I cannot tell you how many times I gave up on junk journaling because I’m like, “why am I doing this when I don’t even write in them!” This video explains the reasons and I love it! Every single junk journaling beginner should watch this video. Also, I love your furniture and pieces in the background. Thank you for doing this wonderful detailed video!

My quick and simple answer is, "I enjoy doing it!" No one has to understand another person's hobbies. Each person must find their own bliss. This is mine.

I can truly say it is therapeutic. My home was destroyed in hurricane Laura in 2020 and we had to live in a small trailer for almost two years. This was extremely traumatic. This is when I learned about junk journals. I made one about our hurricane experience (We stayed and were in the house when the tree came through.) Junk journals kept me sane and gave me calm while we were going through all the decision making and rebuilding.

It is kind of a healing process. I lost my second baby four years ago. I was devastated and beyond consoling but then I found junk journaling. Granted, I did have God but I needed an outlet. I have always liked paper items. To be able to manipulate images, painting and collaging is such a broad meaning to take away from.

I recently found a pad of aviation paper and put together a junk journal for my granddaughter who is going off to school to become a pilot. She absolutely loved it and I am so pleased! We are putting finishing touches in it together. Her own creativity came out, we copied her college acceptance letter to use in it and some lined paper to log her fly time. I used an old blue book for the right blue color and had an old atlas for maps. Rubber stamps and stencils too. Such fun!

My mom passed away a little over a week ago, and as soon as I got home, I spent the next 6 days making junk journals for my 2 sisters and myself to capture memories, prayers, gratitudes, and write about my mom. They both loved their journals. I am still adding to mine. 💜

Why make junk journals? Because it’s FUN to see all the beauty you can create with paper! And it’s serendipitous! “Junk” journal is not the best term (must be the alliteration that keeps it around), it has evolved and expanded over time to include many styles, materials and techniques. Anything goes! For me, it’s about being FREE from perfection.

It's difficult to explain to a non-artist why we create stuff. In my case, my mental health tanks if I don't break out the paints every day. Junk journals are a work of art in themselves, and in my opinion the cost of not doing them outweighs the time, effort, and cost associated with creating them. As long as you are not neglecting your loved ones, don't let anyone put down your creative work.

Love that I found this but I am going to add all the junk I have piled up around the house in drawers, files, boxes, albums, charts from cross stitch patterns I have stitched, book covers of those I have loved, maybe even put in a single earring of which I’ve lost the pair but adored. No order. Fabrics and wallpaper I love, etc. Just a place to reflect on my life at 65 years old!

I've been seeing junk journals around for a few years and I think they look amazing, but they've always been a mystery to me. I've never had the attention span to sort through videos trying to figure them out. Thank-you for putting all the info into one video and finally clearing it up for me!

For me, it's an art journal. I don't write in them. I just enjoy creating each page. For me each page is a work of art. They reveal or reflect what my feelings are at that moment.

I have many hobbies such as cross-stitch, knit, reading, wood crafting, refinished some furniture, crochet, puzzles and others but when i saw my first junk journal making video last year, I WAS HOOKED. The first one was The Paper Outpost. Pam turned me on to junk journal making with that first video and I've never looked back. I look at papers, envelopes, books, brown packing paper and anything close to paper in a whole different way. My husband will open his mail and had a place he puts all of the envelopes and papers with them in a special place so I can go thru them and get what I want. 😂

Non artists have no understanding of why you waste your time doing anything. They are blind to all types of art, journals included. But these journals are also historical documents and one day may be valued for the snap shot they provide of the era in which you make your journal - so keep going. don't let any one discourage you.

I loved how you transformed a box (which usually would end in the trash) into a tiny peace of art.

Margarete: it is so clear to me why one collages in a junk journal, glue book or any thing else. Any time I get a chance to explain to someone about what it is all about, I use the words calming, relaxing, can’t make any mistakes, creative, free and cheap to do. That usually catches their attention. Haha. Carol from California

:o the signature stitch INSIDE AN ENVELOPE is incredible

Making all these decisions is the exact reason why I love creating junk journals. I also have my son-in-law coming to me with his smaller empty boxes from his business. Once I showed him what I do with them, he got me and has been diligent about asking if I can use them.

I haven't made one in almost a year mainly because the antique store I sold them in went out of business. I finished the journal I was working on then went straight in to a funk. Watching this video has inspired me to start up my junk journal making journey again! I can't thank you enough.

