Mini Junk Journal Project with Guest Artist Lindsay Ostrom

Lindsay Ostrom Junk Journal



“When I think about why I journal now, it’s more of, why wouldn’t I? I journal on my lunch break, in the car while waiting for an appointment, and every night when I come home. Ideas pop into my head during my day-to-day routine and it seems that I cannot sleep until I get them out onto the paper.”

~Lindsay Ostrom from the pages of Art Journaling Summer 2014

Today we have a very special treat for our wonderful blog followers! The incredibly talented Lindsay Ostrom, who has been featured in a number of Stampington publications such as Somerset Studio, Art Quilting Studio, and Somerset Apprentice, has agreed to share an exclusive project with us. If you happened to have read Lindsay’s article in Art Journaling, then like me, you probably fell head-over-heels in love with her colorful and clever Junk Journal. After gushing in an email about how much I enjoyed her article and artwork, Lindsay agreed to create a mini junk journal just for us. So get your crafting supplies ready, and please join me in giving Lindsay a warm Somerset Place welcome.

~*~

Today I want to walk you through the process of creating one of my Junk Journals, like the one featured in the 2014 Art Journaling magazine. I usually start by coming up with an idea in my head and sometimes a theme. For this project, my theme was fortune cookie messages. You know when you go to a Chinese place and you get a really good fortune in your cookie, and then you pray that it comes true? Kind of like that.

Mini Junk Journal Material List:

Paper Ephemera

Pieces of Fabric

Ribbons

Envelopes

Paper Cutting Tools

Paper Binding Rings

Adhesive

Black Journaling Pen

White Journaling Pen

Acrylic Paint Markers

Mini Junk Journal Project Tutorial:

Ostrom_1

Step 1 – First collect bits and pieces of “junk” to use in your journal. I love to combine paper and fabrics so for this one I chose a lot of old papers, ledger pads, book paper, manila folders, envelopes, receipt books, etc. I like to pull everything out to see what strikes my fancy at the moment. Everything else gets put away and I only use what I have selected.

Ostrom_3

Step 2 – Next, start assembling your pages. I never really know where I am going with my own pages until I lay them out. I just start pulling bits and pieces together. I hardly ever cut and rarely use a paper cutter. I love to fold and tear, and to create pockets with lots of nooks and crannies.

Ostrom_5

I rarely ever decide on a certain number of pages when I begin a book. I just make them until I feel satisfied. I knew for this project I wanted a shorter/smaller book and the pages just started appearing.

Ostrom_6

Step 3 – I save cardboard boxes for my covers, but you can use whatever sturdy material you want. Personally, I love cardboard because you can tear back a bit of the outer paper to expose the rippled corrugated inners. You can easily cut it with scissors or a craft knife. The only tricky part is sewing bits and pieces onto it.

Ostrom_7

Step 4 – I have about 5 layers of fabric, lace, and doily here. It was a bit tough, but with a slow and steady foot, it will all sew together nicely. Like I said, I love to use fabrics with paper, and sewing is a must. Adhesives just never seem to do what I want, and I know that if I use a sewing machine, things tend to be more securely attached.

Ostrom_8

Step 5 – When I start working in a journal, I usually haven’t completed the front and back covers yet. With this journal however, I embellished the cover at the same time as the pages in order to give you all a better idea of what a completed book will look like.

Ostrom_13

Step 6 – Once you have your pages just right and you’ve sewn everything into place, you can start to assemble them into a journal. I usually sort the pages in the order of how I want them to appear in the journal, but I never seem to stick to it. Silly, I know.

Step 7 – Next, using a large punch (I used a Cropadile), start punching holes in the pages. Once the cover is done, you can use it as a template for the other pages. Don’t be afraid to punch some pages so that they sit higher and lower than the others. It will make your book look more interesting.

Ostrom_14

Step 8 – You can use any type of binding you like. Sometimes I take mine to the local printer and have them spiral bound. If you own your own binding machine, you can do it yourself. For this journal, I chose to use just a simple “O” ring.

Ostrom_9

Step 9 – Lay the book out in front of you, and then slide the rings through the front and back cover, leaving them open in the middle. This is the easiest way to add pages. You can add one to the front and one to the back until you get to the center. That way the hinge on the rings is in the back. You can also tie bits of fabric, lace, and fibers onto the rings to disguise them. Step 10 – Next, close the rings and take a look at your completed book. So pretty, right? I love just flipping through the pages and seeing what I created out of “junk.”

