For all the do-it-yourself (diy) paper crafters out there, which type of papers do you use when making your junk journals? Do you use mainstream brands such as Graphic 45, Bo Bunny, My Mind’s Eye, and Tim Holtz Paperstash, or do you purchase digital designs from online vendors, such as multimediacraftsdigi.etsy.com?
I like to use a combination of them, along with junk mail, envelopes, paper bags, tea and coffee stained papers, doilies, tickets, vellum, old sheet music pages, glassine bags, old book pages, fabric, lace, and much more. I also accent them with tags, folios, tuck spots, jewelry and other elements.
I tend to always include certain journal resources in my books and folios. The following are a must have for my detailed journals:
- Vintage style paper
- Ledger or ruled paper
- Doilies
- Old book pages
- Envelopes
- Tags
Those are pertinent in my journals, for I feel those contents add great character to the journal, giving the owner of it room to write, a sense of nostalgia, and an over all shabby chic feel (Which is my favorite theme).
You, of course, could omit some of those and add other ephemera to your books. I just like to have various elements in each one of my designs. I get them by collecting advertisements from the postal “junk” mail, online blogs, eBay (bulk supplies for auction) Amazon, Etsy, and other websites that offer free digital downloads. (Disclaimer: If you click on the eBay link and make a purchase, I will receive a percentage from your order).
The good thing about postal junk mail is that they provide great and sturdy supplies. You can use the credit card templates that comes with the marketing material as a tag. Simply add some designer paper on both sides of the card, punch a hole at the top, add a ribbon and you have yourself a nice element for your scrapbook or folio.
You can also take an envelope from the junk stash. Paint it with some gesso, decoupage it with a pretty napkin, and add it to your journal.
I love to use Guest Check receipts, scraps of paper, die cut shapes, and tabs to add more appeal to the books. I usually print on them with vintage writing stamps along with other designer graphics. I ink all the edges of the papers with various distress inks. I cut out some envelopes, fold them over and make pockets out of them. I then garnish the folio or journal with mixed media elements such as paper clips, brads, and other hardware.
Glassine bags are fun to use as well. They add beauty to any junk journal and provide a storage compartment for a lot of your ephemera, so you can showcase your collected memorabilia or just simply hold your photos.
Which ever types of media you use, have fun with it. Even if you make a mistake cutting, sewing, gluing, or whatever to your project, keep that scrap. A crafting error can turn into a sparkling idea!
Multimedia Crafts Digital 