Unleash Your Creativity: Crafting a Board Book Junk Journal with Kelly Boler
Hello, fellow crafters and creative spirits! Today, we’re embarking on an inspiring journey into the world of mixed-media art with the exceptionally talented Kelly Boler from Book and Paper Arts, one of our esteemed Junk Journal Design Team Members. Kelly has outdone herself this month, presenting a truly spectacular project: an innovative Board Book Junk Journal. If you’re passionate about transforming forgotten treasures into cherished works of art, this piece is guaranteed to ignite your imagination.
Here at The Graphics Fairy, we pride ourselves on showcasing a fresh, captivating Junk Journal each week, lovingly crafted by our team of fantastic book makers. Our mission is simple: to provide an endless wellspring of inspiration for your next DIY adventure. This particular project stands out not only for its ingenious use of materials but also for the intricate details Kelly has poured into every page. Before we dive into the fascinating details, make sure you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to catch the exclusive video tour – it’s a must-see to fully appreciate the artistry. Are you ready to be captivated and creatively charged? Let’s hand it over to Kelly as she unveils the magic behind her remarkable board book creation.
Journey Through the Pages: Inside the Board Book Junk Journal Masterpiece
This month, my creative challenge was to transform a humble children’s board book into a unique junk journal, and the reasoning behind this choice couldn’t be more aligned with the core philosophy of junk journaling. What better foundation for a truly authentic junk journal than a well-loved, slightly battered, and perhaps even gently “chewed up” board book? This particular gem was acquired for a mere 50 pence at a bustling flea market – a perfect testament to finding beauty and potential in the discarded!
The process of altering a board book begins with a crucial first step: meticulously stripping away the glossy paper from its sturdy pages. This preparation is essential to create a porous, receptive surface. Following this, each page is covered with gesso, a foundational coating that not only ensures a consistent finish but also provides a slight “tooth” – an ideal texture for subsequent layers of paint, ink, and collage elements to adhere beautifully. Once prepared, these robust pages are ready to be decorated and embellished with the same boundless creativity as any conventional junk journal. While the inherent nature of a board book means fewer pages compared to a traditional binder, this constraint actually sparks more ingenuity! To maximize storage and interactive elements, I strategically integrated an abundance of pockets throughout the journal – truly, pockets, pockets, and more pockets! For the very first page, I embraced a wonderfully “old school” approach, crafting a charming double pocket from an ordinary paper grocery bag. This ingenious upcycled element was then generously filled with an enchanting array of tags and cards. Each of these unique ephemera pieces was brought to life using stunning images and graphics sourced directly from The Graphics Fairy’s Premium Membership site, ensuring a consistent vintage aesthetic and high-quality design.
Within this rich tapestry of layered embellishments, almost artfully hidden in the background of the first page, resides a fascinating notecard. This piece was meticulously crafted using images from The Graphics Fairy’s “Science and Laboratory” bundle, adding an intriguing academic touch. Taking prominence in the foreground are several exquisitely premade tags, featuring captivating 19th-century beauties from the “Antique Portraits 2” collection. The interplay between the hidden scientific notes and the overt elegance of antique portraits creates a delightful contrast and depth, inviting the viewer to explore every nook and cranny of this introductory spread.
The Charm of Miniatures: Introducing a Tiny Tea Bag Junk Journal
Beyond the primary board book creation, I also ventured into the captivating realm of miniatures, crafting a delightful tiny junk journal. This charming little book was ingeniously fashioned from mere scraps of wrapping paper and, perhaps most surprisingly, used tea bags! The art of upcycling truly shines in this compact yet intricate piece, demonstrating how even the most humble materials can be transformed into something extraordinary and aesthetically pleasing.
For one of the standout pages within this tiny journal, I began with a soft, textural mulberry paper background, which provided an excellent base for layering. Over this, I carefully arranged pieces of vintage text salvaged from my overflowing paper scrap box, giving the page an immediate sense of history and charm. A striking clock face, rendered from the “Clock and Watch Face” bundle (undoubtedly one of my all-time favorites!), was thoughtfully printed onto tracing paper, allowing its delicate details to peek through while adding an ethereal quality. To complete this intricate composition, a whimsical critter from the “Winter Birds” collection was added, bringing a touch of nature and life to the page. The combination of these elements creates a rich, multi-dimensional visual experience, even within such a small canvas.
Moving to another enchanting spread, a graceful hummingbird, an exquisite image from the “Natural History Birds” collection, takes center stage. This beautiful avian motif is elegantly placed over a delicate background sheet of “wallpaper” pattern sourced from the versatile “Bird Cages” bundle. The combination of the vibrant bird and the subtle, cage-inspired backdrop creates a harmonious and visually captivating scene, evoking a sense of both freedom and gentle enclosure. The choice of these particular bundles allows for a cohesive natural history theme that runs subtly through these pages, enriching the overall narrative of the journal.
