Hello! My name is Sanna and I am a guest design team member this month. I live in Sweden, in Scandinavia, with my husband and our two daughters age 7 and 9.
I have come to realise that I need to be creative to be happy, and over the years I have tried many different ways; sewing, knitting, painting, crafting, crochet, drawing, lettering and so on. I tend to go all in for a thing for a while and then move on to new things. Maybe you are the same?
But with journaling and penpals the love affair has lasted. And I think that has to with the fact that it gives me what I need, in more than one way. I can plan my life, be creative, make friends all over the world and save my memories. And it is the final thing, memory keeping, I want to tell you a little about in this blog post.
A few years ago I started to forget things. Not just appointments and things like that, but also the really important things - the happiest moments in my life. (Later I realised I was way to stressed, and that my brain didn’t work the way it is supposed to. Today I feel much better, but my memory is sadly not that much better.)
I felt so sad not remembering thing my kids had said and done, vacations and holidays, and wanted to find a way to keep all of those memories. That is when I found out about junk journaling.
The way you keep your memories is not the most important part, but for me the junk journal is perfect! I can work with color, patterns, designs, old things, new things, photos, words - well anything I want. And finally I have a journal filled with moments from my and my family’s life.
I often do my junk journal myself. I find some papers in my stash that I like, and a piece of cardstock for the cover, and then bind it all together with some waxed thread and a needle. I have learned not make to many pages in my junk journals, as I tend to put so many things in them (I do have quite a few journals that I couldn’t finish because of how bulky they were).
The first rule when I junk journal is that I have no rules :) The only thing I plan before starting is what to journal about, what photos to use (if I have any) and if there is any kind of ephemera from my life I want to add to the pages (like a receipt, a drawing from one of my kids, a postcard or a piece of wrapping or note from a happymail). After that, I just do what I feel like in the moment.
Not planning how I want the page or spread to look when it is finished, but instead just do what ever I come to think of, is the most relaxing part of the process. Without an idea of the finished ”product” I have found that I don’t judge my performance as easy. Instead, I get surprised about how the finished pages look, and I just love that feeling! I hope this makes sense (if not, feel free to ask away over at Instagram or in the comment section!)
I do have some tips and tricks I tend to use again and again in my junk journals, and if you want to check them out, keep on reading!
1. Papers.
We all love them right? Old, new, ruled, grid, patterned and so on. I glue them on a page, add them as a tip in with some washi tape or a stapler, and tuck them in a pocket or an envelope. Can’t journal without them!
2. Pen.
Well, no surprise :) I write, and sometimes draw. I often use a brush pen and a fine tip of some kind.
3. Photos.
I have a collage app in my phone, and usually use two or three photos on each print. Then I print them myself on 10 x 15 (4 x 6) photo paper) and cut them apart with a pair of scissors.
4. Journaling cards.
I buy them in a craft store, cut from cardstock or use some kind of ephemera. Sometimes I glue a photo on the card, or add some writing and then make a tip on with a piece of washi or tuck the card in a pocket or envelope. A journaling card is also great to make a little pocket on a page with some glue on two or three of the edges.
5. Extra space.
I like to add interactive parts in my junk journals, for example tip ins, an extra page, a paper bag, an envelope or create a pocket. Anything you can flip, pull up and fold out! This makes the journal interesting and makes even more space to work on. There are many ways to add these interactive parts to a page, and my favorite way is with some washi tape...
6. Washi.
Which leads me to my favorite stationery item: washi tape. I use washi all the time, both as a decoration and to attach things. I love it! Kraft paper tape is also very useful in a junk journal, as a label, journaling space or to attach something.
7. Stamps.
Another favorite. Mostly for decoration but also for adding dates.
8. Stickers.
I do use stickers in my junk journal, but not always. But it is a great way to decorate a page and fill a space that needs just a little something! A kind of sticker I do use often is labels, often close to a photo to write a little something on or to add a date.
9. Illustrations.
I do use cut outs from illustrated books more often then I use stickers. I love birds and flowers:) Book pages and illustrations from childrens books are another favorite.
10. Fabric and yarn.
I like to add a string of yarn or a piece of fabric in my journals. A piece of fabric and some glue can even work to attach things!
Well, I could go on even more about my passion for junk journaling, but this blog post is already very long. Thank you for staying with me all the way to the end! I hope you enjoyed this, and if you are new to the junk journal world I do recommend checking out the #junkjournal hashtag on Instagram.
Now I, my junk journal and some supplies are going on vacation - and I hope to make a big bunch of memories to add to my pages!
xoxo
Sanna @skrivstilar
Thank you for sharing Sanna! I loved reading your junk journal experience and especially the tips section. You reminded me to use more of them in my own journal :)
xo