If you have someone in your life who enjoys journaling, scrapbooking, or even simply writing to-do lists, why not try making them a junk journal starter kit for Christmas? This handmade gift is thoughtful, low-cost, and completely customisable to the person you're gifting it to. The Journal Club has put together this handy guide to take you through every step, so give it a read and start crafting!
Cover photo credit: @fleuristique on Pinterest, found here
Why A Junk Journal?
Photo credit: @kyliemerren on Pinterest, found here
What is the point of Junk Journaling?
If you've never journaled before, junk journaling can seem like sticking a bunch of old paper into a notebook. However, it's so much more than this. Three key benefits to creating a junk journal are:
- Physical keepsake: with people increasingly keeping their photos in digital form, there are fewer physical photos being printed every year. Even though it's handy to keep things on your phone, there's something so nostalgic about spending an afternoon flicking through family photo albums and reminiscing on the past. Junk journals are a form of these physical keepsakes, as you use otherwise useless bits of ephemera to create something beautiful that can take you back to a past time.
- Form of relaxation: the act of junk journaling is also extremely relaxing. There's no pressure to create a perfect, scrapbook-worthy spread, or to write long paragraphs over something you didn't really enjoy. This is a double benefit, as not only can you be relaxed by putting the junk journal gift set together, but the recipient will be relaxed when they receive it and can get on with their own journaling.
- Handmade gift: handcrafted presents are experiencing a boom at the moment, as people have begun to recognise the valued in handmade, bespoke items. Handmade gifts are an investment of time, not money, and this is especially meaningful in an age when people are busier than ever. No matter if you're giving or receiving a handmade gift, the love and care put into it is palpable, and can be sensed on every page.
How To Make A Junk Journal Gift
Step One: Set The Tone
Photo credit: @kennedyann222 on Pinterest, found here
Step Two: Gather Supplies
This is the most crucial step to any junk journal starter kit. The first thing you need is a physical journal. You can use any plain, unused notebook for this, but we recommend grabbing our Ultimate Junk Journal, which is perfect for beginners to junk journaling.
Other essential items include pens, coloured markers, pencils, scissors, and adhesive tape or glue. After you've got your tools assembled, you'll need to collect your ephemera, or junk! These can come from items such as: secondhand books, receipts, postcards, train tickets, or recipes. Try collecting items that mean something to the person you're gifting the journal to. You can also include items like packs of scrapbooking paper, stickers (like those that come with our Ultimate Junk Journal), letter stamps, paint, or even a wax seal kit. These can be really fun, as you can create custom wax seals for the recipient to seal their journal spreads with. Some websites we recommend for journaling supplies are: Hobbycraft, Sostrene Grene, Cult Pens, and WHSmith (now TG Jones).
Step Three: Create The First Few Pages
It can be nice to have a few pre-made pages in the journal starter kit, to help the person you're giving the journal to understand what to do with it! We recommend creating some layered paper collages that fit around your friend. Try picking their favourite colour and creating the spreads around that. If they're arty, put in a few sketches of your own. If they're more into diary entries, make sure you leave lots of space for them to write around all the junk.
Step Four: Package It Up
Once you've assembled everything and created a page or two, it's time to finish the gift! You can create little bundles of junk, such as paint brushes, a palette, and thick paper, if the journal is for someone who enjoys painting. You want to make sure you've included enough variety of junk so that the recipient can create eat least two or three spreads from the supplies you've given them. Try tying the junk together with an old paperclip, and then securing it to the journal itself with a vintage ribbon. You can even add in extras, like fluffy socks, a bar of chocolate, and a scented candle to make it extra special.
And there you have it! You've created your very own Junk Journal Starter Kit, ready to gift to the most creative person in your life. Remember, junk journaling is a creative outlet that isn't meant to be perfect. The point of this gift is to give someone a physical item that they can treasure, a creative outlet that they can continue using, and a method of looking back on old memories.
Afterwards, why not try making a junk journal spread of your own, remembering the process you went through to create this one! The joy in this gift is making it, and then watching the person you care about receiving it, which is what the festive season is truly about. Happy Holidays!