I recently shared a tutorial on how to put together a smash journal, using items from the dollar store as well as "found" items you may already have around the house. The post was getting pretty long, so I decided to break it out into a tutorial, and a flip through that included ideas for what to include in your own smash journal.
Basically, if you can figure out a way to bind it, and it fits (more or less), then you can use it in your journal! Don't feel limited to paper, either -- you may find cool pieces of plastic from packaging or old report covers that can be re-purposed.
Leather and fabric pieces, cereal boxes, clothing tags, thin metal sheets... all of these things can be included in a smash, or junk, journal.
The smash journal I recently shared about included, a vintage time-telling flash card. It was dressed up a bit with pretty washi tape.
A vintage Bingo card was also included, as was an orphan notecard from the stationary drawer.
Old Creative Memories scrapbook paper (from, maybe the nineties?) was included.
Random bits of glossy cardboard (check out your grocery packaging for this), turned out to be a great canvas for blending Crayola markers to create a unique background.
Doodles and washi tape adorned many of the pages. (Save those phone doodles!)
Tabs were cut from a dollar store divider.
A special page was rescued from a tattered old Bible found in the "last chance" bin at a thrift store. The sweet leather cover was crumbling and the zipper stitching had rotted, but most of the onion skin pages were still lovely.
I did purchase a few dollar store items for the book, including a document file to re-make into a cover, and some cute pads of note paper.
An obsolete Wyoming gazetteer was rescued from the recycling and put to use, as well.
A dollar store pocket divider page was cut down to fit inside the journal.
Look around your house for orphan sketches. I have lots of sketches here and there that can be used in future journals.
Old book pages are great for smash journals, as well. They make a great "base" for gluing pictures or mementos, or add a little white gesso and use the page as a drawing or writing surface. Of course, you can draw on book pages without adding gesso, too.
For more ideas on what to use in your smash journal, you can read this article on choosing materials for mixed-media art.
For an easy way to create a journal from an existing book, read this article on how to create an altered book.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to House Revivals in our sidebar, so you won't miss any of the fun posts we have planned. Like and follow House Revivals on Facebook, as well, so you won't miss any of the "in between" stuff. For lots more project that don't always make it into a blog post, check out our Instagram feed.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Basically, if you can figure out a way to bind it, and it fits (more or less), then you can use it in your journal! Don't feel limited to paper, either -- you may find cool pieces of plastic from packaging or old report covers that can be re-purposed.
Leather and fabric pieces, cereal boxes, clothing tags, thin metal sheets... all of these things can be included in a smash, or junk, journal.
The smash journal I recently shared about included, a vintage time-telling flash card. It was dressed up a bit with pretty washi tape.
A vintage Bingo card was also included, as was an orphan notecard from the stationary drawer.
Old Creative Memories scrapbook paper (from, maybe the nineties?) was included.
Random bits of glossy cardboard (check out your grocery packaging for this), turned out to be a great canvas for blending Crayola markers to create a unique background.
Doodles and washi tape adorned many of the pages. (Save those phone doodles!)
Tabs were cut from a dollar store divider.
A special page was rescued from a tattered old Bible found in the "last chance" bin at a thrift store. The sweet leather cover was crumbling and the zipper stitching had rotted, but most of the onion skin pages were still lovely.
I did purchase a few dollar store items for the book, including a document file to re-make into a cover, and some cute pads of note paper.
An obsolete Wyoming gazetteer was rescued from the recycling and put to use, as well.
A dollar store pocket divider page was cut down to fit inside the journal.
Look around your house for orphan sketches. I have lots of sketches here and there that can be used in future journals.
Old book pages are great for smash journals, as well. They make a great "base" for gluing pictures or mementos, or add a little white gesso and use the page as a drawing or writing surface. Of course, you can draw on book pages without adding gesso, too.
For more ideas on what to use in your smash journal, you can read this article on choosing materials for mixed-media art.
For an easy way to create a journal from an existing book, read this article on how to create an altered book.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to House Revivals in our sidebar, so you won't miss any of the fun posts we have planned. Like and follow House Revivals on Facebook, as well, so you won't miss any of the "in between" stuff. For lots more project that don't always make it into a blog post, check out our Instagram feed.
Thanks so much for stopping by!