Junk journaling has become a popular form of mixed media art, allowing creators to use a variety of materials and techniques to create unique and personalized journals. Some popular materials include vintage and scrapbook papers, fabric, lace, ribbons, buttons, and other embellishments. These items are often combined with photos, drawings, and handwritten text to create a layered and visually interesting composition.
Junk journals are often used for memory keeping, allowing creators to document their lives and experiences in a creative and visually appealing way. They can be used to create scrapbooks for special occasions such as weddings or vacations, or as a daily journal to record daily thoughts and reflections. Some people also use junk journals as a way to explore their creative side, experimenting with different techniques and materials to create one-of-a-kind art pieces.
How Did It All Begin
Junk Journals don’t have a single point of origin, but rather evolved from several related crafts and practices. While the term “junk journal” is relatively modern, the concept has roots in various traditions of personal documentation, collage, and altered books.
1800s – Victorian Era: The Scrapbook Craze
In the 19th century, people created scrapbooks filled with calling cards, die-cuts, poems, and clippings. These were a way to preserve memories, much like junk journals today. It became a popular pastime, especially among middle- and upper-class women. Below are a few pages of a scrapbook of trade cards, holiday cards, and merit cards from the 1880s that are believed to have been compiled by Martha Gold. (archive.org)
Early 1900s – Memorabilia & Memory Keeping
Commonplace books and photo albums are used to document everyday life, often decorated with saved paper scraps.
Ephemera (tickets, letters, packaging) begins to be saved for personal memory keeping. Below are a few pages from the scrapbook of Alice Wilson 1916 (archive.org)
Altered Books (1960s–2000s)
Artists began repurposing old books into art journals, layering paint, ephemera, and text to create expressive mixed-media pieces. DIY crafting grows, influencing the broader journaling community.
Tom Phillips (1937 – 2022) was a pioneer in this field, altering a 1892 book, his story is found here https://www.tomphillips.co.uk/works/humument
Late 1990s – Scrapbooking Industry Boom
This time saw a surge in the popularity of scrapbooking as a commercial hobby. Scrapbooking became a way to embellish family photos, creating collages and highlighting special occasions. Companies began to mass produce papers, embellishments and tools. Party planners began holding Scrapbook parties through various companies.
Art Journals & Smash Books (2000s)
These played a role in the popularity of expressive, freestyle journaling. Smash Books by K&Company, launched in the early 2010s, were pre-made journals meant to be filled with memorabilia—very similar to modern junk journals. They offered a less-structured alternative to traditional scrapbooks, encouraging the user to glue in anything: receipts, notes, tags, very similar to junk journaling.
Books like The Decorated Page (2002) help introduce the idea of creative journaling to a wider audience. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/303583.The_Decorated_Page
Rise of DIY & YouTube Crafting (2010s–present)
As social media platforms like YouTube and Pinterest grew, so did the junk journaling community. Crafters began sharing tutorials, flip-throughs, and digital kits, fueling a renaissance in the craft. Etsy began to see a rise in digital downloads and handmade junk journals. Themes such as Vintage, Shabby Chic, botanical and more become popular styles.
In recent years, the popularity of junk journaling has given rise to a variety of related crafts and activities. For example, many creators have begun creating ephemera packs, which are pre-packaged collections of vintage and scrapbook papers, embellishments, and other items suitable for use in junk journaling and other mixed-media projects.
Overall, junk journaling has become a beloved hobby for many individuals, providing a creative outlet and a way to express themselves through art and storytelling. Its continued popularity is a testament to the enduring appeal of physical media and the importance of creativity in our lives.
If this little dive into history has inspired you, why not start your own junk journal journey?