I think i like making them more than actually using them. I have some many different styles. It’s therapy for me. creative freedom.😊

I'm always surprised when folks ask why or don't "get it." I think like many other hobbies or creative interests, you either love it or don't quite understand it. Great video Margarete!💙

We are all different. I love waching people making junk journals, but it has to be functional for me. I am trying to make one now from a big paper bag and i am collecting the signatures now, but since this is the first time making a journal i find it really difficult. As they have to be functional, it is going to be my personal journal where each signature contains a topic i love, like autumn (photos, pictures from magazines, recipes for food to make in autumn), Christmas (old christmas cards, recipes, traditions, wishlists, photos of our christmas trees through the years, aso), education (copy of diplomas, class photos, friends from school, teachers that inspired me), one signature about my son, and so on. A book about me and my life.

I have a friend who LOVES to make them, and I LOVE to use them! I fill mine with scripture verses or other theological quotes. When I fill one it becomes part of my daily devotions or I give it to someone who needs inspiration in their life. Plus--they are soooo beautiful!

For me the purpose of a junk journal is to make me happy! 😃

I'm in the middle of making my daughter-in-love a Treasure Book (Junk Journal) as a companion to her Bible for study notes. I've made some for friends for all different reasons. One friend's an artist, so I made her one with plenty of pages for water colors, sketches, etc. When I gave it to her, I added a small travel water color set. Another was for a diary. The possibilities are absolutely ENDLESS!!! LOVE THEM ALL! 💖💖💖

For me making junk journals gives me a place to store ephemera, make collage and practice mixed media art. The Creative freedom you describe is accurate… especially the way junk journals allow you to use whatever you want as an “art supply “

My grandfather was way ahead of his time. He made lots of junk journals which I have inherited. I remember looking at these as a child and they always gave me pleasure. I must have inherited some of his talents as I love papercrafting, which is very therapeutic. I have yet to create a junk journal, but it is on my to do list. Thanks for video.

prompt free flying, falling, free to be, thought, free living, freedom, free expression. Hope these spark some free thinking!

We do them to have fun and play with creativity and materials. To relax , yes. I look at them and they relax me just moving the pages. Furthermore I feel proud of the final result.

Now I understand! I've been asking in the comments of other channels, "why, what's it for etc" and no one ever replied with an answer that clicked. You've explained and demonstrated it perfectly. I'm going to help my gdaughter make one. Thnx!

Margarete, I thoughly enjoyed this video for lots of reasons. In a way it connected to your prompt for July "free". I find playing with journalling in whatever form, has a freedom about it. For my sanity I need to write about stuff, whether about events ( in what is basically my mundane life) or my feelings and moods. For me everything is connected to my faith and to include Gods Word is life giving. I hope anyone new to journaling will give it a go after watching your super video. Thank you. Pauline. Age seventy one and a half. X.

Thank you for clearifying this topic. I love recycling things and using them in an unexpected way and I love paper and save and rescue every piece of it, I myself do envelopes with those papers, greeting cards and things like that for creative reasons and I do nature journaling. But I never got the point of making those junk journals and thought there might be some kind of "magic reason" for doing this. I got it now. There is a kind of magic to those people who do them.

I always loved paper crafts. When I saw junk journals, I dived in. While I love creating them, I find them a total escape when looking at them later. I’ve left a couple in Dr waiting rooms to help others take their mind off of the current situation.

What a perfect video for me. I’ve wanted to understand the “how and why” of junk journaling and you did such a thorough job of answering my questions! Thank you. ❤

I add my heart when I make them for friends

I always say I'm contributing to taking care of the environment by up cycling what would normally be thrown in the trash. 😊

I found it helpful to do my junk journal as a way to help with the loss of my mom things that I would like to tell her but can’t

This is a wonderful intro to junk journals! I will refer people who ask to your thorough and informative video. Thank you! I love the process of making a junk journal. Each one has its own personality, and some are just works of art in and of themselves that won’t be “used” in any way. I have purchased a few journals over the years just for their artistic (and tutorial) value! I had planned to include Junk Journal July in my current “memory-keeping journal,” but the thrill of creating a new journal specifically for July has changed my mind 😂. Really loved watching you make the small journal from the watercolor box and it turned out beautifully! Who can resist a good box?? Thank you, again, Margarete, for sharing your time and talent with the rest of us ❤

I gotta get one of those long-arm staplers! What a terrific idea!

I think you nailed it right on the head as to why a junk journal. I have made several, my favourite is to my late husband where I have made a journal of all his work sheets; car licenses any piece of paper that has his writing on, photographs all kinds of bits that would otherwise be hidden away in a drawer or thrown away , is now safely in a book dedicated to his life with me, I love it

Junk journals are thee best! You can put all your sentiments, fave sayings, prayers, concert tickets from past, movie tickets from a date, and it holds your keepsakes in one beautiful junk journal

I like to think of my journal pages, as if they were artistic magazine layouts. Not too interactive or busy, just tasteful.😊

lol 0:17 this question is always asked with all paper crafts, they can’t understand, but crafts has always been fun for me. I’d like to know wer and who invented or started jj I think the best of it is seeing all the old vintage stuff 7:57so funny how we look at boxes, and what we keep, Rocky (chocolate sticks) lots of kool box’s

I started doing glue books during the Covid lockdowns. It really helped with the anxiety and isolation.

Making junk journals is my therapy. I love to create unique pages just because it makes me happy to create something fun and just for me.

Really loved this video. Regarding your next theme, FREE, I got to thinking of so many ideas: free gift, free time, freedom, free thinking, free falling. I think you’ll have a blast with this topic. I can’t wait to see what you do!

I don't make junk journals. I couldn't understand the point. But watching your video, I think what keeps me from enjoying something like this is that you almost have to have a collection mindset, gathering yhings that might one day be used in a journal. I like gathering pretty paper for card making. Other than that, if it isn't used promptly, out it goes! I have neither storage space nor mental space to gather little things like this. But if you enjoy it, great! 💛😊

I have always been a scrapbook maker, but it seems my kids like their junk journals even better! I did one journal to document my son’s years of training to become an airline pilot, and he was always excited to give me things that he had collected for me to put in it! Then I made a journal putting a story together of my daughter’s search for, purchase of, and move into her first house. I used some of her artwork from middle school, and parts of her planner from high school as pages. Great memories! I also used some of Cori Dahmen’s one-sheet wonders to make little booklets to give my kids and hand-wrote their favorite holiday recipes to tuck inside. Great gifts!

I love this little junk journal. Part of junk journaling is also using materials you love so that when you look back at the pages, it makes you happy. Thank you.

I love everything about junk journals, art journals, mixed media journals, and plain journals in general. I love making them and writing in them. Someday, hopefully my children, will read my thoughts at the time, but if the books get brought to a thrift store, perhaps someone might take an interest. I'm doing it because I love it and the end result doesn't concern me at this time.

Making it a diary or a memory keeping. That is what makes journal special. You can make it into something that suits your needs. Beautify it according to your liking.

This video has to be the best I have seen with regard to Junk Journals: the explanation, definition and subsequent examples on how to build one from nothing is superb. Thank you for the time you invested in making such a well thought out, informative and educational video. 10/10 with a gold star to match x

My reason for making junk journals is, WHY NOT ?...They are extremely fun to make and it's even more fun decorating them. I'm totally addicted to making big or small, eclectic or themed, it doesn't matter, if it gives you joy to create them, JUST DO IT.

Yes its all so fun! Paper and glue is addictive with so many options. Thanks!

I’ve been junk journaling since 2017 and enjoy it

Thank you for the 'permission' to do whatever feels right to me!

Thank you for this, I have people who still don't get it and I will send them to this video! Oh, yes... 'free' to me means using things I never paid for, found materials etc. Looking forward to seeing what you create!

I was asked the very same thing today. I have made lots of them. I also made smaller ones at a class of kids who were going away to boarding school. My idea was they could have other kids leave their message as a keep sake to look back o. The girls were happy with their Little books.

ADORABLE!! It's just so cute. I did a show last year and was totally surprised that most ppl never heard of these, and couldn't grasp the concept. If i had to explain them again I'd just tell them it's an updated form of scrapbooking. I think they would get that. I did sell 2. I've been a crafter most of my life and and I really think this is my favorite craft, I love anything paper. Hugs * L

Loved your explanations and peeks at some of your beautiful books! Whenever I give a JJ as a gift, I include a note with possible use ideas: they can record passwords - important birthdays & anniversaries - a running list of events, vacations, milestones, etc. through-out the year…truly endless possibilities❣️

Your journals are all beautiful, and with your detailed explanations, I learned a lot about junk journals, I've been saving and recycling magazines, and photos that I didn't know how to start.

Junk Journals are......Unlimited!!!!!❤🎉😮

I needed to hear this… I made a junk journal and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what to do with it afterwards. It came out super duper cute and I enjoyed making it… it was therapeutic and gave me an alternative to my typical paper crafting.. I used a lunch bag as part of the process. After pondering what to do with this paper wad of cuteness, I decided to throw it in my church tote and use it to put away future offerings… as the CFO of my church I’m always writing jotting down reminders of things I need to do in my church office… guess what I use for that? My wad of cuteness junk journal. It has lots of writing space 🤗

It took me a long time to do a junk journal but once I did, I was hooked! I love creating different things to put in them. I must admit mine aren't so junky, lol. I suffer from chronic pain, and it helps take my mind off of it (as much as it can) for a while.

I love that you started from the simplest beginning for making a little jj. It’s nice to get back to basics no matter how many books you’ve made. ❤

Thank you! Recently I decided to make a junk journal to help me use up some of my scraps. Using a box as a cover seems so intuitive and easy and stapling too! So very helpful!😊❤

I started to make these about 10 years ago, because I wanted to start journaling. It was so fun to make it so I continued . I don't really make them anymore but make mixed media, but I managed to make around 100. I didn't make them to sell them, but I started to sell them when I had around 40. I didn't have room for them anymore. Only the first two I made was 100% scraps, then I started to make a lot of my own papers. I never used any of the journals I made 🙂

I really enjoyed your video. It’s a great explanation of junk journaling. I especially liked how you took us through some of your completed journals and took a step-by-step in making a small journal. Thanks

I have a lot of hobbies and the one where people always ask "Why?" or seem dismissive is collage. I guess I didn't understand it myself until I made one collage and was hooked. So far I haven't made a junk journal since I have some pre-made books that I'm using up. But I got the little book binding kit from Amazon so I'm ready to try it. I love how yours with the cracker box and the paint box came out.

As long as it’s legal, lifts your spirits, encourages creativity and it’s FUN…..just do it!

I lead an art drop in group. I've led a seminar on how to repurpose books as various types of journals, but I like the idea of making journals like this better for the art group. We have lots of scrapbook paper and miscellaneous scrapbooking stuff in our supply cupboard.

Beautiful work Margarete. Your comments on the process being as worthwhile as the result is true for me. Love your style with Junk Journals.

I love making junk journals and then using them to explore different creative avenues. Stencils,stamps,inking,collage. At the end looking back at how I progressed is so exciting,very addictive!

Well to me is a great gift to give anyone is a one of a kind book if it has a pocket ,you can put a note pictures money gift cards .And is fun .To me is a memory you give when u do .I enjoy your videos

I love the repurposed mailing box and the postal theme inside! I work for the USPS so postal ephemera is some of my favorite (and plentiful!)

I've always been interested in book making. I thought about taking a class but didn't know where I could go. Then as i was randomly going through KZfaq, I found videos about junk journals. I was hooked. I purchase digitals, I'm not that creative. There are so many people who are creative and sell digitals for a reasonable amount. i have enough to digitals to last me for years. LOL Most of the digitals have pages that are blank, or very little on them. I use these pages as you would a diary. I get the fun of putting a book together and have a journal with beautiful pages to write my thoughts in.

Every single video you make inspires me to jump in!

I recently started junk journaling and I'm addicted. I hope I get great at it like I see you and others make beautiful things.

Dear Margarete, what a cute little junk journal you made! Love everything about it! And thank you for answering these questions. It helps me to explain to my friends what a junk journal is.❤

Added thought: pages could be ZenTangle as art. I find this a superb method of relaxing. It blocks out all the noise in yr head, it allows the brain to focus, concentrating on what you're designing each stroke/line !!!

I've never heard of junk journals! Your video popped up on my feed so I clicked on it, because I am about to start a new journal on my Tarot deck studies so I was curious about this from the title of the video. I'm returning to Tarot after not doing it for a while, and I can't wait. But I think this is a lovely idea too, I just might try it, as well. Thank you! The Q&A part at the start was good, and actually demonstrating how to make a junk journal was very helpful. Sharing this video with my sister. :)

I love the little journal. You have great ideas. Thank you for sharing.

Fabulous tutorial on junk journals, especially since I’m a novice and have never made one.

I've only watched the first of this video in which you have addressed questions from viewers concerning junk journals. You did a superb job. You did not glorify what a junk journal is. You spoke of creative expression but you did not mention art. I applaud that distinction. True art is not the making of something using art supplies. True art does not have to be a masterpiece. However, true art is not the act of making a product. Taking the time to make something is not creating art. Art is a product of talent, not the product of industry. Yes, a person can industriously work towards making a project. But, there is a difference between industry and talent. I've been making story books since 2019. Although I've been doing it for five years now, every time I sit down and start to work on a project, I learn something new. In my work flow, I may create a page and think I have completed it. After a day or so, if I revisit what I've made, I can almost always see ways in which I can improve and refine what I've done. The vast majority of KZfaq journalers I've seen work against the clock. In other words, they have allotted an hour for their video therefore what they make has to be completed (or almost completed) in that time frame. With that rule in place, so much lack of thought and attention is evident to the viewers. This is a negative thing for junk journalers. However, if one approaches these videos in a different mindset, you can see a value that is not at all connected to junk journaling. Reading comments given to popular journalers, one does not have to be a scientist to realize that for many of the viewers, the draw is not a concentration on the journaling process. Rather, the element of connection is the personality of the person making the video. I suspect there are a lot of lonely people who watch junk journaling videos because it is a way in which they can feel connected to the outside world. The person in front of the camera becomes a friend who is always there, always friendly, always reassuring. Let's face it, society throughout the world has become so disjointed, many people feel isolated. They long for connections, places where they feel they belong without judgment. Junk journaling videos provide a safe place where like-minded people can come together and feel welcome and appreciated. After five years of watching junk juornaling videos, the allure to watch these videos has diminished. Sadly, a great many videos made these days are just rehashing old ideas ad infinitum. The mechanics of junk journaling has replaced the creative expression. I don't see me giving up making story books, but I do fear that my days of watching junk journaling videos for inspiration are fast coming to an end. But, even at that, these videos do provide friendship and connections. These are just as valuable (if not more so) than the junk journaling aspect. I found this video to be thoughtful and well-informed, Magarete. You were objective and did not indulge in subjectivity. Thank you for your time, your effort and your caring attitude.

It's endlessly fascinating to learn about different journal techniques. I love your assembly of this one! And the colors are just gorgeous. As always when I watch a really good tutorial, I'm inspired and want to get working right away. Thanks so much for sharing!

Great fun, thank you!

So cute!!! Thank you for sharing! 😊

I loved this video. I make themed junk journals that are both a scrapbook and art journal that can also be used as a writing journal. I create them for myself and mostly others. This is a nice explation video. I shared it to my community. Thank you!

Eres una maga!!!! Me encantó tu proyecto, y adoro cómo explicas tus procesos creativos

Beautiful ❤Thank you for showing us ❤

I enjoy the process and creating beautiful and thoughtful junk journals.

I absolutely love this idea of a junk journal! ❤ i had never heard of it. Something like this is perfect for me to get lost in. Thank you so much! 🌼🌹💐

I used to think that, but I really get it now I do them. I love it. They tick all of my artistic boxes.😊

Wonderful video!! How many times I have stopped and said why am I doing this? So I stopped for a awhile and realized it filled my day and gave me something to do - besides crocheting knitting, reading which you can only do so much of !! Love your box that your paints came in - I immediately thought of doing paint samples or color samples if I had that picture!!! or even better I would keep all the colors I choose for the walls in my new house. Once painted keep only the colors that were used with a picture of the result ! Beautiful! BTW free prompt would be the free box you used in the video or using free printables on-line or a beautiful bird flying into the sky freely next to a cage which was once his home!!!

Loved your junk journal show-n-tell...great answers & beautiful creations!! ❤️😉

Same as the comments below, but I'm finally going to make a journal. The grandchildren have school holidays starting next week, and this will be a project we can start and finish. Thank you so much, I really enjoyed your presentation, and answering questions so many of us had about making a journal. Perth AU

Your comments are helpful. I have wondered about these items. Thank you.

I love it. Thanks for doing a video which answered questions I had alway wondered about junk journals.

My 2nd video of yours and just loving them. You are an exceptional teacher with directional thinking. So encouraging!❤ I would love to see how you store your ephemera. Many thanks. Denmark 🇩🇰

You answered so many of my questions! Thank you.

Thanks for these good ideas!!!❤