Journaling with out a junk journal! It can be decorative AND simple!

I got tired of writing in a "junk journal".. or maybe I should say it just became to much to deal with to write in one with all the embellishments and decorative things. and the book not opening flat for writing on the pages and a few other issues. So in my new endeavor of branching out from "junk journaling" to just writing down  thoughts, memories, ideas etc, I found a new style of decorating pages. Washi tape, stickers (so no bulk) and a bound book! I always hated making the covers of a "junk journal" but if you put bulk embellishments in a bound book, you end up with "alligator mouth" journals.. which are also more trouble than they are worth! So in participating in several online craft groups, I discovered the perfect journal. Mildly decorated pages with just washi tape and stickers - and a bound book!  I got these amazing bound 6x8 books on sale at Michaels for $3.00!  Of course, I bought several!

Until I was able to collect some washi tape, I used pattern paper left over from the scrapbook days and cut strips of paper to make (what I call) "mock washi tape"! Then I realized... I can now print IN COLOR up to 100 pages a month and unlimited ink because of the ink program I am on.. and got the idea to print out images to mimic as stickers and glue on the page! So I scouwered Pinterest for images I wanted and copied them (as long as they didn't have a copyright issue) and made my own stickers!

Then, recently, when I was talking to my grand daughter and told her what I was doing, she mentioned that it was odd that we were on the same wave length, that she had recently been thinking that she thinks she wants to start to write things down too! Well, that was my cue! I had made her 2 "junk journals" and she never really got into writing in them, and I thought maybe it was because they were very distracting and overwhelming and more fun to look at than to write in, so I thought... why not a book like the one I made myself? Just mildly and simply decorated pages and plenty of room to write! This book is 8x9inches.

 So this is what I came up with. I really think she will like it and I really hope it will encourage her to just jot a little down every now and then! It's a start! I will be sending it to her next week, (we are on opposite sides of the country) and will wait for that phone call!!!  There are quite a few pages, so just scroll down and check it out! if you see any ideas or style you like, feel free to copy to your own book/journal!

The first page I wrote to her about why the book and what I hope for her..

 I used a daily devotional book I got at the thrift store and cut out phrases, including the person that said it. I used ones of people she would know... John Wayne(Her father is a HUGE JW fan!), Helen Keller. Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Ann Landers, JK Rowlings (she was a huge Harry Potter fan) and just a few good phrases and glued them to the pages.

Had these large stickers left over in my scrapbook stash... John Deere and puppies

This page has just a phrase of simplicity and then the washi tape. I did cut a few of each "girl" in the tape, made like a single person sticker and put them on the edges of the page....

  These are printed logo kind of pictures about home grown foods. 

 

She told me she wanted to do some traveling after she grads high school so I printed out some postmarks from various countries and decorated this page with them.. intending that it might encourage her to write down NOW what she hopes to do in the future and hopefully one day.. she can make it happen!

PLENTY of room for writing or even if she just wants to draw a picture or glue/tape something on the page!

This page is washi tape and some stickers I found at the Dollar Store

A post mark from Santa Claus... I did this page and wrote on it for her as every year I would write them letters from "Santa" and send them for a "Santa's Workshop, North Pole" postmark and every year she and her sisters each got a letter from santa So that is a memory I hope she keeps so I wrote about it on this page

So much space for her to write her own thoughts and memories.

As I got into the decoration of the pages, I thought to use things she liked.. she loves to read so I made this page with printed out books  - I usually choose the asethetic look of "looks real" instead of cartoony or drawing style. These stacks of books are "real" looking and I thought she could start a list of books she reads through high school on these 2 pages.

These mushrooms are off Pinterest and I just printed them out and did alot of "fussy cutting" and they are perfect "stickers"!

More Pinterest images!

I saw one lady in a group, doing decoration in the middle of the pages.. and thought.. "why not?" so this is what I did.. just printed out the image of the flowers, fussy cut them and glued them to the center of the pages. I have to say this is my favorite "style" or "way" to do a page!

