The days between Christmas and New Year’s are my favorite time to craft. The rush is over, the house is cozy, and I finally have time to sit down with a hot cocoa and do something creative. It's also the time when I have a pile of beautiful Christmas cards, gift tags, and wrapping paper scraps that I just can’t throw away. If you're looking for a place to keep your holiday memories, without the stress of complicated bookbinding, you're going to love today’s project! This arti

If you’ve just discovered the world of junk journaling - welcome! I know you’re excited and ready to start. Maybe you’ve got your scissors and glue, and you've pulled up a YouTube tutorial to help you get started making your first book. But within the first two minutes, the crafter says something like: "I’m going to sew this signature into the spine using a pamphlet stitch. Next, we’ll add a belly band to hold some fussy cuts and ephemera." Wait. What? If you feel like you wa

The holiday season is full of cozy moments and special memories worth keeping: sipping cocoa by the tree, wrapping gifts, or flipping through old photos. A Christmas junk journal is a beautiful way to slow down and capture what this time of year means to you. When blank pages give you writer's block, try using some prompts to help you get started. If you love using your journal for writing, collage, or memory keeping, try using these prompts to spark new ideas. Each prompt ca

Christmas comes with small moments that feel nice to hold onto. A warm drink, a quiet evening. Hearing a familiar song, or the sound of wrapping paper on the floor are just a few of the tiny memories from the holiday. These little things pass by fast, and it's fun to have a place to keep them. A junk journal is easy to start and doesn’t need perfect pages. It can be a calm space to save your season in a way that feels personal. I like to include my handwriting. I'll admit, i

So tell me, how many printables have you collected on your computer? And have you printed them all? Me neither! But I'm working on getting more of them off of my computer and into my journal. This past summer, I realized that fighting with my printer was the worst part of journaling. So I finally bought a new one and now I've been printing like crazy. I got an Epson Eco Tank and I'm so impressed. I've printed so many pages with just the bottles of ink that came with it. The c

When you sit down to make a junk journal page, it can be hard to know where to start. You’ve got scraps, photos, tags, stickers, envelopes, and pretty paper. But how do you bring it all together?  Some simple design principles can help you create beautiful pages. Start with the composition of your page. Composition is the artsy word for how you arrange your elements. Good composition makes a page feel balanced and complete. It guides the eye around the page and creates a sof

Fabric adds a lovely touch to a junk journal. It gives your pages texture and warmth that paper alone can’t. The best part is that you don’t need a sewing machine or fancy tools to use it. A few scraps and some glue will do the job. This article may contain affiliate links. This means that I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.  I used fabric to create a tuck spot, a ribbon, and an accent for the journaling card. Here are three simple

If you've got a pile of cute stuff for your junk journal, collage can be a fun and easy way to turn it into a page. Collage is a forgiving style and you don't need a lot of equipment. Just some scissors and glue is enough to get started. Collaging in your junk journal is a fun way to tell a story on the page. Collage isn't about making everything perfect. It’s about layering little pieces of your world in a way that feels good to you.  This article may contain affiliate link

A junk journal is part scrapbook, part art project, and part personal diary. It’s a space where you can write, glue, paint, and collect whatever feels like you.  There’s no right or wrong way to fill one. It’s about using what you have, enjoying the process, and creating something that tells your story in a real and personal way. This article may contain affiliate links. This means that I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.  I create

Are junk journals really made out of junk? It depends what you consider junk! Everything from shopping bags to wrapping paper is so beautifully designed that I never want to throw it away. Finding pretty pictures and patterns on everyday packaging is one of the things that inspired me to start junk journaling. Start saving that black and white tissue paper from Sephora. Keep the ribbons that your pajamas were tied with. Look at the flyers that come in your junk mail. You'll f

Thanksgiving has a way of slowing everything down. The table gets a little louder. The kitchen smells like cinnamon and pie, and everyone seems to linger a bit longer. It’s the kind of day that’s easy to tuck away in your heart but even better to capture on paper. Junk journaling is a lovely way to hold onto the details that make the season feel so special. It doesn’t need to be fancy or polished. A few gathered bits, some personal words, and your favorite pens are all you re

There’s something special about fall. The air feels crisp. The colors turn warm and golden. Everything seems to slow down just enough to notice the small things. It’s the perfect time to cozy up with your journal and create something that feels personal and full of meaning. If you're not sure where to start, try using these prompts to spark some ideas and start creating fall themed journal pages. You can use these prompts for writing, collaging, sketching, or layering little

As the weather turns cooler and the days grow shorter, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a new junk journal project. Autumn is full of rich colors, warm textures, and nostalgic moments that make for beautiful themed pages. Here are ten autumn-inspired junk journal themes to spark your creativity. This article may contain affiliate links. This means that I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.  1. Harvest Market Capture the charm o

If you’ve ever made a junk journal, you might be wondering: what do you actually do with it? It’s such a beautiful book filled with pockets, tags, and pages. But now what? Do you write in it? Do you put photos in it? Or do you just put it on the shelf? The truth is, there’s no one right way to use it. A junk journal is whatever you want it to be. It can hold your memories, your art, your thoughts, or even your daily plans. It’s your space to create without rules. They look be

When you sit down to make a junk journal page, sometimes it helps to have a theme in mind. A theme gives your page a sense of direction. It can tie together the colors, the words, and the pieces of ephemera you choose. Most of all, it sparks creativity and makes the process more enjoyable. This article may contain affiliate links. This means that I might earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.  Here are some themes you can try the next time yo

If you're starting a new junk journal, there's so many options it can be hard to decide. The fun part is that there's not really a right choice. The one you like the best is automatically the right choice! If you have the chance to shop in person, try flipping through some different styles. See if you like the size of the book and how it feels in your hand. Check that you like the type of paper. Think about the kind of journaling you'll do and look for paper that matches. Fo

When you sit down with a blank page in your junk journal, it can feel a little overwhelming. Where do you start?  That’s where layouts come in. A layout is the way you arrange the pieces on your page. It helps give structure and flow, while still leaving plenty of room for creativity. What is a Junk Journal Layout? Think of a layout as the “map” of your page. It’s how you place papers, photos, tags, or embellishments so the page feels balanced. Layouts aren’t rules. They’re j

Have you’ve ever opened your junk journal and wondered what should I put on this page? Instead of staring at a blank page, try using a junk journal prompt. A prompt is a simple idea or question that can be a starting point for your page. Prompts can spark inspiration and help you get started. What is a Junk Journal Prompt? A junk journal prompt is a simple idea, question, or creative challenge that helps you decide what to put on your new journal page or scrapbook spread. It

If you've ever found yourself with a postcard that you want to save, a ticket from a special day, or a bit of ribbon that's too pretty to throw away, you're already half way to being a junk journalist! Junk journaling is a creative way to turn your everyday treasures into something beautiful. You can use your book to capture memories, express your feelings or just have fun with pretty paper. What is a Junk Journal? A junk journal is a book where you store all the bits and pie