Junk Journal Club

A cozy, inclusive, creative space to gather, share, relax and do art stuff together.

This Month’s Projects

Ongoing Project: Tag Journal

The Tag Journal, for those who are participating (optional)

• A link to the June printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/212ecba0c6 – If you’re printing your own, I encourage you to give Caroline a little thank you $ for creating this.
• A link to the July printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/ce21c587f0
• A link to the August printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/1a9c137040
• A link to the September printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/2dadaec7fa
• A link to the October printable:https://ko-fi.com/s/411780c778
• A link to the November printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/ab8645588a
• A link to the December printable: https://ko-fi.com/s/0e5b0c9ca7
• Supply list (please bring):
  • Scissors
  • Craft Glue, PVA glue, or fabric glue + glue stick
  • Fabric strips for the tab binding (Lindy & Rhys will have these if you need some)
  • Ink pad & dauber (optional, for “distressing” your tags)
  • Ruler
  • Craft mat or other table covering

Video tutorials for the Tag Journal Project: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQY8RKMpng7dOxmrTcWmoXJVzf6xERmYj&si=IYcnwOvHQd_J11pL

• Columbiana Public Library, Mowen Room
• 6-7:30pm

This month we’re making one of the most useful supplies you can have in your junk journal stash: collage masterboards! If you’ve never made one before, you’re in for a treat. A masterboard is simply a large sheet of paper completely covered with layers of collage using scraps, book pages, patterned papers, tissue paper, music sheets, maps, magazine clippings—just about anything made of paper! Once it’s finished, you can cut it apart to create beautiful, coordinated embellishments for future projects. Your finished masterboards can be turned into: 🌼 Journal tags 🌼 Tuck spots and pockets 🌼 Journal cards 🌼 ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) 🌼 Ephemera 🌼 Mini envelopes 🌼 Decorative strips and borders 🌼 Die cuts 🌼 Backgrounds for other projects It’s one of the reasons masterboards are so popular in junk journaling. Instead of decorating each little piece individually, you create one large collage full of color and texture, then cut it into individual elements that can be used “as is” or decorated further. It’s creative, relaxing, and feels a little like opening presents—you never know exactly what beautiful combinations will appear once you start cutting! Better yet, this project is a fantastic way to use up paper scraps of every size. Even those tiny bits you’ve been saving “just in case” can find a home on a masterboard. Nothing has to match perfectly—that layered, eclectic look is exactly what makes junk journals so charming. What to Bring If you’d like, please bring: 🔅 Paper scraps of any size 🔅 A few sheets of base paper (those “ugly” 12×12 scrapbook papers hiding in your stash are absolutely perfect!) 🔅 Old book pages (they’re inexpensive, easy to find at thrift stores, library sales, or damaged books, and they add wonderful texture and interest) 🔅 Your own glue (this is important!) Glue sticks are often the easiest and least messy choice for this project. 🔅 Scissors are optional. In fact, many junk journal artists prefer tearing their papers instead of cutting them. Torn edges add wonderful texture and help all the different papers blend together beautifully. Don’t worry if you don’t have supplies to bring—we’ll have plenty of papers, scraps, and book pages available to share. Just bring your creativity and enjoy spending a relaxing time making something beautiful with friends. As always, everyone is welcome. There is no wrong way to create.

☮Our Creative Contribution Activity Boxes will be available for anyone who would like a simple, ready-to-go creative activity. These activities are designed to encourage creativity, participation, and confidence — there’s no wrong way to create! Community Craft Supply Request We’re collecting security envelopes! If you receive mail with security envelopes inside, please save them for us instead of throwing them away. The patterned interiors make wonderful additions to junk journals and future paper crafting projects. Bring your saved envelopes to any Junk Journal Club meeting — we’ll put them to creative use!

• Columbiana Public Library, Mowen Room
• 6-7:30pm

This month we’re pulling out the rubber stamps and making beautiful papers and fabrics to use in future junk journal projects! Rubber stamping is one of the easiest ways to add personality, texture, and handmade charm to your journals. Whether you love vintage botanicals, whimsical patterns, script, florals, butterflies, or simple background textures, stamped pieces can become some of the most versatile supplies in your creative stash. We’ll spend the meeting time creating our own collection of stamped papers and fabric that can be tucked away and used whenever inspiration strikes. Your stamped pieces can be used for: 🌼Layering in collage clusters 🌼Decorating journal tags 🌼Creating pockets and tuck spots 🌼Journal cards 🌼Belly bands 🌼Background layers 🌼Borders and page edges 🌼Snippets and ephemera 🌼Fabric 🌼Slow stitching projects 🌼Bookmarks 🌼Mixed media projects One of the real treasures of this project is stamped fabric. If you’ve never tried it before, you’re going to love it! Stamped fabric adds wonderful texture and a unique handmade touch to junk journals. Small pieces can be layered into clusters, sewn onto pages, used as tabs, wrapped around journal closures, added to slow stitching projects, or tucked into pockets for extra interest. It’s one of those supplies you’ll find yourself reaching for again and again. For the best results, solid-colored fabrics tend to work much better than patterned ones because they allow your stamped designs to really stand out. What to Bring If you’d like, please bring: 🔅Your favorite rubber or clear stamps 🔅Ink pads (water-based and/or permanent ink pads are both welcome) 🔅Paper to stamp on (scraps or full sheets) 🔅Solid-colored fabric scraps for stamping We’ll have a selection of stamps and a few ink pads available to share, so don’t worry if you’re just getting started or don’t have a large collection yet. By the end of the meeting, you’ll have a wonderful assortment of handmade papers and fabrics ready to decorate future journals, cards, tags, and mixed media projects. It’s a relaxing, low-pressure afternoon that’s perfect for experimenting, sharing ideas, and discovering new favorite techniques. As always, everyone is welcome. There is no wrong way to create.

