Junk journals are a great way to get creative and explore your creativity. A theme is a great way to plan out your project, so you can make sure that all of the materials you need are available. Here are 10 themes to inspire you.
1. Vintage Theme
Vintage Journals are my favourite to make. Lots of laces, coffee dyed pages, vintage pictures, envelopes, flowers, and beautiful Edwardian/Victorian ladies. Neutral, sepia colours.
2. Steampunk theme
Steampunk is a fun mix of Industrial and Victorian. Think clocks, gears, hot air balloons, corsets, keys and anything mechanical. There are many subgroups in this genre such as Steampunk Romance, Steampunk Villians, Steampunk Horror, Steampunk Comedy and Steampunk Aerospace.
3. Art Deco/roaring 20s
The roaring 20s and the era of The Great Gatsby. I just love the gorgeous women and fashion of the time. Bold geometric designs with bright colours. Lots of cars, champagne, jewellery and parties.
4. Alice in Wonderland
You can pick up lots of Alice in Wonderland books from op/thrift shops that have gorgeous illustration in them. Some old playing cards, especially the Queen of Hearts. Of course, the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Alice, and Caterpillar pictures make great journalling cards and tags. Also bottles of potions, tea cups and pots, and lots of fun sayings.
5. Sewing theme
Sewing themes are a great way to use old patterns. The tracing paper inside is great on tags and journaling cards as well as on the pages or as their own page. Use lots of sewing pictures, buttons, material, trims, laces and anything you have in the sewing theme.
6. Cultural
Great idea for a travel journal. Pick a country and decorate with their history and culture. For example, I recently made an Ancient Egypt journal with lots of symbols, Tutankhamun pictures, beads, lots of gold and blue throughout.
7. Fairy/Angels
Fairies and Angels are so beautiful and colourful. There are so many amazing pictures you can find, include flowers and butterflies
8. Retro/1950s era
An era dominated by Housewives, Rock and Roll, records, new appliances. There were diners and jukeboxes, especially in America, and drive in movies. Things to put in your journal include housewife pictures, records, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, flared knee length dresses, polka dots, checks, flowers. Such a fun journal to make.
9. Seasonal – Christmas, Halloween etc
Any celebration or season makes a great theme. Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Birthday, Wedding, the seasons of the year. These make great memory books, fill them with lots of tags and journal cards and have special messages from the day.
10. Little Golden Books
You can pick up Little Golden Books from op shops for as little as 50c and they make amazing journals. Pull them apart and make a new spine. The story can be put back in the journal, mingled with different papers. I will have a tutorial on this very soon.
There is 10 themes to start you off. Have fun and play around with them. There are so many other ideas out there and I would love to see what you create.
Stay tuned for tutorials coming soon.