Ostrom_10

Here is the cover in all its glory!

I usually make a pouch out of junk for each book. That way I can carry them around with me and they don’t get dirty. I can also toss in bits and pieces that I want to use in the book later on when I am journaling. In this pouch, for example, I am saving some fortune cookie messages. I used scraps of fabric as well as upholstery swatches from furniture stores to make this pouch, but that’s a project for another day!

 

Ostrom_17
Step 10 –
Embellishing the pages of your junk journal is the next step. I usually do this over a period of time, but I will do two pages for this project. Being an ex-scrapbooker, I like to do a two page spread that is somehow tied together. In this case it’s circles.

Ostrom_15
Step 11 –
For this book I decided to use fabric instead of paper on the pages, and to adhere it, I used Mod Podge instead of sewing thread. You can use any adhesive you like. I broke one of my cardinal rules because I felt there was enough sewing on the page already, and the Mod Podge dries quick and clear.

Step 12 – Pick a fabric that has a circle pattern on it, and then cut into the edge of the circle and cut out a ring. You can use both the ring and the left-over circle. When you glue or sew the ring into your book you won’t even see the cutout line.

Ostrom_16



Step 13 – I incorporated fortune cookie messages with my own special take on them. I added some journaling, drawing, and coloring around messages that hold a particularly important meaning to me.  You can use the envelopes and pockets to hide some of the more personal messages.

Want to see more? I hope so! This mini-journal isn’t finished yet. I have just begun. I hope to finish it in time for the next installment of Art Journaling. Hopefully this project has inspired you to create your own Junk Journal. You can even make it a party. Invite your friends over and have everyone bring their own bits of junk and swap. Until next time!

~*~

Thanks Lindsay for sharing such a wonderful project. With the holiday season fast approaching, this is the perfect time to start making art journals. Keep track of special moments, write down how your feeling, and strive to be creative as often as you can inside the pages of your very own junk journal.

 

More about Lindsey Ostrom:

Lindsay Ostrom BlogTo learn more about Lindsey, the self-titled Creator of Cuteness, and see more of her amazing work visit her blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted: Thursday, September 11th, 2014 @ 4:47 pm
Categories: Art Journaling, How-To Project Tutorials.
Tags: , , , , , , .
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54 Responses to “Mini Junk Journal Project with Guest Artist Lindsay Ostrom”

  1. Renee Zarate says:

    I wondered how she made that junk journal! Thanks so much for the tutorial. Off to pin!!

  2. Julia Woodward says:

    I love your step by step guide.
    Putting together a junk journal always seemed a bit daunting to me. I have all of the supplies you have listed and can’t wait to get started on my own!
    Such detail, and simplicity all in one beautiful package.
    Thank you for your time and sharing
    Julia

    • Gabriela says:

      Hi Julia, hopefully you’ll be making your own junk journal now that the process seems a bit less daunting. Let us know how it turns out for you!

  3. Cynthia says:

    I love that this little book can be made up quickly and then filled in over time, and also that it would be great for using up all those little bits and pieces left over from other projects that you hate to throw out. Great job, Lindsay!!

    • Gabriela says:

      Hi Cynthia, thanks for sharing your thoughts! If you end up making your own junk journal, be sure to share it with us. We’re always looking for submissions.

  4. beautiful words and work from a beautiful soul who i feel like i have known forever. lindsey’s work is timeless!

  5. martha says:

    Beautiful – I love the variety of textures Lindsay created using paper and fabric together. Creating ruffles out of paper is a great idea. Amazing what can be done with simple items we all have at home like a cardboard box – love it. Thanks for sharing!

  6. Claudia Fisk says:

    Thank you for a fabulous guide. Like Julia , I had found the whole idea a bit daunting- now I can begin at last. I have so much in the way of ephemera, now I can get going!

  7. Terry McM says:

    I love junk! And I especially love your junk journal!! How fun! I’m going to gather junk and create one of these!! Thanks for the inspiration!

  8. Cynthia Pettigrew says:

    I love the details you added to your journal, and they way you used up bits and pieces of ephemera. The journal is a nice size for tucking into your purse or bag to record observations while out and about!

  9. Janie says:

    I love the textures and unique embellishments. thanks for sharing.

  10. Karen Boudreau says:

    It just makes me happy to look at this cool little book. I’ve already made some ‘junk’ journals but nothing as creative as this one. You’ve inspired me to step it up a notch or two.

