JUNK JOURNAL SWAP - PART 1

I promised some ideas about how to prepare pages for a Junk Journal and if you missed the first post about how you can take part in the SWAP you can find it here. 

But before we start I had an interesting question posted by Denise:

"Hello....l kind of like the idea of a junk journal but l just cant see the point of them at the same time! Can you explain to me WHY people make them and what's the purpose of them?  I would like to understand!"

Mmmmm... this got me thinking.  WHY do I make junk journals?  Well first and foremost I love making journals par se.... for me it is somewhere to record memories and to keep
photos and memorabilia together.  I can open a page and immediately I am taken back and other memories unfold.  It is something to share with others and to browse through, it is easy to carry around and store, and it's more interesting than a photo album.  That said, I don't know anyone who keeps their photos in traditional albums now.  Do you?

Lots of my journals are made from new materials, but what separates a junk journal is that you don't have to be precious.  You can afford to make mistakes or be messy, and use up scraps or paper and card that you would otherwise throw away.  You can be experimental,  and it's a good way to practice new techniques or ideas as it's not meant to be perfect or uniform.  Anything goes!  Every page can be  interesting to look at and to create and it's the surprise element that makes Junk Journals fun. 

But they are also functional.  It can be a travel journal, somewhere to record  favourite recipes, or for a person or occasion.  I guess for me a Junk Journal allows free expression.  I can be playful, create something from nothing, and it is totally unique.  As much as I love merchandise (just ask my friends and see my stash!) there is something special about creating pages yourself - taking a sheet of paper or card and making your own mark. And where some of the pages have images or print on them already, you can leave these or alter.... paint over them, add to them, doodle, make into cartoons, do exactly as your please!!   And the swap makes your Junk Journal even more fun.  Because you never know what other papers you will receive until it is returned to you.  That's when more fun begins!   So, for Denise and anyone else wondering WHY people make Junk Journals and their purpose, I hope my personal point of view provides some perspective.


So lets get started!

I always collect card and paper so I have piles ready to use for what ever project I am working on.  Today I gathered some some different collections and laid them out.

Some pages will be unaltered, leaving the recipient to enjoy or change them as they choose so it is always worth thinking about interesting pages or papers.  It is good to have a variety in a junk journal, as this allows lots of scope and interest when you come to fill your journal.  So my pile contains some of the following:

Wallpaper, tissue paper, velum, corrugated card, textured, smooth, glittery, matt, patterned, plain, graph
Envelopes - all shapes and sizes
Maps and atlas pages
Pages from books, magazines, leaflets, catalogues, paint chips, diary, phone book 
Greeting cards, post cards
Packaging, paper bags, advertising leaflets
And so on.....

My plan is to select an interesting variety and I will include these in my journal and in the swap, without changing them.  Lets face it, a take away menu might be mundane to me, but for someone in another country it could be an interesting read.  If not, it provides a base for paint, collage, or other alteration.   I will tear or cut these pages to size (max. 8 x 6 ins) and then next, start to make another pile ready for altering.  And that will be the focus of the next posts, because for the next 2 weeks we will look at the following:

Making pockets, wallets, and ways to conceal or contain things like journaling, tickets, tags etc.

MAKE A MARK:

Ways of changing the look of your page by using paint, inks and college

Stamping (including how to make your own stamps using simple, basic materials)

Doodling, drawing, writing

And finally, sewing and adding fabrics

It's not too late to join in the SWAP and the more the merrier!!   So if you want to find out more go to the link already given (and repeated here)  and this is a related post which might also be useful.  It shows one of my recent Junk Journals that is waiting to be filled. If you have already started to collect your pages or to 'make a mark' then brilliant!!  Please do share any other ideas or tips, and also the reasons why YOU like making Junk Journals. 

Thanks for popping by, and if you know anyone who might be interested in taking part please do share this information.  I'll be back soon with more.

SCAVENGER HUNT 2014 - Let's get started!

One of the things I enjoy each summer is taking part in Rinda's Summer Scavenger Hunt and I decided it is about time I share some of my photos.  Some of the things on this years list seemed quite simple, birds on a wire for example... until you need a photo that is!!  Birds on wires have been elusive, or seen when I am driving, and after a while I began scratching my head.  Then I remembered this bird in our garden.  It is suspended on a wire and I have more than one, so that counts.  No. 3 ticked!

No. 18 - A waterfall was less difficult as we have a pond in our garden so I didn't have to go too far for this one.

 

No. 13 - A sunrise.  In my former life I used to get up at 5am for work and frequently saw the sun rise.  It would always give my day a good start and put a bit smile on my face.  As I no longer have this routine it meant setting the alarm and first day it was too cloudy.  Luckily my next attempt was more successful and this is the view from my bedroom window:

 No.2 A garden gnome.  This was another on the list that was initially elusive, and even my husband was on the look out for me.  Finally I found some in a small supermarket and took a photo but better still, I came across these cheerful chappies at a local garden centre.  Success!!

 

 

And I also got a second chance of taking birds on a wire too because while out on a local walk I came across this sign.  Perfect!!   I didn't know that this area had been the inspiration of Alfred Hitchcock's film, and since we discovered a lovely new walk along the river we will be going back.  We might even get to take a photo, so if we are in time I'll share my third photo of birds on a wire! 
 

I am enjoying seeing other Summer Scavenger Hunt photos and thank you Rinda for organising this again!!  It's not too late for you to take part if you you're not already, and you can find out more here.

I have more photos to post and meanwhile here is the complete list.

 

Scavenger Hunt List - 2014

1. A sign welcoming people to your home town (or a nearby town)
2. A garden gnome
3. Birds on a wire
4. A group of tourists
5. A rack of post cards
6. An urban street scene
7. A rural landscape
8. A tattoo on a person
9. A bakery
10. A photo bomb (someone found lurking in the background of photo; the lurker may have intended to disrupt the picture or may be doing it unintentionally, but the background lurker is a surprise to the photographer)
11. A horn
12. A mascot
13. A sunrise
14. A parade
15. A juggler
16. A sign in a language other than English
17. A lamp post
18. A water fall
19. A public garden
20. A bus (not a car, truck, lorry, camper or RV) with a picture painted on its sides.
21. A photograph of you with something representing the season (recognizing that the season will be Winter for our friends in the southern hemisphere). Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
If you find something on the list too difficult, you may substitute one of the following items for anything on the list, except for Item #21:
Alternative A: A kite, hot air balloon or blimp
Alternative B: A bird house