• Dates TBA

• Dates TBA

Click each link to go to the web site where the files are loaded, and follow the instructions for downloading.

Shabby Wildflowers Backgrounds (5 pages)
Watercolor Turtles Pockets (1 page) Blue Tags: https://ko-fi.com/s/27e41adde1 (1 page)

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Where you’ll find our welcome, club philosophy, more info on what to bring (also discussed at the bottom of this page) and other useful info.

Prepared Packet Membership

http://ko-fi.com/lovelyvillaindesigns/tiers

Members who choose this option receive printed project materials that we will prepare ahead of time for club meetings. This can make participating much easier and more relaxing, especially for beginners or anyone who prefers not to print at home.

The club itself remains completely free to attend, and members are always welcome to print and bring their own materials if they prefer. The library also offers printing; you can ask someone at the front desk for help and information and they’ll be glad to help you.

Archive of Past Projects

Archive of Past Projects

Creative Contribution Projects

At Junk Journal Club, we understand that not everyone enjoys the same type of creative activity every time they attend.

Some members love detailed projects, while others may prefer something simpler, more repetitive, more relaxing, or lower-pressure — and all of those approaches are equally welcome here. 💜

Because of this, we offer optional Creative Contribution Projects during club meetings.

These are simple, calming, beginner-friendly activities that members may choose instead of the main monthly project at any time.

Examples might include:

• decorating tags
• stamping papers
• creating collage backgrounds
• assembling paper clusters
• fussy cutting
• punching shapes out of paper scraps
• making simple embellishments
• preparing ephemera for future projects

Creative Contribution Projects are designed to be:

• relaxing
• flexible
• low-pressure
• accessible for different comfort and skill levels
• enjoyable for members who prefer repetitive or simplified creative tasks

Members are always welcome to:

• keep what they create
• share some or all of their creations in our community ephemera box
• work at their own pace
• participate however feels most comfortable

The community ephemera box allows members to share handmade tags, embellishments, papers, and creative bits with one another, helping us build a collaborative and encouraging creative environment together.

There is never any pressure to contribute items to the box — sharing is completely optional.

Most importantly, there is no “right” way to participate in Junk Journal Club. Whether you’re creating detailed journal pages, quietly collaging tags, organizing scraps, or simply enjoying the creative atmosphere, you belong here. 💜

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Our FREE Junk Journal Club is a casual get-together designed for folks who want more time to work on their journals between workshops. These sessions may be less structured and more community-driven—think of it as a creative hangout where we bring our journals, swap ideas, share supplies, and enjoy some good company.

Whether you’re brand new to junk journaling or an old pro, you’re welcome to join us! These gatherings are free to attend, though we ask that participants bring their own basic supplies (see suggested list below). It’s a great way to stay inspired, meet like-minded crafters, and make progress on your journal in a supportive, relaxed setting.

We’ll bring some tools and a stash of goodies to share, but the heart of these clubs is participation and connection. No pressure, no expectations—just time to relax, create, and connect.

Even if you’re not local to us, this page might inspire you to start a club of your own in your area. Community journaling is for everyone!

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Suggested Supplies for Junk Journal Club Meetings

Basic Essentials:

• Blank Junk Journal, altered book, or whatever project you’re working on
• A good glue stick (permanent preferred, acid-free recommended)
• Craft glue, such as Aleene’s Tacky Glue, Art Glitter Glue, Bearly Art Glue, Tombow glue with the blue cap, or an archival PVA glue (acid-free recommended). Regular Elmer’s school glue will work in a pinch, but it may cause your paper to pucker and will be slow to dry.
• Fabric glue
• A willingness to make mistakes 🙂
• A junk mail catalog or something similar that you can use as a “glue book.” You’ll use this as something to put under the pieces you’re gluing so you don’t get glue all over your work surface.
• Scissors – they don’t have to be expensive, but try to get some that don’t hurt your hand because you’ll be using them a lot. We also recommend carrying a pair of dedicated fabric scissors in your kit – helpful but optional
• Craft knife or box cutter (*OR you can use scissors instead, this is just faster for some projects and will give you a straighter line)
• Cutting mat (12″ x 18″ recommended) REQUIRED IF CUTTING WITH CRAFT KNIFE OR BOX CUTTER
• Pen and pencil
• Permanent marker
• Ruler
• Assorted paper, if working on your own project
• Assorted fabric scraps, lace, ribbon
• Tote bag & pencil case(s) for organizing tools & materials
• PAPER! Old book pages, thrifted scrapbook paper, junk mail, envelopes, ephemera etc

Optional But Helpful Tools:

• Bone folder (for folding/creasing)
• Black and/or brown ink pad & daubers (optional, for distressing edges)
• Paper trimmer (if you have one)
• Hole punches (standard or fancy designs)
• Stapler with extra staples or tiny attacher
• Washi tape or decorative tape
• Your Idea Book
• Eyelet kit
• Bookbinding kit (waxed cord, awls, large needle)
• Rubber stamps and ink pads
• Stencils
• Stickers
• Die cuts
• String, yarn, embroidery floss
• Watercolor paints & brushes
• Acrylic craft paints and brushes (a spatter of black or white paint can really add something special to your design)

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