  11. Sandy says:

    I love this journal! Thanks for sharing this with us. I’m going to try incorporating fabric into mine. It turned out so great. I loved reading all the recent articles about Lindsey and her beautiful art.

  12. KaePea says:

    Wonderful idea! Love Lindsay’s work!! Thank you for the great post.

  13. Diane says:

    What a creative artist Lindsay is! Her ideas have inspired me to give the mini junk journal a try.
    Thank you, Lindsay!

  14. cindy coven says:

    What a great project. It would be a great beginner collage project to set a person free to create. Thanks for sharing it. Love it cindy

  15. Loretta says:

    What a beautiful journal! I love all the textures and dimensions that just invite you to open the journal and start enjoying it. Great use of cardboard. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you so much for the detail tutorial.
    I always love seeing Lindsay’s art.

  16. massofhair says:

    This junk journal is the best i have seen, loving the colours, the sewing and the pages with bits added to them. would love to have a go at making one. Thank you so much for the inspiration :-) xxx

  17. Paula says:

    This is beautiful! Thanks for sharing Lindsay’s awesome work, it inspires me!

  18. Janet Chance says:

    Love all of her creativity. She looks at re-purposing items I already have and makes them interesting and beautiful! I will follow her for sure. I think she has a lot of talent and seems to be very willing to share what she knows. She is a true artist with a heart!

  19. Laura Strack says:

    This is a wonderful tutorial. I have been wanting to make a Junk Journal and this simplifies the process for me. Thanks so much!!

  20. Nancy Johnston says:

    OMG OMG OMG! This is wonderful! Love Lindsay’s work! Love this tutorial! Love her color sample and the black and white in the tutorial. We need to see more of Lindsay’s work and tutorials, please, please, please. Love Roben-Marie Roberts Smith, Lorraine Conte Bell, Terri Kahrs, Rae Missigman, Stephanie Ackerman, Junelle Jacobson, Dina Wakely, Wendy Vechi, and so many others as well. Love your magazines. Please do not STOP!

  21. Janet Watson says:

    Love, love anything and everything that Lindsay does!! So inspirational!!

  22. Wendy Trankle says:

    Thank you for such a well written and illustrated tutorial. Can’t wait to make one myself and see what you come up with next!

  23. Joy Deaton says:

    Wow, I love Lindsay’s creativity as she mixes fabric, stitching, paper, junk, paint, pens…the possibilities seem endless! Lindsay sure makes it look easy with this wonderful tutorial. I’m a huge fangirl for this girl!

  24. Anne J. says:

    I love what you do so much Lindsay. I love the fact that you use recycle material that everybody can find in their house! No excuse for not bring able to be creative and saving a penny is always welcome! The technique that you use between, drawing, sewing, folding…. I just love it! Continue on to be an inspiration to us all!

    • Gabriela says:

      Hi Anne, thanks for the comment. Lindsay’s journal really does encompass so many different styles and materials. I can’t wait to try my hand at making one.

  25. Gypsy says:

    Now I love the junk journal, that is divine! I love all the clear steps you used to accomplish it…BUT peeking in the photos are some really intriguing items!

    What is that fabric pouch? Is that to put the journal in??????

    AND WHAT are your tools in???? You MUST share these! Because it looks like an entire package that goes together!!! How did you do that???

  26. debi says:

    How much do I love, love, LOVE this!!!! I’ve been collecting all kinds of junk and ephemera for years, just waiting for a project like this! AND…. I collect fortunes! My favorite is *Don’t trouble trouble, ’till trouble troubles you!* Whenever I start to go in worry mode… I think of this particular fortune. This one may make the cover haha. THANK YOU Lindsay for sharing your wonderful talents with the world!!!!

    debi

  27. So excited to see my work here on Stampington and Co’s blog. It has been such an honor to work with these fabulous folks and Gabriela who worked so hard on getting this article up for me. I am already working on some other ideas for fun tutorials here! Check back and see what else is coming from myself and other fabulous artists!!!

    • Gabriela says:

      It was a complete pleasure working with you Lindsay. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with our readers. We’ll definitely be in touch!

  28. Joy Deaton says:

    I’m such a fangirl of Lindsay O! What a great tutorial, she makes it look so easy to combine all of those elements together. Would love to see more of her art!

  29. Kurtis says:

    Great photos and awesome advise! Thanks for sharing!

