Junk Janu Jani.
That urge to be creative for the sake of it has been calling you the past few days.
Making art is fun,
But too often,
You end up comparing what you've made to others.
And concentrating far too hard on the end results than simply the act of creating itself.
You resolve to finally just enjoy the process of making something.
Without that part at the end where you judge yourself or worry what others might think of your creation.
You've heard about this thing called junk journaling.
You've never been one for making those fancy scrapbooks that some people manage to make look perfect.
But with using junk from around the house,
You feel like you can get that same satisfaction of sticking things down and arranging them.
And reusing rubbish in the process.
All you need is a few supplies,
Fairly cheap,
Including a new notebook.
And as I wrote this,
I was thinking that I never need an excuse to buy a new notebook.
And if you're like me,
You're probably the same.
In true junk journaling fashion,
You decide to start with what you already have.
Off to your craft stash first,
To see what you actually have on hand,
So you don't re-buy things you don't need.
Grabbing a cardboard box from the recycling bin to collect your bits and pieces.
Your head into your craft nuts.
A small but cosy area in your living room that's basically just a large chest of drawers.
Books stacked on top.
And fairy lights draped over the two shelves on the wall.
You know that there must be lots for you to choose from because every drawer is fit to bursting.
From every hobby you've tried.
Some of the ones you gave up and some that you still go back to in moments where you just need comfort.
There are some little seed beads and acrylic letter beads in an organiser.
Plus a few cute silver-coloured charms from that job lot you purchased in the second-hand shop.
They're random ones,
Really.
A four-leaf clover,
A horseshoe,
A heart.
You rummage in a little catch-all basket,
In a drawdown,
To find some offcuts of gingham ribbon and pretty lace you saved from an old top.
On the shelf behind you,
You find a couple of business cards.
One from the artisan baker at that fair you visited a few weekends ago.
Another just a random window cleaner advertising their services that you found on the doormat.
It's a good job you saved all these.
Because now they get to live up to their full potential.
People spend hours designing marketing materials like business cards.
It would be a shame for them to go straight in the bin without getting a second life.
Finally,
You pop a few stickers in the box too.
Ones you've stashed from the letters you got from your pen pal and hadn't found a use for yet.
They normally make it onto either your laptop or onto the cheap acoustic guitar you couldn't leave behind but probably don't play enough.
But these stickers didn't quite fit on them.
You think one of the stickers,
A bright oval-shaped one,
Is advertising a vegan restaurant.
And the other is from a gaming convention your friend visited.
Time to look around the rest of the house for unwanted things.
There's bound to be loads when you look.
You check the wad of envelopes on the kitchen countertop.
Where the junk mail and bills go.
You collect a couple of empty envelopes for their pretty geometric patterns on the interior.
And you can hide things behind the little clear window.
There's a new seed catalogue which will be absolutely perfect to add to your new journal pages.
All the flowers,
Shrubs and herbs are so bright and cheerful.
An invite to a grand opening of a new shop in town gets thrown in too.
Mainly for the fancy lettering that you can cut out.
You open a kitchen cupboard and don't find anything much to add.
Though spotting your teabag advent calendar reminds you to check the recycling,
As there are some beautifully designed teabag packets and tags that would be such a shame to throw away.
And sure enough,
There are a few waiting for you.
Each decorated with floral patterns and kitschy designs in bold colours.
You stop for a moment and think about how so many throwaway items are actually very aesthetically pleasing.
Yet don't get appreciated for more than a few seconds normally.
This way,
When you're adding them to a junk page,
You get to enjoy them in a new way.
There are a few more smaller bits.
A clothing tag.
A cardboard sleeve for a snack.
And even a scrap of paper you tested a paintbrush on.
And soon your cardboard box is filled with more than enough to arrange in a new sketchbook.
Today and for other days to come.
Speaking of which,
It's probably high time you go and buy one.
Along with a couple of tools you'll need.
It's a beautiful late spring afternoon.
So taking your bicycle seems like the right choice.
For now,
You set your cardboard box back in your Craft Nook,
Pop your shoes and sunglasses on and get on your bike.
It's only a 10 minute ride into town and you have the perfect shop in mind.
A couple of years ago,
A new kind of charity shop opened.
It's got all the usual thrifty bits like clothing and homewares.
But the main attraction is their huge crafting and hobby section.
What a perfect place to start your junk journaling journey.
You'll be giving back to local families.
It's a charity that supports struggling parents.
And you'll also give a new life to items that would otherwise go in landfill.
Plus,
You love the rotating stock of a charity shop,
As you'll never find the same item twice.
