In this two part series, on "How to make a grungy junk journal" I will show you a different way to make a cover for a junk journal. I don’t know if this method is unique but it’s something new to me.
What makes this method different, is that I will attach the inside of the journal cover first, so I can sew in the signature papers, before I attach the fabric onto the outside cover.
If you'd like to see the tutorial on how to make this journal, then watch the Youtube video below, by clicking on the video:
Make a booklet for a junk journal. I will show you how to make a beautiful little booklet using teabags and a faux leather cover.
If you want to watch the video to learn how to make the faux leather cover and the tea bag pages, then watch the video below, just click on the screen:
Today, we will make a pretty journal card using scraps and embellishments. I used images and a poem I found in a children's poetry fairy book to make the card.
If you would like to learn how to make this journal card, then watch the video below by clicking on the screen:
Have some fun with me, as I show you how to decorate a junk journal page using tissues and book pages. If you want to watch the tutorial where I go through the step-by-step process, then click on the Youtube video below:
Make a pretty envelope for your junk journal using decorated parchment/baking paper and scraps. This is a fun and easy step by step process.
If you don’t want to make the envelope, then you can skip this step and use any ready-made envelope you already have on hand.
Materials List
1 sheet Parchment/Baking Paper
2 sheets Coffee-dyed Copy Paper
1 sheet Art Paper
1 Old Book Page
Children's Fairy Book - I cut out images to decorate the envelope
Lace & Fabric Scraps
Butterfly Cutout
Stencils
Watercolour Paints: greens & blue
Glue
Ranger Distress Ink: Vintage Photo
Ruler
Tacky Glue
Glue Stick
Instructions
Parchment/Baking Paper
Paint a sheet of baking paper, using green watercolour paints.
When the paint has dried, stencil on a pretty design over the top, using a stencil and either paint or inks.
Green Paper
Paint a sheet of art paper, using the green watercolour paints to create a solid green background paper.
Constructing the Envelope
Use the sheet of coffee-died copy paper to make the envelope. First, draw out a template using a pencil and a ruler. Draw two lines on both sides of the page, about 3/8" (1cm) in from the edges, to create the hinges for the envelope.
Next, turn the bottom and top edges up to create the bottom and top flaps, leaving a 1" (2.5cm) gap on the back panel, between the two flaps.
Fold in the two side hinges. then cut off the hinges on the bottom and top flaps (they're not needed), leaving the hinges on the back panel only.
Use the lid of a jar or some other round object, to create the rounded edges on the top flap. Then cut them out.
Making the Diagonal Panel on the front of the Envelope
Keeping the flaps closed, turn the envelope over and place it on the table, with front of the envelope facing up.
Place the sheet of decorated parchment/baking paper over the top of the envelope, the top left corner matching the top left corner of the envelope.
You can make the parchment panel any width you wish, depending on the size of your envelope. Using a pencil, make two marks for the top and bottom edges of the panel you're going to make.
Starting at the top edge of the envelope, amake a mark about halfway down the left side of the envelope. Repeat this step on the right side but in the reverse order, marking the bottom right edge, then making a mark halfway up on the right side to create a straight diagonal pattern.
Use a ruler to draw between the two sets of marks and also draw a line along the left and right edges of the envelope. To cut the panel out, use scissors to cut along the line on the right edge. Then tear the top and bottom of the panel out, making sure to tear on the outside of the top and bottom lines.
Using a glue stick, run a line of glue around the edges of the panel only. Attach the panel in place over the envelope. Once the glue had dried, use a sewing machine to sew around the edges of the parchment panel.
This next step is optional. If you want the parchment panel to show through to the inside of the envelope then follow the next steps.
Turn the envelope over and open it out. Using craft scissors, very carefully cut a small slit in the envelope, making sure you don't cut through the parchment panel behind. Next, use your fingers to tear close to the sewn edges to remove the copy paper, so that the parchment panel shows through.
Decorating the Envelope Front
Tear a sheet of printer paper into two triangles to fit onto the top and bottom of the envelope, but not covering up the parchment panel.
Tear 2 smaller triangles from the book page to fit inside the other two corner panels.
Ink around the edges on all four panels, before gluing the two pairs of panels together.
Glue the triangles into position on the envelope.
To finish, cut out images from the children's fairy book to decorate the top and bottom of the envelope.
Envelope Back Top Flap
Turn the envelope over and open up the flaps.
Use inks or paints to stencil a pattern on the top flap and the upper part of the back flap.
Use a sheet of scrap paper to place over the areas you don't want to stencil.
Decorate the top flap.
Use a piece of the decorated parchment/baking paper as a base to make a cluster from fabric and lace scraps. Glue it onto the flap first.
Cut out a thin strip of fabric to act as a ribbon and glue across the flap.
Make the cluster from lace and fabric scraps and glue over the parchment paper.
Then glue on the butterfly over the top.
Envelope Back Bottom Flap
Turn the hinges of the back flap inwards. Glue the bottom flap to the hinges to close the envelope.
Tear or cut a panel from the book page and glue onto the top right of the bottom panel.
Tear or cut triangles from the parchment/baking paper and the painted background paper and glue onto the bottom left edge of the bottom panel.
Cut out an image from the children's book to add as a decoration.
If you would like to watch the video where I show you the full process of how to make this envelope, then please click on the video below:
Make a unique and fun Tree-shaped BELLYBAND for your junk journal. It's an easy project that anyone can do. The bower bird and the owl both feature as the theme for this journal page. It's summer here in Australia and the bower bird is making his nest at the base of the tree to attract his mate.
If you would like to learn how to make this bellyband page, then click on the video below:
This is a fun and easy project that anyone can do, using a few simple supplies. I used a few metal tokens such as a half moon, an antique coin, a couple of different keys and a green enamel leaf.
I painted an owl sitting on a branch and then turned it into a journal card o insert into the tree trunk bellyband.
I also painted the bower bird then cut it out and attached to the base of the tree which has a cluster of different threads to symbolise the nest he's making to attract a mate.
In the following video, I will finish decorating the front page and also show you a neat way to store all your journal papers, paper scraps, ephemera etc together in one folder, so you don’t lose anything, while you’re working in your journal. To take a look at the video, please click on the video below:
Other Videos in this "All About Me" journal series:
I made a collage on the inside of the signature cover for this one-signature junk journal. If you would like to watch the tutorial on how I made a collage page then click on the video below:
The flip-out panel below, with an image of a female in a purple dress is the first page in the "All About Me" purple-themed junk journal. I love making unusual pages in my junk journals, including torn papers and papers with lots of texture.
This journal was a lot of fun to make as I created most of the decorative pages myself using a variety of different types of papers and using mediums such as paints, inks, stencils and texture paste.
On the back of the flip-out page is journalling space made from coffee-dyed ruled paper.
The side pocket panel of tiny white and purple flowers was painted with watercolour paints on copy paper. The two butterflies are cutout images. There is a typed letter inserted in the side pocket.
This is a fun and quick way to make a side pocket for your junk journal using parchment/baking paper. You can also use tracing paper or vellum for this technique.
If you want to watch the video on how to make this side pocket, please click on the video below:
Links to other videos in theForest Fairies Junk Journal Playlist:
Let’s Make a Forest Fairy Journal for February - choosing the papers
