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After two years of creating junk journals, I believed it was about time I wrote a weblog submit on learn how to make a junk journal from scratch, step-by-step.
What began as a mini junk journal video tutorial has now turn into a 2500-word information exhibiting the alternative ways you can also make a junk journal and the steps concerned.
Basically, that is most likely all the things I might ever inform you about my journal-making course of.
So, are you sitting comfortably? Ideally with a drink in hand? Excellent, let’s start…
How To Make A Junk Journal From Scratch: Step-By-Step Course of
Step 1: Determine what kind of junk journal you’re going to make
Earlier than you begin making your junk journal, you’ll have to determine what kind of junk journal you’re going to make and what supplies you wish to use.
For instance, listed below are some questions to contemplate earlier than you get began:
Will you make a soft-cover or hard-cover journal?Will you upcycle a e-book cowl, cereal field or another meals packaging to make your journal cowl?Or will you utilize envelopes to make your cowl?Do you wish to make a junk journal fully from scratch?Or would you favor to make an altered e-book junk journal? This implies you’ll skip the necessity to make your journal cowl and also you’ll skip the binding course of.
RELATED: 35+ Sorts Of Junk Journals You Can Strive Making
As with most components of this addictive craft, there’s no proper or fallacious method to make a junk journal. And there are actually no set guidelines to comply with.
Nevertheless, should you’ve by no means made a junk journal earlier than then you definately would possibly desire to:
a) Begin with a one-signature journal versus a number of.b) Upcycle one thing (reminiscent of cereal packing containers, meals packaging or envelopes) moderately than measuring cardstock or chipboard from scratch.
You may also discover my weblog posts on “What’s a junk journal?” and “Junk journal definitions” useful.
Or perhaps you’re simply far too excited to get caught in to fret about something. That’s okay too, after all. Maintain studying to study extra!
Whichever kind of junk journal you make, lots of the steps after making the quilt are related, so I hope you discover the next directions useful.
Notice: In the event you’re making an altered e-book junk journal, then except for adorning your journal cowl, you possibly can skip forward to Step 5.
Step 2: Make and adorn your junk journal cowl
In the event you’re undecided learn how to make a junk journal cowl, then the very first thing you’ll want to know is that the method differs barely based mostly on what sort of journal you’re making and what supplies you’re utilizing.
To assist, I’ll checklist some primary directions and hyperlinks to movies under for 3 of the most well-liked methods to make a junk journal cowl.
How To Make Journal Covers From Cereal Packing containers & Different Packaging
If you wish to make your journal cowl from cereal packing containers or related packaging, then you definately’ll discover some easy steps and a video under that will help you get began.
This is likely one of the hottest methods to make a junk journal given the fundamental provides are free!
First, you’ll want to organize your cowl by trimming off any extra packaging. All you’ll want to preserve is sufficient of the field to make your back and front covers and a backbone.
Ideally, it’s simpler should you can preserve all three components collectively in any other case you’ll have to tape them collectively.
At this level, you may additionally wish to reinforce your backbone with some further cardstock.
From right here, you’re free to brighten your cowl nevertheless you want. You can use paper or cloth to cowl it after which line the within with fairly papers or cardstock.
Don’t neglect so as to add your closure and every other gildings like bookplates or journal toppers.
Do you favor watching movies?
Observe alongside as I make a mini junk journal cowl from a coughdrop field >>
Or see how I used a chocolate field with a window in it to create an attention-grabbing paper patchwork junk journal cowl >>
How To Make Journal Covers From Books
Alternatively, one other in style method to make a junk journal is by upcycling outdated and unloved books.
First, you’ll have to fully intestine the e-book so that you’re left with an empty e-book cowl. You are able to do this by operating a craft knife alongside both aspect of the backbone as proven right here:
Then the steps are much like those listed above. You’ll want to bolster your backbone or make a brand new one for the e-book cowl if it’s not broad sufficient.
Watch my video to see how I made a brand new backbone for my e-book cowl journal >>
High Tip: Why not upcycle your unique e-book spines into bookmarks? It’s tremendous simple to do – try my tutorial right here.
If you’re prepared, you possibly can adorn your e-book cowl, line the within with cardstock or fairly papers and add your closure. And now you may have a journal cowl able to go!
Right here’s one other video to indicate how I embellished my upcycled e-book journal >>
Alternatively, you possibly can create a ring-bound junk journal by utilizing the back and front covers of a e-book and eradicating the backbone fully. As a substitute, you possibly can “be part of” the covers collectively utilizing e-book rings.
Right here’s a video to indicate you ways >>
Please observe that the steps listed above are for making junk journal covers by upcycling outdated and unloved books.
Many of those steps don’t apply should you’re making an altered e-book junk journal, which entails retaining the e-book cowl and many of the unique pages intact.
As a substitute, you’ll solely take away among the pages to make room in your ephemera and gildings.
How To Make Journal Covers From Envelopes
In the event you’re on the lookout for a simple junk journal, then I can consider nothing higher than utilizing an A4 or US letter-sized envelope.
You possibly can even use bubble mailers for a mushy and squishy cowl!
Fold your envelope or bubble mailer in half and you must discover they’re the proper measurement in your journal pages. It’s also possible to trim the envelope or bubble mailer down additional if you’ll want to.
From right here, you’re free to brighten your cowl with cloth or paper and add your closure.
Easy, huh?
Right here’s a video to indicate how I made a easy pocket book utilizing two envelopes joined collectively >>
You may also like to observe how I made some easy paper bag journals following a tutorial from Wendy’s Journal Journey. The method is much like utilizing envelopes and bubble mailers.
