These three matching sets — a handmade junk journal paired with a handcrafted leather and upholstery-fabric crossbody bag — are the second batch I've made for my Etsy shop, and I'm so happy with how they've come together. Each set is a collaboration: my dad makes the bags, I make the journals, and the whole thing is designed so the journal tucks perfectly inside the bag's main compartment, ready to carry with you everywhere.
What we cover
A showcase and flip-through of three matching journal-and-bag sets — Dandelion Clocks, Peacock, and Gray — including a detailed look at the journal interior, the bag construction and pockets, and the design decisions that went into making them work as a paired set for sale.
What you'll learn
How I structure a junk journal for a matching set like this, including:
- Two signatures, 132 pages front and back, sized at 6½ by 9¼ inches
- A sewn-in ribbon closure
- A bookplate at the front for personalising the journal
- A front pocket with a tag and a note from the bookmaker (I use the free printable from Gibbet Neary — it's a lovely touch, especially if the journal is going to someone who's never encountered a junk journal before)
How I work with tea-dyed and onion-skin dyed paper — the book page that looks like a July 1924 newspaper is original, not a photocopy, and the tea dyeing and distressing does all the work of making it feel genuinely old. The onion skin gives a translucency that I find beautiful layered against heavier pages.
How hinged flip-out pages work — I sew two pieces of paper together along one edge so they open out like a double spread inside the signature. It creates a larger writing or decorating surface without disrupting the flow of the journal, and I use it alongside a small sewn envelope so the flip-out reveals a note-writing space underneath.
The range of materials I include across the signatures, which for these journals spans:
- Calligraphy paper, ledger paper, and dictionary pages
- Scrapbook paper, wallpaper, and quality wrapping paper
- Coloring book pages, doilies, and decorative trim
- Acetate pockets, envelopes with patterned linings, and cluster pockets
- Images and poem pages — I want there to be plenty of writing space throughout
Why the journals in the set stay consistent across the batch — the layout and structure is the same in each journal, but because I'm using original papers rather than photocopies, small details differ naturally from journal to journal. You might see a different scrapbook paper or a slightly different year on a found page. That's not inconsistency — it's the nature of working with originals.
How the bags are made and what's inside them — my dad is an upholsterer and leatherworker, and the bags are all leather with upholstery fabric panelling, a leather strap, and interior pockets including a key hook. The Peacock and Gray bags each have an additional exterior pocket that the Dandelion Clocks version doesn't — small variation, very handy.
How the set works as a practical everyday bag — the journal fits exactly into the main compartment, which means you can carry it without it rattling around, and everything you'd need for a journaling session is in one place.
Tips & gotchas
Keep an eye on the combined weight of the journal and bag when you're building for a matched set. I had to be conscious about how much embellishment I added — once the journal goes over a certain point, the total weight of the set exceeds a kilo and postage costs jump noticeably. That's why the journals here are embellished thoughtfully rather than heavily: lots of sewing, stenciling, and interesting papers, but not every page loaded up with layers.
On the paper side: I use original found papers rather than photocopies throughout. It's partly about copyright — photocopying other people's printed material for a journal you're going to sell isn't something I'm comfortable with — but it's also just better. Originals have a quality and an irregularity that copies can't replicate.
If you're making a journal specifically to include with a bag as a gift or a sale, the Gibbet Neary bookmaker's note (free to download from her website) is worth including. It explains what a junk journal is for someone receiving one who may not know — and it makes the gift feel complete.
What we cover (bags)
The three sets available in this restock are Dandelion Clocks (an upholstery fabric my dad named), Peacock (popular enough that we made a second one), and Gray (which I named myself after the leather, because my dad couldn't remember what the fabric was called). There's also a standalone bag listed in the shop without a journal — same construction, black leather with white thread that I find genuinely lovely.
I hope seeing them together gives you ideas for your own collaborations, or just for where your next journal might want to travel.
