Pinterest

Sunday 1 April 2018

Junk Journal for Mini Album Makers



Hello Friends

Although I have made many journals in the last year or so, I have never made a Junk Journal, so I thought I would take the plunge and make one for the Mini Album Makers Challenge for April.

I visited lots of blogs and watched many, many videos on how to create a junk journal and was inspired by lots of people, including Candy Colwell, Nik the Booksmith and Jenny Marples, all of whom have made beautiful Junk Journals.  In the end I was a bit overwhelmed and just did my journal with things I like using, including tea stained papers, a few digi pages (from Nik the Booksmith) and lots of fabric, modern and vintage lace, ephemera and charms from my stash.

 This is a picture heavy post, but it is a big journal measuring 8" x 6" x 2" deep.  I don't want to overburden with photos so I have collaged some.

This is a Nature Journal and it contains many images of dragonflies, bees and butterflies.
1)  Choose your covering, I used some of Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements fabric - Wallflower.
2) Cut medium weight board onto two 8" x 6" pieces and one 8" x 2" 
3) Cut a piece of fabric 17" x 11" in one continuous piece
4) Apply your glue of choice (I used my Xyron) to one side of each piece of board
5)  Apply the fabric to the glued side of the board leaving 1/8" gap between the pieces.
6) Optional extra - glue a piece of Tyvek to the joints to provide extra security
6) Use Matt Medium to glue the fabric to the inside of the binding as shown, ensuring you mitre the corners carefully to avoid extra bulk on the inside.
7) Cut design paper to fit the inside covers and glue these with Matt Medium
8) Make a pocket for the inside back cover if desired
9) Gather together your elements for the cover 
10)  Add these elements to your cover (I did not use the felted flower).  I decided to 'vintage up' the cover by applying a coat of Distress Collage Medium - Vintage to the cover - this also helps to protect the cover.

I created three signatures for the inside of the Journal and below is a small selection of the pages I created for the signatures.
I added lots of lace, pockets, tuck spots, tags, stamped insects and for the front and inside I created a couple of 'insects preserved in faux amber'....
To create the faux amber on the cover and in the
signatures I used the new Baked Textures Embossing Powder from Emerald Creek/Seth Apter.  I used my Melt Pot and added some Baked Texture - Amber along with small amount of clear UTEE.  The beauty of this technique is that you can re-stamp into the EP once it is cold, if you need to 'darken' your chosen stamp.
  I poured the melted compound onto my non stick craft sheet and immediately pressed Tim Holtz Entomology stamp (s) which had been inked with Black Archival Ink, into the molten EP.  I was really pleased with the outcome of both.  I mounted this one into one of Tim Holtz's cabinet cards.

Our generous sponsor this month is Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts who will provide a prize pack to one lucky winner!  You can see an example of how I used their wonderful products here.

                                                        Website - http://www.gslcuts.com/Store/
Blog - http://gslcuts.blogspot.co.uk/
                                       Instructionals and Kits - http://gslcuts.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html

I hope will have time to visit Mini Album Makers to see what my talented teamies have made, and hopefully join in this month!  As always, our challenge is Any Handmade Book Goes.  Enter any form of handmade mini albums, scrapbooks, journals and book arts.  Our focus is on completed works, so no layouts or journal spreads that are not part of a complete handmade book project.  You do not have to provide a tutorial, but we wish you would.  Feel free to use one of the DT tutorials to make your project and give proper credit where due.

Thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again soon...

