how you could use one.

So don’t feel guilty for wondering. Given how elaborate and intricate they often are, it’s not hard to wonder how they could be used functionally. And honestly, sometimes they can’t be – but that’s okay! Junk journals can be gorgeous pieces of art.

In reality junk journals can have any purpose you want them to. Particularly if you’re creating one from scratch – you can make it serve almost any purpose imaginable. Write a novel in it. Use it as a family budget book. Make it into a dream diary – it’s up to you!

(Still learning how to create them? Check out this ultimate guide on how to make a junk journal with step by step instructions and videos!)

How to Use a Junk Journal?

All that said, there are some popular ways to use junk journals that range from incredibly practical to less than practical (but still entirely awesome).

Use a junk journal as a memory and photo keeper – junk journals tend to borrow a lot of ideas and techniques from the scrapbooking world, so it’s natural that junk journals often become books for keeping memories, photos, cards, tags, and other bits of ephemera that remind you of friends, family and trips you might have taken.

Use a junk journal as a travel journal – speaking of trips, a junk journal can also serve as a travel journal. Junk journals frequently incorporate ephemera into their pages and travel often leaves you with tons of it. Use the rack cards and maps you collect as flip outs and slip them into pockets, use the tags and tickets you collect to create a collage page that will remind you of all the places you visited, and frame your travel photos and slip them into envelopes so you can look back on how much fun you had. (Travel junk journals might be my personal favourite if I’m honest!)

Use a junk journal as a coffee table book – With all of its intricate details and designs, tuck spots, pockets and envelopes to explore a junk journal can make a perfect coffee table book. It gives an inquisitive visitor plenty of things to look at and explore while you go grab something to drink or snacks to serve.

Use a junk journal as wedding guest book – Another popular use for junk journals are to use them as wedding guest books. These versions tend to be toned down with fewer frills and pockets and lots more blank and tea dyed pages. For people who are having a historic or rustic theme to their wedding, this style of guest book can make for the perfect extra touch.

Use a junk journal as a gratitude or spiritual journal – I’ve seen lots of people using their junk journals as places to reflect – on things their grateful for, on their religion, on how they want their future to go. The mixed media nature of a junk journal lets you include pieces from a page of a book or inspirational cards and photos, so it works great for this type of journal, too.

Use a junk journal as a piece of art – This is another one of my favourite ways to use a junk journal. Ultimately, a junk journal is a piece of mixed media art and you can treat it the exact same way you do any other kind of art – hang it up, display it, or even sell it. If you have bare shelves in a living room or entry way, filling them with beautifully decorated books can make them extra gorgeous – and like with a coffee table book, it can be a conversation starter!

So, I hope you start one as it is also like therapy especially during these crazy times of lock down. If you do start one let me know how it is going and we can share what and how we do the different decorating techniques.

Later guys. Good to be back. Covid has brought more coaching work than anything and my husband's father died, (May he rest in peace. ), so a lot has been happening and there have been some major changes with my creativity.