If you've ever wondered what actually goes inside a junk journal — all those pockets and tuck spots and little folded booklets — these two handmade hardcover journals are worth a good look. This is a flip-through of two journals I made for my Etsy shop, and while I walk through both of them I'm also talking about how you'd actually use a journal like this for everyday writing. So whether you're here for making inspiration or for journaling ideas, there's something in here for you.
What we cover
Two hardcover junk journals — different sizes, similar DNA. I flip through every page of each one, naming what's in there and why, and spend a fair bit of time on the question I hear most often: what do you actually do with all these tuck spots and pockets when you sit down to write?
What you'll learn
What a fully embellished hardcover junk journal looks like inside — not just the cover, but page by page: tea-dyed signatures, scrapbook and ledger paper, baking paper, dictionary pages, doilies, handmade paper, and laminated leaves all living together.
How pockets, envelopes, and tuck spots are used in practice, including:
- Loose tags and journaling cards that slot into pockets so you can write on a clean surface without committing to the decorated page underneath
- Flip-down pages and belly bands that create segmented writing spots within a single spread
- A folded envelope mid-signature for tucking loose papers, notes, or extra cards
Why I include a "Note from the Bookmaker" from Jubby Neary in every journal — it's a beautifully written card that tells the new owner what a junk journal is and how to think about using it, especially if they've never encountered this kind of book before.
How to segment your journaling across different spots on the same spread — rather than writing everything in one block ("this is what happened today, this is what annoyed me, this is what I'm grateful for"), using the different pockets and tuck spots as natural dividers. One spot for the day's events, one for a golden moment, one for what you're looking forward to. It sounds small but it changes how journaling feels.
Why plain white paper matters even inside a heavily decorated journal — on a page that's dense with texture and colour, laying a strip of white paper on top gives you a writing surface that's actually readable. The decorated page stays; you just write over it cleanly.
How a hardcover journal can be constructed from scratch to lie completely flat when open — both journals in this video are built from scratch, not altered books, and the spine is made so the whole thing opens without resistance.
What book jewelry and charms add — and where they sit — wooden beads, ribbon tassels, altered paper clips, and little book charms all hang from signatures or bookmarks. In this video I show how they're attached and why moving them out of the way when you write is something worth building into your habit.
How to use a laminated natural leaf as a journal element — I picked a leaf on a walk and laminated it immediately to preserve the colour and shape. It's now tucked into one of the journals as a little found-object keepsake.
How the bird theme runs through a journal without taking over — there are birds on the cover, small bird stamps inside, and a wooden bird charm, but the journal isn't about birds. It's one of those things where a loose theme ties a book together visually without making it feel like a scrapbook.
Tips & gotchas
Move tassels and dangles out of the way before you start writing. It sounds obvious but it's easy to forget when you first sit down with a new journal, and they do get in the way if they're hanging over the pages you're trying to use.
Laminate leaves and other natural materials as soon as you pick them — ideally the same day. Colour fades fast once they're off the plant, and pressing alone won't preserve the green.
If you're writing on a richly decorated page and you can't find a clear spot, lay a strip of white paper over it. You still have the visual interest of the page; you just have something legible to write on. It works especially well on the backs of heavily stamped or stencilled pages.
When you're actually journaling in a book like this, resist the urge to write everything in one long entry. The pockets and tuck spots invite you to segment — a few lines here about the day, a golden moment on a tag, something you're grateful for on a little card. That's not a rule, it's just what makes the format feel different from a blank notebook. Once you start thinking in segments, the journal stops feeling precious and starts feeling useful.
These two journals are a preview of that conversation. If they give you the urge to pull out some tea-dyed paper and start filling pages, that's exactly what they're for.