And it's fulfilling to look around the unique items when you have time to spare.
You pass the bakery on your left.
The lunchtime rush has finished and all the delicious savoury and sweet smells of sausage rolls,
Pies,
Donuts and muffins waft through the air as you cycle on by.
The old pharmacist is walking his dog.
And you give him a wave He's one of those kindly old folk who always says hello to everyone.
You wish more people were like that.
As you turn the corner into the town square.
You see the bike park is completely empty,
Apart from one single bicycle with a pretty basket and streamers on the handles.
How whimsical!
You lock up and grab your bag from the basket.
And pass an elderly lady collecting for charity.
She's got a little dog with her.
Some sort of pug cross.
It looks like a little Ewok.
And you make small talk about the beautiful weather and how wonderful the town square flower display looks now that it's finished.
You rummage in your bag for your coin purse,
Another thrifted find from the same charity shop you're about to visit.
And pop a few coins in her collection tin.
Beaming,
She gives you a round sticker in return.
And you know at once you should add it to your junk journal when you get home.
For now,
You pop it in your purse still on the backing.
You part ways and cross the road to the charity shop.
The window displays reflect the summer that's just round the corner.
Vases filled with faux arrangements,
Cushion covers in bright reds and oranges.
Books on gardening and summer salads and old magazine issues of Country Living.
There's paint sets,
Puzzle books and teddies arranged in a circle on a picnic blanket.
The display clearly has its desired effect.
You can't wait to see what's inside.
As you'd expect,
The shelves are bursting with all kinds of goodies.
Yet it doesn't feel cramped,
But cosy and inviting.
Clothing,
Accessories and shoes that are usually at the front of the shop are further back to make room for all the craft supplies and hobby kits.
Puzzles stacked to the rafters.
Mugs and jugs act as makeshift holders for paintbrushes,
Pencils and clay tools.
There are huge rolls of fabric in a spectrum of colours,
Textures and patterns,
Each with various amounts on the rolls and little price labels for each.
Stands with pots of buttons,
Charms,
Beads and findings.
Bundles of yarn nestled into cube-shaped shelving units,
With crochet hooks and knitting needles hanging on the edges in little pouches.
Someone's made a few cardigans and blankets that are draped over the tops of the furniture.
A shop volunteer perhaps?
Or maybe an older person in the community who likes to keep their hands busy and donate their creations.
As a person who loves hobbies,
This is exactly the kind of place you love to visit.
Sure,
There's a lot to choose from.
That's laid out in an easy-to-navigate kind of way.
So it doesn't feel overwhelming.
Today,
There are just a few people inside the shop.
So you let out a breath and feel as though you can slow down and take your time to look around.
On one side of the shop is the stationary section.
You head there first.
Ideally,
You'd like to buy a fresh new notebook or sketchpad to glue in your junk.
And there are quite a few to choose from.
Large pads of watercolour paper.
Cute,
Thick journals with kawaii animal print,
And bog-standard line jotters.
You run your hand over the different covers.
Leaf through the books to test the leaves of paper.
And find one that fits you perfectly.
One that's just the right size and thickness,
With a cover that's easy to bend flat as you work.
You feel good about your choice,
Already picturing how it will look when it's overflowing with junk-filled pages,
Doodles and journal entries.
Although you've collected plenty of ephemera at home,
You can't resist leafing through the books and papers stacked next to where you're standing.
Dozens of magazine issues,
Old shopping catalogues and you-remember-fondly-cutting-things-out-you-wanted-for-Christmas,
And even music sheets that would otherwise end up being pulped.
You select a few that catch your eye.
That you know would make for excellent backing to some of your designs.
And then spot something you've never seen before.
In a woven basket on the floor,
Our mailing bags filled to the brim and sealed Each with a label reading,
Mystery Crafting Bundle £1 each.
The little note next to it states you could find anything from washi tape,
Scrap paper,
Yarn,
Fabric,
Thread,
Stickers,
Buttons,
And much more.
Well how could you say no to that?
As you shut your eyes and spin your hand around the top of them,
You select one at random,
Wondering what you'll choose.
Before you head to the checkout,
You stock up on a glue stick and one of those glue mouse things with the roller wheel.
You forget what they're called,
But you remember using a similar one for correcting your work back in school.
After one last browse when you pick up a generous-sized mug with the funny quote painted on the side,
You take all your new treasures to pay.
The person behind the counter greets you with a wide smile.
Their colourful bangles and hands full of funky rings jangle as they enter your items in the till.
Yay!
You chose one of our mystery bundles!
" they exclaim.
And then go on to explain how they had had the brainwave that morning to create them out of the surplus bits and pieces in the stock room that they'd otherwise have to bin.
