How to Coffee Stain a Notebook to Make a Vintage Junk Journal

Oh, I love this little notebook turned into a great little junk journal for fall.  My summer journal is
stuffed to the gills and I love each page.

Cincinnati Heights

Lauren and I had a little adventure the other day.  It was a bit challenging because Lauren does not like to spend time in the city.  The traffic, the heat and numerous other reasons surfaced when I proposed this jaunt but she humored me and off we went to visit the Carew Tower.   The shadows were amazing in the sunshine of Cincinnati however my camera didn't seem to pick up on them very well.

It wasn't difficult at all.  Street parking for two hours gave us ample time to walk the two blocks and travel to the observation deck.  

The views were stunning.  This is the second tallest building in Cincinnati. I have never seen this deck before and I even stayed at The Netherlands  30 years ago this summer.  How we missed this, I'll never know.

 We even had time on the parking meter to dine in one of the restaurants inside but  someone else even had a better idea

.  

This couple was having a lovely picnic on the deck!  How romantic!  They allowed me to take a picture and I asked for a business card to send them the link to this blog.  It turns out he is a well known glass artist!  It's good I didn't know that at the time because I might've been babbling about how much I like art glass and asking for his autograph or something! You can see his beautiful work at www.DarrenGoodman.net it was quite exciting later when I realized I had crossed paths with someone whose work I admired so much!  It's not always we get to know that!

Our lunch was delicious though!  

We chose the deli in the building

And we were quite satisfied with the delicious  Asian noodles and chicken salad!  It was a fun afternoon spent with my granddaughter, Lauren.  I'm grateful for small things!

I'm now on YouTube!  My channel is Jeanne Baney


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Blue Monday

Making a Junk Journal

I first heard about Junk Journals from Cheri at Fabric and Memories but she was writing from myLot where I write also.  

I was fascinated about using up my mountains of junk papers in an artistic way, by way of making something functional.  

She uses papers from everywhere and I have linked to her page (above) where she blogged about her first Junk Journal 

I looked on YouTube and watched a dozen videos about people showing their junk journals then yesterday I found one that showed me how to make one.  It was painfully slow though!  She digresses, doesn't finish sentences, pets the cat, has a hard time getting the glue going.  In short it was like sitting with her in person while she showed me everything.  The the video was an hour long!  

But I learned the steps about taking all kinds of junk papers and turning them into subscriptions, which are small groups and how to glue them into a book cover.  It looked easy peasy.  

Well, yes and no.   

Just a wee shadow here! 

I love how mine turned out!   I used an antique book but didn't make adjustments 

for deteriorating spine fabric and I tore it while binding.  I had to use Duck Tape 

to repair it.  But oh well!  It's Junk!  

I forgot to clip my pages together when cutting and so they are not as even

as they could be.  I also don't have a heavy duty paper cutter anymore so I had 

to eyeball it and use scissors.  Not good!  

I used envelopes, printed materials that were mistakenly printed too big to use in pocket letters, some leftover pages from book I have cut up and lots of Washi tape.  

In the picture below, on the left is an envelope that is part of the subscription  (the other half is further into the book) and on the right is an envelope I later added along with some bling to decorate it.

I have barely scratched the surface on filling and decorating this book.  I'll color Alice and fill the empty spaces with things I like or just jot down things I want to remember.

The envelopes are to keep items in that I don't want to glue into a book. 

The next picture

I had a piece of watercolor paper I had done a background on but didn't use it.  It will be 

a great background for something I might find later.

Then I used an envelope that came from China.  Again,because I didn't clip the pages it 

is in crooked.  But you know what? I don't care!  I learned something!

  Actually, I love it.  I love the foreign writing, the bubble wrap inside and the big old pocket it made.  

After I put the book together I had many pages with just writing.   I added note cards and made them into pockets that I can stuff with ephemera.  Note on the left the other part of the envelope you saw earlier.  The top center looks messy because of my inexperience but I will hopefully learn from these mistakes. 

In the next picture

I made a double pocket on the right and put a note pad in it and a small painting I was experimenting with, in the bottom half.  

On the left is a pocket and I may not cover that Chinese writing with anything.  I love it.  

You use all sizes of paper and some that were torn, I left it torn, just because I love how it looks

Note the white spaces are great for penning in quotes I like.

The backs of these boot pictures are blank, so I can journal there or paste something in.

it's crazy and crooked but the more time I've spent in this junk journal the more I love it.  

There are dozens more pages but I will stop here and do another post in a few months after I have added a lot more to the book.  It is going to be fun to add bits and pieces of my life to this little junk journal that will be mine alone.  I send out pocket letters and love them and love to share my art but this little book is mine to keep.  

I have a video on YouTube of this journal and several others I've made.  My YouTube Channel  is:

Jeanne Baney

How easy is that?  Come visit and Subscribe!  

