An Art / Junk Journal

Journaling is something I’ve been doing digitally for years. Recording thoughts in the digital ether is comforting, easily accessible (for me, by me, to me), and thoroughly enjoyable. Even photography is a way of journaling in my life. Capturing a moment in a photo can whiplash me back in time in an instant.

Physical art is another thing entirely. As I continue to explore new mediums, making a photograph is not enough. Enter the art / junk journal. A place to store bits and bobs I’ve made, try out techniques, and even explore new craft supplies, which I never seem to get enough of. Seriously. My tiny apartment is awash in crafty tools and materials. The organization struggle is real.

This particular journal creation was heavily inspired by Natasha at Treasure Books. Her YouTube channel has taught me an vast range of techniques and tricks to make journals. Truly, without the guidance and inspiration, this particular journal would never have materialized.

The fabric cover is cotton from a fat quarter set I purchased during the initial mask-making days at the onset of C19. Various Tim Holtz stamps, background wallpapers, dies, bits of paper ephemera, embossing folders, and inks all work together to embellish lots of tea dyed papers. Some sewing, lots of glue, and a thread binding holds it all together.

Even the tea dyeing technique is courtesy of a video by Natasha. Never considered it before now and I’m absolutely in love with the results. The aged and distressed look of tea dyeing fits right into my style. It’s just typing paper, some notebook paper, and a handful of large sheets of the always-sturdy-when-wet deliciously wonderful Yasutomo rice paper. Seriously, that paper is dreamy.

This journey into journals (journal journey? journal-y??) is only starting. Thrilled to explore this more in the future.