10 Perfect Junk Journal Themes for Autumn

Colleen McCarthy
Oct 13
3 min read

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.

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1. Harvest Market

Capture the charm of a small-town farmer’s market. Use images of apples, sunflowers, and baskets of produce. Add ephemera like handwritten price tags, vintage advertisements, or old grocery receipts. This theme feels both nostalgic and cheerful. It's perfect for celebrating abundance and gratitude.

Peach and green market stall filled with sunflowers and pumpkins in rustic crates. — Pumpkins and sunflowers are fantastic themes for fall junk journals or scrapbooks.

2. Fall Leaves

Falling leaves instantly capture the feeling of autumn. This theme is perfect for layering papers in shades of gold, rust, and deep red. Add real pressed leaves or leaf-shaped cutouts, then finish your pages with stitched borders or textured backgrounds. It’s a great way to bring nature’s color palette right into your journal.

3. Pumpkins

Pumpkins are one of the most classic autumn symbols. They work for any type of journal spread. Try making harvest pages, cozy kitchen scenes, or even Halloween layouts. You can mix vintage pumpkin illustrations, seed packets, and handwritten recipes for a warm, nostalgic feel. Use orange tones, plaid backgrounds, and kraft paper to complete the look.

4. Apple Orchard

Apples bring a pop of red to your autumn palette. Pair apple imagery with gingham paper, woodgrain textures, and handwritten recipe cards. You can also include pages about baking or cozy family traditions. It’s a warm, inviting theme that feels homey and comforting.

Trees filled with apples on a golden fall day with a faded plaid picnic blanket and baskets of apples. — Apple picking is a classic fall activity or theme for scrapbooking and junk journaling.

5. Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin spice isn’t just a flavor. It’s a whole mood! Think of cozy coffee mugs, cinnamon sticks, and baked goods on vintage-style backgrounds. You can use printable stickers and patterned papers featuring pumpkins, spices, and coffee cups. This theme works beautifully for journaling about comfort, home, and seasonal routines.

6. Woodland Creatures

Foxes, squirrels, and owls make this theme soft and storybook-like. Combine earthy tones with forest imagery, such as mushrooms, acorns, and moss. Layer paper textures like bark or linen for a rustic finish. This theme is great for anyone who loves nature journaling or whimsical storytelling pages.

7. Autumn Garden

Even though gardens are winding down, there’s still beauty in late blooms and seed-saving. Mix botanical illustrations, seed packets, and handwritten notes about gardening. You could even include pockets for real pressed flowers. It’s a peaceful and reflective theme that connects you to nature’s cycles.

Flat lay of botanical illustrations of sunflowers, wheat and marigolds in orange, yellow and red shades. — The colors of an autumn garden make for beautiful junk journal pages.

8. Cozy Cottage

A cozy cottage theme brings together warm fabrics, soft light, and simple living. Think patchwork patterns, teacups, and old books. You can use lace, fabric scraps, or vintage wallpaper prints to add a handmade touch. It’s a lovely way to reflect the slower pace of autumn days.

9. Vintage School Days

Back-to-school season has a timeless charm. Use old report cards, flashcards, handwriting sheets, and vintage book pages. Add notebook paper, stamps, or ribbon bookmarks. This nostalgic theme works beautifully for journaling childhood memories or documenting your own learning journey.

10. Halloween Magic

Halloween opens the door to more mysterious designs. Use vintage-style images of black cats, bats, and moons. Layer them with lace, script handwriting, and faded textures for an aged look. This theme adds a little mystery and fun to your fall journaling.

Collage of a black cat in front of a full moon with a lantern and orange and white pumpkins. — Halloween is always a great theme for scrapbooks and junk journals.

Free Autumn Printables

Like these illustrations? Download this free, printable set of autumn themed journaling cards when you join the member area. There's no obligation once you've joined - it's just a space I created to share all my freebies.