Hugs, Anne xxx

41 comments:

  1. Oh Anne this is stunning! I want to see it all. The design looks amazing ...thanks for the steps. Love your vintage elements and the faux Amber insect is fabulous! Great idea and a real centrepiece. A favourite for sure! Nikki xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anne, this is beautiful! The cover caught my eye right away. Love the theme you chose and the bee in the wax is gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Anne, how brilliant is this! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Big hugs, Angela xXx

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a lovely project, Anne. Love your faux amber embellishments!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh wow, Anne, this is so amazing!! I wouldn't even know where to start with one of these!! Yours is spectacular!! I love the vintage elements and design!! The details you added are perfect!! Wow!! And the faux amber is incredible!! I love this, my friend!! Stunning!! Happy Easter!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is SO beautiful! All of your projects are absolutely amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my Anne - your 'junk' journal is so very beautiful - its got so much of joy and beauty inside - i love it to pieces. Huge easter hugs! Rachel x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anne this is just gorgeous!! I love your faux amber insects and the whole vintage feel to it - such a beautiful piece. Have a very happy Easter, Sue xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Absolutely gorgeous Anne, adore the fabric covers (some of your Creativation haul perhaps? :o) and how you've filled it with so much vintage goodness and those amazing amber insects! I adore junk journals, the skies the limit and your first is a masterpiece, thanks so much for sharing it, Deb xo

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have to confess I don't know why these are called "junk" journals because this is spectacular and nothing at all like junk! Expertly done and very impressive, Annie! You are well on your way to making your own name in the world of albums of any type!! Hugs, Darnell xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  11. wow wow wow Anne, you have well and truly blown my socks off, your junk journal is such a work of art and I love love love those amber stamped embellishments. You truly are the queen of journals xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is so beautiful, Anne! Especially love your faux amber embellishments! Just genius!
    Claudia x

    ReplyDelete
  13. This looks stunning Anne. So much gorgeous detail, love the fabric cover, and the pages all look beautiful. The faux amber looks amazing too .... love it all xx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fantastic journal and whilst you may have looked elsewhere for ideas, you've made it your own and used up some of your stash! Love the melt art embellies too! Happy Easter Elaine xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. This has so much charm Anne, I adore every inch of it, from fabric to stitch to stamped EP all amazing techniques and use of multimedia. I know exactly what you mean when looking at other peoples influences it can be so confusing to the creative brain, I find I have to take a back step and try not to look at anything until my work is done.
    Your creation is a real show stopper, thank you so much for sharing.
    Creative hugs and wishes Tracey xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. Absolutely stunning, Anne - a junk journal of such beauty and creativity. I love the textures and layers, and your amber-preserved insects are a brilliant touch. Looking forward to doing some proper catching up very soon.
    Alison x

    ReplyDelete
  17. Gorgeous journal Anne. Adore the faux amber and the beautiful lace trims. All these add to a wonderful tactile piece . Truly beautiful . Tracy ❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anne your junk journal is gorgeous!!! What a wonderful use of the Ancient Amber!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my word...fabulous in every way and detail! The faux amber pieces look so wonderful, and all the layers of paper and fabric...you have a great stash of goods and to have so many elements in this your first junk journal...excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is a special piece Anne. Really feels like an heirloom. And I love the embellishment!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is totally gorgeous! I can't add anything that hasn't already been said except I may have to dig out some 'junk' and try this :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Awesome! You always pick the most interesting 'ephemera' to add to your projects, and they seem to blend together to create such eye-catching pages! Always love the fabrics & laces (and the wildflower TH fabric is lovely) I was especially taken with your amber creations. Just gorgeous. This is very special and uniquely yours. Good job! TFS & Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is so stunning!! Way to go for your 1st Junk Journal. Love the emboss technique!!! Yay Anne

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is fantastic Anne! I love all the pages and the wonderful cover. The faux amber piece is so cool!! I haven't done that technique in a long time, I better take my melting pot out soon again. My sister is also sending me some beeswax soon that I want to try in the pot. :) I hope you had a lovely Easter! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love this beautiful junk journal! The papers and elements you have used look nothing like junk to me!! The insects in faux amber are spectacular! Hugs, Chrisx

