This is why I make junk journals for myself and to sell to others

Sometimes I am asked why I make junk journals for myself and to sell to others. There are many reasons. First, I enjoy the process of creating antique-looking art. Second, I enjoy working with the old paper and ephemera that I find at thrift stores and upcycling them into new art that can be used and treasured again. And third, I love to leave a record of my daily life for my child and eventually my grandchildren.

This last reason is the most important to me. I would love to have even a page of ephemera or a couple of words my grandmothers had saved about their lives. Many people tell me that they do not journal because they are overwhelmed by opening a journal to an empty white page . They do not know where to start or what to say.

But junk journals nowadays have all kinds of clever places to store tickets, menus, and other bits of our lives that our children’s children will find fascinating. Taping in a photo and writing a few words about the gathering is invaluable to future generations who may not remember how relatives looked when they were young and cute. In addition, today’s junk journals have small spaces (called tucks and tags) to write our thoughts and experiences in a condensed form. All of this makes it less intimidating than opening a journal to a big blank page. I hope the next time you think about buying yourself or a special person a unique keepsake gift you will think about giving them a handmade junk journal to try. I think you will surprise yourself how much you like it and/or how much your friend will thank you for introducing them into the world of saving their history. All of these journals are for sale in my Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LDphotography)

Little Golden books junk journals

I have started to make vintage Little Golden books into junk journals. I have always loved these books from my childhood and I have a collection of some that are not in great shape. So to give them new life I have made them into 2 ring junk journals with all of the story pages interspersed with papers to write on . These are all for sale in my Etsy store;https://www.etsy.com/shop/LDphotography I hope to make a few more.

Thanks for looking.

Free tutorial; how to cover a journal with wallpaper samples

I have discovered that it is so easy and it looks so professional to cover an alter book journal or any journal with wallpaper samples. The kind that I am using in this tutorial is a thicker wallpaper that I sell in my etsy store. I thought that it would be helpful to share how I do these covers. I start with the book or the journal that I want to cover.

Here is all that I need to make this cover

Then I cut the wallpaper exactly to the size of the book, leaving a little on the sides in case of mistake.

I cover both sides and the spine with double stick tape

I carefully apply the wallpaper first to the front, then the spine and finally the back of the book

I cut the extra paper off with an exacto knife

Then add the accent photo or embellishments

There you go, it only takes less than a half an hour and the journal or book is covered and you can do whatever you desire to finish off your cover decoration.

I hope this helps. Here are some other journals that I have used this technique to cover.

Mermaid journal

Well, good luck with making your covers with this versatile and easy substrate. Happy creating.

flower bookmarks

I thought I might make some lovely flower bookmarks. I added a ribbon and a pearl and rhinestone embellishment at the top of each one. I think they will make a lovely extra gift if you are giving someone special a book. They also can be used as a secret santa gift, Bible study bookmarks or a stocking stuffer. I will be using them as tags in my journals. I am selling them in sets of 8 in my etsy store.

The backs of the bookmarks has information about the flower on the front

Thanks for looking at these bookmarks. I will probably be adding more to my etsy shop as time goes on.

My Mermaid altered book junk journal Sold

I have to admit, I love to create mermaid journals. There is something seductive about the idea of maidens of the sea swimming around just out of reach. They are beautiful and graceful mythical creatures that fill my imagination. So here is another altered book junk journal that I just listed in my etsy store. I just sold it.

Here are some photos of this lovely journal that I have filled with sparkling gemstones and lots of tucks and tags for you to fill in with memories.

page folds out to reveal a tuck spot and a tag

another fold out page

I hope you have enjoyed these photos of my mermaid junk journal. Perhaps they have given you some ideas about how to create your own. It is for sale in my Etsy store. Take care.

Steampunk Lady travel journal

I just finished this steampunk journal from a vintage altered book. I love the illustratration which came from a paper kit called Lady Vagabond. I added lots of tags, pockets, trifolds, handmade envelops and many items from my streampunk stash. I particularly liked how the cover turned out. I used modeling paste and a stencil to make the background. Then I sprayed it with purple, blue and pink paint. I added the metal gears and other steampunk items and then added the lady with her telescope sitting on a trunk. You can purchase this in my etsy store. Sold but I take custom orders , just DM me.

I added lots of places to put photos and ephemera from a trip.

