If you've been wondering what a finished paper bag junk journal actually looks like — all the way through, page by page — this flip-through shows five completed journals I made for my Etsy shop. Each one is built around a paper bag base covered in scrapbook paper, filled with vellum pages, Easter egg dyed papers, watercolour pages, pockets, flip-down envelopes, and a good amount of hand sewing. It's the kind of video to watch when you want to see how all those individual techniques come together into something someone would actually want to own and use.
What we cover
A full flip-through of five paper bag junk journals made for sale, including one detailed page-by-page walkthrough and faster passes through the remaining four. The focus is on how the journals are put together — the page types, the embellishments, the pockets and journaling spots, and the stitching details — plus a few notes on how I package them for shipping.
What you'll learn
How a paper bag journal cover comes together — the paper bag base gets covered in scrapbook paper on the front and tea-dyed watercolour paper on the back, with everything including the closure sewn on so nothing shifts or peels away over time.
How flip-down envelopes work as journal elements — these open downward to reveal a hidden journaling space inside. I use them in every journal in this batch, and I have a dedicated video on making them (linked in the description). They add function without taking up extra pages.
How to use pockets that look like belly bands — one of my favourite details in these journals is a pocket that runs across the page and looks like a belly band until you pull it out. Inside sits a journaling spot. That double-use of a single element is something I keep coming back to.
Using sewing as a decorative page element, including:
- Straight stitch along the edge of a page or through the middle of a signature
- Zigzag stitch for a looser, more playful line
- A combination of straight and zigzag together for a layered effect
The sewing here isn't structural — it's decorative, and the mix of stitch types across a page gives a texture that photographs beautifully and feels lovely to flip through.
Working with Easter egg dye to colour paper — several pages in these journals were dyed using Easter egg tablet dye. The result is soft, varied colour with a slightly translucent quality that works beautifully alongside vellum.
How vellum pages function in a junk journal — I use vellum as a first page in several of these journals. It's sturdy, slightly see-through, and gives a delicate look that contrasts well with the heavier papers behind it.
Using party streamer paper for texture — one journal includes pages made using party streamers, which leave a distinctive crinkled, colour-transferred effect on paper. I have a separate video on that technique as well.
How to build cohesion across a journal without matching everything exactly — each journal in this batch has its own colour leaning (one runs blue, one leans vintage, one has a floral theme) but they all feel like part of the same family. That comes from consistent structure and repeated techniques, not from using the same papers throughout.
Pre-making embellishments in batches before assembling — all the cover embellishments across these five journals were made in one session beforehand. When it came time to decorate the covers, it was quick because the work was already done.
Tips & gotchas
The biggest thing I'd say about journaling up a journal to sell — or even to give away — is to leave room for writing. It's easy to keep adding: another cluster, another tag, another fold-out. But a journal that's too full starts to feel like a display piece rather than something you'd actually sit down and use. I deliberately stopped short of fully embellishing every page so the person who buys it still has somewhere to land.
On the practical side: pre-making your embellishments in batches before you start assembling journals makes the whole process much faster. I made all the cover pieces in one go, and decorating five covers afterward took a fraction of the time it would have if I'd been making and placing as I went. Same idea applies to any repeated element — pockets, tags, little clusters. Make twenty, then use them.
For the shipping boxes: I fill any extra space with additional small goodies — ephemera, scraps, little extras — until I hit the weight limit. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of detail that makes opening a package feel like an occasion rather than just a delivery.
When it comes to the embossed envelope in the flip-through — embossing on an envelope that's already been folded and glued takes a bit more pressure than on flat paper, but the result is worth it. If you haven't tried embossing on envelopes yet, this is a good place to start because even imperfect results tend to look intentional against the layered background of a junk journal page.
These journals also include pages from books, music sheets, and baking paper alongside the vellum and watercolour pages — not because every paper type appears in every journal, but because varying the paper weight and translucency through a journal gives the flip-through that satisfying sense of discovery. You don't need many pages of each type. A single sheet of baking paper between heavier pages changes the whole feel of that section.
These five journals were built from the same core components, which meant each decision I'd already made once carried forward into the next one.
