How To Make A Large Junk Journal For Beginners

How To Make A Large Junk Journal For Beginners 🎨🤔

Ready to dive into the world of large junk journals?

I’ve been watching this awesome video by Kanoe at Heart Dive with Kanoe Gibson & Ho, and I’m gonna break it down for you.

Let’s get crafty! 🎨

Why make a large junk journal? 🤔

Large junk journals are amazing because:

• You’ve got tons of space to play with
• It’s perfect for trying out new techniques
• You can mix and match so many cool elements

What do you need to get started? 🛠️

Kanoe uses:

• A big Little Golden Book
• Cereal box (Lucky Charms, yum!)
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic paint
• Crackle medium
• Varnish
• Washi tape
• Fabric scraps
• Paper scraps
• Seam binding
• Charms and beads

How do you prep the cover? 📚

First things first, let’s get that cover ready:

1. Carefully take out the pages from the book
2. Clean up those edges (Kanoe uses a razor blade)
3. Measure and cut a cereal box for the spine and title plate
4. Sand down that glossy cover (trust me, it helps the paint stick!)
5. Use Tyvek tape to make the spine super strong
6. Cover it with washi tape to make it pretty

What’s the deal with painting? 🎨

Time to make it colorful:

1. Start with gesso (it’s like glue for paint)
2. Paint your first layer (Kanoe goes for turquoise)
3. Add some crackle medium for texture
4. Paint your main color (Kanoe mixes up a cool metallic red)
5. Highlight the edges with gold wax
6. Seal it all with matte varnish

How do you put together the signatures? 📝

This is where it gets fun:

1. Pick out a bunch of different papers
2. Fold and crease those pages
3. Use washi tape to make thin pages stronger
4. Create some pockets and flip-outs
5. Add tabs using fabric and paper scraps
6. Sew paper flowers along the edges (so cute!)

What’s the secret to sewing signatures? 🧵

Kanoe’s method is super smart:

1. Mark 5 holes on the spine
2. Use a Crop-a-dile to punch those holes
3. Clip your pages together tight
4. Grab some waxed thread
5. Start from the middle hole
6. Weave in and out, skipping the middle hole on the way back
7. Tie it off with a square knot

How do you add those awesome finishing touches? ✨

This is where your journal really comes to life:

1. Make a closure with dyed seam binding
2. Add an eyelet to the back cover
3. Attach a bulldog clip to keep it closed
4. Create a charm with ribbons and trims
5. Make a tassel with hemp cord
6. Add beads and charms to your tassel

Now, let’s chat about some of the cool things Kanoe does:

How does Kanoe choose papers? 📄

Kanoe loves mixing it up:

• Vintage papers
• Ledger papers
• Vellum
• Magazine pages
• Book pages

She says there’s no right or wrong – use what speaks to you!

What’s Kanoe’s secret for creating signatures? 📚

Kanoe takes her time with this part:

• She varies the sizes of papers
• Mixes up patterns and writing papers
• Creates layers for interesting page flips

It might take a while, but it’s so worth it!

How does Kanoe add extra flair? 🌟

Kanoe’s all about those little details:

• She sews paper flowers along page edges
• Creates cluster tabs with fabric scraps
• Adds a Starbucks packaging wheel (how cool is that?)

What’s the deal with Kanoe’s closure? 🎀

Kanoe gets creative:

• Uses seam binding dyed with distress stains
• Adds an eyelet for the binding to go through
• Attaches a bulldog clip for easy opening and closing

How does Kanoe make that awesome charm? 🧶

It’s all about mixing textures:

• Uses different ribbons and strings
• Adds eyelash trim for extra fluff
• Incorporates baker’s twine for a vintage feel

What’s in Kanoe’s tassel? 🎊

Kanoe goes all out:

• Uses hemp cord as the base
• Adds tons of beads and charms
• Ties it all together with a “ghost head” (like a tootsie pop ghost!)

Phew!

That was a lot, right? 😅

But here’s the thing – making a large junk journal is all about having fun and expressing yourself.

Don’t stress if yours doesn’t look exactly like Kanoe’s.

That’s the beauty of junk journaling – every journal is unique!

Kanoe leaves lots of blank spaces in her journal.

Why?

Because she wants room to create and add stuff later.

Smart, right?

Remember, junk journaling is all about:

• Expressing yourself
• Having fun
• Creating something that makes you happy

So, are you ready to make your own large junk journal?

Go for it!

Grab those supplies, put on some good music, and let your creativity flow. 🎵✨

Happy journaling, folks!

May your pages be filled with memories, creativity, and lots of junk journal goodness. 📓🌈

Check out more junk journal tips and tutorials here: