Junk journal

Last updated
A handmade junk journal with a handmade quilted stitched cover, using scraps of fabric. Also showing tea stained and decorated pages from scrap paper Junk Journal pages and cover.jpg
A handmade junk journal with a handmade quilted stitched cover, using scraps of fabric. Also showing tea stained and decorated pages from scrap paper

A junk journal is a handmade journal, of any size, composed of recycled or upcycled papers. Junk journals are generally constructed from old or unwanted materials, such as letters, papers, books, photos, invoices, or modern day "junk mail". The journal itself can be a stand-alone art piece or be used on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

Contents

Junk journaling is a popular and relatively low-cost crafting hobby.

Francesca Radice suggests in her book Junk Journal Joy that making junk journals out of recycled and affordable materials enhances well-being and is a therapeutic outlet to reduce stress. [1]

History

Junk journaling arose as a DIY twist on scrapbooking and collage.

Justine Jenkins writes: "I’ve heard recently that junk journals of sorts also appeared directly after the recession of the 1940s. Unable to source many materials, people took to making journals, using whatever they could get their hands on at the time. Newspapers, paper packaging, seed packets and much more all had their uses for writing and drawing." [2]

Purpose

A junk journal can have many uses, such as journaling, sketching, collage, or mixed media art. Many consider the creation of a junk journal an artistic work in its own right.

In her book Treasure Book Making, Natasha Marinkovic explains that junk journaling is "transforming junk into treasure". [3]

Many junk journalers make themed journals which could be vintage, art, seasonal, holidays, hobbies, grunge, modern. For others, junk journals can be eclectic, made up of product packaging, pamphlets, clothing labels, old stamps, etc.

In 2018, Emilie Mears wrote about this "junk art" phenomenon in the American Studies Journal [4] :

Discarded items or waste provide a bountiful, although largely ignored, resource for artists interested in appropriating found objects to give them a second life or share their story...in ways that raise awareness of the nature of objects and products in modern life, consumption practices, recycling, and waste.

People indicate that they find the act of journaling therapeutic and a great way to relax and relieve stress. Helen Colebrook writes: "A junk journal is probably the journal where I feel most relaxed, as the complete lack of any structure enables me to play, document and explore". [5]

Felicia Bottos, a graphic designer, explains "Junk journalling can be whatever you want it to be,". As she sees it, "there's only one rule in junk journalling: there are no rules!". [6]

The difference between scrapbooking and junk journaling

Decorated junk journal pages using scraps of paper creating a personal art style with layering, inking and collage. Junk Journal pages decorated with scraps of paper.jpg
Decorated junk journal pages using scraps of paper creating a personal art style with layering, inking and collage.

While the scrapbook itself is usually a manufactured book, more uniformed and personal, a junk journal tends to be made up of all types of unrelated papers. A junk journal can hold all types of unrelated ephemera, it might have tickets glued to a page but not necessarily related to the maker. It might have photos but again, not necessarily of the journaler or their family. The journal will almost certainly be hand made of various materials. It is less precise than a scrapbook and has more of an art form involved, expressing a very personal art style.

Susan Tucker, Karherine Ott, and Patricia Buckle write that scrapbooking has a long history of being used to store collections of personal memorabilia, from photos to tickets as a memory of a special occasion. People might use a scrapbook to make a record about their family, a sporting hobby or a holiday etc. [7]

"The idea behind junk journaling is that it uses almost entirely found items (unlike scrapbooking) that would otherwise be discarded as trash—e.g., napkins, coffee cup sleeves, wrappers, brochures, spare change, ticket stubs, postcards, pressed flowers, bottle labels, etc. Instead of being thrown out, these pieces of 'junk' are repurposed in the book and used to represent a certain memory, theme, or moment in time." [8]

Modern junk journaling

The practice is widespread in the USA, UK, Australia and many other countries. Many creators post videos and photos of their hand made junk journals on Youtube, Tiktok, Pinterest and other social media platforms. Huge communities of followers exist and there is a strong social network on all internet platforms.

Many groups form and get together for junk journaling retreats, where the days are spent papercrafting together, learning techniques and forming friendships.

