Junk Journals at Meg's Garden
Meg’s Garden Junk Journals Recipe
Junk Journals mean different things to different people.
At Meg’s Garden we love to innovate & we like ‘modified’ Junk Journals - more cut & create, less junkie, can add coffee or tea dyed paper & can also add some cardstock, patterned paper & embellishments, of course!
You should have a theme before starting & also a style. This will give you a colour scheme & your journal will flow more smoothly.
Colour: tones that work together & a pop of colour
Style: grunge, shabby chic or whatever you want
Texture: absolutely necessary
Size: any size you want but remember most papers will be A4 (8.3x11”) so think about papers that will be used on both sides & also on both sides/through the signature.
Half page size works well but keep all offcuts for strips, pockets etc.
The pages should be 1/4” less than the book cover.
In a junk journal the page sizes can be different - makes for interest
Covers: Options - an old book with the inside cut out, make a
soft spine or create a full cover with chip/card board.
Layers: Essential - think ‘add to page’
Ingredients: - not all are necessary - think outside the box & look through your stash - particularly the things pushed in the back or in an old stash - restyle them. Deconstruct old journals, cards & projects. Old patterned papers become exciting when dyed with tea or coffee or use your mixed media products.
Ephemera - Cut & create images
Patterned paper - for pages, strips tuck spots, pockets, envelopes - old patterned paper really dyes well with coffee or tea.
Vellum - Translucent paper (tracing paper) - any paper added needs to be able to be folded.
Paper scraps
Flowers, buttons, embellishments, cogs, keys, metal & wood all add texture & dimension
Die Cuts, stickers, labels, stamps, stencils
Paint, watercolour, inks, markers, highlighters - anything to colour or spray
Envelopes - especially little ones
Writing paper (lined)
Old book pages - dictionary, old book, poetry, maps
Embellishments, tags, tickets, doilies
Napkins - use tape to remove backings
Fabric - for covers & spine and also for pages - scraps, lace & ribbons
Coffee or tea for dyeing papers. Spray or splash when lightly dyed to add interest. A mini spray bottle works really well
Washi tape on a roll or made by you. To make just cut a strip of paper the width you want & add double sided tape at the edges.
Recycled/reused materials
Glues to attach - paper, modpodge, fabric & other elements
Apart from Pages:
Strips of varying width & materials - they can be stuck down or just at the top & bottom in order to tuck pieces in. Could also be doily strips, lace, wide ribbons, jute & more
Tickets - with or without words
Envelopes of varying sizes - dyed or not
Tags - always a must - different sizes, decorated or not, words, different materials
Pieces - of whatever.
elements from nature - dried flowers, leaves, pods, dried lavender, twigs, bark
sewing elements - needles etc.
travel docs
Whatever your theme requires - remember this is a junk journal & almost anything goes.
Tuck spots - tuck things in
The main thing is to think outside the box & have fun. Tear the pages or corners, make them different sizes; but remember the papercrafting principles - Colour, Texture & Style.