On the facing page, the theme of ingenious storage continues with the addition of another functional pocket. This time, the pocket was cleverly fashioned from a used “Do Not Bend” photo mailer, capitalizing on its naturally stiff cardboard back. After trimming it to perfectly fit the page and securely gluing it in place, this sturdy pocket was transformed into a charming receptacle. It’s now brimming with an assortment of whimsical hot air balloon cards, carefully selected from the captivating “Steampunk Images 2” bundle. These cards not only add a playful and adventurous spirit to the page but also provide a wonderful opportunity for interactive journaling, allowing the owner to tuck away notes, mementos, or even more creative ephemera.
Continuing the exploration of unique insertions, I also crafted a fascinating mini-journal that cleverly integrates an image from the “Science and Laboratory” bundle with tea-dyed graph paper. The combination of scientific imagery and the grid lines of graph paper, subtly softened by the tea-dyeing process, creates a wonderfully eclectic and intellectual aesthetic. This mini-journal can serve as a perfect spot for jotting down observations, sketching ideas, or even housing tiny specimens, aligning perfectly with the scientific theme and adding another layer of depth and functionality to the main board book journal.
As we approached the back pages of the board book journal, it became clear that more pockets were essential to fully realize its potential as a treasure trove of ephemera. To address this, I turned once again to the incredible resources available on The Graphics Fairy Premium Membership site, printing up a selection of captivating “wallpaper” patterns from the “Vintage Keys Collection” bundle. This collection offers a plethora of intricate and charming designs, allowing for a truly personalized touch. I strategically mixed and matched various patterns to create a visually cohesive yet dynamic layout. A torn border artfully stretches across both pages, serving as a clever visual anchor that “holds it together” for the eye, while also adding a beautiful distressed texture. Complementing this, two distinct patterns were used to construct an oversized envelope fold, ingeniously designed to create two spacious and versatile pockets. These pockets are not just functional; their exquisite design elevates them into key decorative elements, enhancing the overall vintage charm of the journal.
Nestled within these beautifully crafted pockets, I tucked away even more mini-junk journals, further expanding the layers of discovery within the main book. It’s a wonderful feeling to find creative purpose in unexpected places, and sometimes, even bureaucratic necessities can yield surprising artistic dividends! Case in point: a manila envelope, complete with its convenient see-through window, which was originally part of a tax bill. This everyday item was transformed into another functional and aesthetically pleasing element, now showcasing a collection of cards and papers perfect for future journaling endeavors. To elevate its appearance, this upcycled envelope was delicately embellished with charming domino pendant stickers, thoughtfully chosen from the versatile “Antique Portraits” bundle. The combination of practicality and vintage elegance truly embodies the spirit of junk journaling, where every scrap has potential and every detail tells a story. These mini-journals and the embellished envelope serve as delightful surprises, encouraging prolonged engagement with the board book and inviting the owner to explore its hidden depths.
Essential Tools for Your Creative Arsenal: Graphics Fairy Bundles Used
The exquisite details and vintage charm seen throughout this Board Book Junk Journal were made possible by the incredible wealth of resources available on The Graphics Fairy Premium Site. These curated bundles offer an endless source of high-quality, historically rich imagery perfect for all your crafting and journaling needs. Here’s a comprehensive list of the fantastic bundles I utilized to bring this project to life:
- Antique Album Pages
- Natural History Birds
- Winter Birds
- Celestial Images
- Science and Laboratory
- Bird Cages
- Antique Portraits
- Antique Portraits 2
- Clock and Watch Faces
- Vintage Key Collection
- Steampunk Images 2
Each bundle offers a unique theme and a vast array of images, proving indispensable for creating cohesive and captivating visual narratives within a junk journal. Exploring these collections is truly a creative journey in itself!
Experience the Full Creation: Board Book Junk Journal Video Flip Through
While photographs provide a glimpse into the beauty and intricacy of this Board Book Junk Journal, there’s nothing quite like experiencing it firsthand. To truly appreciate the tactile nature of the pages, the delightful flip-out elements, and the thoughtful layering that makes this journal so special, we highly recommend watching the full video flip-through. This exclusive video tour offers a dynamic perspective, allowing you to see every page, every pocket, and every carefully placed embellishment, including many that couldn’t be captured in static images. Prepare to be immersed in the details and gain even deeper inspiration for your own projects. Visit my YouTube channel to embark on this visual journey:
Don’t miss this opportunity to see the journal come to life before your eyes!
Thank you for joining me on this creative exploration. To discover more of my unique book art creations and mixed-media projects, I warmly invite you to visit my personal website at Book and Paper Arts. For daily doses of visual inspiration and updates on my latest works, please feel free to follow my book art journey on Instagram under the handle @bookandpaperarts. I love connecting with fellow crafters and sharing the passion for transforming paper and forgotten items into beautiful art.
Warmly, Kelly