This is a flip out page with a pocket in the top of the page

This is another flip out page with a pocket on top

The green page flips up so you can write under it

Thanks for looking at this post. You can purchase mixed media journal in my esty store.

1874 vintage Bible pages

I recently came across this 1874 vintage Bible the covers were in tatters but main part of the book was in great shape for a 148 year old book. I use these Bible pages for making my prayer journals and my Books of Hours. I also use them in an altered book journal that I want to make spiritually extra special. Sometimes I use them in my mixed media collages as background material.

But as you can imagine , I have way too many pages for my work so I am offering them in my etsy store in packages of 25 pages. You can scan them and use them over and over again or use them like I do which is add the original pages to my work.

Here are some pages in my Book of Hours journal that I used these pages for background.

Love Valentine journal SOLD

I made this Love Valentine journal to celebrate the giving and receiving of love. I thought it might be a delightful gift for a teenage daughter from her mother or father. Of course, it would make a lovely gift for one lover to give to another. You can purchase this journal in my etsy store.

This is an altered vintage book that I have prepared by tearing out excess pages and gluing together pages to make a strong substrate to attach embellishments, fold out pages, handmade envelops and tucks and tags. The cover has a heart and jeweled dangle and a larger heart charm. It has vintage lace and victorian ladies scattered throughout the journal. It ties close with a red ribbon.

I hand make almost everything inside; the envelops, the tags, the tip out pages and two decorated paper clips to hold your place. Every page is a wonderful artistic surprise. There are 17 pages inside.This journal measures, 7.5 x 5.5 inches and is 3 inches thick. I hope you enjoy the photos of it.

Flip up page

Two pocket pages with tags

Secret envelop and letter

Vellum overlay

Thanks for taking the time to look at my work. Remember this journal is for sale in my etsy store.

Medieval woman Book of hours prayer journal Sold out

I am still working on unpacking and organizing my new craft studio but I could not resist making a new journal. It is hard to not create and so here is my new Medieval woman Book of Hours, that can be used as a prayer journal. You can find it for sale in my etsy store;

As you can see I have used an old book and altered the covers and the inside. I love the colors of this cover. I choose royal purple and lavender because most of the Books of Hours used in the middle ages were owned by royalty . The beautiful lady in the gold colored frame has been decorated with Swarovski crystals to make her sparkle. The background is made with a stencil . modeling paste and diamond glitter. I added a copper dangle in the upper right hand corner that has 3 charms.

Normally, it takes about a week to make one of these mixed media journals but this one took longer because it is bigger and more elaborate than I usually make.The pages inside have been removed and the left over pages have been glued together to make a stronger substrate to add embellishments There are about 40 pages in the book with 32 tucks and tags. I have added some handmade envelops with paper inside for a personal note or prayer.

It is filled it with images from famous 14th century French Books of Hours and other medieval paintings. There are lots of blank pages for you to add your own embellishments. and photos. Swarovski crystals are scattered throughout the journal with gold glitter to highlight the images. Vellum cover pages, triple fold outs and double fold outs supplement the interactive aspect of this diary. 

A pull out tag on the top of the right page and a vellum overlay on the left page

This is a triple fold out with a vellum page on the left

Paper door opens up and there is a tuck spot on top

Several tucks in the left side of the page

Pull out tags from 3 sides of this set of pages

The vintage paper on the bottom of the left page is from a 120 year old German bible

As in all of my mixed media journals , this is one of a kind. A perfect gift for that discerning woman of faith.

Medieval Book of Hours journal — Sold

I am fascinated with the medieval books of hours that royalty used as their praybooks. The illuminated images are so colorful; like jeweled pages to inspire the owner to pray and meditate on the lives of Jesus and Mary. I have made this 6×4 inch journal from these images, Swarovski crystals and pearls. There is even a jeweled paper clip to keep your place in the diary. There are plenty of blank pages and tags to write in your own prayers or observations.

It has 2 vintage book covers that have been altered with a Nativity scene from a book of hours. It is bound with 2 large book binding rings so that you can add pages or rearrange pages the way you desire. There are 28 pages inside. There are 2 small books inside and a few fold out pages. The pearl and glass dangle in front has a pewter cross charm. It would be a treasured gift for anyone who loves prayer journals.

It is on sale in my etsy store . It has been sold but there is another Book of Hours in my store

I hope you enjoyed this blog post of my Book of Hours journal. Remember you can purchase it in my etsy store.