Alice Cullinane writes "Thousands of people around the world, are using materials others could consider junk to create personal books full of memories and inspiration. Known as junk journals, there are more than 400,000 posts of people's creations on TikTok as they document their artistic journeys online" [9]

Kaur Harmeet in a essay writes that there could be links to other forms of journaling. She interviews Jennifer Perkins, who "traces the form to mixed-media journals such as Keri Smith’s 2007 hit project Wreck this Journal , which encouraged users to unleash their creativity by filling and defacing its pages, and K&Company’s Smash Books, which prompted users to glue or tape in items from their day-to-day lives". [10]

Equipment

Equipment needed to start this hobby can be very basic from glue, scissors, pens, pencils and paints to very expensive equipment including cutting boards, specialist inks, card stock, printers and die cutting machines. However, as CT Jones writes; "just as junk journaling has begun to grow in popularity, so has the internet commodification of the trend. A quick scroll on the junk journal hashtag on TikTok will show hundreds of new crafters spending money on items to fill their journals, rather than actually using the trash they acquire in real life". [11]

Size

Showing handmade, hardbacked, fabric covered junk journals in A5 size. Fabric covered Hardbacked Hand made Junk Journals.jpg
Showing handmade, hardbacked, fabric covered junk journals in A5 size.

Size is very much an aesthetically pleasing self choice. They range from very miniature to usually no more than A4.

Companies

With the growing trend, industrial scale businesses, devoted specifically to the manufacturing and sale of junk journaling supplies, have evolved, supplying ready-made papers, cardstock, inks, paint, pens, etc. These double up for use within the scrapbooking community.

Tim Holtz is a designer of products for use in junk journals and other crafting recreational pursuits. Tim Holtz has stated that he draws inspiration from everyday objects and materials he encounters in antique malls, flea markets, and collections of old ephemera, reflecting his interest in found and repurposed items. [12]

There is also a growing trend of people buying printable papers with junk journaling themes from many smaller companies on sites such as Etsy. Other people sell their hand-made completed junk journals for others to use or to just own. Craft and trade fairs are numerous in many countries selling all the requistes available for papercrafting.[ citation needed ]

Glossary

There are many words and phrases coined by the junk journal community, such as:[ citation needed ]

References

  1. ↑ Radice, Francesca (14 February 2025). Junk Journal Joy (First ed.). Mango. ISBN   978-1-6848-1713-9.
  2. ↑ Jenkins, Justine (13 August 2021). "The Intriguing History Of Junk Journals". House of Mahalo. houseofmahalo.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  3. ↑ Marinkovic, Natasha (27 June 2025). Treasure Book Making: Crafting Handmade Sustainable Journals (Create Diary DIYs and Papercrafts without Bookbinding Tools) Treasure Book Making: Crafting Handmade Sustainable Journals (Create Diary DIYs and Papercrafts without Bookbinding Tools) (First ed.). Mango. pp. Part 1 Chapter 2. ISBN   978-1-6848-1828-0.
  4. ↑ Mears, Emilie (2018). "Recycling as Creativity: An Environmental Approach to Twentieth-Century American Art". American Studies Journal (64). Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  5. ↑ Colebrook, Helen (13 April 2021). Journal with purpose. Layout ideas 101. David & Charles. ISBN   9781446308370.
  6. ↑ Collins, Leah (4 February 2025). "Curious about TikTok's junk journal trend? These page ideas are artist approved". CBC Arts . Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  7. ↑ Tucker, Susan; Ott, Karherine; Buckler, Patricia (April 2006). The Scrapbook in American Culture. Temple University Press.
  8. ↑ Asby, Meg. "Here's Why a "Junk Journal" Is So Freeing, According to 3 People Who Swear by It". Apartment Therapy. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  9. ↑ Cullinane, Alice (8 March 2025). "Why are women making journals out of junk?". BBC News . West Midlands: British Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  10. ↑ Kaur, Harmeet (25 January 2025). "In a chronically online world, people are finding respite in 'junk journaling'". CNN . Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  11. ↑ Jones, CT (9 January 2025). "Can Junk Journaling Be an Answer To Digital Fatigue?". Rollingstone. rollingstone.com. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Tim Holtz, Five on Friday with Tim Holtz – Interview, Simon Says Stamp Blog, September 9, 2011, https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/blog/five-on-friday-with-tim-holtz-interview/ .

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.