When you get extra skilled, you can also make junk journal covers from virtually something reminiscent of candy wrappers, cloth placemats and even pockets purses.
In the event you’re on the lookout for inspiration on learn how to adorn your journal cowl, then listed below are a lot of junk journal cowl concepts to encourage you.
Step 3: Put together your signature(s)
When you’ve made your cowl, you’ll know what measurement your pages have to be, so it’s time to organize your signature(s).
A “signature” is a group of papers that you just’ll bind into your cowl to make your journal. These are the pages that you just’ll both write on, adorn or add ephemera to.
In the event you’re making a one-signature journal (good for freshmen) then you definately’ll want only one assortment of papers. Two signatures require two collections of papers, three signatures require three collections of papers and so forth.
What number of papers you utilize for every signature is as much as you.
Nevertheless, as a rule of thumb, I often go for between 8-12 papers relying on a) how thick each bit of paper is and b) what number of ephemera and gildings I’m going so as to add.
I’ve revamped 30 journals by now and it nonetheless surprises me how rapidly they develop when you begin including pockets, tuck spots, journal tags/playing cards and different ephemera.
You should use quite a lot of totally different papers to make your signatures – from scrapbook paper, e-book pages and digitals to envelopes and paper baggage.
That is half the enjoyable of creating a junk journal, so don’t be afraid to vary issues up and experiment!
Step 4: Bind your signatures into your cowl
When you’ve ready your signature(s), it’s time to bind them into your cowl.
In the event you’re undecided learn how to bind a junk journal, then observe that there are numerous binding strategies you need to use.
One of many best and hottest is the 3-hole pamphlet sew. After which there’s the 5-hole pamphlet sew, which some say is safer than the 3-hole model.
This video from Tracie Fox is especially useful to indicate you the distinction between the 2.
And right here’s one other video to indicate how I often bind a two-signature journal. I demonstrated with a mini journal in order that it’s simpler for freshmen to craft together with.
However you don’t even want to stitch your signatures into your journal cowl!
Perhaps you’d desire to have the liberty and suppleness to maneuver your pages round once you’re utilizing the journal. In that case, you would possibly desire to make use of an elastic binding technique or e-book binding rings.
You possibly can even use ribbon like I did for this enjoyable Christmas junk journal. The ribbon retains the pages safe whereas including an ornamental characteristic alongside the backbone.
You may also wish to watch this video to see how I certain one among my journals utilizing elastics and an ornamental shank button.
And right here’s a video exhibiting how I prepped my cowl and pages to make them appropriate for my Tim Holtz ring-bound journal. Curiously, I additionally upcycled an outdated e-book cowl to make this one.
When you get comfy with journal binding, it will get simpler and also you’ll be extra more likely to wish to experiment. It’s all a part of the enjoyable!
Simply to notice: Some folks desire so as to add ephemera and gildings earlier than binding their signatures, whereas others (like me) desire to bind the pages in first.
As at all times, there’s no proper or fallacious method.
I personally desire to bind my pages in earlier than adorning them for the next causes:
It retains me targeted and reins me in somewhat bit. (In any other case, I might find yourself spending months engaged on a journal!)I discover the pages simpler to bind after they’re lighter and fewer cumbersome.And easily, my inventive course of flows higher after I do it this fashion.
However I encourage you to strive it every method to be able to determine what works finest for you.
Step 5: Add ephemera and gildings
So, you’ve completed making your journal cowl and your signatures are prepared for ephemera and gildings.
Fantastic! That is most individuals’s favorite a part of the junk journal course of.
In the event you’ve by no means heard of the time period “Junk journal ephemera” earlier than, then my weblog submit defining it’s most likely price a learn.
However in a nutshell, junk journal ephemera is something you add to your journal, reminiscent of pockets, tuck spots, stomach bands, flip-outs, scrappy notepads, journaling tags and playing cards and no matter else you determine so as to add to it.
You would possibly wish to glue ephemera items instantly onto your pages or paper clip them in. Whereas some items will naturally match finest inside pockets and tuck spots.
As for journal gildings, these are all of the ending touches you add to your journal to brighten it, reminiscent of lace and ribbons, fussy cuts, stickers, clusters, altered paper clips, dangles and extra.
I’ve a lot of movies on making junk journal ephemera and gildings, so that you would possibly wish to try my YouTube playlists linked under:
Alternatively, you would possibly like to observe my inventive means of filling a junk journal through one of many movies linked under:
Are You Nonetheless Trying For Junk Journal Inspiration?
In that case, you would possibly wish to learn my different junk journal blogs; a few of that are linked under:
Or perhaps you’d desire to come back and hang around with me on my YouTube channel and see my course of first-hand? I often publish three or 4 movies per week.
And at last, why not come and be part of us within the “Junk Journal Concepts and Inspiration” Fb group? We’ve got 1000’s of gifted creators in there sharing concepts and tutorials… and also you would possibly even make a brand new buddy or two. We’re a beautiful bunch, promise!
Last Ideas
You need to now have a lovely handmade junk journal of your very personal that you just’re prepared to put in writing in.
I hope you’re glad along with your outcomes. However greater than something, I hope you loved the method and are feeling impressed to make many extra journals.
When you get began, I think you’ll be like most others and catch the journal-making bug.
I caught the bug roughly two years in the past now and it reveals no indicators of going away any time quickly!
Questioning what to put in writing in your journal now you’ve made one? Listed below are 52 junk journal prompts that will help you get began.
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