You thank them for the idea and mention your plan to use it for starting your very own junk channel.
Their eyes light up behind their metal rimmed glasses and you spend the next 10 minutes or so exchanging ideas.
When it's time to part ways,
You're even more excited to get home and get started.
You head back to load up your bike basket.
The journey back home is as pleasant as the one out.
The old lady with the collection tin is gone now.
You wonder whether she got tired or had plans to meet a friend,
Or maybe both.
In the time you were shopping,
A thin layer of cloud has hidden the sun a little.
It's still warm,
But you think it might rain even though the forecast said it won't.
Back home,
You flick the kettle on and remember you have a new addition to the kitchen cupboard.
So you grab the funny mug you purchased,
Give it a thorough wash and bung a teabag in to steep while you go through everything else you brought home.
What a haul!
The first thing you do when you settle down with your mug of tea is pull out the sticker you saved.
And proudly display it on the front of your new sketchbook.
The perfect reminder of the day.
You know that when you look back at that front cover.
Even in weeks and months to come.
You'll remember the lovely trip you treated yourself to today.
It's where your Junk Journal journey began.
They often say that the first page in a new sketchbook or diary is daunting to fill.
But you try not to think of it that way.
And instead remember just to enjoy the process without any pressure.
Where does that worry come from?
You reassure yourself that nobody will even see your journal.
For comforting background noise,
You pop a DVD on the TV.
It's something you've watched a dozen times and it offers you a cosy backdrop to your crafting session.
Just let the creative juices flow without overthinking.
Between sips of tea,
You leaf through some of the larger paper pieces you've collected,
Tearing and cutting pieces to fit the double spread in your new sketchbook,
Just as a rough guide.
You're not sticking anything down just yet,
But getting a feeling of where things will go.
You inspect the cardboard box and select a few smaller labels and stickers.
Creating a little collage and even taping parts down so they act as a flap to hide more things underneath.
The charms fit perfectly in the little gaps you've left.
And gingham ribbon adds texture.
Oh,
Your mystery bag!
You open it up,
Careful not to ruin the mailer as it's quite a striking pattern,
And you could reuse it another day.
And tip the contents onto your work surface.
Wow,
What an amazing selection!
A roll of washi tape with cute weather symbols,
Wrapping paper offcuts,
A couple of sticker sheets with a few missing,
That must have been what the volunteer was talking about when they would have binned them.
And even vintage children's storybook pages that appear to have fallen out of the books.
With their whimsical illustrations of a girl talking to a frog,
It'll be a perfect addition to your junk journal.
Wow,
Even an old due date slip from a forgotten library book!
A few pretty buttons,
Some sequins off an old bag perhaps,
And a small roll of lace completes the bag.
£1 well spent,
Even if you don't use it all today.
It'll be waiting for you next time you decide to fill out your junk journal.
You continue to rummage,
Inspect and arrange all of your junk into a pattern that feels pleasing to look at.
Moving pieces around until it feels right.
You copy a few ideas you remember seeing online and cut out letters from the flyers and magazine pages to spell words that remind you of today.
Taking an old envelope,
You cut out the clear window and leave the geometric pattern of the interior design so you can still see it,
Then tuck a few little images you've cut out to make an interesting display.
For the first time in a long time you feel in a flow state.
You're not worried about the end result or whether your art looks good enough.
You aren't comparing your pages to other people's or judging yourself at all.
This hands-down beats those days where you sit and scroll other people's designs online,
Forever cataloguing ideas and never actually making them yourself.
Just enjoying the therapeutic repetition of cutting,
Arranging,
Adding,
Removing.
It doesn't need to look like anything you've seen.
It just needs to look like itself.
You're not rushing to finish it.
After a long while.
.
.
You feel happy with what you've added.
The page is bursting with patterns,
Words,
Images and textures.
There's just something so satisfying about making a new piece of art that nobody else has that's used items that would otherwise end up in the bin.
You spend some time carefully sticking each piece down.
One by one.
Then finish it off with a few doodles and sentences about your day.
And what's on your mind.
Your DVD is still playing.
But your tea is long finished.
You decide to reuse the bag and make another.
Yujung Journal pages are done.
And you leave the sketchbook open on the side to let the glue dry.
Finish watching your show and then go on to do other bits and pieces around the house.
Every so often.
As you walk past your work area.
You get a little spark of joy when you glance at what you made.
A fulfilled sense of contentment fills you up and gets you excited for the other bits and bobs you haven't used yet.
And all the pages that are waiting to be filled.
And that you decide.
Is the whole point.