    ReplyDelete
  26. The term 'junk' does not come to mind when I look at your beautiful journal filled to the brim with with gorgeous pages! I so want to pick this up and thumb through each and every page! The covers are so well done, and that fabric is gorgeous! I love the faux amber element on the cover and framed within the pages. Makes me wish I had gotten that stamp set. But I was going through my Halloween stamps yesterday. Guess what??? There are some of the same bugs on that set! This is the best journal ever, Anne! Thank you so much for sharing your steps as well. It's so fun seeing how this came together! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ooh wow! An awesome junk journal. Love all the elements you have used, inside and out. The cover is beautiful and I love your faux Amber - amazing with the insects stamped inside. Another absolute masterpiece my friend! You are such an inspiration, thank you! Hugs xxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Well now that you know who "Nik the Booksmith" is I know you will fall deeper into the land of Junk Journals. I love watching Nicole!!
    Love your post Sugar and will save it for further reference!
    Fantastic!!!!
    sandy xx

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh my! This is gorgeous Anne!! I love the vintage look and would love to be able to thumb through it! The cover is gorgeous and the faux amber is amazing!! However did you come up with that technique .. it is awesome!! Absolutely love this!! hugs xx

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anne, I have been dying to get over and read this post and you did not disappoint! Oh how I love this journal. I only wish for more photos!!! ;0 I am tickled to see how you used this fabric (and remember the photo of you at Joann's picking it up) and know how much it means to you. What a delightful journal, filled to the brim with beautiful details. Can I ask how you added the signatures? Did you pierce the spine or add elastic? Love love this my friend and truly appreciate you sharing your talents. Hugs, Autumn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Autumn, thank you! I added the signatures with elastic, you can probably just see the elastic on the picture with the cover showing. Hugs xxx

      Delete
  31. Wow and WOW!!!!
    Truly beautiful junk journal, Anne.
    Loving all the elements you chose, and of course, your delightful bees additions melted in a ix of clear utee and this new baked texture that looks awesome.
    A real treasure, your composition is so beautiful.
    Thank you for the tutorial and all the tips... I have to create mine one day too! :)
    Hugs, Coco xxx

    ReplyDelete
  32. The name 'junk journal' just doesn't seem right for this , Anne as it is so absolutely gorgeous- a real treasure trove of wonderful fabrics, lace, ephemera and embellies brought to life with your talented creativity . As for the faux amber pieces, well they are absolute gems - real stunners!
    Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
    hugs x

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh what a beautiful treasure Anne!! LOVE it!! A tremendous amount of love and detail has gone into your wonderful journal. I can't call it 'junk' either! Truly stunning and brilliantly vintage. Nicola x

    ReplyDelete
  34. You have created an amazing Junk Journal Anne xx Filled with the most wonderful details inside and out xx A great step by step too that I am sure I will study in more detail. I really hope to make some journals as I have the EH die ( have been saying that for over a year now so really must make an effort)

    Sending my best wishes to you and David xx Just trying to catch up with blogging but will get there soon

    Annie x

    ReplyDelete
  35. Jaw on floor!!! Wow! I love this. Like you, I have never done this particular style of junk Journal. I am overwhelmed by the possibilities and tend to shy away and just do a traditional mini instead! I really must let my hair down and give this a go! You did a wonderful job with ours!! Wish I could touch it in person!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Oh Wow, Anne, this is so amazing! Your Journal is very beautiful! I really like junk Journal! Thanks for the idea and the tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  37. This is astounding Anne!!!!! You've clearly got junk journals nailed - this is packed full of beautiful pages and that hugely textural cover is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Thank you so much for the kind shout out xxx

    ReplyDelete
  38. This is so pretty Anne - what a lovely make.
    Toni xx

    ReplyDelete
  39. Wow Anne, this is just amazing!! I've always wanted to try doing a junk journal, and this is such an inspiring version that I may actually get to it this week! I just love all the details you've included on every single page! The pockets, tucks and tags, just fabulous! My favourite are your amber elements, FANTASTIC! They look so real, like they were found on an archaeological dig! Super creative and wonderfully unique! hugs :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Fabulous JJ Anne lots of gorgeous details I am sure this won’t be your last JJ lol, they are totally addictive once you start 😊 thank you for sharing
    MaggieH

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it!

If you are at all concerned at how data from my blog is collected and/or used, please read my Privacy Policy at the very bottom of my page.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Labels