Junk Journal: Finishing Touches

To put your junk journal together hole punch your pages while lining them up along your cover that has already been hole punched. Pick an order for your pages and put them together using binder rings. Add some doodles to your pages and your ready to start writing in your junk journal!

Junk Journal: Covers

Often when I am making books I like to use tissue paper, paint and Matte Medium on heavy weight paper to make my covers. I find that the layers of paint and tissue paper make it sturdy and give it texture.

To determine the size of cover you need measure your widest and tallest pages that will go inside your book. Mine happened to be 8" x 9 1/2" I added 1/4" to the top and bottom and ONE side. This way my cover is for sure going to be larger then any page. I only add 1/4" to one side because when I hole punch my pages they will be lined up right against the back edge of the cover. I cut two pieces of light weight cardboard        8 1/4" x 10" for my front and back cover.

After I have my cover cut out I continue to add paint, bits of tissue paper, and Matte Medium until I get a look I like. Yes it really is that simple and you really can't screw it up!

After you are happy with your covers you can spray them with paints and dyes, add stamps and all sorts of other things to create the look you want for your journal. Trim off extra tissue paper from edges. 

I hole punched my covers at this point and added a quote to my front cover. If your not sure what to do on your cover at this stage you can always come back and embellish it later.

 

Junk Journal: Tags and Inserts

It's time to fill those pockets! We are finally getting to the fun stuff by making tags and inserts in all those pockets you made for using envelopes and brown paper bags. I used old clothing tags by adding paper to the back of them with space to write on. For other inserts any paper with writing space will work, because these inserts are just hanging out in pockets and sleeves they do not need to be sturdy or double sided like when you made your pages.

Junk Journal: Writing space

When making junk journals Heather's (my mom) rule is that every page must have a space to write on it. There are many great lined stickers, rubber stamps, and writing prompts available.

Greeting cards, old or new, work as great writing spaces and work as flaps. If the card has already been used paint or gesso over top of old writing. Glue down the back of the greeting card to one of your already started pages. 

Junk Journal: Making your Pages Sturdy

When making Junk Journals I hole punch my pages and secure them together with binder rings. It is important to prepare your pages to be hole punched at this stage so that you don't add writing or images too close to that edge, only to have them cut off. I used scrap papers to secure my edges, mostly just with strips of paper. Some only needed a strip of paper glued along the side, others I folded in half and they wrap around to both sides of the page.

On some of my pages I used my sewing machine to stitch down strips of paper. Remember when sewing with paper to use a larger stitch so as not to perforate your paper.

On my brown paper bags I decided to tape or staple them to create pockets. Because of how heavy they are it is important to make sure they are secure and your pockets do not pop open.

Junk Journal: Prepping your Pages

After reorganizing my craft supplies I found my box of "junk" to be rather full. This box of "junk" that I am referring to has a variety of items in it that I don't want to throw out, yet there's really nothing special about them. This can include envelopes that I've received, packaging, bookmarks or postcards with advertising on them, tags from clothes, old calendars, and paper bags. In order to empty some of these things out without throwing them away I have decided to make another Junk Journal, and this is how.

1. I started by pulling a selection of items that I wanted to use the most, as well as items that I thought would go together color wise and similar in size. When choosing your junk keep in mind that anything you want to turn into a base for a page should be fairly sturdy, such as a brown paper bag. You can always glue two papers together to add strength.

2. Start making the base for your pages. All the brown paper bags I used I took the handles off, you may decide to leave them on and that is just fine. I glued two calendar pages together, trimmed off the top of some of the paper envelopes and bags. You may find that some items you don't need to do anything to them yet and that they are ready to be turned into a page just as they are. I folded the base of the paper bags several different ways in order to make future pockets. Try not to focus on what is on your pages at this point, unless there is a logo or something you want to remain visible. If you end up having a page that is more printed then you would like you can always go over it with a thin coat of gesso to tone it down, but we'll deal with that next time! Right now you are just making the base of your pages.

Here are my 16 pages all ready to have more junk put on them!

Typology

This weeks homework assignment was to take 20 photos of a type of building, object or subject. I chose to do teacups. I had a lot of fun with this assignment and would consider doing it again. We were instructed to bring our photos printed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. In class we turned our photos into books.

Speaking on quilting

Yesterday Heather and I were speaking to school teachers on how we started quilting, project ideas, and what we do today. We had a great full session with some who have never quilted to those who have been doing it for years. At the end people were encouraged to to try some hand quilting on a four-patch block if they would like.

Etsy Shop

Heather and I are very excited to say that we now have a small etsy shop open and ready to purchase from! Right now there are a few quilts for sale on there, we will be adding more quilts in the next few weeks as well as some Hopscotch Quilt Shop patterns. There is even a Hopscotch Quilt Shop quilt that is a pattern original for sale. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PlayingHopscotch?ref=search_shop_redirect

Photography Homework: The City

For my photography class this week we were to take 5 photos playing with framing and aperture. The topic was "The City" and I took photos of the residential area of the city.

Cancer Walk

This Sunday Heather and I did the Run for the Cure Cancer walk here in Lethbridge. We had a great day for it and it was so good to see so many people out running and walking.

Zenspiration Letters

I found this video tutorial by Joanne Fink on Pinterest and had to try it out. My first letter that I did, the letter "E", is done very similarly to the video. My second letter, I tried an "N", has a few of my own touches in it.

It was very fun to try and has a lot of potential for taking it different ways. I did not have all the supplies that she used, I just used sharpies and a page in my sketchbook. I also found that because I was not using gel pens for the added color that the pastel colors of sharpies worked the best on a dark outlined letter.
http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/mypages/video_details.php?id=111

Photography Homework

My homework for this week was to take 5 photos that need to tell a story about me. Seeing as I have been spending most of my time in Heather's and mine studio I decided to take all of my pictures there.

Creative Photography Class

Last night I had my first photography class at CASA with teacher Petra Mala Miller here in Lethbridge. During the class we were instructed to take 5 photos all representing different things. Person, Architecture, Light, Shadow, and Inside/Outside. We were given 45min for this assignment...during this time I took 6 photos in 15min and my camera was left on "auto" the entire time. Hopefully by next class I will have a better idea of what I am doing!