Thanks Cheri for writing about yours, I have more fun with junk and this is a great way to put it into some order. 

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Salvage Junk Projects

I Love Washi

Mikoka Washi Tape

I wanted this set of Washi because I absolutely loved the antique look when making pocket letters.  My favorite pocket letters are vintage ones and this Washi tape is from the Antique Bright set from Mikoka.  I like it because it's very easy to work with.  

This is a pocket with bunting.  It's so easy to do.  

 I chose a piece of vintage cardstock  and just put Washi across the bottom.

I just tear it off and then trim the ends.

I scored it about every quarter inch using the corner of a metal ruler.

I use what I have! 

 Then I just folded it accordion style. 

 I placed a piece of matching Washi all along the bottom to hold it in this position.

(even when crafting I notice shadows!)

It really makes a beautiful pocket embellishment! 

This one was placed right on the card, and fit inside the pocket.

You can also affix them to the outside, it will give it a bit more dimension. 

Another thing I like to do with Washi is to cover things!

Here is a simple tea light.

They are just the right size for Washi 

I like placing them at different levels when entertaining.  Easy and inexpensive! 

I also like to gift pencils covered in Washi

Isn't this a great idea!  

Washi is a paper tape so it will also sharpen along with the pencil in many sharpeners.  

If if doesn't sharpen in your sharpener, just peel and tear the Washi first and then sharpen.

How cute is this?

What else can you cover?  Well your imagination is your only limit. 

Keys, switch plates, flower pots, bud vase, a broom handle, flip flop thong,.....

Just go crazy!  Mikoka Washi comes in many, many different patterns and colors. 

Mikoka gave me a set of tapes

and asked me to do a blog on how I used them.  

Wasn't that nice??

Thank you Mikoka!  I love my Washi!  

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Pink Saturday

I Hit the Mother Lode of Coffee Cups!

I was out thrifting yesterday and I always try to bring back a new cup for my morning coffee when I thrift but yesterday I couldn't stop at one! 

This beauty from Lenox China has a completely different butterfly

on the other side and a blue flower.  I chose it for my 

birthday cup of morning coffee this morning!  

It sips like a dream, the cup is thin and delicate.  I was afraid the scallops would be awkward but you would never know when sipping!  Even on eBay it sells it's priced anywhere from $22 to $7.00

All the cups are even prettier in person than shown. 

Now this one is a great cup, with a flared top that leans out.  It holds the most coffee and the retro styling is a favorite of mine.  I always love this 30's look.  

This one has the beautiful pattern, gorgeous border that extends to the handle.  

Inside the cup is the Pawpaw blossom!  I love that.

Again it's a beautiful porcelain cup of the highest quality.  

I just purchased a book of postcards that includes this beautiful fairy! 

The cup is from Queen and it is the fabulous thin, delicate porcelain.  It also has the decorated handle, blossom inside the cup and 

the beautiful fairy on the  outside.

This one had the most vivid butterflies all around the cup and I just couldn't 

leave it.  It is a little heavier china, but not too thick. and has the curved rim and 

nice handle.  It's probably the least expensive all all the cups originally but will be a joy to drink from.  

Three of the cups were priced at $4.99, a shockingly high price for a thrift store but a bargain when you think of what you would pay retail.

Each cup was only FIFTY CENTS yesterday!  

More about my thrifting tomorrow!  

A Spring Visit to Spring Hill Botanical Garden

My last visit was in the summer and most of the blooms were different.  

This is what is blooming in April in Florida! 

While there I had to stop and pick up a geocache!

An interesting Mother Child sculpture

 This was quite the strange flower! 

A bit further back so you can see how it grows.

It was a nice visit but I missed many areas due to time constraints.

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Pocket Letter Ready to Roll

There was a request for a swap for a Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn Pocket letter and I was lucky enough to get the Autumn one!  I've been dying to do one for the fall, not that I'm tired of Easter Bunnies, Leprechauns and spring flowers!  I'm not!  I'm looking forward to receiving some beautiful springy PL's!  

But I just had a hankering to do a fall one.

I immediately stamped out some cute witches, pumpkins and owls.  I looked forward to diving into my Thanksgiving stuff I had acquired in anticipation.....but you never know where the journey will take you when you begin creating.  

What is Fall?  It's back to school, Thanksgiving, w

itches and goblins and hunting season. It's colorful leaves and nuts and berries, rich browns, oranges and maroons.  It's apple season.  

Can you pick out the pockets that represent the various categories? 

I hope she likes it.  I really enjoyed putting it together! 

I imagine it will get a few new touches before it goes into the mail tomorrow, but now I'm planning to make the next one.  I wonder where it will take me?  

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Funky Junk Interiors