More fussy cut images of retro signs.

Quick, easy and beautiful!  Just take coordinating washi tape and make different length and cut the end to look like the end of an "arrow" and line them on the page!

She loved hedgehogs so I printed these out and made cute little hedgehog in the lawn!

She likes Panda bears so this is 3 different images from Pinterest. The bamboo in one, the mushroom and then the bears.. all fussy cut and then put into a "scene" on the page!

So...hope you got some good ideas or some inspiration to keep on being creative and making journals! Memories fade in time.. no matter what anyone says! Keep them close.. write them down!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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When Its More About the Writing Than About The "Junking" Journal ....

I have so many junk journals made with all junk papers, signatures, handmade covers from cracker boxes, self bound etc . But now my life has changed and I need to record more memories and say more things as I am away from my grand children and I want to remember them and make sure they remember me!  So I have decided to put away all the supplies and embellishments and focus on the writing part more than the creating part of Journal. Plus, I have made them each 2 junk journals, so they have those to write in themselves so this is more just a reading excursion!

The person that introduced me to this has a facebook page (information below).  She has been making amazing journals with just minor decoration and LOTS of writing! The two put together and they are amazing pages! She has inspired me to do the same! She has a bit more talent than I do, but... I'm Learning! Thanks, Terri!

The first book I  am working on is for myself. I have a very boring life, so not much to write about but I find something every now and then! Previously, I had been writing memories of the my past. Now.. I figure I'd better be writing about now for the future in case I am not here to write about my past when it becomes the future! (Did that make sense???!!)

So I found this bound book at Michaels Clearance  shelf. Nicely bound, thick pages, and just the right size. I did cut  out some of the pages to allow for the thickness when adding things, but also because technically, the book is a planner and I didn't want those pages anyway! I got some Scripto colored gel pens that don't soak through the paper and are bright enough colors so they can be seen without being washed out against the white page.

So here are some pictures of what I have done so far. Not amazing, but at least it is on paper and I am learning! 

 

This is the cover.. a band closure. I made the tabs.. printed them out from online and then cut them and just randomly put them on the pages. Basically, they mean nothing just a few words of inspiration!

 Below.. I just wrote things. Glued a few words from a magazine, added a bit of washi tape.

 This page I added a "flip page". I had this from another book I was making and didn't use. So I taped it to the page with washi tape and then wrote about it on the opposing page. But flip it over and there is writing on the previous page!

 

 

 This one.. not the best visually, but it was a "starter" page... and the 2 circle images I cut from a magazine - instead of stickers! I had some old stamps from scrapbooking days and just jotted down a few lines

 

 Another starter page as I didn't have much washi tape. But these "starter" page I talk about.. helped me get into the groove and  do a little better next time.

 

 These are pages I (pre) decorate and then I will be ready to just write... any time I have something to say or want to tell the girls about. I have found that really helps too... embellish many pages... then write. Don't embellish one, then write and repeat! And I am also getting over my over organizing talent and not making them in chronological order! I have many decorated pages.. I find one that I like at that moment or one that matches what I am writing about and I start writing! Amazing how something so insignificant can calm the stress!!!

 

 So, the journey has begun. I have several pages done, many more to go, but I am finding it easier to just jot a few things down every other night or so. Now.. my next problem issue.. my handwriting!  I have to print as since they don't teach cursive in school anymore, the girls won't be able to read it, so I'd better print. But my printing is sloppy, so I work hard to write nicely! So, stay tuned for more ideas and inspiration. I have 2 other books I am working on!  

 

If you want to see where I got my inspiration from... 

Meet   >>>>>>>   Terri Dudash - Artist 

                                                   (Thanks, Terri!)

 If you want to check out my Junk Journals... at the top of the page.. click on "Junk Journals" and scroll through all of them!

 Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE