If you love a junk journal that's genuinely stuffed with things to explore — pockets, hinged pages, fabric envelopes, danglies, stenciled tags, napkin decoupage — this flip-through is exactly that. I built this journal using everything from a single craft subscription box (Which Craft Do You Do), and the challenge of working within one curated collection gave the whole piece a real visual cohesion. It's now listed in my Etsy shop, and this video is a full walk-through so you can see every signature, every tucked-away element, and every little decision before it finds its new home.
What we cover
A complete flip-through of a three-signature junk journal made entirely from one craft subscription box — covering the cover construction, all three signatures, and the mix of clipped-in, hinged, sewn, and removable elements throughout. I also touch on the techniques behind some of the key pages: napkin decoupage on paper bags, stenciling, hinging pages for extra writing space, and the fabric envelope construction (with a link to that dedicated tutorial).
What you'll learn
How I constructed the semi-hardcover cover using an envelope as the base — a technique I adapted from Valerie Krueger (linked in the description). The seam binding closure is sewn directly into the cover, so it's not going anywhere, but I left extra length so you can trim it down and use the offcuts elsewhere in a project.
Why I clip most of the loose elements in rather than gluing them down — chipboard postcards, fabric envelopes, booklets, file folder tags — if something is clipped in, the person journaling can move it, pull it out entirely, or slot it somewhere that works better for their layout. It gives the journal a life beyond how I've arranged it.
How to make napkin decoupage tags, including:
- Decoupaging a napkin motif onto a paper bag base for texture and slight crinkling
- Adding stenciling and paper ruffles to finish the tag
- Tucking the finished tag into a signature as a large journaling spot
How to use hinged pages to add writing space without bulking up a signature — folded pages that open out give you a full extra surface, and the fold sits flat when you're not using it.
How the file folder element works as a combined pocket and journaling spot — I cut down an actual file folder, decoupaged patterned papers onto it, and sewed around the edges. It holds a small booklet and doubles as a writing surface inside.
How danglies are attached so they stay put but come off cleanly — most are on bobby pins or small paper clips, so they can be removed while you're writing and reattached wherever they feel right.
The lace flip element and how a paper clip keeps it flat while you're turning pages — a small thing, but it stops the lace from catching and creasing as you move through the journal.
Different page textures and how they work together — dictionary pages, old book pages in an unidentified language with beautiful type, lined paper, music paper, tea-bag-stained pages, handmade paper with visible fibres, and a coloring page for quiet mindfulness moments. The variety isn't random; it's what gives a junk journal its feel.
How to use the edge of a stencil as a design element — in some spreads I used only the border of the stencil rather than the full shape, which gives a softer, more incidental mark than the stencil used whole.
The floating mini booklet — I had a small handmade booklet I wanted to include but couldn't commit to a fixed spot, so I left it paper-clipped at the front. It's paired thematically with a file folder tag later in the journal, and whoever journals in this book can find its permanent home.
Tips & gotchas
When you're removing a paper clip from pages that have any sewing on them, pull it upward rather than straight out. The corners of a paper clip will catch in stitching or snag the edge of the paper if you pull it parallel to the page — going upward clears the catch before the clip moves across the surface. It's a small habit that saves a lot of frustration (and pages).
If your journal has a lot of danglies and clipped-in elements, they can get in the way when you actually sit down to write. What I sometimes do is take everything off and tuck it all into a small envelope while I'm journaling a spread. Once a page is done I pull out the pieces and decide where I want each one — it can end up somewhere completely different from where it started, which is part of the point.
The seam binding at the back spine of this journal is sewn in, but it's also long. If it feels too much once you have the journal in hand, cut it down. Use the trimmed piece as an embellishment in something else — seam binding offcuts are never wasted.
What I find with journals like this — where every element comes from one source — is that they have a unity that's hard to manufacture when you're mixing from everywhere. The shop is linked below, and so are the tutorials for the napkin tags and fabric envelopes if you want to try either technique yourself.