  30. Bailey Anne says:

    Wow this is absolutely incredible and beautiful! I feel absolutely inspired to follow this step by step guide and mke my own now!!!! Thank you. Great job!

  31. Audrianne says:

    This is such a great tutorial! It’s a beautiful project and the tutorial is clearly written with great pictures! I can’t wait to start some for Christmas presents! Thanks for sharing!! More posts like this one pretty please!!

  32. pempispalace says:

    First time visitor and found this a truly inspiring and a wonderful mini-tute. I also love the idea of maybe having a bit of a craft party and sharing resources – spreading the love :-) Thank you, Lindsay for bringing such beauty in to the world and sharing.

  33. Ella says:

    Thank you, Lindsay! I love junk and have a pile just waiting for me to display~ What a wonderful idea!

  34. Ann phillipson says:

    Linsay, i bought the magazine your journal is in!
    Thank you for sharing your creative process. Ive always wNt to learn how & you are such a generous teacher! I love
    Mini album/journals! Ive always been a fan! Infact i think i own every lettering booklet youve published! So glad youre in stampington publications as they are my fav too!

  35. Susan says:

    Thank you so much for this section of Somerset Place. I love it.

    I also purchased the magazine with Lindsay’s journal as a featured project. How I wanted to know what the process was to put it together! You made my day. Thank you so much for sharing.

  36. Aaron Duke says:

    Lindsay, the signage you made for my and Jamie’s wedding was absolutely perfect. They were original and tasteful, classy and authentic. Everything was perfect and added just the right touch to complete the theme. I especially LOVED the sign my nephew wore, saying “Uncle Aaron, here comes your girl!” It was such a nice touch to the ceremony. Thanks a million. Couldn’t imagine our wedding without your help!

  37. Jamie Demes-Duke says:

    Lindsay,
    I love your mini junk journal! So cute, creative, and inspiring! You are such an incredible artist! Also, thank you so much for all of the decorations you made for my wedding! I absolutely loved all of the signs, your handwriting, and how you incorporated our wedding colors into every piece! Our wedding definitely wouldn’t have been the same without your creative touch! Thank you so much!!!

  38. Mari says:

    What a fantastic idea – love it. I have never thought to use sewing machine with scrapbooking. Need to try it out…

Jordan Art JournalingHow-To Project Tutorials ,,,,,,

Lindsay Ostrom Junk Journal



“When I think about why I journal now, it’s more of, why wouldn’t I? I journal on my lunch break, in the car while waiting for an appointment, and every night when I come home. Ideas pop into my head during my day-to-day routine and it seems that I cannot sleep until I get them out onto the paper.”

~Lindsay Ostrom from the pages of Art Journaling Summer 2014

Today we have a very special treat for our wonderful blog followers! The incredibly talented Lindsay Ostrom, who has been featured in a number of Stampington publications such as Somerset Studio, Art Quilting Studio, and Somerset Apprentice, has agreed to share an exclusive project with us. If you happened to have read Lindsay’s article in Art Journaling, then like me, you probably fell head-over-heels in love with her colorful and clever Junk Journal. After gushing in an email about how much I enjoyed her article and artwork, Lindsay agreed to create a mini junk journal just for us. So get your crafting supplies ready, and please join me in giving Lindsay a warm Somerset Place welcome.

~*~

Today I want to walk you through the process of creating one of my Junk Journals, like the one featured in the 2014 Art Journaling magazine. I usually start by coming up with an idea in my head and sometimes a theme. For this project, my theme was fortune cookie messages. You know when you go to a Chinese place and you get a really good fortune in your cookie, and then you pray that it comes true? Kind of like that.

Mini Junk Journal Material List:

Paper Ephemera

Pieces of Fabric

Ribbons

Envelopes

Paper Cutting Tools

Paper Binding Rings

Adhesive

Black Journaling Pen

White Journaling Pen

Acrylic Paint Markers

Mini Junk Journal Project Tutorial:

Ostrom_1

Step 1 – First collect bits and pieces of “junk” to use in your journal. I love to combine paper and fabrics so for this one I chose a lot of old papers, ledger pads, book paper, manila folders, envelopes, receipt books, etc. I like to pull everything out to see what strikes my fancy at the moment. Everything else gets put away and I only use what I have selected.

Ostrom_3

Step 2 – Next, start assembling your pages. I never really know where I am going with my own pages until I lay them out. I just start pulling bits and pieces together. I hardly ever cut and rarely use a paper cutter. I love to fold and tear, and to create pockets with lots of nooks and crannies.

Ostrom_5

I rarely ever decide on a certain number of pages when I begin a book. I just make them until I feel satisfied. I knew for this project I wanted a shorter/smaller book and the pages just started appearing.

Ostrom_6

Step 3 – I save cardboard boxes for my covers, but you can use whatever sturdy material you want. Personally, I love cardboard because you can tear back a bit of the outer paper to expose the rippled corrugated inners. You can easily cut it with scissors or a craft knife. The only tricky part is sewing bits and pieces onto it.

Ostrom_7

Step 4 – I have about 5 layers of fabric, lace, and doily here. It was a bit tough, but with a slow and steady foot, it will all sew together nicely. Like I said, I love to use fabrics with paper, and sewing is a must. Adhesives just never seem to do what I want, and I know that if I use a sewing machine, things tend to be more securely attached.

Ostrom_8

Step 5 – When I start working in a journal, I usually haven’t completed the front and back covers yet. With this journal however, I embellished the cover at the same time as the pages in order to give you all a better idea of what a completed book will look like.

Ostrom_13

Step 6 – Once you have your pages just right and you’ve sewn everything into place, you can start to assemble them into a journal. I usually sort the pages in the order of how I want them to appear in the journal, but I never seem to stick to it. Silly, I know.

Step 7 – Next, using a large punch (I used a Cropadile), start punching holes in the pages. Once the cover is done, you can use it as a template for the other pages. Don’t be afraid to punch some pages so that they sit higher and lower than the others. It will make your book look more interesting.

Ostrom_14

Step 8 – You can use any type of binding you like. Sometimes I take mine to the local printer and have them spiral bound. If you own your own binding machine, you can do it yourself. For this journal, I chose to use just a simple “O” ring.

Ostrom_9

Step 9 – Lay the book out in front of you, and then slide the rings through the front and back cover, leaving them open in the middle. This is the easiest way to add pages. You can add one to the front and one to the back until you get to the center. That way the hinge on the rings is in the back. You can also tie bits of fabric, lace, and fibers onto the rings to disguise them. Step 10 – Next, close the rings and take a look at your completed book. So pretty, right? I love just flipping through the pages and seeing what I created out of “junk.”

Ostrom_10

Here is the cover in all its glory!

I usually make a pouch out of junk for each book. That way I can carry them around with me and they don’t get dirty. I can also toss in bits and pieces that I want to use in the book later on when I am journaling. In this pouch, for example, I am saving some fortune cookie messages. I used scraps of fabric as well as upholstery swatches from furniture stores to make this pouch, but that’s a project for another day!

 

Ostrom_17
Step 10 –
Embellishing the pages of your junk journal is the next step. I usually do this over a period of time, but I will do two pages for this project. Being an ex-scrapbooker, I like to do a two page spread that is somehow tied together. In this case it’s circles.

Ostrom_15
Step 11 –
For this book I decided to use fabric instead of paper on the pages, and to adhere it, I used Mod Podge instead of sewing thread. You can use any adhesive you like. I broke one of my cardinal rules because I felt there was enough sewing on the page already, and the Mod Podge dries quick and clear.

Step 12 – Pick a fabric that has a circle pattern on it, and then cut into the edge of the circle and cut out a ring. You can use both the ring and the left-over circle. When you glue or sew the ring into your book you won’t even see the cutout line.

Ostrom_16



Step 13 – I incorporated fortune cookie messages with my own special take on them. I added some journaling, drawing, and coloring around messages that hold a particularly important meaning to me.  You can use the envelopes and pockets to hide some of the more personal messages.

Want to see more? I hope so! This mini-journal isn’t finished yet. I have just begun. I hope to finish it in time for the next installment of Art Journaling. Hopefully this project has inspired you to create your own Junk Journal. You can even make it a party. Invite your friends over and have everyone bring their own bits of junk and swap. Until next time!

~*~

Thanks Lindsay for sharing such a wonderful project. With the holiday season fast approaching, this is the perfect time to start making art journals. Keep track of special moments, write down how your feeling, and strive to be creative as often as you can inside the pages of your very own junk journal.

 

More about Lindsey Ostrom:

Lindsay Ostrom BlogTo learn more about Lindsey, the self-titled Creator of Cuteness, and see more of her amazing work visit her blog.